D1 CAB 2/23/26 Meeting Minutes

Board Members in Attendance: Judah Craig, Madeline LaForge, Steven Burt, Diane Albert, Tex Dozier

County Representatives: Sedgwick County Commissioner Pete Meitzner, Sedgwick County Chief Financial Officer Lindsay Poe Rousseau

1. Call to Order
   1. Judah Craig began the meeting at 5:39 p.m.
2. Approval of Meeting Minutes
   1. A motion was made by Judah Craig to approve the minutes. Steven Burt seconded the motion. The CAB approved the motion with an 5-0 vote.
3. Public Agenda
   1. No members of the public were present.
4. 5. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said when the state created an exemption for machinery and equipment taxes it created significant loss because the service cost stayed the same so now taxpayers are paying to make up for it.
   6. Lindsay Poe Rousseau went over the financial forecast and said the County Commissioner’s have said their goal is to not capture all of the accessed value.
   7. Lindsay Poe Rousseua explains that the Finance Division looks for potential warning signs at the retreat. She said they didn’t see any at this retreat and believes we will be above the line but because the Commissioner’s goal is to lower property taxes and not capture all the possible growth, they must be very intentional with how they budget.
   8. Lindsay Poe Rousseau went over the Sedgwick County Zoo’s accreditation needs and funding.
   9. Lindsay Poe Roussea explained the Intrust Bank Arena’s cost breakdown.
   10. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said there is a critical need to replace 911’s systems so public safety first responders can talk to each other.
   11. Lindsay Poe Rousseau went over the Sedgwick County Sherriff Office’s needs in the 2027 budget.
   12. Diane Albert and Lindsay Poe Rousseau said the state is being frustrating right now because it’s not having conversations and is instead telling everyone to talk to their local tax authorities.
       1. Diane Albert said it’s upsetting because the only thing school districts can do to raise funds is increase property taxes.
       2. Judah Craig asked how other counties are responding to the state?
       3. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said they’re turning to sales taxes. She added that smaller counties have voted out their commissioner’s because they raised the mill levy.
       4. 1. New Business
             1. Sedgwick County Chief Financial Officer Lindsay Poe Rousseau gave an overview from the 2027 Budget retreat and explained what it entails.
             2. Lindsay Poe Rousseua went over the county stats on the long sheet, explaining how Sedgwick County has fared since the Great Recession in 2008.
             3. Lindsay Poe Rousseau explains how the county is restricted to raise funds and why it relies on property taxes while the city is able to make revenue through services like licenses.
             4. Lindsay Poe Rousseau explains that the state sets the pension costs and Sedgwick County doesn’t have a say.
                1. She says because of that, Sedgwick County is now having to ask the county taxpayers to subsidize state services.
                2. Diane Albert said she hears state legislators say it’s up to county and city to set property taxes and they can cut them.Commissioner Meitzner said he likes to show people Sedgwick County’s budget compared to Johnson County’s because theirs is so much more expensive for only 100,000 more people.
   13. Diane Gjerstad asked about Sedgwick County’s bonding authority.
   14. Judah Craig asked if people are engaged.
       1. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said people were really engaged during Covid and right after but now that has dropped.
       2. Lindsay Poe Rousseau added that we’re going to do a budget simulator again to get public feedback.
   15. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said it’s important to understand that taxes are buying services, it’s not just taking money.
       1. Judah Craig asked if there’s been any thought into combining services between city and county if there are any opportunities to do that.
       2. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said there are some opportunities, but the county is going to do but what the state lets it do. She says this means you can look at opportunities for cooperative purchasing but when you talk about fire and police you’re talking about different unions and it’s a long, confusing process to consolidate.
       3. Commissioner Meitzner said we would need to have an outside firm look at consolidating services because it’s so complex.
       4. Lindsay Poe Rousseau responded saying 911, the Regional Forensic Science Center, the Sedgwick County Health Department and more are already merged services.
       5. Diane Albert said the city, county and school district talk and collaborate with each other a lot.
   16. Commissioner Meitzner said this is the beginning and we’ll have to continue this discussion throughout the process.
   17. Madeline LaForge asked Lindsay Poe Rousseau what she recommends to keep the average person knowledgeable about what is happening in their community.
       1. Lindsay Poe Rousseau said it’s a good policy to spend about ten minutes once a week looking at your local city and county’s news page on their website.
       2. Lindsay Poe Rousseau asked Sedgwick County Strategic Communications employee Jocelyn Schifferdecker what she recommends people do.
       3. Jocelyn seconded looking at the website and also suggested following your local government’s social media pages because they have informative videos and posts there that help break down important issues to the average resident.
       4. Steven Burt said he suggests watching the weekly meetings in real time or watching the livestream later on YouTube.
5. Commissioner's Comments
6. Adjournment- The District 1 Citizen’s Advisory Board ended at 7:14 p.m.

The next Citizens Advisory Board Meeting will be Monday, April. 27., 2026, 5:30 p.m.  

at Bel Aire City Hall, 7651 E. Central Park Ave., Bel Aire, KS