Summary
At its May 20, 2026 meeting, the Campbell County Fiscal Court opened with a public hearing on the use of County Road Aid and Local Government Economic Assistance funds. Finance Director Laura Lewis reported that Campbell County is expected to receive approximately $708,000 in County Road Aid funding for fiscal year 2027, a decrease from the prior year, while coal-related Local Government Economic Assistance funding remains at $0. The court then approved previous meeting minutes and received a detailed presentation of the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, which emphasizes maintaining current county services through conservative financial planning. Lewis outlined the county’s major funding priorities, including public safety, detention center operations, emergency management, infrastructure maintenance, parks and recreation, and regional service partnerships. She highlighted ongoing major capital projects, including the AJ Jolly Lake restoration and spillway repair project and the new Public Safety Building, a roughly $50 million investment that will consolidate several public safety agencies into one facility.
The court reviewed revenue and expenditure projections, noting that payroll taxes and property taxes remain the county’s largest revenue sources, while personnel costs, contracted services, and capital investments account for the largest expenditures. Lewis also discussed challenges posed by inflation, rising fuel and energy costs, pension liabilities, and reductions in state road funding. The proposed budget maintains a recommended reserve position of approximately $18.1 million, equal to about 35% of operating expenditures, to ensure financial stability and cash flow throughout the year. Commissioners praised the Finance Department’s budgeting process and fiscal stewardship, while discussing the future disposition of county-owned facilities that may become surplus once agencies relocate to the new Public Safety Building.
During legislative business, the Fiscal Court approved ordinances updating the county-maintained road list and rezoning approximately eight acres on Moreland Road from a mix of residential, rural commercial, and industrial classifications to Residential Three (R-3) zoning. Additional actions included approval of grant funding applications for waste tire recycling, adoption of the Campbell County Health Department’s unchanged tax rate of 2.2 cents per $100 of assessed value, establishment of rental fees for the new Tree Frog Shelter at AJ Jolly Park, annual funding support for TANK (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky), and continued financial support for the Campbell County Fire Protection Association. The court also accepted the resignation of Police Officer Aaron Hanson, reappointed members to the Northern Kentucky Area Development District Council on Aging, authorized acceptance of a state emergency management grant, approved purchase of a new inmate documentation and reporting system for the detention center, authorized bidding for multiple road resurfacing and reconstruction projects, and approved payment of county claims before adjourning.
Disclaimer: This summary was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on the meeting transcript and may not capture every discussion, motion, or detail contained in the official meeting record.
