Bulloch County’s commissioners are holding a two-day budgeting “retreat” Wednesday and Thursday, March 18-19, beginning at 9 a.m. each day and lasting well into the afternoons. Despite the name, these are public sessions, here in Statesboro in the Gene Bishop Field House, on the west end of Paulson Stadium.

This could be the week when the Board of Commissioners meets for the most hours of any week in 2026, since the second regular meeting for March, which started at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday – St. Patrick’s Day –already lasted more than two hours.

But the pressing business beginning with the retreat, slated to last up to 15 hours more, is the creation of the county government’s fiscal year 2027 budget. In the usual course of things, the budget should be adopted by the commissioners in June at the latest for the year beginning July 1, 2026, and lasting until June 30, 2027.

As approved last June, the current, FY ’26 budget authorized about $72.1 million in general fund spending. But it also, by an up-front decision, allowed that spending to exceed the projected new revenue, reducing the county’s accumulated nest egg by a specific amount, as county Chief Financial Officer Kristie King reminded the commissioners during her introductory presentation Wednesday.

“A reminder: Last year we budgeted $2.25 million in fund balance to balance the budget,” King said. “So we’re already starting at a position where we planned to spend more money than we thought we were going to bring in. So, we need to remember that through the decisions this year.”

One of the county government’s goals, she said, should be to replenish its fund balance and maintain the equivalent of at least 25% of the budgeted operating funds as an unassigned reserve in case of emergencies, she said. But she acknowledged that the unassigned balance, currently around $17.8 million, remains near that threshold, being about 24.7% of the $72,087,443 in fiscal 2026 budgeted general fund spending.

Still, King indicated that the commissioners and staff have difficult decisions to make for fiscal 2027, since just maintaining the current year’s spending level could further reduce the balance. Meanwhile, the departments and agencies had already submitted their budget proposals – these were due Feb. 27 – and they include requests for 21 added full-time and one new part-time employee that would be paid from the general fund, one new full-time employee to be paid from the E-911 fund and 17 new added Bulloch County Fire Department personnel to be  funded from the fire fund.

The requested new general fund positions alone could cost $1.75 million in direct personnel costs and $50,000 in related non-personnel costs, King estimated.

Additionally, the county currently has a compensation and classification study on order from a consulting firm that could lead to a new pay plan.

Open to the public

Speaking to the public Tuesday morning, commissioners Chairman David Bennett had invited anyone who was interested and has the time to attend the retreat.

“I just want to encourage the public to come on out,” Bennett said. “I know it’s a huge time commitment to sit there for two days. If you can’t come for the whole thing, come when you can. But if you want to understand the challenges and the future outlook of what’s going on in the county, this is the opportunity to do those things.”

During the retreat, leaders – some elected and some appointed – of county departments as well as representatives of some agencies that are partly county-funded are making presentations. About 30 departments, offices and agencies were listed on the tentative schedule.

“Of course, through the budget process and especially for these next couple of days, we’re allowing the departments to share their needs, challenges, goals and opportunities so that you all know what’s going on,” King told the commissioners.

In addition to annual operating budget requests, some agency leaders present plans or lists of perceived needs for major equipment purchases or building or renovation projects.

These capital spending items are often budgeted over a period of years, from sources such as the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, called SPLOST, or the transportation purposes sales tax, called T-SPLOST, instead of from the annual general fund budget, which is supplied by property taxes, other taxes such utility franchise taxes, and in some cases specific fees and fines.

Wednesday session

Beginning at 9 a.m., Wednesday’s session lasted until about 4:30 p.m., as King had predicted.

Wednesday’s presentations included those for Human Resources and Risk Management, the Tax Assessor and GIS, the Tax Commissioner, Recreation and Parks, Development Services, Engineering, Emergency Management, Road Maintenance, Solid Waste, County Facilities, the Magistrate Court, Probate Court, Coroner’s Office, and Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Thursday session

A second-day intro is slated for 9 a.m.-9:15 a.m. Thursday, followed by the Clerk of Courts, 9:15-9:30; State Court, 9:30-9:45; State Court Solicitor, 9:45-10; Elections Office, 10-10:15; then a break. The Emergency Medical Service is slated to present 10:30-11:15 a.m. Thursday, followed by the Bulloch County Fire Department, 11:15 a.m.-noon, and then lunch.

Thursday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office presentation is slated for 1-1:45 p.m.; the E-911 Center, 1:45-2; Adult Probation, 2-2:15; Animal Services, 2:15-2:30; then a break. The final presentations slated are those of Bulloch County Correctional Institution, 2:45-3 p.m.; Fleet Maintenance, 3-3:15; and Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, 3:15-3:45.  

County Manager Chris Eldridge and CFO Kristie King are slated to facilitate the closing discussion, 3:45-4:15 p.m. Thursday. But as King indicated, any of these times may be subject to adjustment.