Washington County committee approves WCSO budget

The Washington County Budget Committee approved the Washington County Sheriff's Office budget on Tuesday with a $1.6 million increase from the current fiscal year. The committee also approved the opioid fund and capital fund project budgets at its meeting. WCSO budget The committee approved the fiscal year 2027 budget for the WCSO after recommending revisions last Thursday. The revised budget is a $1.3 million decrease from the original request totaling to $37.45 million. The original budget request made by WCSO included funding for 10 additional positions. The budget the committee approved decreases the number of new positions to eight. Officials asked Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton if he felt comfortable with the revised budget to be able to operate at the level needed. "I don't feel it's where we need to be, but I think it's where we can survive for another year or two," Sexton said. "I wouldn't have submitted the original request if I didn't feel like that it's what we need to be successful." The revised budget also reflects a decrease of more than $100,000 in food costs for the detention center, $500,000 for over five years of storage for body worn camera video, six patrol vehicles and the salary increase was reduced from $2 an hour to $1.50 an hour. Opioid fund The committee approved the opioid fund budget with $939,038 in expenditures. The opioid fund is revenue the county has received from opioid abatement settlements. The county created the opioid balance fund to mitigate the impact the opioid epidemic had on the region and the county. The fund itself is not required by the state, but what the county does with opioid abatement money is restricted, Washington County's Director of Finance and Administration Mitch Meredith said. The county has budgeted for $350,000 in revenue, but Meredith said the number is uncertain until the county receives the funds. He added the county has estimated $100,000 in opioid litigation lawsuit settlements for FY27 and has received $96,000 in settlements so far. The budgeted expenditures include requested funds from the WCSO, Frontier Health, Children's Advocacy Center and Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center. Families Free, Inc. also made a request of $150,000 from the opioid fund, but the committee denied the request last Thursday. Capital projects fund The committee approved the FY27 capital projects fund with a more than $11 million in projected expenditures. The capital project funds are used for one-time projects within the county and its departments. The approved budget includes two amendments made by the committee. The changes include an increase to the county wide IT network infrastructure line by 40% and an additional line item to finishing upgrading the health department's HVAC. The fund has a more than $3 million deficit in revenue and expenditures with a projected balance of more than $4 million at the start of the fiscal year. Discussion The committee held a discussion on salary increases for all county departments and creating a tax freeze for senior citizens with certain restrictions, but no actions were taken. Officials discussed several salaries increase options including a 3% increase all the way up to a 6% increase. The minimum salary increase necessary to mitigate the cost of living in the area is 3%. A 6% increase would be an hourly raise of $1.50 for all employees in county departments. Washington County Commissioner Ben Carder said he feels a 6% increase is "high" and shows a significant difference compared to what was approved in previous years. The committee asked Meredith to look at what a $1.25 increase would like and to bring back his findings at the next meeting. Officials made it clear the committee's decision only adjusts the departments overall salary line, not each individual employee. The head of each department has final say on what each employee's salary increase will look like. Additionally, the committee discussed a property tax freeze for residents over 65 who meet certain criteria similar to the existing limitations for individuals who qualify for property tax relief. Grandy said if the county were to adopt a property tax freeze for senior citizens the impact on the fiscal year budget for the first year would be low, but it is uncertain the impact it would have after an appraisal year. He added the county wants to include this into the FY27 budget, but officials need more time to look at different property tax freeze models and find what is the best fit for Washington County. All budget approvals made by the committee are only recommendations and will go in front of the full commission for consideration. The full commission will meet on June 18 at 5 p.m. for a special called meeting to discuss the FY27 budget in the George P. Jaynes Justice Center. A public hearing for the budget will also be held on June 18 at 9 a.m. in the George P. Jaynes Justice Center.