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Bradford County delays COLA decision as budgets show fuel, benefits and roofing pressures
Summary
County commissioners on June 5 reviewed department budgets, noting fuel and insurance cost drivers, a $200,000 library AC/CIP item and a $1.3 million boat-ram p estimate; commissioners agreed to postpone a cost-of-living adjustment decision until late July as state budget uncertainties persist.
Chairwoman Carolyn Spooner opened a budget workshop and the regular meeting, and county department heads walked the board through FY2026–27 requests that largely reflect increases in employee benefits and petroleum-related operational costs.
Public works manager Connie Davis told commissioners the countywide increase in the proposed budget is driven mainly by fuel and petroleum-related items such as tires and asphalt; the road department request rose from $3.7 million last year to $4.1 million this year, and staff included a $225,000 dump-truck capital request. "Most of the increases you'll see will be related to fuel costs and ... petroleum-related products," Davis said.
The library director outlined three budgets and an itemized request that included $200,000 for new air-conditioning units and associated ceiling repairs; staff clarified the AC expense is recorded in the county's capital improvement plan rather than taken from contingency. "That's partly an estimate right now," the director said of the $200,000 figure.
Fire Rescue Chief Carlos outlined a large drop in opioid-abatement (LSF) funding that will reduce the county's grant receipts from about $700,000 this year to $350,000 next year, with further reductions thereafter. He also described operational increases in ambulance supplies, service contracts and NFPA physical costs. "We became eligible because we started medication-assisted therapy (MAT) services in the county," Chief Carlos said of opioid-related funding.
Staff presented three cost-of-living adjustment options — 3%, 4% and 5% — based on a local CPI calculation of about 3.8% and a Social Security COLA of 2.8%. Commissioners questioned whether to commit to a COLA while state-level budget decisions and property-tax uncertainties remain unresolved. The board agreed to wait for clearer information from Tallahassee and to revisit COLA by late July or at the July meeting.
The board also reviewed CIP updates: the Cypress Run boat ramp construction estimate is roughly $1.3 million and a courthouse roof replacement estimate is about $450,000. Staff said recently approved new roads are now included in the CIP and that short side roads could be considered for chip-seal when adjacent resurfacing work occurs.
The meeting adjourned the budget workshop and moved into the regular session.
