Berrien County’s Board of Commissioners has approved the county’s 2026 budget.

The county says the budget generates the savings the members had sought by eliminating unfilled positions.

WSJM reports the 2025 budget closes with a good deal of money left unspent, and the county will not need to draw down its general fund balance. The fund balance is expected to grow to about 39.5% heading into 2026.

The new budget defunds all of the vacancies at the juvenile center, a total of 29 vacant positions, with no layoffs.