I hope everyone has had a fruitful spring and is ready for another Sedgwick County summer. We continue to work on the budget for 2019 and it appears that the financial requirements for next year are becoming more evident. We will make sure essential County services are delivered in a most efficient and cost effective way in order to satisfy the needs of our citizens while keeping the mill levy constant.
A challenge under consideration is a solution to the Public Safety needs of our government. The District Attorney is severely in need of office space for the expanding requirements of effective prosecution of offenders. And the 18th Judicial District continues to advise us that new Judges will be assigned here and new court rooms will be needed. The solution is to move the administrative functions of county government to a new location and let the DA and the Courts have the current County Courthouse.
We have three potential locations currently under consideration. They are the building at 150 N. Main, the Riverview building at 345 N. Riverview, and a new building just north of the Courthouse. The third option requires demolition of the “annex” portion of the Courthouse and building a 4 or 5 story structure with a frontage on Main. All are viable and all are expensive. I would appreciate any advice or comment you might have.
As always, contact me if I can be of any help to you.
Dave
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EMS Week recognized this month
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The week of May 20-26, 2018 Sedgwick County celebrated National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week and honored the first responders who provide compassionate, patient-centered care to the community. The 2018 theme is “Stronger Together.”
Serving a population of 508,000 over 1,000 square miles, they are the exclusive County provider and primary agency responsible for providing quality out-of-hospital care and transportation. EMS crews are dedicated to the citizens of Sedgwick County by delivering emergent and non-emergent Advance Life Support (ALS) services to all. In 2017, EMS responded to more than 60,000 requests for service.
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Crews continue to work on the Kellogg/ I-235 interchange rebuild. This first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2019.
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Update on Kellogg/ 235 interchange
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- The reconstruction of the Elder and Maple intersection should be completed by the end of May.
- Maple St. under I-235 is reduced to one lane for each direction but should end soon.
- On June 11, eastbound US 54 west of I-235 will be reduced to two lanes for 120 days to finish bridge work over the Wichita – Valley Center Floodway, the eastbound US 54 Ramp to northbound I-235, overhead signs, and other project work.
- On June 12, westbound US 54 Ramp to northbound I-235 will be closed for 120 days to finish reconstruction of the ramp. A detour will be signed.
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Public Works Week recognized May 20-26
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National Public Works Week, celebrated the week of May 20-26, 2018, recognized the Power of Public Works and the impact they have on improving the quality of life for Sedgwick County residents. Responsibilities vary from building bridges and removing snow to safely disposing of old chemicals and controlling and eradicating noxious weeds.
Public Works provides safe and efficient transportation for Sedgwick County by coordinating maintenance and construction of roads. Additionally, they maintain 600 bridges and 600 miles of road throughout the County. Public Works is responsible for planning, building, managing, and operating Sedgwick County’s infrastructure, making it a great place to live, work, and play.
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Public engagement opportunity for space needs solutions
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In the 2018 adopted budget, the County Manager highlighted the need for more physical space for public safety agencies housed in the County Courthouse that includes the 18
th Judicial District, District Attorney’s Office, and Sheriff’s Office operations. Over the past year and a half, County staff have been researching solutions to these space needs through space programming and reviewing available buildings throughout the community to fit the County needs.
Commissioners received an update regarding options for a new County Administration building on Wednesday, May 23. To make room for the immediate and critical needs for the District Attorney and less urgent, but pending needs for District Courts and the Sheriff, the additional building would house the Board of County Commissioners, County Clerk, County Treasurer, County Register of Deeds, County Counselor, County Manager, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, and some functions from Information Technology. After reviewing multiple buildings and ideas, the two primary options for consideration are 345 N. Riverview (Riverview Building) and 535 N. Main (County Courthouse Expansion).
More information on each building can be found
here (
www.sedgwickcounty.org). Please provide your thoughts on the two primary options. This information will be gathered and shared with all Commissioners and County staff involved in this decision-making process.
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Commissioners prepare for 2019 Budget
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This month, Commissioners held budget hearings with all County departments to gain a better understanding of the organization’s needs for the coming year. From now until July 18, Commissioners will hold workshops on more complex topics related to the 2019 budget. Recordings of the budget hearings and workshops can be found on Sedgwick County’s YouTube channel (
https://www.youtube.com/user/SedgwickCountyKS) or on the organization’s website (
www.sedgwickcounty.org).
The County Manager is expected to present his 2019 Recommended Budget to Commissioners on Wednesday, July 18. There will be two public hearings available for members of the public to attend, along with a town hall on social media and an online forum on the County’s website once that budget is presented. More details will be shared closer to the events.
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Protect yourself against mosquitoes this summer
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Fight the bite this summer and protect yourself against mosquitoes. Sedgwick County Division of Health suggests following the three D's to avoid mosquito bites this summer.
Drain standing water; the insects breed in standing water. Use mosquito dunks or mosquito-eating fish in ponds and stagnant water. Use insect repellent that contains
DEET; this offers the best protection against mosquito bites.
Dress appropriately: wear loose-fitting clothing when outdoors, especially at dawn or dusk when the insects are most active.
Mosquitoes can cause serious health problems and spread diseases like West Nile Virus to humans and animals. For more information about West Nile Virus and mosquito bite prevention, contact the Division of Health at (316) 660-7300 or visit
www.sedgwickcounty.org.
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Commissioners show support for education pathway
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Commissioners and County leaders attended a news conference on May 7, in support of the partnership between Textron Aviation, Wichita Public Schools, and WSU Tech regarding a new aviation curriculum, Aviation Pathway.
This new curriculum is designed to aid high school students in discovering a new career and allow them to receive a technical certificate at graduation. Students will be given the opportunity to learn new skills regarding aviation right here in the Air Capital of the World.
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Commissioners honor law enforcement
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Commissioners and County leaders attended a wreath laying ceremony on May 18 at the Law Enforcement Memorial outside Wichita’s City Hall to honor fallen law enforcement officers in Sedgwick County.
The memorial honored fallen officers from the following agencies: Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff, Clearwater, Kansas Police Department, and Derby Police Department.
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Spirit AeroSystems breaks ground
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Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. broke ground on May 21 on its new state-of-the-art Global Digital Logistics Center. The expected completion date for this 150,000 square foot facility that will increase storage capacity and part retrieval efficiency is early 2019. Funding for this facility is in collaboration with Spirit, City of Wichita- Government, and Sedgwick County.
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County supports business groundbreaking
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Commissioners and County leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a world-class ethanol production facility in Colwich, Kansas on May 21. Element LLC, a biofuels producer, broke ground at its $175 million facility that will create a new market for local corn producers, high-value cellulosic ethanol, and higher-value co-products. This facility is a collaboration between Element, ICM, Inc., and The Andersons, Inc.
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Hope to see you at Riverfest!
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County Commissioners and staff plan to participate in the Safelite Autoglass Sundown Parade on Friday, June 1. We hope to see you on the parade route through downtown Wichita!
Join us on Thursday, June 7, as we honor select public safety employees for their service to our community. This tribute will be at the Kennedy Plaza stage around 6:15 p.m. Additional festival details can be found in the festival guide or online (
www.wichitariverfest.com). Riverfest buttons are required to participate in the festival’s events.
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As the top outdoor family attraction in the State, the mission of the
Sedgwick County Zoo is to inspire discovery, appreciation, and respect for animals and nature. It is home to 3,000 animals and nearly 400 species. The Reed Family Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley exhibit is the third largest elephant habitat in the United States.
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Exploration Place, Kansas’ premier science center, inspires a deeper interest in science through creative and fun experiences for people of all ages. Through its permanent and travelling exhibits, education programs, Digital Dome Theater films and special events, visitors can enjoy learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For example, the all-new, 5,100 square foot Design Build Fly exhibit celebrates our community’s aviation industry. Visitors encounter dozens of hands-on activities that focus on manufacturing and engineering to reveal what happens behind-the-scenes in our aircraft plants.
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The
Kansas African American Museum endeavors to make the Kansas African American experience resonant with EVERY Kansan. Located in the venerable Calvary Baptist Church, visitors may expand their knowledge and understanding of the Kansas African American story.
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Residents and visitors can gain an understanding of our community and cultural heritage at the
Wichita – Sedgwick County Historical Museum. By collecting, preserving, and interpreting materials which reflect the area’s heritage visitors can experience different facets that shaped the community we live in today.
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316-660-9300
525 N. Main, Ste 320, Wichita, KS 67203
Contact Public Information Officer:
Kate Flavin, 316-660-9370
525 N. Main, Ste 343, Wichita, KS 67203
Contact Corporate Communications Manager:
316-660-9370
525 N. Main, Ste 343, Wichita, KS 67203
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Connect with Sedgwick County
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