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Shawnee County reviews $167 million five‑year capital improvement plan
Summary
County commissioners reviewed a draft five‑year Capital Improvement Plan totaling $167,342,000 and discussed fund sources, debt trends and departmental requests; no formal approvals were taken.
At a July 10 work session, the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners reviewed a draft five‑year Capital Improvement Plan that staff estimated would include $167,342,000 in potential capital projects over the next five years. Staff emphasized the presentation was for guidance and that “none of this has been approved as of this time.”
County staff said the draft plan organizes requests by funding source and by department to help smooth large, unexpected capital needs. The largest departmental totals in the presentation were Public Works (just under $54 million) and Parks and Recreation (about $47 million). Other figures shown included roughly $7.3 million for solid waste, about $23 million in requests appearing under the capital outlay fund, and about $74 million of requests listed as needing unidentified funding sources.
The commissioners and staff discussed how the CIP is a planning tool to avoid sudden spikes in the mill levy and to identify bonding or other financing options. A presenter said the county moved to a multi‑year plan so it would not be surprised by large single projects and could prioritize work across departments.
Commissioners also reviewed special‑funded projects (for example the Gage Park sales tax fund) and department‑level equipment and facility requests that would be considered when setting the 2026 capital outlay budget. Solid waste and public works staff described equipment refreshes and infrastructure projects; parks staff reviewed playground, shelter and renovation requests.
Staff showed county debt service has been falling since 2024 and projected another material drop between 2026 and 2028. Staff estimated the county’s uncommitted general fund balance at about $42.0 million at the end of 2024, with $3.0 million later designated for an airport contingency, which they said would leave about $39.0 million available for planning purposes. Commissioners asked staff to provide more detail on which fund balances are statutorily restricted and which can be moved at the commission’s discretion.
No formal votes were taken; staff said the presentation was intended to give commissioners enough information to finalize capital outlay priorities and budget guidance before upcoming meetings and statutory deadlines.
