Commissioner Batty previews 2027 budget, credits staffing recovery and new mental‑health projects in Sedgwick County

Commissioner Ryan Batty of Sedgwick County said the county will be "full steam ahead on building and adopting a budget for 2027" as he outlined priorities for District 4 in a recorded update to residents.

Batty framed the coming budget as more than a financial snapshot, saying it should reflect historical lessons, outcomes and a forward‑looking vision for the district. "I work for you, the people of my district," he said, reiterating a pledge to deliver on goals he set when he took office four years ago.

He described a staffing crisis the county faced in 2022: he said Emergency Medical Services had lost nearly a third of paramedics, overall county employment had fallen by about 200 positions, 911 staffing fell below 65%, and the sheriff’s office was down nearly 120 deputies. Batty said those shortages harmed public safety and health outcomes at the time.

Since then, he said, staffing has recovered to "over 92%" on most metrics and that measures such as response times and overtime have improved, which he said has made the community safer and county services more reliable.

Batty listed four large projects now under construction that he said will strengthen behavioral‑health and workforce capacity: a 104‑bed regional mental‑health hospital, a crisis center with expanded services, a biomedical school intended to bolster the workforce pipeline, and a multi‑agency collaborative campus aimed at addressing homelessness. He said those projects are lined up to open in 2026 and 2027.

He argued those capital investments, paired with expanded mobile mental‑health responses and embedded social workers at 911, move Sedgwick County toward a model he called a potential national "gold standard" for community collaboration on behavioral health.

On growth and government modernization, Batty said the county should pursue "responsible growth," prioritizing water, roads and infill development, while partnering with school districts and area colleges to prepare the next generation of workers. He also said he will continue pushing for shared services, functional consolidations and reduced reliance on property taxes to lower costs for residents.

Batty closed by thanking residents, noting there is "more work to be done," and inviting questions or feedback through his office or by email as the county begins the budget process.