By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Wood County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a budget with no surprises, steady revenue and customary raises for county employees.
But the commissioners know this could be the calm before the storm – with state changes brewing to cut local government revenue from property taxes. Those changes, if they take place, likely won’t take effect until 2027 at the earliest, according to Commissioner Craig LaHote.
“It’s not really clear when that would kick in,” LaHote said after the appropriations meeting.
And it’s unknown how much the county would be affected, and how many other county agencies the commissioners would be statutorily responsible for making up lost funding.
“We just don’t know,” Commissioner Doris Herringshaw said.
But for 2026, the county budget is looking pretty typical.
“We think it’s a solid budget,” Wood County Administrator Carri Stanley said as she presented the numbers to the commissioners.
The budget includes a 3% wage increase for county employees, who number around 1,000. Also included is an 8.7% increase in health insurance premiums.
The estimated revenues for the county general fund total $58,650,460, with the proposed appropriations set at $56,398,387 – a 2.5% increase over the 2025 appropriations.
The county’s three largest sources of revenue remain the sales tax, property tax, and investment income. Sales tax continues to be the biggest money maker with receipts totaling $31 million – a 5% increase over the previous year.
Next is property tax revenue, with $11.8 million coming from inside millage, and another $4.5 million from the Job and Family Services levy.
And third is investment income, bringing in just over $9 million last year, said Assistant County Administrator Dan Scherger.
Scherger listed some of the larger capital projects and equipment purchases for next year:
- Six hybrid Ford Explorer patrol vehicles along with equipment outfitting: $452,032.
- Replacement of the courthouse atrium roof : $73,250.
- HVAC improvements and carpet replacement at the Dunbridge Road Building, which currently houses Wood County Economic Development, OSU Extension and health department administrative offices: $1,356,938.
- Replacement of 19 heat pumps at the Juvenile Detention Center: $236,550.
- Renovation and relocation of the computer training lab in a portion of the former CSEA building along with the Veterans Services Office: $50,000.
- Upgraded case management systems for Probate Court and Juvenile Court. Judge David Woessner is sharing in the cost of these systems by using the court’s technology funds. The probate system will cost $250,000 and the juvenile court system will cost $310,000.
- Upgraded case management system for the Clerk of Courts, to be paid for with that office’s computerization funds: $252,500.
- Replace the leachate tanks at the Wood County Landfill: $800,000.
Stanley noted that the space study of the first floor of the county courthouse remains ongoing, and includes an evaluation of options for installing a new elevator.
Also continuing next year will be the site study for construction of a new Wood County Engineer’s garage facility. Along with determining the location for the facility, the engineer’s office has made significant efforts to reduce the project’s cost, Stanley said.
The original estimated cost for the new highway garage was close to $40 million, Herringshaw said, adding that commissioners decided the cost needed to be closer to $20 million to $25 million. So under consideration now is a pre-engineered steel building rather than the originally proposed brick and mortar structure, plus evaluation of the building size and amount of paving needed.
Two different locations in the county’s complex off East Gypsy Lane Road are still being considered for the highway garage.
Remaining a priority for 2026 is the investment in security of the county’s digital data and computer systems, Stanley said. Last year at this time, the county was just recovering from the ransomware attack that cost the county $1.5 million. The appropriations for next year include funding for cybersecurity consulting services, infrastructure and equipment replacement, system monitoring services, and employee training.
Three new full-time positions were approved – an assistant IT director, an IT support technician II to be assigned to Juvenile Court, and a technology coordinator for the Common Pleas Court, which will be paid for with grant funds in 2026.
