Committee reviews 2027 department budgets; core team recommends forwarding budgets with minor restorations

The Planning & Zoning Committee reviewed the recommended 2027 departmental budgets from the core budget team and voted to forward them to executive finance. Ron (core team) opened the budget discussion, noting the group recommended moving the budgets forward as presented and expecting to remain below the $500,000 draw on the general fund if the oversight recommendations are followed.

Register of Deeds staff reported a net levy decrease of roughly $17,614 driven by the end of an initial $30,000 software installation payment and modest personnel adjustments. Land Information staff said most of their office runs on grant funding and described a new NG‑911/GIS grant that will require quarterly updates to the state's hub. Planning & Zoning presented a budget with a net levy reduction of $16,502 achieved partly by removing a consulting line (reimbursed by DATCP grant) and a voluntary 1% COLA by the administrator; committee members moved to restore the 1% personnel amount and approved forwarding the budgets to executive finance for review.