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
On this emotional and powerful episode of Common Sense, host Ryan Baty opens up about what happens when small business, community, and redemption collide. Ryan sits down with Don Smith, a man whose story begins with trauma and spirals into addiction, crime, and incarceration, but ultimately transforms into a compelling journey of hope, recovery, and renewal. Whether you’ve struggled with addiction, love someone who has, or want to understand how your business or community can make a difference, Don’s story is proof that redemption is always possible.
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.
Addiction is complicated. In this episode, Don Smith gives listeners insight into why many people use and how addiction steals their freedom — mentally, emotionally, and physically. Don's path to sobriety was empowered by a spiritual transformation, and he now counsels many people along their journey to find their own freedom. If you or someone you know are ready for help, here are some local organizations that are ready to empower your change!
Substance Abuse Center of Kansas | Mirror, Inc | Cherry Creek Treatment Center | Holland Pathways | Valley Hope of Wichita … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
This is a REALLY awesome event! ⬇️✨𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰! ✨
exploration.org/event/drone-light-show/
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓- More drones, more wow moments. 400 drones will take flight to the iconic film scores of John Williams, played by a live string quartet.
Feel the magic of 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, the heroics of 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, the adventure of 𝐉𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 and the epic saga of 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬 – all brought to life with dazzling new formations Wichita has never seen.
Tickets will sell out. Get yours today!
exploration.org/event/drone-light-show/ … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
I love a success story! Watching entrepreneurs win, kids excel in school or sports, and people who have battled addiction find a life of sustained sobriety are the things I enjoy celebrating. After 12 years in pastoral ministry, I've learned the power of encouragement and what can happen when someone has an advocate in their corner. Watch this full conversation on my website or YouTube channel. … See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Sun is peeking over the horizon.
No wind.
56 degrees on an AUGUST morning!
Enjoy a GREAT day! 🙌 … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Many people have heard me share the story of a man named Don Smith. His story includes a lot of pain and darkness, but along his journey, you also see redemption, hope, and a whole lot of success. Don has worked with me in private business for over a decade, and I share our relationship on this episode to highlight some of the things that helped empower him to defeat addiction and a life of crime — and you see the role that small business can have in providing stability and accountability for people needing a new start. In this episode, we share our investment into the sober living community and how it has become a pattern of ministry for my company. I hope you enjoy this conversation with a man I deeply admire, Don Smith. … See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
Celebrating 150 years with St. Paul AME Wichita this morning! I enjoyed worshiping alongside you — and I’m grateful for your continued influence in our community. 🙏 … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
About a third of my workforce in private business comes from the sober living community. It's become a ministry for our organization, and we have seen the power of changed lives by providing accountability, structure, support, and grace to help empower people into a life of sobriety. The full podcast will launch on my website and YouTube channel on Monday. … See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
Incredible challeges…. 😳⬇️
“Expenditures at Larned State Hospital for nursing contract labor increased from $5.9M in 2019…. to $43.1M in 2023 and $46M in 2025.”
“The job vacancy rate at Osawatomie stood at 35.5%, while the rate at Larned was 33.5%.”
— … See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Do you know what a Township does? 💡
In Sedgwick County, a township is a political and geographic subdivision of the county, typically representing an area outside of a city's limits, responsible for maintaining local services like roads and ditches. Townships are governed by a local, elected board, and they levy taxes to fund services. There are 26 townships in our county that are independent of any city and the county — and these townships maintain just over 1,025 road miles. If it’s a county dirt road or ditch, odds are it falls under the authority of a local Township.
I always enjoy attending the annual Township Officials meeting to hear updates and visit with these wonderful public servants. My district includes the active Townships of Park, Valley Center, Kechi and Grant! … See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook