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Pratt County says Sawyer gas-line construction RFP delayed pending KCC clarification; rate study to start
Summary
County officials told the Pratt County Commission that an RFP for construction of a gas line in the Sawyer area is on hold while they await clarification from the Kansas Corporation Commission; a contractor for a rate study has been notified and meetings with municipal partners are planned.
At a Pratt County Commission meeting, county staff reported that work on an RFP for construction of a gas line to serve Sawyer is delayed pending clarification from the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) and that a contractor has been notified to begin a rate study.
County staff said developments late last week were not favorable and that the project is being treated as a day-by-day issue until KCC guidance is received. The county plans a lunch meeting with a representative of the Association of Municipal Utilities to try to move the project forward and expects to seek help from Representative Hoffman in Topeka. Staff said the rate-study contractor notification should allow the study to proceed “relatively soon,” which county officials said is necessary so construction can begin promptly once the RFP for construction is released and bids are received.
The update came with additional economic-development context. The Primary Economic Development Committee (PAEDC) plans to attend a city–county meeting slated for Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. (location to be confirmed); county staff asked commissioners to confirm whether the meeting will be at the Public Safety Building or at City Hall. PAEDC also reported that a business that received incentive funding has since hired eight of nine positions and that a countywide housing study is underway. Staff said the housing study will include public meetings and recommended holding at least one meeting in smaller communities (transcript named “Ayuka and Preston, Sawyer” as examples) so those towns can provide input. According to staff, the housing study’s results will identify types and numbers of needed housing units and — only after that study is complete — local developers would become eligible for certain state housing incentive programs.
Why it matters: County staff said the KCC clarification is a gating item for issuing the construction RFP. The rate study is intended to ensure the county has an approved pricing structure in place so construction and service start-up can proceed without delay once procurement is complete.
Meeting context: Staff characterized the Sawyer situation as evolving daily and described upcoming outreach to state and municipal partners. No formal commission action was recorded on the Sawyer item during this meeting.
