Finance director lays out 2026 budget calendar; commissioners discuss revenue-neutral rate and deadlines

Kimmy Robinson, Geary County finance director, presented the proposed 2026 internal budget calendar and asked commissioners to confirm available dates for meetings with outside agencies.

Robinson proposed meeting dates June 9, June 12, June 16 and June 18 for commissioner-agency sessions; commissioners agreed to afternoon blocks for outside agencies on Thursday and Wednesday to avoid conflicts with regular commission meetings. She noted that forms for the capital improvement program (CIP) are due April 4 and that a CIP work session is scheduled for April 14 at 12:15 p.m.

Robinson explained the budget submission deadlines: if the commission chooses to exceed the revenue-neutral rate (RNR), the final budget must be submitted to the county clerk by Oct. 1; if the commission does not exceed the RNR, the deadline is Aug. 25. She said she set the calendar assuming the Aug. 25 deadline so that any later adjustments would be easier to accommodate.

Commissioners discussed the cost of legally required notices tied to RNR and related processes. One commissioner said that mailing notices last year was near $9 per mailing; Robinson and others said county-level notice costs have increased and can be a significant expense if the state pushes more notice requirements down to counties.

Other finance items: Robinson reported that several certificates of deposit matured and that three new CDs were placed with staggered maturities (one six-month and two 24-month maturities) and that rates on recent placements were just under 4 percent. She also reminded the commission that CIP forms and packet deadlines are coming and that she will post the internal calendar on the finance page of the county website.