More than 100 local government and public safety employees may feel more prepared to handle a disaster today. Multiple jurisdictions and organizations took part in a full-day annual Johnson County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) exercise on Wednesday. After being given a scenario of civil unrest in Johnson County that continued to unfold throughout the day, about 120 people worked together, either in the EOC or off site, and practiced their Emergency Support Functions, or ESFs. 

The annual exercise is the county’s opportunity to test, in partnership with cities, its processes and procedures that would be in place should a disaster or crisis strike.

Examples of functions representatives practice included public safety, mass casualty, logistics, planning, procurement and communications. This is the county’s 4th annual full scale exercise. Each year offers a new opportunity for participants to learn and practice all of their skills in a controlled setting.
Photo courtesy: Trent Pittman

The Public Building Commission authorized the sale of bonds to fund construction of the new Johnson County Courthouse and the county’s first ever medical examiner facility. The sale of the Series 2018A bonds, totaling $148.6 million, with a true interest rate of 2.39 percent.

Most of the Series 2018A bonds will finance the construction of the new courthouse in downtown Olathe. The bonds will also be used to build the new medical examiner facility. That project will be constructed south of the Criminalistics Laboratory of the Sheriff’s Office on the Johnson County Government campus at 119th Street and Ridgeview Road. More information is available in this news release.

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.

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, Johnson County Motor Vehicle office hours will change to 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding county designated holidays. This change applies to both the Olathe Motor Vehicle Office, located at 782 N. Ridgeview Road, and the Mission Motor Vehicle Office, located at 6000 Lamar Ave. 

Customers who have reserved their place in line using our line management system and that are present in our offices by 4 p.m. will be served that day.

The office is working to reduce overtime expenditures for Motor Vehicle staff and balance customer volume throughout the business day.

This change does not apply to the Driver License offices, which are operated by the Kansas Department of Revenue.