Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sedgwick County authorizes plan to issue bonds for regional forensic lab expansion after debate over site
Summary
The Sedgwick County Commission voted 4–1 on April 8 to authorize a resolution to finance an expansion and remodel of the regional forensic science center, citing slow lab turnaround and public-safety needs; one commissioner opposed the plan’s site and footprint.
The Sedgwick County Commission voted 4–1 on April 8 to adopt a resolution authorizing the county to proceed with plans to finance an expansion and remodel of the regional forensic science center, including a new DNA laboratory and renovated lab space. County Chief Financial Officer Lindsay Perso told commissioners the project was planned in the county’s capital improvement program and estimated at about $20.4 million when first authorized; bond issuance is projected for 2028 and the current action declares the county’s intent to seek reimbursement for design and early construction costs from future debt proceeds.
Perso said the step before the board “secures our ability to spend money and make it eligible for reimbursement,” and explained the county’s aim to hold overall mill levies stable by coordinating debt retirements and new issuances. Commissioners who supported the resolution framed it as a public‑safety priority. “When you talk to law‑enforcement officers, the first thing they bring up is turnaround time,” one commissioner said, arguing the county needs more lab capacity to avoid lengthy delays on toxicology and DNA analyses.
Commissioner How cast the lone “no” vote, citing concerns about the proposed site and building design. During discussion he said he supported the need for the service but preferred alternative locations or designs, and asked that those concerns be noted for future phases. Several commissioners stressed that the project is intended to reduce delays in cases including sexual assault evidence processing and other criminal investigations.
The resolution does not authorize immediate borrowing; Perso said construction contracts and a formal bond issuance would follow later steps. The board’s approval allows the county to continue design work and to treat eligible project costs as reimbursable from a future bond sale. The county projects issuing bonds in 2028, after which debt service plans will be finalized. No construction work or bond sale occurred at the April 8 meeting.
