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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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The adopted 2015-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) provides a 10-year capital budget for infrastructure, parks, and facility improvements to our community's livability. The adopted CIP is also aligned with key strategic priority areas identified by the city council, including protecting life and property; investing in transportation and other infrastructure; and supporting a sustainable and livable community. Over the next several weeks, I'm going to share information on various projects and proposals. This week topics are street maintenance and the Advanced Learning Library.
Residential street improvements are a community priority. And with over 5,000 lane miles to maintain, it's a very expensive matter. After careful evaluation of best practices, best materials, and most efficient uses of our tax money, a very thorough street maintenance plan for 2016 was unanimously approved at Tuesday's Council meeting. It is important to realize there is a big difference in materials and costs when evaluating concrete roads (many miles built years ago) versus asphalt roads (which are primarily our arterial main roads). Also consideration to storm water run-off and other infrastructure is important to evaluate. We have linked the list of roads in District V that are scheduled for repair and resurfacing during the coming year. Also, there is a link that explains in detail the evaluation process and materials used in various road maintenance projects throughout the City. While we can't fix every road, we are making significant progress on more lane miles than ever before.
The downtown library has been a topic of community conversation for many years now. In fact, it's been included in the CIP since 2007. Design of the Advanced Learning Library is currently underway and hopefully you've seen some of the architect renderings. The $30 million general obligation at-large funded project is included for construction in 2016 and 2017 and is tentatively scheduled to be heard by the council in February.
As with all projects involving your tax dollars, my questions about the Advanced Learning Library focus on three priorities -
1) Does it reflect the needs of the present & future citizens?
2) Does it maximize return on community investment?
3) Is it sustainable and financially responsible?
Completion of a new downtown library may create opportunities for improving or revising the library branch network. However, the currently adopted CIP does not include funding for this future effort. The proposed Advanced Learning Library represents an important point in our community's livability. I welcome your input about it and any other CIP projects.
Bryan Frye
District V City Council Member
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INTRUST BANK ARENA RANKED AS 35th BUSIEST
ARENA IN THE U.S. IN YEAR-END RANKINGS
The SMG-managed INTRUST Bank Arena finished as the 35th busiest arena in the United States and 73rd in the world in Pollstar Magazine's 2015 Year-End Top 200 Arena Rankings. Rankings are based on tickets sold worldwide for shows played between 1/1/15 and 12/31/15.
"2015 was an incredible year for INTRUST Bank Arena," said A.J. Boleski, SMG General Manager.
"In addition to celebrating the milestone of our 5th Anniversary which included a 5th Anniversary Concert Series, we successfully hosted our first ever rap and hip hop concert in conjunction with Power 93.5 featuring Lil Wayne and our first ever pop concert featuring Ariana Grande. Rounding out the year with six record-breaking Garth Brooks concerts was the perfect ending to this landmark year. We are extremely appreciative of the continual support from the entire community as we strive to bring a diverse lineup of events to our state-of-the-art facility."
Additionally, INTRUST Bank Arena has hosted 13 of the Top 100 Tours, including Foo Fighters, Fleetwood Mac, Def Leppard, Ariana Grande, Garth Brooks, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Cirque du Soleil, Winter Jam, The Harlem Globetrotters and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Upcoming events at INTRUST Bank Arena include Monster Jam (Jan. 15-16), PBR (Jan. 30), The Harlem Globetrotters (Feb. 6), Barry Manilow (Feb. 19), Brad Paisley (Feb. 25) and more. For a full list of upcoming events, please visit www.intrustbankarena.com
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$1 Million Gift from
Naftzger Fund for Fine Arts
The Wichita Public Library Foundation announced a $1 million gift from the Naftzger Fund for Fine Arts as part of its "Margin of Excellence Campaign" to build Wichita's proposed new Advanced Learning Library.
"The Naftzger family has a history of supporting community projects," said Wichita Public Library Foundation Chairman Don Barry. "We are grateful that Caesar and Michelle Naftzger are making this substantial investment in Wichita's new Advanced Learning Library. Their commitment to building an ever greater more vibrant Wichita community cannot be overstated. They believe in this great city."
"The Wichita Public Library is one of our city's most treasured assets," said Caesar Naftzger. "Libraries continue to play important roles in supporting lifelong learning and engagement with art, music and literature. This gift will contribute to the modernization program and will ensure that our community is well served by its public library for decades to come. We are pleased to play a small role in making the Advanced Learning Library a reality."
Caesar Naftzger is the son of the late John and Elsie Naftzger of Wichita. He is the President/Owner of Riedl First Securities Company of Kansas. The Naftzger Fund for Fine Arts was established by Caesar's grandfather, M.C. Naftzger, in 1956 and is managed by Southwest National Bank as Trustee. Caesar and his wife, Michelle, have two children.
The Naftzger Family has a long commitment to the City of Wichita and has made generous gifts over the years for the benefit of its citizens, including: Naftzger Memorial Park located at 102 South St. Francis, a collection of Charles M. Russell works at the Wichita Art Museum, preservation of the Covey Mural from the City Carnegie Library depicting the "Spirit of Kansas" (currently displayed at the Southwest National Bank 400 E. Douglas), the Annual Naftzger Young Artists Auditions at Wichita State University and the Lee Southwell Naftzger II Scholarships at Wichita State University, Friends University and Newman University.
"This gift is a wonderful demonstration of Naftzger's commitment to the future of Wichita. The vision of this project depends on those who cherish the advancement of education, opportunity and preservation of our collective community history," said Library Campaign Chairperson, Mary Lynn Oliver.
The Advanced Learning Library Capital Campaign serves to augment the City's $30 million investment in what is being called "a community keystone project." The campaign has secured $5.5 million toward its $8 million goal.
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Community
Needs Survey
Every three years, United Way of the Plains conducts a Community Needs Assessment to help in making funding decisions. Local nonprofit and government agencies use the information to better fulfill their missions. Via Christi Health and the Sedgwick County Health Department are also partnering in this Community Needs Assessment to help their organizations make informed decisions.
We want to hear from you. What do you see are the most pressing social and health needs of our community? Let us know by taking the survey here. Your input will be considered along with surveys of random households and community leaders (businesses, nonprofits and government agencies).
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Wichita Street Safety Education Initiative
The City of Wichita is working on a Street Safety Education Initiative to develop a strategy for future safety outreach efforts. The project has identified the top ten priority behaviors for the City to focus on and campaign icons. Check out the project webpage for more information.
More info...
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Christian Brothers Automotive Now Open!
Christian Brothers Automotive, at 10080 W. 29th St. W, celebrated their recent opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony organized by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Council Member Bryan Frye was on hand to welcome owner, Jesse Schemm, to the community.
Christian Brothers Automotive was founded more than 30 years ago with one simple idea in mind: provide customers with auto repair services they could trust. The brand quickly found a following that is hungry for honest, genuine service, and has enjoyed impressive growth ever since. From one location in 1982 to 100 in 2012, Christian Brothers Automotive is gearing up to reach the 200-store milestone by 2017.
Wichita is the brand's next stop on this journey, and Jesse Schemm is taking the wheel in the region to help vehicle owners experience the Christian Brothers Automotive nice difference. Schemm opened his doors on November 23rd at 10080 West 29th Street North.
Schemm was a service manager at the Ford store in Goodland, KS for nearly five years when he started looking for service manager jobs in the Kansas City area. During his research, he stumbled upon the Christian Brothers Automotive store in Liberty. With his prior automotive experience and strong faith, his passion for people and cars seemed to be a natural fit for Christian Brothers. Schemm is planning to be a major part of the community by partnering with local schools and businesses as well as an active member of the Wichita Chamber of Commerce.
Mark Carr, president and CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive, expressed his excitement at welcoming Jesse Schemm to the family."Our customers know what to expect when they walk into a Christian Brothers Automotive, including a clean and comfortable waiting area, a friendly and attentive staff that is willing to go above the call of duty, and automotive technicians who understand our customers are the boss," Carr said. "Christian Brothers Automotive has succeeded because we've transformed how people view the auto repair experience, and we know Jesse Schemm will carry on our commitment to superior service."
The cornerstone of Christian Brothers Automotive is quite simple: Treat others as you wish to be treated. By following this straightforward guideline, the franchise has garnered glowing reviews from consumers who once dreaded visiting a repair shop.
Based on customer ratings of all Christian Brothers Automotive repair franchises, the vast majority of customers have expressed satisfaction with everything from ease of scheduling appointments and receiving friendly service to the cleanliness of the locations and quality of work performed. It's why 98 percent of customers said they would return to a Christian Brothers Automotive facility in the future, and why 97 percent said they would recommend a facility to a friend.
"No matter who you are, you should expect to be treated fairly when you bring your vehicle into a shop," Carr said. "It's a simple thing, but an important thing, and we're thrilled to be able to share our dedication to customer service and trustworthy repair work with the good people of Wichita."
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Wichita Restaurant Week starts
Jan. 22,
offers three-course specials
The third Wichita Restaurant Week, a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of South Central Kansas, invites diners to visit a
list of 25 local restaurants. At ea
ch one, they'll find special menus, most offering three-course meals for a single price. The meals range from $9 for lunch at Molino's to $35 for dinner at Wine Dive.
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Networking at Noon
Noon to 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 26
GLMV Architecture (1525 E. Douglas)
The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce is bringing back
this popular networking event in 2016!
Designed with their members' busy schedules in mind, you can stop in for
a bite to eat and an hour of making contacts before heading to afternoon appointments. Cost to attend this members-only event is $10.
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Wichita Film Series Returns for 30th Year:
Library Presents Academy Award® Shorts
This year marks the 30th year the Wichita Public Library will screen Academy Award short subject films, free and open to the public. Since 1986 the Library has annually previewed the short films nominated in the animated, live action and documentary categories. Wichita is one of the first in the nation to provide a way for the community to see these films.
The Library will provide opportunities at various times, dates and locations for people to see the films in advance of the live televised broadcast of the Academy Awards on Sunday, February 28. Screenings of the films in all shorts categories will happen on Saturday, February 20 at the Orpheum and also on Saturday, February 27 at the 21st Street Warren Theatre, both starting at 10:00 a.m. Between February 21 and 25, the Library will host 6 other screenings at the Central Library and four of its branch libraries.
To qualify as a short subject for Academy Award consideration, films must be less than 40 minutes in running time (including all credits). Shorts are typically not rated and may not be suitable for all audiences. Some nominated films may not be available for screening due to rights limitations.
The full schedule of Academy Award screenings can be found on the Library's event calendar at www.wichitalibrary.org.
All Categories:
- 10:00 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway Ave.
- 10:00 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, Warren Theatre, 9150 W. 21st St.
Documentary Category:
- 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24, Central Library, 223 S. Main
- 1:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 25, Rockwell Library, 5939 E. 9th
Live-Action and Animated Categories:
- 1:15 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21, Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian
- 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer
- 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24, Central Library, 223 S. Main
- 4:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 25, Evergreen Branch Library, 2601 N. Arkansas
For more information about the Wichita Public Library's Academy Award® Shorts programs, please contact the Art, Music and Video section at (316) 261-8506 or visit the Library's website, www.wichitalibrary.org.
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Life Happens Here!
From year-round to seasonal events, Downtown is the preferred location for Wichita to celebrate throughout the year. A variety of events cater to the diverse interests of Wichita residents and many visitors from Kansas and throughout the regional area.
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The Heath & Wellness Coalition of Wichita is now accepting registrations for the 2016 Think Tank series. Think Tank is designed to motivate wellness professionals to dig deep to uncover what success means for a worksite wellness program. Participants will network with other human resource and health promotion professionals to explore solutions for challenging issues surrounding health in the workplace.
This year's Think Tank series will be four sessions and healthy lunch is included in the cost of registration. The cost of the four-session series is $60 and individual sessions are $20. All sessions will be held in the Community Room at the Downtown YMCA located at 402 North Market. The 2016 Think Tank series will meet from 11:30am - 1:00pm on February 16, April 19, June 21, and October 18.
If you prefer to pay by check, please send the completed registration form and check to Shelley Rich at Health ICT, 1102 South Hillside, Wichita, KS 67211.
If more than one person is attending from your worksite, please make sure that each person attending registers in order to ensure an accurate count for lunch!
Registration deadline is February 9.
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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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Check out the latest information on job fairs and training courses. Click here.
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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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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.
Questions? Call 268-4197 or e-mail Rebecca Fields at [email protected]
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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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