ELKINS — The Randolph County Commission has approved a $10.9 million general budget for the 2027 fiscal year.

Commission President David Kesling and Commissioner Cris Siler voted to approve the upcoming budget, which at $10,919,943 is down about $380,000 from the current $10.540,798 budget. Commissioner Chris See was not present at the meeting.

“The county is pretty consistently flat every year with what we bring in,” Kesling said. “I’ve been on the commission for seven years and it’s been the same levy rate with no increase during that time. The taxes are about the same and we operate around a $10 million budget.”

Despite the overall budget increase, public safety expenditures declined, going from $3.2 million in the current budget to $2.9 million for the coming fiscal year.

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office’s expenditures increased, however, going from $1,406,131 to $1,534,597.

As for the general government expenditures, which also includes the Randolph County Commission, County Clerk’s Office, Assessor’s Office, and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, there was an increase from $6.5 million to $6.9 million.

“The County Commission’s budget for next year is $313,000 and we also do the courthouse, which is our main budget that we take a lot of stuff out of, and our biggest budget at roughly about $2.7 million,” Kesling said.

“For elected officials, we were able to put in a 3% wage increase on the wage line. That matches what the state had given out to I believe the state troopers and state school teachers. So we were looking to do roughly the same for the elected officials.”

Health and Sanitation expenditures for the fiscal year 2027 are slated at $95,000, while Culture and Recreation is at $570,000. Some notable items listed in Culture and Recreation include the Visitors Bureau ($200,000), 4-H Camp ($34,000), the Library ($81,000), and Parks and Recreation ($17,000). The local health department made up most of the Health and Sanitation expenditures at $80,000.

Social Services expenditures come to $142,000 ,with Senior Citizens receiving the most at $80,000. Public transit will receive $35,000 and Social Services in the county is set at $25,000.

The revenue anticipated from sources for the fiscal year 2027 are $10,919,943, with an anticipated rollover of $975,000.

The largest estimated revenues for the 2027 fiscal year budget come from the following areas: Property Taxes ($6,794,443), Federal Grants/Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes ($750,000), Prior Year Taxes ($525,000), Hotel Occupancy Tax ($400,000), Property Transfer Tax ($300,000), Jail Fees ($150,000), and Tax Penalties/Interest/Publication Fees ($150,000).

“The revenue we are anticipating from all sources would tally up to about $10,919,943 to operate the county on our proposed budget,” Kesling said. “We also have a coal severance tax line that we would get.

“Even though we don’t have an active coal mine in the county, the state does and they disperse some tax to every county based on money that they get from the coal severance tax. We are anticipating $70,000 from that for the whole year, and then we have a fund balance, which is a rollover for that account from the prior year of $83,000. So a total of coal severance for next year of $153,500.”

The budget is required to be sent to the state auditor’s office after being approved by the Commission.

The next Randolph County Commission meeting will be at the Commission Annex on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.