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Kerr County previews budget shortfall as sheriff pursues large federal grant for deputies and jail upgrades
Summary
Judge Kelly outlined a draft FY2026–27 budget showing about an $8 million gap; the sheriff described a fast-moving federal grant opportunity to fund six patrol positions, six vehicles and major jail camera/control upgrades, and the court agreed to pursue the grant while keeping those items out of the baseline county budget to avoid supplanting.
Kerr County Judge Kelly used the court’s July 13 workshop to preview the proposed FY2026–27 budget and described an $8 million gap between projected revenues (about $54 million under a no-new-revenue scenario) and preliminary expenses ($62 million). Kelly said the administration intends to pursue technical adjustments, a salary study and targeted placeholders to limit the impact on the property tax rate but warned more workshops are needed before the county files the proposed budget.
During the same session the sheriff described a federal grant program that could provide equipment and personnel: he said his office plans to apply this month for funding that could cover up to six patrol positions, six vehicles and a major camera/control-panel upgrade for the jail (the sheriff estimated the control/camera project at about $1 million). Because grant rules prohibit supplanting, the county and sheriff agreed to hold those requests out of the baseline budget and submit them only if the grant is awarded.
Judge Kelly and county finance staff described a placeholder in the proposed budget for personnel adjustments (about $657,000) pending results of a salary study intended to direct raises toward lower-paid positions. The judge outlined the county’s reserve policy goal and said the county could use fund balance to help the budget while still retaining a roughly 24% reserve if necessary. Commissioners scheduled additional budget workshops (including July 17 and 24) to refine assumptions, review the salary study and finalize the proposed budget for required public filing by July 31.
Public comment interjected on another grant item (a Department of Justice immigration-related grant authorization), prompting questions about enforcement, county use of federal funds and transparency; the court voted to authorize the judge to sign assurances to apply for the DOJ grant.
