More information including official minutes, votes and videos on all items is available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org.

The Board of County Commissioners resumed meeting in the Hearing Room on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 9:30 am. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, social distancing will be observed, and limited seating will be available in the hearing room, with additional limited seating in the adjacent lobby with audio available. A live broadcast will still be available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org and on Facebook Live. Public Comments will be accepted. Persons wishing to speak during Public Comments will need to sign in by 9:25 a.m. before the meeting begins and will be called upon to speak in the order in which they signed up. Anyone wishing to speak to a specific item on the Business agenda will need to sign in before that item is read into the Record.

Persons who may need assistance, the use of a sign language or oral interpreter, or who require special accommodations, should contact us at [email protected], via the Kansas Relay Operator at 800-766-3777, or by phone at (913) 715-0430 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.

Special recognitions for Oct. 22, 2020

•    The BOCC proclaimed Oct. 23 through Nov. 20 as the Johnson County United Way Campaign.
•    The BOCC proclaimed October 2020 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
•    The BOCC proclaimed Oct. 24 as World Polio Day.

BOCC actions for Oct. 22, 2020

• Held a public hearing and adopted a master resolution of intent relating to the issuance of not to exceed $278,415,690 of industrial revenue bonds and granted up to a seventy-fifty percent (75%), ten (10) year abatement from ad valorem real estate taxes for each facility financed by such bonds at the east side of New Century AirCenter business park for the benefit of VTRE Development, LLC, or its successors and assigns. 
• Conducted a public hearing and authorized funds for Johnson County Wastewater Infrastructure Improvement Projects in an amount not to exceed $6,550,000. 
• Approved the 2021 County Assistance Road System Program expenditures, in an amount not to exceed $12,893,000. 
• Approved the 2021 Stormwater Management Program expenditures, in an amount not to exceed $19,226,500.
• Authorized the disbursement of funds as indicated on the Coronavirus Relief Fund Reimbursement Phase 1 report dated Oct. 22, 2020.

Weekly Manager’s Memo, Penny Postoak Ferguson, County Manager

County Economic Research Institute (CERI) Indicators – August Edition

The August 2020 edition of the Economic Indicators for Johnson County has been provided by the CERI. The unemployment rate for Johnson County was 6.1% during the month of August 2020, compared to 3.0% in August 2019, a 3.1% increase. Year-to-Date (YTD) the unemployment rate is 5.9%, compared to 2.9% the previous year, a 3.0% increase. The number of single-family homes sold in August 2020 was 1,202, compared to 1,180 in August 2019, a1.9% increase. More information is available in this memo and this report.

COVID-19 Funding and Expense Report and CRF Phase One and Phase Three Reimbursement, Maury Thompson, Deputy County Manager.

The weekly COVID-19 Operating Report, detailing COVID-19 specific expenditures and funding received is available here. To date the organization has identified $22,436,557.35 in costs which are eligible for CARES act reimbursement and received $131,597,335.61 in federal funds.  

PPE update, Dan Robeson, Johnson County Emergency Manager

The county has purchased 100% of the PPE needed to stabilize PPE and create appropriate reserves to meet the emergent needs of COVID-19. To date the county has placed orders with 15 vendors and purchased more than 52 million pieces of PPE. Details on our PPE procurement and distribution are available at this link.

COVID-19 update: Elizabeth Holzschuh, director of epidemiology Department of Health & Environment 

As of yesterday, Johnson County has 13,223 positive cases, 131,877 negatives, 183 deaths (119 deaths in LTCF, or 65%). We have 10,528 presumed recovered. The 14-day percent positive rate is 6.8%. The incidence rate (last 14 days) is 246/100,000 residents. We are at a fluctuating plateau.  Hospitals in our region are busy due to traditional reasons and not turning away patients due to COVID-19 but have seen an uptick of COVID-19 hospitalizations this week. Rural hospitals are experiencing burden due to COVID-19. JCDHE’s School Team continues to work with schools on positive cases. There have been some instances of in-school transmission. We will continue to monitor cases/transmission very closely. All school districts are referring students/staff to JCDHE testing clinic. Three have picked up saliva test kits and one additional district has expressed interest. The weekly report is available at this link. 

Items planned for the Oct. 29 agenda:

• Consider appointing Shana L Sowles – Sixth District representative to the Museum Advisory Council through May 7, 2022. 
• Consider approving the CARS project funding authorization increase of $141,787 for the City of Mission, project 320001323 - Lamar Avenue from Foxridge Drive to Shawnee Mission Parkway, for a total project funding amount of $563,787.
• Consider authorizing contracts with A Friend in Need Home Care, Barr Private Care, Best Choice Home Health Care Agency, Inc., Catholic Charities In-Home Support, ComForCare Home Care, FirstLight Home Care of Overland Park, Heart of America Home Health Care LLC, MHS Home Health, TAV Home Health, LLC for the purchase of In-home Services, in the amount not to exceed $666,000. 
• Conduct a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed 2021 Action Plan with an estimated funding of $2,506,612 consisting of an estimated $1,402,300 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and $1,104,312 in Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds for housing and community development activities, consider authorizing the County Manager to execute related documents, and consider authorizing the submission of the plans to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as recommended by the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee. 
• Consider adopting Resolution No. 093-20, setting a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. on November 19th for the purpose of receiving public input on proposed amendments to the FY 2020 Budget for the Mental Health Fund in the amount of $1,522,700 for additional grants.