Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City staff proposes streamlining advisory boards; recommends sunsetting some and revamping others
Summary
Assistant City Manager Dante Martin presented progress on a boards-and-commissions review: staff recommends sunsetting the Land Bank and Stormwater Advisory boards, continuing the Sustainability Integration Board through its grant, and revamping the Access Advisory Board into a smaller, more effective body.
Assistant City Manager Dante Martin updated council on staff work to evaluate and reorganize advisory boards and commissions. The review began with about 39–40 boards; initial recommendations would have sunsetted up to nine, and staff has already moved to disband the Land Bank Board. Martin said the recommendation is to continue the Sustainability Integration Board through grant obligations and to pursue targeted sunsetting or restructuring for others where staff capacity and outcomes are limited.
Martin and Public Works Director Gary Janssen said the Wichita–Sedgwick County Access Advisory Board (created following ADA litigation) remains valuable but has grown unwieldy; staff will return August 11 with a proposal to reduce membership to seven appointed voting members plus four ex-officio seats and updated appointment processes. Martin said the reforms aim to preserve useful public input while reducing staff time and creating more consistent outcomes.
Council members asked for timeline estimates, staff time savings and the option to see a detailed list of proposed eliminations or restructurings. Martin estimated that the original review would reduce the roughly 39 boards to the mid-30s and that more robust outcome reporting and annual reports will support future decisions.
