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Budget Committee

Benton County Budget Committee

Overview

The Budget Committee reviews and approves the County’s biennial budget. The chief financial officer and the senior budget strategist create the proposed budget and present it to the Committee for feedback and approval. The Budget Committee hears presentations over the course of multiple days in April and May; all hearings are open to the public.

Once the Budget Committee has considered all aspects of the proposed budget, they can make amendments, if necessary. The agreed upon budget is then moved to the Board of Commissioners in June for a final public hearing and adoption.

Function

The Committee shall assist the Benton County Board of Commissioners, and shall have the following powers and duties:

  1. Hear the budget message, receive the budget document, hear public and staff testimony;
  2. Approve the budget document as submitted by the Budget Officer, or the budget document as revised and prepared by the Committee;
  3. Set the maximum property tax rate and/or amount that may be imposed by the County in the ensuing tax years of the approved biennium budget;
  4. Demand and receive from any officer, employee, or department of the County any information the Committee requires for the revision and preparation of the budget document. The Committee may compel the attendance of any such officer or employee at its meetings.
  5. During consideration of the proposed budget the citizen members of the Committee shall also review and fix the salaries of the Board of Commissioners for no less than biennial intervals;
  6. During consideration of the proposed budget, the citizen members of the Committee shall also review and fix the salary of the Sheriff and the stipend for the District Attorney for no less than biennial intervals.

Members

The Budget Committee consists of the County’s three (3) elected Commissioners and three (3) appointed County residents who shall be electors and shall not be officers, agents or employees of Benton County.

  • Nancy Wyse, Commissioner
  • Pat Malone, Commissioner
  • Gabe Shepherd, Commissioner
  • Chas Jones, first appointed 2/16/2021
  • Curtis Wright, first appointed 9/16/2016
  • Vacant – apply by April 25, 2025

Terms

Members serve 4-year terms from January 1 – December 31. Terms are staggered.

Meetings

The meeting schedule is irregular, as multiple meetings are scheduled every other year in April and May for approval of the biennial budget.

Upcoming meetings for 2025-27 Biennial Budget

Tuesday, May 27, 2025, all day (times TBA)

Thursday, May 29, 2025, all day (times TBA)

Friday, May 30, 2025, all day (times TBA)

Budget Committee Bylaws

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