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Shawnee officials present largely flat 2026 administration, city council budgets; transfers and ADA work drive variance
Summary
City staff outlined the 2026 proposed budgets for the administration and city council, emphasizing mostly flat operating figures year over year and flagging several one-time transfers and a possible costly web accessibility project tied to ADA guidance.
Council President Kurt Knappen, Ward 3, convened the meeting and City Manager Paul Kramer opened the discussion on the 2026 operating budget, saying the presentations would cover “administration, information technology, finance, and community development.”
Deputy City Manager Colin Duffy told the council the administration and city council budgets are “relatively flat” year over year but highlighted several areas that create variation in the totals: transfers between funds, one-time capital or emergency repairs, and a potential large expense to meet new accessibility guidelines. “Transfers are a big, item that you'll you'll see, when you see a change year over year,” Duffy said.
Why it matters: Though the base operating numbers stayed steady, the city is planning sizable one-time moves and reserves that shape the reported year-over-year changes. Those items affect the city’s fund balances and long-term capital planning.
Duffy identified several specific items that will change how the administration’s budget reads versus prior years: a $2.2 million transfer coming from the county Med Act payment to be held in the fire facilities reserve to cover 20 years of a lease associated with Johnson County, a $1.66 million public-safety sales-tax reserve contribution tied to a county sales-tax measure that will appear on a future ballot, and recurring transfers into equipment and facilities reserve accounts. He also said the administration budgets $40,000 per year for emergency facility repairs and set aside $200,000 for special-event safety barriers.
Duffy said the city is beginning discovery and scoping work for implementing updated accessibility requirements on city web platforms, and the draft budget includes a $200,000 placeholder to address digital ADA compliance. “In 2026, April of '20 '20 '6, we will need to implement these new guidelines from our, on our website and our web facing platforms,” he told the council.
On staffing and organization, Duffy described a small set of reclassifications and moves rather than a large hiring push: the business-liaison role was reclassified as an economic development coordinator and moved into the city manager’s office, and the grant administrator position hired in 2024 is now administering CDBG activity and starting to pursue grants (including a Kansas digital grant) to offset costs such as the ADA work. Duffy said the grant administrator can charge an administrative fee to CDBG to offset that position’s cost.
Council members asked clarifying questions about the council cost lines and the administration’s transfers. Tony Gillette asked whether a small per-member increase included mayoral costs; Duffy explained the net change was a year-over-year increase of about $9,950 for city council technology and education sponsorships. No formal budget votes were taken during the presentation; the item was informational as staff moves through the multi-month budget process.
The presentation closed with Duffy offering to follow up on questions and with the council moving on to the next department presentation.
Ending: The administration and city council budgets are being advanced as informational items; staff flagged several one-time transfers and potential capital or compliance costs that will shape final numbers when the governing body later considers budget adoption.
