ELKINS — The Randolph County Commission has approved a $10.5 million general budget for the 2026 fiscal year.

Commission President David Kesling and Commissioners Cris Siler and Chris See unanimously voted to approve the budget, which is $1.7 million less than last year’s $12.2 million budget for the fiscal year 2025.

“The difference in the numbers from last year’s budget to this year’s is that we were a pass-through for Micrologic and we had to show that on the previous budget,” Kesling told The Inter-Mountain on Thursday. “We are flat on last year’s numbers when you take out that Micrologic pass-through, which was around $1 million.”

The Commission presented Micrologic with a check for $957,000 in January to help with the completion of two broadband projects in the county. The  funds were sent to the Commission after Micrologic requested the money from the state of West Virginia.

“We overestimated our rollover number as well for last year and that makes up the rest of the difference,” Kesling said. “When you take both of those off $12.2 million, the numbers from last year to this year are almost the same.”

The Commission is projecting a rollover this year in the neighborhood of $900,000.

“We turned the budget in on March 28 last year, but after we closed the books in July, we got the actual rollover number,” Kesling said. “When we got that actual rollover number. we adjusted our budget down to match the true number and that’s what we’ve been operating off of this current year.”

In the 2026 budget, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office expenditures are listed at $1,406,131, up from $1,366,949 in the current budget.

The largest estimated revenues for the 2026 fiscal year budget come from the following areas: Property Taxes ($6,644,416), Federal Grants/Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes ($703,000), Prior Year Taxes ($622,000), Gas and Oil Severance Tax ($150,000), Jaile Fees ($150,000), and Tax Penalties, Interest & Publication Fees ($150,000).

“Interest on money is about $5,000, miscellaneous on revenue is about $160,000, and transfers at $10,000 that equates to a $10,540,000 revenue,” Kesling said at the March 27 meeting.

“Expenditures, this includes all of the general government expenditures, our office (County Commission), Brenda’s office (County Clerk), the Assessor’s Office, about $6.5 million,” he said.

“Public safety expenditures about $3.2 million. Health and sanitation expenditures, like what we give to the health department and mental facilities in the county is around $101,000. Parks and Recreation expenditures, things we give out to the Chamber of Commerce, CVB, etc., is all about $526.000.

“Social Service expenditures are around $142,000, and capital projects, I only anticipate around $11,000 for that.”

Kesling said during the meeting that there was a 14% increase to the FY 2026 Budget due to an increase in the county’s PEIA insurance costs.

“For example, an employee who had a family plan, the difference between what we paid last year to this year is $3,000,” Kesling said. “So we had a hefty increase in our insurance that we provide. So we were unable this year to provide an increase in wages to the employees, with that 14% increase in the PEIA insurance. If it continues next year and we have another 14% increase, we may have to look elsewhere. Don’t want to continue on not giving out raises to the people who work really hard for the county.”

Kesling said despite the 14% increase with the county’s insurance, no cuts were made to those who received money last year.

“No cuts were made to outside services we provide funds to, like the Health Department who got $83,000, the Humane Society, the Chamber, and the Development Authority,” Kesling said during the meeting. “But if revenue continues to be flat, we may have to make some decisions next year.”

After the Commission approved the budget for FY 2026, it was immediately sent to the state auditor’s office.