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County to launch 'Best Times Bonus' newsletter; wastewater division expands youth outreach and internships
Summary
Johnson County announced a new e‑newsletter for older adults, 'Best Times Bonus,' and Johnson County Wastewater reported growth in online payment adoption, redesigned billing, and an expanded internship/job‑shadow program and outreach to schools and career fairs.
County communications and wastewater staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 27 on new outreach efforts, including a new e‑newsletter for older adults and expanded workforce outreach by Johnson County Wastewater.
Jody Hanson, speaking for the county communications office, said the county will launch the “Best Times Bonus,” an email newsletter that supplements the county’s printed Best Times magazine and will provide more frequent news targeted to older residents. “You can sign up for it going to JOCOgov.org/newsletters,” Hanson said; she added commissioners can be opted in and staff will cross‑promote the new e‑newsletter with the printed magazine to reduce printing and postage over time.
Melissa Reeves, communications manager for Johnson County Wastewater, reported on a year of outreach work. Reeves said the division rolled out a new online payment portal with high adoption, redesigned its bills, and has broadened recruitment and career outreach — attending more than 20 job fairs and career days annually. She described a new internship and job‑shadow program, noting a recent intern placement and plans for further school and university outreach to build a pipeline for water‑sector careers.
Commissioners asked about newsletter readership goals and methods to reach residents without internet access; Hanson said the initial target is to convert the roughly 700 recipients of the digital Best Times to the new in‑between newsletter and that printed mailings (which use election office registration lists of voters 60+) could be used to promote sign‑ups. Reeves said wastewater billing cycles follow water provider reads and that customers may receive bills on different cycles; she also said customers can still pay annually and that staff will help customers with billing or autopay options.
Both staff said the initiatives are intended to increase public information, reduce print/postage costs over time, and strengthen recruitment pipelines for county operations.
