Franklin County Commission approves multiple community grants, allocates $7,000 to car show and defers Moonrise bike-ride decision

The Franklin County Commission approved a bundle of community funding recommendations and routine operating items and voted to award $7,000 to a local car show while deferring a funding decision on the Moonrise bike-ride event and leaving the Coalition to End Homelessness without county funding.

Why it matters: The votes set preliminary amounts that county staff will carry into the 2026 budget process. Several commissioners said they were wary of using property-tax dollars to expand services now, but some also said the county may revisit requests if federal funding changes leave local nonprofits unable to deliver services.

The commission approved the consent agenda, which included claim vouchers and payroll figures presented by staff. During the community partner discussion commissioners reviewed a spreadsheet of recommended allocations for the coming budget cycle and agreed, by majority or consensus in many cases, to pencil in amounts that will be finalized in the formal 2026 budget vote.

Specific funding figures discussed and penciled in during the meeting included: - CASA: $24,000 (majority support) - COF (name in record): $102,000 (unanimous among commissioners present) - East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging: $109,700 (board consensus) - Mental-health–related allocation (average penciled): $192,280 - Conservation District: $51,080 (average penciled) - FCDC: $67,593 - Historical Society: $72,000 (with staff direction to allocate part from transient guest tax where appropriate) - Services for the Elderly: average penciled at $124,300 (vehicle funding to be discussed separately) - Prairie Pause: $44,000 - Richmond fair: $1,400 (TGT funds) - Lane fair: $1,600 (TGT funds)

On two contested requests, the board took different approaches. A majority of commissioners indicated they would not fund the Coalition to End Homelessness in the county budget (three commissioners were recorded at $0). Discussion of Hope House funding produced shifting positions during the meeting; ultimately the group again penciled $0 for Hope House with some members saying they would revisit the request if federal cuts caused an immediate local crisis.

Commissioners expressed two recurring concerns: (1) using property-tax–derived funds to replace federal programs, and (2) committing to line-item funding that could create ongoing obligations. Commissioner commentary repeatedly asked for a multistakeholder, evidence-based plan before substantially expanding county-funded social services.

Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda (claims and payroll): approved by roll call (all recorded "yes"). - Car show: motion to approve $7,000 (second recorded as Commissioner Stoudemire). Roll call recorded: Commissioner Stoudemire — abstain; Commissioner Wehmeyer — yes; Commissioner Meador — yes; Commissioner Dickinson — yes; Chair Harris — yes. Outcome: approved (4 yes, 1 abstain). - Community partner applications (bulk approval, excluding the Moonrise bike-ride request): approved by unanimous roll call. - Coalition to End Homelessness: majority of commissioners indicated $0 funding (no formal single-roll-call vote recorded; majority preference recorded in deliberations). Outcome: no county funds penciled.

Public comment and context: David Reeves, a resident who identified himself during public comment, described how private donations helped fund a local shelter house and asked the commission to note community contributions when considering grants. "I just wanted to clear it up where our money came from," Reeves said, describing a $40,000 bequest and other private donations used for the shelter house.

Next steps and staff direction: Staff will carry the penciled figures into the 2026 budget documents for formal public hearings and final approval in September. Commissioners asked staff to track which events and organizations could be funded from transient guest tax (TGT) revenue rather than general property-tax dollars.

Ending note: Several commissioners signaled openness to revisiting funding if federal program cuts create urgent local needs; others emphasized restraint and the risk of creating recurring county obligations without a comprehensive plan.