OSAGE COUNTY — The Osage County Commissioners estimated the county will generate approximately $12,506,806.68 in revenue for 2026, up significantly from 2025’s estimate of $10,673,090.52 ($11,926,319.56 actual). They began the year with account balances totaling $15,162,769.81, and anticipate ending the year with $14,938,045.25 after estimated expenditures of $12,731,531.24.

GENERAL REVENUE    

Revenue for General Revenue is estimated to be $3,149,006, including property tax ($800,000), Sales tax ($745,000), Prop P sales tax ($835,000), Intergovernmental Revenues ($378,146), Charges for service ($87,800), Interest ($93,000), Other ($1,660), and Transfers In ($208,400).   

Many of the county offices’ budgets are financed primarily from General Revenue. These are County Commission, County Clerk, Elections, Building and Grounds (which has its own account/revenue stream but is paid out of General Revenue instead), Employee Fringe Benefits, Treasurer, Collector, Recorder of Deeds, Circuit Clerk, Public Administrator, Sheriff, Jail (Detention Center), Prosecuting Attorney, Juvenile Officer, Coroner, Other County Governments, Professional Organization Fees, and Surveyor.     

Anticipated expenditures for each office are as follows.

• County Commission: $112,873.85, the bulk of which is $96,071.85 for the combined salaries of all three commissioners.

• County Clerk: $140,037.50, of which $122,287.50 is salaries.

• Elections: $68,250, as there are multiple elections scheduled in 2026.

• Building & Grounds: $95,500, of which $41,000 is the groundskeeper’s salary.

• Employee Fringe Benefits: $344,151.

• Treasurer: $54,207.50, of which $47,407.50 is her salary.

• Collector: $209,127.50, of which $119,407.50 goes to salaries.

• Recorder of Deeds: $56,107.50, of which $52,407.50 is for salaries.

• Circuit Clerk: $19,300.

• Public Administrator: $62,758.50, of which $47,407.50 is her salary.

• Sheriff: $1,243,278, of which $621,084 goes to salaries (excluding amounts paid for by grants).

• Jail: $455,977, of which $386,977 is for salaries.

• Prosecuting Attorney: $180,228.50, of which $137,472.50 goes toward salaries.

• Juvenile Officer: $46,250.

• Coroner: $29,341, of which $18,641 is for salaries.

• Other County Government: $73,501, of which $70,000 is for property, auto, and liability insurance.

• Professional Organization: $60,740, of which $46,200 is to help fund MU Extension Services.

• Surveyor: $8,600.

• Highway 100 Property: $24,020, the bulk of which is to add a storage building. 

• Transfers Out: $29,600.

ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND   

Road & Bridge anticipates $2,819,109 in revenue in 2026 ($3,108,448.09 actual in 2025), with expenditures of $2,922,736 ($2,910,848.13 actual in 2025). Their anticipated revenue comes primarily from Property Taxes ($465,000), Prop R ($825,000), and County Aid Road Trust (CART, $1,060,000). 

The largest increases to Road & Bridge expenditures are in salaries ($845,635 up from $592,000 budgeted in 2025), Parts & Repairs ($325,000, up from $200,000 budgeted in 2025), and Chip & Seal ($300,000). The largest decrease was the anticipation of only $350,000 in Off-System Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement spending, as opposed to $800,000 budgeted in 2025. This is due to the timing of the bridges being replaced, and because the Pentecostal Bridge work is being paid out of its own account.

ASSESSOR   

The Assessor’s Office anticipates revenues of $334,639.70 in 2026 ($331,478.74 actual in 2025), and expenditures of $305,354.50 ($319,437 in 2025). Her office’s salaries are anticipated to total $173,143.50.

911/EMA   

911 anticipates $893,404 in revenue in 2026 ($880,906.20 actual in 2025). Their projected revenue comes primarily from the Law Enforcement/911 sales tax ($825,000); however, they also receive payments for use of the 911 system by Belle Fire ($4,200), Linn Police Department ($5,000), Osage Ambulance District ($10,000, $5,000 of which has not been collected from last year), Maries Osage Ambulance ($4,200), Ozark Ambulance ($4,200), and the Osage County Sheriff’s Office ($5,000). Osage County fire departments do not pay for use of the 911 system; however, commissioners started charging the Sheriff’s Office for use of the system in 2024. They anticipate $1,035,853.40 in expenditures, of which $654,490.40 is for salaries; $139,600 is for the new CentralSquare CAD system, which is also used by the Sheriff’s Office and Osage Ambulance District.

EMA anticipates $113,103 in revenue, and expenditures of $77,997.   

  HEALTH DEPARTMENT   

The Health Department anticipates revenues of $451,538.94 ($593,654.11 actual in 2025), and expenditures of $571,795 ($474,254.22 actual in 2025); $338,000 of the proposed expenditures are for salaries.

The Health Department’s funding comes primarily from grants, with some fees for service. The Health Department will receive no funding from General Revenue in 2026.   

The complete budget and all its details can be viewed at osagecountygov.com, toward the bottom of the County Clerk’s page.