[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6509434,"mediaKeyId","5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028","parentId",5430172,"title","Sedgwick County staff defend $70,000 architectural bid for new EMS Post 1 as commissioners press for cost detail","audioSeconds",984,"startMs",168960,"endMs",1153105,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028&start=168&end=1153","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028/thumbnail_168960.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6509434/Sedgwick-County/Kansas/Sedgwick-County-staff-defend-70000-architectural-bid-for-new-EMS-Post-1-as-commissioners-press-for-cost-detail","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509434-6f0eb76f42e2834816b025621b7df256/orig.mp4?Expires=1773572963&Signature=GAB6qzI~OZCs~knnsmiF2~QLRydcO5Y0BBKBVjAZ05KImoEdkYITna6TH9aWeC6~KkZhHlu-iSejpobLRBxl9wC3SKyoPAERfKSij8F0IWvH6I4kp4qNIRiK0sGm5~iFi3xLKT8oHOagAzQzANnXwuTYG-kcuGDRuF4GksSXBOGz7aZwZ0b31pROlAgRak9m0et-wYTXEwuYQihj6vOvrDRlKbtnFbcq9EfWIitw64jD~X6-~YNnSxEDCavqBhwhbgnXjASDe6uDdc8S6j1DE7WQLpmEyxooSYlBGwLcS5CxhD4Uuc--9Ch-J07XI1~LpSfat9SlJ7Sgm1Zba9q3Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sedgwick County, KS","date","2025-07-18T20:10:21.157Z","article","Sedgwick County staff presented the recommended architectural and engineering contract for a new EMS Post 1, saying the structure will be approximately 3,000 square feet and that a staff estimate for construction is about $1.3 million, based on the county’s Post 15 project built in 2019.

The county’s recommendation is to accept the low A/E bid after a second round of solicitations; the low bids for design services ranged down to roughly $70,000 while other bidders proposed fees up to about $165,000. Andrew Dilts, a county staff member who addressed the commission by phone, said the recommended firm reduced its price on the second round and remains the low bidder.

Why it matters: Commissioners sought greater detail on the proportion of A/E fees to total project cost and whether the county could reuse a prior preengineered design to lower fees. The discussion focused on cost-control choices for a project county staff said will be bid after the A/E contract is awarded.

Staff said the new post is modeled on EMS Post 15 but must be redrawn for the specific site and to meet current code requirements. “The entire floor plan has to be redrawn specific to the site that we are placing this new post on,” Andrew Dilts said. He added there have been code updates and that firms must account for site-specific design, which increases hours and cost over simply duplicating plans.

Sandy, identified in the meeting as the project manager on Post 15, told commissioners the Post 1 building will be “approximately 3,000 square feet just like EMS Post 15.” She said the county used Post 15 (completed in 2019) as the basis for its cost estimate and that construction then had been about $1,300,000.

Commissioner Howell pressed on the relationship between the A/E fee and total cost, noting that $70,000 is roughly 5% of the $1.3 million figure and asking whether the county could more fully reuse the earlier design to lower fees. Howell said: “It seems like the design we used on Webb Road … I don't know why you couldn't use the entire design as is.”

County staff said several factors limit straight duplication: different site footprints, local setbacks and easements, elevation and drainage requirements, and changes to building codes since 2018. Dilts said the A/E firm will not only prepare design drawings but also support plan review with the county permitting authorities, assist with bidding, respond to contractor questions, evaluate substitution requests during construction, and provide on-site oversight through construction — tasks staff said keep the firm engaged for the full project timeline.

On budget, the county said it currently has just under $2 million designated for the project, but that the construction cost will not be final until the county issues construction bids. “We’re hiring an architect engineer who's gonna design this, and then we're gonna put it out to bid,” Dilts said. “The estimates that Sandy is relating to you is simply a staff estimate … We don't have a hard number yet until we go out to bid.”

Commissioners asked staff to provide follow-up details by email, including the planned square footage and updated construction estimate, and to seek additional cost justification from the recommended A/E firm.

Less critical detail: staff said the recommended A/E firm reduced its price in the second solicitation round and that the county previously sought to streamline EMS posts by using predesign elements and preengineered building components to save cost compared with full custom fire stations.

Staff indicated they will return with the contract recommendation on the Board of County Commissioners agenda for formal action.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners Agenda Review Meeting - 7/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sedgwick County staff presented the recommended architectural and engineering contract for a new EMS Post 1, saying the structure will be approximately 3,000 square feet and that a staff estimate for construction is about $1.3 million.","taxTitle","Sedgwick County, Kansas","taxId",2883,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6509420,"Sedgwick County explains 4-vendor on-call roofing strategy; commissioners ask why bids vary widely",216,272595,489255,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028&start=272&end=489","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028/thumbnail_272595.jpg","/articles/6509420/Sedgwick-County/Kansas/Sedgwick-County-explains-4-vendor-on-call-roofing-strategy-commissioners-ask-why-bids-vary-widely","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509420-47dd866d26792af0c458596803a83dbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773572963&Signature=Gam9dnwupneUJt2D6o72cqxffx47or77QJfybgY9lu35jr-k3Ezbs6ZPjPq7vxZVv6nSBJo0X6TQaymQS9-P0yK7ipPgDV1qDx18i86XPkvp1w5p253OABDAoghVQhRYpKHk2PeTazz9hAV9fwnge6pWmbahheGOMY2pxbs7u7Mhyu3HfarjHtTq1O3xUkMyqkBgjTBB1Ml8a7rtg~F~N1Z4WTPp1b-7pwVCmhaODOFJ0P6Utpflyt~T0YMdcQ8zjK~xIUGa-d9GMTKJCHGaddvK8AB7Z5gPT496wPHdWZmDP3KREtgycv4Co2H~T3a5V8cO01urFzYqlJYwGzlzwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sedgwick County staff briefed the commission on proposed on-call roofing contracts and explained why four vendors were included on the list after one year with three contractors.

Why it matters: The county said multiple vendors help ensure rapid response after weather events and provide options if an initial repair attempt fails; commissioners questioned the wide variation in bid prices among shortlisted vendors.

Commissioner House asked why the four on-call vendors had such different prices. County staff said having multiple contractors improves emergency response because roofing firms are geographically dispersed and multiple vendors allow staff to seek a second opinion when an initial repair does not stop a leak.

\"Having multiple vendors available will allow us to try to get an immediate response in emergency situation,\" a county staff member said. The staff member also said the county typically uses the lower-priced vendor when appropriate, but that the range of prices reflects different approaches and capacities among contractors.

Commissioners asked staff to follow up with more detailed comparisons of the bids; staff agreed to gather further information from Joe, Tanya or Andrew and email those details to the commission.

Less-critical detail: staff noted the county increased the listing from three on-call roofing contractors last year to four this year to improve service coverage.","County staff said awarding four on-call roofing contracts—up from three last year—gives the county vendor availability across weather events and a second opinion when leaks persist; commissioners expressed surprise at the bid-price spread and asked staff to provide more information.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6509426,"County staff to draft off-agenda resolution to delegate NCAT sewer-connection approvals to engineer and CFO",111,1441080,1552540,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028&start=1441&end=1552","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028/thumbnail_1441080.jpg","/articles/6509426/Sedgwick-County/Kansas/County-staff-to-draft-off-agenda-resolution-to-delegate-NCAT-sewer-connection-approvals-to-engineer-and-CFO","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509426-c78f37b72cec08e06d18c868f31f0083/orig.mp4?Expires=1773572963&Signature=Hkg5ntcd5b67xNSZUmD8dujOn40eGiOBrRV3PSxkryGHqx~KR9ZSeAVAo86~9VK9TiTzTle10ByJ2-xVckTYg7gUVrntiswKR9NCXGaa7lJIG~CGw858Mpg7qtojVLv1zmlI6E38KgeRWWVwUHM17awr1c5hP3B3ZXPKDIPrS01kuhcBjyDKgoXLdPJgL0SLFECMnlKzMSKxBjBwH6H-NdKXRhLDIEIOuCg9Uo3P-tTSl-SwMzpAW90PFMDVs1j2BiM0WNnrfbiS82FDG7OblvlSmgahSe5FTqW9fOLzY5Ig04tgNAsolZvlXEdduO4b~rgqOEUogAjclizrRiDf~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Staff told the Board of County Commissioners that a recent request tied to Wichita State University’s (WSU) work at the NCAT facility requires county approval for a sewer hookup, and that staff will draft a resolution to delegate limited approval authority to the county engineer and the county chief financial officer.

Why it matters: Delegating routine approval for isolated sewer hookups could speed approvals tied to construction while maintaining staff oversight for engineering and financial considerations; the item was not judged urgent for immediate construction start but staff sought the board’s early direction.

Tom briefed commissioners that the NCAT sewer hookup matter had arisen recently and that under the county’s existing agreement there is a requirement for a formal indication of county approval. Tom said staff plan to draft a resolution that would delegate limited authority to the county engineer and county CFO so staff can approve similar hookups more promptly when appropriate.

A staff member identified as Lynn described the likely technical approach: the facility would tie into a single connection to the City of Wichita sewer line on Webb Road, with potential future sharing of utilities among adjacent facilities.

Tom said the proposed resolution would be brought as an off-agenda item because it had developed after the commission packet was finalized and because the next regular commission meeting is two weeks away. He said staff do not believe the delegation is required before construction may begin, but they wanted the commission to see the plan and asked for feedback.

Staff will draft the resolution, circulate it to finance and other reviewers, and return to the commission with the proposed language for formal action if the board desires.

","Sedgwick County staff told commissioners that WSU’s NCAT construction requires a sewer hookup and that, to expedite such limited approvals in future, staff will draft an off-agenda resolution delegating certain sewer-connection approvals to the county engineer and chief financial officer.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6509431,"Sedgwick County seeks state 988 operational grant; staff say center answered more than 10,000 calls since 2022",272,1402285,1674385,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028&start=1402&end=1674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430172-9c7035d029b02ab611bd451732efc028/thumbnail_1402285.jpg","/articles/6509431/Sedgwick-County/Kansas/Sedgwick-County-seeks-state-988-operational-grant-staff-say-center-answered-more-than-10000-calls-since-2022","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509431-4fcde2f16bc69ea862ff544d9fec14c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773572963&Signature=ToDTf9~co5YYBjxjNUF5ERvVfHaykxDVmizn2N4UFvAK9K7ejKz-RRHwsTUJUbnHEjFot1xSUVzp1L-TyVJQbCpdrnZaFXjAojZk9Dz2VloDvGEOXQ6FW04BnPNnnNDJIbJXLPWMp0YCuVYX0d~sFYgH7LBwuiA0LEmbeb6Kn6-Go2aOL8zua6bcpu8P5-jAeWtPssadb1Vou9HcUx2EmK~DLUTKvxpk34kDDNr8XM7Egz5Q8DY7CQtO~KbYDWS9WVB-jPriJrvDzhfz8jGw3EsOHgTz7u5BUQTfDY84T2WXc5M~MMuV1FY6Qv28ULbkrLe3XWkOemgpm5rrHYg1MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sedgwick County staff informed commissioners they plan to submit a state operational grant to support the county’s 988 lifeline operations, reporting that the local call center has answered more than 10,000 calls since the service began in July 2022.

Why it matters: The operational grant would fund supervisors and call specialists who operate the local 988 line and support mobile crisis response. Staff said the state fiscal note for the grant is about $1,157,124. Commissioners asked about staffing levels and call volume as part of the briefing.

County staff said the grant would help cover the supervisor and the call specialists assigned to 988. A staff member identified as John told commissioners the call center includes eight full-time and five part-time specialists plus a supervisor, about 10.5 full-time equivalent positions. John said the program has answered “over 10,000 calls since it initiated in July 2022.”

Commissioner questions focused on whether the grant carries a local match and how 988 call volume compares to other crisis calls. Staff said the grant does not cover the full cost of mobile crisis response and that other grant funding is being sought for that activity. The staff member said 988 calls account for roughly 8% of the county’s crisis calls; the bulk of crisis calls still come through the local crisis number.

Joan, another county staff member who had circulated backup materials, told the commission the grant covers positions that answer the 988 lifeline and that the county also fields local crisis calls through a separate line. Commissioners requested additional operational data, including recent call-volume trends, to inform any local budget decisions.

Less-critical details: staff noted one embedded 911 worker appears in a separate grant and is not counted in this 988 grant application.

Staff will include the 988 operational grant in the consent agenda for the upcoming BOCC meeting and supply requested follow-up figures on call volume and staffing.","County staff briefed commissioners on a KDADS-funded 988 operational grant that would help fund supervisors and call specialists for the local crisis line. Staff said the center has handled more than 10,000 calls since July 2022 and that 988 calls make up about 8% of the county's crisis workload.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sedgwick County staff defend $70,000 architectural bid for new EMS Post 1 as commissioners press for cost detail

Sedgwick County explains 4-vendor on-call roofing strategy; commissioners ask why bids vary widely

County staff to draft off-agenda resolution to delegate NCAT sewer-connection approvals to engineer and CFO

Sedgwick County seeks state 988 operational grant; staff say center answered more than 10,000 calls since 2022