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Sedgwick County treasurer urges staff reclassifications, more hires and queue-system fix as tag-office demand surges
Summary
County Treasurer Brandy Bailey told commissioners the tag office has doubled productivity but is operating at capacity, with daily visitors rising to 900–1,300; she requested 7–10 additional clerks, an operations director and support for a market-aligned compensation plan while the office pursues a replacement queue vendor and state-level reforms.
Brandy Bailey, Sedgwick County treasurer, briefed the commission on a sharp, sustained increase in tag-office demand and a staffing shortfall that she said threatens recent performance gains. Bailey said clerks are now averaging between the low 30s and up to 61 transactions per day, and the office is seeing 900–1,300 walk-in customers per day (one recent peak of 1,322). She described a mix of structural pressures—state system limitations, insurance verification, and transaction requirements—that are driving more in-person visits.
Bailey asked the commission for support to align compensation with market rates, add a minimum of 7–10 tag clerks to the staffing table and hire a director of tag operations to provide day-to-day operational leadership. She presented budget estimates: 10 additional clerks at an annual cost of roughly $658,768, and a director depending on grade that would bring the combined estimated impact to approximately $762,000–$766,000. Bailey projected that statutory fee changes (Senate Bill 325) could add roughly $700,000 in revenue July–December and create a sustainable path to fund the positions without relying on property tax support.
A major operational problem is the vendor-upgraded queue system. Bailey said the new platform is producing longer-than-reported waits (a queue message that overestimates remaining time), and staff have issued an RFP and narrowed proposals to two vendors for demos. In the short term, the treasurer's office has implemented a title drop-off process and scheduling changes to reduce in-lobby wait times.
Commissioners discussed short-term and mid-term options: offering budget authority to allow immediate hires, reclassification and market-rate adjustments through HR, allowing the county manager's performance auditor to conduct a 30-day review (Bailey agreed), and exploring whether statutory constraints require the treasurer's office to keep control of tag operations. Commissioners also discussed satellite office configuration, incentives for staff, the possibility of privatization or third-party providers, and the use and purpose of the state's $4.50 modernization fee.
No formal vote was taken. Next steps included allowing a manager's office performance audit, completing the queue-vendor procurement, completing an HR reclassification analysis, and returning to the commission with specific budget/reclassification proposals timed to statutory changes and the July 1 fee timeline.
Bailey told commissioners she is open to oversight and outside review and said she would work with staff to present options for compensation, staffing, and procurement to reduce wait times.
