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Kane County delays final vote on 2026 budget after finance committee flags fund transfers
Summary
Kane County commissioners continued the public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget after the treasurer and clerk auditor recommended several fund-balance transfers, clarified project funding and a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, and asked departments to validate numbers following a new financial system migration.
Kane County commissioners on Dec. 9 moved to continue the public hearing on the 2026 county budget to give department heads time to verify figures after the county migrated to a new financial system.
The continuation followed a presentation by County Treasurer Karen Chatterley and Clerk/Auditor Shamil Lamb, who recommended transferring several small fund balances back into the county’s General Fund (Fund 110) and rearranging some salary and project lines. Chatterley asked the commission to transfer $7,378.29 from the Justice Court Fund (Fund 114) and $68,890.45 from a grant-reimbursement fund (Fund 241) back to the General Fund, and to reduce the county’s self-insured medical fund (Fund 669) to $50,000 by transferring $82,027 back into Fund 110.
The clerk’s budget overview showed a proposed 2026 general fund of $16,339,817 and described a countywide proposed 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for employees and elected officials (the rate Social Security adopted). Lamb said that overall proposed county spending across funds is lower than 2025 because several capital projects have completed and some grants are not recurring. She also noted that switching the county’s medical provider from Cigna to PEHP produced a net cost saving relative to an expected increase.
Commissioners pressed for detail on several items. The sheriff’s proposed purchase of body-worn cameras was flagged for verification in next week’s packet. Commissioners also asked staff to more accurately reflect how much has been spent to date on the recreation center project; staff estimated roughly $3.7 million spent but agreed to refine the number.
There was explicit discussion of using tourism-related TRT mitigation funds to cover some search-and-rescue staffing costs (about $190,000 discussed in the hearing) and of protecting Fund 241 so a $17,500 health grant remains clearly traceable. Several commissioners said they preferred to finalize adjustments and then vote next week rather than risk passing a budget with migration errors.
Next step: The commission continued the public hearing on the 2026 budget until its next regular meeting so staff and department heads can reconcile line-item changes and return with updated revenue and expenditure detail.
