Municipal News & Jobs

Johnson County officials essentially decided not to decide Thursday whether to continue the stay-at-home order until May 15, as Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has done. Instead, Johnson County will stick with the business closure and distancing rules until May 3 before deciding if a longer extension is necessary. The May 3 date coincides with Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s order.
Commission Chairman Ed Eilert told commissioners meeting Thursday that he and Kansas City, Kan. Mayor David Alvey decided to diverge from the Kansas City, Mo. branch of the CORE 4, noting that the extension from the county’s previous April 23 end date would give officials time to collect data before deciding whether to continue the order another two weeks.
Some commissioners say they have been feeling pressured by residents who are in financial distress and want to see businesses reopen. Local hospitals have so far not been overwhelmed by cases as have other hard-hit areas of the country.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

As businesses close in response to the coronavirus pandemic economic impacts are beginning to ripple beyond their shuttered front doors and windows.
Sales tax typically generates between 20 to 50 percent of revenue for cities in Johnson County, financing general funds, stormwater projects and public safety efforts. But with the stay-at-home orders in place, this typically reliable revenue source is thrown into question, and municipal budgets, most of which were planned half a year in advance, are being restructured.
To offset funding gaps Johnson County cities have largely been working towards cutting operational expenditures and capital improvement budgets, and some have said they will consider dipping into reserves if necessary.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Early results from the first round of random sample COVID-19 testing administered by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment last week has found nine positives among 330 tests processed, an infection rate of 2.7%.
Sanmi Areola, PhD, director of the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, characterized those results as evidence that residents have done a good job of helping mitigate community spread of the virus through adherence of stay-at-home orders and hygiene guidelines. However, he said, the apparent success of efforts to bend the curve doesn’t mean the county can lift restrictions immediately.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

As the stay-at-home restrictions to prevent COVID-19 wear on, the heat on some Johnson County commissioners has been ratcheting up from disaffected voters. On Monday, those commissioners passed some of that pressure on to county health officials who were updating them on the county’s need for more data.
“Simply telling people it’s for your own good, go home and sit down and we’ll tell you when you can come out is not resonating well,” said Commissioner Mike Brown, who represents much of the western part of the county. “I am hearing from people and they’re growing incredibly restless right now.”
“A plan to get us open must be developed,” he said, even if it isn’t immediately implemented.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

The city of Westwood on Friday announced it hired Leslie Herring as the city’s new chief administrative officer and city clerk.
The city held an open recruitment and selection process after Fred Sherman, former Westwood city clerk and chief administrative officer, took a position as a Johnson County Election Office Commissioner in late February 2020. Westwood Mayor David Waters said in the release that Herring “presented the ideal candidate” for the city.
“Leslie brings a passion for local government and a true sense of community service,” Waters said. “She has tremendous experience in issues of planning, budgeting and administration, but also keen insights into the values, needs and aspirations of modern cities and their residents.”
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Shawnee has opted against relocating a century-old house in Leawood to its outdoor museum, Shawnee Town 1929.
Instead, city staff plans to build a replica house to represent the home of Dr. Sullivan, a doctor who lived and worked in Shawnee in the 1920s. Dr. Sullivan’s house is the next building scheduled for construction at the museum.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)