Johnson County commissioners on Oct. 2 reviewed a staff request to begin several Fiscal Year 2026 projects early, including adding one new full-time equivalent for motor vehicle services, advancing sheriff vehicle purchases and initiating design work for a security upgrade at the Sheriff Operations Center.

The request would authorize an early FY2025 start for projects approved in the FY2026 budget and advance up to $1,280,000 from county general fund reserves to the Public Building Commission (PBC) to fund glazing work that needs to be designed concurrently with the Sheriff Operations Center security upgrades. The board’s packet lists a total reallocation and expenditure of $3,772,530 from general fund reserves to cover the combined early-start requests.

Why it matters: Commissioners said timing is the key driver. Staff told the board vehicle ordering windows for fleet acquisitions run October 2025 through January 2026, and design for the security upgrade and glazing work should overlap to reduce schedule risk. Commissioners asked staff to make the briefing language clearer about the source of funds so the public can see the money is coming from general fund reserves.

Most important details: Robin Symes, the staff presenter, told the board that one motor vehicle specialist position will increase the county’s FTE count and therefore requires board approval for an early hire. The shared vehicle purchase request is $825,000 and is in the FY2026 operating budget but staff would like to place orders now because of manufacturer order windows. The Sheriff Operations Center security upgrade was presented as a $1,650,000 capital improvement project; exterior glazing renewal projects at the Operations Center and the New Century Adult Detention Center total $1,280,000 and are the reason for the PBC advance request so design effort can be coordinated.

Board discussion and direction: Commissioner Breuer suggested that the issue paragraph and suggested motion in the briefing sheet explicitly say “general fund reserves” to reduce public confusion; staff agreed to make that wording change before the item returns for action next week. Commissioners asked for and received confirmation that approval by the board would be followed by a PBC action (a two-step approval) and that PBC would reimburse the county general fund reserves once bonds are sold next year. Commissioner Ashcraft said the items were “procedural” and an appropriate use of reserves given inflationary pressures; other commissioners asked questions about scope and timing.

Next steps: Staff will bring the item back to the board for action at the Oct. 9 business meeting; the cooperation agreement with the PBC is expected to be on an Oct. 23 PBC agenda for the PBC’s parallel approval. No formal vote was taken at the Oct. 2 agenda review.

Ending: The board did not take formal action at the agenda-review meeting; the item is scheduled for action at the Oct. 9 business session with the suggested edits to the briefing sheet.