Norton, Peterjohn bid farewell to Sedgwick County Commission

Tim Norton served as a Sedgwick County commissioner for 16 years. His parting words lasted less than 30 seconds.

“I have eight grandkids that I’m going to serve now,” Norton said Wednesday. “That’s going to be very important to the next phase of my life.”

Norton and Commissioner Karl Peterjohn bid farewell to Sedgwick County government after two long tenures.

They often disagreed on contentious votes before the five-member board. But during their final commission meeting Wednesday, they expressed similar gratitude for their experiences in office.

“It’s been a true privilege and honor to have been able to serve the citizens of Sedgwick County for the last eight years,” Peterjohn said.

Norton was elected to the first of his four terms on the commission in 2000, after serving on the Haysville City Council and as Haysville’s mayor after the 1999 tornado. He thanked his colleagues for working “so hard for the people of Sedgwick County.”

“It’s important work we do. And let us always remember that it is public service, not politics,” Norton said.

Peterjohn was an anti-tax activist before his election to the commission in 2008. He also thanked commissioners he had worked with during his two terms.

“When I first came up here, I said, ‘we’re going to disagree and I’m going to do my best not to be disagreeable in the process,’ ” Peterjohn said. “I think that’s a commitment that I’ve been able to make.”

Peterjohn, a history buff, often ended commission meetings with a summary of famous events that happened on that day in American history. But he chose to “let that go by the wayside since I think we have other important recognitions.”

“We’re going to miss those comments,” Chairman Jim Howell said.

Commissioner Dave Unruh voted with Norton on many contentious issues, particularly after a more conservative majority guided the commission’s direction since early 2015. Unruh praised Norton’s role in the construction of the National Center for Aviation Training, Intrust Bank Arena and the Child Advocacy Center and his activism on public health, criminal justice and stormwater management.

“I will miss his enthusiastic, his energetic and his optimistic personality that many of you have become familiar with,” Unruh said.

Commissioner Richard Ranzau was a longtime Peterjohn ally on taxes, regulation and spending. Ranzau touted county accomplishments during Peterjohn’s tenure, such as saving money by preventing a costly jail expansion and through the construction of a Law Enforcement Training Center, the Ronald Reagan Building and the main tag office.

“Over the last 20 years, you’ve been a true friend of the taxpayer,” Ranzau told Peterjohn.

Norton, the commission’s lone Democrat, represented District 2, which includes southwest Wichita, Haysville and Clearwater. Peterjohn represented District 3, which covers much of western Sedgwick County.

Retired Air Force colonel David Dennis defeated Peterjohn in the August Republican primary. Sen. Michael O’Donnell unseated Norton in a tight, contentious race in the November election. Dennis and O’Donnell will be sworn in on Sunday to their new offices.

This story was originally published January 4, 2017 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Norton, Peterjohn bid farewell to Sedgwick County Commission."