Craig Howell DISCUSSING THE BUDGET – Hancock County Finance Administrator Ira Aracich presented estimates for the county’s 2026-27 fiscal budget during a work session Friday afternoon. Current projections show the county facing a deficit of $378,633 unless additional cuts are made before the budget takes effect July 1.

NEW CUMBERLAND — Hancock County commissioners must figure out where to cut $378,633 from its projected budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year before it can be approved and submitted to the state.

Commissioners and several county department heads took part in a budget work session Friday afternoon, held in the commission’s chambers within the Hancock County Courthouse

“All department budget requests have been received,” noted Finance Administrator Ira Aracich in explaining projected revenues for the county’s next fiscal budget, set to begin July 1, are set at $9,891,804, while projected expenditures are $10,270,437.

Commission President Eron Chek reported the budget does not include any major grant funding or Congressionally Directed Spending funds, which typically are programmed for a specific purpose.

“That will be added as we receive it,” Chek said.

Much of Friday’s discussion was focused on the proposed budget for the county’s Sheriff’s Office, which received a 15% reduction last year as part of budget cuts, with commissioners expecting an additional 15 percent for the coming year.

Sheriff Scott Gittings, though, submitted his budget with only a 5% decrease, saying anything more would be detrimental to his office’s operations.

“We can’t operate with another 15%,” Gittings said. “We can’t do it.”

Gittings noted the department currently has a force of 24 deputies, counting himself and Chief Deputy Todd Murray, as well as six Prevention Resource Officers, although he warned the PRO staff also is set to be affected because of the financial issues within the Hancock County School District.

Gittings and Murray warned any additional cuts in personnel could force the department into a situation where no more than two deputies are on the road at any time. The PROs, he said, could be reduced from six to four, with one deputy stationed for two schools in some situations.

To alleviate the concerns, even temporarily, Gittings suggested using a portion of the county’s Opioid Settlement Funds to cover the county’s share of expenses toward the costs of housing area prisoners at the West Virginia Northern Regional Jail or other prison facilities in the state.

It’s a proposal Commissioner Tommy Ogden supported, saying the county has $1.6 million in opioid funds, with the regional jail bill set to cost $535,000. He also said he believes the opioid fund could be used to cover the annual allotment for the county’s six volunteer fire departments, which would receive $30,000 each.

“He’s trying to work with the commission,” Ogden said of Gittings. “I think we have a solution with the jail bill.”

Chek expressed concern over such a move, though, saying there is no guarantee revenue will improve for the following year, and then deeper cuts may need to be made.

“We end up in the same place where the Board of Education is now,” she warned. “That would be worse in my opinion.”

Commissioner Paul Cowey indicated using the county’s Rainy Day fund is not likely, explaining it is down to approximately $1 million after dipping into it over the last two years.

“That can go quickly if there’s an emergency,” Cowey said.

The county anticipates having $65,000 in its Coal Severance Budget.

Officials noted there would be additional review of the budget proposals, with the final budget set to be presented for consideration by the commission later this month.

It must be submitted to the state by March 28.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)