In an effort to improve recruitment, racial equity and community relations, Sedgwick County will begin surveying its employees this month on the state of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In February, the county signed a $102,000 contract with its first-ever diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, Hicks-Carter-Hicks LLC, which will work for nine to 12 […]
Local Government
The latest news about local government in Wichita and Sedgwick County, and how it affects your community, from The Wichita Beacon.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, Kansas State Government, Local Government
How to register to vote for the Aug. 2 election in Kansas
The primary election in Kansas is on Aug. 2, giving voters the opportunity to decide who will appear on the November ballot for several high-profile races including governor, state attorney general and the U.S. Congress. Also on the ballot is a constitutional amendment, which would alter the state constitution to say that there is no […]
Posted inLocal Government
Is the city of Wichita understaffed? The Wichita Beacon analyzes a public sector staffing problem.
Gretchen Lenth, The Wichita Beacon’s Dow Jones News Fund data intern, contributed data analysis and graphics to this story. On the morning of June 28, Jeff Erker stood outside Wichita City Hall with his daughter and a sign that read “Support Wichita Firefighters.” Trucks and cars sped past, honking their support for the higher wages […]
Posted inLocal Government
Here’s what the community-led search committee is looking for in a new Wichita police chief
Editor’s note: Faith Martin and Harvey Sorensen are donors to The Wichita Beacon. Michael Birzer is a member of The Wichita Beacon’s Community Advisory Board. View a list of our financial supporters here. As the Wichita Police Department reels from a scandal regarding racist text messages sent by Wichita police officers and faces a lawsuit […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Wichita allocates additional $100K to fund demolition of dangerous and dilapidated properties
To pay for more demolitions of blighted houses in the next year, the Wichita City Council added $100,000 to the 2022 building and construction department budget on June 14. The city condemns and demolishes vacant residential properties that it considers unsafe — for example, fire-damaged homes, residences with falling-in porches and unsecured houses. To reduce a […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Kansas has $56 million to help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage following pandemic
In the first quarter of 2022, the state of Kansas had nearly 10,000 past-due mortgages. Six of 10 of those mortgages were at least three months late and considered seriously delinquent, according to Marilyn Stanley, the program director for the Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund. A new $56.6 million statewide program funded by the federal American […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Animal control, paved streets, water fountains: What City Council members want in the 2023 budget
As budget season approaches for the city of Wichita, the mayor and City Council members must decide: How should they spend taxpayer money? The Wichita Beacon asked each council member and the mayor to list their top three budget priorities for this year. Investment in neighborhoods and their infrastructure, especially in the center of the […]
Posted inLocal Government, Wichitans You Should Know
Why Reggie Davidson is the city of Wichita’s 2022 Public Service Award winner
For Reggie Davidson, working as recreation superintendent for the city’s Park and Recreation Department looks different every day. Some days, he may be at city hall, working in the office. Others, he’s at a golf course or a city pool. But his favorite days are when he gets to fill in as a camp counselor […]
Posted inLocal Government
Five out of five Sedgwick County commissioners agree: Employee pay a top budget priority
It’s budget season for Sedgwick County. This year, that means that the county’s five commissioners must grapple with how to run the local government as nationwide economic challenges, including rising inflation and an increasingly tight labor market, prevail. The Wichita Beacon asked each commissioner to list their top three budget priorities for this year. All five […]
Posted inLocal Government, Wichitans You Should Know
‘Don’t treat them different’: One formerly homeless Wichitan on what the city needs
It started with a recipe he concocted on his own — Southern-style barbecue chicken spaghetti. But pretty soon, Joseph “J.W.” Harris was spreading the cooking gospel to his neighbors and friends at The Studios, a permanent-housing apartment complex for people experiencing homelessness. In April, he led his first cooking class at the complex on North Topeka […]