Joe Waters, assistant county manager for Johnson County Government, will retire after nearly 30 years of service. He will be honored at a retirement reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, in the Jury Room of the Johnson County Courthouse, 150 W. Santa Fe, Olathe. Waters’ last day with Johnson County will be Dec. 22, 2023.

Members of the public are invited to join in the celebration of decades of service to Johnson County residents. Since 1990, Waters has leveraged his degree in architecture to help to lead facilities projects. As director of facilities for the county, bureau chief and his current role as assistant county manager, he has been involved in 21 brand-new buildings, purchasing and remodeling nine buildings and remodeling or expanding another 12 facilities.

What’s harder to quantify is Waters’ influence on those facilities and programs. His job, as he defines it, was to make sure facilities being planned and built reflected the current and future needs of the community and the departments and agencies that would occupy them.

Those plans also put Johnson County on the forefront of sustainability. The Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, achieved LEED Gold certification in 2006, just the second such achievement in the Midwest. Many county projects that followed were either designed to LEED standards or LEED certified, a mark of building healthy, efficient and cost-saving buildings that limit the impact on natural resources and the environment.

In addition to facilities, Waters has led many other county operations over the years, including central services, the elections office and the courts. He acted as liaison to the Johnson County Library and Johnson County Park and Recreation boards. His influence is reflected not only in the county’s built environment but in community programs and services as well.

“Joe is thoughtful and purposeful with keen insight on how to make our community greater and more beautiful than it was before,” said County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “Johnson County is a better place to live because of his efforts. Joe has been instrumental in helping me lead the county for years. He is humble, thoughtful, a problem solver and cares for our community and employees. He will be missed, and his legacy beyond buildings is all those he coached, mentored and encouraged along the way.”