Cheney leaders weigh options after Sedgwick County ends mutual aid for volunteer fire district

Mayor Philip Mize and Cheney officials held a joint meeting with Erie, Morton, Evan, Vinita and Grand River townships on June 30 to address Sedgwick County Fire District #1’s May 1 notice that mutual aid agreements with the Cheney Volunteer Fire Department would terminate within 90 days.

Fire Chief Cody Young told the group the department currently has 17 active members and reviewed two written agreements: a mutual aid agreement signed in 1998 and an automatic-aid agreement signed in 2011 that dispatches Sedgwick County to structure fires and, in turn, triggers Cheney units to respond to certain neighboring calls. Chief Young said he does not intend to consolidate with the county and described plans to continue operating as the Cheney Volunteer Fire Department.

The county’s concerns, Chief Young and Administrator Danielle Young said, center on safety, funding equity and staffing numbers. Chief Young summarized the three concerns raised in March as safety, money and numbers, and said a recent house fire response was recorded at 12 minutes for the county and eight minutes for Cheney; he described Cheney’s typical “out the door” time as roughly five minutes before drive time to a call. Administrator Young said the county’s proposed mill levy increase (presented by county staff) would have been for staffing, not buildings, and that the county has not provided a draft consolidation proposal or identified where a new station would be built.

Councilmember Jeff Albers urged the City to consider raising its mill levy modestly to keep Cheney Fire local rather than consolidate. Albers said he would prefer a small increase in local funding to preserve the existing department’s coverage and relationships. Karen Bailey, a township attendee, referenced historical dates for the departments and townships (Cheney Fire organized in 1909; Sedgwick County Fire District formed in 1953) and said the townships did not wish to change Cheney Fire arrangements.

Participants discussed several alternatives to full consolidation: negotiating new mutual-aid terms that cover Cheney’s whole district, asking townships to increase their mills incrementally, offering limited paid staffing (for example, minimum coverage of three nights), and continuing to recruit volunteers by expanding residency distance and easing scheduling barriers. Assistant Fire Chief David Campbell noted about 65% of Cheney’s calls are medical in nature, which affects staffing and training needs.

Administrator Young said mutual aid will expire at the beginning of August after the county’s 90-day suspension; she and Chief Young clarified that state statute does not require a written mutual aid agreement and that agencies can still request aid through 911 dispatch, which operates separately from SCFD1. The group also discussed jurisdiction issues: some Cheney resources (the community response vehicle, or CRV) are restricted from responding across county lines into Kingman County under current rules.

Township representatives told the City they were not inclined to join Sedgwick County Fire District #1. The townships agreed to consider increasing their mill levy by one mill; the City said it would examine its budget and consider adding roughly $40,000–$50,000 to support equipment or staffing. Mayor Mize called the discussion productive and encouraged continued recruitment and coordination while staff work on draft agreements and budget options.

No formal consolidation vote or county agreement was approved at the meeting; mutual aid status, budget proposals and any negotiated mutual-aid language remain to be resolved before the aid agreements expire.