PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County’s Department of Community Development faces budget scrutiny moving into 2026.

Chelsea Pronovost, the department’s administrative services manager and interim director, presented a preliminary budget to the Board of County Commissioners on Monday.

The department — responsible for building permits, code enforcement, planning and fire safety programs — is made up of 24 employees, or 21.39 full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions, Pronovost said.

The department’s revenue, projected at $1.6 million, comes largely from building and land-use permits, she said. Other revenue sources include grant funds and small reimbursements for fire plan reviews.

With expenditures projected at $2.89 million, the department is looking to the county’s general fund to close the gap

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