Douglas County Commissioners set the 2021 county budget for publication during a public meeting July 9. They recommended a budget of $125.5 million with a flat mill levy of 46.430 mills.

Commissioners reviewed $2.8 million in requests for additional funding. Of those requests, they approved four for a total of $285,318. They are:

The State of Kansas received $1.034 billion from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. Of that money, the state allocated $450 million in July to Kansas counties based on their population to improve health and economic outcomes. Douglas County received $24.9 million.

Building upon Douglas County’s use of the Unified Command structure to lead a comprehensive COVID-19 pandemic response, local government, health, education and business leaders will partner to provide a coordinated reopening and response strategy among education institutions. The goals: protect students, staff, and faculty; reduce community impacts; and, minimize disease spread. Leaders of Douglas County, City of Lawrence, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, LMH Health, University of Kansas, Lawrence Public Schools and The Chamber will participate.

Chief Judge James R. McCabria announced July 15 that three employees of the Seventh Judicial District were recognized for contributing 20 years of service to the district.

The Douglas County Clerk’s Office is deploying a tool called Ballot Scout, a service that allows voters and election staff to track the delivery and receipt of mail-in ballots through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Ballot Scout will be available to use for the primary election.

Route 1055 from west of East 1700 Road to North 790 Road will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, July 20, weather permitting, for a road project.  The project includes reconstruction of pavement and safety improvements including paved shoulders, flatter roadside slopes, and replacement of two narrow bridges and one culvert.

No signed detour will be provided. Alternate routes from southern Douglas County to Lawrence include U.S. 59 Highway and Route 1057 (East 1900 Road) from Route 460 (North 700 Road) to K-10 Highway.

Douglas County is scheduled to receive $24.9 million in federal funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in July. Douglas County needs to submit its plans for distributing the funding by August 15 and the money needs to be spent by December 30, 2020, or it will be returned to the State of Kansas.

District Attorney Charles Branson is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of a new restorative justice program in Douglas County.  The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office has partnered with the Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR) to develop a restorative justice program aimed at justice reform for juvenile offenders.

The Douglas County Clerk’s office will offer advance voting July 15-Aug. 3 in leased space at 2329 Iowa Street, Suite M, next to Texas Roadhouse restaurant, for the 2020 elections in addition to the County Courthouse. The new location is more than 8,000 square feet and will provide more space for election workers and voters to social distance.

Douglas County Government's general offices will be closed Friday, July 3, for the holiday.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Dispatch Center and Criminal Justice Services will be operating. If you have an emergency, please call 9-1-1. If you have a non-emergency, call 785-832-7509.

We wish everyone a safe holiday!

Monday afternoon, law enforcement officers with the Lawrence Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office made six arrests and issued three citations while attempting to clear protesters from Massachusetts Street. The protesters in question had been asked to leave the roadway but declined to follow the officers’ orders in violation of K.S.A. 8-1503. Later that same evening, law enforcement closed the street for continued use by protesters.  

The proposed 2021 Douglas County budget is $125.5 million and has a flat mill levy of 46.430 mills.

Seventy percent of Douglas County’s revenues are from ad valorem taxes and 9% are from sales taxes. Staff has proposed a 10% reduction, or $6 million, in sales tax revenues for the remainder of 2020 and all of 2021 due to economic hardship.

To meet a potential decrease in sales tax revenues beyond the estimated 10%, the county has $6 million available in fund balance.