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Officials split over administration fees and consultant role as opioid money planning proceeds
Summary
Council and commissioners debated whether holding 15% for administration and hiring an external consultant would slow services; staff cited comparable third‑party fees and said figures were estimates drawn from other jurisdictions.
Sedgwick County staff proposed holding a portion of opioid settlement dollars to pay administration and a third‑party coordinator; elected officials questioned whether those overhead amounts would reduce funds available for treatment and immediate services.
Council member Mike Hoheisel asked about price tags for consultant work and Leeds replied, “It’s my understanding that’s about 145,000 a year,” citing the Liquor Tax Coalition model as a comparable example. Several commissioners argued the study’s suggested 15% administration set‑aside was excessive given local needs and the multi‑year lifecycle of payments.
Commissioner Howe pressed that the community needs beds and direct services now and characterized the recommended split as wrong for the scale of the problem: “I think this is a huge mistake.” Other members countered that some independent oversight is necessary to monitor performance and prevent funds from simply supplementing existing programs. Leeds and others said the 15% figure was a starting point that could be revisited by the advisory body and governing boards.
