Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government Personnel topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sedgwick County commissioners reflect on backgrounds, early priorities about 90 days into term
Summary
County Commissioners Jeff Flubal (District 2) and Stephanie Wise (District 3) described their professional backgrounds, differences between private business and county government, and early priorities after roughly 90 days in office; no formal actions were recorded in the transcript.
County Commissioner Jeff Flubal, District 2, and County Commissioner Stephanie Wise, District 3, spoke in a recorded conversation about their professional backgrounds and early priorities roughly 90 days into their terms.
The two said their experiences in business shaped their decision to seek local office and informed how they approach county governance. "Well, mine started with, from a business perspective, understanding the importance of local government," Wise said. "How much local government plays into the growth of our community and the successes of our businesses, and really wanting professionals and people with business acumen to be in those leadership positions."
Flubal described adjusting from the pace of private business to county government. "In private business, I sure can run a whole lot faster," he said, adding that change in county government can be slower because of legal constraints and the number of functions the county manages. "We are Sedgwick County, but we're also, you know, if the state of Kansas doesn't grant that permission or there's this law that was put in, you know, just so specific to this one thing that you're like, why would that why does that matter in this issue?"
Both commissioners noted the scope of county government and the need to prioritize. Wise said the commission oversees "over 45 departments," which she and Flubal said spreads commissioners' attention across many issues. "It's figuring out how to be impactful when there's so many issues and honing in on, okay, today I'm gonna tackle this," Wise said.
The conversation also included personal background: Flubal said he worked at "Text Strum" for 17 years and earned degrees while working, and Wise described beginning her career in apartment management at age 19 and later serving on Wichita City Council. They referenced shared community ties such as frequenting the same CrossFit gym.
No motions, votes, ordinances, resolutions, or formal board actions appear in the provided transcript of this conversation. The exchange emphasized orientation to county responsibilities, the slower pace and legal constraints of county government compared with private business, and each commissioner’s intent to focus on specific priorities over time.
Contact information provided in the transcript: County Commissioner Jeff Flubal gave an email jeff.flubal@sedgwick.gov and a cell number, (316) 640-0656. County Commissioner Stephanie Wise gave an email stephanie.wise@sedgwick.gov and a cell number, (316) 461-9206.
