Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget Departmental Highlights topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public works, sewer, solid waste and other county departments present 2026 budget details; tipping fee and rock costs rise
Summary
Multiple Geary County departments outlined 2026 budget details: public works asked for a reallocation to cover rock price increases, waste disposal tipping fees may rise ~17% under new contract assumptions, sewer district adjusted for lagoon operations, and elections/clerk offices trimmed several lines based on recent spend patterns.
Several county departments presented their 2026 budget worksheets and line‑item rationales during the work session, including Public Works, sewer district number 4, solid waste, waste disposal, water district number 2, clerk and elections, noxious weed, parks and recreation, and the Cloud County Community College lease fund.
Public Works (presented by Jeremy Myers and administrative staff) proposed reallocation within the commodities line to cover an anticipated 10% annual increase in rock costs and requested $47,600 for rock to maintain the county’s 100‑ton‑per‑mile application rate; fuel was adjusted downward by $25,000 based on recent trends. The department said capital outlay was held flat at $52,000 and the overall public works budget request increased by $29,987 (presenters noted line‑item adjustments rather than an across‑the‑board increase).
Sewer District No. 4 reduced salary estimates to reflect the switch from the prior plant to a lagoon system (which requires less staff time and maintenance) and established a propane line item for the backup generator. Finance staff noted bond payments for the lagoon project and said they will continue to monitor revenues and expenses tied to the bond.
Solid waste environmental fund (closed landfill cap maintenance) and waste disposal funds were discussed. Presenters said a new haying contract through 2027 slightly increased revenue for the closed landfill account. For waste disposal operations, the county’s contractor indicated a change in how annual increases will be calculated (moving from a blended COLA to CPI‑U plus 2%), and the department signaled the tipping fee will likely need to increase by about 17% in the 2026 budget to cover projected disposal cost increases and to build facility reserves.
Elections and clerk offices reported targeted reductions in some contractual and commodity lines after analyzing historical expenditures. Elections staff noted two statewide ballot measures (constitutional amendments) are expected on the 2026 primary ballot and said postage for certain notices will continue to be reimbursed 100% by the state program for now. The clerk noted the county’s r and r notice postage will be reimbursed and that some equipment purchases have migrated to the CIP process.
Other smaller funds discussed included parks and recreation (which covers mowing, utilities and fairgrounds fields), Cloud County Community College lease maintenance (budgeted at $65,000 for general maintenance) and water district needs (parts, backup pumps and a new door at a Coronation Building). County finance staff said they rebalanced several funds to an end‑of‑year zero cash balance to allow spending authority if needed, while tracking reserves and bond obligations.
