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Council and commissioners set 2025 budget adjustments after two‑day hearings
Summary
During Aug. 21–22 budget hearings, Washington County council and commissioners reviewed departments’ requests and made multiple line‑item adjustments to the proposed 2025 budget, including staffing salaries, reassessment reductions, and CEDIT changes.
Washington County held 2025 proposed budget hearings Aug. 21–22 that combined council review with presentations from county departments and commissioners. Departments including Veterans Affairs, Circuit Court, Public Defender, Prosecutor, Emergency Management, Sheriff, Health, Coroner and others presented requests. Notable items discussed included public defender caseloads and pay parity with deputy prosecutors, a request by the prosecutor to raise per‑diem for Drug‑Free Community probation to $50, and the sheriff’s request for two additional correctional officers supported by a Sheriffs Association salary study.
After presentations, the council adopted numerous line‑item adjustments to the proposed budget. Examples recorded in the meeting minutes include reductions (e.g., Treasurer part‑time reduced from $1,000 to $0; Assessor certification from $4,500 to $3,500), specific salary lines set for detention staff (Jail Administrator $58,429; Correctional Officer/Shift Lead $41,140), a $12,336 FirstNet CAD cost moved from Emergency Management to Public Safety, an increase in CEDIT economic growth from $20,000 to $40,000, and reductions in legal and contract lines across several departments. The council also expressed consensus to grant an 8% salary increase unless otherwise noted. Departments were reminded the council may amend the budget until adoption on Oct. 7, 2024.
