Sedgwick County opens 2026 budget hearings with $6 million shortfall; departments press for pay, technology and operational funding

Sedgwick County managers and department leaders opened the first day of 2026 budget hearings with projections, staffing requests and several department decision packages that commissioners will consider before a recommended budget is published July 9 and formally adopted August 20.

County manager Tom Stoltz told the Board of County Commissioners the "budget is the soul of the organization," and outlined an intentional, multi‑layered public process that includes department presentations, a WSU budget simulator for residents and at least two public hearings before adoption.

The countyfinance team presented a five‑year forecast that assumes a stable mill levy of 28.701 mills and 5% assessed‑value growth in 2026 through 2030. The forecast shows an initial $6,000,000 deficit entering 2026, a recommended compensation pool and a suite of decision packages and reductions that could alter the final numbers. The countyrequested budget in the materials reviewed is $585,452,474, including $10.9 million in decision‑package requests representing 56.25 full‑time equivalents; the Department of Corrections submitted one revenue package request for $89,661 and alternative reductions totaling $410,129.

Compensation and pay pools were a central theme. Finance staff built a 5% total pay pool into the forecast for 2026; commissioners and department heads clarified that the topline 5% is a planning construct and that the pool is implemented through different components (steps, scale adjustments and general pay adjustments). The staff presentation described the proposed breakdown as: a step plus 1% scale adjustment for EMS and the sheriff step plans; a 3% step for fire plans; and a 2% general pay adjustment plus a 2% scale adjustment for other pay plans. Commissioners asked for more detail and a separate compensation workshop before adoption.

Several department leaders highlighted requests or risks tied directly to the budget discussion:

- Sheriff: Sedgwick County Sheriff Easter asked commissioners to consider a 4.65% pay‑scale adjustment in the sheriff's decision package to narrow the gap with the Wichita Police Department. He said past increases materially improved recruitment and retention; without further adjustments, he warned, the sheriff's office will struggle to compete for detention and deputy applicants. In the presentation the sheriff contrasted starting pay figures cited in the hearing (Wichita starting officer pay cited at $34.12/hour vs. sheriff deputy starting pay cited at $27.38/hour in the current materials) and said the 4.65% option would reduce but not eliminate that gap. The sheriff described the request as his office's only decision package.

- District Attorney: District Attorney Mark Bennett described improved staffing following recent raises and presented a modest decision package request of $53,000 for duty pay that compensates two on‑call attorneys who staff after‑hours law‑enforcement requests. Bennett emphasized rising digital discovery volumes and said new AI‑assisted tools that accelerate review of phones and videos could sharply reduce discovery processing time and staff needs.

- Information Technology: IT leaders said the division faces an altered funding environment as one federal/state cybersecurity grant used in 2025 is no longer available in 2026. IT proposed one decision package to restore a dedicated IT manager role (to provide oversight of systems administration, networking and telecom) and listed three alternative reductions; the division noted a roughly 8.5% budget reduction relative to 2025 if grant and TRB (Technology Review Board) funds are not available. IT also flagged continuing cybersecurity risk and the need to invest in vulnerability management and security staffing.

- District Court: Chief Judge Gearing and Joni Wilson presented two modest decision packages for courthouse needs: replacement of worn flooring in judgesuites and connected staff areas, and a security modification to the civil clerk counter to limit public access to clerk workspaces. They said the clerk's office is largely state funded, but the county supports courthouse facilities and operational safety improvements.

- Metropolitan Area Planning Department (MAPD): MAPD Director Scott Wadle described a planning request to develop preapproved infill housing designs and accompanying code changes to speed infill projects. The package in the budget book was $70,000 split between the city and county; Wadle told the commission the City of Wichita initially flagged concerns in its budget process but the city was also considering Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support the effort. MAPD emphasized the package aims to increase housing supply on vacant lots, align building form to neighborhood context and reduce friction in permitting.

Other points commissioners and staff discussed:

- Public engagement: the WSU budget simulator will run through May 23; staff planned to present simulator results June 3 and accept final changes into the recommended budget through June 17. The manager's recommended budget is scheduled July 9, with an evening public hearing July 30 and the required revenue‑neutral rate hearing and final budget hearing on August 20.

- Forecast caution: staff warned that adding "permanent" ongoing staffing or program costs without offsets would deepen the projected deficit and likely require cuts or larger use of fund balance.

Quotes from the hearing included Manager Stoltz's remark that "the budget is the soul of the organization," Sheriff Easter noting his office's competitive pressures with the Wichita Police Department, and DA Mark Bennett describing the duty‑pay request as "a nominal set of fees to incentivize" the on‑call work his office performs.

What comes next: staff will return with more detailed compensation modeling, department‑level budget breakdowns that include benefits and updated health‑insurance and retirement rate assumptions, and requests for follow‑up workshops on compensation and technology. Commissioners signaled interest in deeper briefings on compensation fiscal impacts and on IT cybersecurity priorities before a recommended budget is finalized.