Financial Management, Budgeting and Funding Allocations
The Board of County Commissioners, leadership and staff endlessly strive to be good stewards of taxpayer funds as well as funding received from state and federal allocations. Every effort is made to provide fair and equitable property appraisals and manage the tax rolls/collections for the entire county. We aim to provide sound financial management and planning for our budget, which allows us to serve the community, as well as manage our own organization’s finances.
We have maintained our coveted “Triple Triple A” bond rating since 2009. A testament to our budgeting and financial management, this credit rating from all three bond agencies allows the county to obtain money for projects at a very competitive interest rate and is an achievement that places us in the top 2% of all U.S. counties.
Other signs of our expertise and success in this area include the awards we win for this complex and important work. In 2023 our Financial Management and Administration department received its 35th annual Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting from Government Finance Officers Association and an Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award. Our Budget and Financial Planning department earned the GFOA Distinguished Budget Award.
Lighting the Way by…
…budgeting to meets the community’s needs while solving workforce challenges
The most important policy decision made each year by the BOCC is crafting and approving the budget for the following year. Led by the county manager, her office, the Budget and Financial Planning department and the county’s leadership team, it is always a collaborative and challenging effort. 2023 was no different.
On Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, the BOCC adopted the county’s fiscal year 2024 budget totaling slightly more than $1.79 billion.
“The adopted budget maintains the county’s solid financial position,” County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson said at the time. “This budget funds on-going operating expenses with on-going revenue sources and puts resources towards the programs and services that align with the Board’s priorities and feedback from our annual community survey.”
In addressing a challenging labor market, the budget prioritized the county’s employees by investing in them through fair compensation, benefits, retirement plans and other incentives to make county government’s work possible and public services and programs available. Other highlights included:
- A Capital Improvement Program totaling $376.8 million with most of the funded requests focusing on maintenance of existing capital assets. The CIP included funding for improvements at the Nelson Wastewater Treatment Facility in Mission and $83.4 million for construction of a new Human Services Building for Mental Health and the Department of Health and Environment.
- 4 new positions for problem-solving beds to provide support to individuals transitioning from incarceration back into the community.
- 9 new positions for MED-ACT including two for a new Community Paramedicine program.
- Increased funding to the Election Office for the 2024 presidential election and an additional presidential primary election.
…strategically and equitably investing federal COVID funding in our community
2023 marked another year where the BOCC and county staff worked together to strategically and equitably invest federal COVID-19 dollars into our local community, optimizing the benefit to our residents. To learn more about the millions of dollars the BOCC invested in 2023, please click on the links below:
- Feb. 2023: Johnson County allocates $5,773,530 of COVID-19 funding for workforce development, small businesses and community programs
- June 2023: Johnson County allocated federal COVID funding towards new measures to help address affordable housing
- Aug. 2023: Johnson County allocates COVID-19 funding for housing and workforce development for individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability, ADA improvements at JCPRD’s Theatre in the Park, utility assistance, eviction mediation and more
- Nov. 2023: The BOCC allocated $134,000 of federal COVID funding to extend the Eviction Mediation Pilot Program through March 2024
Naloxone is used to combat the effects of opioid overdose.
…kicking off an effort to utilize opioid settlement funding
Johnson County began receiving funds from the national opioid settlement in mid-2022, after entering the Kansas Opioid Memorandum of Understanding to join the national settlement.
Similar to the allocation of the federal COVID funds, the county brought together its experts with the skills and knowledge needed to make sure these funds get utilized by the county and the community to fight the opioid epidemic in our community. Specifically, these funds must be used for projects and activities that prevent, reduce, treat, or mitigate the effects of substance abuse and addiction.
In Spring 2023, the county created a task force of staff and leadership from Financial Management and Administration, Budget and Financial Planning, the County Manager’s Office, Corrections, Mental Health Center, Health and Environment, Emergency Services, District Attorney, and the Sheriff’s Office. This team is tasked with making recommendations for the BOCC to consider and vote on.
In June 2023, the BOCC allocated $200,000, distributed evenly among United Community Services of Johnson County and the Johnson County Prevention and Recovery Coalition. Both organizations are doing important work in the community towards substance abuse education, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.
Did You Know?
- The budget is comprised of $1.26 billion in expenditures and $528.64 million in reserves.
- The Johnson County taxing district has had the lowest rate among the state’s 105 counties for several years.
- Johnson County allocated $21,704,830 in federal COVID-19 funds in 2023.
- Johnson County is expected to receive $10.1 million over 17 years as part of the opioid settlement.