Shawnee County commissioners authorize negotiations with KBS for Gage Park carousel CMAR after split vote

Shawnee County commissioners voted 2-1 on Oct. 27 to authorize staff to enter negotiations with KBS to serve as the construction manager-at-risk (CMAR) for the planned Gage Park Carousel renovation.

The decision followed interviews with two finalists — MCP Group and KBS — after a third applicant withdrew. Commissioners said both firms are experienced and capable, but they differed on how to weigh presentation quality against CMAR fees and the total projected cost.

The board’s discussion centered on cost estimates and scoring from the interview process. Tim Lorent, director of Parks and Recreation, said staff conducted interviews last week and presented both firms for commissioner consideration. Commissioner Aaron Mays said, “To my knowledge, this is the first time we’ve ever done this, so the process is a little bit interesting.”\

Commissioners debated how to interpret the proposals’ totals. One commissioner noted MCP’s CMAR fee was listed at 2 percent while KBS’s was 3.5 percent, a difference that, when applied to a notional $4.5 million project, amounted to about $67,000. Commissioner Bill Rippon said he had given KBS higher interview scores for presentation and awareness of existing site conditions but scored MCP higher on the cost proposal. Another commissioner said he rated KBS higher overall because of presentation and perceived preparedness.

County legal counsel reminded the board that the interview score sheets are guidelines, not binding directives, and that today’s authorization allows staff to negotiate with the recommended firm but does not finalize a guaranteed maximum price. As the county counselor put it during the discussion, the process must “be part of the public record for full transparency as to our decision making.”

Commissioner Kevin Cook moved to award the negotiation authorization to KBS; Rippon seconded. The vote was 2 in favor, 1 opposed, and the motion passed. A commissioner recorded an opposition based on his score sheet but said he would be comfortable with either firm.

The board’s action authorizes county staff to negotiate contract terms with KBS; county officials said they may return to the commission if negotiations fail to produce acceptable terms or a guaranteed maximum price.

Why it matters: Selecting a CMAR is the next step toward renovating the Gage Park Carousel, a county-managed park amenity. Commissioners said both firms are local and have prior county project experience, and they emphasized that final costs will depend on subsequent negotiation and any guaranteed maximum price agreed upon during that phase.

Details and next steps: The county will enter negotiations with KBS and may return to the commission for approval of final contract terms, including any guaranteed maximum price and schedule. Staff noted the CMAR fee is percentage-based and that the final dollar difference depends on the actual contract amount determined during negotiation.

Sources: Discussion and vote at the Oct. 27 Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners meeting recorded on the public transcript.