As the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues, Johnson County Commissioners have begun to cast a wary eye toward what may be in store for the next year’s budget.
The county budget, which surpassed $1 billion two years ago, has been bobbing along in recent years, buoyed by steady increases in property values and low unemployment. But the rosy outlook has fallen into question the past year as officials have grappled with a possible major loss of commercial property value due to challenges to the way it was appraised, nicknamed the “dark store theory.” Last year they also puzzled over lagging sales tax returns.
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An unusual plan to test a random sample of Johnson County residents for COVID-19 will have a delayed launch, since one of the testing labs the county had planned to use had to drop out. But county commissioners said Monday they will continue to look for other vendors so the testing can begin within the next month.
If and when it does get up and running, the testing plan may be unique in the metro area. The county would use the donated services of ETC Institute, an Olathe-based marketing research firm, to come up with random sample of test subjects based on age, gender, and geographic location, among other things, said Dr. Samni Areola, director of the county Department of Health and Environment.
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As grocery stores remain open as essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment has shared advice with stores on physical distancing best practices.
In a document provided to the Shawnee Mission Post last week, the county department of health and environment recommended several guidelines that would space customers apart while shopping and going through checkout lines.
Some of the department’s recommendations include creating physical barriers between employees and customers, spacing apart customers when entering the store and, ultimately, providing structure and direction for everyone in the store during this unprecedented time.
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It’s one thing for a homeowner or renter to follow a stay-at-home order. It’s entirely something else for someone without a home, and with all the libraries, coffee shops and indoor gathering spaces closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson County’s homeless population is running out of places to go.
It’s been about a week since the CORE 4 governments put a stay-at-home order in place for the Kansas City metro area. The libraries have been closed even longer than that. Restaurants, coffee shops, bars and breweries have shuttered their dining and drinking spaces, operating on curbside pickup, takeout and deliveries. Those were the only places left for homeless people to go indoors.
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State election officials and the Kansas Democratic Party are forging ahead – albeit with caution – on election plans this year that have become focused on mail-in ballots and recruitment of high school and college students to run the polls.
Johnson County officials hope to use a simple on-line request form for advance ballots by mail. But that idea and any bigger changes must come from the secretary of state’s office, said Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt.
And as of last week, that office was calling for business as usual, with the caveat that things could change.
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