The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors met Monday, April 13th, covering a wide range of topics including road repairs, ambulance leadership, elected official salaries, and the fiscal year 2027 budget.
Road and Infrastructure Updates
County Engineer DeWayne Heintz provided the board with updates on several ongoing road projects. Work continues on Libertyville Road, where crews will finish subdrains on the eastbound side before heading west — a process expected to take about four days, weather permitting — after which patching will begin. Kale Boulevard has had the Sheriff’s Department called in to monitor truck traffic following a new embargo placed on the road.
Heintz described 155th Street as a disaster, sharing a quote of $50,000 from LL Pelling to pulverize and chip seal it. He said the goal would be to pulverize the material, put it back in place, and correct the crown of the road, noting there is no cheap or easy fix. The board discussed whether residents along the road could share in the cost, but Heintz noted there are only about seven houses on the road, which would make that a significant financial burden for each household. He also indicated it could be three years or more before the LL Pelling work could be completed.
Supervisor Lee Dimmitt raised the issue of RV access to Jefferson County Park, noting that with only one lane available at the entrance, large vehicles would not be able to make a wide turn into the park. Heintz said one of the agreements in place is that they would accommodate that need and move whatever is necessary to allow people to get in. He acknowledged that during active construction on the entrance nobody would be able to get through, but emphasized that would be kept to a limited time to minimize the disruption.
Ambulance Department
New medical director Doug Lyssy made an appearance at Monday’s meeting. Ambulance Director Josh Hemminger also referenced unspecified issues that occurred over the weekend. When Supervisor Lee Dimmitt was asked about the nature of those issues, he deferred to the county attorney. County Attorney Chauncey Moulding declined to elaborate, stating that the county cannot comment on any personnel matters.
Veterans Affairs Office Repurposed
The board discussed and approved plans for the old Veterans Affairs office, which will be converted into an election voter room following Ray Chambers and his Veterans Affairs office moving to the third floor. During downtime between elections, the space could either store voter election equipment permanently or function as a conference room — a final decision has not yet been made. The Auditor’s office has control over and is in charge of that space going forward.
Elected Official Salary Adjustments
The board approved a resolution adopting salary adjustments for Jefferson County elected officials for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, based on recommendations from the Jefferson County Compensation Board, which met on December 5, 2025. The board approved a 5% increase for most elected officials, with the exception of the Board of Supervisors, whose salaries remained unchanged at $41,316.96.
The approved salaries are as follows: Auditor, 5% increase to $84,666.15; County Attorney, 5% increase to $137,208.75; Recorder, 5% increase to $84,141.16; Sheriff, 5% increase to $121,692.54; Supervisors, 0% increase, remaining at $41,316.96; and Treasurer, 5% increase to $84,227.72.
Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
The board held a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2027 county budget. No public comments were made. The board adopted the budget with total expenditures of $17,485,693.
The budget breakdown by category is as follows: Public Safety and Legal Services, $7,091,676; Roads and Transportation, $5,005,000; Physical Health and Social Services, $1,224,901; Administration, $1,326,633; Government Services to Residents, $987,150; County Environment and Education, $920,845; Debt Service, $489,488; and Capital Projects, $440,000.
Departmental appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027 include: Sheriff, $4,484,522; County Engineer, $5,005,000; Ambulance, $1,784,298; Mental Health Administration, $822,478; Conservation Board, $1,079,205; Board of Supervisors, $1,112,479; Treasurer, $565,614; Attorney, $617,551; Auditor, $618,241; Health Board, $502,536; Recorder, $341,064; District Court, $134,750; General Relief, $83,500; Environmental Health, $99,985; Medical Examiner, $51,000; Veterans Affairs, $68,732; Social Services, $48,525; Rocky Branch, $39,000; Weed Commission, $13,000; and Nondepartmental, $14,213.
The budget amendment hearing has been scheduled for May 4th at 9:00 a.m.
Photo by A.J. Roe.
