More information including official minutes, votes and videos on all items is available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, for the Board of County Commissioners Meetings, the County Commissioners will not be physically present in the Board Hearing room and will be using Zoom, an online meeting tool, to conduct the meeting. A live broadcast will still be available at our link below or on Facebook Live.

Public Comments for the January 21, 2021 meeting will be accepted “live” as a trial for the virtual BOCC meeting for those who have preregistered. Individuals wishing to speak may register by completing the registration form at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6asCOR2uTHW0_MYUzipBOQ. Registration closes at noon (12:00 p.m.) on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. If you complete the registration, you will receive an email notice later in the day on Wednesday regarding the status of your registration. Instructions on joining and speaking at the virtual meeting will be included in the email notice. The BOCC has established a limit of 50 speakers for the trial process at the January 21st meeting. If more than 50 individuals register, the 50 speakers will be determined by a random process. Speakers will be limited to 2 minutes each and will be audio only.

If you would like to make a written public comment for the meeting, please use this link, Public Comments and complete the form. Written Comments received by noon Wednesday will be shared with the entire Board prior to the meeting. Written Comments will not be read into the record during the meeting. If you are unable to use this internet link, you may call the following number, and we will record your information. (913) 715-0424.

If you plan to attend a Board of County Commissioners meeting and need an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, please use this form to let us know what reasonable accommodation you need or via the Kansas Relay Operator at (800) 766-3777, or by phone at (913) 715-0430 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.

If you experience viewing quality issues using the live link below, please view the meeting utilizing the Facebook Live Link. We apologize for any inconvenience.

BOCC actions for Jan. 21, 2021

• Approved a request from Tim Orrick, Orrick & Erskine, LLP, applicant, and Karen Humphrey, trustee of the Karen Humphrey Revocable Living Trust, landowner, for Rezoning from RUR, Rural District, to PRU1B, Planned Residential Urban Single-Family 1B District, and an associated Preliminary and Final Plat, with a minimum infrastructure waiver, for 2 residential lots, to be known as Humphrey Homes, on 33,000 sq. ft., located at 29310 W. 153rd Terrace. 
• Approved a request from Deb Brown, SMJ, International, LLC, applicant, and American Tower – Margaret J. and Edward N. McCarthy, Trustee, landowners, for CUP Renewal to allow continued use of a 180-ft. tall communication tower and associated ground equipment, at 37200 W. 199th Street, in Section 6, Township 15, Range 22, McCamish Township, Johnson County, Kansas.

Manager’s Memo, Penny Postoak Ferguson, County Manager

County Economic Research Institute (CERI) Indicators – November 2020 Edition 

The November 2020 edition of the Economic Indicators for Johnson County has been provided by the CERI. The unemployment rate for Johnson County was 4.8% during the month of November 2020, compared to 2.5% in November 2019, a 2.3% increase. Year-to-Date (YTD) the unemployment rate is 5.5%, compared to 2.8% the previous year, a 2.7% increase. The number of single-family homes sold in November 2020 was 996, compared to 776 in November 2019, a 28.4% increase. More information is available in this memo and this report.

Legislative update, Maury Thompson, Deputy County Manager

The weekly report from our legislative affairs staff is available here. Two pieces of legislation the county is monitoring this week are this session’s version of House Bill 2016 (the COVID response bill) and a property tax bill regarding additional notice and hearing requirements for taxing subdivisions.

 
COVID-19 Funding and Expense Report and CRF Phase One and Phase Three Reimbursement, Maury Thompson, Deputy County Manager

The weekly COVID-19 Operating Report, detailing COVID-19 specific expenditures and funding received is available here. To date the organization has identified $118,962,215.41 in costs which are eligible for CARES act reimbursement and received $132,908,515.24 in federal funds.   

COVID-19 update: Dr. Sanmi Areola, director, and Elizabeth Holzschuh, director of epidemiology, Department of Health & Environment

As of yesterday, Johnson County has 39,456 positive cases, 540 deaths (357 deaths in LTCF, or 66%). We have 31,760 presumed recovered. The incidence rate (last 14 days) is 678/100,000 residents and the percent positivity rate is 12.7%. 
Today’s report had in-depth information about leading causes of death in Johnson County, an update on suicide rates in Johnson County and in in-depth report vaccines, including information on how Johnson County will implement Phase 2 of the state’s vaccination plan. Read the full report.

Items currently on the agenda for the Jan. 28 meeting:

• (Sitting as the Governing Body of Fire District No. 2) Consider authorizing an agreement with the Overland Park Fire Department to provide one or more full-time Firefighter/EMT’s or Fire-Medics for use by Fire District No. 2 through November 30, 2021. 
• Consider authorizing a term and supply contract with Summit Food Service to provide Food and Laundry Services for the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Corrections at a cost not to exceed $2,950,000, with annual increases based on the Kansas City Consumer Price Index not to exceed 3% starting in year two (2). The contract term is five (5) years with the option to renew for two (2) additional two (2) year terms. 
• (Sitting as the Board of Public Health) Consider extending Johnson County Board of Health Order No. 002-20, which currently expires on January 31, 2021.