Valley Center residents will decide in November whether to approve a 1% sales tax increase that would give the city the highest sales tax rate in Sedgwick County.

The Valley Center City Council voted 6-2 on Aug. 18 to keep and expand its own fire department rather than contract with Sedgwick County Fire District 1 for protection. The council then placed the sales tax question on the November ballot to fund the expansion, according to the Wichita Eagle.

If voters approve the measure, Valley Center's total sales tax rate would climb to 9.5%. The tax is estimated to generate about $950,000 per year.

The Aug. 18 meeting drew a packed house and lasted nearly two hours, with attendees standing throughout as council members, city staff and Sedgwick County officials debated the city's fire protection future, KSN reported.

Mayor Jet Truman said at the meeting that staffing would be the first priority if the tax passes. The Valley Center Fire Department currently has four full-time firefighters.

"First off it'd be staffing, training and stuff but it's a ten year cap on that I think," Truman said. "We need a new fire station, we'll need a new fire engine by then so all that works into the equation. Keeps from raising the property taxes."

The decision came under deadline pressure. Sedgwick County's mutual aid agreement with Valley Center expires in September, and the county commission earlier this year voted to stop providing mutual and automatic aid to Valley Center and four other towns effective Sept. 23. The city and county are negotiating an extension at least through the November election, KWCH reported.

Council member Jeanne Daniels offered an alternative: keep the department independent but operating only 12 hours a day and push the sales tax vote to March. That motion failed.

City Administrator Cyndra Kastens said if voters reject the sales tax, the council will have to determine its next move. The city also still needs to find roughly $300,000 for fire station upgrades not included in next year's budget.

Valley Center is not alone in scrambling. Clearwater, Mt. Hope, Cheney and Colwich are also working out fire service plans after Sedgwick County Fire District 1 moved to end mutual aid agreements. Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty, who attended the Aug. 18 meeting, said he understands the gravity of the decisions facing these communities but stressed the need to balance safety with affordability.

Hiring and facility renovations will not begin until after Valley Center residents weigh in on the sales tax question in November.