STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
The 2026-27 county budget is starting to take shape, with less spending than the previous year, according to members of the county administration and budget committee.
Committee chair and Barren County magistrate Marty Kinslow said in discussion that the proposed 2026-27 general fund budget is about $10.76 million. He said last year’s general fund totaled about $10.91 million, meaning the new proposal is roughly $150,000 lower.
“The budget in total looks good,” Kinslow said. “We’re actually coming in a little less this year than last year, so that’s a good thing; that we are budgeting less…the fact that the total is down really speaks volumes for what the judge and [the treasurer] have done.”
Kinslow also noted that the jail and emergency management budgets are slightly higher than last year, noting that when the lower general fund and the higher public safety budgets are considered together, the overall impact appears to be close to a wash.
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said the spending plan is being built as a conservative and employee-focused budget, with each department getting money for merit-based raises.
“Everybody got some sort of an increase in each of their budgets for their employees,” Byrd said.
Magistrate and committee member Jeff Botts said in the April 20 committee meeting that the county is “not where we need to be” in terms of employee compensation.
“We’re doing the best we can, but we still need to look at that,” Botts said.
The proposed budget did not receive its first reading at the April 21 Barren County Fiscal Court meeting. Byrd said she is waiting for a transportation department presentation that is needed to set the final road budget amount. That presentation is expected at a future meeting, after which the full 2026-27 budget can be finalized.
Key Facts
• Barren County’s 2026-27 budget is still in development, with no first reading yet.
• Administration and Budget Committee chair Marty Kinslow said the general fund proposal is about $10.76 million.
• Kinslow said that is about $150,000 less than last year’s $10.91 million general fund.
• Jail and emergency management budgets are slightly higher than last year, about 2.1%.
• Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd describes the overall plan as conservative and employee-focused.
• Transportation officials are expected to present next month to help finalize the road budget amount.
Michael Crimmins with Glasgow News 1 contributed to this reporting.
