HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite having a fairly busy agenda, the Reno County Commission went through its business in fairly good time.

Although it went through all the agenda items before reorganizing itself, a new Commission Chair and Vice Chair were selected. Ron Hirst is now the Commission Chair for the next year and Bob Bush is the Vice Chair. Hirst replaces Dan Deming, who has been the chair for the past year.

Although listed as a discussion item only, commissioners approved a contract with MKEC Engineering Services out of Wichita to provide mechanical and electrical engineering services for work at the courthouse, which includes hydronic piping and equipment replacement at a cost of $58,000.

Also approved was an agreement from Network Management Group in Hutchinson for $165,750 to update and refresh the counties network storage system.

Commissioners granted the Reno County Health Department’s request to purchase a used 2015 Ford Interceptor from the Sheriff’s Department for a total cost of $10,699. One of the Health Department’s vehicles with high mileage will be auctioned off as surplus equipment on the Purple Wave Auction site. Commissioner Dan Deming then noted that they will also eliminate one other vehicle from the Health Department fleet to see if they can get by without it.

The commission did the same thing for the appraiser’s office and approved the purchase of a Sheriff’s Department vehicle for a total cost of $7,699. They will now declare one of their vehicles as surplus property.

The commission did table one item to make a few changes to the agreement between Baughman Company P.A. for consulting services for the preparation and update to the Reno County Comprehensive Plan at a cost of $15,000.

The county, as a part of this agreement, wants to ensure that Baughman includes cities and even some groups in the discussions.

The commission will revisit this item next week.