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Interim county manager presents $93.4 million FY 2026–27 budget, recommends $10 million from fund balance
Summary
Rutherford County's interim county manager delivered a budget focused on stability and a three-to-five-year capital investment plan, proposing a $93,447,130 general fund, a continued tax rate of 45.4¢ and about $10 million of fund balance to bridge the gap while planning major capital projects.
The interim county manager presented a recommended FY 2026'027 budget on May 4 that he described as "focused on stability and preparation." The proposed general fund budget is $93,447,130, a $6.65% increase over the current year, and relies on approximately $10,000,000 of unrestricted fund balance to balance operations and capital needs.
The presentation laid out major capital priorities the county plans to fund through a newly proposed capital investment plan: law-enforcement vehicle refresh ($22,860,000), public-service vehicles ($2,954,500), IT hardware and software ($910,000), election equipment ($275,000), county facilities and buildings ($5,599,100) and a $3,100,000 match for school capital grants. The manager said the county would transfer portions of the nonrestricted fund balance into a capital-investment fund to address these needs over the next three to five years.
The recommended tax rate remains at 45.4 cents per $100 of assessed value. The budget includes a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees effective with the January 2027 payroll, several new positions (two additional road-patrol officers, a fourth courtroom bailiff, five DSS income-maintenance caseworkers, one new appraiser and part-time library support), and targeted support for public safety, education and human services.
Officials said the general fund requests totaled more than $109 million before reductions brought the recommended number to the mid-$93 million level. The manager also noted a $4.6 million portion of a cash-flow loan will remain with the county until June 2030. Staff said they will work with financial advisers to create a formal fund-balance policy and to present a budget ordinance for adoption in June.
Commissioners set a schedule for budget consideration: workshops on May 11 and May 18, a tentative workshop May 21, a public hearing on June 1 and adoption on June 4.
"Preparing for those needs now will help stabilize the process of implementation," the interim county manager said when describing the capital plan. The board did not adopt the budget on May 4; the public hearing and subsequent adoption votes are scheduled for June.
