Finance committee approves multiple budget transfers and recommends FY2026 budget for public display

Alpena County’s Finance Ways & Means Committee on Nov. 12 recommended several budget adjustments and approved placing the FY2026 budget on public display.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer presented a set of intra-budget transfers and adjustments: a $5,862.57 transfer within the Airport budget to move assistant manager payroll to Fuel Farm Maintenance; a $900 transfer from Professional Services to Dues and Subscriptions to cover a MIRS legislative-tracking subscription (special rate); and a $35,000 transfer from the 711 Building Fund to the Building, Grounds & Maintenance Fund (631) to reimburse part of the Annex parking lot project. The committee approved each transfer by roll call vote.

Sheriff Erik Smith (on behalf of Undersheriff Cash Kroll) requested that any remaining 2025 inmate garden grant revenue be carried forward into fiscal 2026 with a county match for remaining expenses; the committee recommended approval to carry over the remaining grant revenue and match the expense line as presented.

By poll vote, commissioners also approved several larger year-end and FY2026 fund adjustments, including reversing a March 25, 2025 board action and transferring specified amounts from Fund 631 into FY2026 line items (increases of $230,000 and $140,000), reducing Fund 631’s balance from $548,000 to $178,000, closing Fund 730 and transferring its balance to the General Fund, and creating a line item in the 730 Fund to record an expense effective Jan. 1, 2026. Those poll votes were recorded as carried.

The committee approved placing the FY2026 budget on public display as presented. Osmer also summarized FY2026 highlights mentioned in the materials: restoration of the Sheriff’s budget reduction from FY2025 (about $215,000), restored contractual work with HUNT, a renewed partnership with Target Alpena, improvements to fairground roads and county parks, installation of six new diving blocks at the Alpena County Plaza Pool, hiring a full-time Emergency Manager, new T-hangers at the regional airport, and a new pilot program, Finding Your Way Home ($5,000) to assist people who travel to Alpena for work services and cannot return home on their own.

Separately, the committee approved creating a Siren Maintenance expenditure line in the 911 budget (moving it from Emergency Management) for FY2026 to better align maintenance responsibility and save approximately $5,000 for the General Fund.

The committee also enacted a temporary spending freeze beginning at the close of business on Friday, Nov. 14 through year-end, with allowances for necessary purchases to conduct business. The FY2026 budget will be displayed for public review ahead of final adoption procedures.