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Residents urge Sedgwick County to re-evaluate senior‑center funding as commissioners weigh options
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Summary
Public commenters and commissioners raised concerns that funding for senior centers has been effectively flatlined, prompting calls for the board to re-examine the senior funding formula, consider indexing to inflation, and evaluate the county’s role versus city support.
Residents, commissioners and staff pressed Sedgwick County leaders on April 22 to re-examine how the county funds senior centers, saying the current approach leaves some centers, especially in Wichita, financially vulnerable.
At the meeting, resident Andre Cisco told the Board of County Commissioners that “seniors go to senior centers for human connection” and urged officials to review the county’s allocation process as they develop the 2027 budget. Cisco cited mill-levy allocations for seniors in recent years and said the total dollars directed to senior services have been “flatlined,” reducing centers’ capacity to meet rising costs for utilities, meals and programming.
County staff and commissioners provided context for the aging-services budget. Commissioner Bates said the county now funds roughly $20.7 million for aging and CDDO (community developmental disability) services combined, and staff noted about $770,000 of that supports approximately 19 senior centers countywide. Commissioners pointed out many suburban and smaller-city centers receive municipal support while Wichita’s centers do not, and that puts some Wichita sites at a disadvantage.
Commissioner Howe and others suggested options for a longer-term approach, including indexing senior funding to a consumer‑price index or otherwise adjusting the formula so appropriations better track inflation and service demand. Commissioners asked staff to analyze the options and consider whether changes could be included in the county’s legislative agenda or reflected in the 2027 budget process.
The commission took no immediate funding action at the meeting. County staff said they will provide more detailed breakdowns of senior funding sources and recommended next steps so the board can weigh policy changes before budget adoption.
