NOVEMBER - 2008

22nd Annual Veterans Day ceremony at Vietnam War Memorial planned

The 22nd Annual Johnson County Veterans Day Observance is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11, at the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial at Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam.

The public ceremony, sponsored by Johnson County Government, salutes all veterans, past and present; commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War; and honors 57 Johnson County soldiers killed or missing in action in the Vietnam War. The youngest to die was 18; the oldest was 47. Four are listed as MIAs.

The Vietnam War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day in 1974 and was the first memorial to Vietnam War veterans in the Kansas City metropolitan region. It was renovated and rededicated on Memorial Day 1998.

Featured speakers will include Annabeth Surbaugh, Chairman of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners, and Lieutenant Colonel F.G. “Duke” Hester.

Hester, a veteran of the Vietnam War, serves as the Mobilization Readiness Officer for the Kansas Army National Guard. His military service spans more than three decades. His decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.

Surbaugh has served on the Board of County Commissioners for 16 years, representing the Third District from 1992 until being elected the county’s first popularly elected chairman in 2002 under the new Home Rule Charter. She was re-elected to a second four-year term in 2006.

Master of ceremonies will be John Littleton, a veteran from the Vietnam War, who serves as the assistant membership chairman of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 912 in Kansas.

The 2008 event features:

• patriotic music performed by the Shawnee Mission South High School Band under the direction of Steve Adams and a choir from Crestview Elementary School under the direction of Susan Kaldahl;
  
• Johnson County Sheriff’s Color Guard;
  
• placement of memorial wreaths by local veterans organizations;
  
• rifle salute, bagpipe music, and playing of “Echo Taps;”
  
• vintage military vehicles; and,
  
• the Patriot Guard.

The county’s annual Veterans Day observance began in 1987 with public services on the south steps of the Johnson County Courthouse in downtown Olathe before moving to the Kansas National Armory in west Olathe from 1995 to 2006. Last year’s event was at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Overland Park.

The offices of Johnson County Government will be closed Tuesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

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County adopts resolution for Research Triangle sales tax to start in early 2009

A one-eighth cent sales tax to fund projects and programs for the Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority becomes effective on April 1, 2009.

A resolution to adopt and levy the sales tax was approved Thursday, November 20, by the Johnson County Board of Commissioners. By state law, the tax becomes effective at the end of the next calendar quarter.

The Board’s action follows approval by the voters in the November 4 General Elections of countywide Question No. 2 regarding creation of the Education Research Triangle Authority and authorization of the proposed sales tax. The question was approved by 57 percent of the voters with 154,360 voting in favor of the new sales tax and 115,917 voting against it.

Procedures for creation of the Education Research Triangle Authority and for imposition of the sales tax were authorized in legislation passed in 2007 by the Kansas Legislature. The legislation authorized the county to propose funding for the Authority by a mill levy up to 2 mills or a sales tax up to 0.2 percent, or both. The November ballot question proposed only a sales tax of 0.125 percent. The one-eighth cent sales tax is expected to raise approximately $15 million per year.

Proceeds from the sales tax will support education and research projects and programs at facilities now located or proposed for construction or acquisition in Johnson County. They include:

• The University of Kansas Edwards Campus Business, Engineering, Science and Technology Center in Overland Park;
  
• The Kansas State University Innovation Campus National Food and Animal Health Institute in Olathe; and,
  
• The University of Kansas Cancer Clinical Research Center in Fairway.

The sales tax revenues will be equally divided among the three institutions. The sales tax, as authorized by statute and the public vote, has no sunset date and will be used to ensure that ongoing operations, maintenance, and research are provided in the future.

The Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority is a local board composed of seven members who must be elected officials in Johnson County. Members of the authority will be appointed by the Governor, the Kansas Board of Regents, the Board of County Commissioners, KU, KSU, and Johnson County Community College. The Board of Regents will maintain its constitutional authority over the universities.

In separate actions, the Board affirmed the creation of the Authority and established a special fund for proceeds from the sales tax imposed for support of the Authority, and appointed Chairman Annabeth Surbaugh to serve as the Board’s representative to the Authority.

The state of Kansas and Johnson County both have the authority to audit the Triangle Authority at any time. The Authority also will have a regular independent audit.

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County approves pact outlining merger process of two fire departments

Another step toward the unification of two fire departments in northwest Johnson County was taken Thursday, November 20, with approval by the Johnson County Board of Commissioners of a memorandum of understanding between the city of De Soto and Johnson County Fire District No. 3.

The agreement outlines a process to plan and complete a merger between the De Soto Fire Department, which serves the city of De Soto, and Johnson County Fire District No. 3, which provides fire protection for the area surrounding the city. The unification of the two fire departments will lead to the creation of the Northwest Consolidated Fire Department with a target date of Jan. 1, 2010.

The proposed consolidation of the two fire departments has been in the works for more than two years, but required approval of legislation to amend certain state fire district statutes. The Kansas Legislature approved legislation in 2008 to make the necessary statutory changes.

On Thursday, the Board of County Commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding by unanimous vote. The memorandum had been approved by the De Soto City Council and the Fire District No. 3 governing board in October.

Under the agreement, a five-member advisory committee will be established to iron out the details for the consolidation.

The Board of County Commissioners will appoint three members of the advisory committee and two members will be named by the city of De Soto. The Board of County Commissioners is expected to appoint its three members to the committee in the near future.

The advisory committee will focus on administrative and operational details of the consolidation, such as employee transition and benefits, equipment and staffing, real and personal property transfers, payment of outstanding bonds, and command structure. The panel will prepare a proposed transition plan, operations plan, and a draft budget for the newly consolidated fire district with a targeted completion date by February 28, 2009.

The Board of County Commissioners is expected to review and consider a proposed resolution in March of 2009 to create the Northwest Consolidated Fire District. The resolution also must be approved by the De Soto City Council and Fire District No. 3 governing board.

Once Northwest Consolidated Fire District becomes operational and fully functional, the De Soto Fire Department and Johnson County Fire District No. 3 will be dissolved.

The new consolidated fire district will be governed by a five-member board. Two members each will be appointed by Johnson County and the city of De Soto. The fifth member will be appointed alternately by the county and the city with the first appointment being made by Johnson County. It is anticipated that the five-member advisory committee will become the members of the new governing board for the consolidated fire department.

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