The following was written by Kathy Smith of Stilwell who urges all those opposed to annexation to write your Johnson County Commmissioners and, most importantly, to attend the County Commissioners' meeting on March 26th at 7:00pm at Blue Valley High School. An email addressed to commissionjc@nbrhd.net will be directed to all the County Commissioners. Their individual names and addresses are available at http://bocc.jocoks.com.

ONCE ANNEXED, THERE IS NO TURNING BACK,
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED:

As a concerned resident and your friend I'm asking for your help - Please write to the County Commissioners and attend the County Planning Commission meeting on February 26^th and the Commissioners meeting on March 26th - (see contact information below)

All of us that live in Overland Park or Southern Johnson County should be concerned because information supporting the reasons and costs of such a quick jump to annexation have not been given to the residents nor have alternative growth plans been considered or presented to the public. I believe most of us will agree that the high-density residential building and the results of Overland Park's planning along 119th & Metcalf are perhaps not the best or only way to continue growth in our county. Many of us have moved from Overland Park to Southern Johnson County to obtain and live in a more open environment. We believe that there should be more consideration to this annexation and more information given to the taxpayers of Johnson County before any move to acquire additional land in Southern Johnson County is considered for many reasons, a few are presented below:

• Overland Park is experiencing high vacancy rates at Metcalf South and the section between 91st Street and 103rd at Metcalf, perhaps the city should addresses renovation of existing property before building and growing southward.

• Southern Johnson County experienced the annexation of Stanley and is experiencing high vacancy rates at relatively new shopping areas along 151st Street. That town's landscape was changed forever.

• The public should be given an opportunity to look at alternative growth plans and costs associated with them.

PLEASE, help by contacting the Johnson County Planning Commission and your County Commissioners. Addresses are listed below. We also ask that you attend the next Planning Commission Meeting on February 26th at 6:30pm at the Olathe Courthouse, and also attend the County Commissioners' meeting on March 26th at 7:00pm at Blue Valley High School. THE COMMISSIONER'S MEETING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IF YOU CAN ONLY ATTEND ONE. If we write, and show up at these meetings perhaps we can at least slow-down a decision that will impact all of us forever. Please e-mail or write or call the people listed below, and go to the meetings if possible, the more people we get there the better chance we all have.

ALSO, SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW IN JOHNSON COUNTY TO LET THEM KNOW WE NEED THEIR HELP TOO.

Thank you for your help,

Kathy Smith
Stilwell, KS

Johnson County Commissioners

Michael B. Press
Johnson County Manager
Johnson County Administration Building
111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300
Olathe, KS. 66061-3441

Roger Kroh
Director of Planning
roger.kroh@jocoks.com
Phone: 913 715-2209