Shawnee County commissioners approve insurance committee resolution, award RFPs and approve $3.44 million in vouchers

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-0 on Wednesday to approve Home Rule Resolution HR 2025-1 establishing a Shawnee County Property and Vehicle Insurance Committee and to authorize multiple procurement actions, including vouchers totaling $3,439,229.08.

The resolution, introduced as unfinished business in the second reading, is intended to establish a standing committee to review insurance options for county property and vehicles and to advise whether to hire a broker or independently solicit insurance services. "This allows us the opportunity to either hire a broker, to look at it, or to independently shop those services ourselves," County Counselor Rich Eckert said, summarizing the resolution. Commissioner Aaron Mays moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Bill Rippon seconded. The motion passed 3-0.

In other fiscal business, the board approved vouchers totaling $3,439,229.08. Significant line items called out during the meeting included $564,450 to Turnkey Mobile Inc. for replacement mobile data terminals and in-vehicle docks for the sheriff's office; $301,508.08 as a monthly progress payment to KBS for the state GRAMA portion of the Department of Corrections' mental health facility; $384,000 to RCI Adventure Products for a custom adventure trail at Gage Park paid from the Gage Park improvement sales tax fund; and $87,357.02 to Cortek USA for furniture for the juvenile detention center. The motion to approve vouchers passed 3-0.

Facilities and capital projects drew several approvals. The board authorized issuance of a request for proposals (RFP) for new landscaping, irrigation and equipment screening at the Shawnee County Courthouse; the project had a capital outlay allocation of $125,000, with a remaining balance of about $115,000. Facilities Director Selda Henning said a designer has completed bid-ready plans. Commissioners discussed coordinating with Shawnee County Parks and Recreation but were told the parks staff were unavailable to assist.

The board also approved issuing an RFP to replace the water softener and hot water heater in the Manor Conference Center kitchen. Facilities staff said a vendor estimated replacement at roughly $35,000 and recommended installing an instantaneous (on-demand) hot water system rather than another 80-gallon tank to reduce utility costs. Staff identified two possible funding sources: an HVAC project fund at the Manor with approximately $45,000 remaining or the county contingency fund; the board directed staff to proceed with an RFP. Wayne Wazlawik, general manager of Hotel Topeka City Center, said the in-house dishwasher at the Manor provides a convenience the hotel staff and county have used for years.

The commissioners approved issuing an RFP to replace the courthouse roof, funded from the roof and parking lot fund. Henning told the board the courthouse roof work was approved previously and is scheduled to proceed this year.

Procurement items approved included selecting the lowest responsive bidder for fiscal-year 2025 inmate supplies under RFP 07124, and authorizing the second-year payment of $119,700 to ThinkGuard LLC for backup and disaster recovery services under an existing three-year contract.

At the Stormont Event Center, the board awarded an RFP for two new portable basketball goals to AFCO for $56,500 using 2025 capital outlay funds; staff said the lowest-priced bidder failed to meet specification requirements. The board approved a related adjustment to the 2025 capital improvement project for modular sports flooring: to keep the project within budget staff reduced the modular flooring purchase from roughly 55,000 square feet to just over 50,000 square feet, which staff said will reduce usable youth-court capacity from 15 courts to 13. The cost to resurface the main court was revised downward from about $49,000 to $44,800 after negotiations with the bidder. The board approved the CIP adjustments unanimously.

No members of the public signed up to speak during the public-comment period. Administrative communications included a notice from Theresa Fisher, director of the Shawnee County Health Department, that the immunizations clinic will be closed the morning of Feb. 14 for staff training and will reopen in the afternoon for appointments and walk-ins (immunizations only). Stormont Event Center staff reported recent high attendance at hockey events (about 3,000 spectators per game on average) and a busy upcoming events calendar.

Votes at a glance

- HR 2025-1, Home Rule Resolution to establish the Shawnee County Property and Vehicle Insurance Committee: motion to approve by Aaron Mays; second by Bill Rippon; outcome: approved 3-0. - Consent agenda (routine items): motion by Aaron Mays; second by Kevin Cook; outcome: approved 3-0. - Vouchers, $3,439,229.08 (includes listed line items): motion by Bill Rippon; second by Aaron Mays; outcome: approved 3-0. - Correction orders: motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - RFP issuance for courthouse landscaping/irrigation/equipment screen (capital outlay): motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - RFP issuance for Manor Conference Center water softener and instantaneous hot water system (estimated cost $35,000; funding source to be determined from Manor HVAC fund or contingency): motion to approve RFP; outcome: approved 3-0. - RFP issuance to replace courthouse roof (roof and parking lot fund): motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - Select lowest responsive bid for inmate supplies under RFP 07124: motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - Year 2 payment to ThinkGuard LLC for backup/disaster recovery services, $119,700: motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - Award RFP for two portable basketball goals to AFCO, $56,500 (2025 capital outlay) and transfer remaining $60 to modular flooring funds: motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0. - Updated 2025 CIP adjustments for modular sports flooring and court repairs (reduce modular flooring from ~55,000 sq ft to just over 50,000 sq ft; youth courts from 15 to 13; resurfacing cost ~$44,800): motion to approve; outcome: approved 3-0.

The board had no request for an executive session and adjourned after completing the agenda.