Lancaster County Council amends FY27 budget to fund detention staffing, phase EMS hires and boost LARS match

Lancaster County Council approved a package of amendments to the county's proposed fiscal year 2026–27 budget after a long public hearing and rounds of discussion over staffing, wages and one‑time funding.

The council voted unanimously to add funding for detention center staffing (the amendment as presented funded eight correctional officers and four booking clerks), to phase EMS staffing hires as a half‑year implementation for newly opened EMS stations and to provide a $100,000 additional county allocation to the Lancaster Area Ride Service (LARS) to preserve transit operations for seniors and residents without cars.

The amendments also set pay changes for county employees: council adopted a 5% increase for public‑safety staff and a 4% increase for other employees (the motion eliminated a separate $17 hourly minimum and a proposed compression package discussed earlier in the budget process). Council also approved a 1.5‑mill increase to county operating millage as part of the package to cover recurring costs tied to the amendment.

Why it mattered: Council members repeatedly raised concerns about public‑safety capacity and jail overcrowding. Sheriff's office testimony during the budget discussion described a jail population substantially above the facility's designed capacity and requested staff needed to open and operate the new detention center. County staff and council also emphasized retention risks in EMS and fire operations and recommended phased hiring to match realistic recruitment and training timelines.

What council heard: During the public hearing, Barbara Scanell told the council the county's EMS and fire rescue services are stretched and urged the council to pursue a sustainable funding plan; she detailed population and facility statistics and urged a per‑unit or bedroom/square‑foot approach to fees if broadening funding. LARS speakers (board members and volunteers) requested additional county funding, saying a county match would leverage sizable federal dollars and help maintain routes for seniors, veterans and low‑income riders.

Budget tradeoffs: County finance staff said the FY27 proposal was built around a no‑millage‑increase posture that relied on $6.4 million of projected revenue and extensive one‑time fund‑balance appropriations. Council debated alternatives: staff had earlier proposed a smaller 2% across‑the‑board increase for non‑public safety employees and 6% for public safety; several members pushed for a more even raise distribution, and the adopted amendment landed on 5% for public safety and 4% for others.

Next steps and timing: Several hires are phased. Council directed staff to reflect the amendments in the line‑item detail for third reading (scheduled in the meeting for June 22), to provide updated cost estimates for the detention staffing and medical contract line items, and to provide LARS with a Wednesday meeting to deliver usage and matching‑fund details. Staff also noted that certain one‑time capital items remain listed as fund‑balance appropriations (for example, the $6 million Harrisburg fire station request) and will be resolved as the adopted budget and CIP are finalized.

Quotes: "We need these positions to open the detention center," the sheriff said in discussion of correctional staffing needs. "If they don't get the $200,000, they won't be able to get the matching federal funds," a council member said of the LARS request.

Impact and context: The amendment reallocated recurring and one‑time resources to prioritize public safety operations and county services that council members identified as urgent. Council directed staff to update the public materials and produce detailed cost summaries for the remaining items before the third reading and final adoption.