Here are highlights of the Board of County Commissioners’ actions and activities in August 2022. More information, including official minutes, votes and videos on all items is available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org.

The BOCC approved five action items in separate votes regarding the Johnson County Square Phase 2 improvements:

• A maintenance, management and use agreement with the city of Olathe and adjoining outdoor recreational space for public events.
• An amendment of $2 million to the county’s Capital Improvement Program to include the Phase 2 capital project and reallocation and expenditure of $1 million of Countywide Support Funds for the county’s portion to finance the improvements to the public square. As a joint project, Olathe is also contributing $1 million.
• A contract of $196,500 with TreanorHL to complete the design of the Phase 2 project.
• Regulations regarding the use of the Johnson County Square and adjacent property, including animals, alcohol and cereal malt beverages, fires and open flames, sales and structures.
• Approval of a short list of possible construction companies for the Johnson County Square Phase 2.

Learn more in this news release.

In addition, the BOCC:

• authorized the Wastewater General Manager to review and extend the current 2022 deferment extension requests one additional five-year deferment period, if eligible
• authorized a one-time additional compensation of $100 per day for Johnson County employees reassigned as election workers to recount the Constitutional Amendment Ballots in Johnson County for the 2022 Special Election and directed the county to request full reimbursement (including this expense) of all ballot recount expenses in Johnson County from the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.
• authorized funding in the amount of $100,000 and authorized the Chairman to execute the “Real Estate Agreement” for the purchase of property from the Parks and Recreation Foundation of Johnson County within the City of Shawnee for future use as a Johnson County Wastewater wet weather storage facility site.  More information on this collaborative effort that saved millions of dollars is available here.