Meeting Summary and Briefs: Montgomery County Board Finance & Budget Committee for August 6, 2026

The Montgomery County Board’s Finance & Budget Committee met for nearly two hours Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, at the Historic Courthouse in Hillsboro, working through a first draft of the fiscal 2027 budget that predicts a $1.5 million general fund deficit and initial levy requests pointing to a 7.5864% increase — the subject of a separate story in this package. The committee also recommended a resolution routing delinquent property tax sales through the County Trustee under a new state law, heard that the National Weather Service has declined to place a weather radio on the deteriorating Cress Hill communications tower, and again reworked how the Village of Waggoner will be paid for bike trail maintenance. Each of those items is covered in full elsewhere in this package.

Of the meeting’s 11 agenda items, four drew motions. The committee adjourned at 10:22 a.m. There was no public comment. Members Rob Corso, Chris Daniels, Dr. Patty Whitworth, Chad Ruppert and Committee Chair Connie Beck were recorded present; Evan Young and Doug Donaldson were recorded absent.

FY2025 Audit Report Recommended for Approval

The committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full County Board approve the FY2025 audit report. The motion came from Dr. Patty Whitworth with a second from Chris Daniels. The minutes record no discussion of the report’s contents, no findings, no auditor present at this meeting and no summary of what the report says. The audit report itself is not included in the record of the meeting. As a committee recommendation, the action carries no effect until the full board votes; approval of an audit is ordinarily a formal acceptance of the document rather than a financial action.

Probation Chief Warns of Overrun at New Building

Chief Probation Officer Banee Ulrici told the committee during other business that she anticipates work at the new building will run $10,000 to $20,000 over the established $100,000 budget. The minutes do not name the building, describe the work, identify what caused the overrun, or say how the additional cost would be covered. No motion was taken and no request for additional funds appears in the record. On the low end the projection would put the total at $110,000 and on the high end $120,000, against a budget the county set at $100,000.

IRS Mileage Rate Rises to 76 Cents; County Takes No Action

The committee reviewed an IRS notice dated July 13 announcing an optional standard mileage rate increase for the second half of 2026 to 76 cents per mile. No action was taken, and the record does not say what rate Montgomery County currently reimburses its employees and officials, or whether adopting the new figure would require board action. The optional standard mileage rate is the per-mile figure the IRS publishes for computing the deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business purposes; employers commonly use it as a reimbursement benchmark. The item may return to a future agenda, but nothing in the record commits the county to the higher rate.

New Assistant State’s Attorney Introduced

State’s Attorney Brian Shaw introduced his new assistant, Tim Tighe, to the committee during other business. The minutes record that Tighe was welcomed and applauded by the committee. Tighe was also listed among those present at the meeting, under the title assistant state’s attorney. The record does not give his start date, his prior position, or whether the appointment fills a new post or a vacancy. It is the only personnel introduction recorded at the Aug. 6 meeting.

Circuit Clerk Reports Statutory Fee Change

Circuit Clerk Daniel Robbins described to the committee an amendment that will change some of the fees collected by his office, required by state statute. The minutes identify neither the statute nor the fees affected, and give no dollar figures, no effective date and no estimate of the revenue impact on the circuit clerk’s office or on the county. No motion was taken. Court fees set by statute are typically adjusted by the General Assembly rather than by county action, but the record here does not establish what the change requires of the county.

Assessments Office Update Draws No Motion

The second item on the agenda, listed as “SOA Office Update/Approval,” is recorded in its entirety as: “The committee reviewed and discussed.” Supervisor of Assessments Tysha Mullen was listed among those present. The minutes contain no subject matter, no figures and no motion, so nothing about the assessments office was decided or forwarded to the full board. The pattern is not unusual for this county, where most agenda items carry “Update/Approval” titles and a majority receive no recorded motion.

Coal Fund Reports Noted

Under the “Capital Improvement & Coal Fund Reports” item, the committee noted a June coal royalty payment of $128,562.45 and a total Fund 375 balance of $10.9 million. No motion was taken. The two figures are the only content the minutes record for the item; the underlying capital improvement and coal fund reports are not reproduced. The balance is relevant to the FY2027 budget discussion later in the same meeting, where the draft budget assumes an anticipated $1 million transfer from Fund 375 into the general fund.