Pratt County commissioners file notice to exceed revenue neutral rate; budget hearing set for Sept. 16

The Pratt County Commission voted on July 15 to file a notice of intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate and set a public hearing on the county budget and R&R for Sept. 16, 2024, at 9 a.m. in the Commission Room at the Pratt County Courthouse. The notice lists a proposed mill levy of 65.851.

County finance staff walked commissioners through draft figures and noted several items that need adjustment before the hearing, including how community corrections reimbursements are shown and a $14,217 cut in emergency preparedness personnel funding. John, a county finance representative, explained options for handling reimbursements and recommended setting a ceiling that gives commissioners flexibility at the public hearing: "If you're comfortable with that, what we can do is set up that intent with that 65, make the changes that you have, and then, like I said, we can always go a little lower." (John)

Commissioners flagged a $500,000 increase that appeared in the sheriff's salaries line on the draft spreadsheet; staff said those amounts likely reflect community corrections gross expenditures that should be netted out against state reimbursements. John said staff would remove community corrections from the sheriff's line and move 2024 emergency management personnel services to 2025 plus a 3% increase to produce a clearer baseline.

The commission approved the motion to file the notice on a voice vote after the notice was read aloud: "The governing body of Pratt County, Kansas hereby notifies the Pratt County Clerk of intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate ... We intend to exceed the revenue neutral rate, and our proposed mill levy rate is 65.851. The date of our hearing is 09/16/2024 at 9AM and will be held at Pratt County Courthouse, First Floor Commission Room, 300 South Naniscus Street in Pratt, Kansas." The motion carried.

Why it matters: Filing the notice starts a public notification process that triggers a hearing and gives county residents an opportunity to weigh in on proposed levy and spending levels. Commissioners said the published ceiling is a safeguard that they plan to reduce with subsequent corrections and clarifications before final adoption.

Next steps: County staff will adjust salary and reimbursement lines as discussed, provide updated recycling salary figures and ambulance commodity/contract figures, and circulate a revised budget ahead of the Sept. 16 combined hearing. The notice will be mailed and published per statutory requirements.

Details from the meeting: the commission instructed staff to remove the community corrections amount from the sheriff's line, restore emergency preparedness personnel funding to 2024 levels plus a 3% adjustment, and reduce ambulance contracted services and commodities by $10,000 each while the office prepares a revised mill calculation.

The hearing date remains Sept. 16, 2024 at 9 a.m. at the Pratt County Courthouse.