SHAWNEE COUNTY — In an effort to cut costs, the Shawnee County Commissioners voted 2 to 1 cut the county’s emergency management budget by half. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Director David Sterbenz told Commissioners that most of the jobs of the emergency management staff, including his, would have to be eliminated. He says that the budget cuts would also eliminate federal emergency management grants to the county. Although Commissioners are making sharp cuts to most county departments, the county still faces a two- to three-mill property tax increase. Because of the cuts, Commissioners are moving emergency management to the Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Herman Jones says his department will take the additional duties but says he’s reluctant to do so. He says absorbing the duties with that amount of money will be a challenge. County Commissioner Bob Archer, who voted for the budget cut, says the federal government, the Kansas Guard, FEMA and the Red Cross will be available in case of an emergency or disaster in Shawnee County.
Updated 8/23/13 @ 12:00 pm
