Sedgwick County staff say they will terminate and renegotiate mutual-aid fire agreements; 90-day notice begins

County staff told the Sedgwick County Commission on Wednesday that the county intends to terminate and renegotiate automatic and mutual-aid fire response agreements with five cities, starting a 90-day notice period that will create a window for negotiations. "There is a 90 day window now that doesn't automatically stop on Wednesday when you vote on it. It starts a clock on 90 days," a county staff member said.

The item appears on the fire agenda as phase one of a process to refresh decades-old mutual-aid arrangements, which staff said need updates to reflect current operational and firewall requirements. The staff member said the county has already met with the five cities in person and sent them an email notifying them of the planned changes. Commissioner Beatty asked whether that email constituted a formal county declaration to cancel the agreements; Beatty said, "So it's the email that you sent, is that the formal declaration from the county now or from the fire district that we are going to cancel the current agreements?" The staff member confirmed the communication and the process would start the 90-day clock.

Chief Williams is expected to present the item and legal staff will be available to answer questions, according to county staff. Commissioners were told the 90-day period gives county negotiators and city officials roughly three months to discuss revised terms instead of the agreements immediately ceasing. Staff characterized this as "phase 1," indicating further administrative steps and negotiation would follow before any final change in operational response.

The presentation did not record a formal vote on termination during the excerpted discussion; staff framed the step as initiating a negotiated update. The commission will receive the formal presentation and may direct next steps when Chief Williams and legal counsel appear on the fire agenda.