After the calendar flipped to a new decade, Johnson County leaders looked ahead with optimism. 2020 would be an important year of progress on major capital projects with the completion of the county’s first-ever Medical Examiners Facility, followed by the new Johnson County Courthouse. Both projects, on time and on budget, delivering on promises made when voters were asked to fund them with a 10-year, quarter-cent public safety sales tax approved in 2016. 

The county invited the public to comment on several concepts for the new Johnson County Square, the green space to be created when the current courthouse came down. Public engagement conversation also focused on the upcoming 2020 Census…a new chance for everyone to get counted.

On February 1, a group of smiling children turned the dirt at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Cedar Niles Park. Johnson County Park and Recreation District looked ahead to completing the Russell and Helen Means Observation Tower at Kill Creek Park while Johnson County Library made plans for to relocate the Antioch Library to the new Merriam Community Center Campus.

A few days later, the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Three Johnson County departments, many hard-working staff and strong regional collaborated resulted in a successful Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade and rally attended by an estimated million fans.

The county had just hired a new Director of Health and Environment, a new Election Commissioner was sworn in and staff were preparing for the annual State of the County Address – 2020 Vision.

On March 4, officials held a news conference to announce that the 2020 KC Air Show would take place at the New Century Air Center, bringing the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to the Kansas City metro for the first time in over a decade. 

Everything changed on March 7.