County administrator search continues

The Unified Government continues to move ahead with a search for a county administrator.

According to Bill Johnson, Board of Public Utilities manager, who is co-chair of the UG search task force, meetings were held last week with a new search firm, gv HR. The other task force chair is Bonner Springs Mayor Jeff Harrington. Johnson spoke at the UG Commission meeting Nov. 17.

Cheryl Harrison-Lee was appointed the interim UG county administrator after former UG administrator Doug Bach retired Jan. 6. Bach had served as administrator since 2014 and was deputy county administrator from 2003 to 2014.

Johnson said a schedule is clearly laid out into the first quarter of next year to find candidates for the position. The UG recently changed search firms for the process.

The search firm will turn candidates over to elected officials, he said. The interview process will start, then the candidates will be pared to three.

The gv HR firm will send out surveys and advertising for the position would begin soon, Johnson said.

In mid-January, candidates will be reviewed and credentials will be submitted and reviewed, he said.

“We hope to have candidates for the commission and mayor by March, and a selection made to hopefully start in April,” Johnson said.

The UG announced that a community stakeholder survey is available on its website to receive feedback from the community on the administrator search.

To provide comments for the survey, visit https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/News-articles/County-Administrator-Search-Survey.

The deadline for comments is Nov. 29.

Plans put in place for downtown warming shelter for homeless

Plans are moving forward for a warming shelter around 6th and State Avenue in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

Alan Howse, Unified Government assistant county administrator, said at the Nov. 22 UG meeting that the shelter has a lease at 550 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, and they are working on getting the shelter operational. Cross-Lines Community Outreach will be the operator for the cold weather shelter, he said.

Utilities, water and electricity will be from the Board of Public Utilities, he said, which is giving a reduced rate to the UG to pay heat costs.

The shelter will be operational from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. with a maximum capacity of 35 people, first-come, first-served, he said.

It will operate only at 25 degrees Fahrenheit or below, he said. It has already been colder than that on certain days earlier this season, and there were already a number of days when the threshold was met, he added.

Howse said he anticipated the shelter would be open by mid-December if not earlier. Some steps are still remaining before it goes into operation, he added. Mid-December through March 31 are the proposed dates of operation. An Emergency Services Grant from the CARES Act will fund part of the operation, according to UG information.

The shelter will decide by 8 a.m. each day whether it will be open, with information on it available at 913-214-1104.

Mayor Tyrone Garner said UG staff has jumped right at the situation and made the shelter happen. Its location and features were not an easy decision, but it was a community collaboration, with involvement from the community, he said.

The UG has a map of other current emergency warming centers, not shelters, that may be open in cold weather at https://unifiedgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/LocalPerspective/index.html?appid=d9aad8acbe92423caffbc6325f415e12

Holiday lighting show kicks off Friday night at Renaissance Festival grounds

Knights of Light, the third annual holiday lighting event at the Renaissance Festival, will kick off Friday, Nov. 25, at 130th and State Avenue, Bonner Springs.

Christmas lights and decorations will be placed at the festival’s buildings, celebrating with food entertainment, crafts and visits to Santa Claus.

The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays until Dec. 18, then will be open from Dec. 21 through Christmas Eve, as well as Dec. 30 and 31.

There will be a party at 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve for guests 21 and older.

Tickets are $20 per adult and $12 for children ages 5 to 12, with free admission for children under 5.

Children will receive free hot chocolate and every attendee will get a gift bag and a chance to win a prize.

Dogs also can attend — admission is $5 for dogs.

Tickets and information are available at www.kcrenfest.com.