The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council (HCC) announces funding is available through the Natural & Cultural Heritage Grant program. The Board of County Commissioners has authorized grant funds up to $220,000 for the program. Additionally, $200,000 is available in 2024 for projects that further open space conservation and align with the developing Douglas County Open Space Plan. Award amounts will range from $5,000 to $75,000.

Douglas County staff have been studying space and security needs in the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center (JLEC) for about five years. The building was constructed in 1974 and the last addition was completed 23 years ago in 2000.

The JLEC houses the Seventh Judicial District, District Attorney’s Office, 911 Dispatch Center, Emergency Management, Sheriff’s Office, Information Technology, and Building and Maintenance management staff.

The Commission meeting room on the second floor of the historic County Courthouse in downtown Lawrence will be renovated in 2024. The renovation includes fitting the room to accommodate five commissioners beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and repairing water damage that occurred in October 2022 from a fire sprinkler system flood. The Courthouse was built in 1904, and the goal of the project is to preserve the integrity of the room’s historic features while equipping it with modern technologies.

Douglas County and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center encourage individuals to apply to serve on an advisory group for the Treatment & Recovery Center (TRC) of Douglas County.

They are seeking community members who represent the following sectors:

• physician/clinical expertise

• community advocates

• lived experience with mental illness, substance use disorders, suicidality and/or housing insecurity

• first responders or justice system representatives

The Douglas County Fire Chiefs Association and Douglas County Emergency Management reviewed and recommended updates to the county code that regulates open burning for the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The updates to the county code, Home Rule Resolution 23-11-3, were approved Wednesday, Nov. 29, by the Board of County Commissioners.

With all of the precincts reporting, the unofficial results for the election can be found here: http://dgcoks.org/election2023. Results will not be official until after the canvass on Monday, Nov. 20.

The Douglas County Sustainability Office has published a draft “Adapt Douglas County: Climate Action and Adaptation Plan” that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help the community adapt to the risks of climate change.

Douglas County is seeking applications for the 2023-2024 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge! The event will be 8:30 a.m.-noon Friday, Feb. 16, at The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, 2920 Haskell Avenue, in Lawrence.

Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1 has been awarded a grant through the Kansas Governor’s Office Grants Program to enhance its wildland firefighting capabilities and firefighter safety. The grant, which was recently accepted and approved by the Board of County Commissioners, is part of the Local Safety and Security Equipment (LSSE) program and will provide Consolidated Fire District No.

The Board of County Commissioners appointed Brad Eldridge as County Appraiser during its Oct. 18 business meeting. Eldridge, of Lawrence, has been serving in an interim position since longtime County Appraiser Steven Miles retired on June 23.

Douglas County Criminal Justice Services Director Pam Weigand has been appointed by Governor Kelly to a two-year term on the Kansas Sentencing Commission.

Douglas County is hosting an open house about the Open Space Plan from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Lawrence Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St. It is an opportunity for community members to stop by and learn about the project team’s progress and to provide feedback. There will be activities for children and a raffle entry for all attendees.