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Finance director trims non-personnel expenses as county prepares for tight FY2026
Summary
Finance Director Dana Aschenbrenner told the board she removed modest non-personnel spending across department 15 to set an example during a difficult budget cycle and kept staffing intact; the board expects clearer revenue numbers after New Year TIF and state inputs.
Dana Aschenbrenner, finance director for Johnson County, presented the finance department's proposed FY2026 budget and described modest cuts to non-personnel spending intended to set a precedent across departments while preserving staff capacity. "I kind of slashed away at some of our non personnel stuff," Aschenbrenner said during her presentation.
Aschenbrenner said there are no decision packages in her packet and that she pared out items such as transportation, meals, lodging and other discretionary non-personnel lines, though she left staff costs intact to maintain operations. The presentation noted no direct revenues to the finance department; the office's role is primarily to support countywide budgeting and revenue forecasting.
Board members discussed timing for final budget figures: cities must file TIF intentions in December, and Johnson County expects department-of-management figures and other inputs shortly after the New Year. The chair and finance staff agreed they will revisit the budget once those numbers arrive.
Board members also compared Johnson County's reserve posture favorably to peers and agreed to monitor potential deeper cuts if macro conditions deteriorate. The board recessed without taking formal actions on Aschenbrenner's presentation and adjourned the session until Jan. 6.
