The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council is hosting a public meeting about the Historic Building Reconnaissance Survey that was recently completed in Marion and Willow Springs townships. The meeting will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 25, at Marion Springs School Building, 316 E. 900 Road, near Baldwin City.

In 2012, the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council (HCC) began a countywide survey of natural, cultural and historic sites and structures by townships.

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council announces funding is available through the 2020 Natural & Cultural Grant program and informational sessions about the grant program will be held in January. Members of the public interested in the conservation of local landmarks and natural areas within Douglas County are encouraged to apply.

Informational sessions will be:

Chief Judge Peggy Carr Kittel retired December 31, 2019, after 19 years of service. She had served as chief judge of the 7th Judicial District, which is composed of Douglas County, since 2016.

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces late Thursday (12.19.19) a jury convicted Lawrence resident Tommy J.

By Kansas statute, the Appraiser’s Office is responsible for determining the value of all taxable property in Douglas County, which includes real estate and personal property like boats, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, jet skis and planes. As of October 28, the county had 40,943 parcels, including 31,144 residential homes, 1,519 commercial properties, 1,710 farms with a home and 2,956 plots of agricultural land.

Douglas County is scheduled to launch a pilot Drug Court in January and the program will accept 15 participants. Douglas County District Court Judge B. Kay Huff will preside over the specialty court in addition to her regular judicial duties.

Drug Court is a 16-month, four-phase program for adults who have been arrested and charged with a non-violent felony offense and are having difficulty staying substance free.

You can now reserve Douglas County buildings for parties, reunions or car shows online!

Douglas County rents buildings, grassy areas and an outdoor arena at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 21st and Harper streets, and a community building at Lone Star Lake. Fees vary depending on the facility, duration of event, and other services such as use of a kitchen or equipment setup.

To view rental options and availability or to make a reservation, visit: dgcoks.gov/fairgrounds.

Douglas County Government’s general and satellite offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28-29, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Dispatch Center and Criminal Justice Services will be operating. If you have an emergency, please call 911. If you have a non-emergency, call 785-843–0250.

Web GIS resources will be unavailable Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, for a scheduled upgrade. Applications for Property Viewer, Survey Lookup and all others in the Map Gallery will be affected.

We apologize for any inconvenience this will cause.

If you have questions or GIS assistance needs, contact Douglas County GIS Coordinator Bryce Hirschman at 785-832-5190 or email bhirschman@dgcoks.gov.

Criminal Justice Coordinator Mike Brouwer wanted to pursue a career where he could help people. “Before there was a Dr. Phil, I was going to be Dr. Phil,” he said, with a chuckle. “I was passionate about behavioral change and envisioned this idea that I would be a Freudian therapist.”

2019 Real Estate, Personal Property, Big Truck and Watercraft bills will be mailed out on November 14th.    2019 Information Sheets for all residential properties will be mailed on November 15th.  To avoid interest, payments must be postmarked December 20th.

There is an extra mill levy line on bills and information sheets this year. It is not a new levy.   School capital outlay has been separated from the original school levy.  This change affects all school districts.  

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center will present its findings and recommendations to improve Douglas County’s justice and behavioral health systems during the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council meeting at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper Street. The meeting is open to the public.