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Sedgwick County commissioner highlights tri-government town hall, says collaboration could help students in USD 259
Summary
Commissioner Ryan Beatty said a June 4 town hall and a July 29 meeting with Wichita Mayor Lily Wu and Wichita Public School Board President Diane Albert produced about 130 ideas from roughly 80 attendees and revealed needs—including poverty and homelessness among USD 259 students—that county and city resources might help address.
Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Beatty said a June 4 town hall and a July 29 "tri-government" meeting with Wichita Mayor Lily Wu and Wichita Public School Board President Diane Albert produced community ideas and revealed needs that county and city agencies might help address.
Beatty, in a recorded update to constituents, said roughly 80 people attended the June town hall and submitted about 130 ideas. He said the meeting led to a joint session on July 29 that brought together elected officials from Sedgwick County, the City of Wichita and the Wichita Board of Education to discuss possible collaboration.
The meeting mattered because, Beatty said, the three elected bodies together oversee more than $2 billion in public budgets and could potentially coordinate services to address student and family needs. "We're able to hear what each elective thought, more practical ideas that could be implemented, as well as shining some light on the needs of the school district that many city and county elected simply weren't aware of," Beatty said.
Beatty cited specific concerns raised at the meetings. He said "80% of the students in USD 259 live under the poverty level" and that "there's actually between 800 and a thousand students that are in the foster care system or experiencing homelessness." He said some challenges raised at the town hall might be addressed by leveraging county resources such as Comcare or the health department or by the city's transit and other departments.
Themes identified during the town hall, Beatty said, included family and community well-being, mental health and social services, crime reduction and civil service. He described the tri-government meeting as "fruitful" and "incredibly enlightening" and said he plans to continue holding public engagement events of that type while serving on the county commission. "I'm convinced we need more collaboration and more communication not less," Beatty said.
The update closed with Beatty inviting constituents to contact his office by phone or email for questions or feedback. No formal actions, votes or binding commitments were reported in the update.
