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District V Newsletter
from the
Office of Community Services
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A Message from Council Member
Bryan Frye...
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January always feels longer that it is. It's probably because of the cold days and long nights. I've never had a problem with February because that means spring is right around the corner. But the start of this year is different now that I'm serving as a city Councilman. There is so much going on in our community, days are just flying by.
In northwest Wichita alone there are several construction projects currently underway:
- Buffalo Park splash park & other improvements (opens in the spring)
- New Market North commercial development
- Oxford Villa Senior Living
- Cadillac Lake commercial development
- Pracht Wetlands public park @ 29th & Maize
- Estancia commercial & residential development
- American AgCredit new facility (opens this summer)
- Sunstone apartments (opens late winter/early spring)
- The Vue apartments (opens this summer)
- Maize USD 266 improvements & expansion
- Sienna Lakes & Pearl Beach residential developments
- Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley exhibit at the Sedgwick County Zoo (open in May)
- Woodchuck Bicycle Boulevard, from Benton Elementary to Sedgwick County Park (opens in spring)
Whew! That's an impressive list. Not only that, we're seeing signs of continued growth & expansion across the district. Several interested parties are working on plans and projects...from big to small and everything in between. It's very encouraging even during the dark cold days & nights of January.
Later this month, we'll introduce Gordon Ramsey as Wichita's new police chief. Be on the lookout for an invitation to meet Chief Ramsey at a District 5 meet & greet. Please join us in welcoming him and his family to our community.
In coming newsletters, I'll share information about Capital Improvement Projects continuing and/or beginning this year. Until then, stay warm and keep smiling. Spring is just around the corner!
Bryan Frye
District V City Council Member
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MEET WICHITA'S NEW HOUSING DIRECTOR - JOHN E. HALL
City Manager Robert Layton recently announced John E. Hall as the new Director of Housing and Community Services, a department that provides housing and related social services to residents who are eligible for assistance under federal guidelines.
Hall has 15 years of experience in housing and community services with governmental organizations where he has effectively used resources to produce 1,400 units of housing, develop commercial real estate, and revitalize low-to-moderate income census tracts. He currently serves as deputy director of the Office of Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C., providing program administration for federally insured and assisted projects.
As head of the City's Housing department, Hall will oversee 81 employees and a nearly $24 million budget. The Housing department supports community goals related to affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, self-sufficiency initiatives, and other social services. It uses federal funds to provide direct services and to contract with community service providers. Specifically, the department assists eligible residents with rental assistance vouchers, exterior rehabilitation grants and loans, and free paint assistance among other services. It also provides clean and safe housing to the chronically homeless.
Hall succeeds Mary Kay Vaughn who retired in October pf 2015. Since then, Mark Manning, the City's Budget Director, has been serving as interim.
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Wichita To Participate in
National Citizen Survey
C
ity of Wichita officials are seeking feedback from residents about service delivery and community priorities as part of the National Citizen Survey.
Mayor Jeff Longwell announced at his media briefing this week, beginning next week 1,400 randomly selected households will receive questionnaires that ask residents to rate a variety of local government services, such as snow removal, utility billing, parks, and fire services. Additionally, residents are asked more general questions regarding the quality of life in Wichita as well as community priorities. Results are compared to prior Wichita surveys as well as peer communities in the region. The 2016 questionnaire marks the fifth time the City has participated in the national survey.
"This is a very efficient way to measure citizen opinion," Longwell said. "Please keep in mind that this survey is one of the many ways the City is regularly reaching out to residents for their feedback. Some of the other examples include topical surveys, social media, town halls, DABs, Council meetings, workshops, and advisory boards. It's important to us that we make the effort to reach residents where they live."
Administered by National Research Center, Inc., the National Citizen Survey was designed based on the experience of hundreds of local governments. It is the only citizen survey tool endorsed by the International City/County Management Association and the National League of Cities. Scientific sampling and weighting of the responses in each city ensure accurate and reliable results. Since its 2001 inception, the survey has been administered to 350 cities and counties. Wichita participated in the survey in 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2014. Residents may provide feedback regarding budget development by emailing [email protected] .
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Citizen Police Academy taking applications
for the Spring class
Applications are being accepted for the academy that will run from February 22 to May 16, 2016.
The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is a 13-week program designed to provide a working knowledge and background of the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, and to foster a closer relationship between the agencies and the community. It provides an avenue for community involvement and provides firsthand experience of policing.
The Academy provides an opportunity for citizens to learn more about local law enforcement, ask questions, and gain a more thorough understanding of the inner workings of the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office. The Academy is also a means for participants and police personnel to share information and ideas about the police profession. The Academy provides for improved community/police relationships, enhanced cooperation, and reduced stereotyping.
Some of the topics and activities Academy attendees will participate in include:
- Patrol operations including riding assignments with a Wichita Police Officer or Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy.
- Overview of Investigations.
- Presentations by the Gang Unit.
- Wichita/Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Firearms Training Facility tour.
- Exploited and Missing Child Unit, Homicide and Robbery Investigations.
- Tours of the Wichita Police Department Crime Lab, Records Bureau, Sheriff's Crime Lab and the 911 Emergency Communications Center.
- Tour of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility including an opportunity to sample jail food.
- Overview of Community Affairs and Community Policing.
- Air Section helicopter "fly-in" and presentation.
- Traffic radar demonstration.
- SWAT Team demonstration.
- Bomb Squad demonstration.
Persons interested in attending a Citizen Police Academy must live, work, or attend school within Sedgwick County. Persons must be at least 20 years of age, have no prior felony convictions and no outstanding warrants. Applicants must provide two personal references.
The Citizen Police Academy is held at the Wichita - Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Center, 2235 W. 37th St. N. There is no cost to attend the Citizen Police Academy. Click here to fill out an application, or call 660-3810 for more information.
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2016 Neighborhood
Clean-Up Application
Now Available
Applications must be submitted by January 25
It's time to submit applications for the 2016 Neighborhood Clean-up program. If you have never applied before, all of the information is included in the application packet. Click here to access.
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WICHITA INDEPENDENT NEIGHBORHOODS, INC.
2016 ANNUAL DINNER MEETING
JANUARY 11, 2016 - 6:00 PM
GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
5002 E DOUGLAS AVE.
Angeles Ortega of the US Census Bureau will be the keynote speaker.
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Follow the Snow Plows Guide
You can see where the City of Wichita snow plow/treatment trucks are on a Google map. This
map can be zoomed and panned as usual to see what ever area you desire.
Each of the 50 vehicles has a dot and a flag that shows the unit ID number. The color of the dot indicates the status of the vehicle.
If the vehicle is moving an arrow will give the general direction of travel.
The map also shows where each truck has been for the last hour. The color of each trail has no significance. They are selected just to make it easier to distinguish the trail of one vehicle from another. You can turn the trails feature off by unchecking the box at the top right of the map. Next to the trail check box, you can click on the length of time for the trails to change it from one hour to 15 minutes or one day and then back to one hour.
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Make it a Winter to Remember!
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Get Reading, Wichita!
Take a virtual ride across Wichita as you explore new literary genres in this year's Winter Reading program. It's the Tour de Wichita!
There are more than a dozen different genres you can explore, each inspired by some of Wichita's most well-known or interesting sites. For example, you could read a sports book for Lawrence Dumont Stadium, a historical fiction for the Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum or a western for Cowtown. We hope you will have just as much fun reading the books as we did in finding locations for each genre!
The Tour begins January 4 and ends March 18. Check back later this month to see the full list of genres included in this year's Tour along with the location each was inspired by and the prizes you could win along your reading journey! Later in December you can pick up your "Tour de Wichita" map at any one of
our
eight Wichita Public Library locations.
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Exploration Place and TFA partner for the 4th consecutive year to present Smallgrass, a family-friendly film festival for the young and young at heart, on Saturday, January 16th, 2016.
Smallgrass offers a unique and affordable entertainment option for families with children of all ages, over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend, while fostering an appreciation of the communal cinema experience for the next generation.
Official Selections:
Films will be screened at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Boeing Dome Theater and Planetarium, the largest theater of its kind in Kansas. (See below for film descriptions.)
- SHORTS FOR KIDS: An Animated Shorts Program curated by Tallgrass Film Festival. (10 a.m.; Suitable for all ages, 38 min.)
- ZARAFA, a critically acclaimed animated feature film. (11 a.m.; (Recommended for ages 8+, 78 min.)
- SPACE SCHOOL: The premiere of the new dome theater show. (1 p.m, 4:30 p.m.; Suitable for all ages, 25 min.)
- THE ROCKETEER: 25th anniversary screening. (2 p.m.; Rated PG, 108 min.)
Admission also includes educational activities and access to Exploration Place exhibit areas. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.) Plus, enjoy treats from local food trucks including Sunflower Espresso from 10 a.m. - 2p.m. Sponsored by 105.3 The Buzz.
Tickets can be purchased by calling Exploration Place (316-660-0620) or at the door.
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Message and Safety Tips from
WPD Patrol West
November and December of 2015 Patrol West has had 137 vehicles stolen. Of those thefts 19 vehicles were left running unattended with the keys inside while it was warming up. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to enter a warming vehicle and drive away. Auto theft drives insurance premiums up, and many times stolen vehicles are used to commit other crimes.
Capt. Dan East offers these tips:
- Never leave your car running unattended, even to dash into a business, store, etc.
- Never leave any keys in the car or ignition, inside a locked garage, or in hide-a-key boxes.
- Always roll up your windows and lock the car, even if it is parked in front of your home.
- Always park in high-traffic, well-lighted areas, when possible;
- Install a mechanical device that locks the steering wheel, column, or brakes. These devices will deter some criminals.
- Investigate the purchase of a vehicle theft tracking/security system, especially if you own one of the frequently stolen model vehicles.
- If you must leave your key with a valet, attendant, or mechanic leave only the ignition key. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable firm.
- Copy your license plate and vehicle information (VIN) numbers on a card and keep them with you. If your vehicle is stolen, the police will need this information to take a report.
- Many vehicles today come with some type of security system from the factory. Normally there are upgraded systems available if you ask. The best choices are systems that shut off the fuel supply so that a car can't be started or driven.
If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police immediately. Call 911.
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Check out the latest information on job fairs and training courses. Click here.
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Find out about winter
Park and Recreation classes
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| Westlink Branch Library
8515 Bekemeyer
Southwest of Central and Maize
1011 N. Maize Ct. |
District V Advisory Board and Neighborhood Associations
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The District V Advisory Board meets the first Monday of the month at Fire Station #21 at 2110 N. 135th St W. Wichita, KS 672235. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. For the 2015/16 meeting schedule, click
here.
To find DAB V agendas and minutes click
here.
To see a listing of the meeting schedule for District V's neighborhood associations, click
here
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Become part of the solution and tell us what's on your mind. Visit Activate Wichita today!
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Click here to find up-to-date
information regarding street
maintenance in your area.
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Stay up-to-date on City events, announcements and headlines by reading our daily News Releases
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City Manager's Office
455 N. Main, 13 Floor
Wichita, KS 67202
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