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County staff to present revenue-neutral resolution next week; commission discusses flat mill levy and 9-1-1 radio funding
Summary
Commissioners discussed next week’s budget schedule, a planned revenue-neutral resolution, last year’s 1.8-mill levy increase to fund courthouse repairs and roads, a proposed $500,000 set-aside for 9-1-1 radio upgrades, and an estimated $22.1 million revenue increase if the mill levy remains flat.
County staff told the Leavenworth County Commission that next week’s agenda will include a revenue-neutral notice and a resolution authorizing the county to go above the revenue-neutral rate; staff said the board intends to present budgets representing a flat mill levy but must still publish the state-required notice.
Mark (county staff) described the schedule for departmental budget hearings next Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday; he said department budgets would be presented as flat in the initial materials and commissioners could later decide whether to add or enhance outside-agency requests. He said the county will seek to maintain a flat mill levy while balancing one-time and capital needs.
On capital needs, staff and commissioners discussed a sheriff’s request for radio and tower upgrades. County staff recommended any set-aside for radio replacements be placed into the county’s 9-1-1 fund so the money is restricted for that purpose. Staff described a requested $500,000 transfer into the 9-1-1 fund to reserve for radio upgrades; the transfer would be over and above inflationary adjustments in the operating budget and would require finding savings or reallocations.
A commissioner asked for the effect of evaluation increases; staff estimated that if the mill levy remains flat the county would see about a $22,100,000 increase in revenue, a figure staff presented as an overall projection based on valuation changes. Commissioners and one newly introduced member discussed the timing of the state’s revenue-neutral requirement and said the statutory timing forces a premature decision before departments’ budgets are fully reviewed.
Commissioners also reviewed outside-agency funding history and noted outside funding has been reduced since 2022. Staff said certain new outside-agency requests (including historical society requests) were not included in next week’s packet and the commission could decide during the budget process whether to add them.
No formal budget decisions were adopted at the meeting; staff scheduled budget hearings and said the revenue-neutral resolution would be brought forward next week for formal action.
