Reno County, Kan. (June 11,2025) – Reno County Commissioners Monday approved the purchase of a 2019 Kubota MX5200 as well as a new Landpride 7 foot Rotary Cutter Bush Hog for the Sheriff’s Department use.
The need for this equipment was highlighted with the development of a training facility on Mohawk Road. This property is approximately 20 acres, a large portion of which is grass. This, in addition to their other properties, caused a need for the department to increase maintenance capabilities. They received quotes from two local companies, with the low quote of $29,350.00 coming from Schmidt & Sons.
Discussions about the request involved questions of efficiency, maintenance, and cost comparisons. It was clarified that the tractor will be used for many other purposes in addition to mowing. These include snow removal, road and parking lot maintenance at Sheriff’s Department facilities, and other maintenance projects. Maintenance of the tractor and mower attachment will be taken care of in-house as much as possible.
The Sheriff’s Department will pay for the equipment out of their budget, and the labor will be done by Sheriff’s Department staff.
Reno County EMS Chief Dave Johnson presented information on the Arlington EMS Station, and asked the Commissioners to give Reno County EMS the authority to select the low bid for the project. Ward Davis had the most competitive bid, and said they could start as early as July 2025. The project will exceed the original cap by $24,051.00, due to rises in material costs and additional survey requirements. The motion was passed to approve the Ward Davis bid, and the Arlington EMS Station 3 project will be initiated upon signature of a contract between Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and Ward Davis.
Richardson Brothers Construction was the only bid for the Emergency Management Storage Building project. This project would be used to store equipment, vehicles, and trailers that are currently scattered at fire stations and the state fairgrounds. The original bid came in higher than expected, however Kyle Stewart- Director of Facilities for Reno County- worked with Jon Richardson to bring the cost down by getting rid of non-essential aspects of the project. The motion was passed to accept the bid and move forward with the project.
The Commissioners discussed the Sales Tax Survey Services by Wichita State University. The total cost of the survey is $26,740.00, and would provide tangible results to help determine what level of sales tax the voting population of Reno County is willing to approve. It would also help determine which identified purposes the voting population of Reno County would most tolerate. Randy Partington, County Administrator, highlighted the need to make a decision. He said that the process will take around five months, and the county will need time to prepare for the legislative session, as an increase in county wide sales tax will require legislative approval.
