To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Todd Weaver, Director, Finance Department
Prepared By:
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Jessica Savko, Budget Manager, Finance Department
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presenter
Presenter: Jessica Savko, Budget Manager, Finance Department
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Subject:
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9:00 AM *Executive Budget Committee Presentation of the 2026 Recommended Budget
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this study session is to present the recommendations of the Executive Budget Committee for the 2026 budget to the full Board of County Commissioners. All of the recommendations presented regarding the budget are the basis for the 2026 Recommended Budget document that was presented to the Board during a public hearing on October 14, 2025.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Good Governance - Plan for future service, infrastructure, and fiscal needs.
Background and Discussion: The Executive Budget Committee has been directed by the Board of County Commissioners to review elected office and department budget requests and provide a recommendation of items that should be included in the 2026 budget. The Executive Budget Committee is comprised of Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully, Commissioner Jessica Campbell, Treasurer Michael Westerberg, and Director of the Commissioners’ Office Michelle Halstead. The Committee has met numerous times this year to discuss the budget and will present their recommendations during this study session. The Board of County Commissioners will have the opportunity to review these recommendations and make changes to the budget prior to the adoption of the budget in December.
The backup materials for this study session consist of a presentation that will consist of the major points contained within the full 2026 Recommended Budget that was presented to the BOCC at the public hearing on October 14, 2025, and is available on the County website.
The discussion will center on the Executive Budget Committee’s recommendations for the 2026 budget to include the current fiscal environment for the County, items for funding such as total compensation, capital projects, additions to department and elected office budgets, as well as current and future budget policy and strategic direction.
Opportunities to further discuss the 2026 Recommended Budget will occur during the public hearing on October 28, 2025, and at a follow-up study session on November 18, 2025. The budget is scheduled for consideration and adoption on December 9, 2025. Other times for discussion on the 2026 budget will be determined by the Board of County Commissioners.
Alternatives: No decision is required for this study session as the Board of County Commissioners will have the opportunity to review these recommendations and make changes to the budget prior to the adoption of the budget in December.
Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impact of this study session is the extent to which the Board agrees or disagrees with the budget recommendations made by the Executive Budget Committee when the Board adopts the budget on December 9, 2025.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: The attached framework helps Arapahoe County institutionalize values-based, transparent decision-making, documenting how we make decisions and carry out actions to achieve the county’s strategic plan.
Staff Recommendation: N/A
Concurrence: The Executive Budget Committee has met to make recommendations for BOCC consideration.