The Board of County Commissioners met on Monday, Aug. 21 and conducted a public hearing on the proposed FY 2024 Budget in the Hearing Room at the Johnson County Administration Building.

Below, you can find a recap of the items discussed and actions taken during the public hearing.

More information, including official minutes, votes, videos, information about how to make public comments and how to request accommodations is available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org. This not the official record of the BOCC meeting.

RNR for Johnson County Taxing District

Conducted a public hearing on the proposed FY 2024 Budget to exceed the revenue neutral rate and adopted Resolution No. 074-23 authorizing a levy of property taxes in support of the budget for the Johnson County Taxing District, for the FY 2024 budget year that requires a property tax rate exceeding the revenue neutral rate of 15.960 mills. Vote: Passed 5-2.

• Yes: Fast, Meyers, Hanzlick, Allenbrand, Kelly
• No: O’Hara, Ashcraft

RNR for Library Taxing District

Conducted a public hearing on the proposed FY 2024 Budget to exceed the revenue neutral rate and adopted Resolution No. 075-23 authorizing a levy of property taxes in support of the budget for the Johnson County Library Taxing District for the FY 2024 budget year that requires a property tax rate exceeding the revenue neutral rate of 3.445 mills. Vote: Passed 5-2.

• Yes: Fast, Meyers, Hanzlick, Allenbrand, Kelly
• No: O’Hara, Ashcraft

RNR for Park and Recreation Taxing District

Conducted a public hearing on the proposed FY 2024 Budget to exceed the revenue neutral rate and adopted Resolution No. 076-23 authorizing a levy of property taxes in support of the budget for the Johnson County Park and Recreation Taxing District for the FY 2024 budget year that requires a property tax rate exceeding the revenue neutral rate of 2.713 mills. Vote: Passed 5-2.

• Yes: Fast, Meyers, Hanzlick, Allenbrand, Kelly
• No: O’Hara, Ashcraft

The Board of County Commissioners met on Thursday, Aug. 24 in the Hearing Room at the Johnson County Administration Building.

Johnson County departments and community partners were recognized for their participation in the 2023 Garmin KC Airshow at New Century AirCenter. It was the third year the event has occurred at the AirCenter.

The Board also recognized Johnson County Wastewater for receiving six 2022 Peak Performance Awards for outstanding compliance with national pollutant discharge elimination system permit limits. All six JCW treatment facilities were recognized, earning three platinum, one gold and two silver awards from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

Below, you can find a recap of the items discussed during the meeting.

More information, including official minutes, votes, videos, information about how to make public comments and how to request accommodations is available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org. This recap is not the official record of the BOCC meeting.

Appointments & reappointments

Approved eight appointments and six reappointments of district representatives to eight advisory boards/councils/committees or commissions. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Final development plan for new airplane hangar

Approved a request from Brian Weber, Nexus 5 Group, applicant, and landowner, Johnson County, for a final development plan for a new airplane hangar, on 3.1 acres, on property zoned PEC3, Planned Light Industrial Park District, located on the west side of 159th Street and North Loop Road at the New Century AirCenter. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Allocation of federal funding for eligible programs

Authorized the allocation of Coronavirus SLFRF received from the United States Department of the Treasury in the amount of $500,000 for the purpose of funding eligible programs as directed by the Board. Funding will be used as a community investment by two designated non-profit organizations for behavioral health and therapeutic substance use disorder recovery programs. Vote: Passed 5-2.

• Yes: Fast, Meyers, O’Hara, Allenbrand, Kelly
• No: Hanzlick, Ashcraft

Motion was made to open grant acceptance period and conduct a competitive community search to receive proposal requests for $500,000 in SLFRF funding. Vote: Failed 3-4.

• Yes: Fast, O’Hara, Ashcraft
• No: Meyers, Hanzlick, Allenbrand, Kelly

Motion was made to use the allocation of $500,000 in SLFRF funding for wastewater improvements. Vote: Failed 3-4.

• Yes: Fast, Hanzlick, Ashcraft
• No: Meyers, O’Hara, Allenbrand, Kelly

Public hearing on proposed budget for Fire District No. 2

Sitting as the Governing Board of Fire District No. 2 and after a public hearing, authorized a levy of property taxes in support of the FY 2024 budget for Fire District No. 2 that requires a property tax rate exceeding the revenue neutral rate of 12.662 mills for the Fire District No. 2 General Fund, 0.679 mills for the Fire District No. 2 Debt Service Bond H Fund and 1.062 mills for the Fire District No. 2 Debt Service Bond I Fund. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Proposed budget for Fire District No. 2

Sitting as the Governing Board of Fire District No. 2, approved the FY 2024 budget for Johnson County Fire District No. 2. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Additional Mental Health staff, purchase of crisis response vehicle

Approved acceptance of the Mobile Crisis Response Expansion and Development Grant of $399,685.20 and authorized the Mental Health Department to add 3.0 FTEs to the Mobile Crisis Response Team, the purchase of a crisis response vehicle, and reallocation and expenditure of fund balance (reserves) for FY 2023 in the amount of $399,685.20. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Improvements to 183rd Street

Authorized a contract with Linaweaver Construction, Inc. for grading, surfacing, culvert construction and seeding for the 183rd Street Shoulder Safety and Structural Improvement Project from Metcalf to Nall Avenue, in an amount not to exceed $1,175,502.75. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Step pay plan for emergency service personnel

Approved and adopted Resolution No. 079-23 converting to a step pay plan for Med-Act emergency service personnel for FY 2024. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Review of Public Hearing on FY 2024

Robin Symes, director of Budget and Financial Planning, provided a review of the public hearing from Monday, Aug. 21, for the proposed FY 2024 budget. Forty speakers spoke during the public hearing.

Allocation of 19 additional Housing Choice Vouchers

Johnson County Housing Authority (JCHA) was recently notified of being awarded 19 additional Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) effective Sept. 1, 2023. This is an exciting announcement as JCHA has had the same number of HCVs (1,447) since 2010. This award brings our total HCV allocation to 1,466, allowing JCHA to offer 19 additional households rental assistance. View the notification letter.

Olathe plans hearing on 167 Logistics Centre West LLC project

The City of Olathe will be conducting a public hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 5, to consider approving a property tax abatement project. The proposed 167 Logistics Centre West LLC project is to be financed with $42 million in industrial revenue bonds for acquiring, constructing, equipping and furnishing an approximate 438,314-square-foot industrial facility at 22150 W. 167th St. The applicant has requested a 10-year, 50% property tax abatement. View the details.

CERI provides August edition of Economic Indicators

The August 2023 edition of the Economic Indicators for Johnson County has been provided by the County Economic Research Institute. The CERI report indicated the unemployment rate for June 2023 had increased slightly since June 2022, decreases in the sales of single-family homes in June and over the past year, and a slight increase in June of single-family building permits but an overall decease in the year-to-date number of permits. Total 2023 retail sales were $7.9 billion through May, an increase from a year ago.

Appointment to Consolidated Fire District No. 2

Consider approving the Reappointment of Richard Boeshaar - First District representative to the Consolidated Fire District No. 2 through Aug. 25, 2026.

Submitting Corrections report to the state

Consider approving and submitting the Johnson County Department of Corrections’ SFY 2023 Year-End Outcome Report to the Kansas Department of Corrections as recommended by the Community Corrections Advisory Board on Aug. 1, 2023.

Submitting Corrections' Juvenile Services report to the state

Consider approving and submitting the Johnson County Department of Corrections’, Juvenile Services SFY 2023 Year-End Outcome Report to the Kansas Department of Corrections, Juvenile Services as recommended by the Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board on Aug. 11, 2023.

Rezoning downtown Olathe area

Consider approving the inclusion of specific County-owned properties in the application of the City of Olathe to rezone the downtown area of the City of Olathe from Commercial District to Downtown Core District and authorize the Chair to execute the Ownership Affidavit and Consent. The City of Olathe desires to rezone several properties in the downtown area, including specific County properties, from Commercial District (C-2) to Downtown Core District (D) to align with the goals and vision of the city’s Envision Downtown plan.

Budget for Consolidated Fire District No. 2

Resolution No. 073-23. Consider approving the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Consolidated Fire District No. 2 and adopting Resolution No. 073-23.

Budget for Northwest Consolidated Fire District

Resolution No. 072-23. Consider approving the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Northwest Consolidated Fire District and adopting Resolution No. 072-23.

Budget for Johnson County Fire District No. 1

Resolution No. 071-23. Consider approving the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Johnson County Fire District # 1 and adopting Resolution No. 071-23.

Budget for Johnson County Fire District No. 2

Resolution No. 070-23. Consider approving the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Johnson County Fire District No. 2 and adopting Resolution No. 070-23.

Budget for Johnson County and CIP

Resolution No. 080-23. Consider approving and adopting Resolution No. 080-23, adopting the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and FY 2024 – 2028 Capital Improvement Program as proposed.

Purchase of EMS protective clothing

Consider authorizing the purchase of EMS protective clothing (bunker gear) from Weis Fire Safety per Sourcewell cooperative contract #032620 for use by Johnson County MED-ACT for a total amount not to exceed $200,000 to be paid from the MED-ACT uniform budget.

Submitting carryover reimbursement budget

Consider authorizing and submitting the Johnson County Department of Corrections’ SFY 2024 Carryover Reimbursement Budget to the Kansas Department of Corrections as recommended by the Community Corrections Advisory Board in the amount of $274,189.98.

Joint response to KOMA complaint

Consider approving the BOCC joint response to the Kansas Open Meetings Act complaint filed with the Kansas Attorney General regarding the June 29, 2023 executive session.