Johnson County won five 2012 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) and nine 2012 Awards of Excellence from the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO), a division of NACo. 

On Thursday, July 26, recipients of the awards were recognized during the weekly business session of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners. The awards were presented to the county during the recent 2012 Annual Conference and Exposition of NACo and NACIO in Pittsburgh.

Two programs from the Department of Technology and Innovation were recipients of NACo awards, including the Information Technology Services Client Liaison Program and the Information Technology Services Shared Services Program.

            Other award-winning programs were:

• Wastewater Department’s Succession Planning Program;
• A New Model Program for Youth by the Corrections Department; and,
• The Kansas 150 Program in celebration of the state’s sesquicentennial in 2011 by the County Manager’s Office in partnership with Johnson County Library and the Johnson County Office of Kansas State University Research and Extension.

No other county in Kansas received an Achievement Award this year from NACo.

Four employees from three departments were recognized for winning NACIO awards, including two superior, two excellent, and five meritorious awards. The annual competition recognizes outstanding public relations and public information work being done in counties across the nation.

• Lori Sand from Wastewater won an Excellent and a Meritorious Award.
• Adele Wilcoxen from the Extension Office, Marsha Bennett from the Library, and Gerald Hay from County Manager’s Office shared a meritorious award as PIO partners for the Kansas 150 program that also received a NACo award.
• Hay also received two superior, one excellent, and three other meritorious awards.

This week additional deputies will be on the roads looking for aggressive drivers. Deputies will be looking for people engaged in traffic offenses that may be a danger to others on the roadways such as:  Speeding, excessive lane changes, improper passing and tailgating.

During this additional enforcement, deputies will be targeting aggressive and illegal operation of vehicles and will also be strictly enforcing seatbelt, drunk driving and helmet laws.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 6,800,000 crashes occur in the United States each year; a substantial number are estimated to be caused by aggressive driving. 
 

It’s hot! It’s dry!! And a lot of our lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers are struggling. If you planted varieties not recommended for our growing region you are probably desperately trying to keep everything alive. Some of you may have already lost the fight.

Did you know that K-State Research and Extension develops lists of recommended grass, flowers or vegetable varieties for Kansas City and the surrounding area? University research conducted right here in Olathe helps to determine what grows best in our landscapes. 

The K-State Research and Extension Horticulture Center’s Field Day, Saturday, July 28, is the public’s opportunity to peek behind the scenes. From 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. you can talk with the experts and learn about the latest plant varieties and growing methods for achieving success. Admission is $5 per person, which includes cold bottled water, seminars, classes and demonstrations. A complete listing of educational classes is available on Johnson County Extension’s website.

The Center conducts research in turfgrass, vegetable production and flowers. Visitors can speak with university professors heading up the research and Johnson County Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

Highlights – Flower Area

• Annual flower trials - Companies from around the world submit their newest developments. The research trials show which flowers can withstand the Kansas City climate. The trials illustrate that not all varieties are created equal.
• Container Garden Trials – Over 300 new plants for patio planters and front porch use.  Performance in a planter is much different than in the ground.  See which flowers are best for pots and which ones are best planted in the ground.
• Display Beds – Annual planting combinations, see great designs to use in your landscape.

 Highlights – Vegetable Area

• Vegetable research – See the latest in production including the new and trendy grafted tomatoes.
• Backyard Garden – Get ideas to how to incorporate vegetables into your home. The garden demonstrates a number of crops for the garden and inventive ways to efficiently use space.  Don’t miss the fruit crops and how flowers have been incorporated for more color.  Composting is also featured in this garden.
• Cutting garden – New this year EMGs have created a flower cutting garden using a mixes of annuals and perennials planted in color waves. Fresh flowers can then be brought and used indoors in decorative arrangements, just another way to enjoy the garden.
• Plant clinic - bring your ailing plant samples and get your questions answered.
• Tomato tasting – sample fresh garden tomatoes and see which one tickles your taste buds.  (This event will be held depending on supplies at the time of the field day.)
• Grilling demonstration – Learn tips for grilling fresh vegetables to savor the summer flavor.
• Pressure Gauge Testing - EMFVs will offer free pressure gauge testing at their booth.  Pressure gauges should be tested once a year to ensure that the food your preserve is safe to consume.  Get your pressure gauge tested to keep you and your family safe. *NOTE*: We cannot test weighted gauges. 

Highlights – Turf Area

• Grass versus Trees – It’s a war for survival.  Learn how to grow better turf in the shade or when to give up and switch to ground covers.
• Ground Cover trials – Numerous shady ground covers are under observation. See which ones are making the cut after the horrible summer 2011.
• Turf Research – Learn more about university level research such as variety trials and new and improved methods to achieve a nice lawn.

 Free soil tests

Johnson County residents can bring their soil and get one free soil test, complements of Stormwater Management. A soil test determines the nutrients in the soil. It is important to know the nutrient levels to grow healthy plants. Go to www.johnson.ksu.edu/soiltest to learn how to take a soil sample.  At least 2 cups of dry soil are needed for a proper test.

The Research Center is located at 35230 West 135th Street, Olathe. The entrance is approximately nine miles west of Highway 7 on 135th Street. Admission is $5 at the gate. Lunch will be available for purchase during the event.  For information call (913) 715-7000, or visit www.johnson.ksu.edu.

During the July 4th Holiday week, Deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office will be keeping a watchful eye out for those who might be celebrating Independence Day with a little too much flare.

With the Fourth of July holiday quickly approaching, the sheriff's office would like to remind everyone that deputies will be enforcing the ban on the use of fireworks in unincorporated Johnson County. According to county regulations, fireworks including sparklers are illegal without a permit in all unincorporated areas of Johnson County. Persons caught using or selling fireworks will be subject to fines from $25 up to $100.

De Soto, Kan. - Inside the city limits of De Soto on July 2nd and July 3rd from the hours of 10:00 am till 10:00 pm and also on July 4th from 10:00 am until midnight, city ordinance 7-303 allows the use of all fireworks except bottle rockets.

Edgerton, Kan. - Fireworks are allowed inside the city limits of Edgerton on July 3rd from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm and on July 4th from 10:00 am until midnight on private property according to Edgerton City Regulation 7-303.

Please check your municipal city ordinances for any exceptions in your area of planned festivities. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office wishes everyone a safe holiday celebration.

Emergency management officials know that in weather emergencies, such as tornados, warnings can save lives. But they can’t always rely on traditional warning methods — television, radio and outdoor sirens — to reach everyone. Beginning next week, through a partnership with FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, officials will also be able to send warnings directly to cell phones.

Using the new Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, the National Weather Service will send warnings for tornados, flash floods, blizzards and ice storms in the Kansas City area to cell towers that serve affected counties. The warnings will go automatically to any newer-model cell phones within range of the towers.

“While these warnings may look like text messages, there won’t be any charges on your phone bill,” said Matt May, assistant director of operations for the Johnson County Division of Emergency Management. “This is just one more way to be alert for imminent dangers, whether you’re at home or on the road.”

The short messages will provide very basic information, such as the type of warning, affected areas and duration. “When you get this warning message, we encourage you to turn to other sources for more detailed information about what to expect and what actions you should take,” said May.

Whether and how you’ll receive the alerts depends on your cell phone and service provider. About 10 percent of the cell phones in use today are already capable of receiving the alerts; others, such as newer iPhones and Android models, will soon receive software updates that add this feature. The wireless industry estimates that by 2014 nearly all phones on the market will be WEA-capable.

The alerts are delivered directly from cell tower to cell phone through a one-way broadcast. The system will not track or locate individual cell phones or phone numbers — it simply broadcasts to all phones within range. Unfortunately, in some cases, this may result in overwarning.

“For example, if we issue a warning for Johnson County, Kansas, it will go to all towers that serve that county. If you live in an adjacent area, such as western Jackson or Cass counties, you may get the warning, too,” said Andy Bailey, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill. “Towers in urban areas generally serve a radius of two to five miles, and in rural areas up to 10 miles, so the warning message may reach a little beyond the warning boundaries.”

The alerts will include a unique ring tone and vibration. They will not interrupt any phone calls or downloads in progress. If you’re on the phone when the warning is issued, you’ll get the message after you end your call.

In addition to weather alerts, the system can broadcast AMBER alerts and presidential alerts for national emergencies. On newer phones, these alerts will be turned on by default. Procedures for opting out of the alerts will vary by carrier.

“Like any new system, we’ll no doubt have some issues to work through,” said Chuck Thacker, Grandview, Mo., fire chief and chair of the Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee. “We hope people will be patient and not opt out of these potentially life-saving messages. The system will get better with time, but it’s too important to wait any longer.”

To learn more about the Wireless Emergency Alert system, contact your city/county emergency manager. To find out if your phone is capable of receiving the alerts, contact your wireless service provider. Visit www.preparemetrokc.org for more information on preparing for emergencies

# # #

Note to media: Emergency management officials will be available for phone or on-camera interviews about the new Wireless Emergency Alert system. To set up an interview, contact Matt May, 913-927-4148.

If you enjoy gardening and working with others and sharing your growing passion then the K-State Research and Extension Master Gardener program may be just the opportunity for you. Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Johnson County Extension Master Gardener (EMG) training program.   

EMG volunteers get involved in a variety of projects including:

• maintaining eight county demonstration gardens,
• staffing a gardening hotline and
• giving presentations through the speakers’ bureau.

Youth programs are also another avenue for volunteer participation.

Application Deadline

The deadline for application is July 16. Training sessions will begin September 11 and run each Tuesday through November 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All classes will be conducted at the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Office, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1500 in Olathe. There is a $125 administration fee for those accepted into the class. Class members must be Johnson County residents.

Informational Meeting to Learn About the Program

An informational meeting will be held Tuesday, June 19 at 10 a.m. for anyone wanting more information about the Johnson County Extension Master Gardener program before they apply. Laura Dickinson EMG coordinator and Dennis Patton, County Extension Agent/Horticulture will be on hand to take questions and discuss the Extension Master Garden program

About the EMG Program

The EMG program, sponsored by Kansas State University Research and Extension is designed to teach area gardeners about horticulture and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge through various gardening-related volunteer projects. Applicants who are selected for the EMG program will receive intensive horticulture-related training from industry experts. In return, newly-trained recruits will be required to volunteer a minimum of time each year.

In Johnson County we require 40 hours of service during your first year after training, and at least that many in subsequent years in order to maintain EMG certification. On average, a typical Johnson County EMG donates more than 115 hours of service yearly.

K-State Research and Extension began their Master Gardener pilot program in Johnson County 29 years ago. In 2011, Extension Master Gardeners volunteered more than 39,000 total hours to the Johnson County community.

Gardeners who join the program bring many different experience levels and interests to the program. If you are a novice gardener, do not let the title of Extension Master Gardener intimidate you. Your love of gardening and passion for sharing your garden experience is the basis for success.

To get a feel for the program, click on the Apply Now -- Extension Master Gardener Class of 2013 Facebook Photo Album.

If you are interested in applying for the program, or would like more information, please contact Johnson County Extension at (913) 715-7000 or visit www.johnson.ksu.edu and click on the Becoming an Extension Master Gardener link for details.

Johnson County is going to bat against hunger in the Johnson County community during its 2012 Feed the Need campaign.

The County Government’s annual food drive officially begins with a kickoff celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, on the square between the Johnson County Courthouse and the Administration Building in downtown Olathe.

The theme for the public fund-raising, food-collecting celebration is Johnson County “All Star” event to commemorate the baseball All-Star Game on July 10 at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, home of the Royals. The kickoff event features a variety of booths offering food items, games, craft sales, drawings for prizes, and donation opportunities.

The dunk tank will return to test the skills of softball throwers, ranging from stellar to cellar, and feature the thrills and spills of platform sitters who will take turns on the platform above the tank of water. Participants include county department directors and three members of the Board of County Commissioners – Sixth District Commissioner Calvin Hayden, Fifth District Commissioner Michael Ashcraft, and Fourth District Commissioner Jason Osterhaus.

The 2012 campaign goal has been set at 186 tons of food in either cash or food donations. Each donated dollar is roughly equivalent to four pounds of food.

“Feed the Need is an important fund-raising campaign for Johnson County Government and serves an important role in the Johnson County community,” Walt Way, director of the Johnson County Department of Emergency Management and Communications and co-chairman of the 2011 campaign, said. “There is a critical need to keep up with increasing requests for food assistance at our local food pantries by citizens and families in need. Unfortunately, it’s a need that’s not going away.”

Michael Meadors, campaign co-chair and director of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, agrees.

“Our pantries can always use food; the shelves are especially bare over the summer,” Meadors said. “Summer is the most difficult time for our food pantries.  We experience a decline in food donations and school children are home for the summer, so parents are responsible for providing three meals a day.  During the school year, many of our children receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school.” 

According to a recent report by United Community Services (UCS) of Johnson County, Last school year, more than 21,000 Johnson County public school students in the last school year participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. The countywide participation rate was 23 percent with rates at the Shawnee Mission and Gardner-Edgerton School Districts at approximately 33 percent. In the 2002-2003 school year, fewer than 8,000 students, or 16 percent, participated in the program.

The UCS report indicated that nearly 36,000 Johnson County residents had incomes below the federal poverty level. That’s about $22,300 for a family of four. More than 1 in 6 county residents is classified as low-income households, or approximately 100,000 people.

“We all know the importance of the county’s Feed the Need campaign to the hungry in our community,” Meadors said.  “We traditionally provide about a third of the annual food distributed by the food pantries through this effort.”

“Our workforce is a reflection of the community we serve,” Way added. “It shows we care.”

All donations collected in the food drive will benefit 10 local food pantries serving eligible Johnson County citizens. The pantries include:

• Blue Valley Multi-Service Center (Overland Park);
• De Soto Multi-Service Center;
• Spring Hill Multi-Service Center;
• North-Central Multi-Service Center (Lenexa);
• Roeland Park Community Center;
• Gardner Multi-Service Center;
• Shawnee Community Services;
• Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas; and,
• Salvation Army and First Christian Church, both in Olathe.

Six of the food pantries are located in multi-service centers operated by the Johnson County Department of Human Services. Last year, the six pantries provided food assistance to 2,098 households and served 14,010 individuals.

According to the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, food pantry services by Johnson County charities and agencies, including the multi-service centers, served 8,857 households, totaling 28,832 individuals, in 2011.

Johnson County’s Feed the Need started in 1987 with one county department and the collection of less than one ton of food. County Government has collected more than three million pounds of donations for local pantries since the program began.

The county has been a leading participant in the annual metropolitan Feed the Need campaign since 1988. Feed the Need is a regional effort coordinated by the Mid-America Regional Council, the Mid-America Assistance Coalition, and Harvesters International.

More information is available by contacting Walt Way, Director of the Johnson County Department of Emergency Management and Communications, at (913) 826-1010 or WWay@jocogov.org or Michael Meadors, Director of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District at (913) 894-3310 or michael.meadors@jogogov.org. They serve as co-chairs of the 2012 Feed the Need campaign.

The proposed FY 2013 Budget for Johnson County Government holds the line on the county’s property taxes for a seventh straight year.

It also keeps a lid on finances.

The county’s proposed budget for next year totals $810.6 million. That is at the same level of the county’s current total budget amount. The FY 2013 expenditures are estimated at $664.2 million, which are $17.7 million less than current budgeted expenditures. The county’s annual budget funds 29 departments and five agencies that comprise Johnson County Government.

The proposed 2013 Budget was drafted without an increase in the county’s current taxing levy at 23.188 mills, which traditionally has been the lowest mill levy among 105 counties in Kansas. The county has maintained a constant mill levy since 2007 when the mill levy was 23.199.

The spending proposal for next year was unveiled Thursday, May 31, during an afternoon Committee of the Whole session of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) by representatives from the County Manager's Office and the Budget and Financial Planning Department.  

Preparation of the proposed budget under the direction of County Manager Hannes Zacharias, has been under development over the past four months. 

In his annual budget message to the Board, Zacharias said the proposed FY 2013 Budget represents “the successful culmination of our organization’s efforts to navigate the recession and its aftermath without raising taxes” while “delivering the highest possible services to our citizens during these tough economic times.”

“This organization has been cutting budgets for the last several years with each succeeding year increasingly difficult even as the amount of reduction gets smaller,” Zacharias said.

Since 2009, the county has implemented $45 million in budget reductions, including planned cuts totaling $9.2 million in ongoing expenditures in 2013.

Of equal importance, he said the proposed budget has addressed the County’s structural deficit in its Five-Year Financial Forecast by reducing that deficit to $5.2 million in 2014 “putting the county in an extremely strong position moving forward.”

Getting to that point has not been easy.

Over the past few years, Johnson County has reduced its workforce without resorting to layoffs. In late 2011, more than 170 long-time employees, roughly 4.5 per cent of the workforce, accepted a voluntary early retirement incentive and left County Government within a span of one month.

The proposed FY 2013 Budget places the maximum number of FTE (full-time equivalent) employees at 3,844.91, a decrease of almost 57 FTEs from the FY 2012 Budget.

At the same time, scheduled merit raises for county employees were eliminated in 2009, halved in 2010, and postponed in 2011. The County Manager is recommending a 2.5 percent salary merit increase in his proposed FY 2013 Budget. The merit increase in 2012 was 1.5 percent.

“While the County has been extremely resourceful and diligent in its efforts, maintaining a constant mill levy has come at a price.  County employees are shouldering a heavier load due to staff reductions and positions being held vacant,” Zacharias said.

“Despite the accomplishments of the past four years, the recession has taken a very real toll on the County’s workforce.  My thanks go to our employees who show their commitment to public service each and every day.”

Other highlights of the proposed FY 2013 Budget include reserves of $146.4 million, compared to $128.6 million in FY 2012, and a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) totaling slightly more than $97.7 million, including:

• Almost $54.3 million for wastewater projects;
• Almost $12.7 million for the County Assistance Road System (CARS) program;
• Almost $12 million for the county’s Stormwater Management Program;
• Almost $2 million for bus replacement by the Transit Department;
• $1.9 million for the county’s Bridge, Road, and Culvert Program; and,
• $1.3 million for land acquisition and capital improvements by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

“The FY 2013 Budget reflects the Board’s direction to maintain a constant mill levy and to eliminate the County’s long-term structural deficit by FY 2014 while minimizing the impact to services,” Zacharias said in his concluding budget message to the BOCC.

“At the same time, the effects of a fourth consecutive year of significant budget reductions, the rising expectations of the community, and the growing volatility of the state’s budget as it relates to Johnson County indicate we will be faced with extremely difficult decisions in the coming years.” 

What’s the bottom line: The amount of county tax (23.188 mills) on an average $238,000 residential property will be approximately $635, or approximately $52.92 per month, in 2013. The average residential value in 2012 was $242,000, with an estimated tax of $645 or $53.75 per month.

The estimated amount generated by one mill of property tax was placed at $7.31 million in the proposed FY 2013 Budget. The county’s property tax does not include other taxing entities, such as the State of Kansas, cities, and school districts.

Approximately 39 percent of the budget revenue (about $260 million) will come from taxes, including approximately $165.7 million from property taxes. Charges for services will provide about 26 percent (about $174.4 million) of the funding.

What’s next: The Board of County Commissioners will now review the budget proposal and meet with county departments and agencies in a series of work sessions from June 7-28.

The BOCC is scheduled to finalize the county’s FY 2013 Budget on July 5 for legal publication on July 10. Following legal publication, the county cannot, by law, increase the amount of the budgeted expenditures, but can decrease the amount of the operating budget or taxing level in final approval by the Board.

The public hearing on the new county budget will occur at 7 p.m. Monday, July 23, in the Board’s Hearing Room located on the third floor of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe.

The BOCC is scheduled to adopt the budget resolution during its business session on Thursday, August 9, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Hearing Room. According to state statute, the county’s new budget must be approved and filed with the County Clerk by August 25.

Details about the FY 2013 Proposed Budget, the FY 2012 Budget, and budget process are available at the county’s main website at www.jocogov.org.

More information is available by contacting Johnson County Manager Hannes Zacharias at (913) 715-0731 or Hannes.Zacharias@jocogov.org or Scott Neufeld, Director of the Johnson County Department of Budget and Financial Planning, at (913) 715-0553 or Scott.Neufeld@jocogov.org.

Johnson County’s newest public art project, called “Adaptation,” has been completed by Kansas City artist Matthew Dehaemers, a native of Johnson County.

The project is unique. It’s kinetic, meaning it slowly changes its shape. It is approximately 16 feet in height when fully closed and extends to roughly 23 feet when fully opened in a series of three movements that are completed a couple times a day.

Dehaemers’ creation will be unveiled Wednesday, May 30, during the dedication of two new buildings at the  Johnson County Department of Public Works and Infrastructure complex, 1800 West 56 Highway, in west Olathe. The public celebration, including tours of two new buildings, speeches, and a ceremonial ribbon cutting, starts at 10 a.m.

“Adaptation,” featuring moving parts, is located on the Public Works complex. The sculpture was built from stainless steel, hydraulics, bearings, and yellow paint, and took nearly two years to complete. The contract for the art project totaled $130,000.

 “When fully opened up, the forearm and hand-like structure mimics our own arms as well as the construction equipment that Public Works workers use on a daily basis. The ‘fingertips’ have a series of abstracted bird structures painted in construction yellow that appear to lift off in a V-formation into the air.  The V-formation is symbolic of the team-like quality of Johnson County Public Works,” Dehaemers said.

“The structure itself is an adaptation of our physical bodies.  It reflects how workers use these machines as an extension of their own bodies given the physical nature of their daily tasks.”

Dehaemers was born and raised in Johnson County, growing up near 93rd Street and Pawnee Lane in Leawood. He now resides in Kansas City, Kansas with his wife and two children.

His national public art commissions include:

• “Catalyst” for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority;
• “Seven Sentinels” at the Vehicle Impound Facility in Kansas City;
• “Convergence” commissioned by Los Angeles County; and,
• “Detour” for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

“Adaptation” is the second public art project for Johnson County Government. The county’s first public art project by New York City artist Suikang Zhao was incorporated in the construction of the Corrections Department’s Youth and Family Services Center in west Olathe. The facility and art were completed in 2011.  

Art projects are funded from the county’s public art program, established in 2007 by the Board of County Commissioners for certain new Johnson County Government major capital projects. The program uses 1 percent of the budget for public art projects.

The celebration on May 30 will also signal the official completion of a new 22,250-square-foot Fleet Maintenance building and a new 23,300-square-foot Administration/Operations building for the Public Works Department with roots dating back more than eight decades. Both buildings were designed by 360 Architecture, Inc., and built by McCownGordon Construction, LLC.

The county anticipates LEEDTM Gold certification for the project from the United States Green Building Council under the council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Green Building Rating System.  LEEDTM certification is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance sustainable buildings.

Johnson County currently has three LEEDTM Gold buildings and one LEEDTM Platinum building.

More information about dedication and Public Works project is available by contacting Joe Waters, Director of the Facilities Department, at joe.waters@jocogov.org or by calling (913) 715-1105 or Mac Andrew, Director of the Public Works and Infrastructure Department, at mac.andrew@jocogov.org or by calling (913) 715-8305.

 Bill Owens: Suburbia, running from June 1 - September 1, 2012, is the latest exhibit at the Johnson County Museum, 6305 Lackman Road. The exhibit contains over 70 photographs detailing everyday suburban life in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Artifacts from the time period from the Museum's collection will also be on display with the photographs. Bill Owens was a young photographer working for the Livermore (California) Independent newspaper when he documented the lives of his suburban friends and neighbors. The Johnson County Museum is open Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Suburbanization of the Western United States ramped up after World War II, as the need for housing collided with a seemingly unlimited amount of land that was available for development. A newly affluent middle-class, a renewed focus on the family, and the growth of consumer culture resulted in a suburban life that proved attractive to millions of Americans. Bill Owens documented changes to the built environment and the social changes in the lives of his suburban neighbors and friends. It was a time when small towns and rural communities were being devoured by the outwardly bland, sameness of track housing prevalent in many post-War housing developments. Behind that sameness, Owens revealed a deeper understanding into the desires, hopes and dreams of families at the forefront of Sun Belt suburbanization. As an October 2010 article in Smithsonian magazine acknowledged, "His portraits were not news...they were new. They personalized a national aspiration and gave treeless neighborhoods the felling of pioneer settlements... the pictures relaxed intimacy that invites the viewer to look these new suburbanites in the eye, not down at them."

Initially published in the 1973 book, Suburbia, Owen's series has been hailed for its anthropological, photo-realist presentation of his subjects. Most images are complemented by a caption from the subject, revealing their inner thoughts. Critics claimed his work reinforced all that was wrong in suburbia -- cultural wastelands whose inhabitants cared little about the broader world. More recent culture depictions of suburban life, underscored in films like American Beauty (1999) and The Ice Storm (1997), reveal a darker presence, shattering the perfect facade behind he manicured lawns and common trappings of life.

Owens is recognized as one of the most important photographers of the late 20th century middle-class American life. His work has been exhibited extensively in museums and galleries worldwide and is held within the permanent collections of many major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the National Museum of American Art and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. The 1999 re-print of the classic Suburbia book, with an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and historian David Halberstam, is available for purchase from the Johnson County Museum store.

Bill Owens: Suburbia will run from June 1 - September 1, 2012, and is open during regular Museum hours, Mondays through Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 P.M. Admission to the Museum and exhibit is free. A Suburban Film Series complements the exhibit. The next film is Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) on Thursday, June 7th at 7:15 p.m. at The Rio in downtown Overland Park. Tickets at the venue are $5. Additional details may be found on the Museum's website. The Johnson County Museum is located at 6305 Lackman Road, Shawnee, Kansas. Please call (913) 715-2550, or visit www.jocomuseum,org for more information.

It’s ready. Two new buildings are set. All systems are go for a public dedication in celebration of the completion of a multi-year project for the Johnson County Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.

The celebration, featuring building tours, speeches, and a ceremonial ribbon cutting, is scheduled at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Public Works complex at 1800 West 56 Highway in west Olathe.

Speakers will include:

• Ed Eilert, Chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners;
• Joe Waters, director of the Johnson County Facilities Department;
• Ramin Cherafat from  McCownGordon Construction, LLC, construction manager for the project; and,
• Bill Johnson from 360 Architecture, Inc., designers of the project.

Mac Andrew, director of the Public Works Department, will serve as emcee for the event.

The project involved construction of a new 22,250-square-foot Fleet Maintenance building and a new 23,300-square-foot Administration/Operations building.   The total project authorization was $14,560,000. Both buildings were designed by 360 Architecture, Inc., and built under an $11,506,199 contract with McCownGordon Construction, LLC.

The county anticipates LEEDTM Gold certification for the project from the United States Green Building Council under the council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Green Building Rating System.  LEEDTM certification is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance sustainable buildings.

Johnson County currently has three LEEDTM Gold buildings and one LEEDTM Platinum building.

As part of the project, and May 30 celebration, the county will unveil its second public art project – a large scale kinetic art piece, entitled “Adaptation,” by Kansas City artist Matthew Dehaemers, a native of Johnson County. The sculpture, featuring moving parts, was built from stainless steel, hydraulics, bearings, and yellow paint.

His national public art commissions include:

• “Catalyst” for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority;
• “Seven Sentinels” at the Vehicle Impound Facility in Kansas City;
• “Convergence” commissioned by Los Angeles County; and,
• “Detour” for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The county’s first public art project by New York City artist Suikang Zhao was incorporated in the construction of the Youth and Family Services Center in west Olathe for the Corrections Department. The facility and art were completed in 2011.  

Art projects are funded from the county’s public art program established in 2007 by the Board of County Commissioners for certain new Johnson County Government major capital projects. The program uses 1 percent of the budget for public art projects.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, with 75 employees, is responsible for improvements and maintenance of more than 460 miles of gravel and paved roadways and 118 bridges in the rural/unincorporated areas of Johnson County. It also oversees the annual County Assistance Road System (CARS) and Stormwater Management programs.

The 2012 CARS program is providing $15.7 million for 20 new road projects in nine cities. The 2012 Stormwater Management Program is set at $18.1 million including $14.1 million for 12 design/construction projects in six cities and approximately $3.2 million for flood mitigation and proactive efforts.

The history of the department began in 1931 when the county purchased land for the east quarry and land for a second quarry in 1952. The county acquired land for the present Public Works complex in 1965. Six years later, townships turned over road responsibilities to the county, leading to creation of the Public Works Department in 1984.

More information about the dedication and Public Works project is available by contacting Joe Waters, Director of the Facilities Department, at joe.waters@jocogov.org or by calling (913) 715-1105 or Mac Andrew, Director of the Public Works and Infrastructure Department, at mac.andrew@jocogov.org or by calling (913) 715-8305.

Friday, June 1 at 12:00 noon is still the filing deadline for candidates for county, township and precinct committee offices in Johnson County, Kansas.  Filings from township and precinct candidates are lagging as this is written.

For national and state offices, with the exception of District Attorney, the new filing deadline is Monday, June 11, as announced by the Secretary of State.  State statutes provide for the June 1 deadline to be moved if redistricting is not completed by May 10. (K.S.A. 25-205 (h) (2))

National and state candidates file with the Secretary of State in Topeka; local candidates file at the Johnson County Election Office. State statutes prescribe the 12:00 noon deadline.

This list indicates filing deadlines for current contests in Johnson County, Kansas.

Filing Deadline – Noon, June 1, 2012

District Attorney, 10th District

Johnson County Commissioners Districts 2, 3, 6

Johnson County Sheriff

Aubry Township Trustee, Treasurer

Gardner Township Trustee, Treasurer

Lexington Township Trustee, Treasurer

McCamish Township Trustee, Treasurer

Olathe Township Trustee, Treasurer

Oxford Township Trustee, Treasurer

Spring Hill Township Trustee, Treasurer

Precinct Committeemen, Committeewomen

Filing Deadline – Noon, June 11, 2012

U.S. Representative, 3rd Congressional District

Kansas Senate Districts

Kansas Representative Districts

State Board of Education Member District

Please visit the Election Office website at www.jocoelection.org for more information.