Health department budget presented with reorganization included; officials to present staffing plan next week
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Britney Phillips, Riley County budget and finance officer, presented the county health department’s 2026 budget at the July 6 meeting, outlining grants, staffing numbers from a planned reorganization and several funding changes commissioners should expect as the department implements its new structure.
Phillips told the commission she could not walk through all reorganization details because the department director, Elizabeth, was not present, but she said the budget does include the personnel numbers tied to that reorganization. "The personnel numbers for the reorganization are in this budget. However, I will not be able to speak to any specific pieces about the reorganization and Elizabeth will be back next week for us to...present that," Phillips said.
Her presentation detailed multiple grant streams that fund clinic and program work, including Family Planning, immunizations, the MCH-related universal home visiting program (recently split out from MCH), and an OPI grant that requires a county match. On OPI, she noted the grant typically requires a dollar-for-dollar county match when awarded; Phillips said the county has in past budget cycles split salaries across grants to reflect duties funded by each grant.
Phillips also described an administrative accounting change for 2026 in which insurance costs will be charged to the health department’s admin budget rather than to each division. She identified a pending opioid-fund request that will come before the commission for decision and said staff will bring a fuller personnel presentation when the director returns.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about titles and FTE counts; Phillips said dollars in the presented budget reflect the reorganization even if some job titles will be adjusted later. No formal action was taken on the budget at the July 6 meeting; commissioners deferred personnel decisions until the director can present the full reorganization plan.
Phillips told the commission she could not walk through all reorganization details because the department director, Elizabeth, was not present, but she said the budget does include the personnel numbers tied to that reorganization. "The personnel numbers for the reorganization are in this budget. However, I will not be able to speak to any specific pieces about the reorganization and Elizabeth will be back next week for us to...present that," Phillips said.
Her presentation detailed multiple grant streams that fund clinic and program work, including Family Planning, immunizations, the MCH-related universal home visiting program (recently split out from MCH), and an OPI grant that requires a county match. On OPI, she noted the grant typically requires a dollar-for-dollar county match when awarded; Phillips said the county has in past budget cycles split salaries across grants to reflect duties funded by each grant.
Phillips also described an administrative accounting change for 2026 in which insurance costs will be charged to the health department’s admin budget rather than to each division. She identified a pending opioid-fund request that will come before the commission for decision and said staff will bring a fuller personnel presentation when the director returns.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about titles and FTE counts; Phillips said dollars in the presented budget reflect the reorganization even if some job titles will be adjusted later. No formal action was taken on the budget at the July 6 meeting; commissioners deferred personnel decisions until the director can present the full reorganization plan.
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