October 15, 2026 - Committee of the Whole meeting with Board of County Commissioners

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners’ Committee of the Whole met on October 15, 2026, to discuss a proposed community-based partnership for watershed improvements. Public Works requested direction to update county policy to authorize the model, include $2.5 million in 2027 stormwater expenditures, and proceed with a request for one additional FTE. The proposed program would use a competitively procured partnership lead, selected through an RFP, to coordinate projects—many on privately owned land—that deliver public stormwater benefits beyond regulatory requirements. The county would retain oversight, set priorities, approve project portfolios and funding, and track performance. Staff’s target timeline is to award the partnership in early 2027 and launch around June 2027; the funding would come from existing dedicated stormwater resources, not a new tax burden.

Commissioners asked about geographic distribution, project scoring, cost recovery, private-sector contributions, protections against replacing or weakening developer requirements, and how benefits would be measured. Staff said private owners or developers would pay for required improvements, while county funding would cover only the additional public-benefit increment; participation would not be mandatory for new development. The transcript records discussion and a request for direction, but no formal motion or vote is captured. Staff also noted that updated stormwater design standards may be brought forward separately.