City of Wichita re-evaluating some joint services with county

Reacting to proposed Sedgwick County budget cuts, the city of Wichita is re-evaluating some services it provides to or shares with the county.

During a workshop Tuesday, council members looked at a number of things the city helps pay for, including support of Fire Station 38 at 1010 N. 143rd St. East, joint fire response outside city limits and about $68,000 in subsidies for an animal shelter.

“With some of the partnerships that the county is pulling out of causing some budget gaps for us, we have to consider every area that our citizens’ tax money is being spent,” said Vice Mayor James Clendenin.

“If we’re going to have to go at everything alone, then we’re obviously going to have to make some adjustments.”

Tensions have been rising between the two government entities this year since a new majority began steering the county commission. The city and county have been at odds numerous times over previously cooperative ventures.

Both governmental bodies will adopt 2016 budgets in August. The county plans a spending cut of 3 percent; its first public hearing will be at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The city plans to increase general fund spending by about 2 percent; a public hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 4.

County Commissioner Dave Unruh, who is part of a minority that opposes changes in county funding of joint projects, said he thinks many areas benefit residents inside and outside Wichita.

“I think this has really degenerated to a sorry situation, and I’m saddened by it,” he said. “I think there are some initiatives over here that aren’t necessary and that don’t posture us as a good partner. And so I understand that the city is thinking ‘We might have to retaliate.’

“But neither action is going to be helpful in the long run to the citizens and will not result in more efficiencies. So I understand what they’re doing and I don’t criticize them for doing that analysis, but I think that all this is doing is going to demand that we have some conversation and put the needs of our citizens as the highest priority.”

Numbers disputed

One area of disagreement is Fire Station 38 on the eastern edge of the city.

City documents say Wichita spends about $871,000 on a crew at the station and that city staff members responded to 128 alarms outside city limits last year at a cost of $71,424. The station is the least utilized of all city locations, officials say.

Last year, city crew members responded to 1,662 joint responder fire alarms outside city limits at a cost of $927,396, according to city documents.

County Commissioner Jim Howell disputes those figures.

He said county data show that at Station 38, Sedgwick County firefighters went into Wichita 367 times and Wichita firefighters went outside the city 144 times.

The county also has different numbers for countywide fire alarms. It contends that in 2014, Wichita firefighters went outside the city 1,209 times and the county firefighters responded inside Wichita 2,102 times.

“We do more for them than they do for us, let’s be clear,” said Howell, who also said he’d like to have county staff members validate the other figures city staff members presented to the council on Tuesday.

“I don’t think it’s wise for them to bring that up. I think they’re benefiting more.”

Howell emphasized that the budget process isn’t finished yet and there is still time for discussion before the commission approves its budget Aug. 12. The city is set to approve its budget Aug. 11.

It’s premature for the city to react in the middle of a budget cycle, Howell said, and it shows a “lack of understanding and lack of empathy over the reality of our budget.”

Impact on city

City manager Robert Layton highlighted several county budget proposals that affect the city during a workshop Tuesday.

▪ $153,483 in reductions for joint planning department salaries, which cover areas including historic preservation and the community bike path implementation

▪ $533,883 in cuts to court day reporting, which would require the city to pay $400,000 for the second half of 2016

▪ Reduced county funding of $2.65 million for a planned joint law enforcement center. The city estimates that a city-only center would cost $6.4 million, compared with $10 million for a joint facility.

▪ Elimination of all $200,000 of county support for Project Access, which helps low-income county residents with medical care. The city has $200,000 budgeted for its half.

▪ $14,013 in cuts by the county for the Arts Council, $75,000 in cuts for Exploration Place and elimination of a $650,000 economic development reserve

Wichita represents about 72 percent of the total countywide property tax base, said Mark Manning of the city’s finance department.

This story was originally published July 28, 2015 at 9:10 PM with the headline "City of Wichita re-evaluating some joint services with county."