Franklin County adopts FY2023 budget after weeks of special sessions and school standoff

Franklin County commissioners finalized a turbulent FY2023 budget after a series of special and emergency sessions in August that reopened debates over school funding, employee pay and use of federal pandemic dollars.

The commission adopted most county appropriations in roll-call votes after the first attempt to approve a consolidated budget failed on Aug. 1. The board later approved the county’s tax levy (the certified rate) and—after additional meetings to reconcile outstanding items—passed the final appropriations package in an emergency session at the end of August.

Why it mattered: The deliberations threaded together an ongoing county-wide question about how to use remaining American Rescue Plan/ESSER dollars for school projects and whether local taxes or the school fund balance should cover recurring payroll commitments. The budget fights also centered on countywide pay increases: the county adopted a general 5% cost-of-living increase for county employees while the highway and solid-waste departments were set at 5.9% and the school system proposed separate raises and contract supplements for school bus contractors.

What happened: On Aug. 1 the board approved the certified tax rate in a 16–0 roll-call vote, but a consolidated budget measure failed later the same night (four votes in favor, 12 opposed), reflecting divisions over school and county spending priorities (Aug. 1 special session). Over the next weeks commissioners held separate finance committee meetings and special sessions to discuss amendments and use of fund balance. On Aug. 29 an initial motion to adopt the consolidated budget failed (7 ayes / 9 nays), but a subsequent motion to approve appropriations for most county functions—excluding the School General Fund—passed by a 10–4–2 margin. The Commission then approved the tax levy (16–0). On Aug. 31, an emergency special session completed final budget votes and cash-flow approvals, allowing county operations to continue with the newly adopted appropriations.

What the documents show: Finance Director Andrea Smith presented month-by-month revenue and expenditure reports for the general fund, highway fund and school funds, and the board discussed midyear balances, capital projects, and ARP/ESSER allocations that the school system proposed for campus projects such as HVAC upgrades. The board also received multiple reports from the finance committee and the trustee showing interest income and sales-tax receipts for the budget period.

Reaction and context: The school board and county leadership negotiated over one of the largest unresolved items—how much of the county’s ARP/ESSER balance to dedicate to the school capital needs versus using recurring revenues to fund raises. Commissioners said they wanted the school board to clarify its plan for using ESSER/ARP funds—several members urged the school system to prioritize one-time capital uses for ESSER and avoid committing recurring local revenue to ongoing operational costs without clear sustainability plans.

Votes at a glance: - Aug. 1: Certified tax rate approved, roll call 16–0. (Special Session) - Aug. 1: Consolidated budget (first attempt) failed: 4 ayes / 12 nays. (Special Session) - Aug. 29: Initial consolidated budget motion failed 7 ayes / 9 nays; subsequent motion to adopt appropriations except the School General Fund passed 10 ayes / 4 nays / 2 abstain. (Special Session) - Aug. 29: Tax-levy resolution approved 16–0. - Aug. 31: Emergency session to finalize cash-flow and debt management approvals; final motions passed and the budget was adopted by the Commission.

Where this leaves the county: The board left a path for the school system to return with clarifications about how it will use one-time federal funds for the Trane/HVAC projects and other capital needs rather than relying on recurring local funds for new recurring programs. Commissioners and county staff said they expect follow-up decisions and cooperative conversations between the county finance office and the school system in the months ahead.

What’s next: The county will proceed under the adopted levy and appropriations. Several departments will provide follow-up reports on capital project schedules and grant executions, and the school board has signaled it will refine its capital-spend plans and return with finalized funding language for the items that drove the earlier impasse.

Sources: County finance reports (entered in commission minutes), roll-call tallies recorded in minutes and during the Aug. 1, Aug. 29 and Aug. 31 sessions, and statements by Finance Director Andrea Smith and several commissioners at meetings recorded in the minutes.