Johnson County OKs $3.1M HDR amendment for wastewater integrated plan

The Board of County Commissioners on March 13 approved a $3,099,620 amendment to its contract with HDR Engineering for continued program services tied to the Johnson County Wastewater (JCW) integrated plan, increasing the contract’s not-to-exceed total to $18,913,030.

The amendment, moved by Commissioner Hanslick and seconded by Commissioner Meyers, passed unanimously. The contract covers planning, program prioritization, facility planning support and continued work on JCW initiatives such as the JOCO inflow (private side I&I) removal program, collection-system renewal, and facility optimization tied to KDHE consent‑order obligations.

Tammy Lorenzen described how staff and HDR prioritize projects using a multi‑criteria decision analysis “tool” that weights environmental protection, customer service and community enhancement criteria and then scores projects to capture “the most bang for the buck earliest in the program.” Lorenzen said the county updates the plan every five years and that projects such as Nelson, Mill Creek and Middle Basin are among the highest‑rated efforts. She said HDR’s work helped secure WIFIA and SRF financing for Nelson, saving an estimated $133 million in interest over the life of that financing, and that HDR’s optimization recommendations identified roughly $280 million in potential savings versus prior studies.

Public commenter Ben Hobert urged the board to rescind a related water catchment resolution and requested records under the Kansas Open Records Act about the simple payback computations for the water and solar proposals. “Please receive my core request for all of the supporting data and computations for the simple payback ROI,” Hobert said, and added, “I urge the board to rescind its water catchment resolution approval and prevent a waste of public funds. Don’t flush common sense.”

Commissioners probed the amendment’s scope and measurable outcomes. Commissioner Allenbrand asked staff to elaborate on measurable accomplishments; Lorenzen explained sub‑criteria such as beneficial use of resources, meeting regulatory obligations and minimizing property impacts. Commissioners asked how the county would reach the plan’s original 25‑year community benefit goal; Lorenzen said the 100 percent target came from the phase‑1 plan but that the five‑year updates incorporate new information and can change the percentage toward that goal. She said Nelson is expected to be substantially complete around 2028–2030 and that the planned sequence of Nelson and Mill Creek work should move JCW above the 50 percent mark in the near term.

Commissioner Brewer asked whether the county reviews contractor performance and whether the county can change consultants at renewal. Lorenzen said staff compares proposed rates to other consultants and reviews scope and past performance; she noted HDR’s fees for this amendment were “second lowest among our consultants.” She also said that some ongoing services can be distributed through existing term supply contracts if staff elects to rebid pieces of the work.

Commissioner Ashcraft asked the county to do a clearer public accounting of realized returns on investment, especially on I&I removal. Lorenzen said staff does flow monitoring after work and will provide percent‑reduction estimates but asked for time to gather a precise number; she said the JOCO inflow program is ongoing and will continue to be tracked.

Board documents state the integrated plan is tied to a KDHE consent order and that the county reviews and updates the plan every five years. The approved amendment references RFP 2020‑029 and lists program services that include optimization studies, finance support, facility planning and annual reporting assistance to regulatory authorities.

The board’s roll call recorded seven votes in favor and none opposed. Commissioners referenced both public questions about procurement and staff summaries of HDR’s role in securing financing and producing optimization findings. The amendment authorizes continued implementation work and program management support; staff said they will return with annual updates and will continue monitoring measurable results for I&I and other priority projects.

Votes at a glance from the March 13 session included the contract amendment approval and other routine consent items; the board’s clerk recorded the HDR amendment vote as unanimous.