Johnson County commissioners recess to executive sessions on transit litigation and taxing‑unit information

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to recess into two executive sessions during a midday meeting to consult with legal counsel about potential litigation involving Johnson County Transit and to discuss information relating to a taxing unit group. The board set the first executive session to begin at 12:06 p.m. for 10 minutes and the second at 12:20 p.m. for 15 minutes.

The sessions were held under KSA 75‑4319(b)(2), the state statute authorizing closed consultations with county legal counsel that would be privileged under the attorney‑client relationship. The first motion, made by Commissioner Hanslick and seconded by Commissioner Brewer, said the board would reconvene in open session at 12:16 p.m. and named the County Manager, the Deputy County Manager, Aaron Otto (Assistant County Manager) and the county’s chief counsel as attendees for discussion of potential litigation involving Johnson County Transit.

A second motion, again moved by Commissioner Hanslick and seconded by Commissioner Brewer, asked the board to meet in executive session at 12:20 p.m. for 15 minutes to discuss information relating to a taxing unit group and to reconvene at 12:35 p.m. That motion named the County Manager, the Deputy County Manager, Aaron Otto (Assistant County Manager), Thomas Franzen (Director of Treasury, Taxation and Vehicles), Amy Meekerberg (County Clerk) and the chief counsel as attendees.

The clerk called the roll on both motions. Commissioners Fast, Myers, Brewer, Hanslick, Ashcraft and Chairman Kelly voted in favor of each executive session; the clerk reported six votes in favor and none against on both motions. The transcript records that, after returning from the first executive session, no action was taken in open session. The board later recessed the meeting until after the afternoon study session.