|
City of Wichita District II Newsletter |
|
|
|
|
A Message from Council Member
Pete Meitzner...
|
Summer is winding down, last minute vacations are coming to a close, and going back to school season is upon us. While I was thinking of my message, I realized that it IS "Back to School" time. Our city is fortunate to have great school choices and school districts in Wichita and our surrounding areas. We also have the fantastic universities of Wichita State, Newman and Friends.
I want to share a fantastic jewel in our city called the Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) combined with the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT). These schools provide incredible teaching and certification programs for skills that allow individuals to get jobs and become productive immediately.
D
id you know that WATC was recently ranked #1 of all two-year colleges in the state of Kansas for highest wages earned by students graduating with an Associate of Applied Science Degree? Also, WATC is #3 of all two-year colleges in the state of Kansas for highest wages earned by students graduating with a technical certificate. The programs at WATC and NCAT allow students to get degrees and certifications as an alternative to the traditional 4-year college.
Early reports indicate an impressive increase in enrollment over last year, which indicates the value the college offers and the interest of our citizens to be a part of it. You can learn more about WATC and the
Wichita Promise at
www.watc.edu.
I want to thank all the local industries for supporting this valuable education and certification college, along with the support of Sedgwick County for their involvement in the building of the NCAT facility and their on-going financial investment in training our workforce. These important partnerships are turning challenges into opportunities that are providing lasting benefits to our community.
I hope everyone had a safe and fun summer! Best wishes for a successful school year.
Pete Meitzner
Wichita City Council
District II Council Member
Ph: 316.268.4331
|
Intelligent Transportation Systems:
Traffic Signal Evaluation/Upgrade
The Engineering section has retained two consulting firms to review existing traffic signals in various parts of the City.
Transystems will be evaluating the traffic signals on two heavily traveled arterial corridors: east Central from Hillside to 127
th Street East and Rock Road from Lincoln to 37
th Street North.
Iteris will be evaluating the traffic signal system in the Central Business District.
Both consulting firms, Engineering staff, and Traffic Maintenance staff have been collecting data (traffic volumes, existing traffic signal equipment, signal timings, etc.) at each location in recent weeks.
The consulting firms will evaluate all data collected and provide a report noting existing equipment (including photos) and recommendations for new equipment needed at each intersection. The communications backbone will also be evaluated, inventoried and updated as needed. Once the intersections have been inventoried and evaluated individually, the corridors will be modeled and traffic signal timings will be created to improve efficiency and synchronization (progression between intersections).
New timing plans are anticipated to be implemented by the end of the year along the Central and Rock Road corridors. The downtown network will include new traffic signal controllers, pedestrian push buttons, and vehicle detection, thus taking a little longer to implement new timing plans. PW&U staff anticipate downtown timing plans to be implemented in Spring 2017.
The adopted Capital Improvement Program includes yearly funding for continuation of work on the City-wide traffic signal system, including equipment upgrades, modeling and process improvements, and long-term maintenance recommendations.
|
Dog Days of Summer at College Hill Pool
Every dog has their day! Wichita Park & Recreation in partnership with the Kansas Humane Society invites pooches to wade, paddle or swim in the zero entry pool.
Chemical levels will be safe for dogs - but not humans - so people will only be able to be in the water up to their knees.
When: Monday, August 22, from 4:45 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: College Hill Pool - 304 S. Circle Drive
New for 2016: small dogs 25 lbs and under only can have their day from 4:45-5:15! Event opens for dogs of all sizes at 5:15.
Children are not allowed in the pool while dogs are swimming. All dogs must be leased when not in the pool or participating in the Long Jump Contest, Frisbee Catch or Largest/Smallest Dog contests.
A large portion of the proceeds benefit the Kansas Humane Society. Suggested donation of $10 per dog (limit of two dogs per owner).
|
New Career and Technical Education Programs at Southeast High School
New Career and Technical Education offerings will be added to Southeast when the new building opens this fall. Southeast will add two new Technical Education offerings: Agriculture - Animal Science and Plant Systems, and Manufacturing Maintenance Technician, in addition to the other CTE programs currently offered at the school. The Board of Education heard about the new programs during the June 20 meeting.
"The new building gives us a chance to have a program that we haven't been able to do before and prepare students for future careers," said Jim Means, Career and Technical Education Director.
The Agriculture program will have two pathways - Animal Science and Plant Systems. The Animal Science pathway will benefit students who are interested careers like veterinarian, vet tech, zoology, wildlife biologists, pet store owners and non-farm animal caretakers. The Plant Systems pathway will benefit students who are interested in careers like conservation scientist, retail horticulture, farm and greenhouse management, botanist and turf management. The Animal Science program will be implemented first.
The Manufacturing Maintenance Pathway is designed for students who are interested in careers like engineering technicians, maintenance technicians, facility managers, medical and manufacturing equipment repair and installers.
As the programs develop, students will have opportunities to earn college credit through the programs.
Southeast is working with WATC, Butler and Hutchinson Community Colleges to develop curriculum for the programs. A local veterinarian located near Southeast will partner with the animal science classes.
The new Southeast building will provide facility improvements for the other CTE programs currently offered, which include AV Communications and Journalism, Business Finance, Marketing, Programming and Software Development, Network Systems, Web and Digital Communications, Early Childhood Development and Services, Family and Community Services, Restaurant and Event Management, Visual Arts - Interior and Textile Design, and Engineering and Applied Mathematics.
|
Click here to stay up to date on East Kellogg construction.
|
Wichita District II Facebook Page
|
Wichita State's CEDBR launches
Economic Data Website
The Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR)at Wichita State University has launched a
new website to show detailed economic data from across Kansas. It provides automated federal updates on indices, economic indicators, demographics and employment and population forecasts.
Data can be exported, allowing users to also view historic data.
 |
|
|
Jeremy Hill, Director, Center for Economic Development and
Business Research
|
The site includes information from metropolitan areas from across the state. CEDBR Director, Jeremy Hill, says they plan to expand the site by the end of the year with data from all 105 Kansas counties.
The organization is part of WSU's W. Frank Barton School of Business and is an oft-cited source for economic data and trends.
|
Senior Wednesday
Be informed. Be entertained. Be active.
Senior Wednesdays are informational and entertaining sessions, designed for active seniors and offered by a collaboration of 12 institutions. Sponsored in part by Larksfield Place.
or
|
Beer Chatter at the
Wichita Art Museum
Friday, August 19
6 - 7 pm: Beer tastings and
bar snacks
7 pm: Presentations plus
cash bar
Have you been to WAM's Art Chatter? Then think of Art Chatter with beer for this special presentation featuring local brewers and breweries. This event was such a success in 2015, we're bringing it back for a second round. Come thirsty!
$10 for WAM Contemporaries and WAM members; $15 for the general public.
|
Register to Vote!
2:00 - 5:00 PM
Where: Rockwell Library
5939 E. 9th
|
Library to Host Local Author Day
Are you interested in learning about the depth of Wichita's writing community? Join us for Wichita Public Library's first ever
Local Author Day. Meet and talk with authors from Wichita and the surrounding area and discover your next favorite book!
If are a local author that would be interested in presenting your work at this program, please call 316-261-8580 to reserve your space today!
This program is funded in part by the South Central Kansas Library System. SCKLS serves 147 participating public libraries, school districts, academic libraries, and special libraries in twelve counties. The mission of the South Central Kansas Library System is to assist member libraries to provide excellent service to their communities.
|
Help Keep Wichita Beautiful!
Imagine Wichita without trees. It would be scary. Yet this is where we are headed. Wichita has lost 38,000 publicly owned trees in the last 15 years. The City can't keep up. Even with the City plantings, we still lose 1,700 public trees every year.
Wichita needs trees. We need to see leaves from our windows, to sit in green spaces, and to play in the shade. Trees draw us out from behind walls of brick and glass, and in coming together, neighbors forge relationships, nurture children, and build a sense of community.
ICTrees is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County area by planting a wide variety of sturdy, long lived trees in our parks, along our streets, on school and other public and private properties. Trees provide cooling shade, reduce air pollution, reduce water runoff and erosion, add value and enhance the beauty of our homes, businesses, neighborhoods and community.
Last year, they planted over 750 trees and engaged more than 400 community volunteers.
ICTrees is planning their fall plantings which will occur from mid-September through the week before Thanksgiving. They would like to plant 1,000 trees. They are looking for suitable planting locations. If you know of an organization such as a Church, Homeowners Association, Civic Club, etc. that would benefit from trees planted on their property, please encourage them to contact ICTrees.
You can email them at
[email protected] or call 316-302-6633 and someone from their organization will contact you.
|
Walkability Checklist
We KNOW it's healthy to walk. We KNOW it's neighborly to walk. What do we know about easy to walk, or safe to walk? Put yourself in the shoes of a child and walk in your neighborhood or to the closest school with the Walkability Checklist.
Walking is good for kids, and it sure is great for the rest of us too. We, the volunteers in the Pedestrian Workgroup of Bike Walk Wichita, encourage children walking to school, seniors walking to errands and church, and frankly all folks getting out most days of most weeks for their health, fresh air and neighborliness. Join us at www.bikewalkwichita.org.
|
Join us at
6:00pm on September 20 at the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport for the
first ever walk/run on the airport campus!
The Take Off To Health 1 Mile/5K Fun Run & Walk is held in conjunction with the 2016 KPHA Annual Conference and everyone is invited to participate in this festive, unique opportunity to be active and walk or run an exciting course through the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport campus (safely out of the way of flight paths!).
The cost to register is $25 and includes an inaugural event t-shirt.
The 5K Run will be timed with prizes awarded to winners in a variety of categories!
Take Off to Health General Information:
1. The race is open to any one of all ages.
2. The race starts at 6:00 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
3. The registration fee is $25.00.
4. You can participate in the race without attending the KPHA conference!
|
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.
|
KANSEL,
a non-profit organization providing adult education services in Wichita, is offering a free seven-week construction training program for interested adults who are ready for employment in construction.
The KANSEL Construction Training Program teaches basic construction skills using the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) core curriculum. Students will receive instruction in construction math, materials handling, power tools, hand tools and construction drawings. The course also includes a 10-hour OSHA safety course plus training to obtain a Class B CDL instructional permit. Following the class, KANSEL staff assists students with job placement.
"When a student completes our program we strive to get them in the construction workforce. Working with construction companies like Cornejo, Conco, Eby and Dondlinger, gives our students an outstanding chance for employment," explained Linda Eaves, Executive Director at KANSEL.
Call 316-263-9620 for more information about the next orientation meeting and class session.
|
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.
|
Check out the latest job fairs and
training courses. Click here.
|
Report An Issue
Use the smartphone app to report an issue
Wichita Report is a great tool for enabling Wichita residents to improve their neighborhood by reporting issues such as potholes, broken street lights, damaged signs, illegal dumping and more.
The reports are automatically fed into the City's work order system so that they can be tracked and assigned to service teams. Users can follow the status of their requests from their smartphone.
If you have an Apple or Android smartphone, you can download
|
Energy at Your Fingertips
When severe weather knocks your power out, the MyWestar app is the fastest way to report an outage and see an outage map with real-time information about when your power will be restored even if your computer, phone and Wi-Fi are down. With the power of the MyWestar app you can manage your account anywhere
.
- Sign up for text alerts on current and future outages
- Show outages by neighborhood, zip code, or county, and more
|
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. |
|
|
Find out
about summer
Park & Recreation classes
by
|
Stay up-to-date on City events, announcements and headlines by reading our daily News Releases
|
|
|
| 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
|
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
|
|
|
Become part of the solution and tell us what's on your mind. Visit Activate Wichita today!
|
Click here to find up-to-date
information regarding street
maintenance in your area.
|
|
 |
|
City Manager's Office
455 N. Main, 13 Floor
Wichita, KS 67202
|
Stay Connected
|
|
|
|
|
