County faces $10 million budget shortfall to maintain flat mill levy

Commission cuts $400,000 from corrections budget by delaying hires

Sheriff's office trims $100,000 from software contracts amid staffing shortages

District attorney's budget request tabled following plea for competitive pay

District court secures $174,000 increase for contract attorneys and mediation

County approves $103,800 emergency chiller rental for former Harley-Davidson facility

Mental health funding increased, but falls short of agencies' requests

State database price hike drives 8 percent increase in elections office budget

Conservation district denied 50 percent budget increase

County faces $10 million budget shortfall to maintain flat mill levy

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners is looking to trim approximately $10 million from 2027 departmental budget requests to keep the county's property tax rate flat. Financial administrator Jennifer Sauer told the board Thursday that revenue is expected to drop next year due to the depletion of coronavirus relief funds and lower interest rates. Without significant spending cuts, residents could see a mill levy increase, as reflected in the recently mailed revenue-neutral rate notices, which indicate a maximum possible rate of 52.87 mills.

Commission cuts $400,000 from corrections budget by delaying hires

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Commissioners unanimously approved a $400,000 reduction to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections' 2027 budget request. The savings will be realized by delaying the hiring of 10 new staff members for the nearly completed behavioral health module for half the year. Department director Brian Cole volunteered the cut to help the county balance its budget, assuring commissioners that the delay would not prevent the opening of the facility's first floor by the end of the month.

Sheriff's office trims $100,000 from software contracts amid staffing shortages

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office agreed to a $100,000 budget cut after identifying overlapping software contracts that could be eliminated without impacting public safety. Sheriff Brian Hill noted the department is currently down 15 deputies, a shortage that could soon strain overtime budgets and dispatch operations. Despite the cuts and vacancies, the department reported continued success with its Real Time Crime Center and recent drone deployments, which have improved the capture rate for fugitive warrants and reduced the need to dispatch heavy equipment to certain scenes.

District attorney's budget request tabled following plea for competitive pay

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — District Attorney Mike Kagay defended a 7.56 percent budget increase request aimed at retaining attorneys and funding a new digital evidence information technology position. Kagay noted the office is losing prosecutors to higher-paying jurisdictions, leaving incoming hires with a steep learning curve. Commissioners tabled the request for further review after Kagay pointed out that, according to figures provided by the district attorney's office, staff handles 20 percent to 30 percent more cases than comparable counties while operating on a significantly smaller budget.

District court secures $174,000 increase for contract attorneys and mediation

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — A $174,000 budget increase was unanimously approved for the Shawnee County District Court to bolster its legal services and address inflation. Court administrator Lee Welch said the funds will provide a 5 percent pay increase for existing contractual attorneys and establish a new contract attorney position dedicated to domestic mediation and conciliation processes. The newly approved budget will also double the compensation for guardian ad litem attorneys, raising their fees from $500 to $1,000 per case.

County approves $103,800 emergency chiller rental for former Harley-Davidson facility

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The commission approved a $103,800 contract with P1 Service for a four-month emergency chiller rental at the county-owned former Harley-Davidson facility after the building's aging air conditioning unit suffered a catastrophic, unrepairable failure. Facilities management director Justin Landon said the high cost included significant electrical upgrades needed to power the temporary unit. The county opted to rent the equipment through November to accommodate the dealership, which currently leases the space while awaiting its new location, rather than purchase a permanent replacement, which would cost up to $500,000 and carry a 40-week lead time.

Mental health funding increased, but falls short of agencies' requests

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The commission approved $2.9 million in 2027 funding for Valeo Behavioral Health Care and Breakthrough House, a $100,000 increase over their 2026 baseline budget. However, the approved amount is $540,000 less than the combined $3.44 million requested by the two agencies. The approved funds will be divided, with $2.6 million allocated to Valeo Behavioral Health Care and $300,000 dedicated to Breakthrough House operations.

State database price hike drives 8 percent increase in elections office budget

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The Shawnee County Election Office received unanimous approval for an 8 percent budget increase compared to its 2025 election cycle, driven primarily by a cost hike from the Kansas Secretary of State's Office. The county's annual fee for the Electronic Voter Information System (ELVIS) voter database is expected to jump from $30,000 to $120,000. Election Commissioner Andrew Howell noted that if the state does not ultimately implement the fourfold increase, the extra $90,000 will be returned to the county's general fund.

Conservation district denied 50 percent budget increase

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Commissioners unanimously rejected a 50 percent budget increase requested by the Shawnee County Conservation District, instead voting to keep its funding flat at last year's level for 2027. The district had asked for the additional funds to compensate for lost federal grants. Commissioners said they were frustrated by what they described as the county being forced to subsidize federal government functions, a sentiment compared to unfunded state mandates routinely pushed down to the local level.

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