Congratulations to Kevin Swearengin on his retirement from Environmental Services.

Kevin dedicated 30 years to the City of Springfield before bringing his expertise to the UG for 10 years.

We appreciate all his contributions and wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement!

Best Wishes to Phil Schindel in Public Works on his recent retirement. Phil was a right-of-way inspector for the UG for over 20 years. We are wishing Phil a great and fun-filled retirement! 

Wiles Shares Perspective on Navigating Complex Needs

Last month, Jonathan Wiles had a published article in the American Public Works Association Reporter magazine on stormwater and accreditation. Be sure to check it out and congratulations, Jonathan, on the article!

Read the article: https://apwa.partica.online/reporter/february-2025/inside-apwa/navigating-differing-stormwater-needs

Troy Shaw Named Public Works Director 

Congratulations to Troy Shaw on being named Director of Public Works. Mr. Shaw, who has been the Interim Director since 2024, joined the UG in 2017 as the County Engineer following time spent with the City of Lawrence, KS. He has worked to strengthen collaboration, build trust, and enhance the department’s commitment to excellence in customer service. 

Read More: UG Appoints Director of Public Works & Changes to Strategic Comms. – Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS

Leadership Changes in Strategic Communications 

Ashley Hand has transitioned from her role as Director of Strategic Communications. Ashley's last day with the UG was Wednesday, March 19. Mrs. Hand was appointed the first Director of Strategic Communications in 2021, where she launched the Department of Strategic Communications under County Administration and led various initiatives to improve outbound and internal communications, reevaluate community engagement approaches, and instituted innovative ways to share information across Wyandotte County. 

We truly appreciate Ashley for her transformative communications efforts for the UG and our community and wish her much success in her new journey with the Mid America Regional Council (MARC). 

David Johnston has named Public Information Officer Krystal R. McFeders to Interim Director of Strategic Communications until further notice. Krystal started her career with the UG in 2021 with a diverse background in communications, community engagement, nonprofit operations, and education. She looks forward to continuing to raise the bar for communications across the UG and the community.  

UG Hires Lupe Valdovino as New Grants Financial Administrator

Welcome Lupe Valdovino as the new Grants Financial Administrator. Lupe has over 27 years of experience working with non-profit agencies in various positions, from data analyst to grant accounting. 

Learn More about Lupe's role and background: UG Hires Lupe Valdovino as New Grants Financial Administrator – Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS

A huge shoutout to the UG Budget Department on their recent launch of new budget tool "OpenBook" 

OpenBook is a new online budget application with interactive charts and graphs for the public to better understand the City and County budget spending and process. 

Please share this great resource with community members, your family and friends to help them better understand the budget process.  

Explore OpenBook: UG Launches OpenBook Budget Resource Tool – Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS

2022 Audits Complete

The Finance Department is pleased to announce that the 2022 audit is complete and the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Popular Annual Financial Report are available on the UG website. Congratulations to the team for finishing this work!

The Primary Cause of Data Breaches

Data breaches - incidents where confidential information is stolen, leaked, or disclosed - are a major concern for organizations around the world. These security incidents frequently make headlines, potentially impacting millions of people and causing significant damage to reputations. How do they happen? Check out the latest cybersecurity newsletter below to learn more!