The 2026 Lyon County Budget is now out for publication following action by county commissioners Thursday morning.
As part of their regular action meeting, commissioners unanimously approved publishing the budget and set the date for a public hearing on both finalizing the budget and setting the revenue-neutral rate on September 11 at 10 am. The budget carries a $40 million total price tag, including $33 million in levied funds and a mill levy rate of 56.818.
This is a slight levy reduction, less than a mill, from the 25 levy rate of 56.972. Last week, following the final review of the budget, commissioners stated this has been a challenging year for the budgeting process, pointing to inflation as the main factor.
In addition to a lot of “trimming,” the commission also approved moving $1.5 million in sales tax to the general fund to help bring the levy down with county controller Dan Williams noting the commission was originally looking at a roughly 3 mill increase at the start of the process. Commissioner Doug Peck, who is taking part in his fifth budget cycle as a member of the commission, says he is satisfied with what commissioners have managed to accomplish in recent weeks.
When asked if he felt this year’s process was more challenging than in years before, Peck stated that each year is “Tough,” noting that’s the nature of budgeting, but they never lose sight of the main priority.
In other business Thursday, commissioners approved a line-item adjustment of $5,417.83 for the Kansas Department of Corrections-Juvenile Services from Intensive Home-Based Therapy to Radical Life and approved the FY25 year-end report for KDOC-Adult Services and KDOC-Juvenile Services Grant.
Seperately, Lyon County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield discussed several matters with commissioners, including procedures for addressing road upgrade petitions, a letter received by commissioners and Scritchfield regarding concerns for the creek crossing on Road K7 north of Olpe City Lake, and a drainage study on Road G north of Road 160 (Merrick Tower Road).
County Commissioners will reconvene for their regular action meeting next Thursday at 9 am inside the Lyon County Courthouse Commission Chambers.
