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Commissioners dissolve District 5 Citizens Advisory Board and create new District Collaboration Board
Summary
Following public comment and debate, the board voted to dissolve the District 5 Citizens Advisory Board and establish a District Collaboration Board composed of up to 18 stakeholders representing local jurisdictions and nominated residents.
The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners voted Wednesday to dissolve the District 5 Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) and establish a District Collaboration Board intended to foster cross-jurisdictional coordination.
The newly created board will include up to 18 stakeholders: the District 5 commissioner as chair, up to three district residents nominated by the commissioner, and one nominee each from the governing bodies of cities, school districts and townships that overlap District 5. The Collaboration Board will not hear zoning or conditional-use cases; meetings will be open to the public and subject to the Kansas Open Meetings Act.
Commissioner Jim Howell, who requested both actions, said the Collaboration Board is designed to provide a regular, practical venue for the county commissioner to collaborate with neighboring cities, school districts and townships on shared problems and priorities. He said the new board will meet at lunchtime and be structured to encourage participation by other elected officials and staff.
Faith Martin, a District 5 resident who has served on and attended advisory boards, spoke during public comment and asked commissioners not to dissolve the existing CAB. She urged clearer selection procedures, training, evening meeting times and regular reporting to the commission to make a CAB more effective and equitable. Jason Morawski and others who attended meetings also told the commission they saw limited public turnout for the CAB and supported a different model of engagement.
Howell said his district had previously experimented with both formal and informal advisory panels and that his intent is to increase participation and intergovernmental collaboration while reducing staff burdens caused by formal CAB structure. He said the collaboration board would be more flexible and would include representatives from cities, school boards and townships so issues can be coordinated across jurisdictions.
The board voted to adopt both resolutions — dissolving CAB 5 and creating the District Collaboration Board — by voice vote (5-0). Commissioners noted the change can be reversed by future boards if desired.
Why it matters: The change alters a decade-long pattern of commissioner-appointed advisory boards in Sedgwick County and replaces one formal, citizen board with a broader multi-jurisdictional collaboration table. The decision drew public comment urging more outreach and training for resident participants and a concern that the public’s ability to comment on zoning decisions should remain accessible.
What’s next: Commissioner Howell said he intends to ask the governing bodies named in the resolution to nominate their representatives and bring appointments back to the commission for formal installation at a future meeting.
