County finance staff on July 8 presented a preliminary recommended 2026 budget that would increase the county’s total mill levy by 1.886 mills to a recommended tax rate of 45.479 mills and preserve an estimated general fund balance at roughly 18.5% under the proposal.

Shannon (finance staff) said the recommended budget reflects an assessed valuation increase of about 5.66 percent and includes measures to maintain existing services, cover rising personnel and contractual costs, and fund capital projects such as the courthouse remodel, detention center work, and road and bridge projects. "This is a starting point for discussion," she said, and staff scheduled an all‑day budget work session for July 9 and a deadline for the commission to set the maximum tax rate on July 15.

Key details in the presentation included: revenue estimates of roughly $19.6 million for 2026; a planned drawdown of general fund balance of about $1.1 million; no new general‑fund positions added; removal of $943,672 in supplemental requests across funds; and a transfer increase to fund airport matching obligations connected to the runway project. The presentation assumed full implementation of a compensation plan (merit plus market adjustments) would cost about $498,548; a market‑adjustment‑only option would be about $321,435.

The recommended budget includes an anticipated bond debt service increase tied to a proposed courthouse remodel (modeled on an $8.33 million principal amortized over 30 years), which raised the projected bond principal and interest payments. Road and bridge funding increased to reflect pavement and bridge work that had been delayed in prior years, and the sheriff’s office and detention facility received upward adjustments for operations and capital needs.

Shannon said the county had secured some outside funding for projects: the Build Kansas Fund will cover the local match for the IIJA airport grant discussed separately at the meeting. The FAA Airport Improvement Program grant was still pending.

Commissioners were reminded that the county must decide July 15 whether to set a maximum tax rate over the revenue neutral rate, and that the public hearings on the tax rate and budget are currently scheduled for Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. Staff noted figures may shift before final adoption based on final valuations and further commission direction.