Coffey County hears pitches from two firms for first countywide comprehensive plan; consultant teams outline 12-month process

Shockey Consulting and partner CFS Engineers and a second team led by Horton Consulting presented competing proposals to the Coffey County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 14 for a countywide comprehensive plan.

Shockey project manager Kara Albert told the commissioners Shockey uses a five‑phase approach — project launch, discovery, engagement, planning and adoption/implementation — and proposes a roughly 12‑month timetable to produce a 20‑year plan. “Community engagement is something that Shockey thinks is unique,” Albert said, adding the firm will use both in‑person events and a digital engagement platform so residents who cannot attend meetings can participate.

Michelle Mahoney of CFS Engineers, Shockey’s transportation partner, said CFS would provide transportation and infrastructure analysis and help align the plan with the county’s 2021 capital improvement program. “We use vision‑led planning…we want the community’s vision,” Mahoney said.

Both teams told the board they would combine local documents and data (zoning, the CIP, utility and broadband maps, etc.) with public outreach and a statistically valid household survey to build recommendations. Shockey described working with the ETC Institute to mail a 20–25 question survey designed to produce about 400 valid responses; the survey results would be mapped by neighborhood so commissioners could see how attitudes vary across the county.

Horton Consulting, the second firm to present, stressed the same themes and described facilitation techniques the firm uses to keep meetings focused and to capture input from people who do not typically attend public hearings. Horton also described incorporating local stakeholders, existing plans and an advisory committee into the planning process.

Commissioners pressed both teams on timing, budget and what the county would need to supply. Shockey and CFS said they would expect regular access to Coffey County GIS layers, existing ordinances and the county’s CIP, and they proposed that county staff and a small steering committee meet regularly to review drafts and public‑engagement results. The Shockey team said optional add‑on services (fiscal impact modeling, additional technical studies) could be included later if the board wants to expand scope.

Both firms said they would provide a final plan formatted for both print and an online, living document so the county could track implementation tasks and performance measures after adoption. The teams recommended annual or biennial check‑ins so the county can prioritize projects, adjust the CIP and use the plan in grant applications.

The board did not select a firm at the meeting. Commissioners discussed budget constraints, local priorities and next steps for evaluating the written proposals and interviews.

Votes at a glance

The meeting also recorded a number of routine administrative votes and personnel actions that the board approved earlier in the session. Those items were handled by separate motions before the consultant interviews and included: - Approval of the Jan. 7, 2025 minutes: motion passed (tally: 4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain). (Moved by McCurry; seconded as noted in the minutes.) - Election of board officers: motion to appoint Commissioner Thomas as chair and Steve McCurry as vice chair — motions carried (tally reported as carried; board confirmed appointments during the meeting). - Authorize chair to sign 21 tax abatements totaling $11,003.57 and 44¢ — motion carried. - Appointment of Cowley Zirkle to the Tourism & Visitors Board for a two‑year term effective immediately and ending Dec. 31, 2027 — motion carried. - Appointment of Tom Heath to the Tourism & Visitors Board for a two‑year term effective immediately and ending Dec. 31, 2026 — motion carried. - Personnel pay actions (CP‑2) approved: probationary‑period wage step for Jared Shepherd (highway/heavy equipment operator) and an entry‑level corrections hire (Justice/Perimeter Corrections) as listed on the agenda — motions carried. - Motion to enter executive session under KSA 75‑4319(b)(2) for a 20‑minute privileged legal update (CHIPS application) — motion carried; no action reported after executive session.

Why it matters

A countywide comprehensive plan sets a long‑range framework for land use, infrastructure investment and economic development and is frequently required or consulted when applying for state and federal grants. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized they wanted a plan that is implementable and that the public — including residents who do not typically attend meetings — can see reflected in final recommendations.

What’s next

The board will review written proposals and the interview notes from both teams before deciding on a selection process or next meeting to authorize a contract. Commissioners also discussed the option of asking the shortlisted firms for refined cost proposals or task reductions to fit specific budget limits before awarding the contract.