The Moffat County Board of County Commissioners held a public hearing and on Oct. 14 approved the proposed 2026 county budget, which the county finance director said totals $147,553,479.

Kathy Nielsen, Moffat County finance director, told the board the 2026 proposal is a compilation of figures submitted by elected officials, department heads and boards and is funded with estimated revenues and prior fund balance. “The 2026 Moffatt County proposed budget totals $147,553,479,” Nielsen said during the presentation. She said that figure represents a $6,225,875, or 4.41%, increase over the 2025 budget.

Nielsen told commissioners that one of the largest single components is the Memorial Hospital budget, which she listed as $88,936,202, leaving a remaining county budget (without the hospital component unit) of $58,007,786. She said much of the county-only increase is attributable to capital projects. The finance director also discussed revenue and fund-balance changes, noting a 2025 receipt of a grant (LACTF) that will be expensed in 2026 and that interest income estimates have been raised from conservative prior figures.

During discussion, commissioners asked for clarification about employee health-insurance contribution numbers; Nielsen responded that final renewal numbers were expected after the county’s meeting with providers the following day and that staff would incorporate those figures into the health and welfare line. The board also asked about projected changes to department budgets, where Nielsen summarized a series of department-level adjustments and described a restructuring that moved parks and recreation employees under facilities.

After the public hearing — during which no members of the public testified — a commissioner moved to approve the proposed 2026 county budget “for adoption first,” acknowledging there would be changes before final adoption. The motion was seconded and approved by the board.

Nielsen emphasized the budget is subject to change prior to the county’s final adoption date of Dec. 9, 2025. She advised commissioners the presented document is the county’s operating plan for 2026 and uses fund balance to balance required and discretionary expenditures where necessary.

The board vote took place at the conclusion of the hearing; the motion to approve passed. Further, Nielsen noted that several specific line items (health and welfare, capital projects, and insurance figures) may be adjusted when final insurer quotes and year-end figures are available.