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Tuscola County Grappling with a Deficit in 2026 Budget
Mary Drier/Mike Kaufman
Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:34:38 EST
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Monday's meeting of the Tuscola County Finance Committee, was more of a finger pointing session than working on finances.
Commissioner Thom Bardwell, who chairs the finance committee, bombarded county Treasurer Ashley Bennett with a variety of questions.
According to the meeting's agenda, the topics to be discussed were the earned interest history, and Summer tax collection history.
Bennett corrected Bardwell, that she had not called for the meeting, and because of that she was not prepared for the variety of questions Bardwell, and finance committee member Commissioner Matt Koch asked.
Normally Bennett is well prepared with financial information, but she wasn't this time for what seemed like an interrogation more than a discussion of financial issues that were not on the agenda.
There was recently a department head meeting which Bardwell attended that reviewed finance, looked at ways to trim costs, including the possibility of eliminating some non-mandated services.
At that meeting, Bennett noted, there is some unspent money in a variety of accounts.
Bardwell and Koch said they felt that money should have been invested.
Bennett pointed out that she could not just take the money from those accounts, and the investment she had done generated $1,335,191, which the commissioners countered it wasn't enough to cover a projected $1.9 million deficit.
Bennett explained it takes a lot of time to watch and analyze financial offerings to make the best decision on return of investment for the county because she understands that is taxpayer money.
Both commissioners agreed it was unwise to build a budget using interest earned to balance it, but there are not many other options.
Commissioners have known for a year the county was facing a deficit, which was pointed out by former county Controller/Administrator Clayette Zechmeister.
Commissioners knew they were facing a financial crisis, and they kept spending throughout 2025.
At several of the previous county meetings, Bardwell was the lone commissioner to ask where the money was coming from when the other four male commissioners approved spending.
Both Bardwell and Koch each said a couple of times they were not blaming the treasurer's office, but to some in the audience it seemed like they were.
