Monroe County has set strategic minimum funding goals as one method of preparing for future financial challenges.
The Monroe County Council unanimously approved several minimum fund goals for 2026 to help budget building and create back-up plans for unexpected financial challenges.
Financial Solutions Group, the county’s financial advisor, made a few minimum cash balance recommendations. It did not explain the recommendations in the note given to council staff.
Financial Solutions Group recommended cutting the minimum election cash balance in half to $500,000.
County auditor Brianne Gregory disagreed with that suggestion, advising the council to consider a minimum balance of $750,000 instead.
“I don't know that we would ever want that to dip down to $500,000,” Gregory said. “I know that's the minimum, but we like to keep that relatively consistent, so we don't have to have a spike for those big election years.”
Councilmember Marty Hawk also recommended a higher balance.
“So, if we let that get spent down, we just have to recognize when the fourth year comes, we have to come up with that money whether its sitting in the election fund or not,” Hawk said.
Gregory said the county has not dipped below any minimum fund balance over the last three years. She said the election fund in particular has not fallen below $750,000.
Financial Solutions Group also recommended decreasing the motor vehicle highway minimum balance from $1 million to $750,000 and the health minimum balance from $1 million to $500,000. Those recommendations were accepted by the council.
This is the breakdown of the county’s approved 2026 minimum cash balance:
- General Fund - $15,000,000.00
- Aviation Fund - $250,000.00
- LIT-Special Purpose - $1,000,000.00
- Motor Vehicle Highway - $750,000.00
- Health - $500,000.00
- Public Safety LIT - $1,000,000.00
- Rainy Day - $10,000,000.00
- Reassessment - $400,000.00
- LIT EDIT - $1,000,000.00
- Self-Insurance - $1,500,000.00
- Cumulative Capital Development - $1,000,000.00
- Election - $750,000.00