Library Board advances FY27 budget request with 3% COLA + 3% merit assumption

The Teton County Library Board voted 5-0 on Feb. 19 to approve its FY27 budget for submission to Teton County, while flagging that the county’s wage model may not include the board’s preferred assumption of a 3% cost-of-living adjustment plus 3% merit increases. Library Director Kip Roberson told the board commissioners’ guidance was for a “flat” budget overall, with wages calculated by the county clerk’s office.

In the budget discussion, Roberson said the library’s overall request was largely similar to last year’s, with noted increases in collections, facilities, and IT equipment driven by higher costs and availability issues he tied to “tariffs and AI.” He also said the library is asking the county to fund capital reserves for building improvements.

The submission heads into the county’s broader FY27 process, which commissioners framed as a flat-revenue year (property tax expected to be flat with only a slight sales-tax increase) and directed departments to keep non-salary operating requests flat to FY26, while restoring some training and out-of-state travel lines that were cut last year. Commissioners also noted that salary-structure and merit recommendations would be incorporated through the county workforce plan process.

Sources: Library Board meeting minutes (Feb. 19, 2026); FY27 budget planning memo from Teton County commissioners (Feb. 2, 2026); Library Board agenda packet (Feb. 19, 2026).