5th District
Commissioner's Corner
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"A Word In Edgewise" Video
TOPIC: General Information with Commissioners Norton and Welshimer
March 05, 2009 - 25 min 14 sec
Commissioner Gwen Welshimer
Fifth District
Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners
525 N. Main, #320
Wichita, KS 67203
Phone: (316) 660-9300
Fax: (316) 383-8275
E-mail:
gwelshim@sedgwick.gov
Remote Office
Derby Senior Center
611 N. Mulberry
Derby, KS
(316) 788-2630
Biography
Gwen Welshimer was first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2006 and began her first term as the Fifth District Commissioner in January 2007.
A first generation Kansan, her ancestors were settlers and law enforcement officers in the Oswego-Chetopa area. She moved to Wichita at the beginning of WWII, graduated from North High School and attended Kansas State University as a business administration major. She earned her Kansas Real Estate Broker's license in 1981, met qualifications for a county mass appraiser in 1988, and was granted a Kansas Real Estate Appraiser's license in 1994 (this has been dropped but real estate license kept current). From 1992 - 1998, she provided continuing education for real estate and appraiser licensees, and was a property tax consultant from 1989 to 2005.
Ms. Welshimer is a former six-term (12 years/sessions) Kansas Legislator, elected in November 1990 and served through the 2002 session. She served on the House Taxation, Local Government, Governmental Organization, Ethics, Insurance, and Health & Human Resources committees. She was the ranking minority member on Local Government for six sessions. She also served as Kansas' member of the National Conference of State Legislature's Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Ms. Welshimer is active in promoting open government and lower property taxes. She has adopted the issue of women being the fastest growing jail population, and is currently organizing a task force to find causes and solutions to this problem. Currently, Ms. Welshimer serves as the president for the Sedgwick County Federation of Democratic Women and vice chair of the Healthy Options for Planeview committee. She is the founder of the Great Plains Comprehensive Agriculture and Medical Institute, and a member of the Wichita State University Derby Campus Advisory Council, Southeast Wichita Community Resource Center Study focus group and First United Methodist Church, Wichita. Previously, she served as a member of the Counseling and Mediation Center Board of Directors, Planeview Lions Club, and Wichita Indochinese Center Board of Directors.
She is the widow of Robert E. (Bob) Welshimer. Bob's parents were original founders of Wesley Hospital in the early 1920s. All were members of the Wichita business community and residents of County Commission District #5 since 1912. She has two sons and six grandchildren.
Commissioner Gwen Welshimer Around the County
Boundless Playground Dedication
Fire Station 39 Groundbreaking
National Center for Aviation Training Construction Tour
2009 Passing of the Gavel
2009 Sedgwick County Elected Officials Oath of Office Ceremony
Cessna Columbus Groundbreaking
Sedgwick County Fire District #1 Stations 32 and 33 Ribbon Cutting
2008 Sedgwick County Holiday Celebration
Mulvane Singers
2009 Legislative Delegation Dinner
Sedgwick County Zoo's Plaza Beastro Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
National Center for Aviation Training Groundbreaking
Sedgwick County Public Safety Center Ribbon Cutting
