Shawnee County commissioners approve intent to issue two IRBs, several contracts and 2024 weed report; authorize KDOT bridge funds

The Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on March 27 unanimously approved resolutions expressing the county's intent to issue two taxable industrial revenue bonds (IRBs), authorized multiple county contracts and accepted a state/federal bridge funding agreement, and adopted the county's 2024 noxious weed eradication report and 2025 management plan.

The actions included expressions of intent to issue IRBs for an independent-living project by Cedarhurst of Topeka Real Estate LLC and for a multifamily project by AMD Partners LLC; authorization of a public-works contract for culvert replacement design and construction engineering; acceptance of a KDOT agreement providing up to $500,000 for a bridge replacement project on Northwest Valencia Road; approval of a five-year, $270,910 contract with FairwayIQ for GPS units on county golf-course carts; and adoption of the weed department's annual report and management plan.

Why it matters: the IRB intent resolutions begin a multi-step tax-exemption and bond-issuance process that can lower upfront construction costs for private developers while requiring later city or county approvals; the culvert and bridge items address local transportation access and safety; the FairwayIQ contract is a revenue-funded, multi-year technology purchase affecting three county golf courses; and the weed report guides county noxious-weed control for 2025.

Industrial revenue bonds

Commissioners opened public hearings and voted 3-0 to adopt resolution No. 2025-24, expressing the county's intent to issue taxable IRBs and enter a lease-purchase agreement with Cedarhurst of Topeka Real Estate LLC to finance an independent-living facility near Southwest 17th Street and Euresh Road. Bob Perry, speaking for the applicant, described Cedarhurst as a subsidiary of the Dover Companies and said the project would add independent-living cottages to the site next to an existing assisted-living facility. An applicant representative told the board, "We're looking to expand our senior living facility there in Topeka. The first phase is now kind of leased up and stabilized and hoping to…