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Planning Commission forwards $537,002 proposed planning department budget to county with 5–1 vote
Summary
The Planning Commission voted 5–1 to forward the planning department's proposed 2026 budget of $537,002 to the Board of County Commissioners; commissioners debated fees and cost recovery and staff said most of the budget is personnel costs.
The Shawnee County Planning Commission voted 5–1 to forward the planning department’s proposed 2026 budget of $537,002 to the Board of County Commissioners after a presentation by Planning and Zoning Administrator Harine Perez.
Perez told commissioners the proposed budget increases from the 2025 approved total (listed in materials as $491,169) primarily because the office is fully staffed with five employees and because of wage step increases and July raises. She said personnel services account for more than 98% of the proposed budget and that non-personnel contractual services, leases and supplies make up less than 2%.
Perez described revenue sources, noting the department issues hundreds of building permits annually and had collected more than $93,000 in building-permit fees so far in 2025. She said the office does not retain permit fees; they go to the county general fund. Estimated planning-department revenue for the year was characterized as roughly $150,000–$200,000.
Commissioners discussed fee levels and enforcement. Perez said the department has not been enforcing the full valuation-based fee schedule for building permits (historically advising applicants to exclude labor), and that enforcing the resolution as written would increase fees and shift more cost burden to permit users rather than the general taxpayer. Perez said, "that's actually not how it's supposed to be ... you're supposed to include the total cost of what it costs you to build ... I think we've been, in my opinion, undercharging people for 15 years." (Planning and Zoning Administrator Harine Perez)
After discussion, a motion to approve the proposed budget for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners passed on a roll call vote: Jeanette Johnson (yes); Terry Robinson (no); Rosa Cavazos (yes); Dan Bryan (yes); Myron Weinreiter (yes); Chad Gerhardt (yes). The tally was 5–1 in favor. The packet noted the budget will be considered by the Board of County Commissioners and that the department will continue to pursue procedural improvements including an online permit portal and updated regulations.
