Jefferson County has issued a formal Notice of Supplemental Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2025-26, according to a notice posted on the county's official website on June 3, 2026.
A supplemental budget is a mid-year amendment to an already-adopted budget. Oregon law requires counties to hold a public hearing before adopting any supplemental budget that changes appropriations — giving residents an opportunity to speak before the Board of County Commissioners makes adjustments to how public funds are spent.
What a Supplemental Budget Means
Counties sometimes need to adjust their budgets mid-year to account for unexpected revenues, new grants, emergency expenditures, or changes in department needs. Jefferson County's full 2025-26 budget — which was adopted at $85.68 million last June — established spending authority for county departments through June 30, 2026.
A supplemental hearing does not necessarily indicate a budget crisis; it is a routine legal process that allows the county to formally recognize and appropriate funds that weren't part of the original budget adoption.
How to Participate
The hearing date, time, and location will be published in the county's official legal notices and posted at jeffersoncountyor.gov. Jefferson County residents who wish to comment on county finances are encouraged to attend the hearing or submit written comments to the Board of County Commissioners.
The county's budget must be fully adopted by June 30, 2026 to comply with Oregon budget law — meaning the supplemental hearing and any adjustments must be completed within the next few weeks.
Jefferson County Commissioner meetings are generally held at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Madras. For the most current schedule and agenda, visit jeffersoncountyor.gov/news or call the County Commissioners' office.
Context: A Busy Budget Season
The supplemental hearing comes as Jefferson County is also navigating a budget process at the city level — Madras city government is in its own budget cycle, with an interim administrator overseeing discussions about potential staff restructuring and three key vacancies still unfilled.
Keeping track of how public dollars are being managed at both the city and county level is one of the most important things engaged Jefferson County residents can do this summer.