Budgeting and Finance is a required role of the county commission as well as other elected officials and staff. The number and scope of county services have expanded in response to intergovernmental mandates and long devolution trends. The dizzying pace of technology innovations promises long-term efficiencies for county operations, but in the short run, requires a significant financial investment. This course defines the role of the county commission as financial policy makers and related roles of citizens, other elected officials and staff.

In addition, this class will address current tips on how to manage the Tax Lid in your county.

• Establish the legal parameters for the county budget and identify the functions of a capital and annual operating budget;

• Propose processes for preparing, adopting and managing the budget;

• Explain how county government is financed and suggest techniques for estimating county revenues;

• Identify leadership strategies that contribute to wise, effective and responsible financial decisions;

• Identify how to challenge county department heads and staff, and outside agencies to the county to use the budget process to think more strategically, more seriously, and more collaboratively about how goals can be accomplished in more creative and cost-effective ways;

• Consider the adequacy of cash balances or reserves, i.e. how much is enough, not enough, or too much, and how cash balances can be managed;

• Evaluate revenue sources other than the property tax to finance county programs and services;

• Consider how the county’s fund structure enables or detracts from the ability of the board of county commissioners to effectively manage the county budget; and

• Learn of ways to effectively communicate county budget information to citizens, groups, and the news media.

TO REGISTER: Please visit this site to register for this course. Registration Fee: $100.

Instructor: Ryan Adkison is the Assistant County Administrator/Finance Director for Butler County. One of his primary duties is crafting the organization’s annual CIP/operating 10 | Page November 1 8 Issue budget, which has won the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award the past seven years. Mr. Adkison received his undergraduate degree from Emporia State University in Political Science and his Master’s of Public Administration from the Hugo Wall School at Wichita State University. Mr. Adkison then worked in the Budget Office and Pension Office at the City of Wichita before moving to Butler County.