SUMMIT COUNTY—The Summit County Board of County Commissioners, along with its finance and communications team, have launched fundingsummitcounty.com, a comprehensive website providing insights into the County's budgetary procedures. The website expands on property tax details and outlines the collection and allocation of County tax dollars within the General Fund. 

The Board also announced a call for applications to its Citizen Advisory Budget Committee, aimed at enhancing community engagement in the County's upcoming budget process. Residents of Summit County are invited and encouraged to submit their applications by September 15, 2023.

"The creation of the Citizen Advisory Budget Committee stemmed from the Board's commitment to welcoming public input, particularly during its in-depth budgeting process," said Phil Gonshak, Summit County Manager.

The committee will select one member to sit as committee chair and meet twice with County officials present. It will assist in developing the County budget by providing feedback on department proposals and making suggestions regarding programs and priorities from a resident perspective. Members of the committee will also serve as budget ambassadors within the County, helping to share their work and the County's budget process with the public. 

The County's budget hearings will begin in October and are accessible to the public.

"Budgets for any government entity are complex animals," said Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence. "Our microsite was designed to present important information in a digestible, easy-to-read format to better inform the public as we begin our budget process this fall," she continued.

The application portal is now live at https://www.fundingsummitcounty.com/get-involved. Interested individuals should submit applications no later than September 15, 2023.