Juliana Garcia  - Johnson County

‘Our great home’ — Chairman Ed Eilert delivers his final state of the county address

Ed Eilert delivers his final state of the county address

Johnson County Chairman Ed Eilert delivered his final state of the county address on Tuesday, discussing COVID-19, the economy, infrastructure and vulnerable populations. Above, Eilert delivers his address. Photo credit Juliana Garcia.

Chairman Ed Eilert delivered his final state of the county address on Tuesday.

Why it matters: For the last 11 years, Eilert has served as the chairman of the Johnson County board of county commissioners. The 2022 event was the first in-person address since 2019. Both the 2020 and 2021 addresses were socially distanced due to COVID-19.

Background: Eilert announced he would not be seeking re-election in January.

He started his time as a public official in 1977 as an Overland Park city councilmember before being elected mayor in 1981. He served six four-year terms as mayor and retired in 2005. Two years later, he was elected to serve district four as county commissioner.

The address: Eilert discussed COVID-19, and asked the audience to pause for a moment of silence for the lives lost to the pandemic — including the nearly 1,200 Johnson Countians.

He also touched on the county’s economic and fiscal standing, such as the increase in employed residents, the AAA bond ratings and the county budget. Eilert talked about the ongoing infrastructure projects such as the opening of the new Johnson County Courthouse and wastewater treatment facility improvements.

Eilert also discussed the county’s efforts with vulnerable populations through the work of the department of aging and human services as well as Johnson County Mental Health Center.

After discussing good news happening within the county, Eilert gave a brief overview of his time as an elected official. The entire state of the county address can be found below.

Key quote: “There is still so much work to do and a better tomorrow to envision together in our great home, Johnson County,” Eilert said.

👋 Hello! I'm Juliana Garcia, and I primarily cover Prairie Village and northeast Johnson County for the Post.

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A bit about me and my background:

I grew up in Roeland Park and graduated from Shawnee Mission North before going on to the University of Kansas, where I wrote for the University Daily Kansan and earned my bachelor's degree in  journalism. Prior to joining the Post in 2019, I worked as an intern at the Kansas City Business Journal.