Some Tarrant County Commissioners questioned whether the county's undesignated funds and financial reserves are being used efficiently.
Data presented at the meeting showed the county has a total budget of $7.6 million in undesignated funds for the 2026 fiscal year. Of that, more than $2.7 million have been used, a majority of the money going towards public safety, including building security contract costs, part-time salaries for constables, and county burials.
It leaves the county with $4.8 million in unused funds for the remaining five months of the fiscal year, the data showed, and it's not yet clear what those funds will be used on.
Undesignated funds is money within the county not assigned for any specific use.
Commissioner Roderick Miles, Jr. questioned whether the county considers housing stability and utility assistance when it comes to investing in public safety. He also asked if the county evaluates the fiscal risk of under-investing in programs when unmet needs can later show up in higher jail costs, emergency health costs, court expenses, or homelessness-related costs.
"I believe we need to take a holistic approach and perspective and view when we are considering public safety," Miles said. "Because when those things that I mentioned are threatened or unstable, it lends to people doing things to make sure that they can make ends meet."
Matthew Jones, budget and risk management deputy director, said his team does an analysis to make sure any costs are unmet needs and requirements for the county. Jones did not specify what those requirements are.
"Depending on how that impacts the county, how it impacts the constituents of the county, we look at it from a cost saving standpoint, along with what value it provides," Jones said.
The county hasn't used any of its $83 million in financial reserves, or rainy-day funds, for this fiscal year. That money is typically used during emergencies like unexpected deficits or future designated costs. But those funds could be used for overtime throughout the county, specifically for the county sheriff's office.
Commissioner Alisa Simmons raised concerns about how operational costs within the county are measured against its recurring revenue.
She pointed to the sheriff's office not budgeting its security contract.
"That puts stress not only on the budget department but also on other departmental needs throughout the county," Simmons said. "Regular expenses, including personnel, overtime, insurance, jail operations, and the basic departmental needs. Thinking about this like the fiscal conservative that I am, if these costs rise faster than our recurring revenue, more tax rate cuts will eventually cause a budget gap."
Simmons also asked how they can address these issues without making staff cuts, having empty positions and outsourcing human services, specifically mentioning the county's partnership with the Center for Transforming Lives. The nonprofit offers support to families experiencing poverty and replaced the county’s rental and utility department, which closed last August.
Center for Transforming Lives CEO Carol Klocek said in February it expected to run out of $2.3 million in needed funds before the contract ends in October. Commissioners at last month's meeting did not approve additional funding of $338,370 in order to distribute funds for the last month of the contract.
Jones told Simmons the undesignated reserves are intended to address those gaps and that there are several scenarios they can work through.
"As we move through perfecting fiscal year 2027, we will bring those scenarios to Commissioner's Court for consideration," Jones said.
More than $7.79 million from the county's reserves was used to cover departmental overtime during the 2025 fiscal year, with a majority coming from the sheriff's office, retirement budgeting changes, and other unbudgeted personnel actions. That data was presented during March's commissioners court meeting.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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