Kansas Association of Counties

Kansas Association of Counties
Name	Kansas Association of Counties
Formation	1970s
Type	Nonprofit association
Headquarters	Topeka, Kansas
Region served	Kansas
Membership	105 counties
Leader title	Executive Director

Kansas Association of Counties

The Kansas Association of Counties is a nonprofit membership organization representing county officials across Kansas. It serves as a coalition for elected and appointed county leaders from institutions such as the Kansas Legislature, Kansas Judicial Center, Kansas Department of Transportation, and county governments including Sedgwick County, Johnson County, Wyandotte County, and Shawnee County. The association interacts with entities like the National Association of Counties, U.S. Department of Justice, Kansas State Historical Society, Kansas Association of School Boards, and regional partners including Midwest Governors' Association.

History

Founded amid broader county reform movements of the 20th century, the association emerged as peers from Wyandotte County, Douglas County, Reno County, Sedgwick County, and Cowley County sought coordination with bodies such as the League of Kansas Municipalities, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, and the Kansas Farm Bureau. Leaders drew on precedents set by the National Association of Counties, lessons from the Great Depression-era county relief programs, and legal guidance connected to cases heard in the Kansas Supreme Court and federal panels like the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Over decades the association responded to policy shifts tied to statutes including the Kansas Open Records Act and the Kansas Statute of Limitations, while engaging with federal initiatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Transportation, and programs administered through the National Governors Association.

Organization and Governance

Governance structures mirror models used by the National Association of Counties, with an elected board representing regions that include counties such as Riley County, Geary County, Harper County, Leavenworth County, and Haskell County. The executive office in Topeka, Kansas coordinates staff who liaise with agencies including the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Division of Budget, and Kansas Department of Revenue. Committees reflect subject-matter areas overlapping with the Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Bar Association, and federal partners like the U.S. Census Bureau. Leadership interacts with elected officials from offices including the Kansas Attorney General, Governor of Kansas, and state legislators from districts across Johnson County and Sedgwick County.

Programs and Services

The association provides technical assistance, model policy templates, and shared services drawing on expertise from entities such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Kansas Department of Agriculture, and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Programs include training in areas informed by the Internal Revenue Service regulations, coordination with the Kansas Board of Regents on workforce development, and grant support related to programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Services for county officials often reference standards used by the American Public Works Association, Association of State Floodplain Managers, and professional guidance from the American Bar Association.

Advocacy and Legislative Activities

The association advocates before the Kansas Legislature, engaging with key committees such as the Kansas Senate Committee on Ways and Means and the Kansas House Committee on Appropriations, and works alongside organizations like the Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas Hospital Association. It formulates positions on legislation tied to statutes administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families, budget matters involving the Kansas Division of Budget, and regulatory issues influenced by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission. The association also coordinates lobbying and testimony in hearings before bodies including the United States Congress and committees relating to transportation, public safety, and finance.

Membership and County Participation

Membership includes county commissions, county clerks, county treasurers, county appraisers, and other officials from every county across Kansas including Butler County, Barton County, Ellis County, Kansas City, Kansas, and Hodgeman County. Counties participate in working groups aligned with entities such as the Kansas Association of School Boards, the Kansas Association of District Court Judges, and the Public Utility Commission of Kansas. Participation mechanisms mirror collaborative models used by the National Association of Counties and regional counterparts like the Missouri Association of Counties and Oklahoma Association of Counties.

Conferences, Training, and Publications

Annual conferences convene officials alongside speakers from the National Association of Counties, representatives of the Governor of Kansas's office, subject-matter experts from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and scholars from institutions including the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. Trainings cover topics linked to standards from the American Institute of Certified Planners, curriculum influenced by the International City/County Management Association, and legal sessions referencing precedent from the Kansas Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The association issues newsletters, policy briefs, and manuals that cite federal resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau reports, guidance from the Internal Revenue Service, and best practices promoted by the National Association of Counties.

Category:Organizations based in Kansas Category:County associations in the United States