Geary County finance director reports $38.7 million ending cash and outlines CIP reserves

Finance Director Tami Robison presented the county’s unaudited summary of receipts, expenditures and unencumbered cash for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025, reporting an ending cash balance of $38,723,396.35.

Robison told commissioners the General Fund cash balance is lower than a year ago by about $2.1 million, which she attributed largely to the absence of a prior salary overage the county had booked previously. She reviewed sales‑tax collections (the county was about 16.7% into the year and had received nearly 23% of the general‑fund budget to date), the debt‑service fund receipts tied to the hospital, and year‑to‑date expenditure activity by department.

Robison presented a county facilities cash‑flow analysis showing a 2026 beginning unencumbered cash of $440,539.75, projected 2026 revenue of $251,836.80, projected 2026 ending unencumbered cash $669,564.63, and after remaining approved projects an estimated 2026 projected balance of $657,564.63. For the CIP fund she presented a 2026 beginning unencumbered cash of $4,081,826.02 and a projected 2026 ending unencumbered cash balance of $4,167,997.98; after remaining approved projects the projected balance is $3,333,574.21 and projected cash without reserves is $2,489,062.46. Robison said the county holds $500,000 in CIP reserves plus $328,094.27 from an I‑70/K‑18 land sale and $16,417.48 for elections.

Robison noted three funds were over the 16.67% year‑to‑date benchmark, largely because of a third payroll in January and front‑loaded liability and workers’ compensation premium payments; she said she expects activity to balance out as the year continues. The auditor is scheduled to pick up reports to start the formal audit process.

The commission received the report; no additional funding decisions were made during the meeting.