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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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Many of you may not be aware of the efforts within our Wichita Police Department ("WPD") to address the homeless in our city. This past week, a success story was shared by local media on the effort of WPD's Homeless Outreach Team (H.O.T). Tony Billero went from living on the streets three years ago to being a home owner today.
While living in the parking lot of QuikTrip on S. Hydraulic, Billero met officers Nate Schwiethale and Danny Taylor. They helped him get back on his feet and now he is giving back to our community.
The HOT team officers work to help make the homeless successful whether its helping them get back on their medications if they have mental health issues, or refer them to substance abuse centers if needed, or give assistance in resume building and job referrals. But perhaps the most important job they are doing is building partnerships within the community to get the homeless the resources they need to make them successful. Also, recent data has shown that homeless in our Wichita community continues to decline, and the HOT team efforts have played a crucial role in this decline.
My thanks to the WPD HOT team officers for impacting and changing the lives of our homeless.
Speaking of success and impact, last Sunday, the Prairie Fire Marathon was
held on the streets of Wichita. In 2010, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission took ownership of the race, which had previously been known as the Wichita Marathon. For the first time, not only was a full marathon race offered, but also a half marathon, 5K, youth
marathon and one-mile walk. In 2013, it expanded into the spring running season offering a half marathon, 5K, Sparky's kids mile and a fun run/walk. Both the spring and fall events make up the Prairie Fire Race Series.
The race this past weekend had over 3,400 runners/walkers from 38 states and 4 foreign countries. There were over 1,050 volunteers and the impact this event had on our local economy was huge; from hotel rooms to restaurants to retail shopping.
Looking ahead,this weekend marks the
14th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival,
which runs through Oct 16
th
. This Festival draws over 15,000 attendees and features 190 films from 33 countries. At the same time, the 13
th
annual Holiday Galleria will be at Century II, and is sponsored by Wichita Junior League which always supports a great charity each year. And, next door to the Holiday Galleria, is the performance of
Wicked
. Again, Wichita is a destination for another world known production.
I don't know about you, but I don't hear people saying "there's nothing to do in Wichita" anymore.
So many great happenings in Wichita!
Pete Meitzner
Wichita City Council
District II Council Member
Ph: 316.268.4331
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East Kellogg Improvements
As the improvements to the Kellogg and Webb interchange continue, the next phase of construction extending to K-96 is now underway.
This second phase of current east Kellogg improvements will continue the six-lane freeway expansion, with an interchange at Greenwich, an overpass at Zelta, and new ramp connections to I-35 (KTA) near K-96. These new connections will provide movements for EB Kellogg to NB and SB I-35, and for SB I-35 to WB Kellogg. The project will also
include one-way frontage roads, a connection to 127th Street on the south from Zelta, and aesthetic enhancements. Bids were received on August 5, 2016 with Wildcat Construction having the low bid, at just under $91 million. A public information meeting was hosted by Public Works and Utilities, KTA and KDOT for all effected property owners on September 27, 2016. Work has begun on relocation of utilities and improvements to public water and sewer facilities. The completion date is set for November, 2021.
The east Kellogg improvement projects have had a busy history over the last 3 years, including significant changes to the original design and intent of each project. Originally, the Webb project bid on January 24, 2014 with the one submittal approximately $27 million over the engineer's estimate. Afterwards, the Secretary of Transportation, who oversees the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), approached the City with the prospect of moving the direct connections between Kellogg and I-35 that currently exist near Webb Rd further to the east near K-96. The City, KDOT and KTA partnered together to develop a plan that will ultimately benefit all users alike. A portion of the Webb project was subsequently redesigned to make the KTA connections much simpler and serve as local access to Webb. The Greenwich project was modified to accommodate new direct connections between Kellogg and I-35 near K-96, as mentioned above.
The Greenwich project was originally slated to begin after completion of the Webb improvements, which would have been sometime in 2020. This would have created approximately nine years of continuous construction on east Kellogg. However, by expediting the Greenwich project by way of the partnership with KDOT and KTA, which also provide a way to bridge the City's funding gap until 2018, east Kellogg will not only be completed years ahead of schedule, but will also be constructed at a much lower cost. This is due to construction efficiencies that are possible with having both projects under construction at the same time and by avoiding years of price inflation.
Click here
to stay up to date on East Kellogg construction.
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Wichita District II Facebook Page
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UnpredICTably Amazing
In an impromptu gesture, a group of millennials decided to take it upon themselves to help market the city of Wichita to other millennials through the form of an infographic they titled
UnpredICTably Amazing.This group said they were tired of people bagging on their city and they wanted to show off how proud they are to call Wichita home. They chose to highlight their favorite aspects about Wichita that
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speak to them as young professionals. Their hope is that it will convince other millennials - from all over the nation - to look at Wichita differently.
This infographic debuted at the Pride-in-Place session (hosted by the Greater Wichita Partnership) Thursday, October 13, 2016.
The following Millennial creative teammates at Sullivan Higdon & Sink (SHS) came together as a group to demystify the idea that Wichita is not a city for young professionals:
Meg Stessman
Mike McCoy
Jamil Malone
Austin Hillard
Jason Comerford
#ILOVEWICHITA
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Library Wins Award for Customer Experience
The City of Wichita is proud to announce the Wichita Public Library was selected as the Top Innovator in an award from the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) for its efforts in providing excellent customer service.
The ULC recently recognized 20 public libraries from across the United States and Canada as Top Innovators for programs, services and operating practices that have made a significant impact on those they serve and their communities. The Wichita award, presented during an Awards Celebration on October 6, recognized the "Wichita Public Library Creates Raving Fans" project as the most outstanding innovation in the customer experience award category. Wichita's project was selected over award nominations from libraries in communities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, and San Antonio.
"Today's public libraries are thought leaders, educational institutions and technology centers that play a critical role in building and strengthening the fabric of their communities," said Susan Benton, Urban Libraries Council (ULC) President and CEO. "This year's top innovators and honorable mentions truly illustrate the commitment that public libraries have to their communities to create programs and services that promote continuous education and career advancement in the knowledge economy."
Award winners were chosen by a panel of expert judges who considered nearly 270 submissions in 10 categories that supported U.S. and Canadian public library programs focused on education, digital inclusion, healthy communities and library operations.
The "Wichita Public Library Creates Raving Fans" project focused on the work of the Circulation section and Customer Service Division to approach service from a user experience point of view, developing new processes to help customers get what they want or need.
"Our staff work to make our libraries welcoming spaces for our community," said Cynthia Berner, Director of Libraries. "We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in providing the excellent service Wichitans have come to expect from the Library."
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New Online City Garage Sale
Permitting System
The City of Wichita has launched a new online garage sale permitting system designed to make it easier to do business with local government. Just visit
www.wichita.gov
, look for the garage sale sign icon in the middle of the page, and click. Set up an account by entering an email address and create a private password. Apply for a permit or search the City's garage sale permit "ads" and locations.
City government issues more than 5,000 garage sale permits a year. The new system will allow users to add information about each sale, including what merchandise is offered at the sale (e.g. tools, books, clothing, furniture, etc.). Users can create a "classified" ad about their sale to be carried on the City's website. The information will be available for free to anyone with Internet access. A Google map will pinpoint the location of each garage sale and a report can be printed listing each sale. The information for a sale may even include up to five photograph images that can be uploaded with the ad.
There is no additional cost to advertise on the website. The $2.50-a-day cost of the permit includes the inclusion of each garage sale's advertisement on the website. Users searching for garage sales pay nothing.
The new online system comes at a good time. Dillon's grocery stores discontinued selling garage sale permits from customer service counters on Jan.1. Since then, residents have had two options: go to the Express Office Business Licensing window on the 1st floor of City Hall or purchase a permit at The Wichita Eagle. The new system is more convenient.
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Neighborhood Nuisance Reporting
October 10, City officials temporarily disabled the online portal for residents to report neighborhood nuisance issues such as illegal dumping and tall grass and weeds due to the technical issues. A vendor has been working to resolve the issues, but there is not yet an estimated timeframe for resolution.
Residents are encouraged to report neighborhood nuisance problems via phone or email due to technical difficulties with the online portal. To submit a report, please call the main number (660-9220). A voicemail can be left if the call is made after business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"Residents are reporting intermittent issues with the online tool to submit neighborhood complaints," said Deb Legge, Manager of the Neighborhood Nuisance Division in the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department. "City-County staff has decided to disable the tool until these issues can be resolved. We are working closely with the vendor to resolve the issue as soon as possible."
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Wicked Island at Watson Park is OPEN
and More Wicked Than Ever!
Open: 8:00PM - 11:30PM, Fridays & Saturdays,
Sept. 30 - Oct. 29 & Halloween night.
Admission: $20 for adults/$15 for kids 12 & under.
Visit their
for more info!
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OCTOBER"FEAST"
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Senior Wednesdays are always fun and there is something different to do; someone new to meet. There are also many senior activity centers in Wichita and the surrounding areas, so be informed. Be entertained. Be active.
To see the upcoming events for October's Senior Wednesdays,
read more...
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Walktober is a free, community-wide physical activity initiative, encouraging you to engage in the recommended 30 minutes of activity five or more days of the week and walking is a perfect way to meet that goal.
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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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Volunteer's Needed!
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is looking for individuals to assist with free tax preparation so families and individuals with low to moderate income get the benefits they need. Positions include greeters, interpreters and preparers. Training provided, flexible hours (January through April), and multiple site locations available.
Contact United Way of the Plains in Wichita by calling 211 to volunteer or get more information.
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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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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
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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. |
Vote Like a Mother!
The Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita and other community partners want you to be the example for the future generation!
The goal of Vote Like A Mother is to educate members of the community on all things voting - where to vote, when to vote, how to register to vote, what options are available for voting, where election information can be found, and more. Our goal is for people to have NO barriers that prevent them from participating in local, state and national elections and voting opportunities.
Visit their Facebook page for more information!
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Fall 2016
Park & Recreation Activities Guide is now available!
Get registered for 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 2016 meeting schedule, click
here
The District II Breakfast occurs quarterly. The next breakfast is scheduled for
Dec. 3 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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