Legal

KLS maintains Elder Rights Project

tim.phenicie@jocogov.org — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:18:03 +0000

KLS maintains Elder Rights Project tim.phenicie@j… Wed, 10/18/2023 - 15:18

By Alexandra R. English

The Elder Rights Project, a statewide program conducted by Kansas Legal Services, continues to help aging adults who are 60 years of age or older and who are victims of crime, be it by a caregiver, a relative, a scammer, a landlord, etc.

There are five types of elder abuse: financial exploitation, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse.

Not all types are always criminal. For example, psychological abuse (that does not include a physical threat) may not be considered criminal. However, the presence of psychological abuse is a strong indicator of other kinds of abuse.

The Elder Rights Project allows Kansas Legal Services attorneys to represent elders who are victims of crime in a wide array of legal cases. This could include, but is not limited to:

Protection from abuse or stalking cases
Nursing home abuse
Civil suits to recover financial losses from an abuser
Assistance with a Crime Victim’s Compensation application
Criminal advocacy (explaining the criminal court process)
Bankruptcy
Revocation of Power of Attorney
Divorce
Landlord/tenant cases
Collection cases
Kansas Consumer Protection Act violations

While Kansas Legal Services usually cannot usually completely undo the grave wrongs that have been perpetrated on these clients, we can take legal actions to put our clients as close to whole as possible and protect them from their abusers in the future.

There are two ways to report elder abuse to the proper authorities:

Call the police. If it is an emergency, call 911. If it is not an emergency, go to the local law enforcement agency’s office and make a report.
Make a report to Adult Protective Services. 1-800-922-5330. You can talk to a Kansas Legal Services attorney face-to-face about senior legal issues, including simple estate planning issues. Call ahead to set up a free 30-minute appointment at one of these monthly “site visits” in Johnson County.

Sunset Building in Olathe: From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of every other month, we are at the Kansas Area Agency on Aging, at its offices in the Sunset Building, 11811 S. Sunset Dr. Call 913-715-8860.

Roeland Park Community Center: From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of every other month, we are at the Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood. Call 913-826-3160.

Matt Ross Community Center: From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month, we are at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St., Overland Park. Call 913-826-2830.

You can also apply for our free legal assistance by calling our Kansas City, Kansas office at 913-621-0200 or our state-wide number at 1-800-723-6953, or by completing a KLS Application Online on the KLS website at kansaslegalservices.org.

Alexandra R. English is statewide director of the Kansas Legal Services Elder Rights Project and managing attorney for Kansas Legal Services in its Kansas City, Kansas, offices.

Information and next steps regarding a KOMA complaint

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:37:18 +0000

Information and next steps regarding a KOMA complaint tim.dodderidge… Tue, 08/22/2023 - 15:37 August 22, 2023

Next week, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners will vote on adopting a response from the county’s legal department to a Kansas Open Meetings Act complaint filed with the State of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach by Johnson County District Three Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara.

Commissioner O’Hara filed a complaint with the AG’s office on July 6, alleging that the BOCC violated KOMA during a June 29, 2023 executive session. In her complaint, she suggests that the board, in executive session, improperly discussed general market adjustments to county salaries. This was one of five alleged violations in her complaint, and the four others were found by the AG’s office to not be violations and were closed. The AG’s office has requested more information on the one remaining allegation.

KOMA allows governing bodies to recess into executive session and privately discuss 15 different topics, including personnel matters of nonelected personnel. More information is available in K.S.A. 75-4319.

“We are fully cooperating with the Attorney General’s Office, and I trust the veracity of this investigation,” said Johnson County BOCC Chairman Mike Kelly. “I appreciate that our team is handling these allegations directly and remain confident in this process.”

The information the county legal department is compiling for the AG’s office will include questionnaires provided to individual commissioners. This matter is scheduled for discussion during the Aug. 24 Agenda Review, with a vote scheduled for the Aug. 31 BOCC business session on a response to the complaint drafted by the county’s legal department. The AG’s office requested a response by Aug. 21. Due to the BOCC’s meeting schedule, the county legal department requested and received an extension to Sept. 8.

Department:

Board of County Commissioners

Legal

Category:

News Releases

Programs offer property tax relief

tim.phenicie@jocogov.org — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:12:43 +0000

Programs offer property tax relief tim.phenicie@j… Tue, 10/18/2022 - 13:12

By Thomas L. Lasley

Kansas Legal Services wants to make you aware of the recent establishment of the Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund for low-income Kansas (seniors and non-seniors) that may be able to provide real property tax relief.

KHAF is a recent program created under the American Rescue Plan Act due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its purpose is to help qualifying senior and non-senior Kansans become current on their mortgages, property taxes, utilities, etc., in order to avoid foreclosure.

Kansas has been allocated $56.6 million in relief funds for KHAF. The program is temporary and will only continue until all funds have been exhausted. In order to apply for this fund, you must do so online.

To qualify for KHAF funds you must show that:

• Your household income is less than 150% of the greater of the area median income by county in Kansas. In Johnson County, the KHAF income limits start at $101,650 for one person and increase depending upon the number of persons in your household. (For a complete income listing see the income chart on the above website.)
• Your income was reduced, or your living expenses were increased due to COVID-19.
• Your mortgage payments or property taxes, etc. are at least 30 days past due.
• The deed is in your name and the home is your primary residence.

There are additional qualifications, so go to the above website for a complete list. The key with the KHAF fund is to apply ASAP before the funds are exhausted.

KLS does not assist Kansans in applying online because there is already an organization on its website that provides free assistance for that purpose. The phone number for the KHAF Call Center/Application Assistance is 855-307-KHAF(5423).

Because we have been able to make our clients aware of this mortgage and tax relief program, some KLS clients already have been successful in receiving KHAF funds to pay off a large portion of their back taxes, thus avoiding foreclosure. If you qualify, we strongly urge you to immediately apply for these KHAF funds while the program lasts.

Kansas Legal Services is a statewide, non-profit law firm. Through our Area Agency on Aging Program, we are devoted to providing free legal services to Kansas residents who are: 60 years of age and older, Kansas residents and U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

For convenience purposes, we make monthly, free “site visits” at the following locations and schedules, in Johnson County.

On the second Thursday of every other month, we are at the Kansas Area Agency on Aging at its offices in the Johnson County Sunset Building, 11811 S. Sunset Dr., Olathe, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For a free 30-minute appointment, call 913-715-8860.
On the second Thursday of every other month, we are at the Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For a free 30-minute appointment, call 913-826-3160.
On the third Wednesday of every month, we are at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty, Overland Park, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a free 30-minute appointment, call 913-826-2830.

You can also apply for free legal assistance by calling our local Kansas City, Kansas office at 913-621-0200 or our statewide number at 1-800-723-6953, or by completing a KLS application online on the KLS website at kansaslegalservices.org.

Thomas L. Lasley is an attorney for Kansas Legal Services, licensed in both Kansas and Missouri, with more than 40 years of experience in elder law and estate planning.

Helpful Legal Links

tim.dodderidge@jocogov.org — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 21:22:39 +0000

Helpful Legal Links tim.dodderidge… Thu, 10/28/2021 - 16:22

County Code

Kansas Lawyer Referral

Kansas Legal Services (Legal Aid)

District Attorney

County Code Enforcement

Joe.Sundermeyer@jocogov.org — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 20:07:23 +0000

County Code Enforcement Joe.Sundermeye… Thu, 10/28/2021 - 15:07

Johnson County Codes Court is held on the last Friday of every month, with the exception of holidays, at 9 a.m. Codes Court hearings are held remotely via Zoom and can be accessed at:

Zoom Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/s/1608001737
Zoom Meeting ID: 160 800 1737

For those unable to join remotely using a personal device, Codes Court hearings may be attended by visiting the Johnson County Courthouse in person at 150 W Santa Fe, Olathe, Kansas 66061. After checking in with the clerk, a room with a computer and access to the Zoom hearings will be provided.

The Codes Court Judge is Eric Morrison. The Clerk is Katherine Mason. The Prosecutor is Ethan Brown.

The County Code contains only general laws and regulatory enactments currently in force and effect. For more information on the county code, the Codes Court clerk can be reached at DCC-CodesClerk@jocogov.org.

Administration Building

Melinda.Hardin@jocogov.org — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:56:02 +0000

Administration Building Melinda.Hardin… Tue, 09/14/2021 - 15:56 913-715-5000

111 S. Cherry St.
Olathe, KS 66061
United States

The Johnson County Administration Building was completed and occupied in 1992. It was designed to incorporate many of the architectural features of the 1892 courthouse, which was demolished in 1952.

It serves as the seat of the County Government, housing the Board of County Commissioners' Offices and is the location for all BOCC meetings, as well as most of the non-judicial public hearings.

JoCo Café, a self-service fresh micro market on the lower level of the building, offers convenience store snacks and drinks along with fresh food like salads and sandwiches.

Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., except major holidays

Department: County Auditor's Office Automated Information Mapping System Board of County Commissioners Budget and Financial Planning Building Codes Contractor Licensing County Manager's Office Facilities Management Financial Management and Administration Human Resources Legal Planning Planning, Housing and Community Development Technology and Innovation Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles

Legal Disclosures

Sonia.Kholsa@jocogov.org — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 01:02:54 +0000

Legal Disclosures Sonia.Kholsa@j… Mon, 07/26/2021 - 20:02

Advertising Policy

Johnson County Government Advertising Policy and Guidelines

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) / Nondiscrimination

Johnson County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or other circumstance prohibited by federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation, including Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The County Manager designates the ADA Coordinator for Johnson County. The county's ADA Coordinator is Darron Leiker, Assistant County Manager, 111 S. Cherry St., Olathe, KS, 66061, 913-715-0725. A request for accommodation for a disability, or other assistance, should be made, if possible, at least 3 days in advance, by completing this form.

Civil Rights - Title VI

Johnson County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, income or English proficiency. For more information on Johnson County's non-discrimination policies, or if you believe you have been discriminated against and need to file a complaint, please contact the Title VI Coordinator at 913-715-0561 or TitleVI@jocogov.org.

For more information, review the Title VI Plan.

Refund/Return Policy

Refunds and returns are handled by individual departments. Department Refund/Return Policies vary based on the service, product or event purchased, as well as the original mode of payment used, i.e., cash, check or credit card. For information about Refunds or Returns please contact the department providing the product, service or event.

Social Media Commenting Terms of Use

The public is welcome to share opinions and feedback on social media sites managed by the county. Please be aware that these sites are limited public forums and moderated by county staff. To best facilitate online conversation, please keep your comments to the topic at hand. Users who submit posts or comments on county social media sites agree that they have read, understand and agree to these terms of use.

User-generated posts or comments may be deleted or temporarily hidden (we use Facebook-provided content moderation/filtering options to hide profanity) and later deleted by county staff if content:

Contains obscene, profane, threatening, or harassing language, images, GIFs and/or video content or language that is considered profane, including abbreviations and symbols used to hide profanity;
Contains sexually explicit images, cartoons, jokes or links to sexual content;
Advocates unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military service, or other circumstance prohibited by federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation, including Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
Contains commercial messages, including advertisements, endorsements, solicitations and spam;
Promotes or endorses political campaigns, candidates for election to a political office, or ballot measures;
Contains suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity;
Contains information that may compromise the safety or security of the public, public systems, the county, its employees, or public officials;
Contains defamatory (i.e. slanderous, libelous) remarks, personal attacks, or threats against any individual person or group of people;
Violates a legal ownership interest of any other party, such as trademark or copyright infringement;
Makes or publishes false, vicious or malicious statements concerning any county employee;
Promotes violence or the threat of violence to themselves or others (these types of comments will be reported to the appropriate authorities);
Discloses confidential or proprietary information or personally identifiable information, such as an address, phone number, social security number or other sensitive information;
Contains multiple successive or repetitive posts by a single user or repetitive posts copied and pasted by one or more users, or spam;
Content is off-topic or unrelated to the specific post.

Profile pictures and account names that accompany posts or comments are also subject to moderation based on the above terms of use.

In consultation with Legal, repeated violations of these terms of use may result in an individual being blocked from interactions with the county on county social media sites. If a user is blocked, we will reasonably attempt to notify the user of the violation.

Further, commenting may be turned off when commenting exceeds 200 comments and/or when there are excessive comments in violation of our terms of use. Alternate methods of engaging with the county will be offered, such as email or mail. Commenting on social media is not an official notice or comment to Johnson County Government or its officials or employees.

Thank you for your interest in Johnson County. We look forward to engaging with you.

Website Accessibility Policy

Johnson County is committed to providing web content that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. The County has reviewed all its web content for accessibility under the applicable standards, which, at the time of this statement, includes WCAG 2.1, level AA standards. Despite the County's best efforts to ensure accessibility of all content, some users may encounter issues with some features on some systems, software, or user configurations. If you encounter an issue, please fill out the ADA Accommodation Request form.

Website Disclaimer Policy

Johnson County Kansas Government provides this website as a public service. Users of this website are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, content, currency, suitability, and timeliness of all information. Johnson County Kansas Government makes no representations, guarantees, or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, content, currency, suitability, and timeliness of the information provided via this website. This information is provided on an "as is" basis.

Johnson County Kansas Government specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the website or the information it contains, including any websites maintained by third parties and linked to or from the Johnson County Kansas Government website. Johnson County Kansas Government makes no effort to independently verify, and does not exert editorial control over, information or services provided on pages outside the jocogov.org domain.

Johnson County Kansas Government does not endorse any of the products, vendors, consultants, or documentation referenced in this website. Any mention of vendors, products, or services is for informational purposes only.

Website Linking Policy

The information posted on the Johnson County Kansas Government website includes hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. Johnson County Kansas Government provides these links and pointers solely for our users' information and convenience.

The inclusion of links on this website should not be construed as an endorsement by the Johnson County Kansas Government of those links or their contents. When users select a link to an outside website, they are leaving the Johnson County Kansas Government site and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website.

Website Privacy Policy

This policy statement addresses collection, use and security of, and access to information that may be obtained through use of the Johnson County website. When you visit the Johnson County Kansas Government website, we use automated tools to log information about each visit. We process this information in the aggregate to determine site performance issues, such as popular pages, most frequently downloaded forms, and other site performance characteristics. This information does not identify you personally. We do not track or record information about individuals and their visits.

If during your visit to the Johnson County website you participate in a survey, send an email, submit a form, or perform some other transaction, the following information could be collected:

The email address and contents of the email.
Information volunteered in response to a survey.
Information volunteered through the use of an online form for any other purpose. This may include text, audio, video, graphic formats, or any other data that is sent to us.

This information will be used to respond to your requests appropriately, to improve our website, to improve customer service, or to process transactions.

In order to conduct some transactions over the Johnson County website, you may be required to provide additional personal information, such as payment information. This information could include your credit card number or bank account details. Johnson County only utilizes trusted third party resources to collect this data. This data will only be used to conduct the business transaction requested by the site user. Johnson County requires all third party vendors provide secure socket layer (SSL) encryption technology to protect sensitive data. Personal information will not be sold, traded, or otherwise transferred to outside parties, unless required by law.

Johnson County has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its data and to prevent unauthorized access to information maintained by the County. These measures are designed and intended to prevent corruption of data, block unknown or unauthorized access to our systems and information, and to provide reasonable protection of private information in our possession.

This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided via the County websites.

Website Security Policy

We attempt to ensure that Johnson County Kansas Government website remains available to all users by employing software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage.

Legal

Joe.Sundermeyer@jocogov.org — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 20:15:38 +0000

Legal Joe.Sundermeye… Sun, 07/25/2021 - 15:15

The Johnson County Legal Department provides legal advice, services and representation to Johnson County Government on all civil legal matters involving the Board of County Commissioners and the County Manager’s Office, as well as county agencies, departments and boards. We collaborate with departments, agencies and offices to provide the legal support needed for the county to meet its priorities and provide programs and services to the community. Our core values include experience, quality, consistency, integrity, promptness, professional development, teamwork and clarity.

*Disclaimer: The Legal Department does not advise or represent private citizens or entities. If you are seeking personal legal assistance, please contact your own attorney or see our “Helpful External Links.”

913-715-1900

Explore Legal

Tax Foreclosure County Code Enforcement

Helpful External Links

Find links to external resources like the County Code and the District Attorney's office.

External resources

Contact Legal Department

Location

Administration Building
111 S. Cherry St., Suite 3200, Olathe, KS 66061

Phone

Phone: 913-715-1900
Fax: 913-715-1873

Inquiries

Legal

Human Resources

Susan.Crew2@jocogov.org — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 20:14:22 +0000

Human Resources Susan.Crew2@jo… Sun, 07/25/2021 - 15:14

Our employees are a big part of what makes Johnson County a great place to work. The Human Resources Department is focused on helping our employees succeed - because they are our most important resource. We care about public service and want that to show in everything we do.

Within the culture section, you will learn we are a values-based organization. We focus on inclusion, equity, belonging and helping employees develop. Be sure to view the compensation section for pay tables, job descriptions, and information about benefits and wellness.

You can also view all our employee policies and procedures.

If you do not find what you are looking for, please email us-we are happy to help!

913-715-1400

Explore Human Resources

Careers Application Resources Johnson County Culture Compensation Resources Employee Policies & Procedures

Featured Links

Positions Open to the Public Our Values Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Our Benefits Employee Development Opportunities

Come work with us!

Worrking for Johnson County Government is not just a job - it is a chance to make a difference in your community every day.

Contact Human Resources

Legal

Legal

KLS maintains Elder Rights Project

Information and next steps regarding a KOMA complaint

Programs offer property tax relief

Helpful Legal Links

County Code Enforcement

Administration Building

Legal Disclosures

Advertising Policy

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) / Nondiscrimination

Civil Rights - Title VI

Refund/Return Policy

Social Media Commenting Terms of Use

Website Accessibility Policy

Website Disclaimer Policy

Website Linking Policy

Website Privacy Policy

Website Security Policy

Legal

Explore Legal

Helpful External Links

Contact Legal Department

Location

Phone

Inquiries

Human Resources

Explore Human Resources

Featured Links

Come work with us!

Contact Human Resources

Location

Phone/Email

Stay Connected