Boone County budget focuses on public safety upgrades, job retention

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County plans to spend more than $20 million in its 2026 budget for upgrades to equipment, vehicles, and radio systems for first responders.

The Boone County Commission introduced its proposed budget for 2026 at its Tuesday commission meeting.

Total spending for the budget adds up to $143,956,629, a 3% increase over the 2025 budget. The 2026 total revenue projection is estimated at $133.8 million, a 12.9% increase over 2025. A chunk of that is unspent American Rescue Plan Act money, which must be spent by the end of 2026.

The budget is centered around five priorities:

• Improving workforce retention and reducing workforce turnover and vacancies.
• Addressing priority staffing and space needs
• Providing new and replacement equipment, vehicles, technology and infrastructure.
• Providing public safety improvements through training and retention.
• And more financial stability and transparency of the county’s operating funds.

However, reduced reimbursements from the state government for prisoner expenses, juvenile detention expenses, public health initiatives and various grant opportunities are creating new challenges, county commissioners say.

Revenue from use and sales tax collections is anticipated to remain flat.

To improve workforce retention and reduce job turnover and vacancies,

The county government hopes to improve worker retention and reduce turnover and vacancies with a new county-wide pay plan and compensation structure. Since the pandemic, the county has reported unexpectedly high employee turnover and longer job vacancy rates. Since 2023, the county has been working with an outside consultant on employee salary increases and reducing workforce turnover.

The new pay plan moves the county from an open range model on a single pay grid to a hybrid step and range model with positions placed on pay grades.

The cost to implement the study and the 2026 pay plan is $3.9 million.

To address staffing and space needs, the county is in the final stages of construction on the Regional Law Enforcement Training Center and Public Safety Childcare Center on its Public Safety Campus. The proposed budget includes 26.4 full-time equivalent employees to staff the campus.

The $18.3 million Regional Law Enforcement Training Center is anticipated to open by Jan. 1. The Regional Law Enforcement Training Center will partner with more than 25 other law enforcement agencies in the area. The Boone County Sheriff's Office will conduct academy training for recruits and continuing education credit training for certified peace officers.

The $5 million Boone County Public Safety Child Care Center also has an anticipated completion date in 2026. The Childcare Center will provide extended access to childcare for first responders who work for
Boone County. The budget includes $1.1 million for initial operations.

The budget includes approximately $9.2 million to replace and buy new equipment. This includes $2.1 million for portable and mobile radios, more than $500,000 for vehicle replacements, $150,000 for new vehicles, $400,000 to replace machinery and equipment, more than $120,000 for new machinery and equipment and more than $500,000 for computer hardware replacements and new computer hardware.

Joint Communications is also expected to go live with a radio system in 2027 that will improve county-wide communication among first responders. In preparation, the 2026 budget includes funding for mobile and portable radios at $10.8 million and $2 million for a radio tower.

The Boone County Jail has reached its 200-bed capacity due to overcrowding. When at capacity, Boone County contracts with other counties in Missouri to hold inmates while they wait for a trial or mental evaluation. The budget assumes that the cost will increase by $1.3 million over last year, for a total of $2.1 million.