Johnson County voters oust conservative commissioner, reelect moderates in 3 contests

Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara on Tuesday lost her reelection bid to Julie Brewer, a longtime affordable housing advocate, as the issue has become an increasingly high focus point in the suburban community.

Brewer handily beat O'Hara, who represents the county's 3rd District, with 53% of the vote, according to unofficial election results.

It was the only of three contested seats where a commissioner lost reelection this year, as O'Hara, an outspoken conservative member of the board, shared defeat with other conservative candidates who sought to oust moderates.

Brewer, a political newcomer, campaigned as a commissioner who would govern based on data-driven facts over politics. Speaking to The Star by phone late Tuesday, she praised a campaign that knocked 7,000 doors and made nearly 40,000 phone calls.

"I'm just thrilled about that and humbled," she said. "And it's a great reminder: Just like campaigning is all about 'we' not about 'me,' so is governing."

In seeking a second term, O'Hara billed herself as among the dwindling conservative voices on the board, saying she would focus her efforts on curbing county spending and finding ways to lower property taxes. She also contrasted herself with her opponent, calling Brewer "a tax and spend, spend, spend, spin, spin, spin liberal."

She has been known to clash with other commissioners, including Chairman Mike Kelly, whose political action committee Amberwave supported Brewer's candidacy this year. O'Hara previously served a single term in the Kansas House and ran unsuccessful campaigns for Overland Park mayor and Johnson County Commission Chair.

Commission candidates this year highlighted property taxes, the county budget, public safety and housing as frequent issues of voter concern. But the last point has been dominating conversation as, coming off the pandemic, the affluent community has invested heavily in strategies meant to help residents who struggle to find affordable housing or get priced out of their homes.

Also a point of contention is the role the local government should play in providing services to those experiencing homelessness.

Advocates have long pointed to the lack of a permanent shelter in Johnson County — where some beds exist for women and families, but there are none for adult men — as a critical gap. Earlier this year, county leaders assembled a more than $10 million plan to use federal pandemic relief assistance to convert a La Quinta Inn and Suites in Lenexa, to be run by nonprofit agency reStart, into a year-round shelter.

But the project failed when Lenexa city leaders abruptly rejected a special use permit, effectively scrapping the shelter, which saw opposition from some residents and two commissioners. And it forced county leaders on deadline to reallocate federal dollars set aside for the project, which consumed a considerable amount of county staff's time and effort.

O'Hara is one of two commissioners who voted against the proposed permanent homeless shelter this year. She was a chief critic of the plan, saying the county should instead study efforts to address homelessness that include "no government money."

On the side of the issue was Brewer, a native of the Quad-Cities region in northwestern Illinois who has lived in Johnson County for 30 years. Brewer until last year was the executive director of United Community Services, a nonprofit analytics organization that aims to improve social services.

The organization Brewer led provided studies that demonstrated the lack of a permanent homeless shelter in the county, and provided a roadmap for municipalities to tackle the affordable housing shortage.

For the other two nonpartisan county races on the ballot Tuesday, Commissioners Jeff Meyer and Shirley Allenbrand each earned second terms by defeating their more conservative challengers.

In the 6th District , an area booming with industrial growth, Allenbrand secured a second term with 52% of the vote over challenger Mike Storm, a Johnson County native and business owner who previously ran for the community college board of trustees.

A former owner of senior care facilities, Allenbrand switched her political affiliation this year to Democrat, breaking with the local Republican Party that has moved farther to the right.

Allenbrand's district includes the under-construction $4 billion Panasonic plant in De Soto. She has run on the promise of helping the county manage its economic growth while keeping property taxes low.

She also supported the attempt to establish the homeless shelter in Johnson County, a point her political opponents criticized her about during the election season.

Storm has called for extreme changes in local government, including a proposed elimination or privatization of the county's mental health center. He also has recommended spending down reserves to cut taxes.

In the 2nd District, Commissioner Meyers, a retired teacher and football coach at Olathe East High School, defeated opponent Mark Hamill, a first-term member of the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees.

Meyers won 55% of the vote, the most comfortable of the commission victories this year.

Meyers joined the commission in 2020, representing the northwestern Johnson County district that includes Shawnee and Lake Quivira. He previously served for more than 20 years as an elected official in Shawnee, including a decade as mayor.

Meyers promoted his deep knowledge of local government, commitment to neighbors and his freedom as a retiree among the reasons voters should support him a second time.

He has highlighted preservation of public safety services as his top priority, saying his experience positions him well to navigate financial challenges the county will face in the years ahead to address sustainability concerns over the budget.

Hamill, a Lawrence native and owner of a local real estate accounting business, campaigned as an outsider who would challenge the status quo on the commission. He has been critical of so-called "pet projects" that county leaders have taken up, saying leaders should limit resources to core needs like public safety and infrastructure.