The Douglas County Commission will consider a new emergency public health order during its Feb. 9 meeting. The new order would require individuals to wear face coverings at indoor gatherings in which 500 or more individuals are in attendance in a single space, such as a concert, sporting event, trade show or convention.
The Board of County Commissioners reached an agreement July 20 on an approximately $163.7 million budget for 2023. They agreed on a mill levy of 46.380 mills, which is a decrease of one mill from 2022. One mill is one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value.
The 2023 budget included growth in property values (assessed valuation) of 12.44%. This higher than traditional rate of growth allowed the Commission to reduce the mill levy by $2.2 million in the general fund. The 2023 budget does not eliminate any current county services.
An emergency public health order that requires face coverings for those ages 2 and older inside public spaces in Douglas County will go into effect Friday, Jan. 7, to help protect the community as COVID-19 cases have rapidly increased during the past week.
As of Jan. 3, there were 1,538 active cases reported in Douglas County, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health. The 14-day moving average for new cases is at 89 cases per day, a record high for the county.
Douglas County has been allocated $23.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. These funds can be used for qualifying expenditures that occur between March 3, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2024.
The Board of County Commissioners is seeking project or program information from agencies interested in receiving funding through a letter of interest form. The form does not guarantee funding, but will help Commissioners further establish program parameters, guidelines and spending priorities. The deadline to complete the form is 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, 2022.
Douglas County offers an online tool called myStrength that is available 24/7. It's free and confidential! MyStrength offers a variety of programs, including: mindfulness and meditation, improving sleep, reducing stress, controlling anxiety, managing depression, balancing intense emotions, facing racism and discrimination, and coping with COVID-19.
To sign up for myStrength, visit https://mystrength.com and use access code: Douglas County.
Courthouse:
1100 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Judicial and Law Enforcement Center:
111 East 11th Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
