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Lake County unveils new budget dashboard, says books now close monthly
Summary
Finance staff showed a new quarterly budget dashboard and monthly close process, reporting a more accurate starting 2026 budget, $160,000 in capital grant revenue, and steps to reduce reliance on outside accountants.
County finance staff presented a new public budget dashboard and described changes to financial operations intended to improve accuracy and transparency. Candace Bryant and finance director Bryce told the board the county has closed its 2025 books on time for the first time, allowing month‑by‑month reporting and true quarterly statements.
“Once we close the books on time, you can start to recognize what didn’t actually hit,” the finance director said. The team noted they found a prior over‑estimation in property tax revenue in the earlier budget and have been able to reallocate underspent amounts to capital asset management work. Staff said they had secured roughly $160,000 in grant funds to combine with reserves for a capital asset management plan.
The dashboard displays revenue timing (big property tax tranches in April and June) and quarter‑by‑quarter expense patterns; staff said it will be posted publicly after auditors finish year‑end adjustments. Commissioners praised improved monthly closes and recommended an explanatory statement on the public site clarifying limited multi‑year comparables for historical trends.
Finance said longer‑term goals include reducing payments to outside accountants by building in‑house capacity to close books and manage grants. No formal decisions were required at the work session; staff will return as audits complete and as any supplemental requests are prepared.
