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Morris County commissioners adopt 2026 budget, approve up to 3.5% COLA
Summary
The Morris County Board of County Commissioners on March 25 adopted the county's 2026 budget and tax resolution and approved a COLA resolution authorizing up to a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment and establishment of a cap bank. Multiple ordinances and bond measures were adopted by roll call, all without public comment.
The Morris County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously March 25 to adopt the county's calendar-year 2026 budget and tax resolution and to approve a COLA resolution that authorizes a cost-of-living adjustment up to 3.5% and establishes a cap bank.
At the start of the meeting the clerk read the COLA resolution by title and the public hearing on that resolution opened and closed with no members of the public addressing the board. Committee member (speaker S6) moved adoption and Committee member (speaker S5) seconded; the clerk then called the roll and each named commissioner was recorded as voting yes. Later, the clerk read the budget and tax resolution by title pursuant to NJSA 48:4-8, opened a public hearing on the budget, and, seeing no public speakers, the board moved and adopted the budget on a roll-call vote. Commissioner (speaker S5) thanked county administrators and Chief Financial Officer Betty Bauer, noting the adopted budget marks the seventh consecutive year with no tax-rate increase.
The measures were adopted without public testimony. The COLA resolution references NJSA 48:4-45.14 and the budget reading was conducted under NJSA 48:4-8, as stated on the record. No dollar total for the full budget was read into the record during the public hearing; the board said a completed copy of the approved budget had been made available on the county website at least one week prior to the meeting.
Votes at a glance: the board recorded roll-call approvals for the COLA resolution (authorizing up to 3.5% COLA and a cap bank) and for the county's 2026 budget and tax resolution. Separately, the board adopted several ordinances and bond measures on second and final reading during the same meeting (see list below).
Ordinances and bonds adopted on second and final reading (selected items noted during the March 25 meeting): - Ordinance 2026-20: Capital Improvement Fund, $85,000 for vehicle replacement for the Morris County Nutrition Program - Ordinance 2026-21: Capital Improvement Fund, $140,000 for vehicle replacement for the Morris Area Paratransit/Transit System (MAPS) - Ordinance 2026-23: Capital Improvement Fund, $45,000 for shade-tree equipment for the Public Works division - Ordinance 2026-24: Capital Improvement Fund, $129,500 for office improvements for the Morris County Clerk's Office - Bond Ordinance 2026-25: $6,314,261 appropriated for improvements at County College of Morris and authorization to issue bonds or notes to finance the project
All of the above were presented for public hearing with no speakers and were adopted by roll-call votes at the meeting. The board also approved other resolutions on the agenda and a motion to pay county bills; those motions passed by roll call.
The meeting concluded after brief commissioner remarks and a motion to adjourn. No public comments were received during either the budget or ordinance public hearings.
Next steps: Ordinances introduced on first reading earlier in the meeting will return for subsequent hearings or final readings as required; adopted ordinances and the approved budget become part of county records and will be executed according to standard county procedures.
