Town hall meeting about five Commission Districts set for Thursday

There will be a town hall meeting about the five Douglas County Commission districts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. 

County Clerk Jamie Shew will provide an overview of the process for moving to five districts. There will be an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the districts during roundtable discussions at the meeting. Proposed district maps will be available for viewing. Commissioners will consider other map options as well.

Douglas County Commissioners will adopt a resolution outlining the new districts before or on Jan. 1, 2023. All of the districts need to be contiguous and have the same population size.

Within five days from adoption of the resolution, Governor Laura Kelly - with advice from the board - will either:

• Declare election for new districts at the next general election, or
• Call for a special election to be held between 75 and 90 days from the date of the board resolution.

Community members can provide feedback through this form. It will be available until Commissioners make their decision.

Today is the deadline to participate in the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council survey

The Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is seeking the community’s input on potential areas of focus through a survey. The results will be used to help develop the next strategic plan. The survey will be open until midnight Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Landlords and tenants in Douglas County have an alternative to eviction

The online application for free non-court mediation services launched in November. Read more and apply at hscdgco.org/mediation.

Community invited to panel discussion on housing solutions at Lawrence Public Library

Housing and homelessness is an area of public interest in Lawrence and Douglas County. The community is invited to hear about some proposed solutions for issues during a panel discussion “Let’s Talk about Affordable Rental and Housing Solutions” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Lawrence Public Library.

Members of the Housing Stabilization Collaborative will present on their work to advance source of income protections and inclusive screening criteria. Douglas County Human Services Program Manager Gabi Sprague will serve on the panel.

Current state of rental assistance funding in Douglas County

Federally-funded emergency rental assistance programs that were started during the COVID-19 pandemic are drawing to a close.

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program is in its final phase and is no longer accepting new applications as final funds are expended. The KERA program disbursed just under $20 million to Douglas County landlords and tenants from March 2021 to November 2022.

The Housing Stabilization Collaborative currently has about $1 million for the remainder of 2022 and all of 2023. This represents a sharp decrease in available funds. Service providers are seeing an increase in evictions and utility shutoffs that are expected to continue without action from the federal government.

Local rental and utility assistance funds are currently held by the county and distributed through the Housing Stabilization Collaborative.

Sheriff's Office unveils new uniforms

Douglas County Sheriff Jay Armbrister recently unveiled the agency's new uniform and retired the French blue color. While the French blue had been a strong piece of the tradition of the Sheriff’s Office for several decades, in recent years it had become more difficult in being able to source the color as more agencies nationwide moved away from it. In updating the agency’s uniform, Armbrister said they balanced a new look with some traditional pieces.

“While this uniform kit is still traditional in its look, it has some very distinct features that let people know we are still the Sheriff’s Office, the same ones wearing that French blue a couple of days ago. The Deputies and Corrections Officers in the uniform are still the same. We’ll have that same culture," he said.

Sustainability hosting focus groups

The Douglas County Sustainability Office is hosting a number of focus groups in December and January to get a pulse on how the community is experiencing climate change. The information will help develop and guide the County Climate Action Plan. Food will be provided.

Focus groups scheduled in December:

• Indigenous community members, 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 7, Tommaney Library, Haskell Indian Nations University, 2450 Creek Ave. RSVP: https://arcg.is/0TiPD80
• Outdoor workers, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Dec. 14, Flory Meeting Hall, Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St. RSVP: https://arcg.is/1rmb4n

Umut Bayramoglu is the Common Ground program manager.

Sustainability office receives $10,000 LiveWell grant for Common Ground program

The Douglas County Sustainability Office recently received a $10,000 LiveWell Douglas County Community Wellness Grant for Common Ground, a gardening and urban agriculture program.

There are 11 sites supporting 12 farmers, at least 230 gardeners and hundreds of others who benefit from food donations and opportunities for physical activity.

The LiveWell grant will help pay for repairs to garden beds, hydrant replacement, weed management, shed and sign installation, and purchase of plants, fruit trees and garden tools. It also will help pay for an accessible sidewalk at the new Broken Arrow Park garden site. The grant is funded by the Douglas County Community Foundation in partnership with the Kansas Health Foundation.

News story: http://dgcoks.org/112822news

WorkWell Douglas County Chair Janelle Martin, left at podium, recognizes District Court Administrator Linda Koester-Vogelsang, right, during the LiveWell Douglas County annual celebration breakfast.

Douglas County District Court Administrator receives Culture of Health Award

Congratulations to Douglas County District Court Administrator Linda Koester-Vogelsang! She recently received the Culture of Health Award from WorkWell Douglas County.

Koester-Vogelsang leads the District Court wellness program, and her team was recognized for their continued wellness efforts through the COVID-19 pandemic.

WorkWell Douglas County Chair Janelle Martin described Koester-Vogelsang as a go-getter, compassionate and enthusiastic. Koester-Vogelsang utilizes her background as a nurse to highlight opportunities that District Court could consider to address wellness issues. "She understands that there may be an element of stress present in the staff’s interaction with those who are involved in court matters."

News story: http://dgcoks.org/112922news

Treasurer's Office offers options for paying vehicle tag renewals, property taxes

The Treasurer’s Office offers online, mail-in and drop-box options to renew motor vehicle tags and to pay property taxes.

Payments also can be made in person at the South Lawrence satellite office, 2000 W. 31st St., or the County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. The elevator in the Courthouse is not working. There is an accessible entry at the northeast corner of the building. Once inside, clients can ask for assistance at the Appraiser’s Office window or call 785-832-5273. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

We're seeking to hire, offer excellent benefits

We are seeking to hire people with all kinds of talents, skills and occupational interests. Our job openings include:

• Registration/Tax Clerk in the Treasurer’s Office
• GIS Technician in Information Technology
• Equipment Operator/Maintenance Worker in Public Works
• Corrections Officers in the Sheriff's Office
• Communications Officer in the Emergency Communications Center
• Self-Help Director/Attorney for Douglas County District Court
• Kanwaka Township Superintendent
• Appraiser

For more information and a full list of Douglas County job openings, visit: http://dgcoks.org/jobs

Douglas County Government’s offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Jan. 2, for the holidays. 

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Emergency Communications Center, Criminal Justice Services will be operating. If you have an emergency, please call 911. If you have a non-emergency, call 785-843–0250.

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Judicial and Law Enforcement Center:

111 East 11th Street

Lawrence, KS 66044