During the meeting on Monday, June 17, Commissioners were notified by Linn County Public Works Administrator Shaun West that he had filed a complaint of ouster against Commissioner Jim Johnson with the County Attorney’s office.
West prefaced the notification with the statement that he “believed it would be self-explanatory as to why he could not take any questions or answer anything in regards to the matter at this point.”
He then stated, "Based on the 11 months in the processes we've gone through with no results and some continued behavior and the behavior of targeting employees that I allege, where no judgment has been made, for that purpose and that purpose alone I'm notifying you that this morning I delivered a complaint of ouster to the county attorney's office for his review against Mr. Johnson, or Commissioner Johnson. The purpose for saying that is not that a complaint alone is a judgment of fact or as anything other than an allegation."
"I want to make it clear," he continued, "I am not a finder of fact, the purpose for telling you this is to make sure that if there is any direction, reprisal or consequence that it falls on my shoulders. Thank you."
Commissioners took no action nor made any comment on West’s statement.
According to County Attorney Burton Harding, who affirmed that a complaint of ouster had been filed on Johnson, once the complaint has been filed he is required by Kansas statute to initiate an investigation into that complaint. That investigation could take days, weeks or even months to complete. If the county attorney finds the complaint to be founded, a court hearing could be filed and if it is and the court upholds that finding, Johnson could be officially removed from office.
In the meantime, Johnson could be suspended from his office as commissioner for District 3 for the length of the investigation or up until the court makes a finding in the matter if a hearing is filed. If Johnson is suspended from office, it would fall on the Linn County Republican Central Committee to appoint an interim commissioner.
If suspended and the matter goes to court and is found to be unwarranted, Johnson would be re-instated and given full back pay for the term of his suspension.
The issue stems from the fact that 11 months prior, there were four (4) separate grievances filed against Commissioner Jim Johnson for actions taken during the course of his position as commissioner.
Because of these grievances and the fact that they had not been resolved in that length of time, County Counselor Mark Hagen and County Clerk David Lamb had previously notified former Commission Chair Jason Hightower that it was in the board's best interests to receive departmental reports digitally and read them into the record; however, Commissioner Danny McCullough and Johnson did not agree with that option and Hightower was subsequently voted out as Chair.
That said, Hagen noted in a later discussion that if Johnson is still on the ballot at the November election despite being suspended or ousted, he could conceivably be re-elected to the position.
NEWS
Pleasanton Saddle Club member dies in horse accident
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Sheriff Kevin Friend reported that on Friday, August 30, 2024, just after 11 p.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Communication Division received a call from a citizen reporting an injury at the Pleasanton Saddle Club, located at 10297 Scott Rd. It was reported by bystanders... [More]
USD 362 approves daycare policies
Three separate policies for Unified School District 362’s new pre-school daycare have been adopted unanimously by its board of education. At their monthly meeting Aug. 20, the Prairie View board okayed three separate policies concerning the daycare’s employees,... [More]
La Cygne adopts 2025 city budget
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La Cygne municipal leaders have adopted their 2025 city budget. At their regular meeting Aug. 21, the council voted 4-1, with David Brenneman dissenting, to approve the budget as published. Brenneman said he objected to the process of developing the budget. Though the city’s... [More]
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SPORTS
Osawatomie cancels varsity football for 2024
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Osawatomie High School will not field a varsity football team for the 2024 season. According to the Osawatomie High School Facebook page, the school cancelled the varsity season due to the lack of upperclassmen competing. The school had the choice of choosing between cancelling... [More]
Season prediction for the Kansas City Chiefs
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Training camp is over and the pre-season is almost over as the Kansas City Chiefs attempt to be the first NFL team ever to win three championships in a row. It’s a tough task as any championship is but the Chiefs return a team that is better than the team that won the... [More]
More Sports
- Annual pedal pull well attended at Linn County Fair and Rodeo
- Linn County Fair and Rodeo hosts annual demo derby
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- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team makes finals at Nationals
- Blue Mound girls’ coach pitch team places second at TRL tournament
- Pleasanton Saddle Club Let’s Ride
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COMMUNITY
Cultivating Kindness initiative coming to USD 346
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Not long ago, an idea was launched in the Jayhawk Linn USD 346 community that may change the scope of the year to come for the students in the district. As the school year was starting out, an idea was born that would bring a new initiative to the district, one that recognizes... [More]
Coleman on quest for Eagle Scout badge
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Hello my name is Aron J. Coleman, I am 14 years old and a Life Scout from Troop 101 in Louisburg, Kan. and I am going to do my Eagle Scout Project at the Mine Creek Battlefield because my community has done a lot for me; like let me do Cub and Boy Scouts, let us camp on the battlefield... [More]
Pleasanton seniors loving new meal site
On Monday, Aug. 5, the Pleasanton Senior Meals site managers served their first lunch in their new location, an event that was over a year in the making. The process began in early 2023 when the Linn County Commissioners opted to shut down and sell the former site and then... [More]
More Community
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