Shawnee County commissioners cut parks spending, reduce mental-health request and allocate reserves as 2026 budget talks continue

Shawnee County commissioners on Sept. 15 approved several adjustments to the county's proposed 2026 working budget while deferring final adoption to a later meeting.

The Board of County Commissioners voted to reduce the Parks and Recreation operating request by $250,000 and to set the county's general-fund contribution to Vallejo (the county-contracted mental-health provider) at $3,000,000, with an additional $170,000 to come from the county's opioid-settlement funds. Commissioners also approved using $350,000 from finalized 2024 reserves toward capital outlay projects. Commissioners said they will take final votes and any remaining adjustments at a later session; staff said the budget paperwork must be submitted to the clerk's office by Oct. 1.

Why it matters: The actions reduce the amount to be raised through the mill levy and reallocate one-time resources to cover capital needs and a portion of mental-health funding. Commissioners and staff repeatedly cautioned that using reserves for ongoing expenses can create a larger gap in next year's budget, and they discussed the trade-offs of using one-time money for election equipment and deferred maintenance.

Most important facts

- Parks and Recreation: The commission approved a $250,000 reduction to the department's operating request; the motion passed 3-0. The commissioners and staff characterized this as a specific cut to bring the overall levy closer to last year's level.

- Vallejo funding: Commissioners voted 3-0 to lower Vallejo's requested general-fund allocation to $3,000,000 and to designate $170,000 from opioid-settlement funds for substance-use treatment related purposes. Jennifer Sauer, the county's financial administrator, confirmed parts of Vallejo's additional request were one-time merger-related costs.

- Reserves and capital outlay: Commissioners approved using $350,000 from finalized 2024 reserves toward capital outlay (vote 2-1). Commissioner discussion repeatedly emphasized that reserves are typically best used for one-time capital expenditures rather than ongoing operating costs.

- Found reserves and timing: Jennifer Sauer said finalized 2024 fund-balance work showed the county's reserves rose by just under $1 million, creating room to designate some funds for one-time needs. Sauer also estimated the county's additional pay-period cost (a one-time payroll timing issue that recurs infrequently) at roughly $3.7 million and noted election-equipment upgrades are estimated at about $3,044,000.

- Schedule: Staff said the clerk needs final documents by Oct. 1. Commissioners agreed to continue final adjustments at a subsequent meeting (the board discussed meeting Sept. 22 as the next opportunity).

What commissioners and staff said

Commissioner Kevin Cook moved the Parks and Recreation cut and the motion passed unanimously after a brief discussion about public expectations for a lower mill levy. "The public has been very voiceful in that they wanna see the mill levy decrease," he said during the meeting.

Commissioner Aaron Mays moved the Vallejo funding motion. Commissioner Cook seconded. After discussion about federal and state reductions to Vallejo, and the merger-related one-time costs, Mays said he wanted to ensure the opioid-settlement funds were used with County oversight: "it has to have specific oversight from the county to make sure that it is compliant," Cook said when discussing using settlement funds.

Sauer cautioned about using reserves for recurring costs: "If any reserves that you use for the budget... you're gonna have to find that next year," she said, adding that reserves are better reserved for one-time capital spending.

Discussion vs. decisions

- Discussion-only items: Several line-item reduction proposals were made (including motions to reduce the sheriff's budget and the district attorney's budget) but lacked seconds and therefore died without a vote.

- Direction/assignment: Commissioners directed staff to bring final budget documents to the clerk by Oct. 1 and scheduled a continuation of budget work at the next meeting.

- Formal actions: The votes recorded above (parks reduction; Vallejo funding with opioid settlement use; $350,000 from reserves to capital outlay) are formal actions taken during the meeting and are recorded in the actions block below.

Context and background

Commissioners said public input and emails pushed them to trim spending and to seek ways to lower the mill levy. Staff noted the county faces an unusual payroll timing issue (an extra pay period) that will create a one-time cost in the coming fiscal year and that the county has an upcoming need to replace election equipment. Safer funding for mental-health services and the timing/strings on opioid-settlement dollars were recurring themes.

Next steps

The commission will finalize budgetary changes in a follow-up meeting; staff must convert the board's decisions into the state's required filing format and deliver final documents to the clerk's office by Oct. 1.

Ending note

Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized caution when using one-time reserves to cover recurring expenses, but they approved a package of adjustments that county leaders said keeps the budget responsive to public concerns about the mill levy while setting aside one-time funds for capital needs.