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Shawnee County renames Planning Department, appoints Joanie Theodani as director
Summary
County commissioners voted to rename the Planning Department as the Land Use and Development Department and moved Environmental Health and Noxious Weed reporting under the new department; Joanie Theodani was appointed director and will lead the reorganized unit.
The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 15 approved a resolution renaming the county Planning Department to the Shawnee County Land Use and Development Department and reorganizing several reporting lines.
Angela Lewis, director of administrative services, presented Resolution 2025109 saying the change moves the Environmental Health Division from the Health Department and the Noxious Weed Department from Public Works to the new department to better align related services. “The resolution before you renames the Shauny County Planning Department to the Shauny County Land Use and Development Department,” Lewis said during the presentation.
The commissioners then approved the accompanying appointment of Joanie Theodani as director of the new department. Joanie Theodani told the commission she has been a Shawnee County employee since 2017 and previously served as director of planning and as a county counselor. “I appreciate the opportunity that has been brought before me to continue to serve Shawnee County,” Theodani said, adding she looks forward to aligning Environmental Health and the Weed Department with land-use goals.
Why it matters: consolidating related functions under a single director is intended to coordinate permitting, environmental health oversight and weed-control programs. The board recorded a unanimous vote in favor of both the reorganization and the appointment.
Implementation steps mentioned during the meeting include updating reporting structures and departmental organization charts under Administrative Services. Commissioners did not identify additional policy or budget changes tied to the reorganization during the session.
