County Getting Closer to Setting 2027 Budget

The Kingman County commissioners are closer to finalizing the 2027 budget but asked for a week to review two options that County Financial Officer LaDawn Stegman presented to the commissioners at their Monday meeting.

Entities must have their budgets approved by Sept. 20, so Stegman told the commissioners they should make a decision on publication of the budget by late August.

Once an entity approves a budget for publication, it must be printed in the local newspaper at least 10 days prior to the scheduled hearing.

During budget discussion, Stegman noted she had visited with an Adams Brown representative to review the budget draft and make any corrections. One correction made is that the county’s revenue neutral rate is 59.895, but that adjustment was “very small,” Stegman said.

She also made adjustments to the wages and salary based on what the rates will be for health and dental insurance. Stegman also gave a review of the county’s self-insurance reserve, noting that she made a transfer from that reserve to cover the increased cost of insurance.

One of the differences Stegman noted between the two budget options was one would include using some of the PILOT money to go toward a residential property tax rebate and to close out the courthouse remodel fund.

County Commissioner Jack Thimesch said he had thoughts about the proposed courthouse remodel and, between the timing of when new commissioners will be elected and the quotes for work at the armory to serve as a temporary location for county offices, he believed it may be best to hold off on the courthouse remodel.

“I think it’s better to take that rainy day fund and let’s use it to pull down residential property tax,” Thimesch said, adding that future county commissions could consider whether or not they wanted to pursue a courthouse remodel and how to pay for it.

The so-called “rainy day fund” for potential courthouse remodeling has about $1.1 million in it.

Stegman said in the budget option that does not include the courthouse model reserve, there is a “placeholder entry” in case the commissioners wanted to use it elsewhere.

Thimesch said he would like to look at the two options before making a decision on which way to go. He asked to meet with Stegman to review budget numbers.

When discussion came up about outside entities, Thimesch mentioned that he attended the Kingman City Commission meeting last Thursday and voiced concerns about the EMS budget calling for the purchase of monitors

He noted that he had asked the city to reconsider that and, when it was time to buy the monitors, to come to the county commissioner and “we’ll help you out.”

Thimesch said, in conversations he had with city officials, that he understood there was a possibility to get grant funding to cover the cost of monitors or to find less expensive models.