Walworth County Finance Director Jessica Conley will present the 2026 Preliminary Budget on behalf of the County’s Finance Committee at a Public Budget Hearing on Thursday, October 30, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room at the Government Center, 100 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn. The hearing is one of the final steps before formal budget adoption at the County Board meeting on Monday, November 10, at 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend the hearing to learn more about the budget and provide feedback to the Board of Supervisors and staff. Changes to the preliminary budget may be made by Supervisors up until the budget is adopted.
Walworth County residents can expect several direct benefits from the proposed 2026 budget. First, the County is budgeting an additional $1 million in sales tax revenue, helping to maintain services without raising property taxes. The County has also budgeted $1.29 million of contingency reserves, ensuring quicker responses to emergencies like severe weather and infrastructure needs without impacting core services.
The County is investing over $5 million of its existing reserves in capital projects, 41% of the total 2026 capital plan, while remaining debt-free. Among the capital projects outlined in the proposed budget, the future of the Government Center in downtown Elkhorn is particularly significant. The budget delays all Government Center capital improvement projects for 2026 to allow time for a comprehensive evaluation of long-term options, including potential relocation or renovation. This strategic pause avoids unnecessary spending while preserving flexibility and transparency in future planning. Finally, the County’s long-term capital planning process has been strengthened through a more complete 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, ensuring that infrastructure investments are aligned with community needs and fiscal sustainability.
The public budget hearing agenda, supporting documents, and the link to view the livestream can be accessed at https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/agendacenter. Members of the public can also attend in person. For more information about the proposed budget, visit www.co.walworth.wi.us/250/Budget.
