Johnson County commissioners direct staff to add water reclamation and rooftop solar to new health services center; ask for more geothermal data

Johnson County commissioners on Jan. 3 directed staff to add enhanced water-reclamation and rooftop-solar systems to the county’s new Health Services Center and asked for further study of a proposed geothermal system. The motion passed 7-0 at a Committee of the Whole meeting, with Commissioner Jeff Hanslick moving and Commissioner Allenbrand seconding.

The vote follows a presentation from Tony Barron, director of facilities management, the design team from Finkel & Williams Architecture and the project executive from McCownGordon, which outlined the building layout, program moves and three sustainability enhancement options not included in the base scope. Barron told commissioners that schematic and design-development phases are complete and the project is in construction documents; the team requested direction on enhancements that would affect scope and budget.

Why it matters: The building will combine the Department of Health and Environment (including the public clinic and WIC), Olathe Mental Health services and Aging & Human Services into a single facility intended to improve operational efficiency and public access. Commissioners framed the sustainability decisions as investments that affect long-term operating costs, building health and the county’s alignment with adopted climate goals.

Design and program: John Gar of Finkel & Williams described the one-to-two story building sited on the Sunset Drive campus with a raised main entrance facing parking, a central north–south lobby bar and horizontal wings for department functions. Lydia Travis, Johnson County facilities project manager, said first-floor spaces will host high-volume public services (clinical services, mental health reception) to reduce public circulation depth, while the lower level will house administrative offices, multiuse rooms and some public functions such as childcare and licensing. Public art by Ben Butler and Stacia Goodman was shown in interior renderings.

Schedule and procurement: Derek Cottio, project executive with McCownGordon, summarized the construction timeline the team presented: utilities relocation and site mobilization planned for March 2025, vertical construction beginning in August 2025 with a groundbreaking at that time, evergreen relocation in Q1 2026 to allow demolition of existing structures and final project completion and full occupancy targeted around Q3 2027. Barron said the county will request two planned amendments to the pre-construction contract with McCownGordon: a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contract No. 1 (to enable site work beginning March 2025) and a second GMP in July 2025 to cover finishes, specialty items, food service equipment, parking and landscaping.

Sustainability options and staff recommendation: The team presented three enhancements: 1) enhanced water reclamation (capture roof runoff to cistern(s) for non-potable reuse such as toilet flushing; estimated potential capture up to about 2,000,000 gallons per year), 2) rooftop photovoltaics (roughly 40,000 square feet of PV shown on the roof plan with an estimated annual utility savings of about $45,000), and 3) a closed-loop geothermal well field (roughly 180 boreholes shown) intended to reduce HVAC loads. The team recommended pursuing the water reclamation and rooftop solar and not pursuing geothermal at this time because the economics were “out of balance.” Staff estimated the additional capital cost to include water reclamation and rooftop solar at $3,070,000 and described possible federal incentives (Inflation Reduction Act) that could reduce solar capital costs by about 25 percent if available.

Commissioner and staff concerns: Commissioners asked about LEED certification (staff said the project is registered for LEED and aims to certify; with the proposed enhancements staff estimated reaching LEED Silver), building life expectancy (staff said 50 to 75 years with proper maintenance), canopy/portico at the main entry (included in the design), waiting-area layout (separate check-in and waiting for mental-health and public-health clinics with shared central lobby and wayfinding), and real-world performance of PV systems and roofs in Midwestern climates. Several commissioners raised environmental and geotechnical questions about geothermal feasibility in Kansas rock and potential groundwater risks; staff and the design team said additional technical analysis would be required before recommending geothermal.

Motion and next steps: Commissioner Jeff Hanslick moved to direct staff to bring the water-reclamation and rooftop-solar items forward to the full Board of County Commissioners with an additional capital budget request of $3,070,000 and to return with additional information on geothermal efficacy. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Allenbrand and approved 7-0 (Commissioners Fast, Myers, Brewer, Hanslick, Ashcraft, Allenbrand and Chairman Mike Kelly voting aye). Barron and staff said they will bring the recommendation to agenda review and return with more detailed cost, lifecycle and incentive analysis (including potential IRA direct-pay or tax-equity implications for solar), plus the planned GMP No. 1 for consideration.

The team emphasized that schematic design and design development are complete and that work on construction documents continues. Staff also noted a prior PBC authorization (May 9, 2024) of McCownGordon pre-construction services not to exceed $150,000 and that two GMP amendments are planned: GMP No. 1 (early trades/site work) and GMP No. 2 (remaining scope) in July 2025.

The committee adjourned after the vote.