Barton County Commission meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Barton County Commission did Wednesday morning:
• Approved the purchase of an electric lock system for the county building at 1800 12th St. that houses the 20th Judicial District Juvenile Service, Community Corrections, Court Services and Parole offices, and the Barton County Environmental Management Office.
To provide better security at the building, it was proposed that a Salto electronic lock system be installed to select exterior and interior doors throughout, said Juvenile Services Director Marissa Woodmansee. Nex-Tech provided a quote of $5,576.90 to purchase the locking system.
“This will provide a continuity of security,” Woodmansee said. For the past five years, about half the building has had the electronic locking system.
The county is splitting the $5,576.90 cost with Juvenile Services.
• Approved a $14,629 bid from Office Products Inc. of Great Bend. This will allow for the Information Technology Department to deploy security awareness training for all employees who access a Barton County computer using KnowB4, said IT Director Derrick Hollingshead.
This was the low bid and it was a local one.
• Approved the addition of a wire guard system to the certified rebuild of 826G Caterpillar compactor at the Barton County Landfill.
On Nov. 2, 2022, the commission approved a certified rebuild of the compactor. Caterpillar has recently developed a new wire guard system for compactors which would be beneficial to add to the rebuild, said Solid Waste Director Jennifer Hamby. The system prevents debris and wire from wrapping around compactor axles and interfering with machine performance and causing damage to drivetrain components.
This wire guard system can be installed for $15,970.96. As the machine is be dissembled for the rebuild, this would be the opportune time to add the feature.
“We’ve been waiting for years for them to develop this,” Hamby said. Now, keeping such debris out of the machine delays work by the landfill staff.
• Approved the annual Computer Information Concepts Inc. software agreement at a cost of $47,875.
In 2013, the county purchased a commercial software package from CIC. The software includes tax administration, budgetary/fund accounting, indexing/imaging, payroll/personnel and time/attendance. Added since that time are portals for the Treasurer’s and the Appraiser’s offices.
The county had been paying an additional $7,900 for an added cloud backup system, but that has been removed. The county now handles that in-house.
• Approved signing the lease for the buildings at 1500 Kansas and 1709 Main for use as temporary offices during the Courthouse HVAC replacement project, from High Noon Properties and one from Great Bend LLC.
Barton County offices now have their homes away from home during the upcoming year-long, $4.2 million HVAC replacement project in the Courthouse. Commissioners Wednesday morning approved leases for two Great Bend locations, one in the former JC Penney building at 1500 Kansas and one for the former Sears story at 1709 Main.
“The commission recently took action and initiated a Courthouse improvement project centering on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system,” said County Administrator Matt Patzner. The work being done will require courthouse offices to be temporarily moved to other locations for about a year.
First on the agenda was the former JC Penney building. It is being leased from current owner High Noon Properties at a cost of $4.35 per square foot for the anticipated year.
“This building is as big as the courthouse,” said commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson, District 3, noting the electricity and lights were turned on for the first time in seven years Tuesday night. This space is enough to accommodate most of the courthouse offices to exception of the 20th Judicial District offices and County Attorney’s Office.
“The location of it being close to the courthouse is also nice,” said District 5 Commissioner Donna Zimmerman. “I think everyone could be under one roof with the exception of court system.”
“At $4.35 a square foot, I think we got a good deal on it,” Hutchinson said. The county will pay the utilities, but not the taxes and insurance.
“I definitely like the ground floor accessibility and people being able to park right there,” said District 4 Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger. There is also a lot of nearby parking, including around the Courthouse across the street.
And, since the Courthouse will have to be emptied during the work, there is a strong chance the freight elevator can be used to haul stuff to second floor for storage.
Hutchinson also noted the building will get a new carpet and paint before the county offices make the move.
The second location
Next was the lease of the former Sears store at 1709 Main that will house the court, courtrooms and county attorney. This is being leased from Great Bend LLC for $6.83 per square foot.
“It’s almost made for that,” Hutchinson said of the location. It already has two large office spaces that can be used as courtrooms, as well as other office spaces.
They had talked about building courtrooms inside of the Penny building. “But, by the time we did that, we could very well slow the project down and spend just as much or more money than just leasing this other building,” he said.
“I think something I didn’t realize was the court system needed its own special rooms and things,” said District 1 Commissioner Duane Reif. “They can’t be in conjunction with something else” for privacy reasons.
So, he said, he thought having the second building was a good option.
County Information Technology Director Derrick Hollingshead said now they can begin prepping to set up the necessary IT connections to the buildings.
Some of the moving can also start.
Background
On Feb, 8, the commission approved a bid from Kruse Corporation of Wichita for a base bid of $4,182,000 to replace the HVAC system.
To pay for this, the county will tap its remaining $2,803,700.37 COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act funds and $5,787,707.37 from general fund reserves.
In addition to the HVAC, the project includes new LED lighting and fixtures, a new ceiling, a new fire alarm system and a new two-way emergency communications system with access at each elevator door. An interior facelift, including new carpet and paint, is also on the list.
The goal is to vacate the Courthouse in June and return in May 2024.
