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– Weekend Edition – mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2026
Board adopts $1.25 billion 2026-27 budget
VOLUME 175 • ISSUE 49 | $1.00
THE FUN HAS BEGUN
Noel Stack Editor
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors last week adopted the recommended 2026-27 budget but a celebration is on hold as funding changes and uncertainty loom. “We haven’t seen the worst yet from the state and the feds,” predicted District 1 Supervisor Greg Ferrero. “I think down the road, we’re gonna have to make some much tougher decisions than we are right now.” “There’s certainly a lot of unknowns,” District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp agreed. “I don’t think our state and federal government are aligned at all, and I don’t know where that’s gonna end up.“ District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin thanked staff who helped develop the recommended budget, noting that funding constraints are making the process harder right now for counties and cities. “I think we’ve tried super hard for our residents not … to see a reduction in the level of service, and props to all of our staff that have stepped up to help us do that,” she shared. “I think it really reflects well on our county.” Veerkamp made the motion to approve the recommended budget after a presentation by Chief Budget Officer Emma Owens and public discussion. Parlin seconded. Ferrero and District 5 Supervisor Brooke Laine joined the two in voting yes. District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo was absent on June 9. A copy of the adopted recommended budget can be found online at eldoradocounty.ca.gov. Adoption of the final Fiscal Year 2026-27 is set for Sept. 29.
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
Good Ol’ Fashioned Fun at the El Dorado County Fair, running through June 21 at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, includes a spin on the Sizzler. Young fairgoers Flora Murphy, 12, left, of Cameron Park and Autumn Burton, 12, of Shingle Springs enjoy their round-and-round ride. Find the entire fair schedule online at eldoradocountyfair.org.
SWINE TAILS
Local youth discuss county fair animal projects
Budget snapshot
Lance Armstrong
“So total appropriations are $1.25 billion, and that is every single expense across every single fund that the board has control over, and so it’s the biggest number,” Owens told the board during her presentation. “But the subset that we most often talk about is governmental funds … a little over $1 billion.” The 2026-27 governmental funds budget is $39 million less than what was spent in 2025-26. “And this decrease really is because we had some really large projects in DOT, and we built most,” she explained. “You know, we’re almost done with the Mosquito Bridge so not as many of those appropriations are carrying over into this year.” The General Fund is a subset of governmental funds and for FY 26-27 that comes in at $486.6 million — a $15.3 million (3%) increase over the current fiscal year. “This is the entire General Fund. So it’s not the net county cost. This when you look at the total General Fund,” Owens noted. “There’s discretionary
he El Dorado County Fair is in full swing and local youth agricultural group members are busy showing their animals and competing for awards. During media preview night at the fairgrounds on June 17, several of those youth participants from Future Farmers of America, 4-H and local grange groups discussed their animal project experiences with the Democrat. Emily Scott, a 12-year-old member of the Gold Hill Toppers 4-H Club, told the paper she began caring for her
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
■ See BUDGET, page A9
Staff writer
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■ See PROJECTS, page A8
Mountain Democrat photo by Lance Armstrong
Tessa Hill with Golden Sierra FFA and her hog, Dixie, show off the first-place ribbon they won at the El dorado County Fair.
Little hero’s 911 call earns special recognition Shelly Thorene Staff writer
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hloe Swain, 7, of Georgetown is being hailed as a hero after calling 911 when her mother had a stroke, helping first responders arrive quickly and getting her mom the care she needed. Now recovering, Sophia said she and her three girls were getting ready to go to a friend’s birthday party on May 13. “I felt a brain zap and my right hand cramped. I had a feeling of terror and told Chloe, ‘Something’s wrong.’ I tried to tell her to call 911 but I couldn’t get the words out. I could hear it in my head but my words were jumbled.” Chloe said it was scary. “I didn’t know what was happening.” She knew her mom’s password for her phone and how to press the emergency button and she called 911. Chloe said she told the dispatcher “My mom is talking funny.” After the 911 call, Chloe called her father, Mark. “Chloe was great,” the proud mom shared. “She went outside and flagged down the ambulance and she helped out with her little Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene sisters while we waited for her dad to arrive. “The Georgetown Fire Department was Chloe Swain, center, received a Little Hero Award from Georgetown School Principal Dylan Nicholson, right, and Georgetown/Garden Valley Fire Chief Wes Norman, left, for calling 911 after her mom had ■ See HERO, page A8 a stroke.