New interior renderings and fly-through animation of the new Johnson County Courthouse are now available here. These materials as well as a project status report were presented to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, on Thursday, Oct. 25. Brad Reinhardt, Director of Facilities Management, presented the update with representatives from project team members JE Dunn, TreanorHL and Fentress Architects. A news release that summarizes the presentation is available at this link.

On Aug. 29, a packed courtroom celebrated four more graduates of the Veterans Treatment Court. This marked the Johnson County District Court's sixth graduation in this program. The mission of the VTC is to identify veterans in the criminal justice system and, when eligible, get them into treatment and court supervision as an alternative to incarceration. You can learn more about the program in the video below.

Today's graduation included speeches from Judge Timothy P. McCarthy, who spearheaded the effort to bring VTC to Johnson County, as well as Kansas Supreme Court Justice Lawton Nuss and Major General Clyde J. "Butch" Tate II, a military lawyer who previously served as the 19th Deputy Judge Advocate General of the United States Army. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran delivered the keynote speech.

"The four veterans we honor today are on a path to provide us with leadership," said Senator Moran. "Our country desperately needs you as role models."

The four graduates each appeared in front of the audience with their volunteer mentors. Graduates received a certificate and a program coin, and made brief remarks. 

The Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) has announced the decision to delay the implementation of a new production and delivery process for Kansas license plates until August 15, 2018.  The new plates will carry the same designs currently offered, but will be flat instead of embossed and will be mailed directly to customers.

Beginning August 15, a customer receiving a new plate as part of their transaction will leave the office with a 30 day temporary license plate and their registration sticker.  The permanent plate will be mailed directly to the customer. Customers can expect to receive plates within 10-14 business days.

It is very important that customers remember to put the registration sticker received at the County Motor Vehicle Office on the new plate and attach the plate to the correct vehicle.

Please note customers with current embossed plates do not need to order a new plate because of the system change.

Home buyers looking for a residence in Johnson County are finding only a month and a half supply. Homes selling for $350,000 or below have the highest demand which results in higher market values for that price range.

This strong demand means residential property values continue to rise, and most residents’ appraised values are expected to go up again in 2018. During the week of February 26, residents will receive a Notice of Appraised Value.

The Johnson County Appraiser's responsibility is to value property at fair market value — the price it would bring on an open, competitive market. Sales activity is reviewed to arrive at the value.

In August 2017, the Johnson County Appraiser’s Office formed the Residential Reappraisal Advisory Committee, composed of realtors, lenders and fee appraisers, to advise the county of current residential market trends. Last year, 95 percent of residential real estate values increased.  The areas with the greatest increase were in De Soto, Fairway, Gardner, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Shawnee and Spring Hill.

Homeowners have until March 28 to file an appeal to provide additional information, ask questions and discuss concerns. For questions, residents may contact the Appraiser’s Office at 913-715-9000.

The county appraiser’s staff makes the appraisal process transparent by publishing data used to determine home values at jocogov.org/appraiser.