July - 2007

County assists in recovery efforts in aftermath of flooding in Southeast Kansas

Employees, equipment, and medical supplies from Johnson County are being sent to flooded communities in Southeast Kansas to assist in recovery and relief efforts.

A state of emergency has been declared by Governor Kathleen Sebelius for 17 Kansas counties. They are Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Cowley, Elk, Franklin, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, Wilson, and Woodson. A presidential disaster declaration for the area was issued on July 2.

On Thursday, July 5, Charley Marlow, Assistant Director for Operations of the county’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, provided a briefing to the Board of County Commissioners about the county’s response to requests for assistance in the aftermath of the flooding.

Marlow said 18 deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office have been deployed or currently are deployed, and more deployments involving personnel from other Johnson County departments may be requested by the state in the weeks ahead.

“The employees who work for Johnson County Government are among the best in the world, hands down. And they’ve demonstrated that their commitment, their compassion, and their concern aren’t restricted just to Johnson County. They demonstrated that caring effort in responding to Greensburg only a few weeks ago and to Hurricane Katrina just two years ago,” Commission Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh said.

“I’m incredibly proud of these Johnson County men and women who volunteered to leave their homes and families to help our fellow Kansans in need. The county takes great pride in their commitment to the true spirit of public service.”

On Monday, July 3, the Sheriff’s Office deployed a supervisor and 12 deputies to the Osawatomie area in Miami County to provide security for approximately one week. The Overland Park Police Department also has deployed a supervisor and 12 officers to assist the community.

On Thursday, July 5, a deployment from Johnson County, consisting of 11 law enforcement personnel, was sent to provide security in the Coffeyville area of Montgomery County. They included a supervisor and four deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, four officers from the Shawnee Police Department, and two officers from the Merriam Police Department. The deployment is expected to last a week.

The Johnson County Wastewater Department also has provided a large hydraulic pump to Osawatomie to help pump flood waters out of flooded areas of the community so that residents can return to their homes.

The Johnson County Health Department donated 40 doses of Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, plus needles and syringes, to the flood-affected areas in Kansas.

Jerry Mallory, Building Official for the Johnson County Department of Planning, Development, and Codes, visited the Osawatomie area on Thursday in his role as State Coordinator for the Kansas Disaster Assessment Program to begin the process of assessing flood damage in the community.

“We are coordinating Disaster Assessment Teams for deployment throughout Southeast Kansas,” Mallory said.

The flooding in Osawatomie also has affected Phil Dudley, a residential real estate district appraiser for the past decade at the Johnson County Appraiser’s Office. He was elected the mayor of the community in the April elections.

In the first week since the flooding, Johnson County has deployed 85 city/county workers to assist in recovery/relief efforts to Independence, Coffeyville, Garnett, Yates Center, Columbus, Altoona, Fredonia, and Osawatomie. The deployed volunteers include:

• 32 firefighters, involving search and rescue personnel along with eight boats and two wave runners, from Johnson County Fire Districts No. 1 and 2, and the cities of Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, and Leawood;
• 13 CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers from Olathe; and,
• Three building inspectors from the cities of Olathe and Shawnee.

According to Budget Director Scott Neufeld, the rules for reimbursement will be similar as those for the county’s response in May and June to Greensburg after the community was struck by an F-5 tornado on May 4. Johnson County deployed 70 employee volunteers and sent Public Works dump trucks and other equipment to the Kiowa County community in recovery efforts.

Neufeld said the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act provides for federal reimbursement, with the exception of base salaries of deployed personnel, for costs incurred as part of the local jurisdiction’s participation in recovery and relief efforts in a designated disaster area

On Thursday, the Board of County Commissioners authorized a $75,000 project account from budgeted General Fund reserves to pay for upfront expenses incurred as a result of Johnson County’s participation in response to the flooding. Vote to approve the project account was unanimous.

“We expect to qualify for reimbursement at a later date,” Neufeld advised the Board in a briefing sheet.

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County awards $14.25 million contract to build new communications center in Olathe

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County aPPOINTS CHARLES M. LETCHER AS NEW TREASURER

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County sets maximum authority for Proposed FY 2008 Budget

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners reached consensus on the Proposed FY 2008 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget on Tuesday, July 10, and set the maximum expenditure authority for legal publication.

By agreeing to this authority and publishing the proposed budget, Board members are ready to unveil their proposed budget to the public.

The maximum Proposed FY 2008 Budget of slightly more than $735.8 million maintains a constant mill levy of 23.199 mills compared to FY 2007. One mill equals $1 on every $1,000 of a homeowner’s assessed valuation. The county’s current budget is approximately $767 million.

“The budget as published cannot be increased, but it can go down,” Commission Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh said. “This is not the final budget vote, and we still have to hear from the public and always welcome their comments.”

The Board has scheduled a public hearing on the Proposed FY 2008 Budget for 7 p.m. Monday, July 30, in Room 250 on the lower level of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the proposed budget and comment on how county services are financed.

On Monday, July 9, the Board authorized the budget staff to proceed with publishing the proposed taxing levies for the county’s three taxing districts – county, library, and park and recreation – and their maximum operating expenditures for next year. Under state law, the budget proposal can still be modified by the Board after its legal publication, but only can be reduced.

In final changes to the County Manager’s Proposed FY 2008 Budget, the Board approved:

• Requests for 14 additional full-time employees from five departments, including nine employees for Johnson County Developmental Supports (JCDS), two Park Rangers for the Park and Recreation District, a Senior Auditor for the Audit Division, a registered nurse for the Public Health Department, and a Communication Technician for the Emergency Communications Center.
• Plans to construct a $17.4 million Juvenile Services Building at the Juvenile Corrections Complex in Olathe.
• Plans to fund building improvements at the JCDS complex in Lenexa. The project is estimated to cost almost $4.5 million.
• The expansion of the Leawood Pioneer Library at a total estimated cost of $5 million.

The county plans to publish the proposed county budget and supporting levies on July 19.

The Board is scheduled to approve the FY 2008 Budget on Thursday, August 16, during its business session that begins at 9:30 a.m. in Room 250. The Board is meeting in this room during the next several weeks while the Hearing Room, located on the third floor, is being remodeled.

By state law, the county must adopt the FY 2008 Budget by August 25.

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Two Johnson County deputies credited for saving man’s life at Courthouse

Two Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies will be recognized Thursday, July 19, for saving the life of a 61-year-old man earlier in the week at the Johnson County Courthouse in downtown Olathe.

Deputies Terry Cowan and Jack Loftus are being praised for their quick actions of using CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore the heartbeat and breathing of Jimmie Hontz of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, after he had collapse Monday, July 16, in the courtroom of Magistrate Judge Michael Farley. Hontz was among family members attending a probate hearing in the courtroom regarding the estate of his late father.

The public recognition will occur Thursday morning during the weekly business session of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners in the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe. Roger Hontz, brother, and his wife, Wanda, are planning to attend the meeting that begins at 9:30 a.m. in Suite 300 located in the lower level of the Administration Building.

Ted McFarlane, Chief of Johnson County Med-Act, credited the heroic efforts of the deputies, their life-saving skills, and the use of the AED for reviving Hontz who was unconscious and not breathing when they arrived at the courtroom.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that their actions saved the life of Mr. Hontz. They deserve both praise and recognition for doing their jobs so well in serving and protecting the citizens of Johnson County,” he said. “They are true heroes.”

Sheriff Frank Denning agreed.

“We train our deputies to perform in situations like this and I cannot express enough how proud I am of the performance of both Deputy Cowan and Deputy Loftus,” he said.

Cowan has been a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office for 12 years. Loftus joined the department in 1992.

The incident began at 4:10 p.m. Monday when Cowan responded to a duress alarm that had been activated in Judge Farley’s courtroom after Hontz had collapsed. The deputy immediately began CPR on the Missouri man and radioed for someone to bring an AED to the courtroom and assist him.

Loftus arrived a short time later and attached the AED which administered one shock to Hontz. The two deputies then resumed CPR until Hontz regained a heartbeat and began breathing on his own. He was later transported by Med-Act to Olathe Medical Center and remained hospitalized Wednesday. Hontz is scheduled to undergo open heart surgery on Thursday.

Since 2004, Johnson County has placed 59 AEDs in county facilities, such as the Courthouse, Administration Building, Sunset Drive Office Building, libraries, and multi-service centers, and trained more than 500 county employees on how to use the devices along with providing CPR training as part of the ongoing program.

According to McFarlane, when someone suffers a cardiac arrest, the heart usually fibrillates or beats erratically and stops pumping blood throughout the body. When used properly, the AED provides an electrical shock that jump-starts the heart back into its pumping routine and reduces the risk of permanent brain damage.

Time is of the essence in a cardiac arrest, which is one of the leading causes of death in the nation.

“The chance of survival decreases 10 percent with every minute that goes by,” he said. “Rapid utilization of the AED simply increases the odds of survival.”

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Johnson County’s 2007 Feed the Need drive sets record with 146.9 tons in food donations

Johnson County has set a new record in its annual Feed the Need campaign by collecting 146.9 tons in food donations and cash in 2007 to benefit 10 local food pantries.

The total easily surpassed the goal of 125 tons by almost 22 tons, or 18 percent, and eclipsed the previous record of 144 tons that was set last year.

Results of the successful Feed the Need campaign were announced Wednesday, July 18, by Election Commissioner Brian Newby, who served as the 2007 chairman.

“Everyone stepped up and did a great job this year, had fun doing it, and established a new benchmark for the county’s annual Feed the Need campaign,” he said.

“Our Feed the Need volunteers and our county employees deserve all the credit. They have come through once again for a worthwhile cause, and we are all thankful that they did.”

The collections included $70,881 in cash, which represents approximately 141.7 tons of food (each donated dollar equates to four pounds of food), and 10,277 pounds of donated food. The total collection was 293,801.7 pounds.

The 2007 campaign had an average donation of roughly 80.9 pounds from each employee of county government.

Newby said 29 county departments, collecting more than one ton of food donations, will be recognized on Thursday, August 2, during the weekly business session of the Board of County Commissioners. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in Suite 300.

The event will include honoring the recipients of the Chairman’s Award for the department collecting the most food and the Commissioners’ Plaque for the department with the best average per-person collection.

The recipient of the Rick Beckwith Cup also will be announced in recognition of the department with the largest per-person increase in collections over the previous year. The annual award honors Beckwith, a longtime Facilities Department employee who died in 2004, who was a longtime active participant in past Feed the Need campaigns. The county has dedicated all future Feed the Need campaigns in his memory.

Johnson County’s 2007 Feed the Need campaign began June 21, with a theme of “007: Live and Let Thrive,” and ended July 6. The county has participated in the Feed the Need program since 1987.

Johnson County has been a lead participating organization in the annual food drive since 1988. The Feed the Need campaign is a regional effort coordinated by the Mid-America Regional Council, the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, and Harvesters International.

All donations collected in the food drive benefit 10 eligible food pantries serving eligible Johnson County citizens. The county’s campaign traditionally provides about a third of the annual food distributed by the pantries that include:

• Blue Valley Multi-Service Center in Overland Park
• De Soto Multi-Service Center
• Spring Hill Multi-Service Center
• North-Central Multi-Service Center in Lenexa
• Gardner-Edgerton Coordinating Council
• Shawnee Community Services
• Catholic Community Services, Mission and Olathe
• Salvation Army and First Christian Church, both in Olathe

The donations will help the pantries meet increased demands for assistance, but the need is always ongoing.

“The good news is that the county’s Feed the Need campaign was successful. The bad news is that local food pantries are seeing more people than ever turning to them for help,” Newby said. “The campaign fills a tremendous need within the Johnson County community. Unfortunately, that need still exists and is not going away.”

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Johnson County Commissioners seek applicants to serve on eight advisory boards

The Johnson County Board of Commissioners is now accepting applications from interested residents who would like to be considered for 12 appointments to serve on eight advisory boards of county government.

Five appointments involved serving three-year terms on the county’s new Public Art Commission with up to nine members. Applicants are still being sought for Districts 3, 4, 5, and 6 along with an at-large appointee to be named by Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh.

Other vacancies include:

• Fourth District representative to the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee. The appointment will be made by Commissioner Ed Eilert;
• Fifth District representative to the Johnson County Commission on Aging. The appointment will be made by Commissioner Doug Wood;
• Sixth District representative to the Fire District No. 2 Governing Board. The appointment will be made by Commissioner John Toplikar;
• Sixth District representative to the South-Central Consolidated Zoning Board. The appointment will be made by Commissioner Toplikar;
• Sixth District representative to the Johnson County Museum Advisory Council. The appointment will be made by Commissioner Toplikar;
• Sixth District representative to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The appointment will be made by Commissioner Toplikar; and,
• Chairman Surbaugh’s representative to the Contractors Licensing Review Board.

Johnson County residents interested in being considered for appointment to the advisory boards should submit their cover letter and current resume or curriculum vitae to the Board’s office at the following address:

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Attn: Appointments Clerk
County Administration Building, Suite 3300
111 South Cherry Street
Olathe, Kansas 66061-3486

Applications are available on the Board’s website at http://bocc.jocogov.org. For more information, residents should contact the Office of the Board of County Commissioners at (913) 715-0430.

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Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh reappointed to Board of National Association of Counties

Annabeth Surbaugh, chairman of Johnson County’s Board of County Commissioners, has been reappointed as one of only 10 presidential appointees to the board of directors for the National Association of Counties (NACo).

The appointment was made by NACo President Eric Coleman (Oakland County, Michigan) and announced during the national organization’s 72nd Annual Conference and Exposition from July 13-17 in Richmond, Virginia. The 2008 conference will take place in Kansas City, Mo.

A longtime resident of Overland Park, Surbaugh has served on the national board for 12 years since being elected to the county commission 15 years ago. In 2002, she became the first popularly elected chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners under the county’s new Home Rule Charter. She was re-elected to a second four-year term as chairman in 2006.

This marks her 10th year as a presidential appointee to the board of directors. As a NACo board member, she will have a hand in shaping and influencing national policies that provide counties with the resources and support needed to address common challenges and concerns.

“Being on NACo’s board means that Johnson County has a seat at the table with federal officials so we can better express our priorities and needs,” Surbaugh said. “That’s a very natural and obvious part of my job as the Commission Chairman, and I’m pleased to have the chance to be our voice in Washington D.C.”

She added that contact with other county officials allowed her to share some of Johnson County’s success stories, to discuss key issues, and to learn how other counties are addressing challenges similar to those facing the Johnson County community.

At the national conference, Surbaugh also was re-elected vice president of NACo’s Environment, Energy, and Land Use Steering Committee. She also has served as vice chairman of that committee’s subcommittee on land use and growth and chairman of the subcommittee on water quality.

Headquartered on Capitol Hill, NACo is a full-service organization providing an extensive line of services to the approximate 3,066 units of county governments in the United States.

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Commission receives update about proposed South Metro Connection

Fact: The proposed South Metro Connection in southern Johnson County is a study to identify a preferred alignment and right-of-way needed for road construction that is not anticipated to begin for 10-15 years. The route would connect the planned North Cass Parkway at Holmes Road in Missouri to U.S. 69 Highway in Johnson County.

Fact: It has never been an objective of the project to serve as a freight route between intermodal railroad facilities at Richard Gebaur in Cass County and the one that will be built in Gardner. If authorized, it is proposed that the route would restrict interstate truck traffic by imposing weight limits. Also, based on comments received from the public, the posted speed limit is proposed to be 45 mph.

Fact: The project is currently being designed as a parkway-type roadway through Johnson County with proposed adjacent pedestrian and bike trails. This would allow the park system in southern Johnson County (Lone Elm Park, Heritage Park, Overland Park Arboretum, and a future park site in southeast Johnson County) the opportunity to be connected with a bike/hike trail system. Landscaping to beautify the route will also provide a buffer to the surrounding area.

Fact: The initial draft alignment for the proposed South Metro Connection adheres to the guiding principles of Johnson County’s Comprehensive Arterial Road Network Plan (CARNP) except for a the portion of the preliminary alignment north of 175th Street which is now under review for moving south of the street. The alignment extends north of 175th Street in this area to avoid a future park site.

Fact: The current study has identified a preliminary “preferred route” for the proposed roadway connecting at 179th Street and U.S. 69, but no final route has been approved and no funding has been authorized for acquisition of future right-of-way or actual construction in either Johnson County or Cass County, Missouri.

On Thursday, July 19, these five facts were among many presented to the Johnson County Board of Commissioners in an update about the current status of the South Metro Connection Study. The information was provided by Mac Andrew, director of the county’s Department of Public Works and Infrastructure; Brian Pietig, assistant county engineer; and Dean Palos, director of the Department of Planning and Development.

The information was prepared for the Board following a public hearing on June 5 at Lakewood Middle School, Overland Park, which attracted about 320 people with over 60 written comments received.

“There’s a lot more work to do and discussion to complete in regards to the proposed project that has attracted a lot of public interest. The public meeting went very well as we had a lot of folks show up.” Andrew said. “Our goal isn’t to develop 100 percent consensus, but to make sure that people have an opportunity to comment.”

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Two Planning Commissioners reappointed to new terms

Two current members of the Johnson County Planning Commission have new three-year terms to continue as unincorporated representatives on the planning panel.

Carol Whitlock of Merriam and Joel Riggs, Gardner, were unanimously reappointed Thursday, July 19, by the Johnson County Board of Commissioners in separate votes. Their terms will end October 4, 2009.

Whitlock will be serving her sixth term on the planning commission where she has been a member for 12 years. For the past five years, she has served as chairman and was vice chairman for four years. Whitlock also has been a member of the Merriam Planning Commission for the last 16 years, serving as chairman for the past 12 years, and has been appointed to serve on the Sunflower Redevelopment Authority Committee.

Riggs will be serving his third term on the planning commission. A former stormwater engineer, he is a partner of the Peridian Group and is director of business development for the Gardner office.

In another reappointment Thursday, the Board unanimously approved a new three-year term for P. Brian Miller, Bucyrus, as the certified master plumber representative to the Board of Code Reviews. He was first appointed to the review panel on September 27, 2001. His new term ends on May 31, 2009.

All three reappointments were nominated by Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh.

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Emergency dispatcher hears last call after 33 years of service

It’s almost last call for Dean Cochran at the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in Mission.

After more than three decades of being the voice of Johnson County in handling emergency calls throughout the county, Cochran is retiring at the end of this week, ending a public safety career spanning 37 years. He has served as operations supervisor at the emergency center for 26 years.

A farewell reception in his honor is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, in Conference Room C at the Johnson County Northeast Offices, 6000 Lamar Avenue, Mission. His final day on the job will be at the end of his shift on Saturday, July 28.

Walt Way, director of the ECC, says that Cochran was well known for his professionalism, loyalty, and friendship.

“Dean’s retirement after 33 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Johnson County and to the fire and emergency medical service agencies in the county is a cause for recognition of his many contributions to the ECC and to the building of a professional public communications service in the county.” Way said.

“He has been recognized by our user agencies for his expertise and calmness when coordinating emergency responses during major events and for his willingness to be of service. Dean has built many friendships within the fire and emergency medical service over the years, and he will be missed by his public safety friends.”

Cochran started with Johnson County in 1974, a year after the current ECC facility in Mission was opened. When he joined, the emergency communications facility was called the Johnson County Fire Alarm Center. At that time, the office was located in a small room with one dispatch console in the east end of the Northeast County Offices.

Aside from his service to the ECC, Cochran also was a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) for the Merriam Fire Department for 20 years, serving from 1970 to 1990.

In 1974, the Johnson County Fire Alarm Center served eight jurisdictions in Johnson County and handled approximately 5,000 emergency calls annually. The ECC has operated under its current name since 1981 and now serves 13 fire departments and Johnson County Med-Act. The Emergency Communications Center handled 41,629 emergency calls last year, including 29,016 for emergency medical assistance and 12,170 for fire-related events.

Thirty-three years ago, the emergency center had only four full-time employees and two part-timers with only one employee working per shift. The ECC currently has 35 full-time employees.

“We worked alone until 1976 when a second dispatcher was added 24/7,” Cochran said.

He started out as a part-time dispatcher and became a full-time county employee in March of 1975. Cochran was promoted to supervisor in 1979, which is his current position as he prepares to retire.

Over the years, he has seen significant changes in emergency communications. When Cochran started, the Johnson County Fire Alarm Center had no computers or cellular phones. The widespread use of 9-1-1 was still a few years away.

“We had to memorize the fire department and Med-Act districts. We had maps and street books to assist us, if needed. We used a time clock and paper reports to document the calls,” he said.

“9-1-1 has been a great tool to enable us to locate callers quickly and accurately. The CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) system, was a major improvement for tracking unit status, managing resources, and making reports. Cellular phones now allow callers to report emergencies directly from the scene, enabling our call takers to obtain more accurate information.”

Being an emergency dispatcher for more than three decades had involved the personal handling of thousands of calls even before 9-1-1 came on the scene.

One highlight of his career was dispatching the first emergency medical call for Med-Act in March of 1975 when that department went into service. In 1984, the ECC began providing Emergency Medical Dispatch throughout Johnson County. That system involves having dispatchers ask callers specific questions depending on the type of medical or trauma call. Pre-arrival instructions are given to the caller to help them until fire and EMS units arrive.

“The radio system has expanded from 1 channel to 7 channels and we monitor several other additional frequencies,” Cochran said, explaining how the change has expanded to ensure the best possible emergency assistance to address increased demands for service.

The biggest fire call that he personally handled was in the early 1990s when fire caused major damage to Prairie Elementary School in Prairie Village.

Another call that comes to mind was when a man called for medical assistance after he had been shot in an armed robbery.

“He had a severe abdominal wound and was left for dead, another man was killed during the robbery. He regained consciousness and called for help, I stayed on the phone with him until police were able to secure the scene and fire and Med-Act personnel were able to make entry,” Cochran said. “He did survive his injuries and later was able to meet me and thank me for my help.”

Over the years, he also has answered a few calls that fall into the unusual category. One involved a woman who was very upset because her car battery was dead and she couldn’t unlock her vehicle.

“I was finally able to talk her through finding the manual release for the door lock,” he said. “I was amazed at how frightened she was.”

Cochran has no regrets about retirement, saying that it ensures a guaranteed long, and much needed, break to be with his family to relax and to finally tackle some of his home repairs projects.

He and Stephanie, his wife of 26 years, have two children. The family lives in Overland Park.

Their daughter, Kristen, will be attending nursing school at St. Luke’s Hospital, following in her mother’s footsteps as a nurse. Their son, Kyle, is in the process of becoming a firefighter/EMT, following in his father’s footsteps in public safety.

“He’s now a volunteer at the Merriam Fire Department,” Cochran said with a smile. “I guess the fruit didn’t fall too far from the tree.”

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Public hearing planned on July 30 for Proposed FY 2008 Budget

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, July 30, on the Proposed FY 2008 Budget of slightly more than $735.8 million with a constant mill levy of 23.199 mills.

The public hearing will take place in Suite 300 on the lower level of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the proposed budget and comment on how county services are financed.

The Proposed FY 2008 Budget and its taxing levies for the county’s three taxing districts – county, library, and park and recreation – were published on July 19. Under state law, the budget proposal can still be modified by the Board after its legal publication, but only can be reduced.

The Board is scheduled to approve the FY 2008 Budget on Thursday, August 16, during its business session that begins at 9:30 a.m. in Suite 300. By state law, the county must adopt the budget by August 25.

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County OKs 2007 citizen survey

A 2007 DirectionFinder Citizen Survey of Johnson County to assess community needs and priorities as part of the Board’s long-range planning policy was authorized Thursday, July 26, by the Johnson County Board of Commissioners.

The survey is conducted every two years. On Thursday, the Board authorized $31,055 to fund the 2007 survey, which will be conducted by ETC Institute, an Olathe firm that’s one of the nation’s leading community-based market research firms in public surveying and polling processes. ETC also conducted the 2005 survey, costing $29,860.

“This survey helps us measure how the county is doing in using its resources effectively to provide the services that our citizens want and expect from their county government,” Commission Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh said.

As part of the survey, ETC will seek residents’ levels of satisfaction with Johnson County services and programs, including perceptions about overall quality of service, availability, affordability, accessibility, expertise, timeliness, and responsiveness.

ETC was founded in 1982 by Dr. Elaine Tatham, president of the firm, and has worked with more than 300 state and local governments across the nation in citizen and public surveys.

The survey will be mailed out in August. ETC plans to select a random sample of Johnson County households for the six-page survey of 24 questions. The survey is expected to take about 15 minutes for residents to complete. Only one survey will be sent to each selected household.

The goal is to complete at least 1,200 surveys by a combination of initial mail responses and follow-up phone interviews in order to receive an adequate data base to compile results. At least 200 surveys will be completed in each of the county’s six commission districts.

Plans are to have initial survey results tabulated by early September. A final report of findings from the 2007 DirectionFinder Citizen Survey of Johnson County is expected by the end of September.

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