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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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Every year, we set aside Veteran's Day, November 11, to honor all men and women who serve and defend our Country in the Armed Forces. We celebrate
veterans from past generations and we thank our future veterans who are currently serving either at home or abroad.
To all of our veterans - thank you. Thank you not only for the sacrifices you've made while defending our country but also the sacrifices you made in your own lives.
Liberty and freedom come at a price and the men and women who serve our country are willing to pay that price for our freedom and for peace. Today, we thank you, salute you, and honor you! Your bravery and commitment to our country make you the ultimate heroes and role models for future generations.
Speaking of public service, I send out my congratulations to all of the newly elected officials. This past year has been a turbulent and extraordinary time of transition with numerous elections bringing significant change to many offices. Now that the election is over, I urge all of our elected officials to find ways to come together, to bridge differences and find necessary compromises. I have learned, while serving as a City Council Member, to try to understand and simply work towards what is the right thing to do for our City. We need to leave our children and grandchildren a stronger and better city, county, state and country than we inherited.
Over the next month, there will be significant traffic flow changes along East Kellogg. Please review the information below under
East Kellogg Improvements. I know these delays are frustrating, but these improvements are crucial to best serve our community for years to come. Please be courteous to other drivers and stay alert!
Have a great weekend!
Pete Meitzner
Wichita City Council
District II Council Member
Ph: 316.268.4331
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East Kellogg Improvements
Below are the tentative dates for upcoming traffic changes on East Kellogg. Dates are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances and weather conditions.
November 21
Eastbound Kellogg will be shifted over to the newly constructed south frontage road.
Left turns onto Webb will no longer be allowed. To travel north on Webb, eastbound drivers must proceed past Webb to the signalized u-turn.
November 28
The Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) bridge over Kellogg and the KTA ramps on the north side of Kellogg will be permanently closed as crews prepare for bridge demolition. To access the KTA, westbound Kellogg must proceed to the Rock Road exit and make a u-turn onto eastbound Kellogg. Eastbound Kellogg will continue to have direct access to the KTA until mid-2017.
December 2-4
The KTA bridge will be demolished the weekend of December 2-4.
Kellogg will be closed Friday evening and reopen Monday morning before rush hour. Eastbound Kellogg will exit at Armour and will be detoured south on Rock, east on Harry, and north on Webb back to Kellogg. Westbound traffic will be detoured north on Webb, west on Central, south on Rock, west on the frontage road through Armour and back onto Kellogg. To access the KTA, traffic is advised to use KTA Exit 53 via K-96, 2 miles east of Webb.
A map showing these changes and detours can be found
here.
Click here
to stay up to date on East Kellogg construction.
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City Council Approves Expansion of
K-96/Greenwich STAR Bond District
At the Nov.1 City Council meeting, Council approved an amendment to expand the STAR Bond District near K-96 and Greenwich Rd. This is the first
step in the process of enhancing the Stryker Soccer Complex and the adjacent and previously designed Northeast Sports Complex to create a regional, multi-
sport, youth athletic complex.
Amendment of the project plan will provide the City the authority to issue additional STAR bonds to finance the expansion, if approved by the Kansas Secretary of Commerce.
The success of the adjacent indoor, multi-sport athletic facility, the Wichita Sports Forum, within the District has created and demonstrated the demand for additional multi-sport facilities in the region. The City owns the Complex, which is located directly northwest of the existing District boundaries. Proposed improvements to the Complex will improve existing multi-sports fields and will also construct a number of new baseball/softball fields to allow year-round use and create the opportunity to host regional and national sports tournaments at the Complex.
The K-96 STAR bond project has been successful in generating sales tax revenue to repay the outstanding bonds ahead of schedule. The additional revenue created by the existing and future retailers will generate sufficient sales tax to finance the improvements necessary to enhance the Complex as a regional multi-sport athletic facility.
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Wichita District II Facebook Page
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THE FOLLOWING CITY SERVICES WILL BE CLOSED IN HONOR OF
VETERANS DAY, FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER 11th
City Hall, Neighborhood Resource Centers, Wichita Public Library locations, Park & Recreation centers, Great Plains Nature Center, OJ Watson Park, Botanica Gardens, Old Cowtown Museum, Century II administrative offices, Transit administrative offices, Wichita Art Museum, CityArts, WATER Center, and Environmental Health offices.
- Wichita Transit bus service and Paratransit service will not operate on Friday.
- Mid-America All-Indian Center will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.
- The Animal Shelter will be open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.
Brooks C & D Landfill, Riverside Tennis Center and municipal golf courses are open regular hours on Friday.
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2017 Water & Sewer
Proposed Rate Changes
The City Council is considering a proposal to increase water and sewer rates next year. The proposed water rate increase of 4% and sewer rate increase of 5% are lower than the 2016 increases, which were 5.6% and 5.1% respectively. The combined increase would be 4.4%, compared to 5.4% last year. This approach is in line with the City Council's priority to reduce rate increases when possible, phase them over many years, and more fairly balance between residential, commercial and industrial customers. This allows the City to invest in its water and sewer infrastructure in a way that is mindful of the impact to ratepayers.
Wichita continues to compare favorably to other municipal utilities. Black & Veatch's 2016 50 Largest Cities Rate Survey ranked Wichita as the 10
th
lowest cost provider of mid-range residential water and sewer service. Wichita's proposed 2017 rate increases are below the national averages of 5.9% for water and 5.8% for sewer, according to the survey.
The vote is scheduled for early December. If approved, the new rates will become effective January 1, 2017.
Where Does the Money Go? Water and sewer revenue is money that comes straight from ratepayers to fund the system that provides clean drinking water and the system that collects and treats wastewater. Planned infrastructure improvements over the next 10 years account for 74% of the increased revenue needs. Some of these improvements are necessary for regulatory compliance, like projects that focus on treatment plant processes, as well as projects focused on replacing old water and sewer pipes.
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Thanksgiving Special
is Back!
November 1-23 bring a non-perishable food item to any course and receive $5 off a regular green fee or $2 off a season pass green fee!
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Suits For Soldiers
Through November 30th, Farmers Insurance is collecting gently-used suits for veterans to use in their pursuit of civilian employment. They have partnered with the VA to host a giveaway event for veterans in need. The more suits collected, the more veterans they can serve! Learn more about the program by watching this video.
Suits can be dropped off at the following locations:
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District Office
8428 W. 13th St. N., Suite 130
Wichita, KS 67212
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Matthew Agard Agency
1145 N. Andover Rd., Suite 105
Andover, KS 67002
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Holly Yip Agency
1307 W. 31st St.
Wichita, KS 67217
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Aaron Lawrence Agency
500 N. Main St., Suite 112
Newton, KS 67114
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Wichita's premier light display. With more than 1 million lights and new themed displays, we transform the gardens into a vast winter wonderland with themed light displays throughout. You've heard about it, now see it to believe it. Experience Kansas' largest holiday display. Make Illuminations your holiday tradition. It has become one of the area's premier holiday events.
Illuminations is held seven days a week, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31 (excluding Dec. 24 and 25). This is a family-friendly event that showcases Botanica's 17 acres of beautiful gardens in a completely different light.
This year the event is getting a festive facelift! More than 5,000 LED luminaries will line garden pathways, more than 150 trees will be expertly lit, and many structures will be lit with twinkling white lights. As visitors enjoy their walk through the Gardens, they will enjoy the warm glow of luminaries, the sound of electric trains traveling around pine trees, the reflections of trees on the pond, the magic of the flocked forest at Candy Cane Lane, the fragrance of chimineas, the warmth of hot cocoa and cider and the joy of live musical groups. In total, more than 1 million lights combined with nature, it creates a stunning atmosphere and a "HO, HO, HO" lot of holiday fun!
Support from special events such as Illuminations help us showcase the Gardens, maintain Botanica as one of the Midwest's leading botanical gardens and further our mission. Tickets are $8 ($7 members) for adults and $6 for youth (3-12). Advance tickets can be purchased at all area QuikTrip locations or at botanica.org. Group rates are available in advance.
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Physical Activity Lowers
Cancer Risk
When asked about how our lifestyles affect our risk of cancer, most are aware that smoking can cause lung cancer, and that sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. However, physical activity is known to lower the risk of some cancers, specifically breast cancer and colon cancer.
A new study published in 2016 also saw an association of physical activity with lower risks of 13 other varieties of cancer. This is an interesting finding which further suggests that being active is good for your health in all kinds of ways!
Choose your favorite activity, and try to spend at least 30 minutes, five days/week, doing it. Remember that walking at a moderate pace counts! Wichita has many parks, biking and walking paths. Take advantage of them!
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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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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 United Way Volunteer Center is here to help you find the right volunteer opportunity. They can match your interests and talents with the needs of more than 300 nonprofit organizations in Wichita and south central Kansas-including agencies not receiving United Way funding.
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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. |
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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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Stay Connected
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