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County continues 2026 budget hearing; auditors and commissioners describe a $5.2 million preliminary gap
Summary
The board opened the 2026 budget public hearing but the clerk said the budget is incomplete; commissioners cited a roughly $5.2 million projected gap before cuts and directed departments to prepare 5% and 7.5% cut scenarios. The hearing was continued to Dec. 8, 2025.
The Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners opened a public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget Dec. 1 but the county clerk informed the board the budget was not ready for adoption because several offices had not yet submitted final adjustments.
"At this point this morning, it's not ready for adoption," Diane, the clerk, said, urging public participants that the board would accept comments but would not adopt the budget that day. Commissioner Clayton provided additional context, saying the county is conducting a proactive budgeting exercise and is approximately $5,200,000 apart between projected 2026 revenue and expenditures before a directed 5% departmental cut.
"That is why we have directed all departments and offices to run their proposed budgets at a 5% cut," Commissioner Clayton said, and he explained this is a step toward narrowing a multi-million-dollar gap. Commissioners discussed timelines and agreed to leave the public hearing open to Dec. 8 to allow remaining adjustments and auditor input.
The motion to continue the public hearing to Dec. 8, 2025, was moved and seconded and passed with two votes in favor and one absent.
Votes at a glance (selected approvals during the Dec. 1 session): - Approve agenda (motion passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Approve consent agenda (minutes) and vouchers (motion passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Certify property tax levies for 2026 (motion passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Approve county portion of Economic Development fund for City of Prescott town-hall expansion (motion passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Approve Behavioral Health Council bylaws and appointments (motions passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Approve Federal Interagency/CDBG subaward to BMAC and multiple Department of Community Health staffing proposals (motions passed 2-0, 1 absent). - Approve bridge weight-limit postings and HR/payroll actions as listed on the agenda.
Next steps: The board left the record open until Dec. 8, 2025, for additional public input and final budget adjustments; commissioners asked departments to submit cut lists for 5% and 7.5% scenarios and asked staff to share those materials with the absent commissioner for review.
