The coronavirus pandemic has cost state agencies almost $17 million as they’ve wrestled with the fallout of the infection spreading across the state.
About 60 state agencies ranging from the adjutant general’s office to the banking commissioner are seeking $16.7 million in reimbursements from federal coronavirus relief funds coming to the state. The money does not include salaries.
“I was surprised the number was not bigger,” Budget Director Larry Campbell said.
A subcommittee of Gov. Laura Kelly’s coronavirus task force recommended the laundry list of spending to the State Finance Council, which has oversight over how the relief funds are spent. The council is set to meet Tuesday.
The money would come from the $1.25 billion that the state is receiving from the federal government to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Kelly administration also has a projected $1.9 million budget for its recovery office, of which it is requesting $986,000 for now.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2021 calls for hiring up to 20 full-time employees, who would be paid anywhere from $42,500 to $120,000 a year.
Shelbie Konkel, chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers, said the $1.9 million budget was developed to show what might be needed.
“We think this is a fairly large budget,” Konkel said.
“We’re not sure that we’ll need all of this funding. But we would like to show you what could be coming, but start with a much lower number.”
Konkel said the goal is to hire grant administrators, accountants and compliance officers to ensure the federal relief dollars are properly spent.
She said it would potentially be difficult to hire staffers since they could be asked to leave current jobs quickly and on short notice with no promise of long-term employment.
Task force member Jill Docking asked if it would be possible to move people from other parts of state government to fill those jobs.
Konkel said that would leave holes in other areas that would need to be backfilled.
Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning warned that the recovery office budget would need more details about the new jobs and the salaries when the budget is considered by the State Finance Council on Tuesday.
The executive committee also recommended $16.7 million for state agencies that have incurred expenses as a result of the pandemic.
The committee was provided with a spreadsheet showing each of the agencies seeking reimbursements for COVID-19 related expenses.
Topping the list was about $12 million for the adjutant general, which has been on the front lines in the state’s efforts to contain the virus.
The spreadsheet didn’t break down the amount of spending for the adjutant general’s office.
Other agencies seeking relief funds include:
- Department for Aging and Disability Services, $677,117
- Department of Health and Environment, $174,270
- Kansas State University, $673,672
- University of Kansas, $386,953
- University of Kansas Medical Center, $390,898
- Wichita State University, $225,064
- Larned State Hospital, $172,703
- Board of Indigent Defense Services, $243,771
Some committee members expressed discomfort with recommending the spending since they got very little time to review the proposals, although they acknowledged there are time constraints for spending the money.
“It’s real hard for me to get something 20 minutes ago and approve the basics of it when I haven’t even had a chance to review it,” said committee member Alise Martiny.
“I’m just not real comfortable approving something that I really haven’t looked at.”
Docking said she trusted the administration with putting together the list, but she expressed some reservations about the process.
“I do not like getting things at the last minute. I like to spend a little time on it.”
