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Commissioners agree to form government efficiency committee; Jeff and Mike to serve
Summary
After debate on scope and timing, the board agreed in principle to form a government efficiency committee and directed two commissioners to serve; staff to begin scheduling meetings.
Leavenworth County commissioners agreed to move forward with creating a government efficiency committee after a lengthy discussion about scope, membership and timing.
County staff presented options for the committee, noting goals should be set in advance and that participation by elected department heads would be voluntary. Staff warned that excluding the two largest budget areas—Road and Bridge and the Sheriff’s Office—would exempt roughly half the county budget from review. The county administrator proposed the committee include two commissioners and the county administrator, with the option to call in outside expertise if deeper analysis was needed.
Commissioners debated whether the board should pursue a formal committee or instead expand earlier, existing budget review practices. Some expressed concern that an outside committee could become politicized; others said an independent review could validate the county’s budget decisions and identify efficiencies. Several commissioners cited past cost‑saving changes, such as a switch to trap rock, as examples of internal efficiencies.
The board reached an apparent consensus to proceed and directed staff to form the committee with two commissioners serving; staff suggested Commissioners Jeff and Mike be the members. Commissioners agreed to have staff schedule the initial meetings and to present goals and scope for the committee to consider.
