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Shawnee County approves $50,000 pilot to retain a lobbyist for 2026 session
Summary
The commission approved a one-year, $50,000 allocation to the counselor's office to retain a government relations professional to pursue state and federal funding and legislative priorities.
The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on Sept. 22 to allocate $50,000 to the county counselor's office to retain a contract lobbyist for the 2026 legislative session.
Commissioner Aaron Mays, who raised the proposal, said the county has struggled to secure earmarks and large grants such as federal funding the county had anticipated for staffing a new mental health facility. Mays described the funding as a pilot to see whether a retained government-relations professional could secure "million dollar plus" grants or state-level changes that benefit Shawnee County.
Mays said the county previously relied on the counselor's office and the Kansas Association of Counties for legislative work but noted that larger jurisdictions, including the City of Topeka and other counties, routinely employ private lobbyists. He suggested $50,000 be placed in the counselor's office budget as a one-year pilot.
Rich Eckert, County Counselor, and other commissioners discussed historic approaches and the difficulty of tracking legislative developments without a full-time presence in the capital. Commissioner Bill Rippon seconded the motion.
The motion to place $50,000 into the counselor's office budget for a retained lobbyist passed 3-0.
The funding was characterized by commissioners as a pilot to be reviewed after the legislative session to determine whether the county receives sufficient return on the investment. No specific contract or firm was named at the meeting; commissioners authorized the budget allocation so staff could pursue an RFP or retainer process.
