The Reno County Board of County Commissioners will meet Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse with a packed agenda that highlights public safety, community partnerships, and neighborhood revitalization.
Among the items is a presentation by the Kansas State Fair seeking support for a new Emergency Operations Command Center (ECC) to be located at the corner of Poplar and Main — the site of the old Hutchinson Fire Station. The proposed $4.2 to $4.5 million facility would serve multiple roles, including acting as the primary hub for emergency services during the annual Kansas State Fair, which draws more than 330,000 visitors each year.
Beyond the Fair, the ECC would also provide year-round operations for the Kansas Highway Patrol, freeing up space in the Fair Administration Building, and serve as a backup emergency operations site for major regional incidents such as severe weather or mass casualty events. The project also aligns with broader security efforts to harden “soft targets” like the Fairgrounds, which the Department of Homeland Security has identified as vulnerable public venues.
The Fairgrounds has contracted local architect Sarah Sipe of Landmark Architects for the design and is working to secure state, federal, and other funding partners to help offset the total cost.
Also on the agenda Wednesday is an invitation from the Reno County 4-H Ambassadors, encouraging commissioners and the community to attend the upcoming Reno County Fair.
The agenda also includes the inspection and approval for the new Station 2 EMS building. The EMS post is moving to 211 West Second Street. The location is just west of Fifth Street and Adams. One completed, the current location for post two will be remodeled and used by the Reno County Health Department.
Commissioners will also consider approving an interlocal Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (NRP) agreement with Kingman County. The plan would apply to Fire District 1, which spans both counties, and would cover commercial properties only. Qualifying improvements that increase property taxes could result in a refund of the difference between the original and increased tax amount.
The meeting will also include a report from County Administrator Randy Partington with updates on monthly department activities.