Sedgwick County Commissioners Wednesday approved a pay raise for Sheriff's office employees.
The 8.7% pay raise for 2024 will cost the county roughly an additional $4.5 million, something that had not been budgeted for when the county approved the 2024 budget last summer.
Sheriff Jeff Easter says the raise is important to keep the county competitive with other agencies, like the city of Wichita.
Lindsay Poe Rousseau, the county's Chief Financial Officer, says the pay increase is projected to put the county in a $3 million deficit by the end of the year but adds the county does have reserve funds.
Also at Wednesday's meeting, the commission selected new leadership for 2024.
By a unanimous vote, the board selected Ryan Baty as the new Chair of the Board. He says the county has many opportunities and challenges in the year ahead. He will chair his first meeting next Wednesday the 17th. He replaces out-going Chair Pete Meitzner.
The board also selected Sarah Lopez as the new Chair Pro-Tem of the board. Lopez says leadership at the county and city level care greatly about working for the people. The Pro-Tem fills in for the Chair of the board if that person is absent. Lopez replaces Jim Howell, who served in the role in 2023.