The Faulkner County Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday advanced most department budgets for fiscal 2026 after staff told members a 3% cost-of-living adjustment was applied broadly to personnel lines.

Committee leaders said the 3% adjustment accounts for the majority of "above-the-line" increases in courts and county offices. "That's what's in here right now," the presiding justice said, describing the approach staff and judges used to land on the increase.

The committee reviewed dozens of funds by group — courts, ARP projects, county maintenance and others — and approved numerous contested and uncontested items by voice vote. Circuit and juvenile court budgets were moved in series; Judge Braswell told the court his juvenile office had only modest increases, limited mainly to two new copiers, and emphasized the county's juvenile detention capacity remains important to public safety.

The panel also approved a batch of American Rescue Plan (ARP) reappropriations intended to exhaust balances before the federal spending deadline. County staff said ARP funds will be shifted into two catch-all accounts (a restricted Conway Corp water-treatment account and an unrestricted lost-revenue account supporting the jail project) if specific projects do not use their full allocations.

Several budgets were tabled for Thursday's meeting so staff and affected departments can provide clarifying documentation, including certain probation and public-defender line items. The committee will resume with sheriff and remaining office budgets at the next session.

Votes at a glance:
- 1000.0402 (Juvenile court): approved by voice vote.
- Multiple juvenile grant funds (including several zeroed-out pass-through funds): approved to close out.
- Circuit court division budgets (1000.0401, 1000.0403 and others): approved.
- ARP batch reappropriations: approved to ensure spending by the federal deadline.
- 1000.0416 (Prosecuting Attorney): approved (see separate article).
- 1000.0417 (Public Defender): tabled pending further detail.
- 3026.0417 (Public Defender investigator / other professional services): tabled.
- 3400.0520 (Emergency Squad): tabled pending sheriff's review.

The committee chair encouraged members to review projection sheets at home and noted staff will continue to present detailed revenue and carryover projections before final action.