Ellis County government could get bigger next year. The proposed FY2027 budget includes 744 authorized positions across county funds, up 37 positions — or 5.2% — from the current budget. The total includes full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal positions, as well as funded vacancies, so it does not necessarily mean 37 new employees would immediately be hired. The General Fund accounts for 16 of the additional positions, growing from 574 to 590. Special Revenue Funds add another 21 positions. Much of that growth is tied to juvenile services. The countywide staffing summary shows Juvenile Probation increasing from 16 to 29 positions and Juvenile Detention from 13 to 23, while the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program drops from seven to two. The Sheriff’s Office is proposed to grow from 138 to 145 authorized positions, while the County Attorney’s Office increases from 62 to 68. The budget also creates two new administrative departments: a County Administrator’s Office and a separate Budget Office. The County Administrator department is proposed with three positions and roughly $635,000 in spending. The Budget Office is listed with two positions and about $416,000. The two new departments add five authorized positions. While the budget says three specific positions are being removed from the County Judge’s department and a Budget Specialist is moving from the Auditor’s Office, the County Judge’s total staffing remains unchanged at four and the Auditor drops by only one position. Taken together, the County Judge, Auditor, County Administrator and Budget Office would grow from 14 authorized positions to 18. Under the proposed organizational chart, the County Administrator and Budget Officer would report jointly to the County Judge and Commissioners Court. The staffing plan remains part of a proposed budget and can still change before Commissioners Court adopts the final FY2027 budget.