The Board of County Commissioners met on Thursday, May 11 in the Hearing Room at the Johnson County Administration Building.

The Board proclaimed Friday, May 12, as Childcare Provider Appreciation Day, occurring annually on the Friday before Mother’s Day, and proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

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 of Dana Markel

Approved the appointment of Dana Markel - First District representative to the Commission on Aging through Aug. 31, 2024. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Contracts for printing and mailing services

Authorized contract extensions for term and supply contracts with Mail Services and Lineage Mailing Services, formerly Strahm Automation and Mailing Services for printing and mailing services in an amount not to exceed $250,000 for a contract term of Oct. 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Vote: Passed 7-0.

(Added to the agenda). Direct staff to provide an overview of existing county boards and commissions at a future study session of the BOCC. Vote: Passed 7-0.

(Added to the agenda). Direct staff to provide the BOCC the amount of sales tax diverted by various taxing districts including community improvement, transportation improvement, TIF, STAR Bonds and any other taxing districts not listed. Vote: Passed 4-3.

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

Purchase of Vivitrol

Authorized an exception to competition per Administrative Policy and Procedure #110.180.A.16 with Besse Medical for the purchase of the prescription injectable medication Vivitrol at $1,150 per vial in an amount not to exceed $250,000 annually. Vote: Passed 7-0.

MOU for county legal services

(Added item to agenda). Approved Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of County Commissioners of Johnson County and Kansas Secretary of State for county legal services. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Motion for revision to Amended Rule of Order

Motion was made for Peg Trent, chief counsel, to prepare a revision to the Board’s Amended Rules of Order to address non-disclosure of information and communications, written and verbal, with Board members that is attorney-client privilege and received during executive sessions. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Motion for opinion from Attorney General

Following an executive session, motion was made to authorize the chief counsel to request a written opinion from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the Board regarding the applicability of the county building codes to a structure on land used as a farm winery open to the public as a registered agritourism location. Vote: Passed 7-0.

Motion to intervene in civil case

A second motion was made to authorize chief counsel to intervene on behalf of the Board in the case of the Sheriff of Johnson County, Kansas v. Leonid Khayet, Case No. 23CV00560. Vote: Passed 6-1.

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

A third motion was made for a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sheriff’s Office for outside legal counsel or to pursue or to explore legal and funding remedies. Vote: Passed 5-2.

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

Board met as a Committee of the Whole regarding proposed Sustainability and Diversity Advisory Committees with up to 15 members in each committee appointed by the Chairman. PowerPoint presentation is attached here.

Motion was made to amend the appointments to the Sustainability Advisory Committee to have two members named by each district commissioner and three committee members by the Chairman. Vote: Failed 3-4.

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

Motion was made to direct staff to provide guidelines to the Sustainability Advisory Committee on goals, performance evaluation, an annual review of the committee and identify efforts to avoid duplication of services by Solid Waste Management and existing sustainability programs. Vote: Passed 5-2.

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

Motion was made to amend the appointments to the Diversity Advisory Committee to have two members named by each district commissioner and three committee members by the Chairman. Vote: Failed 3-4.

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

Motion was made to direct staff to proceed and finalize resolutions establishing the Sustainability Advisory Committee and the Diversity Committee for Board action. Vote: Passed 5-2.

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

Johnson County Juneteenth celebration scheduled June 19

Johnson County Government will hold its second annual Juneteenth celebration on June 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Lenexa Civic Campus Commons (17101 W. 87th St, Lenexa). Plans for the program include keynote speaker Jessica McCallop-McClellan, emcee Nathan Louis Jackson, live music from the Louis Neal Big Band, comments from Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Kelly, and more. At the event, the public can engage with staff representing various county programs and services, purchase food and beverages from the Lenexa Public Market and park for free. More information about celebrating Juneteenth is available at jocogov.org/juneteenth.

Workshop set May 16 on Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan Update

A public information workshop for New Century AirCenter is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. May 16 at the Gardner Justice Center Community Room. This is the third public workshop for New Century AirCenter for the ongoing Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan Update. All are welcome to attend. View a copy of the flier.

Other Reports

Representatives from Federico/Duerst Consulting Group provided a Legislative Update of the Kansas Legislature.

Brent Christensen, director of Financial Management & Administration, presented the Funding and Expense Report of the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund through April 30, 2023. View the report.

Contract to reconstruct taxiway

IFB # 2023-003, Consider authorizing a contract with Superior Bowen Asphalt Co, for the reconstruction of Taxiway F at the Johnson County Executive Airport, in an amount not to exceed $541,904.

Contract to build airfield electrical vault

IFB # 2023-005, Consider authorizing a contract with Capital Electric Construction Co., Inc, for the construction of an airfield electrical vault at the Johnson County Executive Airport, in an amount not to exceed $347,326.

RFP for inmate commissary and other services

(Tabled from May 4, 2023). Request for Proposal (RFP) 2022-084 Inmate Commissary, Tablet/Video Visitation and Phone Services. Consider authorizing contracts with Summit Food Service, LLC for commissary services; and Smart Communications Holding, Inc., for tablet/video visitation services and phone services at no cost to the County, each for a period of three years with two optional one-year terms.

Funding for wastewater project

Resolution No. WD 23-008. Conduct a public hearing and consider authorizing funds in an amount not to exceed $181,000 for the design and bid phase services for the Brush Creek Sanitary Sewer Relocation and Capacity Upgrade Project and consider entering into an agreement with the City of Prairie Village for Johnson County Wastewater to reimburse the city for these services.