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Commissioners approve on-call survey agreement after county engineer cites shortage of licensed surveyors
Summary
Saline County approved a one-year, on-call survey services agreement to provide section-corner, plat review and right-of-way description work after the county could not fill its licensed surveyor position.
The Saline County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 19 approved an on-call professional survey services agreement with a consulting firm after county staff said a licensed county surveyor position has remained vacant and few candidates are available.
Justin Mader, county engineer, told commissioners the county issued a request for proposals in June and received two proposals; the board-selected firm (recorded in meeting materials as Schwab Eton) offered the lower hourly rates. The agreement will provide locating, reestablishment and setting of public land survey system monuments (section corners), historical road-record research, legal-description preparation for right-of-way acquisition, and review of subdivision plats for statutory compliance.
Mader said Kansas law requires a county surveyor to be a licensed professional land surveyor and that the county has been unable to attract viable applicants since the prior county surveyor left in the spring. He described hourly billing and said most charges will be charged to active road and bridge project funds; he estimated approximately $72,000 of unspent salary for the vacant county surveyor/assistant positions is available to offset contract costs this year.
Why it matters: Road, bridge and right-of-way work frequently depends on licensed survey work; without a contract some projects could be delayed. The agreement is intended as an interim measure while the county continues recruiting for a permanent surveyor.
Commissioner questions and contract details
- Cost and selection: Commissioners asked whether the selected firm had the lower hourly rate; Mader confirmed Schwab Eton’s hourly rates were lower than the other proposer and said the firm is well-regarded locally.
- Contract term and termination: Mader said the agreement is year-long with extension language and that the county may stop using the consultant if it hires a permanent surveyor.
- Project charging: Mader explained that most work will be charged to road and bridge project accounts (e.g., bridge replacement or road improvement project funds) but occasional maintenance-related survey costs could be charged to other budget line items.
The board approved RFA 2025-123 as presented, authorizing the county administrator to execute the agreement.
