Johnson County commissioners review Jan. 30 agenda items including $5M sewer-rehab contract, airport fencing and grants policy update

Johnson County Board of County Commissioners Chair Mike Kelly on Jan. 23 led an agenda review that covered several infrastructure and procurement items scheduled for formal consideration at the board’s Jan. 30 meeting, including a potential $5 million annual contract for sewer system rehabilitation, a $409,265 contract for airport perimeter fencing, a resolution to align the county’s grants purchasing policy with federal uniform guidance, and a temporary extension of the county’s utility locating services contract.

The discussion matters because the items affect the county’s capital and operating budgets, compliance with federal grant rules, and the continuity of utility-location services that respond to roughly 100,000 locate requests a year.

Sewer rehabilitation contract

The board reviewed Invitation for Bid (IFB) 2024-069, which would authorize a contract with Insituform Technologies USA LLC for cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining and manhole rehabilitation for the Consolidated Main Sewer District (CMSD). The contract presented is structured as an annual agreement not to exceed $5,000,000 for a one-year term, with the option to renew for four additional one-year terms. Aaron Witt, Johnson County Wastewater, said the county uses CIPP to avoid excavation and that the method is “a really cost effective method and much less disruptive compared to having to dig up and repair a pipe.”

Witt told commissioners that county staff opened bids on Dec. 10, received three bidders, and that Insituform Technologies was the low bidder; the engineering reviewer Black & Veatch recommended award and staff agreed. Commissioner Webb asked about service life; a board member reported the liners have been tested to last “at least 50 years” and may reach “75 to 100 years.” Commissioners discussed handling the item on the consent agenda and asked staff to follow up by phone before the Jan. 30 meeting.

Airport fencing project

The board reviewed IFB 2024-058 to authorize a contract with Century Fence Company for the Century Air Center and Johnson County Executive Airport fencing project in an amount not to exceed $409,265 and to increase the associated Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) airport fencing capital improvement project by $235,765, per the agenda summary. Brian Johnson, executive director of the Johnson County Airport Commission, said roughly $200,000–$300,000 of the total project is funded by the state and that the project will enclose both airports in their entirety for security and wildlife protection. "This is a terrific project for us," Johnson said, and noted the county included the project in its capital improvement program and in a grant application in 2024.

Grants purchasing policy update

Becky Jones, deputy director of the Finance, Management and Administration division (FMA), presented a procedural item to authorize Resolution No. 009-25 to update county policy 180.120 (Grants Purchasing) to align with federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance (CFR Part 200) for federal grants and agreements issued after Oct. 1, 2024. Jones said the revisions include updated standards of conduct and conflicts-of-interest language, expanded inclusive contracting practices to explicitly include veteran-owned businesses, guidance encouraging reuse/refurbished/recycled products when possible, and alignment of procurement thresholds with the county’s updated thresholds. "Johnson County government must follow the federal uniform guidance when administering and managing federal funds," Jones said. She provided redlined and final versions of the policy for commissioners to review and said written procedures are in place.

Short-term extension for utility locating services

The board reviewed a request to authorize a contract extension with USIC Locating Services LLC to provide utility locating services for the consolidated main sewer district in an amount not to exceed $265,000 through April 30, 2025. Aaron Witt said no new funding was requested for the extension because the expense comes from the wastewater operating budget. He said the county is a member of the Kansas One Call system and receives roughly 100,000 locate tickets a year. Staff issued an RFP last summer and negotiations have continued; the extension is requested because those negotiations will extend beyond the current contract expiration of Jan. 31. Witt said USIC is willing to extend through April with an approximate 14% increase in the per-ticket cost, driven by materials, fleet and labor, and that the increase is competitive with metro-area contracts.

Appointments, minutes and next steps

The agenda review also noted two appointments for consideration on Jan. 30: the appointment of Ramakrishna Grama Shetty as the Chairman’s representative to the Johnson County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coalition through Oct. 31, 2027, and the appointment of Dennis Monahan as 2nd District representative to the 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission through March 1, 2026. The board briefly acknowledged approval of the Jan. 9, 2025 business-session minutes (Commissioner Brewer was not a member on that date). Chair Mike Kelly closed the agenda review and confirmed items would be available for final action at the Jan. 30 meeting; several commissioners asked staff to meet or confer by phone on redline policy language or contract questions before that meeting.

All quotations and attributions in this article come from the Jan. 23 agenda review and staff presentations.