Elected officials in Kansas’ five largest counties have the numbers. Now they’re looking to use them.

Officials from Johnson, Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Shawnee and Douglas counties are working together under a new name: the Urban Counties Consortium.

By collectively representing more than half of the state’s population and more than half of the state’s total property valuation, coalition members figure their combined opinions could carry substantial weight at the Statehouse.

Charles Jones, chairman of the Douglas County Commission, met with coalition members in February. He discussed the need for imposing fees on wireless phones to boost 911 services, and the desire to push for another district judge that would relieve pressure on the county’s overburdened judicial district.

Jones finally found himself sets of sympathetic ears, and as the session wore on state officials and legislators took steps toward making the county’s needs a priority.

He expects such results to become increasingly common as the group continues its work.

“We’re kindred counties, and we’re trying to see if we can work together more effectively,” Jones said.

The efforts began in 2003. Bob Johnson, then commission chairman, met with leaders from four other counties to establish the consortium.

Johnson gave up his consortium seat to Jones at the beginning of this year, when Jones was elected commission chairman. Also serving on the consortium with Jones:

• Annabeth Surbaugh, chairwoman of the Johnson County Commission.
• Tom Winters, chairman of the Sedgwick County Commission.
• Carol Marinovich, mayor and chief executive officer of the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kan., and Wyandotte County.
• Ted Ensley, chairman of the Shawnee County Commission.

All five members understand that there is strength in numbers, but leaders are being careful not to assert their numerical advantages too forcefully.

The idea is to support the support the positive aspects of their plans, Surbaugh said, not attack the inevitable opponents.

“I don’t want it to be, ‘We’ve got this many votes, and they’ve got to listen to us,’ ” Surbaugh said. “I don’t want it to be a power play. The guy that carries a big stick sometimes doesn’t win. I want this to be a collaborative effort, learning from one another. …

“It’s the day of the soft sell, not the big stick. I don’t really want a big stick. I’ve found a soft sell works a lot better.”

And the consortium isn’t limiting its role to being a lobbying force in Topeka, even in the background. Surbaugh foresees county officials using the consortium as a vehicle for sharing their expertise on a variety of topics, such as building alternative jails or using computer software to streamline tax collections.

“It’s a collaborative effort,” Surbaugh said. “We’ll see where it collaborates.”