Johnson County commissioners were briefed on May 22, 2025, about a proposed interlocal agreement to fund inspection of 1,312 linear feet of storm sewer pipe in the City of Mission Hills at a county cost of $2,927.50.

The item matters because the expenditure would use money already allocated in the county’s 2025 stormwater management program and because staff and some commissioners discussed whether small inspection projects should continue to come to the board as interlocal agreements.

Sarah Smith, with the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program, told the commissioners, “This is another storm sewer inspection project. This time, the city of Mission is requesting funds to inspect 1,312 linear feet of storm sewer pipe at the cost to the county of $2,927.50.” She said funding would come from “the previously adopted 2025 stormwater management program expenditures as approved by the board on 10/10/2024.”

During the agenda review discussion, the chair asked staff to explore alternatives to presenting every small interlocal agreement to the board. The chair said he would like staff “to explore opportunities. These items can be within the purview of either wastewater or the county manager's department,” and suggested finding ways to “empower folks to make these determinations.” Smith said staff “would love to handle these in house” but had been instructed that interlocal agreements must come before the board.

Commissioner Hanslick asked for confirmation that the project cost is split 50–50; staff replied that the county has a $500,000 budget for inspection projects and that this particular project was not identified when that budget was approved but that funds remain available. A specific formal vote on the Mission Hills agreement did not occur during the agenda review; the item was placed on next week’s business-session agenda for consideration.

Commissioners also noted an administrative threshold that had been referenced during the discussion: one speaker observed that agreements under $3,000 may be treated differently in practice, but no formal change to that threshold was made during the agenda review.

The county clerk will read the full item into the record during the board’s business session, where commissioners may vote to authorize the agreement, amend terms, or take other action.