Sedgwick County commissioners in an agenda review meeting debated whether to approve a one‑year contract extension with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for the Northwest Expressway right‑of‑way program and whether county funding should be contingent on the outcome of a Major Investment Study (MIS).

Staff said the proposed extension would reduce the county’s anticipated contribution to $800,000 (down from a previously discussed $1 million) and act as a short “gap‑filler” while KDOT completes a longer‑term plan. “This is a KDOT… one‑year extension of that contract so that, to get us by,” county staff (Lynn) said, describing the item as a bridge until a potential future five‑year agreement is negotiated.

Several commissioners urged added protections. An unnamed commissioner pressed for contract language tying the county’s payment to a positive MIS finding, saying the county should not commit funds only to learn later the study does not support the project. That commissioner noted the right‑of‑way account already holds millions: staff cited a March figure of $9,199,091 and said adding the proposed county and state payments would bring the account to roughly $10–10.5 million.

Commissioners discussed specific timing and mechanics. Counsel and staff highlighted federal fiscal year constraints and the need to avoid pushing obligations into FY2027; the group referenced a range of potential dates (March 1, 2026, and June 30, 2026) as fiduciary milestones. Legal staff suggested channeling proposed language edits through counsel and engaging KDOT about timing and acceptable contract changes.

Board members also asked for more historical and programmatic detail before committing funds: how much the county and state have invested to date, when the matching program began (staff said matching started in 2014), how many tracts and acres have been acquired, and an estimate of remaining acquisition costs. Staff reported roughly 29 tracts acquired to date (about 40% of the 12‑mile corridor) and cautioned that forecasting total future acquisition cost is difficult because purchases have been opportunistic and market conditions will change once the project enters an active acquisition pipeline.

On remedies if the MIS is unfavorable, one commissioner proposed a clawback provision that would allow the county to recover unspent funds; legal counsel advised caution, noting that once funds are transferred recovery can be difficult. Several commissioners favored a contingency tied to the MIS outcome rather than a post‑payment clawback, and staff said they would work with counsel to propose contract edits to present to KDOT.

The meeting concluded with chair pro tem noting consensus to pursue amendments that link county contribution to MIS deliverables and timing; no final vote on the extension was taken during the agenda review.

Next steps: staff and legal counsel will draft proposed edits and approach KDOT for negotiation; commissioners requested historical expenditure data and clearer MIS timing before formal action.