Sedgwick County, Kansas
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Contents |
Website evaluation
- Main article: Evaluation of Kansas county websites
This website was most recently reviewed on 6 Dec 2012.
The good
- Taxes[1] [2]
- Tax revenues are broken down by federal, state, and local funding in the budget.
- Local taxes, like property taxes, are available online.
- Residents are able to pay taxes online.
- GIS
- An interactive GIS map is posted.[3]
- Public records[4]
- The public information officer is identified and maintained by Records Manager/Freedom of Information Officer position. This person provides a mailing address, phone number and personalized email.
- A public records form is provided by the Records Manager/Freedom of Information Officer
- Elected Officials
- Elected officials are listed with a mailing address, phone number and personalized email.[5]
- Meetings
- Meeting minutes are archived for 3 years.
- Meeting agendas are archived for 3 years.
- A meeting calendar is available and names the times and locations of public meetings.
- Meeting video or podcasts are available.[6]
- Contracts
- Checkbook
- The county posts its checkbook register online.[9]
- Permits and zoning
- Administrative officials
- Department heads are listed for each department.[12]
- Contact information for administrative officials is provided including a mailing address, phone number, and personalized email.
- Budget
- The most current budget is listed.
- Budgets are archived for 3 years.[13]
- Audits
- The most recent audit is posted.
- Audits dating back to 2010 are available.[14]
- According to the county's checkbook register, Sedgwick did not spent any money on contracted services for Taxpayer-funded lobbying from 2009-2011. The communications department has put forth legislative platforms for the past several years, however, and the county website does not say how much money was spent for this.[15]
The bad
- Lobbying
- If the county engaged in lobbying actives or if it's a member of government lobbying associations are not disclosed. Nor is the total cost lobbying activities or membership dues for associations available.
- Public records
- A fee schedule for documents is not provided. Website says each department sets its own fees but does not provide the fees.
Public employees
County commission
| Name | District | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Unruh | 1st | Chair |
| Tim Norton | 2nd | Chair Pro Tem |
| Karl Peterjohn | 3rd | Member |
| Richard Ranzau | 4th | Member |
| James Skelton | 5th | Member |
Commissioner Richard Ranzau opposes the county's forgivable loans program, through which local businesses don't have to pay back loans to the county if they meet certain job-creation goals.[16]
County manager
Sedgwick County's manager is William Buchanan.[17]
Personnel
Sedgwick County has 3,084.19 full-time equivalent employees.[18]
Budget
For 2012, Sedgwick has a budget deficit of $38,928,284.[18]
| Source | Revenue |
|---|---|
| Property tax | $136,077,587 |
| Motor vehicle tax | $16, 191,905 |
| Local sales & use tax | $25,165,199 |
| Other taxes/spec. assessment | $5,446,263 |
| Intergovernmental | $46,695,992 |
| Charges for service | $118,226,500 |
| Uses of money & property | $4,374,393 |
| Other revenues | $15,113,468 |
| Transfers | $5,663,819 |
| Total Revenue | $372,955,126 |
| Function | Expenditures |
|---|---|
| General government | $117,666,213 |
| Bond & interest | $21,581,554 |
| Employee compensation pool | -- |
| Public safety | $140,452,782 |
| Public works | $28,228,665 |
| Health & welfare | $78,540,950 |
| Culture & recreation | $12,077,688 |
| Community development | $13,335,558 |
| Total Expenditures | $411,883,410 |
Retirement costs
Pensions
- Main article: Kansas public pensions
Most Sedgwick employees are in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), a defined-benefit pension plan. Sedgwick police and firefighters are in the Kansas Police & Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F), also a defined-benefit plan.[19]
In 2010, the county paid $6,848,410 into KPERS and $4,110,524 into KP&F.
OPEBs
The county has $28.5 million in unfunded liabilities for its other post-employment benefits other than pensions (OPEBs).[19]
Service consolidation
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita consolidate certain services to save costs and increase efficiency. They share a planning department and are considering consolidating building code enforcement.[20]
Lobbying
The county is budgeting for a Director of Government Relations in the 2012 budget, where it hasn't for the two prior years.[21]
The county has had legislative platforms for the past several years, and it has fallen under the Government Relations role of the Communications department.[15]
Taxes
The 2010 county and state tax rate was 49.195, down from 49.815 in 2009.[22]
Economic development
Bombardier deal
In 2011, Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita both gave $1 million in incentives to convince Bombardier Learjet to expand in the area.[20]
Unemployment rate
The county has seen a large spike in unemployment due to the recession, losing 5.8 percent of its workforce in the first quarter of 2010, the second highest in the nation.[23]
External links
- Sedgwick County official website
- Sedgwick County employee payroll, Kansas Watchdog
- Sedgwick County Appraiser's Website
- Sedgwick County on Epodunk
References
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Tax Levies," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Tax Department," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "GIS," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Sedgwick County "KORA," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sedgwick County "Board of Commissioners," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Meetings," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Requests for Bids and Proposals," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Contracts," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "County Checkbook," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ MASD, Zoning," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Building Permit Application," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Directory," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Budget Office," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Accounting," Accessed Dec 6, 2012
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Sedgwick County "Government Relations," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ KAKE "County commissioner fights to end forgivable loans," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Sedgwick County "Manager," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Sedgwick County "2012 Budget Executive Summary," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sedgwick County "2010 CAFR," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Wichita Eagle "Managers: Wichita, Sedgwick County should merge services only when it makes sense," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Sedgwick County "2012 Budget -- County Manager," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Sedgwick County "2010 Tax Levies," Accessed November 21, 2011
- ↑ Watchdog, Nine-out-of-ten largest counties lost jobs in first quarter, Oct. 19, 2010
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