3rd District Commissioner
This does not reflect the views or opinions of the majority of the Johnson County Commission
August 13, 2024
Yes, the subject matter again is Mike Kelly, the current chairman of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Chairman Kelly, while mayor of Roeland Park, championed a resolution which made Roeland Park a sanctuary city, which is prohibited by Kansas State Statute. The state took issue with Kelly’s sanctuary city resolution and he (Kelly) was forced to rework the sanctuary city resolution verbiage, or rather tone down the rhetoric to be in compliance with state statutes.
Fast forward 2 years and 7 months and now as chairman of the BOCC, Kelly is out peddling his vision of a low barrier homeless shelter at 95th and I-35. Per reStart’s low barrier plan, clients do not have to be sober and will be allowed on premises under the influence of drugs or alcohol, if in control of themselves…what could possibly go wrong?
On July 25th, the majority passed an assignment of $10.5 million in taxpayer dollars to the operator, reStart, (chosen by staff). Here are my notes from that BOCC meeting. You decide: Homeless Shelter or Stealth Sanctuary County?
Commissioner O’Hara’s notes on 7/25/2024 BOCC meeting on approval of $10.5 million (your tax dollars) assignment consisting of the La Quinta Inn located at 95th and I-35 for the purpose of establishing a homeless shelter.
The assignment includes the La Quinta Inn, the old Denny’s and funds for rehab and startup costs to reStart, a 501(c)3 nonprofit/non-governmental organization (NGO):
1. Commissioner O’Hara’s amendment for BOCC to require reStart to require clients to be residents of Johnson County, failed 5-2
2. Commissioner O’Hara’s amendment for BOCC to require reStart to require clients to be U.S. citizens or other legal status, failed 5-2
3. Commissioner O’Hara’s amendment for BOCC to require reStart to hold 5 long term beds (out of 50) to be available for law enforcement drop off for emergency homeless, failed 6-1
4. Commissioner Meyers asked Assistant County Manager (CM), Joe Connor, if the amendment on U.S. Citizenship was irrelevant because the Coordinated Entry System does not allow questions on residency or legal status. Joe Connor, Assistant CM, responded…that was correct.
5. United Community Services, another NGO, developed the RFP (Request for Proposal), not our county staff. Joe Connor, Assistant CM, confirmed that he is on the board of United Community Services and was also on the selection committee as a non-voting member.
6. The Selection Committee was made up of county staff and they selected the operator, not the BOCC.
7. Mental health department uses Coordinating Entry System…cannot require JoCo residency or even U.S. citizenship or other legal status for homeless.
8. Joe Connor, Assistant CM confirmed that reStart does not fulfill criteria that BOCC set requiring operator to be self-funded. ReStart has a $500,000 deficit the first year. ReStart has nothing in their budget for security. Staff assured the BOCC in the COW (Committee of the Whole) on July 17th that reStart trains all their staff for security and will call local police when necessary. Security cost according to estimates given the BOCC is an additional $250,000.
9. Chairman Kelly called Commissioner O’Hara xenophobic . . . O’Hara’s response: my daughter is African American, two of my grandchildren are Hispanic, my grandson is Korean and my daughter-in-law is of Pakistani and Hispanic ethnicity.
There you go, this low barrier homeless shelter is not reserved for JoCo residents or even U.S. citizens.
This shelter will not accept law enforcement drop off for emergency homeless, and reStart does not fulfill the original requirement of operator to be self-funded. ReStart’s first year deficit of $500,000.00, without a budget for security, quickly balloons to $750,000.00 when the security estimate of $250,000.00 is added.
Oh, and if you DARE oppose or have questions you will be called xenophobic. I love the openness to diversity of thought!!
So, you decide, Homeless Shelter or Stealth Sanctuary County?
Call to Action: Lenexa is considering a Special Use Permit for the facility. It will be reviewed and voted on by the Planning Commission on August 26 at 7:00 p.m. It will then be considered by the City Council on September 17 at 7:00 p.m. (as currently scheduled).
Please send emails to the planning commission and city council members expressing your concerns and if possible, please attend.
Lenexa City Hall, 17101 W. 87th St.
Thank you, Charlotte for being what appears as the only voice of reason on the JOCO Commissioner Board. It is my understanding, JOCO currently has 147 homeless residents. While I completely sympathize w homeless plights, there are currently no less than seven sources of help for homeless in the metro area. The proposed shelter sits right on I-35, and will be an attractive nuisance for the current drug traffic that runs from north Wyandotte County down through Wichita to Mexico. The shelter is a noble idea but wrong location and wrong management plan. I have sent emails to Lenexa asking them to vote no on August 26.
This is not going to help Johnson County or surrounding communities. You don’t need to be a resident of Johnson County, a citizen of the United States or even in our country legally.The location has been deemed a hot spot for human trafficking and drugs. You will be allowed on the premises under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Restart is already running a $500,000 deficit and have not included security in their budget. Security is estimated at over $250,000 per year and obviously very necessary with this facility. Any bank or business would laugh this proposal out the door. Restart is in over its head and now pleading for surrounding communities to bail them out. This is not a government issue and should be left to the private sector
Thank you. As usual Johnson County has a small group trying to rule over the majority. It’s pathetic!
If this is being forced down our throats it should at least be for KANSAS RESIDENTS.
Kelly is knee deep Swamp! If he cared about our community it would be for our Community not for illegals! It’s disgusting
Kansas is officially a “Border State”.
Kelly and his comrades are actively recruiting candidates for city council and county commission positions, not just in Jo Co, but throughout the MARC/KCATA “region”. Everyone within the region is under attack.
Legal residents in all 119 cities, 9 counties (10 counties and additional cities, if you include Douglas, under Climate Action KC agenda), and Kansas & Missouri within the MARC/KCATA region need to up their awareness of what is happening, both in Jo Co, and where they reside.
While legislation requires cities and counties to collaborate with their respective NGOs (Non-Government Organizations), which is what the MARC and the KCATA are, as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Area Transportation Authorities (ATAs), how is this constitutional? Where are these organizations delineated within the three branches of government?
The global agenda has been deployed, surreptitiously, since the double coup of GHWB sentencing us to U. N. Agenda 21 in ’92, followed by an Executive Order on Sustainability (U. N. Agenda 21) by Clinton in ’93. This is not a partisan issue; both parties are behind the push of globalization, locally, and throughout the country.
I stand with Commissioner Charlotte O’Ohare that clients must be residents of Johnson County and US Citizens to use homeless shelters in Johnson County. Further more we do not need any more shelters, but we need mental health facilities to care for their mental issues.
I am a Registered Nurse, have a family consisting of Japanese 2nd decent, Mexican 1st decent, Danish 1st decent,Philippine 1st decent and 2 Great Grandchildren who speak fluent Spanish so no one can claim I am a bigot!
Johnson County must not become a dumping area for drug users, sellers or criminal homeless people!
Our other Commissioner are better than this to vote down common sense proposals. We need self supporting American citizens and every Commissioner should support this or resign!