The Johnson County Public Building Commission on July 17 authorized a $22,945,844 guaranteed maximum price amendment with McCownGordon Construction Company for the new Health Services Building, bringing the total construction contract to $90,479,507.

The vote followed a presentation from Tony Barron, director of facilities management, who told commissioners the project is "on time and on budget" and said the bids for the second GMP came in favorable, leaving the team approximately "2.5% under the proposed budget." The motion to approve GMP 2 was moved by Commissioner Allenbrand and seconded by Commissioner Hanslick; the measure passed 5-1, with Commissioner Ashcraft voting no.

The amendment (GMP 2) covers major construction work including carpentry, finish work, landscaping and building envelope, and adds site features listed by Barron as solar and a rainwater-capture (cistern) system. Barron said GMP 1, approved Feb. 6, covered earlier work and that GMP 2 will keep the project on track for the building to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The commission heard public comment from Ben Holbert of Westwood Hills, who raised questions about subcontractor bid awards and criticized the rainwater-capture scope, calling it "the $5,500,000 toilet travesty." Barron responded that contractors were procured intentionally with multiple bidders for major trades and that bids overall were under the previously projected construction budget.

Commission discussion focused on sustainability add-ons and decommissioning the existing Health Services Building. Barron said the water-reclamation cistern is modeled to capture about 232,000 gallons annually at approximately 87% capture efficiency and that the annual savings were estimated in briefing materials at about $42,000. He also said the reported cost shown in the amendment reflects principal only. On solar, Barron said the array was scaled down from the original design so it would not "overpower" the building's needs; he said the facility is expected to use solar generation primarily and some excess may be sold back to Evergy, the local electric utility.

Commissioner Ashcraft questioned whether the water-reclamation system is the best use of funds, saying in part, "Is this the best use of a million dollars?" He said lower-cost water-efficiency measures (he cited low-flow fixtures) could achieve similar savings. Barron and other commissioners replied that low-cost measures were incorporated in the design and that the cistern modeling indicated diminishing returns from additional capture methods given site constraints.

Barron described decommissioning plans for the existing building as including hazardous-material abatement where required, removal and proper disposal of electronic components, and reusing or selling furniture and other assets (likely via government auction) to reduce landfill impact. He said the project team discussed recycling and salvage but did not have a detailed demolition line-item available at the meeting and offered to provide those specifics later.

Formal action: Commissioner Allenbrand moved to authorize the GMP 2 contract amendment with McCownGordon Construction Company in the amount of $22,945,844 for a revised total not to exceed $90,479,507, seconded by Commissioner Hanslick. The roll-call vote was Meyers (aye), Brewer (yes), Hanslick (aye), Ashcraft (no), Allenbrand (aye), Chairman Mike Kelly (aye). The motion passed 5-1.

The commission packet and Barron's presentation note upcoming items including furniture and moving procurements (the project will relocate about 500 staff members to the new facility), an anticipated groundbreaking event, and later decommissioning steps for the existing Health Services Building. The meeting concluded after the vote and the clerk prepared the chamber for the next agenda review.