Lyon County commissioners have fielded the annual budget requests from department and allocation agency leaders. They have also, as of Tuesday, started the process of setting the 2027 overall budget.
County Controller Dan Williams says most entities receiving county funds were able to keep their base budget requests flat or close to flat, even with a maximum 2-percent merit increase, and the county should keep the levy flat versus what was approved last year by the time this year’s process is done.
The hangup currently isn’t in the different submitted requests. It’s health insurance costs, which are poised to go up 15-16 percent or $500,000. Williams says the county was initially facing an 18-percent increase during last year’s budget cycle and was able to whittle that increase down to 10 percent. The goal is to keep any health insurance increase to around 10 percent again this year.
Williams says the original “everything but the kitchen sink” budget started with a roughly 1-percent increase from last year as opposed to a 3-5 percent increase in past years.
More discussions are ahead before commissioners finalize the budget, either by late August or early September.
Commissioners will handle other matters Thursday, including possible approval for Emergency Communications Director Roxanne Van Gundy and staff to attend separate conferences. An increase in the mileage reimbursement to 72.5 cents per mile is also on the agenda.
The meeting begins at 9 am at the County Courthouse Commission Chambers.
8:30 am Tuesday
Lyon County commissioners move into the second phase of budget conversations with a special study meeting Tuesday.
Commissioners will review the 2027 budget as it currently stands after department heads and allocation agency administrators submitted budget requests the last 2 months. Commissioners asked departments and allocation agencies to keep budgets flat or lower than last year, with the exception of a 2-percent maximum cost of living increase.
The meeting starts at 8 am Tuesday in the County Courthouse.
