> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.citizenjournal.us/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Shawnee County Commission Summary - URL: https://www.citizenjournal.us/shawnee-county-commission-summary-36/ - Published: 2026-10-09T12:07:11.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-09T12:07:11.000Z - Description: Week of October 9, 2026 - Author: Cronkite - Tags: Topeka, #summary, dnn # Commissioners approve $5.1 million in vouchers, including economic development funds # Software training trip to Las Vegas approved for county employees # County sets new guidelines, $50 copay for employee weight loss medications # Shawnee County Treasurer's offices to close for annual training # Solid waste department hires architectural firm for facility design # Corrections department secures $70,000 grant to expand drug testing # Minor Gage Park expenses prompt debate over sales tax usage # Flora Lumina and BBQ competition highlight upcoming park events --- ### Commissioners approve $5.1 million in vouchers, including economic development funds SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The commission unanimously approved over $5.1 million in voucher payments on Thursday, encompassing several major county expenditures and ongoing public projects. Highlighting the expenses was a $968,874 payment to the Joint Economic Development Organization funded entirely by collected county sales taxes. Other significant distributions included $591,977 to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas for health insurance claims, $571,737 to VitalCore Health Strategies for inmate medical services and $320,788 to Burns & McDonnell for ongoing design work at the Sherwood wastewater treatment plant. --- ### Software training trip to Las Vegas approved for county employees SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Three county employees will attend a software conference in Las Vegas at an estimated cost of $12,750 to be paid from the general fund. The expenditure covers registration, travel and lodging for two information technology employees and one human resources staff member to train on the county's primary enterprise software. Anticipating public skepticism over a taxpayer-funded trip to Las Vegas, a commissioner asked staff to clarify the necessity. Information Technology Director Marc Price defended the travel, explaining the software manages payroll and purchasing for nearly every county department and staff must prepare for a mandatory upcoming migration to a cloud-based system. --- ### County sets new guidelines, $50 copay for employee weight loss medications SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a new contract Thursday to manage the surging costs of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs for county employees. Under the program, employees prescribed GLP-1 medications strictly for weight loss will now face a $50 flat copay, be required to provide a doctor's note every 90 days and attend an annual counseling session to remain eligible. A commissioner noted the county's GLP-1 usage reportedly surged in just one year, raising concerns about the program's estimated $1 million price tag, though commissioners acknowledged the drugs help prevent more expensive, long-term health crises. --- ### Shawnee County Treasurer's offices to close for annual training SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Residents needing to handle vehicle registrations or property taxes will need to plan around a one-day closure of the Shawnee County Treasurer's offices next week. The county treasurer's office announced that both the courthouse and North Annex locations will be closed to the public all day on Monday, Oct. 12, to allow staff to complete mandatory annual training. Both locations will resume normal operations at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. --- ### Solid waste department hires architectural firm for facility design SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — HTK Architects will provide architectural and design services for the Shawnee County Solid Waste Department after commissioners approved a $42,000 contract on Thursday. Public Works and Solid Waste Director Curt Niehaus told the board that HTK was chosen from a pool of four firms that submitted proposals to the professional service committee. The design services will be funded entirely by the solid waste fund, which is supported by user fees rather than local property tax dollars. --- ### Corrections department secures $70,000 grant to expand drug testing SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Shawnee County Community Corrections will accept a $70,000 Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to fund increased drug screenings for felony probationers. Community Corrections Director Brian Cole told commissioners the federal grant has allowed the county to vastly increase monthly tests. Since the department began heavily utilizing the grant funds 16 months ago, the positive test rate among the probation population has dropped significantly, which Cole attributed to successfully identifying addictions and providing early interventions rather than simply punishing offenders. --- ### Minor Gage Park expenses prompt debate over sales tax usage SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — A $1,049 request for dandelion treatment funded by the Gage Park sales tax sparked a brief debate on how the voter-approved improvement funds should be allocated. A commissioner expressed concern over using the sales tax for routine maintenance tasks rather than reserving it for major improvements, noting the fund is currently running a negative balance while waiting for tax revenues to materialize. Ultimately, the commission unanimously approved the $22,305 parks package, which also included converting the Rose Garden lights to light-emitting diodes, installing new bollards at Playland and repairing a broken water line. --- ### Flora Lumina and BBQ competition highlight upcoming park events SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. — Shawnee County Parks + Recreation announced a busy slate of autumn activities, highlighted by the debut of Flora Lumina at Old Prairie Town. Running from Oct. 12 through Nov. 1, the new illuminated nighttime event will feature light installations throughout the town and cost $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and youth. Other upcoming events include the public showcase for the Smoke on the Water barbecue event on Oct. 9, featuring a free concert and visiting pitmasters from as far away as Canada, and the free Tails & Ales event at Lake Shawnee Bark Park on Oct. 10. --- [Click here for local obituaries](https://cjus.me/tcj-obit?ref=citizenjournal.us) [Click here for local jail logs](https://cjus.me/tcj-jail?ref=citizenjournal.us) --- --- Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below: [Contact Us](https://www.citizenjournal.us/contact/) --- [![Job Board](https://rosebud-ads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/JOB.png)](https://gregl72.github.io/job/?ref=citizenjournal.us)