WALLACE — Shoshone County commissioners formally adopted the county’s 2025-26 budget, but not without making some tough decisions.

The $16.9 million budget is an increase of roughly $800,000 over last year’s budget. 

County budget officials emphasized the need for fiscal responsibility amid rising costs and reductions in state funding. 

While nearly every department made cuts to its proposed budget, none drew more scrutiny than the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.

The SCSO was allocated $5.3 million, or 31% of the county’s total budget. That figure includes a $292,000 infusion from the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund grant, bringing the department to its final approved amount. Even with the grant, the SCSO’s budget is about $500,000 less than last year’s. 

Earlier this month, commissioners voted to allow the SCSO to pursue a two-year, $2 million override levy. If the levy fails in November, the department will have to return the $292,000 and make additional cuts to stay within budget. 

“The additional funding they voted to allot us last week gives our office a fighting chance to continue promoting public safety and to provide the level of service our residents expect," Sheriff Holly Lindsey said. "It will keep us afloat until we get the results of the levy in November, preventing us from having to lay off several deputies.” 

The SCSO is funded through the county’s justice fund, which also includes the safety building, jail and public defense. Lindsey said the justice fund was never adequately established, leading to financial instability and limiting her office’s ability to meet community needs. 

“We are a small community facing challenges typically seen in larger cities, and crime continues to increase in frequency, violence and sophistication each year,” Lindsey said. 

The Public Works budget also took a significant hit. Director Jessica Stutzke received $3.1 million, down from a previously proposed $4.2 million. 

The cuts stemmed from the loss of Secure Rural Schools funding and declining state revenues. Following guidance from the Idaho Association of Counties, the department also avoided relying on unstable state general funds. 

As a result, nine full-time positions were eliminated, and services such as snowplowing, road striping and equipment maintenance were scaled back. Stutzke plans to hire temporary, seasonal workers.

For much of the past two decades, Shoshone County Public Works has not relied on county levies for funding. This year, it will receive a small amount for the first time since 2019. 

Shoshone County Prosecutor Ben Allen saw a modest increase in his office’s budget compared to last year, though it was still about $40,000 less than what he proposed in August.

“It is clear that our local constituents desire services within our valley,” Allen said. “They expect to call 911 and have an officer respond. They want to speak with their assessor about property valuations without having to take a ticket and sit in line for an hour. They desire to see the county proactively engaged in land use issues instead of sitting on the sidelines. However, these services all require funding and the state’s 3% cap on local tax greatly impedes the county’s ability to keep up with growing demands for service.”