Sedgwick County commissioners approve joint IGA with Wichita to spend opioid settlement funds amid dispute over speed and focus

The Sedgwick County Commission voted to approve an intergovernmental collaboration agreement with the City of Wichita and to authorize a spending plan recommended by the local Addiction Intervention Coalition for opioid settlement funds. The commission approved the measure after debate (4–1), with Commissioner Howe voting no.

County assistant manager Rusty Leads told commissioners the agreement creates procurement and disbursement guidelines so the city and county can publish joint requests for proposals, select vendors through coordinated processes, and enter contracts that reflect each jurisdiction’s share of funding. Leads said the spending plan gives finance staff budget authority so vendors selected through the coalition’s process can be paid in 2026 and beyond.

The plan is tied to recommendations from a multi-stakeholder coalition convened to advise the governing bodies and to an independent needs assessment conducted earlier by the Steadman Group. Leads said the city and county had previously set aside money and that the coalition’s proposed budget is flexible and can be adjusted as needs and year-to-year receipts are confirmed.

Commission discussion centered on two tensions: speed of deployment and local control. Commissioner Howe argued the process is “convoluted” and too slow given ongoing community need, saying the county and city already have public health, behavioral health and criminal-justice units that could distribute services more quickly. Howe urged more front-loading to prioritize treatment rather than spreading funds thinly over many years.

Other commissioners and coalition members defended the collaborative approach. Commissioner Bluebaugh, a coalition member, said the group includes law enforcement, judges, service providers and other stakeholders and that careful procurement and reporting are necessary to meet state settlement requirements and to ensure accountability. Coalition and legal advisers said the state’s settlement terms set eligibility rules and reporting requirements that the local plan must follow.

County counsel and coalition advisers told the commission the Steadman Group recommendations are advisory and that the local coalition may alter allocations. Commissioners were told roughly $800,000 has been spent so far by city and county on assessments, education and harm-reduction planning; the Steadman contract cost about $160,000 and was split between the two jurisdictions. Commissioners were also told available balances in local settlement accounts are intended to be deployed over multiple years and that current action authorizes the next phase of procurement and contracting.

The commission approved the collaboration agreement and the coalition’s recommended spending plan by roll call: Commissioners Bluebaugh, Wise, Meitzner and Chairman Beatty voted yes; Commissioner Howe voted no. The approval authorizes county staff to proceed with the joint procurement process and to place budget authority for planned 2026 expenditures.

The coalition will return to the governing bodies with specific procurement recommendations and contracts; the agreement requires that contracts and spending comply with the state settlement rules and include performance and compliance monitoring.