The Board of County Commissioners met on Thursday, March 21 in the Hearing Room at the Johnson County Administration Building.

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.

Appointment to Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board

Approved the appointment of Kevin L. Petracek – Third District representative to the Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board through June 30, 2025.

Consent Agenda Vote: Passed 7-0.

Permit for a sanitary sewer pump station

Approved a request from BHC Engineering, on behalf of the City of De Soto, applicant, and Ronald and Lisa Vanlerberg Revocable Trust, landowner, for a special permit to construct a sanitary sewer pump station, on a .44 acre site, on property zoned RN2, Residential Neighborhood 2 District, located north of K-10 Highway and on the east side of Edgerton Road. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Tabling proposed 2024 Audit Plan for two weeks

Consider approving the 2024 Audit Plan proposed by the County Auditor.

Motion was made to table consideration of the proposed audit plan until April 4. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Appointments of special deputy coroners

Approved the District Coroner’s appointment of Ayla McClain and Kim Drewry as special deputy coroners for the Tenth Judicial District of Kansas until such time as a deputy coroner is appointed or for a period of one year, whichever occurs first. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Tabling proposed contracts for Disaster Debris Monitoring Services for one week

Authorized term-and-supply contracts with DebrisTech, LLC. and Tetra Tech, Inc. for Disaster Debris Monitoring Services, at no cost, unless contracts are activated for services following a disaster, for a period of two years with the option to renew for an additional three 1-year periods.

Motion was made to table consideration of the proposed contracts until March 28. Vote: Passed 5-2.

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

Contract for road overlays

Authorized a contract with McAnany Construction, Inc. for 12.1 miles of overlays at various locations in unincorporated Johnson County in an amount not to exceed $2,147,000. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Contract for Mission Road improvements

Authorized a contract with Amino Brothers Construction, Inc. for grading, surfacing, culvert installation and seeding for the Mission Road Shoulder Safety and Structural Improvement Project from 199th Street to 179th Terrace in an amount not to exceed $2,572,557.90. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Contract for Construction Inspection Services

Authored a contract under Construction Inspection Services Contract for the Mission Road Shoulder Safety and Structural Improvement Project from 199th Street to 179th Terrace with George Butler Associates at a cost not to exceed $456,652.50. Vote: Passed 7-0.

JCW receives National Environmental Achievement Award

The National Environmental Achievement Awards recognizes individuals and National Association of Clean Water Agencies, or NACWA, member agencies that have made outstanding contributions to environmental protection and the clean water community. NACWA Awards are presented annually and honorees are recognized at NACWA's Winter Conference. Johnson County Wastewater received its first Environmental Achievement Award for Public Information & Education this year. This award recognizes member agencies for their innovative and creative efforts to inform and educate their community and elevate the sector. Johnson County Wastewater received recognition for the #ForTheW initiative. This campaign is part of a broad effort to showcase wastewater as a career path by highlighting the impact the work has on our environment and the joy staff experience building their careers in wastewater. The hashtag plays on the common internet slang, “W,” which is short for “win.” The slogan of the campaign is “For the work. For the water. For the world.” Melissa Reeves, JCW Education and Outreach manager, created and executed the campaign to connect job seekers with a career at the County in Wastewater, and to shine light on the people who do this important work.

2024 Presidential Preference Primary

On March 19, 2024, Kansas will host its Presidential Preference Primary Election, marking a departure from the caucus system traditionally used by the Republican and Democratic parties. This primary allows voters to directly express their candidate preferences within their party, thereby influencing the allocation of delegates for the respective national conventions. With 138 polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., voters must cast their ballots at their designated location on election day Tuesday, March 19th. The Election Office will review provisional ballots during the canvass starting on March 26 at the Johnson County Election Office, with official results certified on March 27. Initial unofficial results will be released after 7:30 p.m., updated periodically as votes from Election Day polling places are processed.

Merriam Plaza Library celebrates its opening

The opening of the Merriam Plaza Library on March 20 begins an exciting new chapter for Johnson County Library’s 70+ year history in Merriam. Antioch Library, the system’s first official branch, served the community from 1956 until it closed in January to transfer its 20 staff and collection of more than 67,000 items to the new branch.

Other Reports

ETC Institute presented results from the 2024 Johnson County Resident Survey.

Other Reports – Legislative

Mark Dapp, deputy director of Budget and Financial Planning, presented a legislative update through the week of March 11.

After meeting in an executive session, a motion was made to authorize the Chief Counsel to submit to the Attorney General's Office a legal brief on behalf of the Board as an interested party regarding the Attorney General Opinion request of Senator Mike Thompson on the authority of the Johnson County Election Commissioner to destroy paper copies of cast ballots when those ballots are subject to a pending criminal investigation by the County Sheriff. Vote: Passed 7-0.

During a study session, the Board received an infrastructure update.

Contracts for Disaster Debris Monitoring Services

(Tabled by Board on 3/21/2024 for one week.) Authorized term-and-supply contracts with DebrisTech, LLC. and Tetra Tech, Inc. for Disaster Debris Monitoring Services, at no cost, unless contracts are activated for services following a disaster, for a period of two years with the option to renew for an additional three 1-year periods.

Charter Resolution on Civil Service Board

Charter Resolution No. 045-24 exempting Johnson County, Kansas from application of the Statutory Provisions of K.S.A. 19-4304 through 19-4314, 19-4316 through 19-4318, 19-4320 through 19-4328, and 19-4331 through 19-4333 relating to the Civil Service Board, superseding and replacing Charter Resolution No. 043-18, and authorizing substitution and additional provisions relating to the Civil Service Board by Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Johnson County with the approval of the County Sheriff.

Rezoning, plat & plan for Clare Crossing

Resolution No. 031-24. Consider City of Gardner Application No. PDP-23-304-08, for a Rezoning, Preliminary Plat, and a Preliminary Development Plan for Clare Crossing, which is a commercial and multi-family residential development, on approximately 58 acres, located at the southeast corner of 175th Street and Clare Road, Gardner, and located within one mile of the Johnson County New Century AirCenter.

Site plan for Gardner Utilities

Resolution No. 029-24. Consider City of Gardner Application No. SP-23-306-01, a site plan for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of City of Gardner Utilities located at 1150 E. Santa Fe St. and within one mile of New Century AirCenter.

Rezoning & plans for drive-through restaurant

Resolution No. 030-24. Consider City of Gardner Application No. 23-304-10, a rezoning, preliminary and final development plan for HTeaO drive-through restaurant located northwest of the intersection of Main Street and Moonlight Road and within one mile of New Century AirCenter.

Findings & recommendations involving partition fence

Resolution No. 021-24. Consider adopting the Fence Viewers’ proposed findings of fact and recommendations for maintenance of a partition fence lying between the properties located at 29800 W. 127th St., owned by complainants Kelly Hutton-Gordon and Greg Storck, and 12200 Gardner Road, owned by Arlene Rigdon, located in Section 23, Township 13, Range 22, Lexington Township, Johnson County.

Construction of storage building near fire station

Sitting as the Governing Body of Fire District No. 2, consider authorizing a contract with Kelly Construction Group, Inc., for the construction of a storage building next to the Spring Hill fire station in the amount not to exceed $480,000, utilizing the Johnson County On-Call Construction Services Term and Supply Contract, RFP 2021-053.

Paving repairs at Northeast Office Building

Invitation for Bid (IFB) 2024-015, Consider authorizing a contract with Harbour Construction, Inc. for the Northeast Office Paving Repairs and Replacement – Phase 2 Project at the Northeast Office Building, 6000 Lamar Ave., Mission, in the amount of $187,435.04.

Paving repairs at Sunset Drive Office Building

Invitation for Bid (IFB) No. 2024-016, Consider authorizing a contract with R&R Concrete KC Inc. for the Sunset Paving Repairs and Replacement – Phase 2 Project at the Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, in the amount of $349,842.

Increased expenditure authority for contracts

Consider increasing expenditure authority for term and supply contracts with KBS Constructors, Inc., Kelly Construction Group, Inc., B.A. Green Construction Co., Inc., and Universal Construction Co. for On-Call Construction Services, in the amount of $2,500,000 for a total contract value not to exceed $7,500,000 for the current contract term and the remaining two 1-year renewal options available, per Request for Proposal (RFP) 2021-053.

Printing & mailing for election services

Consider authorizing an exception to competition with SeaChange Print Innovations, LLC, for election related printing and mailing services in the amount not to exceed $400,000.