Local Leadership
I am grateful to serve our community.
We are in a pivotal season for Sedgwick County. We need leadership to help improve our position economically while working to bridge the divide relationally. This community is our home. I want to do all that I can to make sure we are improving and fostering the best quality of life for everyone in Sedgwick County.
Common Sense Podcast
Welcome to another episode of The Common Sense Podcast. In this engaging conversation, host Ryan Baty sits down with Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech, and Kelly Bielefeld, Superintendent of Wichita Public Schools, to dive deep into the future of education and workforce development in Wichita. Together, they discuss the transformative “Future Ready Centers”—a groundbreaking partnership between public schools and WSU Tech that’s providing students with clear pathways into high-demand careers, often graduating debt-free with both high school diplomas and technical credentials.
Watch On:
View All
Change for the Better
Your pocket change fuels community change. Donate today.
Issues
Staffing Stability for Sedgwick County Government
With nearly 3,000 employees across 46 departments, the work being done by our employees is vital to the quality of life we experience in the community. Upon my arrival on the Commission, we were experiencing significant staffing shortages – particularly in public safety and public health. Aggressive and strategic adjustments in compensation plans returned increased employee morale and staffing stability. Today, we have staffing levels above 90% and our performance goals are all being accomplished. Strategic workforce investments have provided more effective and efficient services to the 525k people of Sedgwick County.
Homelessness, Foster Care and Behavioral Health
Every policy decision must find a connecting link to healthier families. Our community has made significant progress in several large scale community challenges. In homelessness, we continue to develop a long-term community plan with a focus on shelter, services, and affordable housing. We have worked collaboratively to reduce the negative impacts of a foster care system that is failing our most vulnerable kids. We have also invested into a new COMCARE CRISIS center that will increase services such as mobile mental health, 988 suicide line, medical detox beds as well as other strategic initiatives to help meet the growing needs of our community.
Development of the Northwest Expressway
Connecting K-96 to Kellogg through west Sedgwick County has been a discussion for 30+ years. This would spur incredible economic development, but the conversation had stalled as had cooperation amongst key stakeholders. I have worked to re-engage the project with KDOT, Maize, Goddard and the City of Wichita as well as helping to reestablish the NW Expressway Coalition. We now have more momentum in the project than what has been seen in over a decade.
Property Tax Reform
Increasing property taxes has become a painful challenge for many families and businesses. With nearly 50% of our county revenues being generated through property taxes, we aim to reduce the county’s dependency on this revenue source and provide relief to our community. In each of my budgets, we have found ways to reduce the property tax mill levy while also stabilizing core county services. As my #1 priority in 2025 and 2026, we will continue to reduce property tax burden through a series of strategic reforms and initiatives.
Modernizing Local Government
The cost of government continues to increase, and reform is needed to counteract the increasing costs. As we look across the county and our 20 city partners, I will advance plans to eliminate redundancies via more shared services, strategic partnerships, and functional department consolidations. It is time to modernize the local government model and in doing so we will find reduced costs and improved efficiencies. I will continue leading the conversation and building collaborative relationships.
“The government closest to the people, serves its people best”
– Thomas Jefferson
Success is Local
Success requires leadership that listens to the pulse of the community. Local government needs to be shaped by civility and collaboration in order to maximize the potential of our people.
As a business owner & pastor, I am excited to communicate our vision for Sedgwick County and demonstrate a plan that enhances quality of life in our community. These conversations will be focused on our economy, quality of life investment and the appropriate function of our local government.
Work in the Community
Here are a few ways we give back to our community with links for you to join in!
Love Schools
The heart of this organization is to pair local businesses with local schools in order to meet strategic needs and supply resources.
Foster Care Advocate
I have worked with selective organizations to help raise awareness of the foster care crisis in our community.
Firm Foundation Ministries
This organization provides transitional housing and reintegration skills training for individuals leaving correctional facilities.
The Mattress hub
We have strategically partnered with local schools and organizations to donate beds to children in need.
Congratulations to Holland Pathways on your campus expansion!
This new space allows for additional group therapy rooms and new brain mapping services to help clients better understand the science around addiction and recovery. There will also be additional residential rooms — increasing capacity from 43 to 64 beds.
I’m incredibly grateful for the important work being done at Holland Pathways and the grace they give to those needing new hope!
Learn more ⬇️
www.hollandpathways.com … See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Congratulations to the 11 graduates from the Bridges ICT Getting Ahead Program.
These individuals took 16 weeks of intensive classes focused on learning skills and building resources to grow beyond poverty.
My job was simple — Congratulate and Encourage! It’s a BIG deal when people commit to growth and I want them to know we see and support their efforts.
Learn more ➡️ www.bridgesict.org … See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Everyone that tours the WSU Innovation Campus, WSU Tech and National Institute for Aviation Research, Wichita State University leave saying the same thing — I had no idea all this was happening here in Wichita! We enjoyed showing Secretary Duffy all the great things happening in aviation manufacturing and research.
Celebrating 40 years at NIAR! 🙌
⬇️⬇️ … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
I’m a Conservative.
I’m a Republican.
And no…. I’m NOT ok with this.
⬇️⬇️ … See MoreSee Less
78 CommentsComment on Facebook
Kansas Children's Service League Red Stocking Breakfast is always a wonderful event! I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside friends — and show off my Christmas Song Karaoke skills. 😜
KCSL works hard to serve families throughout the state with services for child abuse prevention, school readiness, education and family support.
Learn more ➡️ www.kcsl.org … See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
A life well lived, Becky Elder.
Love Box, Elderslie Farm, Sunnydale’s Community Library, and so much more — an incredible legacy. I will miss our chats about the Royals and even the complaints about traffic on Hillside.
You were so kind to me. Praying God’s peace and strength over your family. … See MoreSee Less
10 CommentsComment on Facebook
Baseball changed my life. It was through youth, high school, college and professional baseball where I learned discipline, work ethic, respect for authority, how to win with respect and lose with dignity.
I’m so grateful for the work of League 42 — bringing baseball to our urban core so that every kid has an opportunity to experience the same things I did through sports.
Even more impressive, League 42 doesn’t just play baseball games, they have developed programming that really impacts these kids and families.
➡️ Bright Lights After School Education Enrichment
➡️ Bats and Badges Program that builds healthy relationships with kids and local law enforcement.
➡️ Passionate Project bringing Inspirational Speakers throughout the year.
➡️ Financial Literacy Program for parents and kids
Thank YOU Bob Lutz, Conner Hampton, and your entire organization. Your work at League 42 inspires me!
Learn more: league42.org … See MoreSee Less
8 CommentsComment on Facebook
Let me be VERY clear! There is NO sales tax proposal competing with Wichita. A conversation about how we fund the Zoo, Intrust Bank Arena, Exploration Place and other county attractions with use of sales tax has been happening for 2+ years, but we have said multiple times that we are hitting pause to see what happens with Wichita.
There are NOT two competing plans. … See MoreSee Less
Wichita, Sedgwick County considering separate proposed sales tax plans
www.ksn.com
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita are both considering adding to their sales tax rates.9 CommentsComment on Facebook
Evil….. 😡 … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook