Lancaster County commissioners approve Family Service contract for Square 1, sheriff buys FARO scanner, several infrastructure contracts
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Summary
At their Feb. 17 meeting the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners approved multiple routine claims and contracts, including a Family Service Lincoln agreement for the Square 1 Community Resource Center (not to exceed $750,000), a $70,208.13 FARO scanner purchase for the sheriff funded by FAC, and culvert and pavement contracts totaling several hundred thousand dollars.
Lancaster County commissioners on Feb. 17 approved a series of routine claims and contracts, moving forward with a new social‑services contract for the Square 1 Community Resource Center, a sole‑source technology purchase for the sheriff’s office and several road and drainage contracts.
Sarah Hoyle, director of human services for the city of Lincoln and Lancaster County, described a contract with Family Service Lincoln to provide wraparound basic‑needs services at the Square 1 Community Resource Center, co‑located with CenterPoint behavioral health services. "This is one step closer to getting Square 1 up and going," Hoyle said, outlining services that will include food access and rent and utility assistance. Commissioners voted to approve the contract, with a cost not to exceed $750,000.
The board also approved a sole‑source purchase order to FARO Technologies Inc. for a FARO Focus scanner, a VR‑ready notebook and three years of maintenance for $70,208.13. Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said the sheriff’s office has used its current scanner for more than a decade and that the replacement will be paid from FAC funds rather than general tax revenue. "We're going to use our FAC funding for this," Houchin said, and added that the county shares the equipment with the Lincoln Police Department to avoid duplicative taxpayer expense.
Several infrastructure contracts were approved, including a Tim Sysco Construction LLC contract not to exceed $367,099.10 to replace older box culverts with pipe culverts that county engineer Pam Dingman said will better handle storm flows. Dingman said the work would replace smaller WPA‑era box culverts at locations shown to commissioners.
The board approved a professional services agreement with Morrow and Associates for coordination and administration of promotional exams (sergeant rank) for $11,500; Ben Houchin told commissioners the firm has provided these services for about five or six years to ensure an equitable process. A consent agenda also cleared a range of contract amendments and unit‑price pavement and plumbing contracts and a right‑of‑way payment to property owners for a listed road project.
Routine claims were handled earlier in the meeting, including a $12,745.37 claim to El Centro de las Americas and a $13,000 claim for Youth for Christ; one commissioner disclosed an employment relationship with Youth for Christ and abstained from that vote. The board also approved reimbursements and claims listed as beyond the 90‑day statutory period.
The meeting included no legislative update and a brief public comment from County Engineer Pam Dingman recognizing National Engineers Week. The board adjourned and opened the Board of Equalization later the same day.
The commissioners directed no further immediate actions beyond the approvals; most items were routine consent or single‑vote approvals that will proceed to implementation by the responsible county departments.