Sedgwick County staff back applying for federal LWCF grant for $10M elephant barn while proposing $2.5M capped county match

Sedgwick County commissioners and staff on Nov. 5 discussed a proposed $10 million Elephant Boma to expand elephant housing at the Sedgwick County Zoo and agreed to pursue a competitive federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program (ORLP) grant that would require a one-to-one local match.

County staff said the project includes roughly 19,000 square feet of new barn space and associated costs—construction, indirect costs and a rail reroute—estimated just under $10 million, with five elephant births expected between February and September 2025. “The Elephant Boma project is required because there are five elephant births anticipated between late February, March 2025 through September 2025,” a county presenter said during the meeting.

Lindsay, county grant staff, told commissioners the ORLP application is due to the state Nov. 15, 2024, and that Kansas would decide whether to support the application before sending it to the National Park Service; federal award notifications would likely come in fall 2025. She emphasized the ORLP award would be a reimbursement grant subject to federal procurement rules and that the county would set up a pass-through arrangement to the Zoological Society for construction work and contracting. “This grant is a reimbursement grant. So money will actually have to be spent, again, in compliance with federal procurement because it's federal money,” Lindsay said.

Staff proposed capping the county's one-time contribution at $2.5 million and explicitly funding that match from excess investment income earned this year rather than recurring property-tax revenues. The accounting director had briefed commissioners on a stronger-than-expected quarterly investment report; staff said the $2.5 million would be a one-time, non-recurring allocation. Commissioners asked for clarity about how additional private fundraising would be treated and whether campaign proceeds or naming-rights revenues could offset county obligations.

Justin Wagoner, summarizing contract history, reminded the panel that Sedgwick County owns the zoo land and buildings and that the current operating agreement (signed in 2005) vests operational custody with the non-profit Zoological Society while requiring county approval for improvements. “Sedgwick County owns all the land that comprises of the Sedgwick County Zoo,” Wagoner said.

Melissa Genover, identified as chair of the Zoological Society, thanked the commission and said the society plans vigorous fundraising and intends to endow residual funds to support elephant care and capital needs beyond construction. Commissioners said they will revisit the item at the Nov. 13 Board of County Commissioners meeting with more formal agenda language; staff also said they had already begun outreach to the congressional delegation for letters of support if needed.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 192; topfinish SEG 1070