City, Rec Commission to negotiate term sheet for Chieftain Park playground rebuild; staff estimates roughly $1 million

City staff presented an overview of a proposed collaboration with the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission to reconstruct and update the Chieftain Park playground at the Aug. 18, 2025 City Council meeting.

Staff said the parties should first negotiate a term sheet that outlines roles and responsibilities before drafting a full interlocal agreement required under Kansas statute when a city and another public entity coordinate financing, contracting, or debt that the other entity cannot itself undertake. Staff said the term sheet would define project scope, what in‑kind services the city would provide, contract administration responsibilities, professional-services reimbursement, and how procurement would be handled.

In early estimates shared with council members, staff described a notional maximum project budget in the neighborhood of $1,000,000 and said the recreation commission had discussed paying debt service on a lease‑purchase agreement. Staff proposed a five‑year term for a lease purchase (shorter than typical city practice) and recommended a design‑build procurement method if the city is the contract holder. Staff also emphasized the need to plan public communication, safety during construction, closure timing (the park would likely be closed for several months), and longer‑term maintenance responsibilities.

Council members encouraged staff to do due diligence and to coordinate closely with the recreation commission on specifics including budget breakout between equipment, soft costs, in‑kind services, and future capital needs. Several council members noted the park is the community’s primary-scale park and urged care in scheduling and public engagement.