Shawnee County commissioners trim parts of proposed 2026 budget amid grant uncertainty and service cuts

Shawnee County commissioners continued a multi-hour budget session Aug. 4, approving several targeted cuts to the proposed 2026 county budget and directing staff to seek additional reductions to reach the published mill-levy target.

The board voted on a series of commission-level adjustments after department leaders presented where they could trim requests. Commissioners approved (1) a motion to reduce funding for Vallejo Family Service/mental health partners by $400,000 (motion by Commissioner Kevin Cook, second by Commissioner Bill Rippon; vote 2-1), (2) a motion to remove $100,000 budgeted for a countywide wage study (motion by Commissioner Aaron Mays, second by Commissioner Bill Rippon; vote 2-1), and (3) a motion to reduce the Health Department’s amended request by $62,300 (motion by Commissioner Aaron Mays, second by Commissioner Kevin Cook; vote 3-0). The board also accepted many department-proposed internal cuts and asked staff to continue seeking the remaining approximately $192,517 needed to meet the advertised levy target.

Why it matters: Commissioners said state and federal grant reductions are shifting costs to local government, increasing pressure on the county budget. Department heads told the board some cuts would directly affect services — particularly behavioral health and community providers — while others reflected efficiency gains or one-time savings.

What the board approved and discussed - Valeo/mental health partners: Commissioners debated a requested increase prompted in part by lost federal funding and conversion to a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Valeo representatives said even modest cuts risked deep harm because their programs operate on thin margins. Commissioners voted to reduce the requested increase by $400,000; the motion passed 2-1. Commissioner Kevin Cook said restoring mental-health cuts is a priority, but the county had to close a nearly $979,000 shortfall to meet the published mill levy.

- Wage study: The board voted 2-1 to remove $100,000 set aside for a countywide wage study. Supporters of keeping the study said it would help identify pay disparities and retention gaps; opponents expressed concern about adding the study cost in a tight budget year.

- Health Department grants and adjustments: Jennifer Sauer, financial administrator, and Teresa Fisher, health department director, described several pending grant awards that had not yet been formally received. Commissioners agreed to reduce the health department’s proposed increase by $62,300 with the understanding that if pending state grant awards do not materialize, the board would consider contingency funding to cover the shortfall.

- Corrections and new behavioral health unit: Brian Cole, director of the Department of Corrections, said the department reduced its staffing request by about $1.397 million by deferring positions tied to a planned behavioral health unit and by shifting start dates; he warned further delays could jeopardize commitments tied to a $10 million state award meant to support facility expansion.

- District Attorney staffing: Mike Kegay, Shawnee County district attorney, told commissioners his office had nine vacancies; eight are funded in the budget request and six of those already have offers accepted with immediate start dates. Kegay said most of his budget increase is wages and that his office’s duties "are mandated by the United States Constitution, the Kansas Constitution and state law." He urged commissioners not to strip needed staffing that ensures prosecutions proceed.

- Other department cuts: Departments identified specific reductions: Information Technology trimmed approximately $5,500 by eliminating unused Microsoft licenses; Parks & Recreation and Valeo identified vacancy and program reductions and potential operational partnerships to achieve multi-hundred-thousand-dollar savings; Public Works and other departments offered further small reductions to approach the requested 5% target.

Board process and next steps: Commissioners and staff agreed to reconvene in a work session and subsequent meeting to finalize remaining cuts. Jennifer Sauer confirmed the budget hearing and related public hearing were scheduled for Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. if the board reaches a final budget before that date. Commissioners repeatedly noted that some reductions could be reversed if state or federal funding returns.

Select direct quotes "It is a certainty ... that you will be convicted and held accountable for those actions," Mike Kegay, Shawnee County district attorney, said of the office’s prosecutorial outcomes and the relationship between staffing and case results.

"We are either going to take care of people's mental health through Vallejo or through the jail," Commissioner Kevin Cook said, arguing for upstream mental-health investment while acknowledging the current need to reduce the proposed increase.

"Industrial revenue bonds are not a tax. The county is not obligated for them," said Bob Perry, bond counsel (note: remark came during a separate agenda item earlier in the meeting but was referenced in budget/public concern discussion).

Impact and risks: Department leaders and nonprofit partners warned that cuts to behavioral health and safety-net services can increase downstream costs for law enforcement, courts and hospitals. Commissioners said contingency funds and one-time transfers remain available but that the county must close a specific dollar gap to meet the posted mill levy and public expectations.

The meeting continues: Commissioners left several items for further review and scheduled additional discussions to finalize the 2026 budget before the Sept. 8 public hearing.