Virtual Behavioral Health Summit set for September

The community is invited to participate in a virtual Douglas County Behavioral Health Prevention Summit in September. One-hour sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays and cover topics such as opioid, marijuana, suicide and vaping prevention as well as mental health promotion and supporting youth and families.

The schedule:

Tuesdays (noon-1 p.m.)

• Sept. 10 – Crisis support now. Recognizing mental health and suicide crisis and updates for Kansas 988.
• Sept. 17 – Medication Assisted Treatment.
• Sept. 24 – Preventing youth violence through multisector collaboration.

Thursdays (6-7 p.m.)

• Sept. 12 – Empowering a well world through Sources of Strength Elementary.
• Sept. 19 – Screen sanity.
• Sept. 26 – Evidence-based programming across the youth system of care.

The historic Winter School, located northwest of Lawrence, is among the projects featured on a new interactive story map about the Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program.

You can now explore Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program projects in Douglas County

The Heritage Conservation Office, in collaboration with the GIS Department, has created a new interactive story map to share the history and impact of the Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program.

The Heritage Conservation Council oversees the program that aims to assist with the development and implementation of community-led heritage conservation projects in Douglas County. The program has become a critical funding source for organizations in Douglas County to support the conservation of our valuable and vulnerable natural and cultural heritage resources.

Since the program was launched in 2011, Douglas County has awarded more than $3.2 million to 124 distinct heritage conservation projects across three primary categories: natural heritage, cultural heritage and historic preservation.

The primary strength of the program lies in the diversity of projects that have been funded. From rehabilitating historic schoolhouses and restoring native plants along riverbanks to encouraging engagement with our community’s history, the interactive map highlights the impact of the grant program and offers an opportunity to learn more about important heritage conservation work happening in Douglas County.

In 2014, the Kansas Biological Survey conducted an inventory of the county's remaining natural areas that harbor high amounts of biological diversity. The data is in the Kansas Natural Heritage Database. Pictured is blue sage at the Ivan Boyd Prairie Preserve near Baldwin City.

About your Board of County Commissioners

Chair Karen Willey

Vice Chair Shannon Reid

Patrick Kelly

Douglas County Commission meetings are at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Public Works/Zoning and Codes building, 3755 E. 25^th St., in the training room. Meetings are also available on Zoom. Commission meetings are taking place in the Public Works/Zoning and Codes building due to renovation of the Commission meeting room in the historic Courthouse.

The County Commission took the following action on regular business agenda items in August. They unanimously approved:

• the 2023 financial statement and audit.
• a site plan for the Stull Solar Farm facility located near the intersection of East 400 and North 1700 roads.
• a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with Free State Solar Project LLC.
• agreements among the Kansas Department of Transportation, City of Lawrence and Douglas County related to the expansion of the South Lawrence Trafficway (SLT).
• a Memorandum of Understanding between KDOT and Douglas County related to the SLT and extension of Wakarusa Drive.
• the 2025 Douglas County Operating and Capital Improvement Project Plan budget.
• the 2025 Consolidated Fire District No. 1 budget.

** Recordings of the meetings can be found on the Douglas County YouTube channel.

Work sessions

County Commissioners also have work sessions to study and discuss various topics throughout the year. No action is taken during work sessions. The following work sessions are scheduled for 4 p.m. in September:

• Sept. 4 – Flexible Housing Pool
• Sept. 18 – Large, complex conditional use permits (CUPs)
• Sept. 25 – Mobile Integrated Health

Appraiser's Office in 'substantial compliance,' according to annual state review

The Property Valuation Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue performs an annual compliance review of county appraisal offices. The review is intended to evaluate the accuracy and uniformity in the property appraisals of each county as well as compliance with Kansas laws and regulations related to the administration of the property appraisal system.

A score of 75 points or greater is required to be considered in substantial compliance. The Douglas County Appraiser’s Office scored 97 out of 100 points on the 2024 review. The County Appraiser received notification of its score on Aug. 12. “Your county has met the criteria for substantial compliance,” David Harper, director of the Property Valuation Division, wrote in the letter.

The Appraiser’s Office didn’t receive three points because the appraised values on commercial property were below the typical price ranges for sales that occurred in 2023; however, the values were uniformly and equitably applied, according to the state’s review.

The Appraiser’s Office, which has 15 employees, manages and values about 48,300 personal and real property accounts each year. The total appraised value for residential properties in Douglas County is $12.6 billion and it’s $1.6 billion for commercial properties.

“The strong performance review reflects a lot of hard work accomplished by my staff,” County Appraiser Brad Eldridge said. “I am proud of their hard work and dedication.”

The Douglas County Elections Office is located at 711 W. 23rd St., Suite 1. It's in the shopping center at the southwest corner of 23rd and Louisiana streets.

Voting information for the Nov. 5 general election

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Key dates to know:

• Oct. 15 – Deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration information.
• Oct. 16 – First day of in-person advance voting. Advance ballots are mailed.
• Oct. 29 – Last day to apply for an advance voting mail ballot.
• Nov. 4 – In-person advance voting ends at noon.

Links to information for the most frequently-asked questions:

Q: Am I registered to vote and is my registration information up to date? 

A: https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview

Q: How can I vote?

A: https://www.dgcoks.gov/county-clerk/voting-and-elections/ways-to-vote

Q: Who is running for office?

A: https://www.dgcoks.gov/county-clerk/voting-and-elections/current-candidates

New Deputy County Administrator is Sean Pederson

Sean Pederson has been named the new Deputy County Administrator. He has spent the past nine years as City Manager in Bonner Springs and has 13 years of experience in local government. He will lead the Public Works and Zoning and Codes departments and the Sustainability division of Administration. He will also provide leadership for Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1. His first day with the county was Aug. 7.

Pederson attended the University of Kansas where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in history. He received a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Dakota. He completed the Senior Executive Institutes at the University of Virginia and Harvard University. He is a credentialed manager from the International City/County Management Association.

John Stipetich joins Emergency Management staff as Deputy Director

Emergency Management has hired John Stipetich as the Deputy Director. His first day was Aug. 19. He has spent the past six years at the University of Kansas as an Emergency Management Specialist. John will help lead the staff and volunteer programs for Douglas County Emergency Management. He will also provide leadership for the county’s Emergency Operations Center.

Stipetich attended the University of Central Missouri where he received bachelor’s degrees in Crisis and Disaster Management and Criminal Justice. He completed the National Emergency Management Basic Academy through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. He is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Managers and a Kansas Certified Emergency Manager through the Kansas Emergency Management Association.

Haris Ashfaq, a volunteer, provides assistance in the Self-Help Office.

District Court seeking volunteers

District Court is seeking volunteers for its Citizen Review Boards, Law Library and Self-Help Office. The time commitment varies depending on the volunteer position. It can range from three hours per week to three hours per month for 12 months.

Volunteers play a crucial role in serving the community and patrons of the court. If you are interested in learning more, please visit: https://www.dgcoks.gov/courtvolunteer.

Save the Date! Recovery Walk set for Sept. 29

The Douglas County Drug Court team is hosting its annual community Recovery Walk event from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, in South Park, 1411 Massachusetts St., near the gazebo.

There will be a keynote speaker who will share his recovery story, treats, family activities and luminarias. There will also be messages of hope along the walk around the park. September is National Recovery Month.

Sheriff's Office offering Reentry Simulation training

The Sheriff's Office Reentry Team is hosting a Reentry Simulation on Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. It is open to anyone in the community.

This educational outreach event highlights the challenges individuals face when transitioning from custody back into the community.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office offers the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events course for free to community groups, schools, businesses and places of worship.

For more information contact Master Deputy Troy Squire at tsquire@dgso.org or 785-841-0007.

Sheriff's Office shares impact of partnership with Artists Helping the Homeless

The Sheriff's Office donated a van to Artists Helping the Homeless this year. The nonprofit uses the van to provide transportation for individuals who are housed and participating in their wrap-around services program.

"Artists Helping Homeless is led and run by men right now who have been in jail, who have suffered mental health and addiction issues and have overcome them, and now they are helping lead the way for these folks who find themselves in that situation,” said Sheriff Jay Armbrister. “Peer-led work will always take priority, in my opinion, because you will listen to somebody who has been there, and these guys have been there, and they are doing the work."

Douglas County Government offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day. The Sheriff's Office will have extra deputies on roads and highways patrolling for distracted and impaired drivers through Sept. 2.

The enhanced patrols are as part of the “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose” campaign. The Kansas Department of Transportation and several Kansas agencies have partnered to encourage safe driving during the Labor Day weekend, when historically there is an increase in impaired driving and crashes.

“There are many exciting things happening this time of year with college and school starting and people looking to celebrate around Labor Day weekend. We encourage everyone to celebrate safely in avoiding distractions, and if you drink, don’t drive,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said.

• VIDEO: Lt. Caleb Chaffin talks about the importance of the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). Watch here!

Judicial and Law Enforcement Center:

111 East 11th Street

Lawrence, KS 66044