Public art installed and Goddess of Justice in place. New JoCo Courthouse nearly open

After two years of construction, the new Johnson County Courthouse is substantially complete and on track to open to the public on Jan. 4 in downtown Olathe.

The certificate of substantial completion was dated Aug. 21 for the seven-story courthouse in downtown Olathe, which contains 28 courtrooms. Public art has been installed, and the Goddess of Justice statue has been relocated to the lobby. This is the third courthouse to house that statue, according to a county news release.

This month, crews are starting work on a tunnel tie-in to the Olathe Adult Detention Center. Other work to be completed includes installation of systems and ancillary furniture. Once the new courthouse opens, the old one will be torn down and a county square put in its place.

Mission police chief resigns

Capt. Dan Madden is running the Mission Police Department as interim chief because Chief Ben Hadley has resigned for health reasons.

Hadley, a 23-year city employee, was appointed police chief in 2014.

“I know we are all saddened to hear of the medical concerns, and wish him and his family all the best as they work with his doctors and other medical professionals to answer his questions and find the best path forward for the future,” City Administrator Laura Smith said in a press release.

The resignation was announced Aug 31.

Forging mental health partnership

The Olathe Public Schools and the Johnson County Mental Health Center have received a state grant of more than $145,000 to support the hiring of four mental health therapists to help Olathe school district families.

Each organization is hiring two therapists, who will work together to coordinate care and provide better access to mental health services. They were expected to be on board by the start of school Sept. 8.

“With staff focused only on providing mental health and case management services to Olathe Public School students and their families, students will be better able to learn in the classroom and our community will get mental health care when it’s needed instead of having to wait a long period of time for care,” Angie Salava, the school district’s director of social emotional learning and mental health services, said in a news release.

If people can talk about mental health concerns when they are young, they will be more likely to seek help as adults when needed, said Tim DeWeese, director of the Johnson County Mental Health Center.

“Partnerships like these help to destigmatize mental health for our community into the future, while contributing to the students’ mental wellness now,” he said.

Hearing on Shawnee apartments

The Shawnee Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing Sept. 9 on a proposed five-story apartment building in the 5700 block of King Street in the downtown area, on property vacated by the Wonderscope Children’s Museum.

The hearing is required if the 3-acre site is to be rezoned for the 189-unit development. The project would include a parking garage and a mixture of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units ranging from 460 to 1,528 square feet.

In a letter to the city, the Sunflower Development Group said it responded to residents’ concerns by moving the building south to create a 20,000-square-foot park area on the north side of the property, which is close to single-family homes. The building will be two stories shorter on that side, with patio apartments, and the layout directs traffic to other parts of the property.

The Sept. 9 meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom, but City Hall will be open for those who want to attend in person — which is necessary for oral comments. E-mailed comments also are being accepted. For more details and comment procedures, go to cityofshawnee.org/5700King.

A relocated Wonderscope will open this fall at 433 E. Red Bridge Road in south Kansas City.

County weighs new kayak/canoe facility

Johnson County officials want to know if there is a demand for a new launching facility for kayaks and canoes at Shawnee Mission Park Lake — one that is safer and more convenient, especially for those with mobility issues.

A four-question survey, which contains project details, will be posted until 5 p.m. Sept. 9 at surveymonkey.com/r/B393RJB. The new facility would be next to the existing boat ramp near the marina on the north side of the lake.

OP moves planning commission meeting

If you want to attend the Overland Park Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 14, don’t go to City Hall.

The 1:30 p.m. meeting includes several public hearings of potential interest to the public, so it’s been moved to the Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd. The meeting will take place in a ballroom to allow for social distancing.

Among the public hearing topics are apartments proposed for Ranch Mart South at 95th Street and Mission Road; a proposed storage facility and office park at 7120 W. 143rd St.; and revised plans for the Prairie Fire development at 135th Street and Nall Avenue.

Go to opkansas.org for details and how to comment, either in person or remotely.

‘Smart’ utility meters arriving in Gardner

Gardner has begun installing “smart” meters for its utility customers, a move that will save money for both the city and citizens who use them to conserve water and electricity,

The meters, expected to be in place by the end of the year, automatically measure electricity and water usage, eliminating the need to read each meter manually. Gardner is installing about 16,500 of the devices, which also allow the city to connect and disconnect customers remotely, identify outages more quickly, detect tampering and monitor voltage and water pressure.

“Not only will our customers be able to save money by monitoring and adjusting their usage, but the city will also be able to reduce operating costs with the immediate ability to locate leaks and power outages,” Gonzalo Garcia, the city’s utilities director, said in a city newsletter. “This means faster outage restoration and repairs, and fewer inconveniences for customers.”

The city’s journey to smart metering began with concerns about the water system. Many water meters were more than 15 years old, and in 2018, aging equipment resulted in a 13% “unaccounted water loss” that cost the city nearly $800,000 in lost revenues. It made sense for the new system to handle electric service, too.

On Dec. 3, the City Council agreed to spend up to $4 million with NexGrid LLC to implement the program.

Responding to concerns about radio frequency emissions from the devices, the city instituted an opt-out program for customers whom a doctor deems could be impacted by the emissions. Other customers can ask for a digital opt-out, so the meter will “wake up” just once a month to provide usage information for billing purposes.

As of Aug. 28, the city had received requests for nine medical and six digital opt-outs.

No layoffs are anticipated once the meters are installed. Staff members who don’t continue in their current roles will be redeployed, officials said.

No live audience for 9/11 ceremony

The Overland Park Fire Department’s annual 9/11 memorial service will be closed to the public this year because of the new coronavirus.

The ceremony, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Sept. 11, will include moments of silence, bell strikes and salutes to mark key moments during the 2001 terrorist attacks — which destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York, damaged the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and led to a plane crash in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died.

Those interested can see the ceremony on the city’s Facebook page or the fire department’s YouTube channel.

Calling playwrights

The coronavirus pandemic has forced Theatre in the Park to cancel two indoor live performances later this year, but the company is inviting Kansas City area playwrights to submit a new work to be performed for a virtual audience in December.

It will be the first original production in the 50-year history of Theatre in the Park.

Preliminary concepts are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 16. Three finalists will move on to the full script phase of the contest, with final scripts due Oct. 30. The winner and finalists will receive honorariums.

“This contest is specifically seeking a piece 45 to 60 minutes in length involving two actors (in either single or multiple roles), that has not been previously produced, and is new, different and creative,” the Johnson County Park and Recreation District said in a news release.

“A lighthearted, holiday theme is preferred, and while the plot ... does not need to revolve around a holiday, elements of holiday cheer would be appreciated.”

If the play includes music, the songs must be original or in the public domain.

The winning script will be announced on Nov. 6, followed by auditions on Nov. 8, and rehearsals from Nov. 11 through Dec. 3. Virtual performances will start Dec. 11. For more details and the submission form, go to theatreinthepark.org.

Olathe libraries extend hours

Both Olathe library branches are staying open an hour later on weekdays, as of Sept. 8.

The new closing time is 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the libraries will continue to operate until 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Both the downtown and Indian Creek libraries open at 9 a.m. on weekdays, with the first hour reserved for patrons most at risk if they catch the new coronavirus. The branches open at 10 a.m on Saturdays and 1 p.m. on Sundays.

Kansas River bridge closing

Drivers will be without a key Kansas River crossing for about three months this fall while the Wyandotte Street bridge is being repaired in De Soto.

A 15-foot deck expansion joint must be replaced, the city said, and Johnson County crews also will install a drain to decrease future joint corrosion and patch the deck to prevent potholes.

The bridge connects Johnson and Leavenworth counties. The nearest river crossings are in Eudora and at Kansas 7 in western Shawnee. The project is tentatively scheduled to begin this month after being pushed back by supply delays. Watch desotoks.us for updates.

Part of trail closed in Shawnee

Attention bikers and hikers: A 1.25-mile section of the Gary L. Haller Trail — which runs from the Kansas River to Olathe in the Mill Creek Streamway Park — is closed for about a month for maintenance.

The affected area is between the Barker Road access point and the Mid-America Sports Complex, both in Shawnee.

The closure began Sept. 1 so crews could replace deteriorating stormwater culverts and realign the trail to reduce steep grades and allow access to the stream bank for maintenance.

This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Public art installed and Goddess of Justice in place. New JoCo Courthouse nearly open."