photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Douglas County commissioners met on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Douglas County commissioners reviewed their 2026 legislative priorities, weighing language on federal influence impacting state and local governments.

On Wednesday, county commissioners discussed its set of priorities and recommendations for the Kansas Legislature, which called for strong local governance, balanced economic growth, sustainable infrastructure and more. Some commissioners inquired about some language that could be added to the legislative statement before being approved.

Commissioner Patrick Kelly said one of the things he wanted to explore was language addressing concerns about federal-level behaviors impacting state and local governments, referencing Kansas Republicans’ recent push to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections. While those efforts failed, the issue will be brought up again in the upcoming legislative session. President Trump has also talked about redistricting in states like Texas.

“There may be some wording that sort of says we need to honor the representatives of government and duties that are required of state and local and federal officials,” Kelly said. ” … I would not feel I’m representing all constituents without having some mention of what we’re seeing at the federal level, trying to prevent that from happening.”

Commissioner Erica Anderson said she would be in favor of adding language to address this.

“We have so much change right now, and … not knowing what’s going to happen until you actually get into legislative session, if there’s an opportunity to crack that language now to move forward, that would be better to be proactive than reactive.”

The statement outlines the commission’s commitment to protecting its constitutional home rule authority, emphasizing the importance of maintaining local control over issues like land use, housing, and taxation. The county also highlights a focus on community health and human services, particularly through strengthening behavioral health and addiction recovery programs. Financially, the county aims to balance essential services with affordability, pointing to a property tax rate reduction for 2026. Douglas County also expresses gratitude for state cooperation surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Other legislative priorities include updating motor vehicle service fees, recognizing PTSD for first responders in workers’ compensation, and addressing affordable housing, homelessness, food access through policy, incentives, and preventive measures and other things.

County Administrator Sarah Plinsky said staff is going to aim for the legislative priorities to be brought in front of the County Commission again on Dec. 3 for a vote.

In other business, county commissioners:

• Received a presentation regarding the state’s property value appeal process in Kansas, outlining the different levels of appeal available to taxpayers who disagree with their property valuations.

The presentation detailed how to initiate an appeal, what to expect during the process, and how decisions are communicated. If taxpayers remain dissatisfied, they may escalate their appeal to the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, and subsequently to District Court or higher courts if necessary. The overall purpose of the appeal process is to ensure property values are accurate, fair, and supported by market data, promoting uniformity and equity in property taxation. More information on the appeal process can be found at https://www.dgcoks.gov/appraiser/appeals.

• Awarded a contract for insurance brokerage services for property and general liability insurance to Lockton Companies for up to five years with the contract totaling $207,500. The county has engaged in these services for many years to assist with marketing, comparing, advising, and renewing insurance coverage and securing necessary bonds, a memo in the agenda said. The county has used Lockton Companies for these services since 2020.