photo by: Journal-World

The west side of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.

Douglas County commissioners at their meeting on Wednesday will consider approving nearly $1 million for the construction of a maintenance building at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

According to a memo from Jay Zimmerschied, the county’s director of capital projects, a new maintenance/equipment facility is needed to replace the outdated 1960s structure at the fairgrounds, which Zimmerschied described as an “undersized” and “deteriorating pre-engineered metal building.”

Zimmerschied said that the existing structure lacks designated “safe areas” for storage of welding and power tools, has become overcrowded as personnel responsibilities have evolved over the past 50 years and also lacks restrooms. He said the proposed 5,000-square-foot building would increase storage capacity and allow for improved safety in the work area. 

Lawrence-based B.A. Green Construction Company was selected for the project at a cost of $959,200. B.A. Green’s bid, despite being the lowest, still came in above the county’s estimate, Zimmerschied said. That was largely due to “added scope” during the design process, he said, “specifically related to correcting existing site-conditions surrounding the proposed new structure and surrounding buildings.”

In other business, commissioners will: 

• Consider approving, in the consent agenda, a transportation amendment to Plan 2040. Both the Lawrence City Commission and Planning Commission have already unanimously approved the amendment, dubbed “Transportation 2050,” the long-range plan guiding Douglas County’s transportation system. 

• Hold a work session that provides an overview of a gap analysis report conducted by the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition. The analysis, according to agenda materials, is centered on a continuum of care, which refers to a collaborative approach to the funding and planning of services tied to homelessness.

The commission’s work session begins at 4 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse at 11th and Massachusetts streets. A Zoom link can be found on the county’s website, douglascountyks.org.