Shawnee County commissioners approve series of contracts, grants and routine items in unanimous votes

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 23 to approve a series of routine and program contracts, grant agreements, budget items and an appointment.

The items carried by 3-0 votes included the consent agenda, voucher payments totaling $2,495,297.07, a resolution authorizing destruction of qualifying election materials, a five‑year vehicle lease for the county appraiser, renewal of a counseling contract for the juvenile detention center, a health‑department grant letter, a technology support renewal and several housekeeping contracts and an appointment to the Stormont Vail Event Center advisory board.

Why it matters: the actions clear contracts and funding needed for ongoing county operations — from vehicle replacements and IT support to public‑health programming and services in the juvenile detention center — and confirm the county’s administrative and procurement steps for the coming months.

Votes at a glance:

• Consent agenda — approved 3-0. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Voucher payments — approved 3-0. The voucher report total recorded in the meeting was $2,495,297.07. Two items called out in the discussion were $292,099 to TLG Operations for a 2024 side‑loader recycling truck (funded from the solid waste fund) and $157,874.74 to Consolidated Rural Water District No. 1 from the infrastructure fund for a water line at the 20th and Auburn roundabout. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Correction orders — approved 3-0. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Resolution 2025‑4 (Election Office) — approved 3-0. Jake Fisher of the Shawnee County Elections Office described the item as the office’s annual resolution to allow destruction of ballots and related materials that have reached the statutory retention period under Kansas statute 25‑2708. Fisher said, “This is just our annual resolution that we do to allow us to, destroy any ballots and or envelopes or other items that have reached the statutory period that allows them to be destroyed.” (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C23‑2025 (Appraiser) — approved 3-0. The five‑year lease would replace five county vehicles with small 4x4 SUVs, funded through the land records fund. Steve Baumann, the county appraiser, said the change results from lease expiration and that the new fleet will slightly reduce costs. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C22‑2025 (Department of Corrections/Halley Counseling Services) — approved 3-0. The renewal supports the Family Peace Initiative program at the juvenile detention center; the meeting record lists the contract cost at $18,400 to be paid from the inmate wellness account. Brian Cole described the program as serving juveniles assessed at higher risk for violence and victimization. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Reallocation of positions within Community Corrections — approved 3-0. (See separate article for full detail on salary ranges, budget insertion and timing.) (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C24‑2025 (Parks — Gage Park Playland/Bridal Trail) — approved 3-0. (See separate article for full detail on project scope, bid award to RCI Adventure Products and accessibility discussion.) (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C25‑2025 (Health Department / Sunflower Foundation) — approved 3-0. The board approved a letter of agreement with the Sunflower Foundation for grant funding to implement targeted overdose‑prevention and harm‑reduction strategies. The meeting notes list the grant amount in the discussion as garbled in the transcript; the approved agreement was presented for the funded program. Carrie Delphs, clinical services division manager for the health department, said the county’s project was selected for the Kansas Fights Addiction grant. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C29‑2025 (Information Technology / Nutanix support renewal) — approved 3-0. Brandy Billtoft requested renewal of support and licensing for the county’s Nutanix virtualization platform; the meeting shows a renewal cost of $100,929.12 using state contract pricing. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Contract C21‑2025 (Commission office — apparel website third amendment) — approved 3-0. The amendment renews the county’s agreement with West Side Stamp & Awards dba T Shirts, etc. to operate an internal website for county employee apparel sales. Amanda Monholland presented the item and said proceeds support a local nonprofit. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

• Appointment — Paul Post appointed to the Stormont Vail Event Center advisory board (at‑large seat) — approved 3-0. (Motion carried; tally yes 3, no 0.)

The minutes show each motion carried unanimously; the meeting recorded no formal votes against or abstentions on items presented for action.