Consolidated Fire District 2 Chief Steve Chick told the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners that a double posting on the district’s state budget forms created roughly a $900,000 error that inflated the district’s proposed mill levy.

Chick said the district’s CPA, together with two staff members he named as Robin and Ted, identified the duplicate carryover posting and that the error makes the district’s advertised 2026 mill levy (10.98) higher than it should be. “There was a double posting in one of our funds that caused a $900,000 difference,” Chief Steve Chick said, adding the corrected levy would likely be “in that 10.49 or 10.5 neighborhood.”

Why it matters: The mill levy drives the district’s ad valorem tax revenue, its principal operating fund. Commissioners and district leaders said the correction would reduce the advertised tax increase and that the district’s board must formally vote any change.

Chick described two main drivers of higher 2026 expenditures even after the correction: roughly $700,000 of increased general operating costs and the board’s preliminary decision to raise the general fund reserve from 25% to 35%, which he said accounted for about $1.277 million of the difference. He also outlined near-term capital and reserve uses: a station remodel estimated to cost about $4 million between 2025 and early 2026, an expected ladder truck order near $2.3 million, and an anticipated half-million-dollar replacement for self-contained breathing apparatus. Chick said those items make up roughly $6.8 million in planned capital outlays.

Commissioners pressed for clarity. Chairman Mike Kelly said he appreciated Chick’s work with county budget staff to “speak apples to apples,” and asked that the district return with corrected figures. Several commissioners — including Commissioner Brewer, Commissioner Myers and Commissioner Hanslick — asked for clearer breakdowns of beginning fund balances and reserve calculations on the state forms. Commissioner Allenbrand and others recommended county budget staff work directly with the district to reconcile differences and to present a revised mill levy proposal.

Action and next steps: Commissioners recommended that county budget staff work with Consolidated Fire District 2’s board and staff to (a) reconcile the state form discrepancies, (b) provide a revised proposed mill levy that aligns with operational expenditures, and (c) present clarified reserve balances and the district’s 12‑year capital plan. Commissioners agreed the district’s board must make any formal change to the posted levy during its pending public hearing and final approval.

Context and performance: Chick said about 84% of CFD2’s budget is employee-related and that the district holds an ISO Class 1 rating. He reported low employee turnover (about 1.34%) and said training hours exceeded 14,000 last year. He also told commissioners CFD2 is pursuing gradual staffing increases to move toward NFPA staffing benchmarks and that capital costs for apparatus and safety gear have grown significantly faster than the consumer price index.

Ending: The county and district agreed to reconvene with corrected figures before the county sets its final budget; Chief Chick said he would return with revised numbers after the district board meets to confirm corrected filings and any change to the advertised mill levy.