Tabled until further notice.
That’s the unanimous decision from Lyon County commissioners on Phase 1 construction for a new shooting range and Emergency Communications facility near the Transfer Station. Commissioners are awaiting additional information from KBS Constructors, especially on costs. Here’s Commission Chair Ken Duft.
KBS is working with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, which advised commissioners to table the overall request last week. Commissioners agreed. Duft says there has been some confusion about the scope of the projects, considering they are on the same property. With federal dollars attached to the shooting range, it’s important to demonstrate how the money is being spent between the range and the Emergency Communications center.
A year ago, US Senator Jerry Moran announced almost $250,000 in grants for the Sheriff’s Office, with $100,000 refitting body-worn camera systems for deputies and the rest funding equipment for a new range facility. Even with this delay, Duft is confident the shooting range component can move forward and be done before the county would be forced to return the federal grant money.
This past April, county commissioners approved purchasing a nearly 20-acre tract of land along West South Avenue at just over $206,000 to be paid for through COVID-19 relief money. Besides the shooting range, the property will have a new law enforcement training facility and a new Emergency Communications center, moving the department out its longstanding home downtown. The plan is to use sales tax dollars to build the new Emergency Communications offices.
Separately, commissioners gave their unanimous support to CrossWinds’ grant request to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
