Cruse, Baty each say their leadership style fits Sedgwick County Commission District 4

Wichita Democrat Lacey Cruse says her first four years on the Sedgwick County Commission have proven she’s a fighter who stands up for what she believes in. Mattress Hub founder Ryan Baty, a Maize Republican, says he’s the one with the temperament to deliver results.

They’re vying to represent District 4 in north-central Sedgwick County, which includes north Wichita, Park City, Maize and Valley Center.

Commissioners make up the governing body for Sedgwick County and are paid $98,304 a year. Their responsibilities include setting policy direction and approving a budget for vital services such as EMS, 911, Comcare, corrections and the sheriff’s office.

“I believe that I’ve proven myself to be a capable person who’s not afraid to ask the most difficult questions that need to be asked,” said Cruse, who before her election to the commission in 2018 worked as a marketer for senior living facilities and was known locally as a singer.

Baty, a former minor league baseball player who owns 26 mattress stores across three states, called Sedgwick County a “community in crisis” and said a return to health and stability will “require a new generation of leadership.”

COVID-19 deteriorated relationships in the county, Baty told The Eagle. He said it’s time to restore civility, starting with the county commission.

Cruse said her experience on the mental health and substance abuse coalition has prepared her for what she sees as the most important decision the incoming commission has to make — choosing a site for the $15 million Comcare crisis expansion of the county’s mental health services.

“[The data] points to kind of right around Midtown because that’s where the majority of the services are — hospital system, court system, jail, homeless provider, safety net clinics,” Cruse said.

She disagrees with fellow commissioners who have indicated they support placing the Comcare expansion in proximity to the planned $35 million HealthCore Clinic in south Wichita.

“As the only commissioner who was an integral part of the development of this plan, I am the best person to help ensure the site for this $15 million asset doesn’t fall into the hands of developers with less than ideal motivations,” Cruse said.

The south Wichita clinic is being developed by Lange Real Estate, the county’s on-call real estate agent, who Cruse accused of being implicated in a potential sweetheart deal to sell 1.3 acres of downtown land. A representative from Lange declined to comment but County Manger Tom Stolz has called Cruse’s accusations baseless.

Baty said he’s an advocate for rethinking the county’s approach to Comcare altogether.

“I’ve seen plans for divesting Comcare,” Baty said. “I don’t agree that’s the correct approach because I do think this is good government service and it’s a necessary service. But what we do have in this community is a significant number of nonprofits and other organizations that are doing mental health and substance abuse work.”

Collaborating with local providers to integrate services makes sense, he said, given that Comcare still has roughly 200 staff positions to fill despite a recent 30% pay increase for employees.

Sedgwick County Jail

Cycles of mental health issues, substance abuse and homelessness often end in people being booked into the chronically understaffed Sedgwick County Jail.

Cruse, who receives daily inmate counts, said that on any given night, roughly 1,500 people sleep in the jail.

“If we were to reduce those numbers by 10%, we would save $4 million a year,” Cruse said.

She supports investing in prevention and recidivism programs that would reduce the number of people who end up behind bars.

“I think we have to prevent people from going to the jail in the first place,” Cruse said.

Baty said he recently toured the jail with Sheriff Jeff Easter, and that conditions there are more dire than people may understand. A 100-deputy shortage is forcing the county to resort to drastic measures to keep the jail staffed, including mandatory overtime shifts for sheriff’s deputies who aren’t trained to work in correctional facilities.

“You have commissioned deputies which are street deputies who are now being forced in mandatory overtime to come work shifts in the jail,” Baty said. “They’re not equipped to do it, they’re not comfortable doing it, and we’ve created a pretty dangerous environment — not only for the deputies but also for these inmates.”

He said the county isn’t giving Easter enough money to adequately address problems in the facility.

Baty said he sees expanding the county’s tax base through smart economic policy as the long-term solution for generating revenue to support departments in crisis.

“We can grow ourselves out of these problems,” Baty said. “I don’t think we can cut any services. I also don’t think raising property taxes is an option in this environment.”

Sedgwick County currently has the third-lowest mill levy of any county in Kansas.

Cruse said the county could be using existing funds better, indicating she does not support raising property taxes either. She’s asked Manager Stolz to consider appointing an innovation officer to assist with the annual budget process.

“Our property taxes are being spent in the exact same way every single year without one drop of innovation to make sure that they’re spent equitably or in a more diverse way,” Cruse said.

‘Relational capital’

Baty said Cruse may have some good ideas but public spats and personality conflicts with fellow commissioners have compromised her ability to lead effectively.

“The relational capital has been bankrupt,” Baty said, pointing to a September Facebook post in which Cruse accused commissioners, county staff and Lange Real Estate of corruption.

“Who has the relational capital with their colleagues on the commission, with the staff, with the city mayors and administrations? Who has the relational capital with the business community and nonprofit community to get something done for District 4? I do,” Baty said.

Cruse, who has stood by her corruption claims, said some of her colleagues do their best to undermine her. In her assessment, misogyny is to blame.

Cruse said her road map to reelection is to remain authentic to herself.

“I’m relatable. People can trust me,” she said. “What you see is what you get.”

The District 4 race is one of three County Commission contests on the Nov. 8 ballot. Early in-person voting in Sedgwick County runs from Oct. 24 through Nov. 7.

This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 5:27 AM.