The Douglas County commission meets in the historic courtroom on the second floor of the old county courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.

Douglas County commissioners will consider a request on Wednesday to allow County Treasurer Paula Gilchrist to waive formal bidding procedures as she works to solve problems of long lines at her office.

Gilchrist is requesting authorization to enter into contracts totaling from $16,500 to $18,500 with QLess Line Management. The contracts would allow QLess to train staff and develop a system that would allow county taxpayers to use phones or the Internet to electronically get in line when paying personal property or real estate taxes or renewing vehicle registrations.

Gilchrist writes in a report that Riley, Johnson, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties use such systems to shorten lines when taxes or vehicle registrations are due.

Commissioners will also consider a request to have the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Board partner with the county in the administration of the Parent Health Literacy Training and Services Program. Since 2013, the county has worked with the Kansas Head Start Association to provide to county parents the book “What to do When Your Child Gets Sick” and training on its content. A number of health and human service agencies provide the training and books.

The program has been credited with reducing emergency room visits and unnecessary doctor visits.

The county serves as the pass-through agency of $92,000 of Medicaid funds from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which pays for half the annual cost of the program in Douglas County. The other half of the funding is from a Kansas Head Start grant.

Assistant County Administrator Sarah Plinsky wrote in a report to commissioners that the health board will help ensure the program is administered properly.

The Douglas County Commission meets at 4 p.m. each Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. A full meeting agenda is available online at douglascountyks.org.