Dickinson County Commission Summary
Week of June 26, 2026
County trims $2 million from proposed budget to lower mill levy
Commission proposes funding cuts for outside agencies, waives own pay increase
County clerk requests pay increase for election poll workers
County attorney reports rise in traffic cases, spikes in appellate contract costs
Commissioners push back against two-year moratorium on alternative energy
Drive Dickinson County narrows strategic focus to local housing
County trims $2 million from proposed budget to lower mill levy
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — County officials have identified approximately $2 million in budget cuts to avoid a significant property tax increase, bringing the projected mill levy down to 49.367 mills. The proposed rate is lower than last year's 50.405 mills but remains slightly above the revenue-neutral rate of 48.8 mills. To achieve the savings, reductions include eliminating two vacant dispatch positions, reducing road maintenance budgets by $200,000, deferring a $350,000 ambulance purchase to 2028 and delaying $300,000 in heavy equipment purchases for the road and bridge department.
Commission proposes funding cuts for outside agencies, waives own pay increase
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — In an effort to tighten the county budget, the commission proposed reducing funding allocations for several outside organizations while unanimously agreeing to waive their own cost-of-living pay increases. Proposed reductions include cutting the Dickinson County Conservation District allocation to $30,000, the Dickinson County Historical Society to $74,000 and Central Kansas Mental Health Center to $70,000. During the meeting, a claim was made that the mental health center has $7 million in unencumbered cash reserves, though this figure has not been independently verified. It was noted during the session that if county departments are being asked to trim expenses, outside organizations must also share the burden, potentially saving the county an estimated $106,000.
County clerk requests pay increase for election poll workers
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — County Clerk Jennifer Gaytan requested a pay increase for election poll workers to fairly compensate them for the actual hours they work on Election Day. Currently paid $12 per hour based on a standard 12-hour day, workers frequently arrive early for setup and stay late to close polls and deliver ballots to the Dickinson County Courthouse. Gaytan also requested increasing training compensation from $20 to $30. The pay adjustment, which will not impact Gaytan's existing budget proposal, requires a formal resolution that the commission will consider next week.
County attorney reports rise in traffic cases, spikes in appellate contract costs
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — Dickinson County Attorney Brock Abbey updated the commission on his office's caseload, reporting 817 traffic cases filed so far this year — up from 536 at the same time last year — and a slight increase in criminal cases. While the office successfully cut costs for equipment and postage, the budget for the Kansas attorney general's office to handle the county's criminal appeals jumped from $11,000 to $16,000. Abbey defended the contract, noting that despite the increase, outsourcing appeals to the state saves the county thousands of dollars compared to paying local attorneys to handle the hours-intensive briefs.
Commissioners push back against two-year moratorium on alternative energy
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — Commissioners expressed reluctance to approve a Dickinson County Planning Commission recommendation for a two-year extension of the moratorium on alternative energy projects, which include commercial solar, data centers and battery storage. While the planning commission requested the extension to allow time to draft new zoning regulations for emerging technologies, commissioners argued that two years is an excessive delay that could deter business, suggesting a six-month timeline instead. The commission plans to hear public comment and provide formal direction to the planning and zoning board at next week's meeting.
Drive Dickinson County narrows strategic focus to local housing
DICKINSON COUNTY, Kan. — A recent strategic planning session for Drive Dickinson County successfully condensed the organization's previous 15-page master plan into three primary goals, with a major new focus placed on local housing development. It was reported that the revamped strategy will allow the economic development group to hyper-focus on specific, actionable initiatives rather than managing dozens of scattered sub-goals. The group will continue relying on both county funding and private pledges as it prepares to launch an upcoming capital campaign.
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