Josephine County budget committee approves $1.4 million midyear supplemental budget, adds two staff

The Josephine County Budget Committee voted 6-0 on Nov. 12 to approve a midyear supplemental budget that raises county appropriations by $1,401,700 and adds two full-time equivalents (FTEs), moving the proposal to the Board of County Commissioners for final adoption at a hearing tentatively set for Dec. 4, 2025.

Ruth Nelson, the county's finance director and budget officer, presented the supplemental package and explained that supplemental budgets are used when unexpected circumstances require changes to appropriations after the budget is adopted. The November 6 memo accompanying the proposal listed fund-by-fund changes, public comment procedures and the Dec. 4 hearing date.

The committee approved a set of targeted changes: a $68,000 transfer from General Fund contingency to the Law Enforcement Fund to fund one Deputy District Attorney (1.0 FTE); a $65,000 increase in the Mental Health Fund, paid from opioid settlement funds, to add a School Outreach Officer (1.0 FTE); and an increase in Airports intergovernmental revenue tied to a runway extension project. The airports package included a $104,800 interfund transfer to capital projects, with $83,000 earmarked for a new hangar, $6,750 for lease software and $15,050 as matching funds for an ODAV tractor grant.

District Attorney Josh Eastman told the committee his office's caseload has risen "significantly" following increases in sheriff patrols and city police staffing and requested the additional Deputy District Attorney to handle more prosecutions; the committee discussed those needs during deliberations and supported the request.

Exhibit schedules attached to the budget memo also show smaller reallocations: an ODOT grant of $21,600 for sheriff radars; $22,300 moved from Jail & Detention contingency to the Equipment Reserve Fund for jail kitchen equipment; $9,500 in the Equipment Reserve for a forestry forklift; and $100,000 in postage costs centralized into the Internal Service Fund. The Fairgrounds Permanent Fund will transfer $250,000 to the Property Reserve Fund for capital improvements at fairgrounds facilities, per Board Order 2025-018.

Joseph Rice moved to approve the supplemental budget, Ron Smith seconded, and the motion carried on a roll-call vote with Rice, Marc Kirby, Chad Hansen, Smith, Chris Barnett and Chair Andreas Blech voting yes. Chris Barnett later moved to delegate approval of these meeting minutes to the Board of County Commissioners; that motion also passed 6-0. No public comments were heard during the meeting.

The approved supplemental budget will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for formal adoption at the Dec. 4, 2025 hearing, at which members of the public will again have an opportunity to comment.