2009: The Year in Review

JANUARY

Overland Park-based Sprint-Nextel announced it would need to shed another 8,000 jobs to achieve $1.2 billion in savings. The cutback represented about a 14 percent paring of the company’s total work force.

Newly elected Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe, who defeated Phill Kline in the November general election took the oath of office Jan. 12, as did two new Johnson County Commissioners: Calvin Hayden, who defeated incumbent John Toplikar in the 6th District, and former Shawnee Mayor Jim Allen, who defeated incumbent John Segale in the 2nd District.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius called for state budget cuts, including cuts to community college funding. Johnson County Community College is planning for $5 million in cuts, said President Terry Calaway, with a hiring freeze and other measures.

Shawnee Mission South High School celebrated earning the Standard of Excellence in all four assessment content areas: reading, math, science and social studies. South was the only Kansas high school in class 3A-6A to receive the honor.

Johnson County District Court Judge John Anderson III retired after 21 years on the bench.

As part of the $2.45 million emergency funding passed by county commissioners last November, Johnson County Transit increased its Overland Park-to-Lawrence service, the K-10 Connector, by eight trips each way.

Johnson County League of Women Voters member Carol Sader, Prairie Village, received the Making Democracy Work Award, which honors an individual who has helped make local government strong, vibrant, fair and responsive to the needs of the community.

Kansas Preservation Alliance added the Chouteau Trading Post, Station and Post Office Site in the former Monticello Township to the list of 2009 Endangered Historic Places in Kansas.

November’s economic numbers released in late January by the County Economic Research Institute could be summed up in one word: bad. Unemployment stood at 4.9 percent; single-family house construction and sales were at historic lows; and retail sales continued to decline compared to previous years.

FEBRUARY

Johnson County and Kansas City officials worked on a plan to implement a “ramp metering” project on interstate highway entrance ramps, including several on Interstate 435.

Shyam Narayanan, a sixth-grader from Lakewood Middle School, Overland Park, was named champion of the Johnson County Spelling Bee on Feb. 8.

Johnson County vied for a $22 million share of the $787 billion federal stimulus package allocated for the three-county area.

The Shawnee Mission School District proposed nearly $10.6 million in reductions for the 2009-10 school year. The proposal included reducing about 145 jobs across the district.

Johnson County Community College enrollment totals were higher than the college has ever recorded in spring. The enrollment count: 18,085. That was up 1.8 percent from spring of last year.

Blue Valley School District announced phase one of budget reductions and reallocations, totaling more than $4 million. The reductions included about 30 full-time equivalent positions eliminated, and about 11 vacant full-time equivalent positions eliminated.

The world’s economic train wreck delayed construction of the planned 1,000-acre, $250 million Burlington Northern Santa Fe intermodal and warehouse distribution center just west of Gardner. Construction was set to begin in the summer with the intermodal slated to open next year.

Linda Leeper, president and CEO of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, was named Shawnee Citizen of the Year by Knights of Columbus Council 2332.

Budget cuts of $2.6 million would help Lenexa conserve resources and offset revenue loss in 2009. On Feb. 10, the City Council approved the cuts.

MARCH

Several area police departments announced they would mount an offensive against teen drinking. The action was taken as the graduation and prom seasons neared.

President Barack Obama officially announced Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as his choice for Health and Human Services secretary. She was replaced as governor by Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson.

For the sixth consecutive month, the Johnson County consumer confidence index dropped, to 56.5.

Johnson County sent out appraisal notices, and after decades of residential and commercial property increasing in value, the unthinkable had happened: a decline in the county’s total tax base of 3 percent for 2009. 

Peggy and Terry Dunn, are “thrilled, surprised and extremely honored” to learn they are 2009 Johnson Countians of the Year, Peggy Dunn said. It is an honor given each year by the Johnson County Community College Foundation to individuals who make contributions to education and the community.

Johnson County Community College received $713,625 to help develop the Center for Sustainability through an earmark secured by U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback. The funding came as part of the appropriations bill that was signed into law by President Obama.

Lougene Marsh was hired as director of the Johnson County Health Department.

The “card check” bill being debated in Washington, which would virtually eliminate the secret ballot process during union organizing campaigns, had a co-sponsor who upset some area officials because of the support. Third District U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Lenexa, was among 233 members of Congress co-sponsoring the legislation.

The Kansas House kept intact its proposed $26 million cut to public education, but tacked on a 10 percent legislator pay cut in passing its version of a $13.4 billion 2010 budget by a vote of 70-54. The House budget, which used $400 million of federal stimulus money, still cut state agencies by at least 10 percent in trying to eliminate a nearly $700 million deficit.

APRIL

On April 1 the state started collecting the quarter-cent sales tax Johnson Countians approved last November for the Johnson County Education and Research Triangle.

Pawnee Elementary School, Overland Park, launched the first formal Walking School Bus in the state. The program places adult volunteers, called “drivers,” with groups of children on routes to help them walk to and from school.

 Kenneth Bingman learned he would become the seventh Kansas teacher to be inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. Bingman, a teacher for 46 years, teaches biology at Blue Valley West, Overland Park.

The budget Kansas legislators passed meant a $25 million cut to public schools. The budget called for districts to get $33 per student less from the state next year. In February, districts also lost $33 per pupil. Higher education in the state faced a $20 million funding cut.

Several arrests illustrated how much prostitution has become more prevalent in suburbia. A contributing factor has been solicitations that now appear on some popular advertising Web sites.

Historically, incumbent mayors in Johnson County seldom have trouble winning re-election, but in the April 7 contest, three mayors lost to challengers. In Fairway, former FBI agent Jerry Wiley took on incumbent John St. Clair Jr., who had been mayor six years, and won. In Merriam, Ken Sissom defeated two-term mayor Carl Wilkes. And in Roeland Park, Ward 4’s Adrienne Foster defeated one-term mayor Steve Petrehn.

Incumbent Melody Rayl and newcomers Stephanie Sharp, Robert Drummond and Jerry Cook were elected to serve four-year terms on the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees.

At a special meeting, Gary Diener, executive director of business and finance for the Olathe School District, reported that 136 employees had accepted an early retirement incentive plan, and 115 resignations had been turned in to the district. That represented a 5.5 percent reduction in the district work force, which planned not to fill the positions. That would mean payroll savings of $8.7 million.

Thousands of people attended the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party at Johnson County Community College. The TEA Party protests, which were not sponsored by any political organization, happened nationwide.

Nan Frink thinks the Johnson County multi-service centers are experiencing the calm before the storm – an economic storm that she said would begin rearing its head within weeks. In January, Frink saw a record number of people seeking help from the food pantry and with utility bills.

Karen Haren, Harvesters Community Food Network president and CEO, received Feeding America’s 2009 Executive Director of the Year award, which honors the leader of a member food bank who has contributed extraordinary effort to the network’s viability and momentum.

First Ward Lenexa City Councilwoman Jane Klein, 70, died April 5. Klein, a Lenexa resident for more than 40 years, served for 20 years as a council member.

Shawnee city staff would spend the next couple months preparing an updated recycling plan, thanks to recommendations from a solid waste task force that presented a final report April 13 to the City Council. The group’s primary recommendation was that the city consider forming a solid waste utility, which could save residents money. The city would negotiate one contract for trash, recycling and yard waste.

The Interstate 435 corridor in western Shawnee, particularly along Shawnee Mission Parkway, is seen as prime for development in the next few years. City planners are working with Gould Evans and Zimmer Real Estate Services to produce a land use analysis and market study of the area.

MAY

Lenexa officials dedicated the Lake Lenexa dam, and had celebrated the opening of Monticello Road, which leads to Lake Lenexa and Black Hoof Park. The city also officially dedicated the park and lake, located at Monticello Road and 91st Street.

Thirteen-year-old Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe won the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion. Kavya correctly spelled “Laodicean” to claim the title. The word is a proper adjective that means lukewarm or indifferent especially in religion or politics. She beat out 292 other competitors, the most in the bee’s history.

The American Lung Association gave the Kansas City area, including Johnson County, an F for its ozone levels. When those levels rise, mainly because of auto and industrial emissions, they can cause respiratory problems.

More than 400 schools nationwide had closed since the first outbreaks of H1N1 flu in the U.S., the Department of Education reported. National health officials announced they no longer recommend school closure when students come down with a confirmed or probable case of the virus known as swine flu. Officials in local school districts and at Johnson County Community College were in touch with local, federal and state health departments and organizations to prepare for an occurrence and prevent the spread of illness.

Overland Park prepared to open a new Stonegate Pool at 97th Street and Antioch Road. The original 40-year-old pool was replaced by a larger facility featuring considerably more amenities.

The U.S. Postal Service announced plans to close the Leawood branch near 95th Street and Mission Road. Several others in the county could close as the Postal Service wrestles with declining revenues.

The Legislature’s most recent budget balancing decision included a cut of about $82 million in aid to public K-12 schools. The districts had already made plans to deal with reductions made this year and next year. But, the latest numbers meant an additional loss of about $3.9 million for the Shawnee Mission School District, about $2.8 million for the Blue Valley School District and about $3.7 million for the Olathe School District.

Johnson County Community College determined that it would operate with about $8.4 million less next year. The Board of Trustees approved the college’s 2009-10 budget that included a 6 percent decrease. The college anticipated a 4 percent decrease in county tax revenue because of decreased property values, a 13 percent decrease in funding from the state and a 3 percent increase in enrollment.

Citing Johnson County’s “very strong financial position” backed by good management practices, both Standard and Poor’s Rating Services and Moody’s Investors Service gave the county a AAA bond rating, the highest rating possible, in two separate bond issues, totaling $31.3 million.

Johnson County officials officially opened the new $21 million County Communications Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public tours. The center became fully operational in early summer.

What to do with the overpopulation of deer at Shawnee Mission Park was one of several topics discussed at the May 13 Johnson County Park and Recreation District board meeting.

“Curiosity,” a name suggested for the new NASA Mars rover by Sunflower Elementary School sixth-grader Clara Ma, Lenexa, was scheduled to land on Mars in 2011. Clara’s name for the Mars rover was selected by a NASA panel from 9,000 proposals in a nationwide student contest.

The Kansas House narrowly approved the Senate’s deficit-reduction bill by a 64-60 vote that called for an additional 2.7 percent across-the-board cut in the state’s 2010 budget.
 

For the first time in seven months, Johnson County consumers in April cautiously showed some confidence in the economy, according to the latest figures released by the County Economic Research Institute. Beginning in September 2008, consumer confidence began to fall and was negative for the next seven months dropping to a record low 52.8 percent this past March. In April, that number rose to 56.1 percent.

After nearly 41 years with the Johnson County Election Office in Olathe, Karen Browning officially retired May 22.

The Johnson County League of Women Voters named Ruth Hopkins the 2009 recipient of its Making Democracy Work award.

Joe Karlin was selected to fill the 1st Ward Lenexa City Council seat that became vacant when former Councilwoman Jane Klein died in April. Karlin had served as a planning commissioner for the past four years and an active Lenexa citizen of 17 years.

Lake Lenexa Dam and Spillway earned the U.S. Society of Dams 2009 Excellence in the Constructed Project Award.

JUNE

Scott P. Roeder, 51, Merriam, was charged in Sedgwick County District Court with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Dr. George Tiller, Wichita.

Aside from the administration’s talking points touting the federal stimulus package, Vice President Joe Biden told approximately 150 invited guests in Overland Park that the $82.2 million widening and improvement project of U.S. 69 Highway between 75th Street and I-435 is helping to lead the country out of the economic crisis. “We are literally paving the road to recovery right here in Overland Park,” he said.

The Johnson County Parks and Recreation District Board approved staff recommendations to reduce the deer herd at Shawnee Mission Park by using trained sharpshooters.

Recent Shawnee Mission North graduate Sammy Jo Claussen was the national winner of the Best Teen Chef competition. Sammy Jo won a full-tuition scholarship to study culinary arts at The International Culinary School at The Art Institutes International, Kansas City.

Wonderscope Children’s Museum celebrated its 20th year in 2009.

Kansas Department of Transportation launched an involved study of the county’s traffic “triangle” – the Interstate 435/Interstate 35/Kansas Highway 10 interchange. The purpose of the study is to develop an ultimate design concept and prioritize recommendations that improve the safety, mobility and efficiency of the interchange.

JULY

The Overland Park Police Department worked to make its fleet of vehicles more fuel efficient by replacing some of the 200 non-patrol cars with smaller hybrids, thanks in part to federal grants.

A woman was killed while working in her front yard when a motorist’s car went over the curb and struck her. Police stepped up enforcement efforts along 99th Terrace after residents there called for city action aimed at slowing traffic in the area and perhaps introducing changes in the street’s design to improve safety. Police charged a 19-year-old woman with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatality.

Gov. Mark Parkinson announced that public K-12 schools would see a 2 percent reduction in funding. Parkinson was dealing with a state revenue shortfall of about $126 million.

Johnson County is trailing the rest of the country in its recycling efforts. Based on 2005 data, the national average recycling rate is 34 percent. Johnson County’s rate is 23 percent. The county’s commercial recycling rate is 30 percent, but the residential rate is a lowly 15 percent.

Shawnee and Lenexa cancel the annual fireworks display at Shawnee Mission park due to budget constraints.

Fred and Carol Logan are named 2009 Volunteers of the Year by the Volunteer Center of Johnson County.

Among CNN Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live list for small cities, Lenexa ranked 26th. With a population of 45,700, Lenexa is the only Kansas city and the only metro-area community, except for Liberty, Mo., which ranked 29th, to make the list for cities with a population less than 50,000.

AUGUST

Shawnee was forced to say no to $7.5 million in county money for an upgrade of Monticello Road between Midland Drive and 79th Street. Lagging city revenues meant the city was unable to afford its share of the $18 million project.

As the majority of students return to classes next week, Johnson County schools made plans in case the H1N1 virus made a comeback. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said they anticipated more illness after the school year started because flu is transmitted more easily in the fall and winter.

Timber Creek Elementary School, Overland Park, began its first school year in August. It is the first building the district has built to work toward LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program.

The $36 million Overland Park Soccer Complex opened.

The Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri announced that the popular Camp Timberlake would be sold and closed. The 72-acre facility located southeast of 179th Street and Antioch Road was bought by the organization in 1956. Cost cutting needs forced the organization to close some of its properties.

The federal plan to boost the housing market through lower interest rates and tax credits for first-time home buyers saw success in Johnson County. The Reece & Nichols Overland Park real estate office did $40 million in sales in June compared to $27 million in June 2008. The federal stimulus dollars targeted first-time home buyers, which office manager Terri McGowen, said were a huge part of the June sales.

Deputy Johnson County Manager Hannes Zacharias was named the new manager for Johnson County government by the county commission. He succeeded Michael B. Press, Olathe, who retired after more than 32 years with the county.

Johnson County Commissioners approved a $778 million 2010 budget without any anticipated increase in the county mill levy. The current levy is 23.165 mills, the lowest of the 105 counties in Kansas. Salaries for county employees were frozen in 2009 to help offset a budget deficit of about $6 million this year and a projected shortfall of $20.9 million in 2010.

The Shawnee Mission School Board and Blue Valley School Board approved their district 2009-10 budgets, and both included a mill levy increase. Shawnee Mission increased the levy about 3 mills, to 55.180 mills. Blue Valley increased the levy 3.94 mills, to 65.06.

A spring 2009 survey of Johnson County citizens produced high marks for the county’s quality of life and overall satisfaction with county government.

Shawnee City Council approved the city’s 2010 budget, which did not include a property tax increase, but did include a 5 percent franchise fee to be assessed on residential property.

The Johnson County Library received seven awards from the National Association of Counties and its subdivision, the National Association of County Information Officers. The library’s Leadership Development Program earned a 2009 NACo Achievement Award.

SEPTEMBER

Local school districts were told not to require that students view a televised speech by President Obama.

Two spaces meant to prepare students for work in emergency medical service and dental hygiene were dedicated at Johnson County Community College. An addition to the campus science building now provides a first-floor 4,918-square-foot EMS training center and a second-floor 6,293-square-foot dental hygiene clinic.

The new Cohen Iris Garden was dedicated at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Garden. In addition, a new 70-acre prairie section of the attraction opened.

Fall enrollment numbers at Johnson County Community College set a record. For the semester, 20,401 students were enrolled, a 7 percent increase from fall 2008. Students were enrolled in 173,267 credit hours, an increase of 7.8 percent from last fall.

Official enrollment headcounts in Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe school districts showed all districts had more students than last year.

After nearly 11 years and at a cost of just more than $10 million, the latest updated flood plain map for Johnson County was finished and ready to help guide developers and city planners where not to build.

More than 100 concerned Lenexa parents and teachers asked the Lenexa City Council to reconsider eliminating school crossing guards.

Construction of the county’s Youth and Family Services Center began, and completion is anticipated by the first quarter of 2011. The $17.5 million project is located across from the existing Juvenile Detention Center at 915 Spruce St., Olathe.

An announced, $150 million, 600,000-square-foot Cerner Corp. office development in Wyandotte County was projected to bring 4,000 new employees to the area. The potential relocation of those workers to homes in western Johnson County, only minutes away, had real estate agents and economic leaders salivating.

Olathe School District Superintendent Pat All announced she will retire June 30.

School cafeterias in the Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley and Olathe school districts are serving more free and reduced-price lunches this year.

The Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe School Districts saw increases in student absence rates due to flu-like illness.

Lenexa Public Works Director Ron Norris retired after 13 years of service to the community.

OCTOBER

Overland Park officials considered and eventually approved a plan to charge admission for the first time at the Deanna Road Children’s Farmstead at 138th and Switzer.

Longtime Overland Park Parks Director Jim Cox announced his retirement.

Al Lane, 77, Mission Hills, a former city councilman and mayor of Mission Hills and former state representative, died.

Longtime Johnson Countian and political activist Larry Winn III, Overland Park, and Overland Park Councilwoman Donna Owens announced they would seek the 4th District County Commission seat being vacated by Ed Eilert. Eilert is running against incumbent Annabeth Surbaugh for the county chair position.

The Pioneer Library in Leawood reopened after an expansion project was completed.

Third Ward Lenexa City Councilman Dan Sullivan announced that he would resign. Sullivan, who had served on the council for 10 years, said he planned to move to Mission Hills.

Johnson County Library Foundation’s annual Pinnacle Award honorees demonstrate excellence in their professional field or philanthropic pursuits. Expanded in 2008, the awards recognize excellence in advocacy and public engagement, entrepreneurship, and literacy and education. The 2009 winners were Doug Talley, Myra Christopher, Phillip Spencer and Gaylon Umbarger.

NOVEMBER

Home sales numbers were released that showed October was an encouraging month. While sales of new homes continued to lag, 60 percent more existing homes were sold in Johnson County than in the same month a year ago. 

The Olathe Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Marlin Berry the next superintendent of Olathe District Schools.

A total of 313 deer were culled in the first phase of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s deer management plan for Shawnee Mission Park. 

The Shawnee Mission School Board voted to terminate Mission Valley Middle School science teacher Ryan Haraughty. Haraughty told several media outlets that an off-color comment he made in class led to his firing. A Shawnee Mission School District statement said more than one incident factored into the decision to fire Haraughty.

The race for the 4th District Johnson County Commission seat being vacated by Ed Eilert headed for an August primary election showdown with the addition of small-businessman Chuck Vogt.

The Interstate 435 on-ramp metering signals were activated.

Gov. Mark Parkinson announced $258 million in budget cuts and adjustments, including a $36 million hit to public schools.

Third District U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, 64, D-Lenexa, announced he will not seek re-election after his current sixth term ends in January 2011.

Lenexa City Councilman John Ramsey, 58, died.

DECEMBER

With revenues declining more than expected, Overland Park City Manager John Nachbar announced a plan to cut spending projections by almost $70 million over the next six years. One action is expected to be layoffs of about 5 percent of the city’s total work force of about 1,000 employees.

U.S. Bank announced that it would establish a new service center in Overland Park next year. The company plans to hire 1,100 new workers for the operations that will be located at 12800 Foster St.

Nearly 12,000 pounds of meat processed from the deer culling at Shawnee Mission Park in November has been distributed to Harvesters and to Johnson County Human Services and Aging to be given to families in need.

David Wysong, R-Mission Hills, who was first elected to the Senate in 2005, announced he would resign, effective Dec. 13.

Johnson County Community College held a ceremonial ground breaking for the health education facility being built in partnership with Olathe Medical Center.

Despite a depressed economy, some Johnson County retailers say they are pleased with holiday sales and report double-digit increases over the same time last year.

State Rep. Terrie Huntington, R-Fairway, was elected by precinct leaders of the Johnson County Republican Party to replace State Sen. David Wysong, R-Mission Hills, who resigned his 7th District position.

The Johnson County Christmas Bureau helped thousands of low-income families celebrate the holidays. During the bureau’s 32nd annual Holiday Shop,  more than 12,000 individuals, or 3,300 families, received assistance, which is a record number of clients, president Alice Algie said.

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