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Centre Region COG director outlines 2026 draft budget; Ferguson share falls below earlier estimate
Summary
Centre Region Council of Governments Executive Director presented a draft 2026 budget showing a 4.5% overall increase; Ferguson Township's share after the standard formula was about 5.95%. Director cited changes in EIT data sources, a 13.6% health‑care driver and conditional $100,000 funding for Millbrook Marsh design.
The Centre Region Council of Governments (COG) presented a draft 2026 summary budget to Ferguson Township supervisors on Oct. 7. COG Executive Director Mr. Estelle summarized key drivers and fielded board questions about municipal shares and line‑item adjustments.
Mr. Estelle said the overall draft budget shows a 4.5% increase; after applying COG's standard allocation formula Ferguson Township's share was approximately 5.95%. He said a shift from using Department of Community and Economic Development data to center tax‑collection figures reduced Ferguson's standard allocation slightly. "For Ferguson Township specifically, you would be looking at a 5.95% increase after the formula," he said.
Health‑care costs were flagged as a major driver for 2026. The COG projection included a 13.6% increase for health care costs, consistent with national trends, and the director said COG is planning for dental and vision changes phased in over the next two to three years.
Mr. Estelle also highlighted several line items of note: a $21,500 municipal‑share request by the State‑regional library for partial roof replacement; a finance‑committee recommendation to seed a Millbrook Marsh boardwalk design fund with $100,000 subject to a general forum review of alternatives; and changes to how a previously flat $150,000 finance cost was being allocated across member agencies.
Supervisors asked questions about earlier estimates (noting prior figures heard in finance committee that ranged from ~5.2% to 5.7%) and Mr. Estelle explained that formula recalculations and a correction to an aquatics fund balance formula had lowered municipal share needs. He invited municipalities to submit comments by Oct. 16 at 8 a.m. for consideration by the finance committee.
No board action was required at the Oct. 7 meeting; COG budget materials will be taken forward through the finance committee and general forum before municipalities receive the COG budget for municipal adoption schedules in November.
