Sedgwick County staff weigh building hangar to anchor Kansas Highway Patrol in Wichita

Sedgwick County officials on Jan. 6 discussed building a county-owned hangar to house Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s aircraft and to anchor KHP operations in the Wichita area. Colonel White of the Sheriff’s Office said the aircraft provide rapid search-and-rescue, suspect tracking and nighttime thermal imaging that “provides community safety in a way that ground troops just simply can't do.”

County staff summarized prior KHP plans: the state originally requested an 18,000-square-foot facility with a $7.3 million estimate and a letter of intent at Jabara Airport; the Kansas Legislature instead allocated $650,000 in fiscal year 2027 for a lease option. Lindsay (county staff) told commissioners that, after adding roughly 3,600 square feet for the sheriff’s needs, a current planning estimate is about $8 million and that bond financing would likely create a debt-service obligation of roughly $600,000 per year.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the hangar as a public-safety anchor for the region; several members said they were concerned that, without a local partner, KHP might relocate its assets elsewhere. County counsel Justin Wagner cautioned that standard state contract language (the DA146A form) commonly allows the state to terminate or not renew an agreement if sufficient funds are not appropriated, limiting the county’s ability to secure a contractual guarantee that the legislature will continue funding future lease payments.

Details and debate: Staff and counsel noted key financial and legal points commissioners must consider before committing county funds: - Current sheriff lease payments: county staff said the Sheriff’s Office pays about $30,000 per year for hangar space at Jabara, an amount that could be applied to a county facility. - Funding history: KHP’s initial request for a new hangar was estimated at $7.3 million for 18,000 square feet; the legislature funded $650,000 for FY2027 for a lease arrangement rather than new construction. - County cost and debt: staff estimated that bonding an $8 million project at an assumed interest rate could yield roughly $11.2 million in total payments over 20 years and about $600,000 in annual debt service; staff emphasized the county taxpayer would carry long-term debt-service risk if legislative support is not sustained. - Tax and contracting risk: Tom Henry, assistant county counselor, said whether county-owned improvements are property-tax exempt depends on whether the use qualifies as exclusively governmental or is treated as an investment use by the Board of Tax Appeals; Wagner noted the state’s standard contract language could allow termination if the legislature does not appropriate funds.

Commission direction and next steps: The commission asked staff to draft an informal memorandum of understanding (MOU) to show the county’s intent to partner with KHP and to bring that MOU back within roughly two weeks so county leaders can present commitment language to state lawmakers. Commissioners also requested a more detailed fiscal analysis — including utility and operating-cost assumptions — and that staff reach out to the Wichita Airport Authority and city leadership to explore partnership or lease terms. Staff said if an MOU proceeds, the county would likely follow with a CIP amendment and project authorization and would determine whether to use general-obligation bonds or another financing vehicle.

What’s next: No formal decision was taken. Staff will prepare an MOU, pursue more detailed financial modeling and begin outreach to the Wichita Airport Authority and potential city partners; the commission will consider formal approval and any bond or CIP actions at a future BCC meeting.