Kent County Board of Commissioners Approve Balanced FY 2025 Budget

Kent County Board of Commissioners Approve Balanced Fiscal Year 2025 Budget

Budget Prioritizes Public Safety, Infrastructure Improvements and Attracting and Retaining a Qualified Workforce

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (August 23, 2024) - The Kent County Board of Commissioners yesterday approved a balanced budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing public services for the community while maintaining sound fiscal management. The approved budget totals $623.9 million across all funds, marking a 6.6 percent increase from the FY 2024 adopted budget.

"This balanced budget underscores our committment to protecting the safety and well-being of our residents," said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek. "Investing in our public safety infrastructure is paramount, and this budget ensures that we continue to uphold the high standards our community expects and deserves while maintaining strong financial stewardship."

The FY 2025 budget allocates nearly $14 million to capital improvements, addressing the County's future infrastructure needs. These initiatives include facility and security enhancements, playground equipment replacement at Wabasis and Millennium Parks, and the implementation of electronic filing software to improve court operations. The budget also supports expanding the prosecutor's digital evidence system and more.

Public safety remains a central focus, with $1.7 million allocated to complete the hiring of 20 additional correction officers to enhance security and care within the jail. Additionally, $0.9 million is allocated to support 14 patrol officers, with the remainder of the funding sourced through contractual agreements with local government units. The budget also provides for establishing a new 63rd District Court judgeship and supporting court personnel to better manage caseloads.

In addition to these public safety initiatives, the budget includes a 3 percent general salary increase resulting from the labor agreements completed last year, aimed at attracting and retaining high-quality employees.

"At the heart of our success is our skilled workforce," said Kent County Administrator/Controller Al Vanderberg. "We are proud to offer competitive wages and comprehensive health coverage that enable us to attract and retain the best talent, ensuring that our residents receive top-notch services."

Millage Allocations

As part of the budget, the Board allocated $10.5 million in Ready by Five Millage funds, as recommended by First Steps Kent, and $16.8 million in Senior Millage funds, as recommended by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan.

Budget Process

The adoption of the FY 2025 budget follows an extensive and collaborative process. The Finance & Physical Resources Committee established budget parameters on February 20, 2024. In the following months, the Fiscal Services Department engaged in detailed discussions with department directors and countywide elected officials. The County Administrator then presented a recommended budget to the Board, which was then reviewed during two work sessions by Commissioners, culminating in a public hearing on August 8, 2024.

Vanderberg expressed his gratitude to department directors and elected officials for their collaboration in developing a balanced budget. "I want to thank our department directors and elected officials for their diligent work throughout this process. Their efforts have been instrumental in crafting a budget that meets the needs of our community while maintaining our strong financial standing."

Additional Budget Information:

• Total Revenue: $615.5 million, with $218.9 million from taxes. Current property tax collections are the most significant source, comprising more than $199.2 million, or 32.4% of all revenue.
• Personnel Costs: The FY 2025 budget adds 26.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, including 12 correctional officers, a new district judge and court personnel, and more.
• Credit Rating: Kent County maintained its triple-A credit rating for the 26th consecutive year, underscoring its strong financial management.

For more detailed budget information, click here.

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