Caldwell County DSS approves submission of 2026–2027 budget package including 10% salary scenario

The Caldwell County Department of Social Services on Tuesday voted unanimously to submit its proposed 2026–2027 budget, a package that includes three scenarios requested by the county manager and that the director recommended advancing with a 10% across‑the‑board staff salary request.

Director Kim Arnett and financial officer Chris Connelly told board members the agency faces several “uncontrollable” cost increases that will raise the county share of the budget even without pay changes. Arnett said higher employer retirement contribution rates and increased county contributions for employee health insurance alone add several hundred thousand dollars to county costs; she identified the insurance increase at about $273,000 and said several revenue reductions for administrative and foster‑care reimbursements together add roughly $410,000 in county expense. “Those four things alone add up to about $1.2 million,” Arnett said, describing the unavoidable portion of the county increase.

Arnett said submitting the 10% scenario does not preclude providing the county manager with the zero‑ and 5% alternatives he requested and that the manager will receive all three for review. After a short period for questions, a board member moved to approve the budget proposal as presented and another seconded; the motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

The board did not record a roll‑call vote in the transcript and did not identify the motion mover or seconder by name. Minutes will reflect a voice vote of “I” in favor and the chair declared the motion carried.

Why it matters: Department officials said more than half of the projected increase in county dollars is driven by changes outside the department’s control, a point they used to support advancing the 10% salary request to help retain and reward staff amid persistent vacancies and rising living costs. The board plans to forward the selected scenarios to the county manager and commissioners for final consideration.

Next steps: The county manager will review the three scenarios and the commissioners will consider the department’s submission in the county budget process. The board recorded in the meeting packet that the item caption should read “2026–2027” rather than “2025–2026” and that correction will be reflected in the minutes.

Sources and limits: Quotes and figures in this article are drawn from the department’s meeting presentation and the directors’ remarks. Where the transcript contained unclear numerical transcription (e.g., some multi‑million figures), the article uses the department’s own phrasing or reported subtotals (insurance $273,000; combined revenue reductions ~ $410,000; “about $1.2 million” unavoidable increase) and attributes them directly to Director Kim Arnett rather than restating uncertain totals as precise county liabilities.