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City of Wichita District II Newsletter |
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A Message from Council Member
Pete Meitzner...
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This week's newsletter finds us
in the middle of May. There's been plenty of rain and everything is green; school is ending and my congratulations to all the graduating high school, college, community college, and WATC students.
As many of you know, serving on the Wichita City Council is officially a "part-time job" which requires most of us to still have other jobs or incomes. My "other job" requires occasional travel
and this week I was in our nation's capital, Washington, DC. I
had a chance to visit with Congressman Mike Pompeo, and
Senator Jerry Moran, while also meeting with Senator Pat Roberts' staff, and with the senior management of Amtrak. I am proud to share with you that these individuals are aware and supportive of Wichita. And, they recognize the importance of Wichita in Kansas and value what we contribute as the largest city in our State.
Locally, I am hopeful, excited and encouraged that we will soon
be teaming with Sedgwick County to build a joint Law Enforcement  Training Center. For the past 30 years, our police and sheriff personnel have been using a "temporary" and abandoned grade school. The commitment to build a new training facility has
been planned for years, most recently with serious input from
both the Wichita Police and Sedgwick County Sheriff's Departments. When
I first became aware of this in my first year
of service 5 years ago, this project was estimated at $30 Million (split 50-50 between City and County). Through careful re-evaluation by the City and County
law enforcement groups, the right-sized project today is estimated at less than $10 million.
This $20 million in savings is a very positive financial decision, while assuring a fantastic training center for the next 50 years. I am hopeful this City and County commitment to our local law enforcement will be confirmed in the coming days.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week
 in which that date falls as Police Week. During National Police Week, we honor all law enforcement officers who serve our
country, our communities, and our citizens. I encourage each of you to remember and honor the men and women who are called
to serve in law enforcement, and pay tribute to those (including their families) who made the ultimate sacrifice. We owe them so much, as they serve on the front lines and protect our nation and communities each day.
Enjoy the wonderful spring weather and be watchful for all the students who are out of school.
Have a good weekend!
Pete Meitzner
Wichita City Council
District II Council Member
Ph: 316.268.4331
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Click here to stay up to date on East Kellogg construction.
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Wichita District II Facebook Page
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City Fleet Operations Named a "Notable Fleet" by the American Public Works Association (APWA) & Government Fleet Magazine
The City's fleet section in Public Works & Utilities was recently recognized by the American Public Works Association (APWA) and Government Fleet magazine. The fleet section maintains nearly 2,400 vehicles and pieces of equipment for all departments other than Airport and Transit. This includes police patrol vehicles, fire apparatus, heavy equipment, light/medium vehicles and small equipment like chainsaws and mowers. Wichita's fleet section
was recently named as a "Notable Fleet" as part of the 2016 Leading Fleets program. Each year, the APWA and Government Fleet magazine recognize the top 50 fleet shops in the country - these comprise the Leading Fleet award recipients. They also name "Notable Fleets" that fall outside of the Top 50 but deserve recognition for their efforts and accomplishments. According to APWA and Government Fleet, recognized fleets such as Wichita's are "performing at a high level, particularly in fleet leadership, competitiveness and efficiency, planning for the future, and overcoming challenges."
There is one significant initiative ongoing in the fleet section aimed at planning for the future. This involves a comprehensive management study being completed by WSU and the development of a decision support tool to minimize total lifecycle costs while maintaining service levels. These projects are identifying how
the fleet section can optimize its replacement intervals and maintenance/repair activities to minimize costs over 30 years.
There will also be findings about customer communications and governance structures to better engage fleet users in annual planning. The fleet section is moving toward a more business-based approach to management, and the WSU study will provide
a blueprint for how to get there. The report is being finalized,
and staff is planning to present the findings in a City Council workshop at the end of June.
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Counterfeit Money Showing up at
Garage Sales
According to the Wichita Police Department, counterfeit money is being used at local garage and yard sales. It was advised that if you are having any type of sale that takes cash, that you purchase a counterfeit money detector pen. These can be purchased at office supply stores for usually around $12.00 and can save you possibly hundreds.
Last year KAKE News reported this problem, too, so be on the lookout for these fakes.
Police say not to put yourself in any danger, but if you can write down a description of the suspect and a vehicle tag and description of the vehicle, call 911 and report immediately.
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Spring Cleaning?
The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility is a place Sedgwick County residents can dispose of old chemicals and household hazardous waste free of charge. It offers a way to get rid of old chemicals and materials to help prevent them from getting into the waste stream and polluting the environment.
Where is the HHW facility located?
801 Stillwell
Wichita, KS 67213
(316) 660-7458
South of Kellogg off of Seneca (at the corner of Osage and Stillwell)
What are the HHW facility's hours?
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays
CLOSED SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS
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Saturday, May 14th marks the 24th anniversary of the
National Association of Letter Carriers' Stamp-Out Hunger Food-Drive.
Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers
across the country collect food donations. These donations
go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people
most in need. The food drive's time is crucial, as food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the holidays. By springtime, many pantries are
depleted, entering summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available
to children in need.
When giving, please consider providing healthy options. Food insecurity often means that healthy choices are out of reach. When filling your bag for your letter carrier, please select canned fruit in juice, not syrup; low-sodium canned soups and vegetables; tuna in water, not oil; brown rice and whole-grain pasta.
Participating in the Letter Carriers' Stamp-Out Hunger Food-Drive is simple by leaving non-perishable food donations in a bag by your mailbox on May 14th and your letter carrier will
do the rest. I invite the entire community to join in a great
day of giving and help in the fight to end hunger.
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Park & Recreation Summer Classes
Online registration began Monday, May 9, and classes start the week of June 6 unless otherwise noted.
View the online catalog and
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1. Attend any Wichita Park & Recreation class, athletic
league or special event and take your best selfie!
2. Follow @WichitaParkandRec on Instagram.
3. Post your selfie using #ICTSummerSelfie .
4. Be sure to check often and "like" your favorite photos.
5. The photo with the most likes will be featured in the 2016
Fall Activities Guide.
Winner will be notified on August 1st through Instagram.
All photos are subject to City of Wichita guidelines and will be removed if in violation.
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Help Celebrate Bike Month this May!
There are many different activities for you to enjoy. Follow
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Wichita Public Library Announces
Summer Reading Program
The Wichita Public Library announces that the 2016 Summer Reading Program will begin May 25. This annual program for area youth regularly enrolls more than 10,000 children and teens who commit to reading throughout the summer months.
The Summer Reading Program was designed to fight the "summer brain drain" that causes children to suffer a measurable learning loss over their summer break from school. Research shows that students who don't engage in learning over the summer get lower test scores.
The program has three tiers to address different age ranges of participants. Youth entering grades 6 through 12 will enroll in the Teens Read portion of the program and children ages 3 through
the 5th grade will participate in the Kids Read portion. The
kids and teens in these programs will track how many days they read for at least 20 minutes. Parents with babies and toddlers under the age of three can enroll in the
Baby Bookworm program, which provides learning activities that promote early
literacy skills.
Parents can enroll their children at any of the eight Libraries
across Wichita. Printed reading logs will be available for children and parents to track their reading. And for
the first time, this year parents and children can enroll in the program as well as
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Summer travel season is almost here. If you're planning to catch a flight out of Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to a place where you don't know the language, you can quickly learn the basics with a FREE language software program!
http://wichitalibrary.org/Research#m
Mango Languages is a great interactive, online learning tool - and all you need to access it is your Wichita Public Library card. ¡muy bien!
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2016 Walk at Work Day
Walk at Work Day has been celebrated in Sedgwick County on
the third Wednesday in May since 2006. This year the Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita, along with multiple partner organizations, plan to continue the tradition. Join us on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 as we encourage employees to boost their energy with a walk!
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2016 Working Well Award Applications
T
he Working Well Award is sponsored by the Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita and has been established locally since 2005. This community award is a local grassroots award that does not require purchase of products or advertising. The
winner is selected by local professionals.
Award Categories
This year, area businesses will have the opportunity to apply for one of four award categories:
Small Business Award (1-100)
Medium Business Award (101-500)
Large Business Award (501 & up)
Byron Stout Passion for Wellness Award
Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 27.
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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 City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, in partnership with the Wichita Workforce Center and KANSASWORKS, will be hosting a Public Safety Job Fair.
Date: Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
Time: 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Location:
Wichita Workforce Center
2021 N Amidon, Suite 1100
Wichita, KS 67203
Details: Mult
iple employers will be recruiting for various levels of public
safety positions. Some positions include, but are not limited to:
- Law Enforcement / Police Officers
- Corrections / Probation Officers
- Firefighters
- EMS / Paramedic
- Emergency Dispatch
Currently Registered Employers:
- City of Wichita
- Sedgwick County
- City of Derby
- City of Andover
- City of Bel Aire
- City of Arkansas City
- Sumner County
- City of Hutchinson
- City of Newton
- City of Dodge City
- City of Liberal
Instructions: Please have applicants register for a KANSASWORKS plus account on KANSASWORKS.com prior to the event. Applicants are encouraged to bring copies of resume and dress appropriately.
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Riverfest 2016 Needs You!
Mark your calendars now for Riverfest 2016 June 3-11 . We will need lots of Volunteers for Button Sellers, Paddle Boats, Kansas Health Foundation RiverRun, Parde, Welcome Centers, and more!
Why should you Volunteer?
- Volunteers receive a special Collector's Cloisonne Volunteer Pin. Your 'free ticket' to Riverfest
- Special invitation to our Volunteer Appreciation Party
- Build pride in your community
- Connect with 300,000 of your closet friends
- Get to work behind the scenes of the biggest party of the year
- Great team-building for businesses and groups
- Churches and Schools get those volunteer hours all in one session
- Perfect exposure for businesses! Wear your logo apparel and have over 300,000 people see your business
- Pride in the community that you live in!
- Lots of shifts to fit different days and schedules
- First 300 Volunteers get a Free Riverfest Volunteer Shirt
More info and to sign up visit the
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Every summer the Wichita Public Library provides a great way
for teens to learn new skills and receive volunteer time. More
than a hundred teenagers are needed to help us with our Summer Reading Program. The volunteer program requires at least a
6-week commitment, and openings are available at all of the Library locations across Wichita.
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JOBS are here in Wichita!
The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce is proud to offer a job board with local, Wichita area, jobs only! A free service for job seekers, it will save you the time of searching through dozens of jobs outside of the area. Create a
free account here and you will be automatically signed up for all Wichita area updates and can customize the search further if you wish.
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Check out the latest job fairs and
training courses. Click here.
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Don't be Left in the Dark!
Help deter crime and keep our communities safe by reporting street light outages. If you notice outages within your neighborhood, fill out this simple form on Westar Energy's website. |
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Find out
about summer
Park & Recreation classes
by
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Stay up-to-date on City events, announcements and headlines by reading our daily News Releases
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| Comotara Branch Library
Inside Dillons Market, 2244 N. Rock
Rockwell Branch Library 5939 E. 9th Eastview Park Just South of Coleman Middle School Boston Park 6655 E. Zimmerly St. Cottonwood Park Located just East of Boston Park W.B. Harrison Park Located East of S. Webb, just South of E. Bayley St. |
District II Advisory Board and Neighborhood Associations
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The District II Advisory Board meets the second Monday of the month at Fire Station #20 at 2255 S. Greenwich Rd. Wichita, KS 67207. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. For the 2015 meeting schedule, click
here
The District II Breakfast occurs the first Saturday of even months. The Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. at The Regent Senior Living Residence at 2050 N. Webb Rd. (In the theater on the second floor)
To find DAB II agendas and minutes click
here
To see a listing of the meeting schedule for District II'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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City Manager's Office
455 N. Main, 13 Floor
Wichita, KS 67202
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