Trigg County’s Fiscal Court took considerable steps toward a 2025-26 budget Monday night, when magistrates approved its first reading and shipment to the Department of Local Government for its review.
Looking at more than $13.7 million for appropriations, Judge-Executive Stan Humphries noted this final tally is 2.2% lower than the 2024-25 ledger — but attributed most of that to the end of American Rescue Plan Act funds, which will finally be expended with this last broadband payment of $487,000 to Pennyrile Electric.
In fact, Humphries said several expenditures are increasing or improving through 2025-26, involving:
*A 3% wage increase for county employees
*A 2.9% increase for county elected officials
*And a state reduction from 19.71% to 18.62% for required retirement benefits
The General Fund will be valued at more than $6.7 million, and includes:
*$5,000 for the Planning & Zoning Commission
*An added line of $40,000 for a natural disaster rainy day fund
*A $235,000 nod toward the I-24 Business Park debt service, which gets paid back to the county once it’s sold
*$5,000 for dispatcher training
*An increase from $15,000 to $17,500 for animal control through Christian County
*An increase to $175,000 for contributions to the University of Kentucky Extension system
*$150,000 for Trigg County Recreation Complex improvements
*And a unique line item for litter abatement, which could impact local organizations and non-profits
More than $2.4 million is being set aside for the county’s Road Fund, including $950,000 for road maintenance materials like bituminous surfacing, chip and seal, RS-2 oil, road and off-road gasoline and diesel and rock — all of which also had bids accepted prior to the budget’s reading.
Having already presented to the court, both the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office and Trigg County Jailer budgets remain as is at this time.
It’s also worth noting that more than $200,000 remains set aside for the Trigg County Senior Citizen’s Center, and not for its bond payment — but through its own fundraising efforts and community donations in support. The county, Humphries assured, has it locked into a local bank Certificate of Deposit, where it is drawing interest.
Other points of interest:
+ Trigg County only has two true liabilities at this time:
1) The Trigg County Hospital, which was issued February 25, 2016, on a 15-year contract at 3% interest. A shade over $1 million remains on the principal and interest, with $168,000 due this budget cycle.
And 2) The Trigg County Senior Citizen’s Center, which was issued January 1, 2011, on a 30-year contract at 4.25% interest. A shade over $600,000 remains on the principal and interest, with $43,000 due this budget cycle.
+ Trigg County officials are expecting to collect more than $1.4 million on the hospital/ambulance/health tax next year, all of which goes toward paying for the local ambulance service and its general upkeep.
A second, and final, reading and likely stamp of approval should come Monday, June 2.
In other fiscal court news:
— Magistrates also approved the designation of Miranda Access Road into the county’s transportation plan. Located in Roaring Springs, Humphries said residents of the nearby subdivision were “all for the move,” as the route rarely gets updated, but is commonly used for mail carriers, bus drivers and other consistent traffic.
— Looking to remove more red tape than its actual value, magistrates approved the full rescinding of the county’s occupational licensing and fees structure. Humphries and County Attorney Randy Braboy noted the original structures were created by the court in 1960, in order to better align with what was then a cost schedule based on Kentucky General Assembly statutes for things like pool halls, ice cream parlors and other assorted businesses. Just last year, County Clerk Carmen Finley and her office had to process 66 different vendors for a grand total of: $1,302.
FULL BUDGET DISCUSSION
