Riley County commissioners reject proposed 2027 budget, send it back for deeper cuts
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RILEY COUNTY — The Riley County Board of County Commissioners voted on June 25 to reject the draft 2027 budget and directed staff to return with deeper reductions and clarifications.
Budget and finance officer Britney Phillips told the board the draft included an estimated $825,000 related to health‑department personnel changes and a proposed $2 million transfer to capital improvements. "I have an estimated $825,000 in here," Phillips said during her presentation, calling attention to the uncertainty in personnel and health‑department line items. Commissioners pressed staff on contract termination clauses and the potential costs of studies already underway.
One commissioner opposed raising rates or taxes to cover the gap, telling colleagues, "There's no way in hell I'm going to raise this eight mills." The board ultimately approved a motion to reject the draft and send it back to staff and the budget and finance committee for further analysis and reductions. The motion passed on a voice vote.
As part of next steps, the board agreed by consensus to hold a special session at 1 p.m. on July 1 to continue work on setting a revenue neutral rate and narrow the budget. Phillips said the county must formally notify the clerk about the maximum revenue figure by late July to meet publication and hearing deadlines; the public hearing date for the budget was listed as September 10 in staff materials.
Commissioners also debated individual line items and appropriation philosophy, including whether to continue one‑and‑a‑half mills of discretionary appropriations and which programs might be reduced. Phillips recommended budgeting conservatively for IT/GIS given rapidly rising equipment costs and urged the board to prioritize capital projects rather than transferring larger sums now.
The board’s rejection does not set final policy; rather, it instructs staff to return with targeted recommendations and cost estimates for specific reductions and alternatives. The budget will be revised and presented again to the commissioners for further consideration.
Budget and finance officer Britney Phillips told the board the draft included an estimated $825,000 related to health‑department personnel changes and a proposed $2 million transfer to capital improvements. "I have an estimated $825,000 in here," Phillips said during her presentation, calling attention to the uncertainty in personnel and health‑department line items. Commissioners pressed staff on contract termination clauses and the potential costs of studies already underway.
One commissioner opposed raising rates or taxes to cover the gap, telling colleagues, "There's no way in hell I'm going to raise this eight mills." The board ultimately approved a motion to reject the draft and send it back to staff and the budget and finance committee for further analysis and reductions. The motion passed on a voice vote.
As part of next steps, the board agreed by consensus to hold a special session at 1 p.m. on July 1 to continue work on setting a revenue neutral rate and narrow the budget. Phillips said the county must formally notify the clerk about the maximum revenue figure by late July to meet publication and hearing deadlines; the public hearing date for the budget was listed as September 10 in staff materials.
Commissioners also debated individual line items and appropriation philosophy, including whether to continue one‑and‑a‑half mills of discretionary appropriations and which programs might be reduced. Phillips recommended budgeting conservatively for IT/GIS given rapidly rising equipment costs and urged the board to prioritize capital projects rather than transferring larger sums now.
The board’s rejection does not set final policy; rather, it instructs staff to return with targeted recommendations and cost estimates for specific reductions and alternatives. The budget will be revised and presented again to the commissioners for further consideration.
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