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Smyth County warns of tight FY27 budget as insurance costs jump 25%
Summary
County staff told the board the county's bank balances total about $18.43 million and that health insurance renewal rates rose by 25%; staff recommended continuing county funding at 80% of premiums and exploring HSAs/FSAs as employee options.
County finance staff reported to the board that bank and CD balances as of Feb. 28, 2026 totaled $18,430,383.61 and that year-to-date revenues were $89,309,158.49 against expenditures of $79,053,346.
At the personnel/insurance committee report, staff said renewal rates for the county health plan increased by 25 percent. "So I don't wanna read all this, but I just wanna basically, in a nutshell, the county got our, our health insurance renewals back, and, our rates are going up 25%," a committee member reported. The committee recommended the board approve the renewal with the county continuing to fund 80 percent of insurance costs; board members discussed prescription deductibles (a $150 deductible for certain tiers) and possible HSA/FSA 'bolt-on' options for employees.
Staff warned that with the 25% increase the county share of the rise would be substantial (discussion cited figures in the hundreds of thousands of dollars; a board estimate described the county portion of the increase near $700,000 depending on final plan enrollment). The administrator said he has instituted a hiring freeze for general-fund positions and is reviewing departmental budgets to offset projected pressures; he also identified potential revenue options such as real-estate and solid-waste fee adjustments.
The board voted to adopt the committee's recommendation to renew insurance and to continue county funding at the recommended share. Supervisors requested clearer employee communications and additional enrollment outreach about available plan options before final selections.
