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Budget Trust And Mandated Costs
I questioned whether residents can trust the adopted budget when large additions appear afterward, while Social Services explained that CSA costs are difficult to forecast because foster care and special education needs can change unexpectedly. Read More
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Comparing Employee Bonus History
Authorizing Employee Bonus Payment. I asked how a proposed state-funded employee bonus compared with prior years, whether two percent was typical, and learned it was a standard one-time state bonus separate from ongoing cost-of-living salary increases for county staff. Read More
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Budget Transfers Need Sunlight
I urged the Board to strengthen budget transfer guidelines so the public can see where money comes from, where it goes, why large transfers happen, and how delayed approvals, audit backlogs, and journal variances are being handled. Read More
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Airport Funding Concerns
I spoke about Warren County’s airport hangar funding, fund balance, incomplete audits, and the cost of recent tax increases. Even after learning the terminology, my concern remains: $1.5 million is still public money competing with urgent county needs. Read More
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Verify Before Spending
Inside the FY27 budget hearings, questions emerge about reserves, audits, and rising costs. As calls for forensic audits grow, concerns center on spending without a verified baseline—highlighting the tension between urgency, transparency, and financial certainty. Read More
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Accountability Before Adjustment
Royal Examiner: Letter supports a 10-cent tax increase amid audit uncertainty, then documents rapid follow-up exchanges, evolving proposals, and questions around reserve use, financial transparency, and process—highlighting the importance of verified data, consistent information, and structured decision-making before final budget actions. Read More
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Puzzles and Photocopies: Challenging “Unreadable” Financial Reports
While I thanked the Board for finally addressing Senior Center flooring, I raised alarms over “unreadable” financial reports featuring scanned physical cash and fragmented tables. The Board agreed the format was a “puzzle” and committed to reform at the December Finance meeting. Read More
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Flashlights and Snorkels: Navigating the Fog of the FY2026 Budget
I performed a deep dive into the FY2026 budget, exposing a “brick wall” of transparency issues—from unsearchable image-based documents to mysterious funding cuts for fire departments and the erasure of Samuels Library from the historical fiscal record. Read More