Political wonks like me really enjoy election season. I like connecting with the candidates to find out why they are running for office, to understand their perspective and learn what they hope to accomplish. I spend a fair amount of time studying the information so that I can vote for what I think are the best people.

To those of us who think elections are best when more people engage the opportunity, we can be glad that in the last decade, the number of residents in Sedgwick County that are registered to vote increased from 52.1% to 61.5% of our population.

Sedgwick County had impressive voter engagement when 70.3% of registered voters cast a ballot in the 2020 Presidential Election. Unfortunately, at the other end of the spectrum, in 2017, only 8.3% of registered voters cast a ballot. Worse, that only represents a dismal 4.6% of the overall population that year. Combined, these local levels of government collect billions of dollars in tax revenue to provide critical services.

When so many people have strong opinions about their streets, parks, crime, taxes, bullying, and many other related topics, it is clear that local elections, including city and school elections, have the greatest impact on your daily life and our community.

Just before each election, I have quite a few people reach out to me for my thoughts on the candidates. I welcome these calls and I am glad these folks are getting information to go vote. However, I also wonder whether they passed up seeing information that was readily available.

Over the years, I have noticed candidate engagement has devolved somewhat to the detriment of representative democracy. One idiom candidates hear from other electeds is, “if you don’t knock doors, you won’t win.” I think that is still generally true but it is notably more difficult to meet voters in 2021.

Why? Because about half of all homes have a digital video doorbell. I am sure we all agree, we don’t like answering the door to strangers. Most visitors are peddling something we don’t want. Perhaps we are just busy or we don’t feel safe. I get it. It’s unlikely a homeowner will answer the door if they do not know who is knocking or what they want.

If we want to embrace representative government, we should invest effort to learn about the candidates. They are trying to get our attention. It is up to us to engage them, read their platform, and vote. If you don’t vote, you are conceding to the voice of others.

Cuppa Joe With Jim – Coffee with Commissioner Howell is an opportunity to ask questions or learn about what is happening in Sedgwick County. Coffee is provided.

Another Special Cuppa Joe with Jim is planned for 3^rd Friday of November, 11/19/21, same place, same time. (This is a week earlier than normal due to Thanksgiving)

Also, Bullet Points is an opportunity to ask questions or learn about what is happening in Sedgwick County. Coffee and cold sodas/water is provided.

The District 5 Citizens Advisory Board will host a special meeting to discuss the proposed County Resolution regarding a prohibition on shooting firearms across property lines. This special meeting is planned for 10/29/21 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM at the Bread of Life building, 1301 E Galena, Wichita. Public Comment will be allowed but limited to 30 minutes.  Another regular CAB5 meeting is planned for 11/5/21 at 4:00 to 6:00 in the same location. The CAB5 is not planning to meet in December. 

Comparing case counts from Monday to Wednesday:

The Sedgwick County Health Department no-cost testing site is located at 4115 E. Harry St. starting Monday, October 4. Testing hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Text "SC COVID TEST" to 316-215-8313 to get in line for a COVID-19 test through the Sedgwick County Health Department. You will receive a message notifying you of a wait time or to come inside immediately. If Qless is full you will receive a message stating "The testing line is full for the rest of the day." There are additional no-cost testing sites in Wichita for residents to utilize. Find more information here. 

The Health Department takes a nasal, oral, or saliva sample to send to a lab for COVID-19 PCR testing. Results are generally available by the afternoon of the next weekday. The results of the virus test show whether a person has a current infection. This is not an antibody test.

Visit www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19 to learn more about the County’s response to COVID-19.

The Sedgwick County Health Department is offering no-cost Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 booster vaccines at 223 S. Main. People should bring documentation of their first and second doses to the vaccine site.

Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccines will only be offered Oct. 27 through Nov. 24 at the SCHD vaccine clinic. SCHD mobile clinics will not provide Moderna booster doses at this time.

For those vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or after their second dose in the series:

For those vaccinated with the one dose J&J COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those 18 and older and who received the one dose J&J a minimum of two months ago.

For more information on booster eligibility requirements, visit https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/vaccine/additional-dose-information/

People must schedule appointments for all vaccine doses. To schedule an appointment for the Community Vaccine Clinic, visit sedgwickcounty.org/covid19vaccine. 

For a full list of mobile, partner, and event clinics and information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations in Sedgwick County, please visit www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/vaccine.

On October 21, the Board of County Commissioners were presented a proposed resolution regarding the discharge of firearms across property boundaries. The decision was made to defer the voting of this resolution to the next scheduled regular meeting on Nov. 3, 2021.

For the draft resolution and facts & details, visit: https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/commissioners/bocc-projects/

To see these maps, please visit: https://sedgwickcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/f5169b245808404e9f301de0961c4eec

You can vote early at the Sedgwick County Election Office (510 N. Main, Ste. 101) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting October 18 through November 1. Voting will end at noon on November 1. Additional early voting locations will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. October 28 and 29, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. October 30. When voting in person, please take your photo I.D. Polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit sedgwickcounty.org/vote.

Commissioners, County leaders, and State officials attended the Opening Ceremony of The Moving Wall in Valley Center on October 22. The Wall is a half-size replica of the Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for 30 plus years. It contains the names of over 58,000 people who lost their lives from the Vietnam War. The Moving Wall was in Valley Center through October 25.

The Annual Veteran’s Day Parade will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 beginning in front of the Sedgwick County Courthouse promptly at 11 a.m.

The Kansas Department of Transportation is seeking feedback to learn what Kansans think about how highways and bridges are funded. Your response will help KDOT better understand statewide priorities and explore potential ways to pay for the state’s roads and bridges in the future. Click here to take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MidwestRUC

As recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Sedgwick County, we are continuing to communicate opportunities from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that may be of help to you. ARPA became law on March 11, 2021 to provide $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus with the intent to speed up the United States' recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey below is an opportunity we are hosting for you to let us know how federal funds awarded to us from ARPA may be of help to you. Click the link to access the survey: https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/finance/arpa/ongoing-arpa-feedback-survey/.

Below are ARPA Funding Opportunities that have recently been made available:

On Sunday, October 10, members of SCFD1 attended the 20th Annual Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the Kansas Firefighters Museum. On Friday, October 15, members of the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with the Wichita Police Department, held their annual Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony at the corner of Central and Main Street.

We are grateful for the support given to the families of the fallen firefighters, deputies and officers. Their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.