5th District - Jim Howell | Sedgwick County, Kansas

Commissioner Howell Collaborative Events

This is the 5^th district citizen engagement opportunity schedule but is subject to change. Things such as inclement weather or sickness can cause late changes to the scheduled plan. Anyone interested in attending any of these is encouraged to verify the details of those meetings on this site as those events are approaching. Similar information can be found in Commissioner Howell's monthly newsletter. Subscribe here.

Bullet Points - Range 54, 5725 E. Kellogg

Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, March 10, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, April 14, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, May 12, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, June 9, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, July 14, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 13, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 8, 2025 | 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Coffee with the Commish - The Grill - 222 N 2nd Ave, Mulvane

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.

Cuppa Joe with Jim - Calvary Baptist Church Gymnasium, 1636 E. Patriot, Derby

Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, March 28, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, April 25, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, June 27, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, July 25, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.**
Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 | 7-9 a.m.**

**: One week earlier than normal

District 5 Citizens Town Hall - City of Derby Public Library - 1600 Walnut Grove Rd, Derby

**Doors Open at 6 p.m.**

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

District 5 Collaboration Board Meetings - Location TBD

Monday, March 10, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Monday, May 12, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Monday, July 14, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

District 5 Citizens Advisory Board Meetings

Commissioner Howell is now looking for people to serve on the District 5 CAB. If you think you would like to serve on this board, please let him know.

Commissioner Howell’s hope is to create some geographic diversity (Wichita, Derby, Mulvane, and Unincorporated (township) residents). He also would like sector diversity meaning having many sectors represented such as Service, Public Safety, Medical, Seniors, Hospitality, Education, Religious, Government, Military, etc. The board is intended to have 11 members, creates its agenda and discussion and meets monthly. Commissioner Howell does not serve on the board but does attend and provide regular reports and updates. The CAB does have the ability to request information and county staff will seek to assist them as needed. They will discuss things such as county policy or spending and specifically make recommendations to Commissioner Howell.

Other Details: The CAB does allow for public comment. They do record meeting minutes and will be subject to the Kansas Open Meetings Act and Kansas Open Records Act. Their recommendations are appreciated but do not bind the commissioner on any issue.

Since this is an official formalized board, each member will need to be appointed by county resolution.

If you think you would like to serve on the Sedgwick County Commission District 5 Citizen's Advisory Board, please reach out to Commissioner Howell here: Jim.Howell@Sedgwick.Gov. You do need to be a resident of District 5 to serve on this board.

District 5 Bylaws, adopted Dec. 9, 2020:

Bylaws

Agendas and Minutes - First Friday of each Month (unless rescheduled by CAB)

January 10, 2025 - Agenda | Minutes

Archived Agendas & Meeting Minutes

K15 Corridor Traffic Subcommittee

February 18, 2022

Newsletters:

Archived Newsletters

Biography

Commissioner Jim Howell grew up in southeast Sedgwick County. He attended public schools in Derby and Wichita and graduated from Wichita Southeast High School. Today he is the Sedgwick County Commissioner for District 5, which covers the southeast part of Sedgwick County including southeast Wichita, McConnell Air Force Base, Derby and Mulvane.

During his time on the commission, Howell has worked to create greater taxpayer transparency, organizational accountability, stronger ethics policy, effective juvenile justice reform, greater fiscal responsibility and better voter integrity policy. Even as a commissioner, Howell has been active in the Kansas Legislature to advance numerous laws to help Sedgwick County and the state of Kansas as a whole.

Commissioner Howell served honorably in the U.S. Air Force for five years. He spent much of his active duty stationed in England, with several temporary assignments, including a deployment to Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield, also known as the First Gulf War. Howell received a 'Below-The-Zone' promotion and was named Airman of the Year in his unit. He earned multiple awards, including four medals: the Southwest Asia Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal and a Commendation Medal.

After his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Howell spent 25 years in the private sector working in Flight Test Instrumentation for several local aircraft companies. This has given him great experience doing mechanical and electrical design, modification/installation/calibration, test planning, test conduct and data analysis.

Before his election to the commission, Howell served two terms in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2011-2014. While in this role, Commissioner Howell served as vice-chair of the Pensions & Benefits Committee and vice-chair of the General Government Budget Committee. He was also a member of the Government Efficiency Committee, Education Committee, Judiciary Committee and Federal & State Affairs Committee. In 2014, Howell chaired the South-Central Legislative Delegation.

Commissioner Howell and his wife Leah have shared 35 years of marriage, raising their five children in District 5. Their family has since grown to include four daughters-in-law and seven cherished grandchildren.

Commissioner Howell holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management & Leadership from Friends University, a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University College of Engineering and an Associate of Science in Avionics Systems Technology from the College of the Air Force.

Howell serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas State Rifle Association, the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Chief Elected Officials Board. He has also previously served on the Sedgwick County Zoo Board, the National Center for Aviation Training Board, the Exploration Place Board and several other public and private organization boards.

Howell and his family attend a local church in the Derby area where he leads an adult Sunday school class. He served as a trustee for more than two decades and now serves as the church’s treasurer. As a ‘jack-of-all-trades,’ Howell enjoys fixing cars and engages in all sorts of building projects including helping people in the community with their home or car challenges.