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Platte County adopts fiscal 2026–27 budget after clerk’s presentation
Summary
Platte County commissioners adopted Resolution 2026‑11 to approve the 2026–27 budget after County Clerk and Budget Officer Malcolm Mervin presented a budget message outlining a $4.0 million Phase 2 courthouse appropriation, a near‑term general fund loan and modest employee pay increases.
Malcolm Mervin, Platte County clerk and budget officer, presented the county’s fiscal 2026–27 budget to the commission and recommended adoption of Resolution 2026‑11.
Mervin told commissioners the proposed budget includes an appropriation of just under $4,000,000 for Phase 2 of the courthouse exterior‑preservation project and an additional full‑time clerk in the treasurer’s office to support an upcoming retirement by Treasurer Christie Ritz. He said the courthouse work is funded primarily by a voter‑approved specific‑purpose excise tax passed in 2023 but that not all tax receipts have yet been collected, requiring a general‑fund loan of nearly $1,600,000 to bridge timing differences.
"This budget contained herein appropriates for essential government services like law enforcement, public health, and election administration," Mervin said, explaining tradeoffs in the draft and noting a modest raise for county employees designed to help retain staff. He also warned the county’s operating funds—about $2.3 million in the presentation—leave the county exposed if collections fall: "should we expend a 100% of our budget and collect less than we anticipate, we will be short next year by roughly $1,600,000," he said.
Commissioners asked procedural questions about publication dates and legal notice after a member noted public‑notice timing during the prior public comment period. Mervin said the notice was submitted on the 10th and published on the 17th, and that the document was posted online and outside the county office on the submission date.
Chair moved to adopt Resolution 2026‑11, "adopting the fiscal year 2026–27 budget," the motion was seconded, commissioners signaled their approval verbally and the motion carried. The clerk said he would print and distribute the adopted resolution.
The action establishes the county’s spending plan for the coming fiscal year; staff emphasized the budget carries a near‑term loan that will be repaid as excise tax receipts are collected and that several revenue assumptions—especially sales tax—remain sensitive to economic variability.
