Lt. Caleb Chaffin, of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, receives a thank-you note on Nov. 5 from a Sunflower Elementary School student, as part of the school's Gratitude Month parade. | Local students express gratitude for those who work in public service | |
Sunflower Elementary School staff invited the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and other public sector employees to a parade to kick off November, which is recognized nationally as Gratitude Month.
Students in all grades greeted deputies with handmade signs, cards, high-fives and hugs. Deputies said they were touched by the outpouring of appreciation and support.
"The parade was a meaningful way to start the month and remind us all to practice gratitude," Lt. Caleb Chaffin, of the Sheriff's Office, said.
| Delmar Jackson, center, cuts the ribbon during a ceremony on Nov. 6 that marked the opening of Delmar Place Apartments. He is surrounded by staff and board members of the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, which owns and operates the new apartment complex. | A Place for Everyone: Ribbon-cutting celebrates new affordable housing for seniors | |
The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority celebrated the opening of Delmar Place Apartments with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 6. Located at 2129 Clinton Parkway, the $4.7 million development adds 32 one-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors.
Funding for the project came from a $3 million American Rescue Plan Act grant from the Douglas County Commission, $1.4 million from LDCHA reserves and $150,000 from the City of Lawrence Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
County Commission Chair Patrick Kelly praised the collaboration that made Delmar Place possible.
“I’m proud our Board committed ARPA funds in 2022 to make this vision real,” Kelly said during the ceremony. “This project has been a model of partnership with the Housing Authority, the City of Lawrence, Mar Lan Construction, and community members who know that affordable housing is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about dignity, security, and belonging — not for a few years, not for a generation, but forever. That’s an extraordinary legacy of stewardship and care.”
| Douglas County Commission Chair Patrick Kelly speaks Nov. 6 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Delmar Place Apartments. The County Commission allocated $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the project. | A crowd gathers for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Delmar Place Apartments, 2129 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence. | | The Treasurer's Office building at 2601 W. Sixth St. offers accessible parking and entry, a large lobby area with chairs and a nearby drop box. | Treasurer's Office to mail tax bills on Dec. 5 | |
Real estate and personal property tax bills will be mailed by the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office on Dec. 5. These taxes, based on property valuations and tax levies set earlier this year, fund essential community services, including schools, public safety, water, roads and other infrastructure.
The first half payment for both real estate and personal property taxes is due Dec. 22, 2025, with the second half due May 11, 2026.
There are several ways to pay taxes:
-
Online: Visit https://propertyinfo.douglascountyks.org
-
By mail: Send a check with your payment stub to Douglas County Treasurer, P.O. Box 668, Lawrence, KS 66044
-
Drop box or in person at 2601 W. Sixth St. or 1100 Massachusetts St., both in Lawrence. The Sixth Street location is larger and more accessible.
The Treasurer's Office collects taxes and then distributes them to the appropriate taxing districts. For more information, watch this "Where Does the Money Go?" video.
| | 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. There will be no meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Commissioners took the following action on regular business agenda items in November. They unanimously approved:
- a 15-year, 95% Neighborhood Revitalization Area to conduct historic rehabilitation on the property at 612 New Hampshire St.
- a service agreement with Mental Health America of the Heartland to provide supportive housing services for the Douglas County Flexible Housing Pool program.
- an increase in the blanket purchase order for 2025 legal services in the amount of $150,000.
- the Douglas County Crisis Response Coalition charter.
* Recordings of County Commission meetings can be found on the Douglas County YouTube channel.
| | GIS Analyst Helen Bontrager received a first-place honor at the Kansas Association of Mappers conference for this map titled "Patchwork." | GIS analysts earn honors at state conference | |
Douglas County GIS Analysts Helen Bontrager and Mattie Wiseman received recognition and awards at the 2025 Kansas Association of Mappers (KAM) annual conference held Oct. 29-31 in Manhattan.
Bontrager earned first place for her map titled “Patchwork,” which highlights a subset of the layers and spatial data available to county departments to support informed decision-making. Many of these layers are available to the public at https://dgcoks.gov/geoportal.
Bontrager and Wiseman received second place for their collaborative map, “Ad Astra Per Charta,” a stylized reference map of Kansas featuring origami stars representing cities and points of interest. The stars were crafted from vintage state maps ranging from 1968 to present day. The map is displayed in the GIS office, located in the basement of the Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.
Additionally, Bontrager earned third place for an interactive map developed in collaboration with Douglas County Heritage Coordinator Kaitlyn Ammerlaan. The map showcases past recipients and projects of the Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation grant program and can be viewed at https://dgcoks.gov/hcc/grantmap.
The awards are based on a popular vote by KAM members at the conference.
| | Douglas County GIS analysts Helen Bontrager and Mattie Wiseman received recognition for their map, Ad Astra Per Charta, made with origami stars. It is displayed in the GIS Office, which is located in the basement of the historic Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. | | Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew, left, works during an election night with Deputy County Clerk Marni Penrod. Shew, in partnership with a KU associate professor and graduate student, wrote a proposal about how to fund elections for a national contest. Their proposal garnered third place. | Local team's election-funding idea earns third place in national competition | |
Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew, University of Kansas associate professor Zach Mohr and KU graduate student Natalie Friend were recognized nationally for their innovative idea to fund elections.
The team’s proposal, “Funding Election Administration with an Election Advertising Tax,” was selected as one of the Top 10 entries in a national contest this summer. They presented their work Oct. 26-28 at the Institute of Election Administration Research and Practice symposium at Auburn University.
A panel of national experts ranked the presentations, and their proposal earned third place.
Did you know? Kansas is one of only a few states where the state government provides no fiscal support for conducting elections.
| | A Douglas County Public Works building features solar panels to help reduce energy costs. A $250,000 grant will support planning efforts for potential energy-saving projects in Douglas County. | | $250,000 grant to support planning for energy-saving projects in Douglas County | | |
Metropolitan Energy Center has been awarded a $250,000 Market Building Grant to support planning efforts for potential energy-saving projects that will benefit Douglas County. Securing the award and the forthcoming project is a partnership with the County’s Sustainability Office.
The grant, awarded by the Coalition for Green Capital and supported by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA, will fund the development of financing models and energy-efficiency strategies tailored to the needs of the Douglas County community.
Planning efforts will focus on financial strategies that attract both private and public investors as well as upgrades to community centers, nonprofit buildings and multi-family rental housing.
Douglas County is one of 49 communities nationwide selected to participate based on the potential impact of local projects and their attractiveness to future funders and private investors.
| | Senior Resource Center seeking volunteers for Safe Winter Walkways Program | |
Lawrence residents with a passion for helping others and who can physically shovel snow are needed to volunteer for the Safe Winter Walkways Program.
This program runs on volunteers in a neighbors helping neighbors structure. Volunteers are matched with nearby residents who are unable to shovel their sidewalks. Volunteers are asked to commit to the entire snow season and to shovel after each snowfall.
Snow removal is limited to public sidewalks and a walkway to the street from the front door. This does not include driveways, porches or other walkways. Volunteers may choose to clear these areas, but it is not an expectation of the program.
| | Sheriff's latest podcast features Chief Public Defender Jessica Glendening | |
In "Episode 07: Cases & Compassion," Sheriff Jay Armbrister interviews Jessica Glendening, chief public defender in Douglas County, as part of a conversation about different aspects of the legal system, including the importance of the right to counsel for all criminal defendants. They also talk about Douglas County’s commitment to reentry services and helping people have success once they leave custody.
- Listen on your favorite podcast app or on Buzzsprout.
- Or watch the episode on YouTube.
| | Sheriff's Office to utilize enhanced patrols as part of Thanksgiving Safe Arrival campaign | |
The Sheriff’s Office will have an increased presence on county roads and highways from Saturday, Nov. 22, through Thanksgiving weekend, as part of the statewide Thanksgiving Safe Arrival campaign. Deputies on these patrols will focus on seat belt infractions and removing impaired and distracted drivers from roadways.
Annually in Kansas, about 50% of traffic fatalities involve someone not wearing a seat belt; 25% are directly due to inattentive driving or speeding; and 20% of crashes involve alcohol impairment. From 2019 to 2023, Douglas County recorded 96 impaired driving crashes, and 37% of the 49 fatalities that occurred during this time involved someone not wearing a seat belt.
“We are glad to see so many people plan to travel for Thanksgiving, but even more so we want to see people get to their family gatherings safely,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said. “Buckling up and using proper child safety seats are the best things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Also, avoid impaired driving any time you get behind the wheel.”
| | County offices closed Nov. 27-28 | | Douglas County government offices, District Court and the Senior Resource Center will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27-28, for the Thanksgiving holiday. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. | | | | |
