Johnson County outlines 2026 budget calendar, seeks board direction on presentations and public outreach

At a Committee of the Whole meeting, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners reviewed a proposed calendar and process for the county's 2026 budget, discussed how departments and outside agencies will present funding requests, and reaffirmed reserve and capital policies that staff said support the county's AAA bond rating.

The discussion, led by Robin Simes, the county's director of budget and financial planning, walked commissioners through a draft calendar that begins with an economic update in March and lists key dates including a March 28 budget kickoff, a proposed budget presentation on May 15, committee-of-the-whole review days in late May/June with a revisit day on June 12 (and possible June 13 workday), a maximum expenditure setting on June 26, public budget open houses in July, a fire district review on Aug. 14, a revenue-neutral public hearing on Aug. 20 and final adoption of the county and fire district budgets on Aug. 28.

Simes said the county will continue grouping departmental presentations by strategic program area and asked the board whether outside agencies should present only when they request additional resources or whether some should present regardless of requests. She outlined financial policies the county follows:…