Sheriff Brian Hill returns money each year. That's a reason his proposed budget was cut by $200,000.

Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill has historically given back leftover money from his budget to the county at year's end, with the most recent return totaling $416,000.

County Commissioner Kevin Cook made note of that before making a motion at Monday's commission meeting to cut $200,000 from Hill's requested 2023 budget and add that instead to the county's contingency fund.

Hill appears to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, Cook said, and he didn't want to send out the signal that commissioners weren't supportive of law enforcement.

Still, he suggested that if the sheriff's office is returning money year after year, commissioners should adjust the budget to reflect that.

Commissioners Aaron Mays and Bill Riphahn joined Cook in voting to adopt his motion to cut Hill's office's preliminary 2023 budget from $22,454,505 to $22,254,505 and raise the countywide budget amount for contingencies from $800,000 to $1 million.

Sheriff says cut won't affect services

Hill told The Capital-Journal on Tuesday morning that even with Monday's budget reduction, there should be no impact to operational services.

He said he has a good working relationship with the county commissioners, who understand the resources needed to operate a law enforcement agency.

"We continue to improve efficiency and institutional processes that should result in enhanced public safety, while continuing to be good stewards of taxpayer funds," Hill said.

He said his office's practice of returning taxpayer funds occurs on a year-to-year basis and depends on a number of variables.

"The budget is generally set as a projection of total fixed expenses, which takes into consideration the fixed costs of running the agency, forecasted variable costs of running the agency, as well as a historical look at operational expenses that can vary from year to year," he said. "In years where expenses are less than was projected, those funds are returned to the county."

Commission crafts 'preliminary budget'

The sheriff's office budget was among topics commissioners addressed Monday before finishing work on what Betty Greiner, the county's administrative and financial services director, described as the county's "preliminary budget" for 2023.

No vote was taken Monday on that budget, which in its current form would lower the county's property tax mill levy by 0.775 mills from the current levy, from 50.999 mills to 50.224 mills.

That would lower annual county property taxes by $8.91 for the owner of a $100,000 house that hasn't seen an increase this year in its appraisal value. 

Appraisal values are paired with mill levy levels to determine how much local property owners will pay in property taxes. About 89% of properties in Shawnee County have seen an increase this year in appraisal value, commissioners learned last March.

The county levy is part of a total property tax bill that includes levies for other government entities, including the city of Topeka, Washburn University, public school districts and local transit, library and airport authorities.

Commissioners will hear comments about the preliminary budget when the county holds its budget public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 22 in the commission chambers in Room B-11 of the County Courthouse at 200 S.E. 7th.

The commission is then considered likely to finalize that budget when it meets at 9 a.m. Aug. 25 in those chambers.

The preliminary budget can be found posted on the county website.

Sheriff Brian Hill doesn't want to have to ask for more money

Hill requested $210,000 more for fuel for his office in his requested 2023 budget than was set aside in that office's 2022 budget, $70,000 more for supplies and materials and $59,000 for training and travel, Greiner said.

Mays suggested the sheriff's office might not need as much money for fuel in 2023 as Hill had thought, saying the cost of gasoline has dropped by about $1 a gallon since the requested budget submitted to commissioners was created "a couple months ago."

The sheriff's office was represented at Monday's meeting by Undersheriff Shane Hoobler, who told commissioners one of Hill's biggest concerns is that he doesn't want to have to ask the commission later for more money.

Cook replied that the county contingency fund can be used to cover any unanticipated, unbudgeted needs that come up for any office or department, including the sheriff's office, and said he thought the county needed an additional $200,000 in that fund.

Other business

Commissioners on Monday also heard Mays, the commission's chairman, say he'd canceled its meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday because there's "just not a lot of stuff on the agenda."

The commission consequently won't meet again until Aug. 18, as commissioners will meet Aug. 15 to canvass votes from the county's Aug. 2 primary elections, Mays said.

Near the end of Monday's meeting, commissioners met behind closed doors in executive session to receive legal advice.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.