Sedgwick County 
Manager's Office
525 N. Main, #343
Wichita, KS 67203
Tel: (316) 660-9393
Fax: (316) 383-7946

To assure quality public services that provide for the present and future well-being of the citizens of Sedgwick County.

To establish, maintain and nurture partnerships to ensure effective and efficient delivery of services.

To train, encourage and recognize employees for hard work, creativity and innovation in delivering quality public services.

To foster two-way communication with citizens and employees to build trust, confidence and teamwork, and to ensure Informed decisions.

To allocate and use resources for basic and essential services that are responsive to the changing needs of our community.

I am Bill Buchanan, Sedgwick County Manager. Welcome to our Web site. County staff and I are responsible for implementing the policy decisions made by the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners.

Enhancing the Delivery of Public Services by Nonprofit Agencies

This report was recognized as an ICMA Innovation Award Winner in 2004.

The purpose of this report is to identify best practice among nonprofit organizations that deliver public services and to make recommendations to Sedgwick County for improving its contracting procedures to enhance the delivery of public services provided by nonprofit agencies.  Three content areas will be addressed - governance, administration and financial management of nonprofits - and recommendations will be made with respect to prevention, warning signs and early interventions.  To view the report, click here.

---

Weekly Update

The commissioners recently approved a proclamation for Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11.  The work that fire department officials have done over the years in the area of fire prevention and fire education has had a dramatic impact in reducing the number of fires in communities all across the country.  Many of us learned, or our children were taught, to "stop, drop and roll" in our pre-school and elementary days.  And, each year, the Fire District helps to sponsor the annual Fire Prevention Luncheon, this year at the Sedgwick County Zoo, to help remind 5th graders from all over Sedgwick County that fire prevention and having a family plan for home escape are critical. 
 
This year, the Fire District added to their Fire Prevention program the Fire Education Clowns.  These firefighters teach fire safety using fun and humor to students from 2nd grade to 5th grade all over Sedgwick County.  In addition, we know that we use Daylight Savings Time when we change the clocks as an easy reminder to change the batteries in our smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and our NOAA weather radios.  All of those devices help alert us to potential disaster. 
 
Clearly, it is important to use a variety of methods to remind people how devastating fires can be, and how we can take steps to protect our families and our property.  I encourage you to take time with your family to review your home escape plan and to be sure you have a plan for protecting your valuable papers and a "go kit" if you need to leave.  Also, it would be helpful for you to review in your work teams where fire extinguishers and fire alarms are located, where you will meet when you leave the building and how you will help to prevent fire hazards.  Visit the Fire District page on the county Web site at www.sedgwickcounty.org for more tips and safety checklists.

-William P. Buchanan