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City of Wichita District V Newsletter |
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A Message from Council Member
Bryan Frye...
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Last night, I attended the Maize All District 5th Grade Band Concert. My son is a first-year trumpet player and together with 200 of his peers they performed 14 songs. As you might expect, I was an extremely proud parent and enjoyed every single note. Hearing these young performers put together a highly enjoyable concert inspired me for this week's article.
Making Wichita the best community it can be is very much like the Maize Band Concert. It takes a lot of different instruments working together to be successful. A perfect example is last Tuesdays city council meeting. On our agenda were items related to community safety, water/sewer infrastructure, economic development and quality of life. Taken collectively, these issues position Wichita for a safer, stronger future filled with exciting entertainment and recreation options.
A couple of highlights:
Council approved the issuance of $62.5 million in IRBs which will allow improvements to be made to a massive hanger formerly occupied by Boeing. Spirit will lease this building and update its roof, cranes, freight elevators, cooling towers and air compressor systems. The proceeds will also pay for other renovations, including for offices and manufacturing. The renovated facility will house 48 new Spirit employees. Much thanks to Spirit for their continued investment in Wichita.
Starting January 1st, Wichitans will see a small increase in their water & sewer rates. This adjustment is necessary to fund much needed capital projects to the system. Without these improvements, infrastructure would continue to deteriorate and worsen over time. By being proactive with maintenance and upgrades, we stay ahead of expensive failures.
Water rates will rise 4 percent and sewer rates 5 percent for a combined increase of 4.4 percent, generating approx. $6.3 million in revenue. The impact on a small residential consumer using 3,750 gallons a month will be an increase of $1.85 and an increase of $4.73 for a residential customer using 15,000 gallons.
Even with these increases, Wichita still falls well below the rates of comparison cities:
The Council voted to expand two STAR bond districts to allow for further development improvements; the K-96/Greenwich corridor and the downtown river-area. STAR bonds allow the city to borrow money to facilitate development and pay back the debt with future increases in sales tax income from the district.
K-96/Greenwich has quickly become a destination experience. Through future expansion of the STAR bond district, improvements can be made to the Stryker Sports Complex. These improvements would involve replacing 10 of the 12 grass fields with artificial turf, adding lighting and improving locker rooms. The STAR bonds will also aid in the development of DRIV, a golf entertainment complex.
The downtown river-area STAR Bond district is very exciting as it will breathe new life into the west bank of the river between Douglas & Maple with the primary focus being Lawrence Dumont Stadium. We don't yet know whether enough money will be generated by the STAR bond district to pay for a completely new stadium or only enough to renovate. We should know more by years' end.
Just like the Maize Band Concert, we won't always hit all the right notes, but we can make beautiful music when we all work together. I believe quality of life is what defines a community. If people don't want to live, visit or move here, it will be difficult to grow and prosper Wichita. And to use the band metaphor, we can always use more cowbell.
Bryan Frye
District V City Council Member
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Getting to Know DAB V:
Alissa Unruh
Alissa Kamp Unruh has lived in Wichita since she was 17 years old. She moved here to study International Business and German at Wichita State University in 1983, where she met her husband Dan Unruh, (now married for over 28 happy years). Alissa graduated in 1987 and has been a proud Wichitan ever since.
Growing up as the child of an Air Force officer, Alissa lived in more areas than most children could ever imagine. In third grade alone she moved three times including a move to Germany. This lifestyle helped her understand the importance of making the most of every moment. Alissa believes in the motto "work hard play hard". Alissa considers Wichita to be the most amazing city in which to live, work, play, and raise a family. She has been a west-sider for over 20 years and loves District 5.
The Unruhs have two grown daughters, both of whom graduated Wilbur middle school, Northwest High school and Wichita State University. After 6 years of NWHS soccer games Alissa knows every soccer field in district 5. Her family has many fond memories of playing with the girls at Buffalo Park, their favorite place for quality family time. "I can't wait to take my future grandkids there now that it's such a super cool, fun, place to play!" Alissa is proud of west Wichita's vision and expansive growth over the years. She says "I am blessed to live in such a forward thinking active community".
Alissa loves to travel. She is a huge WSU Shocker fan, loves food and wine, water sports, boating, gardening and most of all, precious time with family! Alissa has been a real estate agent with J.P Weigand for over 14 years. In that capacity she is able to grasp the issues the District Advisory Board considers regarding zoning and development. Her husband, Dan is a broker of a commercial real estate company, and serves as a resource for understanding things from the commercial perspective. The balance of understanding both residential and commercial real estate gives her a well-rounded perspective when making recommendations to the DAB.
Councilman Brian Frye appointed Alissa to the District Advisory Board in 2015 and she looks forward to being involved for many years to come. Said Alissa, "I considered it a great honor to be asked to give of my time and talents to this very important group." She looks forward to providing input and insight and is excited to see Wichita advance and prosper as time goes on. What Alissa loves most about our city is the amazingly friendly citizens, truly happy folks, short commute anywhere and great dining and entertainment options. Her favorite restaurant in District 5 is Bella Luna. She frequents all retail stores at New Market Square and since gardening is her passion, Dennings Greenhouse is a favorite hangout during the growing season!
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Kellogg/I-235 Updates
West Street under Kellogg (US 54) will be CLOSED to traffic this Saturday, Dec. 10, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
while the contractor installs three bridge beams over West St. traffic lanes. Posted detours will be used. SB West St. traffic will be able to access the ramp to WB US 54.
Stay up-to-date with construction of the improvements to the Kellogg/I235 interchange. KDOT has established and is maintaining a website to keep citizens informed.
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Wichita District V Facebook Page
Stay up-to-date with news and events in our District.
Click here to visit our Facebook page. Send us a message or request or simply "like" our posts.
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Finance Department Receives National Awards
The City of Wichita has been recognized nationally for several awards related to the City's budget, performance measures and procurement practices. The awards were presented to the Finance Department at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
"The awards demonstrate the diligence of City staff in providing reliable information to the public in accordance with established professional standards," City Manager Robert Layton said. "City Council are due credit for their continued interest and support in planning and conducting the City's financial operations in a professional, responsible and transparent manner."
The Finance Department earned the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Certificate of Distinction for Performance Management, marking the sixth year the City has earned a performance measurement award from ICMA. The award recognizes leadership in performance measures including public reporting and use of results to guide strategic planning and decision making. City government collects and reports more than 400 performance measures in the budget document and the annual performance measure report. Many staffers throughout the organization collect, report, and evaluate data to improve operations, service delivery, and transparency.
The City also received the Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), marking the 28th straight year the City has received the award. To receive this award, staff must prepare the budget around certain professional criteria developed. The budget is evaluated as a policy document, an operations guide, a financial plan and a communications device.
The City also received the National Purchasing Institute's 21st Annual Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award, which recognizes organizations for excellence in procurement by obtaining a high score on a rating of standardized criteria. The program is designed to measure state-of-the-art best practices, innovation, professionalism, electronic procurement, productivity, as well as leadership attributes of the procurement function. The Purchasing Division has received this award for 15 years. Wichita was only one of three government agencies in Kansas and among 72 cities in the United States to receive the 2016 award.
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The New Chronic Nuisance Ordinance Explained
City of Wichita Ordinance 50-357
Chronic nuisance properties are defined as those properties where there are at least three "trigger events," including violent crimes, prostitution, gambling, drug crimes, alcohol or tobacco violations, noise violations, littering, gang activity and violation of building or health and safety codes. This ordinance will allow police to assess property owners for the department's cost of responding to "chronic nuisance properties."
Neighborhood leaders have pressed for a crackdown on properties where police presence is frequent. The Police Department has indicated that there are about 1,000 properties in Wichita where they have had to respond 11 or more times this year. Not all of those properties would fall under the definition of a nuisance property because of the nature of crimes committed. Domestic violence crimes are excluded to avoid discouraging victims from filing complaints in retaliation only.
This ordinance will be reviewed in 18 months and the findings will be reported to the Manager, Mayor and Council.
Financial Considerations: The cost to respond to nuisance calls would depend on the number of officers required to respond and amount of time on the call. Depending on those variables, the cost of nuisance calls vary in cost. The assessment of police service cost would be determined by the actual hourly wages, including overtime, of all law enforcement personnel that responded. An event where two officers responded for one hour is estimated to cost $100 not including any applicable overtime cost.
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2016 Ozone Season Ends; 2017 Planning Underway
Ozone season, beginning April 1st and ending October 31st, has come to a close. Each year the City of Wichita Air Quality Section monitors ground-level ozone pollution in South Central Kansas to ensure compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), set by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ozone levels are considered to be out of compliance when the design value for a designated region exceeds 70 parts per billion (ppb). Results from the 2016 ozone season need to undergo quality assurance checks but currently the design value for this region is measured at 64 parts per billion (ppb), making it a successful ozone season.
The success of the 2016 ozone season is attributed to several factors. Many South Central Kansas businesses have partnered with the City of Wichita to create Ozone Action Plans and reduce emissions onsite. Also, annual emissions reported by industry sources are decreasing for the region and the entire state. Finally, while there was no shortage of hot, sunny weather this ozone season, the Wichita area did have consistent rainfall which helps remove emissions that form ozone from the atmosphere. Cloud cover also decreases sunlight intensity which reduces evaporative emissions that contribute to ozone formation.
Next year Ozone Season will begin March 1st and end October 31st; extending ozone season by one additional month and making it imperative that the community continues to be involved in actions that can reduce ozone-forming emissions. Staff continues to work with local businesses to further develop actions plans and identify new, potential partners.
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Track the Snowplows
Are you ready for winter weather? The City of Wichita is! Crews have been preparing snow plows and training new drivers ahead of the storm.
You can see where the City of Wichita snowplow/treatment trucks are on a Google map. The map can be zoomed and panned as usual to see what ever area you desire.
Track the plows here!
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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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Victorian Christmas
at Cowtown
Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10
Christmas is a special time at Old Cowtown Museum. The Victorian Christmas has become a family tradition for many in the Wichita area. This four-night event allows visitors to enjoy an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas with their family.
Visitors will enjoy seeing Cowtown decked out for the holidays, and if we're lucky, covered in a blanket of snow. There will be popcorn stringing, wagon rides and more! So make Cowtown part of your Christmas celebration this year!
A few of our Christmas activities and traditions include:
- Santa Claus in Santa's Workshop (aka Carpenter's Shop)
- Christmas carolers strolling the streets
- Christmas crafts and activities for kids
- Cookies, cocoa and unique Christmas gifts for sale and more!
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Breakfast with Santa at Cowtown
When: Saturday, Dec. 17
Time: 9 - 11am
Tickets: $7.95 (Children ages 4-15), $12.95 (Adults age 16 and older).
Tickets must be bought
in advance.
A perfect holiday tradition for little ones and their families, at the Cowtown Visitor's Center.
While waiting for Santa to arrive by stagecoach, guests can make some fun Christmas crafts and send a personalized telegram to the North Pole.
Breakfast includes pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and fruit salad.
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SENIOR WEDNESDAYS
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,
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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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WPD Needs Donations for
Domestic Violence Shelters
Imagine having to hide out to avoid a violent situation. You have been uprooted from your home, your friends, and the holidays are coming. The Police Officers at Patrol West have been helping to meet the needs of these children for several years.
This year they are asking for children's clothing and gifts (newborn through 19), shampoo, soap, baby wipes, toiletries, pillows, batteries, books, board games, blankets, and diapers (sizes 4,5, and 6). You can drop off any donations to Patrol West (661 N Elder), Midwest KIA (8725 W Kellogg Dr.), or Rusty Eck Ford (7310 E Kellogg Ave).
Please help these kids get through the holidays.
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H2O Care Fund
The City of Wichita recognizes that there are many residents who are struggling during these difficult economic times, especially during the holidays.
This voluntary program provides a simple way to directly help others. Even small donations can add up and provide a way for people to maintain their water service. There are three ways to help, and you can find out how by filling out the City of Wichita H2O Care Fund Program Donation Form here.
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Volunteers 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 information on 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
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 2017 meeting schedule,
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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