July 2026 Newsletter

County Commissioners meet July 9 with representatives from community agencies that provide a variety of services including food, shelter, transportation and resources during budget meetings in the historic courthouse. Commissioners held more than 20 hours of meetings and deliberations during its review of the 2027 proposed budget that were open to the public.

Commissioners reach agreement on 2027 budget with decrease of 0.383 mills

The Board of County Commissioners reached a tentative agreement July 15 on an approximately $199.2 million budget for 2027. Commissioners agreed on a mill levy of 40.286 mills, a decrease of 0.383 mills from last year.

For the fifth consecutive year, the county commission has lowered the mill levy. Since 2023, the commission has reduced the mill levy by a combined 7.112 mills, lowering the rate from 47.419 to 40.286, a decrease of 15%. One mill is one dollar per $1,000 assessed value.

The 2027 budget includes a 4.9% increase in assessed property valuation, compared to 5.7% the previous year.

Commissioners Erica Anderson, Gene Dorsey, Patrick Kelly, Shannon Reid and Karen Willey reviewed funding requests totaling $15.4 million from more than 40 community agencies and county departments.

Commissioners allocated funding for several one-time projects using existing fund balances. These include:

• $500,000 to the Baldwin City Economic Development Corporation to support a new childcare center in Baldwin City.
• $1.5 million pledge to Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center for a Youth Recovery Center.
• $485,085 to Family Promise to pay off loans on two supportive housing projects, increasing the agency’s ability to expand operations and services.
• $91,761 to Douglas County Historical Societies for capital improvement projects involving accessibility upgrades to facilities and a collections management assistant.
• $340,000 for two behavioral health capital projects for justice-involved housing and a peer support clubhouse.

The 2027 budget will be adopted during a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 26 during the Commission business meeting.

• Full news release

Board of County Commissioners

Douglas County Commission meetings are at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the historic Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., on the second floor in the Commission meeting room. Meetings are also available on Zoom.

Commissioners took the following action on regular business agenda items on June 30 and in July. They unanimously approved:

• a 10-year, 80% Neighborhood Revitalization Area at 714 Vermont St. in Lawrence for Alarm.com.
• a Type II agritourism permit request from Steve Hood, of Busted Cat Brewery, to allow a brewery with an accessory farm stay use to be located at 417 Highway 40.
• authorizing staff to notify the county clerk of the county’s intent to exceed the 2027 revenue neutral rate for Douglas County and for Consolidated Fire District No. 1.
• directing staff to finalize the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement for KU Innovation Park with the added conversation of how to include an administration fee that covers county staff time and to bring it back to the commission for a vote.

On a 3-2 vote, they approved implementation of the EveryDay Counts truancy program and authorized the release of the truancy fund balance of $87,500 from the commission budget to Criminal Justice Services. Commissioners Dorsey and Anderson opposed.

On a 4-1 vote, they approved a temporary business use permit request from Thomas Elizondo of Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline to allow a laydown yard northeast of E 902 Road and N 1464 Road from July 27 to Oct. 31. Commissioner Anderson opposed.

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

Work sessions

County Commissioners have work sessions to study and discuss various topics through the year. No action is taken during work sessions. There are no work sessions currently scheduled.

Douglas County's new Public Safety Building, 3605 E. 25th St., is located near the Douglas County Correctional Facility.

Sheriff's Office moves into Public Safety Building

In early July, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office joined Emergency Management and Emergency Communications in the new Public Safety Building, 3605 E. 25th St.

All of the Sheriff’s Office services for the public are now located in the building, which includes a storm-hardened structure to protect emergency operations and responses, including emergency dispatch and an emergency operations center.

Sheriff Jay Armbrister said it was bittersweet for the Sheriff’s Office to move out of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center in downtown Lawrence after 50 years, but the new building offers several advantages. He said the location gives patrol deputies quicker access to highways, which will likely improve response times throughout the county.

“Since Sept. 11, 1999, when we opened the jail, this is the first time that sheriff's operations, sheriff's corrections, the jail, everybody except our courtroom security staff is all on one campus,” Armbrister said. “That's something that I've looked forward to from the beginning of this process because we have so many employees and we do such different jobs at times, where we've all been kind of separated. It’s time to come back together and be more like the family that we really always have been.”

Several Sheriff's Office staff members who started their careers working in the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center or prior to that gathered in the sheriff's corner office for a final time in early July before the Sheriff's Office moved to the Public Safety Building. From left, are Undersheriff Stacy Simmons, Sgt. Dale Flory, Deputy Robert Brown, Lt. Rita Fulton-Mays, Deputy Jason Grems, Corrections Officer Robin Mather, Master Deputy Jay Shaw, Network Manager Brad Schwab, Lt. Robert Berryman, Deputy Randal Collins, Deputy Gary Squires, Deputy Lyle Hagenbuch and Sheriff Jay Armbrister. Grems, Mather, Collins, Squires and Hagenbuch have all retired from the Sheriff's Office and returned to work part-time in court security, civil process or corrections. Brown had worked for the Sheriff's Office earlier in his career and after retiring from another agency is now a part-time court security deputy.

Several current longest-serving commissioned staff took a group photo in early July before the Sheriff's Office moved most of its operations out of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center. They are, from left, Undersheriff Stacy Simmons, Lt. Rita Fulton-Mays, Sgt. Dale Flory, Master Deputy Jay Shaw, Lt. Robert Berryman and Sheriff Jay Armbrister.

Sheriff Jay Armbrister is pictured with artist Mya Buie and the new bench that she created for the the Public Safety Building through Van Go's Summer JAMS Benchmark program.

Artist creates bench for Public Safety Building

As part of its move into the Public Safety Building, the Sheriff’s Office commissioned a bench through Van Go’s Summer JAMS Benchmark program, which serves youth ages 14 to 18.

Artist Mya Buie worked with Sheriff Jay Armbrister throughout the summer to bring his vision to life with artwork that reflects the Sheriff's Office connection to the community. The bench, titled "A Community of Support," was unveiled during a ceremony on July 24 at Van Go, 715 New Jersey St.

The Sheriff’s Office will place the bench at the public entrance of the new building.

The Douglas County Elections Office is located at 711 W. 23rd St., Suite 1, in the Malls Shopping Center on the southwest corner of 23rd and Louisiana streets.

Primary election is Aug. 4

The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 4, for federal, state, county and township seats. There’s also a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Although there is a current legal case which reinstates the three-day grace period, the Douglas County Elections Office strongly encourages voters to try and return mail ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can return their mail ballot at any polling location on election day. Here's a link to a polling place finder that includes sample ballots and more information.

Voters can also return mail ballots by placing them in a secure Douglas County ballot drop box at one of the following locations:

• Elections Office, 711 W. 23^rd St., Suite 1, Lawrence.
• Historic courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St., Lawrence.
• Treasurer’s Office, 2601 W. Sixth St., Lawrence.
• Golf Course Superintendents Building, 1421 Research Park, Lawrence.
• Baldwin City Hall, 803 Eighth St., Baldwin.
• Eudora City Hall, 4 E Seventh St., Eudora.
•  Lecompton City Hall, 327 Elmore St., Lecompton.

This ballot drop box is located in the parking lot on the south side of the historic courthouse.

In-person advance voting is available for the primary election. Here’s the schedule:

• Thursday-Friday (July 30-31), 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Elections Office.
• Saturday (Aug. 1), 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Elections Office, Lecompton Community Building, Eudora City Hall and Baldwin City Library.
• Monday (Aug. 3), 8 a.m.-noon, Elections Office.

For information about voting, including where to find your polling location, visit https://dgcoks.gov/elections/waystovote

FAQs

Q: Can unaffiliated voters vote in the primary?

A: Yes. Unaffiliated voters can stay unaffiliated and vote on the question-only ballot. Unaffiliated voters can also declare for a party when voting to receive a ballot from that party. 



Q: Can voters affiliated with the Libertarian and Kansas United parties vote?

A: Yes. They can vote on the question-only ballot.

Signs are posted at Lone Star Lake about the Watch Advisory for blue-green algal blooms.

Lone Star Lake on Watch Advisory for algal blooms

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment added Lone Star Lake to its Watch Advisory on July 24 for blue-green algal blooms that may be harmful to humans and animals. Lone Star Lake is in southwest Douglas County.

KDHE discourages swimming, wading and water skiing near visible blooms. Do not let pets or livestock drink from affected water. Watch recommendations also include:

• Avoid areas of algae accumulation.
• Do not let people or pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
• Boating and fishing are safe; however, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals.
• Avoid direct contact with water and wash with clean water after any contact.
• Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.

If people or animals develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, irritated eyes, seizures, breathing problems or other unexplained illness after exposure to harmful algae, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

KDHE is planning to retest the water in early August and provide an update.

For more information, visit KDHE's website.

Electronics recycling event is Aug. 8 at fairgrounds

The City of Lawrence, in partnership with Douglas County, is hosting an electronics recycling event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. The event is open to all Douglas County residents. Most items are accepted free of charge with fees for certain TVs and monitors.

By participating, residents help support goals to reduce landfill waste and advance the community’s climate action and adaptation plan, Adapt Douglas County.

Ruth DeWitt, center, receives the 2026 Preparedness Partner Award for her leadership in preparing Lawrence and Douglas County to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She is pictured with Local Emergency Planning Committee Chair Teri Axman, left, and Douglas County Emergency Management Director Robert Bieniecki.

Emergency Management Board honors DeWitt, Lawrence police for World Cup efforts

The Douglas County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), which also serves as the Douglas County Emergency Management Board, presented the 2026 Preparedness Partner Awards during its meeting on July 1 at the Public Safety Building.

Presented annually, these awards recognize individuals and organizations whose dedication to planning, collaboration and community preparedness has strengthened Douglas County's ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.

Ruth DeWitt, of Explore Lawrence, received the 2026 Individual Preparedness Partner Award for her standout leadership in preparing Lawrence and Douglas County to host a base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

DeWitt helped launch and lead the Score Lawrence World Cup Unified Command, bringing partners together to ensure a safe and memorable experience for residents and visitors.

The Lawrence Police Department received the 2026 Organizational Preparedness Partner Award for its strong commitment to community preparedness and public safety. The department’s year-round outreach programs, including Kids Camp and the Teen Police Academy, help build relationships, teach safety skills and inspire future leaders.

The Lawrence Police Department served as a leader within the Score Lawrence World Cup Unified Command Safety and Security branch, coordinating with local, state, regional, federal and international partners to develop comprehensive security plans for the Algeria soccer team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

• Full news release

The Lawrence Police Department was recognized July 1 by the Local Emergency Planning Committee with the 2026 Organizational Preparedness Partner Award for its strong commitment to community preparedness and public safety. From left, are LEPC Chair Teri Axman, Lt. Dave Ernst, Chief Rich Lockhart, Officer Taylor Zook, Officer Lindsay Bishop and Emergency Management Director Robert Bieniecki.

Zoning Administrator Ben Harris waters plants during the Kids Plant Sale on May 2. The event raised $3,722 for Just Food, a local food pantry. The sale was inspired by an idea from Ben’s eldest son, Sam.

Roots of Giving: Sale grows funds for Just Food

In May, Douglas County Zoning Administrator Ben Harris, along with his family and friends, hosted their annual Kids Plant Sale, raising $3,722 for Just Food, a local food pantry.

Harris said the idea grew from a walk with his oldest son, Sam, who was 7 at the time. As they walked around their property, they noticed a large number of Lily of the Valley plants. Harris explained that they could dig up the bulbs and divide them to create new plants. Those plants would cost quite a bit at a garden nursery depending on the pot and size.

A light bulb went off for Sam, who suggested having a plant sale, like a lemonade stand.

“I thought it was a great idea, and I told him that if he wanted to grow plants and sell them, we would help him,” Harris said, adding that his wife, Rhiannon, and youngest son, Elliott, have been all-in as well.

At the first sale in spring 2021, they sold mostly vegetable plants — tomato, watermelon, cucumber and pepper — and a few houseplants. They soon noticed they could raise more money by selling houseplants. A vegetable plant typically sells for about $3, while a houseplant can sell for $30 or more, depending on the pot.

This year, Harris estimated that they had 600 total plants for sale, and roughly half were houseplants.

“It has just been fun to see how it evolves and changes, but the biggest thing for us was just having a way to teach our kids about giving back,” Harris said.

• Read the full story.

From left, Julia Lawson, and Sam and Elliott Harris are pictured in 2024. The idea for the plant sale started with Sam, and it has provided at least $13,500 in six years for Just Food.

From left, Julia Lawson, Elliott Harris and Sam Harris are pictured with Just Food Executive Director Aundrea Walker in 2024 when they raised $2,415.

Students learn about water safety during the Junior Deputy Academy program in July.

Youth become junior deputies at summer academy

Douglas County students became junior deputies with the Sheriff’s Office in July as part of the second annual Junior Deputy Academy.

Students entering third through fifth grades spent July 13-17 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds learning the "Show Up, Speak Up, Team Up" curriculum and interacting with deputies, corrections officers, civilian staff and first responders and community partners from many agencies in the county.

The students learned real-life skills, explored emergency vehicles and participated in hands-on safety demonstrations.

A student in the Junior Deputy Academy learns about making a 911 call.

This video features highlights from the 2026 Junior Deputy Academy.

Podcast features retired Sheriff Anderson

In a special episode of the View from 100 podcast, Sheriff Jay Armbrister and retired Capt. Jason Grems sat down with former Sheriff Loren Anderson, who hired both in the late 1990s, to trace the evolution of the Sheriff’s Office and Loren’s career.

Anderson grew up near Clinton and joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1965 as a deputy under Sheriff Rex Johnson. He was elected Sheriff in 1988 and served three terms until he retired in 2001.

Listen to the full episode on Buzzprout, YouTube or your favorite podcasting app.

Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinator Katy Fitzgerald, second from left, participated in a panel discussion, "Public Safety is Everyone's Business: Finding Your Piece of the Puzzle," at the National League of Cities' National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials on July 16 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Criminal Justice Coordinator participates in

national panel discussion about public safety

Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinator Katy Fitzgerald attended the National League of Cities’ National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) in mid-July in Birmingham, Alabama, with Lawrence City Commissioner Amber Sellers, who serves as the first vice president of the NBC-LEO board of directors.

The conference theme was “Rooted in Community, Delivering Together.”

Fitzgerald participated in a town hall session, “Public Safety is Everyone’s Business: Finding Your Piece of the Puzzle,” with District Attorney Danny Carr, of Jefferson County, Alabama; Carnelle Howell, director of the City of Birmingham Black Male Initiative; and Bobby Scott Jr., mayor of Center Point, Alabama, and president of the NBC-LEO.

The session aimed to reframe public safety as a shared community responsibility. Fitzgerald discussed her work with the Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the role of local government in public safety. Sellers serves as a member of the CJCC.

Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinator Katy Fitzgerald, left, and Lawrence City Commissioner Amber Sellers are pictured at the National League of Cities’ National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials in July.

Don't miss this week's Douglas County Fair

The Douglas County Fair is underway at the fairgrounds, located southeast of 19th and Harper streets in Lawrence. The fair features live music, carnival rides, educational exhibits and competitive events. The buildings are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here's a peek at the schedule through Saturday, Aug. 1:

Thursday, July 30

• Antique tractor pull, 6 p.m.
• Carnival, 6-11 p.m.
• Live music, The Back-Atcha-Band, 7-10 p.m.

Friday, July 31

• Bale throwing contest, 6 p.m.
• Carnival, 6 p.m.-midnight
• Demolition derby, 7:30 p.m.
• Live music, Delta Haze, 8-11 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 1

• Turtle race, 10 a.m.
• Pedal tractor pull, 10:30 a.m.
• Carnival, 1-5 p.m. (family day) and 5 p.m.-midnight
• 4-H awards ceremony, 3 p.m.
• 4-H livestock auction, 5:30 p.m.
• Demolition derby, 8 p.m.
• Live music, The Vincents, 8-11 p.m.

For the full schedule, visit dgcountyfair.com.

If you have questions, please contact the K-State Research and Extension Office at 785-843-7058 or email dgcountyksfair@gmail.com.

Algerians show appreciation with Aug. 1 event

The Algerian community is hosting a Thank You Celebration for the Lawrence community at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at The Granada Theater, 1020 Massachusetts St. The event will feature music, Algerian food, a fashion show, face painting and children’s activities.

Lawrence served as the base camp for Algeria’s soccer team during the FIFA World Cup, as a result a connection grew between the Lawrence and Algerian communities.