Phone: 913-715-0725
111 S Cherry, Suite 3300, Olathe, KS 66061
The County Manager's Office is responsible to the Board of County Commissioners and the residents of Johnson County for the effective and efficient delivery of programs and services, using sound management and financial principles while emphasizing high ethical values, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Johnson County Government’s latest community satisfaction survey shows residents continue to have a very high satisfaction level with their quality of life.
Results of the 2018 community satisfaction survey were released Thursday during a county commission study session. The county’s overall satisfaction index was the same as in 2017 and has increased 6 points since 2011.
“Our residents gave Johnson County a 98 percent satisfaction rating as a place to live, a 96 percent satisfaction rating as a place to raise to children, and an 89 percent satisfaction rating as a place to work,” said Commission Chairman Ed Eilert. “We are pleased to see consistent results when compared to last year’s already high ratings and we continue to use this information to make informed decisions for the community.”
The 2018 findings indicate Johnson County sets the standard for service delivery compared to other U.S. communities, according to survey data benchmarked against other major U.S. counties. Johnson County’s satisfaction rating for overall quality of county services is 39 percent above the national average for communities with populations above 250,000.
“Each year, our community satisfaction survey allows us to ask residents for feedback on county services and their overall perceptions of the county. We are grateful to everyone who took time to complete the survey and we will use the information to better serve our residents,” said Interim County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “These survey results show us that residents across the county continue to be pleased with the overall quality of services we provide.”
General county perceptions
Surveyed residents indicated high satisfaction with a range of factors that influence perceptions of living in Johnson County. Ninety-three percent of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of life.
Quality of life rated 20 percent above the national average and 22 percent above the large community average. The image of the county rated 29 percent above the national average and 30 percent above the large community average.
Residents generally feel safe in the county. Ninety-one percent of respondents had an overall feeling of safety in the county, with 96 percent saying they feel safe in the neighborhoods during the day and 90 percent reporting feeling safe at night.
When asked which county services were most important to provide and should be emphasized over the next two years, respondents top answers were:
Residents indicated the top three areas that the county should invest in that would have the greatest impact on improving overall citizen satisfaction ratings are:
Satisfaction with county services
Respondents were also asked to assess their satisfaction with 22 county departments. The top five county services with the highest community satisfaction ratings were:
County management contracted with Olathe-based ETC Institute to conduct a comprehensive community survey in February. The survey was mailed to a random sample of county households; approximately seven days after the surveys were mailed, residents who received a survey were contacted by phone. Of the households that received a survey, 1,429 respondents completed surveys, resulting in a 95 percent confidence level for the survey findings.
Full results of the 2018 community satisfaction survey are available online.
Johnson County HeartSafe Foundation recently celebrated five bystanders who performed hands-only CPR and/or deployed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to save five lives. The sudden cardiac arrest survivors range in age from 19 to 65 years.
The foundation annually reunites the citizens who helped give the survivors a second chance. The event is meant to celebrate the benefits of bystander CPR and AED use and to encourage everyone to become HeartSafe. The event recognizes citizens, police, fire, dispatchers and EMS providers who performed life-saving interventions and the people they helped save.
If someone suffers from cardiac arrest in Johnson County, there is a 66 percent chance that a bystander would perform CPR. While this is better than the national average of 40 percent, this means more than one in three people in cardiac arrest won’t benefit from life-saving chest interventions from bystanders and must wait for professional help. This wait can mean the difference between life and death.
Because 56.8 percent of sudden cardiac arrests occur in the home, if an individual is called on to give CPR in an emergency, it will most likely be an attempt to save the life of a loved one: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend.
For every minute that goes by without CPR, chances of survival decrease by 10 percent. Hands-only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR and does not require mouth-to-mouth breathing. It can double or even triple a victim's chance of survival.
Experiencing homelessness? Out of options? Don’t know where to go – let’s get connected!
If you are living in Johnson County and need emergency shelter and other homeless services, you have options to connect to a variety of supports.
Johnson County’s Continuum of Care on Homelessness’ members work together to meet the needs of those who are homeless in the community. If you are not already connected to an organization that can assist you in finding emergency shelter or connect you to housing options, there are organizations ready to assist.
4 hubs offer triage screening and assistance 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Zone 1: Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas – OP 9806 W. 87th St. Overland Park, 66212 913-384-6608
Zone 2: Salvation Army – Olathe Corp, 420 E. Santa Fe, Olathe 66061 913-782-3640 ask for Social Services
Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas – Olathe 333 E. Poplar St., Olathe 66061 913-782-4007
Zone 3: Johnson County Mental Health Center – Shawnee 6440 Nieman Rd., Shawnee 66203 913-715-7765
When calling or arriving, please identify yourself as experiencing homelessness and ask for a triage screening, referral and assistance. Any household can be seen at any hub, regardless of where they are located.
If you are seeking assistance outside of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday hours, please call United Way’s 2-1-1 call center (dial 2-1-1 or 816-474-5112).
The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have identified 16 cases of measles in northeast Kansas – 13 cases in Johnson County, 2 cases in Linn County and 1 case in Miami County. Health officials continue to investigate this outbreak and are working to identify contacts. Children who are ill or susceptible to measles are excluded from the child care facility as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is an ongoing investigation and updated information will be provided as it becomes available.
Update: Measles Outbreak in Johnson, Linn and Miami Counties (News Release, April 16, 2018)
Measles in Missouri Resident (News Release, April 12, 2018)
Update: Measles Outbreak in Johnson, Linn andd Miami Counties (News Release, April 4, 2018)
Update: Measles Outbreak in Johnson, Linn and Miami Counties (News Release, March 28, 2017)
Update: Measles Outbreak in Johnson, Linn and Miami Counties (News Release, March 21, 2018)
Additional Cases of Measles Identified in Johnson, Linn and Miami Counties (News Release, March 19, 2018)
7 People with Measles Identified in Johnson and Miami Counties (News Release, March 16, 2018)
Three measles cases confirmed in Johnson County (News Release, March 13, 2018)
Johnson County Measles Investigation FAQ
Top 4 things parents need to know about measles
Las 4 cosas principales que deben saber los padres sobre el sarampión
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS: Measles Clinical Information
The new Monticello Library will open its doors to the public on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, 1 – 5 p.m., the Johnson County Library Board of Directors announced at their April board meeting.
The Aug. 5 event will be low-key, according to Library Board chair Nancy Hupp. “We know how eager our residents are to get into this beautiful facility,” she says, “so we are inaugurating services quickly, and people can start using their new library right away.”
The doors will open promptly at 1 pm. Activities will include tours of the new building conducted by library staff and opportunity to meet artists who’ve created new works of public art to be installed at the site. The afternoon event takes place during what will be regular Sunday service hours, making Monticello the fifth library in the county open on Sundays.
Johnson County Wastewater today held a ceremonial groundbreaking to kick off construction of the Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility upgrade and expansion project.
“The expansion will initially save approximately $16 million annually and, in addition, tens of millions of dollars in long-term savings to ratepayers,” said Board of County Commission Chairman Ed Eilert. “New technology used in the treatment of wastewater flow will allow Johnson County Wastewater to meet higher environmental standards.”
The groundbreaking ceremony included comments from Board Chairman Ed Eilert, 1st District Commissioner Ron Shaffer, Interim County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson and Wastewater General Manager Susan Pekarek.
“This effort involved a significant amount of collaboration with city, state and federal partners greatly improving the end result,” said Interim County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “Today we can celebrate this project as a win for our residents and our community overall.”
The project design team includes Black & Veatch, HDR Engineers and McCarthy Building Companies (the construction manager at risk).
“Currently, the county sends 60 percent of the Tomahawk Creek incoming flow to Kansas City, Missouri, for treatment and we treat the other 40 percent,” said General Manager Susan Pekarek. “The expansion will allow the county to treat all of its wastewater for that location and save ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the decades ahead.”
Johnson County Wastewater hired consultants to study alternatives for the treatment facility over the next 25 years. The consultant’s findings indicated that a new treatment facility to treat all flows provides the most cost-effective, long-term solution for ratepayers. Upgrades will improve water quality using the latest, proven technologies and preserve the high quality of life enjoyed by county residents.
“Investing in a facility at this site to treat all flows here provides the best solution to control our costs long-term and is the best solution for the environment,” Pekarek said.
The Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility was originally constructed in 1955 and has expanded to treat wastewater flows from parts of Leawood, Overland Park, Olathe and Prairie Village.
The facility is located at 10701 Lee Boulevard in Leawood. The expansion project’s total cost is $335 million and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. More information, including road and trail closures, is available at jcwtomahawk.com.
Get access to published meetings, resolutions, transcripts, management reports, and general files from the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners board meetings.
111 S Cherry St, Olathe, KS 66061 | 913-715-5000 | TDD: 800-766-3777
© Johnson County 2016
