Reno County commissioners approve $69,200 dome repair, new fire panel and patrol vehicles; district attorney reports staffing and diversion successes

Reno County commissioners on Oct. 23 approved a $69,200 contract to repair long-running leaks in the courthouse dome, accepted a local contractor for a $45,130 fire-panel replacement and authorized purchase of new Ford pursuit vehicles for the sheriff’s office. In a separate presentation, the county’s district attorney updated commissioners on staffing levels, caseload reductions and a first-time felony diversion program that has produced nine successful terminations.

The county’s director of facilities, Kyle Stewart, told commissioners the courthouse has experienced “significant water leaks within the Fifth Floor offices on both sides, the east and west side offices as well as in the dome.” Stewart showed photos of cracked mortar and gaps—he said some openings were as wide as three-quarters of an inch—and said a previous repair left portions of the dome untouched for budget reasons. Midcontinental Restoration of Fort Scott submitted the bid before the board; commissioners voted to accept the $69,200 contract and to pay from the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) reserve fund.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the dome leaks have rendered office space unusable at times and risk long-term structural damage and recurring repair costs if not fixed. After discussion the board approved the contract unanimously, with commissioners noting that temporary fixes had stopped recent leaks but that a long-term restoration was needed.

County facilities and public-safety upgrades approved Stewart also recommended replacing damaged mortar and repointing the exterior wall above windows on the east side of the Fifth Floor; he said the temporary work done by county staff had stopped current leaks and demonstrated the targeted areas for permanent repair. Commissioner roll call after the motion showed five votes in favor and none opposed.

On a related facilities issue, Stewart recommended replacing the courthouse fire-alarm panel, which he said has triggered frequent false alarms and contains parts “age now with no new parts incoming.” The low bidder for the panel was Pinnacle Fire and Automation of Wichita at $41,300, but facilities staff recommended awarding the work to Firetronix (a local vendor) at $45,130 because of service responsiveness and device compatibility across county buildings. Commissioners approved the Firetronix contract and again directed the purchase from the CIP reserve fund; staff said they would coordinate with the county fire marshal on any required fire watch during the work.

Sheriff vehicle purchases and procurement timing The board also approved a staff recommendation to purchase Ford police-interceptor utility units for the sheriff’s fleet. Ron Brubaker, director of automotive services, told the commission the Ford order bank for 2026-model vehicles was open and could close before the board could take later action; he said the county fleet is short three patrol vehicles now and that ordering sooner would avoid missing the 2026 allocation. Brubaker and the sheriff’s representatives explained that although Dodge (Chrysler) bids were lower in some comparisons, fleet commonality, parts interchangeability and dealer support for Ford provided operational savings over the life of the vehicles. Commissioners voted to follow staff’s recommendation and to fund the purchases from the county equipment reserve fund as needed.

Training facility furnishings approved The commission moved one item from the consent agenda for discussion and approved low bids totaling $41,008.14 for furniture and fixtures for a training facility being built at the county landfill. Staff said some county-owned furniture will be reused where suitable; commissioners asked staff to prioritize reusing existing county inventory where possible and noted the purchase had been shifted to a business item to allow public questions.

District attorney report: staffing, caseload and diversion program In a separate presentation, the district attorney (name not stated in the meeting record) told commissioners the office currently has 24 staff members and nine attorneys, with two remaining support-staff openings expected to be filled soon. The DA said the number of adult criminal cases pending jury trial fell from 124 in December of the prior year to 84 now. He highlighted a first-time felony drug diversion program initiated in 2024 that produced nine successful terminations so far and reported the office was at about 67% of its annual budget as of Oct. 13. The DA also previewed the office’s 25th annual Toys for Tots drive and said the program keeps donated toys in Reno County for local families.

Votes at a glance - Accept agenda with a revision (move consent item 6I to business item): approved (5–0). - Award Midcontinental Restoration contract for courthouse dome and east-side wall repairs, $69,200; funding: CIP reserve fund: approved (5–0). - Award contract for courthouse fire-panel replacement to Firetronix, $45,130; funding: CIP reserve fund: approved (5–0). - Authorize purchase of 2026 Ford police-interceptor utility vehicles for the sheriff’s fleet (staff recommendation): approved (5–0). - Accept low bid for training-facility furniture, $41,008.14: approved (5–0).

What’s next: Facilities staff said they will schedule the dome work as soon as the contract is signed and coordinate with contractors to limit further interior damage; county staff will coordinate the fire-panel replacement with the fire marshal to maintain safety during the swap. The district attorney said he will continue working with judges and state administrators on a proposed risk-assessment bond tool that the office had sought to implement locally but which the DA said may require statewide administrative action before full use.

All direct quotes above are taken from the meeting record and attributed to the speakers who made them in the transcript.