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Lincoln County auditor flags $8M gap in provisional 2027 budget; road fund shortfall highlighted
Summary
The county auditor presented a provisional FY2027 budget showing general fund expenditures roughly $33.6 million against projected revenues of about $25.6 million and a road and bridge fund gap driven by declining revenues. The commission asked for line-by-line spreadsheets and further analysis before final adoption.
Sher L., Lincoln County auditor, presented the county's provisional calendar-year 2027 budget at the June 9 commission meeting and told commissioners the document should be treated as a working draft.
"The provisional budget is filed," the auditor said, and explained the package includes corrected figures after a software update. She warned that the general fund shows expenditures growing faster than revenues and called attention to the road and bridge fund, where revenues are budgeted at approximately $8.66 million while expenditures are budgeted at about $12.96 million.
The auditor identified a set of items for commission consideration before final adoption, including a $2 million courthouse capital outlay, pending justice center technology needs, the timing and incorporation of a forthcoming salary study and whether road and bridge projects should be phased or delayed to match available grants and transfers. She also noted a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment for personnel in the draft.
Commissioners pressed staff for more granular information. One commissioner asked for line-by-line department spreadsheets and fund-balance detail showing how much of the gap would be covered by reserves; Sher L. said she would provide that data and reconcile a few mismatches between narrative text and infographic tables.
Public commenters urged collaboration and caution. Chad Sky of Canton summarized his takeaways as "concern, challenging, cooperation, compromise," and called for commissioners and department heads to work together through the difficult cycle. Linda Montgomery of Fairview expressed concern that the draft relies heavily on property taxes and worried about the budget increasing the property-tax burden.
Next steps: the auditor said a budget work session and additional reviews are scheduled, departments will provide line-item spreadsheets, and the commission will take further direction before the provisional budget is advertised and the statutory public hearing process begins.
