Council adopts FY26 amendments and approves amended FY27 appropriation; no tax increase

Council read and adopted Ordinance 54 to ratify FY26 budget amendments and record a set of appropriations and unexpended purchase orders totaling several million dollars. County staff read a list of grants and one‑time appropriations to be added to fund balances and detailed items that needed formal appropriation including roughly $3.34 million in contracts and adjustments to various fund balances.

Council later considered Ordinance 01 to levy taxes and appropriate funds for FY2026‑27. Vice Chair Scofield moved an amendment to increase general fund appropriations to $108,700,000 and to raise the road maintenance fund to $5,950,981; the amendment passed, and the ordinance as amended passed on second reading. County Administrator Yoakam told the public the budget includes no tax increase. He also read cost drivers: a 17.5% health‑insurance increase effective Jan. 1, 2026 (stated cost about $1.2 million), a 1.5% cost‑of‑living increase effective July 1 (~$840,000), a 2% average merit increase (~$560,000), and approximately $2.7 million related to the compensation and classification plan implemented in January 2026. Yoakam said the general fund budget includes funding for six new sheriff's office positions and four EMS positions to expand a 12‑hour staffing program.

Council also approved Ordinance 55 to authorize up to $4,360,000 in general obligation bonds to make annual installment purchase revenue bond payments on the judicial center and parking deck.