Sutter County supervisors give conceptual approval to FY 2025–26 budget after daylong hearing

SUTTER COUNTY — The Sutter County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 19 held a special public hearing and gave conceptual approval to the county’s FY 2025–26 tentatively approved budget, voting section by section to adopt adjusted appropriations and rebudgets that will appear on a consent calendar for final adoption on Sept. 9.

Deputy County Administrator Laura Granados told the board that the county began the budget process in December and published the recommended budget June 6. The combined countywide total approved earlier in June was $518,260,304; the staff presentation on Aug. 19 detailed adjustments and rebudgets for individual functional areas that together make up the proposed fiscal-year appropriations.

Why it matters: The board’s actions preserve continuity of services starting July 1 while allocating rebudgeted funds for projects that did not finish in FY 2024–25 and recording adjustments tied to grant timing, infrastructure and special‑revenue transfers.

What the board approved and key numbers - Section A (agriculture, library, museum, veterans): tentative appropriations $6,587,632; adjustments brought the section to $6,637,687. The board approved the section by unanimous roll call. - Section B (development services, engineering, environmental health, roads and water resources): tentative appropriations $31,269,915; a $270,000 adjustment was added to purchase a thermoplastic striping trailer and equipment (adjusted total $31,539,915). The board approved the section by unanimous roll call. - Section C (general government — including elections, clerk-recorder, auditor-controller): total after adjustments $78,788,591. Approved unanimously. - Section D (general services — parks, building maintenance, fleet, IT): adjusted total $12,809,127. Approved unanimously. - Section E (health and human services, behavioral health, public health, jail medical): tentative appropriations $207,327,676; adjustments and a CYBHI Round 2 grant rebudget added $1,125,145, for $208,452,821. Approved unanimously. - Section F (law and justice — DA, probation, sheriff, jail): tentative appropriations $104,528,839; adjustments and rebudgets for several sheriff and jail projects produced adjusted appropriations of $106,224,115. Approved unanimously. - Section G (nonoperating special revenue funds): adjusted total $77,381,385. Approved unanimously.

The board also handled related agency budgets in sequence. Waterworks District No. 1 had tentative appropriations of $270,295 with no adjustments and was approved; the In‑Home Supportive Services Public Authority budget of $1,344,322 was also approved.

Roads equipment and in‑house striping During the Section B discussion, supervisors pressed county roads staff for details about a proposed purchase of a thermoplastic striping trailer and equipment. A roads representative identified as Hank said the thermoplastic markings “last about 7 to 10 years as opposed to paint,” which staff said typically lasts about two years, and that in‑house use would allow the county to stripe intersections and school zones more frequently.

“So we'd be able to do all of that in house,” Hank said, adding that the county could cover more roadway markings with the existing crew. When asked about payback, Hank said the equipment would likely “pay for itself” within about three years because of reduced contractor costs and longer-lasting markings.

Fire staffing and Sutter Point developer arrangement Board members spent substantial time discussing firefighter staffing tied to County Service Area F (CSAF) and the history of a three‑year SAFER grant that funded six limited‑term firefighter positions. CAO Smith explained that federal CARES/ARPA funds and past grants helped sustain those positions but that the pandemic-era funds have run out.

Smith and other staff said the developers at the Sutter Point project have agreed to construct a station there and to fund fire trucks; during construction developers agreed to retain or fund six paid firefighter positions so the county would have trained personnel available when the station opens. Board members clarified that the long-term staffing mix would change when the permanent station opens and that staffing sent to Sutter Point would include a combination of engineers and captains rather than simply moving six current limited‑term engine positions.

Redistricting and potential election costs Supervisor DeGomar warned that if a midcycle redistricting election occurs the county could face election costs on the order of “about $230,000, dollars $250,000,” and CAO Smith said the county’s contingency (about $1.8 million) could be used if the state does not reimburse counties. Smith noted uncertainty about state reimbursement for such elections and referenced one prior large statewide recall with subsequent county reimbursement; he said any actual reimbursement is not guaranteed.

Other items The board briefly discussed volunteer uniforms for sheriff’s volunteers; a sheriff representative said subsistence-level polo shirts could be provided this year while full protective gear budgeting would be planned for the next fiscal year. County staff also noted a state mandate requiring “race‑blind” charging redaction software for district attorney files and that the county has submitted an SB 90 reimbursement claim and is awaiting state determination on whether that is an additional reimbursable cost.

Votes at a glance Each section of the budget was approved by roll call vote; recorded votes in the transcript show unanimous “Aye” votes by Supervisors Boone, Flores, Ziegenmeyer, Baines and Stevens on the section approvals and related district actions.

What’s next Staff said any adjustments directed by the board at the hearing will be included ahead of the consent calendar on the Sept. 9 meeting for final budget adoption. The board closed the public hearing and moved to routine board considerations and announcements, then adjourned the special budget sessions.

Sources: Sutter County staff presentation and live board discussion during the Aug. 19, 2025 special budget hearing; direct quotes are from county staff and supervisors recorded on the public transcript.