Tazewell County Board adopts 2026 budget ordinance, sets $7.86 million general fund levy

The Tazewell County Board voted to adopt its fiscal year 2026 budget ordinance and set a general fund levy of $7,862,427, approving a package of adjustments that move several capital projects from fiscal 2025 into fiscal 2026 and add placeholder lines related to a county salary study.

A county staff member leading the budget presentation said the packet included three adjustment types members would see: capital improvement plan adjustments (marked “CIP”), salary‑study placeholders (marked “SS”) and other adjustments for contingency, staffing and revenue/expenditure reconciliations. She explained that projects expected to be started later than planned are shifted into FY26 "so the funds are available when we're ready to pay that," and warned that the preliminary salary‑study figures are not final: "These numbers are 100% going to be changing over the next couple of months," she said.

The board moved through a sequence of amendments and roll‑call votes to update individual funds. The Chair entertained a motion "to open the general fund" (moved by Nick Graff and seconded by Eric Stahl) and members approved an amendment to move a circuit clerk furniture purchase into FY26. Similar adjustments for the Emergency Management Agency, county administration (including IMRF and Social Security transfer lines tied to potential salary changes), human resources, building administration and other funds were explained by staff and approved on roll call.

Board members discussed contingencies that rise when CIP items are shifted between fiscal years and emphasized that placing funds in an adjustment line does not commit the county to spending them; expenditures still require subsequent board approval and implementation steps. Staff also told the board the county's salary study — conducted by Cbiz — remains in progress and any implementation of the study's recommendations would require additional future action.

Votes at a glance: the record shows the board approved the county general fund as amended, multiple special and grant funds (including a special grants fund and veterans assistance items), the county motor fuel tax fund amendment, the health internal services adjustments, the Treasury automation and other administrative fund items, and adopted the annual budget ordinance for fiscal year 2026. On the levy side, the Treasurer read the Tazewell County general fund levy at $7,862,427; the board also approved the county's Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund allocation for 2026 (amount announced on the record) and other statutory levies and certifications. Individual yes/no responses were recorded on the roll calls in the transcript.

During discussion about levy numbers, several members noted discrepancies between printed materials and the figures presented; staff corrected an amount on the record and the board approved the corrected figure. A board member further raised a governance concern that "4 or 5 people" on the board appeared not to know every levy and cautioned that failing to understand levy details could create fiscal problems down the line.

Staff told the board that awards tied to the American Rescue Plan fund will come back to the full board for approval in December and that certain signature authorities (the board authorized county staff to sign levy certifications) were being confirmed during the meeting. The board concluded its budget votes with the ordinance adopted and the stated levy figures entered into the record.