Blue Ribbon group and city, county staff push shared services for parks and cultural funding

City and county staff and a community Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday outlined next steps to expand shared services for parks, recreation and cultural arts funding, proposing a unified registration platform, a joint parks master plan and a study of a combined cultural funding model.

Reggie Davidson, Wichita park director, told the joint en banc that the city’s centralized registration platform could be extended to include county parks — “a one‑stop shop for being able to access service throughout the city and different departments,” he said — and that staff are exploring shared programming at Lake Afton and the Northeast Sedgwick County Park.

Lindsay Bananca, director of arts and cultural services for the city, described a city effort to redesign cultural funding toward measurable outcomes and multi‑year support. She said the city directly funds nine cultural institutions and the competitive grant program typically supports 40–50 recipients, while the county supports seven organizations and five groups receive both city and county funding.

Harvey Sorensen, speaking for a 11‑member community group called Committed Community Leaders on Shared Services, said the committee met six times with stakeholders and recommended a shared services model, a joint financial model for budgets and a comprehensive recreation, parks and cultural funding model. “Shared services between the city and the county should go beyond efficiency and cost savings,” Sorensen said. “They represent a chance to build a stronger, more vibrant community.”

Council and commission members asked staff for more detail on fiscal impacts and timelines. City and county financial figures cited during discussion: Wichita’s parks and recreation expenditures were noted at roughly $29.6 million in the city budget line items presented, and county parks expenditures were cited at about $1.1 million. County finance staff said Sedgwick County’s largest cultural allocations include roughly $9.5 million for the Sedgwick County Zoo and about $2.1 million for Exploration Place; county support for the arena is funded by facility fees and matches at a much smaller level.

Elected officials raised questions about what shared services would mean in practice — whether one portal would allow a resident to reserve city and county facilities, and whether any structural consolidation would change funding commitments. Staff said the immediate goal is operational: align registration systems (the city’s RecTrak platform was referenced) and coordinate joint master planning and outreach. “As we extend it to the county, that can be an option for that as well,” a staff presenter said of the registration platform.

Some commissioners urged caution before broader consolidation, noting concerns about double taxation if city and county both fund the same services and stressing that core county responsibilities should be preserved. Commissioner Howe encouraged consideration of larger shared efforts — he cited prior successful consolidations such as regional 911 — and identified fire training facilities as a possible near-term consolidation opportunity.

Several officials called for public outreach and clearer fiscal notes. Council member Maggie Ballard and Commissioner Bluebaugh suggested a town hall so residents understand implications. Mayor and county leaders announced a joint town hall scheduled for June 4 at City Hall with the Sedgwick County chairman and the USD 259 school board president to solicit community input on shared services.

Staff proposed next steps: evaluate “joint grama opportunities” for programming, review RecTrak capabilities to integrate county programs, revise the city RFP for a comprehensive parks master plan to include county parks, and convene an implementation team of city and county staff to oversee integration. No contracts, transfers of assets or new appropriations were approved at the meeting; staff said the presentations were intended to start planning and to bring back recommended models and fiscal analyses.

Ending: Officials said they support moving the effort forward but asked staff for clearer fiscal impacts, public engagement and timelines; staff will return with detailed recommendations and potential fiscal notes.