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Conference talks spotlight KHP dispatch, KBI headquarters, KSU vet center and other construction items
Summary
Conference negotiators reviewed a construction package containing bonding and capital proposals for a Kansas State University veterinary diagnostic center, a KBI headquarters, a Kansas Highway Patrol dispatch center in Salina, ERP modernization and a Jabara Airport hangar lease.
Conference negotiators reviewed the construction package, which groups several capital and bonding requests, and debated funding sources and year-by-year appropriations for those projects.
Highlights: negotiators discussed language authorizing bonding for a Kansas State University veterinary diagnostic laboratory on the Manhattan campus, with $128 million of bonding authority cited for 2026–2027 and a requirement for $2 million in private donations as part of the project terms. They also reviewed a senate-modified proposal for up to $80 million in bonding authority for a new Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) headquarters in fiscal 2026–2027 with added language encouraging pursuit of tax credits and locating the facility in downtown Topeka.
Public safety items: committee members repeatedly addressed a dispatch center for the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) in Salina. One negotiator said the Highway Patrol’s plan shows a $24 million cost for the dispatch center; another member proposed funding $18 million of the project from ARPA interest while keeping fallback authority to fund with SGF if ARPA interest is insufficient. A separate ERP (enterprise resource planning) modernization request for department administration was discussed, with proposals ranging and members disagreeing on the size and timing of the SGF or ARPA interest contribution.
Air and aviation: negotiators discussed Jabara Airport hangar lease support. A participant proposed a 2027 appropriation of $650,000 to support the hangar lease; the committee asked staff to confirm final language and year of appropriation.
Budget and source concerns: members flagged questions about the state highway fund, PMIB and EDIF balances and asked staff for updated totals. They instructed staff to draft technical changes and provisos tying disbursement and bonding to any required private matches or feasibility studies.
Outcome and next steps: committee members did not record a final vote in the excerpt provided but directed staff to reconcile funding sources, adjust proviso language, and return with updated numbers. Several members asked for a final numeric accounting of ARPA interest, EDIF and APEX balances before finalizing the construction items.
