Ehlmann Signs 2026 Balanced Budget

The County Council has passed, and County Executive Steve Ehlmann has signed, a 2026 balanced budget.

"We had to say 'no' to $23 million in new spending requests to deliver a balanced budget," Ehlmann says. "We're putting off replacing some vehicles and computers and delaying some new hires and job reclassifications to save money. This is a conservative budget that has enough reserves in case there's a downturn in the economy."

The $379 million spending blueprint includes a 3% emergency reserve fund required by law, plus another 10% reserve for the general fund carved out by County budget planners. (The 3% fund can be used for emergencies such as tornadoes or devastating ice storms, while the 10% fund can only be spent after the council approves a spending ordinance.) Such reserves are necessary for a good bond rating, which lowers the cost for the County to borrow money.

Among the spending priorities:
The 2026 budget would provide $154 million for major road improvements. Plans are underway for the design or construction of 120 different road projects throughout the cities and unincorporated areas of our county, including 26 newly funded projects within the 2026 Transportation Improvement Plan. Improvements are coming along the Route N corridor:

• The widening of Hopewell Road and adding a traffic light at Route N
• The widening of Route Z and adding a traffic light at Route N

Another $15.6 million would go for costs of asphalt overlays, asphalt and concrete street reconstruction, concrete slab replacement, and crack sealing of existing county roadways from the Road and Bridge Fund.

The Parks and Recreation Department will be adding more parks. That includes the 785-acre Henges Wetlands Park and Education Center, as well as Spring Bend Park. Plans are also in the works to create a local history and genealogy center at the newly-renamed Heritage Center, a place where you can research your family tree or dig into St. Charles County history.

Total acreage in the County park system will reach 5,189 acres-or about 1 acre for every 81 residents.

The Emergency Communications Department continues to modernize its 911 equipment, allowing callers who dial in on their cellphone during an emergency to be located more precisely.

Construction and renovation continue at the County jail, adding more bed space and a treatment unit to help the growing number of detainees awaiting trial with substance abuse or mental health problems.

Plans are also in the works to add a second Pet Adoption Center in western St. Charles County.