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New Term Begins For Sedgwick County Commission

Deborah Shaar
/
KMUW
The Sedgwick County Commission welcomed new commissioners Lacey Cruse and Pete Meitzner at a meeting Wednesday.

The Sedgwick County Commission began a new term Wednesday with two new members.

It was the first official meeting for Lacey Cruse and Pete Meitzner, who were elected in November to four-year terms. Jim Howell began a second term as the 5th District commissioner.

Third District Commissioner David Dennis and 2nd District Commissioner Michael O’Donnell have two more years in their terms before the next elections.

Cruse and Meitzner took time at the end of the meeting to thank their supporters and give a hint about their style of governing.

Cruse, the 4th District commissioner, says she is ready to listen and learn as she begins her first public office role.

She says she wants to focus the discussion in Sedgwick County on mental health issues and protecting the environment, among other things. She encouraged openness and cooperation for the commission, and its dealings in the community.

“We have a new commission, we have a new opportunity to move forward but we have to do that with vision and focus," Cruse said. "And we have to focus on cooperation."

Meitzner, the 1st District commissioner, said he’s looking forward to serving Sedgwick County.

“I really want to try to do it with my element of respect and dignity to the people we serve and to the county government to deliver the services,” he said.

Commissioners unanimously voted for David Dennis to serve a second term as chairman, and Meitzner to serve as chair pro tem this year.

Follow Deborah Shaar on Twitter @deborahshaar. To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

Deborah joined the news team at KMUW in September 2014 as a news reporter. She spent more than a dozen years working in news at both public and commercial radio and television stations in Ohio, West Virginia and Detroit, Michigan. Before relocating to Wichita in 2013, Deborah taught news and broadcasting classes at Tarrant County College in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area.