Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee adds $750,000 to Kansas State Fair budget for emergency command center
Summary
A legislative committee approved adding $750,000 to the Kansas State Fair’s budget for an emergency command center, trimming a larger $2 million enhancement request and moving the fair’s FY26 budget forward as amended.
A legislative committee on Monday approved adding $750,000 to the Kansas State Fair’s fiscal 2026 budget to help build an emergency command center on the fairgrounds.
The enhancement funds were added during a debate after Brian Schultz, speaking for the Kansas State Fair, described a proposed above‑ground, cinder‑block facility of roughly 4,000 square feet designed to house year‑round Kansas Highway Patrol offices and a separate emergency command center during fairs and other incidents. "This facility will be a roughly about 4,000 square feet and it'll be of above ground ... all a cinder block made so we'll be able to withstand weather," Schultz said. He estimated the command center could hold "about, 50 to 75 people in there" and would include space for dispatchers and a wall of video monitors to view fairground cameras.
Why it matters: The fairgrounds draw hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and lawmakers said the site’s size and surface layout make…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
