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Sedgwick County commissioners describe early months, contrast city and county pace
Summary
Sedgwick County Commissioners Jeff Flubal (Dist. 2) and Stephanie Wise (Dist. 3) discussed their first roughly 90 days in office, differences between city and county government operations, and their professional backgrounds in a recorded exchange.
Sedgwick County Commissioners Jeff Flubal (District 2) and Stephanie Wise (District 3) discussed their first roughly 90 days in office, the slower pace of county government compared with city and private-sector workplaces, and their professional backgrounds in a recorded conversation.
The commissioners said the county’s broad scope — which they described as about 45 departments — changes how quickly officials can make or implement decisions. "It's like having a fire hose in each hand and turning them on full blast," Commissioner Stephanie Wise said of her first 90 days. Commissioner Jeff Flubal said county operations move more slowly than city government or private business, using a shorthand comparison: "In our private businesses, we're running 75 mile an hour. When we're on the Wichita City Council ... City of Wichita runs about 50 mile an hour. So in Sedgwick County, it looks like they run about 30 mile an hour."
Why it matters: the commissioners framed the remarks as part of onboarding and public orientation to how county government functions and where they plan to focus attention. Both described listening and learning as priorities in early weeks; Wise said she came in "very open minded, just ready to listen a lot," and Flubal said he is "ready to start tackling some of those issues." The discussion underscores that county-level responsibilities typically span many programs and jurisdictions, requiring different timelines than municipal or private-sector projects.
The pair also shared professional backgrounds that they said inform their approach to county work. Wise described a career path that included apartment management at a young age and roles in real estate and community work; she said those experiences taught her communication and leadership skills. Flubal summarized his business perspective and urged that professionals with business experience help local government "play into the growth of our community and the successes of our businesses."
The commissioners noted practical differences between private-sector agility and government constraints, such as state law and interjurisdictional impacts that can limit rapid pivoting. Wise said that incoming officeholders should expect to "see kind of the issues full circle and gather your tweaks or changes" before moving to action. Flubal emphasized the county’s role serving many cities and neighborhoods with different needs, saying elected officials are "forced to care about everything that everybody else cares about."
The recorded conversation included contact information the commissioners provided: Jeff Flubal gave an email as jeff.flubal@sedgwick.gov and a cell number of (316) 640-0656; Stephanie Wise gave an email as stephanie.wise@sedgwick.gov and a cell number of (316) 461-9206.
No formal actions, votes, or policy decisions were taken or recorded in the exchange; remarks were descriptive of experience and priorities rather than directives or formal board motions.
The discussion offers an early window into the commissioners’ stated priorities and management perspective as they continue to settle into office and identify specific issues to pursue in the coming months.
