Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riley County staff recommend $5 million CIP transfer as commissioners weigh mill-levy increase
Summary
Riley County staff recommended transferring $5 million from capital improvement funds back to county general to avoid deeper immediate cuts; commissioners debated whether to raise the mill levy (intent to exceed R&R) or cut nonstatutory services such as parks and some health programs.
Riley County staff told commissioners on July 1 that transferring $5 million from the county’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the county general fund would blunt near-term budget pressure but would not solve an ongoing structural shortfall. The packet presented projected ending cash balances showing that the transfer would make the mill levy effectively flat for the coming year but would reduce the county’s projected reserves.
The presentation noted the county’s budget stabilization reserve is already $4.25 million and that, under current spending plans, the county could end 2027 with materially less cash than in prior years. Staff advised commissioners they could file an intent-to-exceed R&R (the state’s revenue-neutrality trigger) with a maximum mill levy and then continue refining the budget up to the certification deadline.
Commissioners debated the trade-offs between raising ad valorem taxes and cutting services. One commissioner argued that the county cannot sustain premium services such as parks and an expansive health department while meeting R&R targets. Staff noted the last several years had seen mill-levy reductions and lower revenue against rising costs and said the transfer would be a short-term measure rather than a long-term fix.
Board members reached consensus to remove two small CIP projects (a Fairmont park storage building and playground equipment) except for about $35,000 already committed for a replacement playground piece; they asked staff whether to transfer the unspent CIP funds back to county general or cancel the projects outright. Staff recommended transferring the funds and preparing the documentation needed to bring a formal resolution forward.
Next steps: staff will prepare a worst-case version of the health-department budget, provide split-out fiscal worksheets requested by commissioners, and draft the intent-to-exceed R&R paperwork before the statutory deadline so the board can set a maximum mill levy and continue budget refinements.
