District 4 Citizen's Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - March 24, 2026

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 | 5:30 p.m., Ruffin Building - 6^th Floor Conference Room, 100 N. Broadway Ave., Wichita, KS

1. Call to Order
   1. Commissioner Ryan Baty began the meeting at 5:37 p.m.
2. Public Agenda
   1. No members of the public chose to speak.
3. New Business
   1. Greater Wichita Partnership Vice President of Talent, Workforce and Community Engagement Ricki Ellison gave a presentation about economic mobility.
      1. Ellison asked, “When you hear economic mobility, what comes to mind?”
         1. Board members responded with job creation; capacity to move out of poverty; growth through opportunities; access and exposure to resources; and transportation.
      2. Ellison asked, “How do you communicate that? What does success in economic mobility look like?”
         1. Board members responded with equity of opportunity and access to them; fighting through fragmentation of messaging; people who are resource navigators and a health ecosystem; visual messaging and networking; education about A.I. tools to overcome barriers.

• Ellison mentioned a goal of trying to align resources to leave an impact.
  1. A member mentioned the goal of making it work for residents at all levels in the system, from entry to in the system to struggling.

1. Commissioner Baty noted that economic mobility is an indicator of a healthy community.

2. County Appraiser Deanna Aspedon delivered her 2026 Mass Appraisal report.
   1. Commissioner Baty mentioned that the County does not have access to MLS data.
      1. Aspedon noted that appraisers outside South Central Kansas have access, but not in this area.
   2. A member asked where does Sedgwick County fall within value change?
      1. Aspedon said 90% of homes sold above valuation in 2025. Per state statue, the County must fall within 90-110% annually.

• Aspedon was asked how do auctions factor in?
  1. She said any well-attended reserve auction can be included in sales data. Absolute auctions can’t be included.

1. Is the appraiser able to choose between sales and replacement minus depreciation?
   1. The Appraiser has the ability to choose. Sales are the best indicator of value.
2. Commissioner Baty noted that the County is only 20% of a property tax bill and the County will not capture all 9.3% of assessed value growth in the 2027 budget.
3. Who gets access to the 9.3% median increase?
   1. Commissioner Baty said each jurisdiction sets their own rates. Cities and school districts get access to their jurisdictions.

• A member noted that the formula for determining valuation is a good education piece for the community.
• A member asked why internal field inspections aren’t done?
  1. Aspedon noted internal inspections are done on new builds unless a homeowner invites the inspector into an existing dwelling. It is recommended to ask for an inspection.
  2. Inspectors have car magnets and shirts that are identifying. Inspectors also leave door hangers and QR codes.

1. Aspedon was asked what reform she would suggest.
   1. Aspedon said she is in favor of comparison to value sales prices. The issues lies when a sales increase happens in the summer and they’re missed for the current year’s valuations, and they’re not followed as closely due to deadlines. The Appraiser is not opposed to using more sales data.
2. Commissioner Baty said he is pushing for technology, transparency online and a more customer friendly appeals process.

4. Board Agenda
   1. Commissioner’s Updates
      1. The County is under an interim development control on data centers through June 11, pausing any potential applications to allow for policy creation. Commissioner Baty noted 700 people were at a Town Hall with upcoming roundtables and public meetings throughout March as they build policy.
      2. Commissioner Baty discussed the final week of the legislative session. SB 404, the ‘tag office bill’, was passed. Commissioners were paying close attention to a bill that would place a lid on assessed value growth at 3%.
   2. Adjournment
   3. The District 4 Citizen’s Advisory Board ended at 7:29 p.m.

The next Citizens Advisory Board Meeting will be Tuesday, March 26, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
at Ruffin Building – 6^th Floor Conference Room, 100 N. Broadway Ave., Wichita, KS.