Johnson County commissioners workshop narrows FY‑26 budget: radio rates, take‑home vehicles, accountant position and law‑enforcement pay discussed

Johnson County Commissioners met in a special budget workshop and made several budget directions and two formal votes affecting county services and administration.

The court unanimously approved new radio reimbursement rates that will take effect Oct. 1 and voted to rename the county’s Public Works function to Development Services; commissioners also discussed—but did not finalize—changes to facilities vehicle policy, a proposed project accounting position, and pay adjustments for the sheriff’s command staff and the county’s constable offices.

Why it matters: The workshop pieces affect recurring costs, how county vehicles are assigned, and how major construction and radio‑system capital needs will be budgeted and tracked. The radio‑system decision implements higher monthly fees that agencies and taxing entities will need to budget for; the vehicle and personnel discussions will affect department operations and the county payroll over coming years.

Radio reimbursement rates approved

Douglas O’Neil, who manages the county’s radio program, told the court that Motorola increased vendor pricing and that Burleson removed 174 radios from the county system this year, reducing the pool of units that share fixed costs. O’Neil said the proposed monthly rates were $30.54 per radio for agencies that use sheriff dispatch and $22.76 per month for non‑dispatch users, with the new bills to be effective Oct. 1.

Commissioners moved the change into the action portion of the agenda. A motion to approve the rates was made and seconded; the court recorded the motion as carrying unanimously. The county will notify cities and ESDs and send contract amendments with the new rates; O’Neil and staff said they will continue to pursue grant funding and to update the agencies annually on the capital plan, which includes an anticipated multi‑million‑dollar replacement of tower electronics over the next 8–10 years.

Facilities management: travel allowance and a project accountant

Commissioners resumed a discussion that began the previous day about facilities management’s vehicle policy. The issue centers on whether some department heads and…