County administrator proposes three assistant administrators, new community engagement role and pay study as budget concerns mount

County Administrator Steven Arbo told the Jackson County Budget Committee that the administration will seek several senior hires and organizational changes intended to strengthen institutional capacity and address longstanding fiscal problems.

Arbo said the budget before the committee was produced under time constraints and that some departmental commitments in FY25 were not fulfilled because spending had been frozen. To improve continuity, he proposed hiring three assistant county administrators, a one‑year graduate associate position and a community engagement officer. "We need bench strength," Arbo said, arguing the hires would reduce operational risk when leadership changes occur.

Arbo said he instructed the budget office to price the assistant positions against comparable municipal roles and that each assistant was budgeted at a midpoint consistent with Kansas City salary ranges; he asked the committee to consider the hires in the context of overall fiscal accountability. Teresa Garza, chief of staff, described the community engagement officer as a field‑facing role focused on attending community events and bringing information back to county leadership, not a replacement for media or communications staff.

Committee members pressed for detail on cost and return on investment. One legislator asked for job descriptions and asked why the county should mirror Kansas City pay scales; Arbo and Garza responded they would provide job descriptions and further justification. A legislator warned the committee to consider whether new high‑salary positions will persist across administrations and asked for clearer salary breakouts.

Arbo also told the committee he wants a systematic review of fiscal policies, pointing to large amounts left unspent in salary and contingency accounts in prior years and a reliance on reserve balances or capital funds to cover operating needs. He said a pay study for areas such as IT is necessary to retain specialized staff who otherwise take positions in neighboring jurisdictions.

The committee asked for more detailed cost breakdowns and job descriptions before taking final action. Arbo said staff will follow up with written material and that the administration will collaborate with department heads to reconcile requests and recommendations.

The committee did not vote on the proposed hires at the meeting; next steps will be the submission of job descriptions, precise cost estimates and further discussion with legislators.