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Finance director outlines 2026 budget drivers; commissioners set timeline for R&R notice
Summary
Atchison County’s finance director told commissioners June 24 that budget requests and sales‑tax shortfall modeling produced a working ad valorem estimate of about 68.09 mills and presented lease/lease‑purchase options for $245,000 in equipment needs.
Mark Siltner, Atchison County finance director, briefed the commission on June 24 about updates to the 2026 budget draft and next steps for certifying a preliminary ad valorem (mill) figure for public notice.
Siltner said he had added recent appropriation requests that had been discussed in prior workshops — including a request from the county’s elections office for new voting equipment and a request from a community organization — and had modeled the countywide sales tax shortfall. He reported an initial, assembled ad valorem figure of about 68.09 mills in the draft (a working number reflecting all requests plugged into the budget model) and reminded the board the amount published on the R&R form is the maximum that may be levied and that the board can later reduce it through internal adjustments.
Siltner outlined capital and lease‑purchase options for items totaling about $245,000 (election equipment plus IT/server needs). He reported approximate lease payments if the county used a lease purchase: a 4‑year lease for both sets of equipment would be about $67,700 per year; a 5‑year lease would be about $55,004 per year. Commissioners discussed whether to add the sheriff’s air‑conditioning rooftop unit to a lease purchase as well.
The finance director also described a potential shortfall caused by changes in taxable personal property valuation (examples cited included watercraft exemptions) and reminded the commission those effects would be clearer in the 2026 tax roll. He advised that final budget numbers will be adjusted after an upcoming executive session on wages and further department prioritization.
The commission set a schedule for the R and R (the preliminary tax notice) process: commissioners asked to receive a proposed figure and supporting justification by July 1 to allow Siltner to give the certified figure to the county clerk by July 8 so it can be published and meet the clerk’s July 15 filing window for notice mailing. Commissioners discussed how to present the figure publicly and suggested displaying the initial request total and then showing revisions and the commission’s downward adjustments at the budget hearing to give context for the published number.
No final mill levy was certified at the June 24 meeting; commissioners directed staff to prepare the paperwork, provide supporting materials and return with a draft number for discussion at the beginning of July.
