Council approves Adoption of the FY 2027 County Budget and 2026 Tax Rate, 4-1

Adoption of the FY 2027 County Budget and 2026 Tax Rate

4 yes, 1 no

Drew Engelke (yes), Jim Wolverton (no), Kyle Kutscher (yes), Jacqueline "Jackie" Ott (yes), Stephen Germann (yes)

Authorization of Out-of-State Travel for Judge Squires

0 yes, 1 no

Jim Wolverton (no)

Appointment of Interim HR Director

0 yes, 0 no

Adoption of FY2027 Budget

0 yes, 0 no

Set 2026 Tax Rate (M&O)

0 yes, 0 no

Set 2026 Tax Rate (Lateral Road)

0 yes, 0 no

Set 2026 Tax Rate (Debt Service)

0 yes, 0 no

Order Setting 2026 Tax Rate

0 yes, 0 no

Ratification of Property Tax Increase

0 yes, 0 no

Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning

5 yes, 0 no

Consent Agenda Items

5 yes, 0 no

Adoption of Procedural Rules

0 yes, 0 no

Salary Increase for Justice of the Peace John Terry

6 yes, 2 no

Salary Increase for County Clerk Teresa Kiel

7 yes, 1 no

Salary Maintenance for Constable James Springer

8 yes, 0 no

FY 2027 Budget Planning

The county finalized its budget, balancing the need for new staff and services with a tax rate increase. The budget includes a new staff attorney to help manage court backlogs.

What it means: The budget uses approximately $2.1 million from reserves to balance expenses.

Raised 2 times this week

Elected Official Compensation

The committee discussed whether elected officials should receive the same cost-of-living raises as county employees, especially during a year with budget constraints.

What it means: The requested increases represent a small fraction of the $100 million county budget but require reallocating existing funds.

jail operations and oversight

Law enforcement advocates and citizens highlighted severe staffing shortages within the Sheriff's Office and county jail, warning that soaring call volumes and heavy overtime usage threaten public safety.

What it means: County residents and detained individuals benefit from improved officer-to-inmate ratios, enhanced patrol coverage, and reduced staff fatigue.

emergency management

Fire chiefs and volunteers testified that explosive population growth has outpaced emergency resources, leaving rural areas dangerously understaffed. The court debated supplemental funding allocations for volunteer fire departments alongside career staffing for Guadalupe County Fire Rescue.