Lang
4/23/26
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors had a busy Thursday.
The board declined a request for about $300,000 in funding for the immigrant rights group Escucha Mi Voz. The proposal required an amendment, as the county’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget had already been set. The “no” vote was 3-2, and came one day after dozens of residents spoke both for and against the amendment. Those who spoke against it cited already-high taxes, and argued that the funding was not essential to the function of government.
The board also agreed to move forward on acquiring a new site for the county jail. On Wednesday, the supervisors ruled out a site near the southwest corner of Highway 218 and Melrose Avenue, near the Joint Emergency Communications Center. Instead, the county will try to acquire an area of land not yet publicly identified as negotiations continue.
The board also began discussions about creating a gun safety task force in response to Sunday morning’s shooting on the Ped Mall that left five people injured. Supervisor Rod Sullivan argued that such a task force may not be necessary, and the county may be better served by supporting local organizations that already fight gun violence, such as Community Violence Intervention.
The supervisors agreed to revisit the gun issue at future meetings.