The Board of County Commissioners on Thursday authorized the publication of the proposed fiscal year 2018 maximum budget totaling $1.064 billion, composed of $822.8 million in expenditures and $242 million in reserves.

“The FY 2018 proposed budget includes the potential to roll back the mill levy by a quarter mill,” said Ed Eilert, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.

After today, FY 2018 budgeted expenditures can be decreased, but not increased.

The total estimated county mill levy is 26.607 mills — a constant mill levy when compared to the FY 2017 mill levy. This includes an estimated mill levy of 19.590 for the county taxing district; 3.915 mills for the library taxing district; and 3.102 mills for the park and recreation taxing district.

Total estimated revenue from ad valorem taxes is $250.8 million, comprising $189 million for the county taxing district; $31 million for libraries; and $30 million for parks and recreation.

The county commission authorized two changes from the county manager’s FY 2018 proposed budget, allocating $164,000 for advance voting postcards and $380,510 for the gubernatorial election, fully funding the election office’s requests for additional resources.

“We encourage residents to review our proposed budget online and to attend our public hearing July 31 to learn more about the specifics of our budget and provide us feedback,” said county manager Hannes Zacharias.

Next steps

• On June 15, assessed valuation estimates will be available for the FY 2018 proposed budget
• The FY 2018 proposed budget will be published in The Kansas City Star in July
• The public hearing on the FY 2018 proposed budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 31

FY 2018 budget documents are available online.

County manager Hannes Zacharias has proposed a budget for next year with the potential to roll back the mill levy by a quarter mill. 

“Current revenue projections support a strong county budget,” Zacharias said. “Our proposal meets the needs of a growing community and adequately compensates staff. The budget adheres to the board’s direction to maintain a constant mill levy and creates a potential opportunity to return resources back to the taxpayers of Johnson County.”

Johnson County’s proposed FY 2018 budget totals $1.06 billion, composed of $820.1 million in expenditures and $243 million in reserves. The proposed budget maintains existing services and general fund reserves, supports health care increases and meets growing service demands.

The county manager noted in his budget message that if the local economy and revenue projections hold steady, and the state budget is finalized without significant negative impact to the county, the FY 2018 budget would provide sufficient funding to allow county leadership to roll the mill levy back by a quarter mill and therefore reduce property taxes.

The proposal holds the county’s current taxing levy steady at 19.59 mills — still the lowest mill levy in Kansas, with 3.915 mills for the library district and 3.102 mills for the park and recreation district.

The 2018 budget proposal includes a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) totaling more than $159 million. CIP highlights include:

• $77.4 million for Wastewater’s capital projects;
• $15 million for the Stormwater Management Program;
• $14.9 million for the County Assistance Road System (CARS) program;
• $14.8 million for Park and Recreation District’s capital projects.

The budget proposal funds a maximum 3,950.72 of full-time-equivalent employees, including an increase of 63.73 FTEs from the FY 2017 budget (eight of which would be funded by county taxes). The budget also allocates funds for a 3 percent merit increase pool for employees who meet performance goals.

“While Johnson County’s economy is strong and growing, both caution and optimism are in order,” Zacharias said. “The nation’s economy is currently enjoying the fourth-longest period of economic recovery in U.S. history, and a slow-down is likely imminent. The extent to which an economic downturn may affect Johnson County is difficult to predict. We stand ready, however, to continue to provide the necessary services our residents expect and deserve.”

Budget timeline

• From May 4 to May 23, the Board of County Commissioners will conduct study sessions to review FY 2018 budget proposals with county agencies and departments.
• The board is scheduled to set the FY 2018 maximum expenditure budget on June 15 for newspaper publication. Following legal publication, the county cannot, by law, increase the amount of budgeted expenditures, but can decrease the amount of the operating budget or taxing level with final board approval.
• The public hearing for the FY 2018 proposed budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 31.
• The board is scheduled to adopt the 2018 budget resolution during its business session on Aug. 10. According to state statute, the county’s new budget must be approved and filed with the county clerk by Aug. 25.

Hannes Zacharias, county manager of Johnson County, has been named the 2017 Outstanding Public Administrator by the Kansas chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

Zacharias has served as county manager for Johnson County since 2009, joining the county as assistant county manager in 2001 and as deputy county manager in 2005. His career in public management spans nearly 40 years, including appointments as assistant to the city manager of Lawrence, Kansas; city administrator of Boonville, Missouri; and city manager of Hays, Kansas.

“Hannes is extremely deserving of this honor,” said Ed Eilert, chairman of the Johnson County Commission. “His passion for public service, his desire to continuously improve the organization and his strong leadership abilities are evident in the work he does every day for Johnson County. I’m very pleased to see him receive this recognition.”

Zacharias will receive the award April 21 at a public service recognition luncheon in Wichita, Kansas. The award recognizes outstanding performance in the practice of public administration.

“Hannes is an inspiring leader and a dedicated public servant,” said deputy county manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “His commitment to the Johnson County community and the county workforce is unmatched. I am proud to serve under his leadership and appreciate the sincere mentorship he has given me and others in public administration.”

“The selection committee was impressed by the deep support expressed for Hannes’ leadership as well as his many contributions to public service,” said KU associate professor Heather Getha-Taylor, who chaired the award selection committee. “The nominators collectively echoed Hannes’ enduring passion for public service, which inspires others.”

Zacharias serves as an instructor in the graduate program at the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration. He also teaches professional development courses for the KU Public Management Center.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas. He is a native of Dodge City, Kansas.

Board of County Commissioners Chairman Ed Eilert today presented his 2017 State of the County address.

“Our county has long been, and continues to be, the bread-and-butter economy for the state of Kansas and for those seeking careers and job opportunities,” Eilert said. “Our economy is far outpacing the state and nation.”

Key facts shared by Chairman Eilert in his 2017 address

• Johnson County’s unemployment rate declined for the seventh consecutive year in 2016. At the end of the year, the county’s jobless rate stood at 3.1 percent. Kansas was at 3.8 percent; the metro, 3.9 percent and the national rate, 4.5 percent.
• For the first nine months of 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3,181 new jobs were created in Kansas, and 2,680 of those jobs were in Johnson County. That means 84 percent of the jobs created in Kansas from January to September were created in Johnson County.
• In the 2016 community survey, 96 percent of county residents reported feeling safe in their neighborhoods. The national rate is 89 percent. Ninety-six percent reported they were satisfied with Johnson County as a place to live. The national rate is 83 percent. Ninety-five percent were satisfied with the county as a place to raise children. The national rate is 79 percent.
• More than 11,300 single-family homes were sold, 400 short of the record in 2005. Normal average inventory of homes for sales is six months in Johnson County; today, that inventory is about 2.5 months.
• Nearly 1,700 new single-family home permits were recorded in 2016 and nearly 1,800 permits were issued for multi-family units.
• New construction permits for office, retail and industrial buildings also grew, totaling more than 9.9 million square feet with a value of nearly $730 million.

Chairman Eilert shared updates on several new projects including Johnson County Wastewater’s Tomahawk Creek treatment facility, upcoming library and park projects, and the status of the new courthouse and coroner’s facility for which funding was approved by voters in November.

He also highlighted the county’s commitment to education and workplace development as keys to future economic success and recognized the role community leaders play in making Johnson County’s economy strong. Eilert honored the county’s many volunteers, noting that 14,200 residents gave nearly 370,000 hours of their time and talents in 2016 — a contribution valued at more than $8.5 million.

Eilert finished his remarks with an eye to the future, noting technology as a source of constant change in business and government.

“Thriving in the age of accelerations, that is our challenge,” he said. “We can meet those challenges by continuing to support and maintain community assets that provide our opportunities for success.”

More than 700 people attended the address and luncheon at the Ritz Charles in Overland Park. The event was hosted by the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Johnson County Public Policy Council.