Johnson County conservation leaders present lean FY26 package, flag $3M+ federal trails grants and bond spending plan

Interim Conservation Department staff and county finance officials presented the Johnson County Board of Supervisors with a trimmed fiscal year 2026 budget request for conservation programs and bond projects, emphasizing federal grant cash-flow needs, equipment replacements and a smaller personnel ask.

Brad, interim conservation director, told the board the department’s General Basic (department 24) operating request is $4,326,671, and the decision package totals $847,411.79, split into approximately $513,911.79 for personnel and associated equipment and $333,500 for capital and other items. “We’ve come to the Board of Supervisors with … a lean decision package,” Brad said.

Why it matters: the conservation budget finances daily operations, maintenance and park services across nearly 2,700 county-managed acres and supports several multi‑million-dollar capital efforts that require county cash up front while federal and state grants reimburse later.

Key details and priorities

- Budget structure: Brad summarized five conservation-related budget areas: department 24 (general basic, property-tax funded operations); department 32 (REAP — Resource Enhancement and Protection, funded by state gambling and related revenues; FY26…