Kane County continues 2026 budget hearing after treasurer flags fund adjustments; several measures approved

Kane County commissioners on Tuesday continued the public hearing on the proposed 2026 county budget to Dec. 16 after Treasurer Karen Chagley and finance committee members asked for more time to review figures following a recent migration to a new financial system.

Chagley told the commission that the finance committee identified three fund balances that could be returned, in whole or part, to the county’s General Fund (Fund 110): the Justice Court Fund (Fund 114) with $7,378.29 available, a grant-reimbursement fund (Fund 241) with $68,890.45, and a self-insured medical fund (Fund 669) for which the committee recommended reducing the balance to $50,000 and transferring approximately $82,027 back to the General Fund. Chagley said the committee also recommended shifting certain salary costs — including a dispatcher position and benefits — from Fund 110 to the 9-1-1 fund because those positions are funded by the 9-1-1 tax.

“Because we just migrated to a new financial system, department heads have not had sufficient time to fully review their budgets,” Chagley said during the public comment portion. The clerk-auditor, Shamil Lamb, confirmed the commission had received adjusted line items and offered a more detailed presentation, but acknowledged the need for additional review time before final action.

The clerk-auditor’s presentation showed the county’s adopted 2025 total budget at $71,157,861 and a proposed 2026 general fund of $16,339,817. Lamb said much of the year‑over‑year decrease ($13,768,852) reflected timing and completion of large projects in 2025 rather than cuts in ongoing services. The proposal includes a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment tied to Social Security’s COLA and a change in the county medical plan (switching from Cigna to PEHP) the county projects will lower costs compared with an anticipated 30%-plus increase.

Rather than vote on the full 2026 budget, commissioners agreed to continue the public hearing to the Dec. 16 meeting so that department heads and elected officials can reconcile migrated entries and verify line‑item balances.

Votes at a glance

- R2025-43 (2025 fiscal-year budget adjustment): Adopted unanimously. The adjustment accounted for several late 2025 items, including a Utah forfeiture grant, certain tax-increment financing allocations, reimbursement for litigation costs and ARPA/ bond transfers. (Presented by Clerk-Auditor Shamil Lamb.)

- Interlocal cooperation agreement with the town of BigWater (structural and vehicular emergencies in unincorporated Kane County): Approved unanimously. The agreement includes a safety/payment provision to prorate county payments if the municipality is unable to respond for a portion of the year.

- Appointments and reappointments to special districts (Long Valley Sewer Improvement District and the Kane County Water Conservancy District): Adopted unanimously (resolutions R2025-44, R2025-45 and R2025-46).

- Late abatement/credit packets (3 applications): Denied unanimously.

Why it matters

The continuance gives elected officials and department heads a short window to reconcile budgets after a systems migration that produced discrepancies and to preserve transparency for residents before final budget adoption. The finance committee’s recommended fund adjustments and the commission’s decisions on transfers will affect how one‑time and ongoing costs are funded heading into 2026.

What’s next

The public hearing on the 2026 budget is continued to Dec. 16; staff will provide reconciled figures and additional line‑item detail for commissioners and the public at that meeting.