Valley Center is one of several towns scrambling to figure out fire services after Sedgwick County Fire District 1 (SCFD 1) planned to end mutual aid agreements. Tuesday’s meeting lasted hours, with people willing to stand the entire time. The motion carried out in Valley Center is to bolster its own fire department, decline the invite to join SCFD 1, and leave a sales tax regarding public safety to the November ballot. Over the last stretch of the meeting, confusion and disconnect spread across the room and among the council. The deadline for the fire budget in Valley Center was Tuesday night, which made the last hour significant. “I understand the gravity of these decisions,” Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty said. “But it’s important we are balancing safety with affordability. I hope that helps.”
Read more: KSN-TV
