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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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In December 2008, the Wichita Transit Advisory Board was created to advise the City Council on recommendations from Wichita Transit for service improvements. Board members are appointed by members of the City Council. The mission of this board is to create a new vision for Wichita Transit that will work for the community at large, a vision that the community can get excited about, and a vision that will raise Wichita's transit system to be a first-class system able to compete with other cities our size. A healthy public transportation system plays an important role in preserving and improving the mobility of citizens participating in the social and economic life of this community.
It is a privilege to serve on the Transit Advisory Board. Through active participation, a board member will improve the quality of life for many in our community. Transit provides mobility to young people, seniors, people with disabilities, people who cannot afford private transportation, people who have lost or cannot get a driver's license, and people with various medical conditions. Some riders depend on transit for the quality of life that mobility provides. Others choose transit as a less expensive, more convenient way to get to work, shopping and doctor's appointments.
By using public transportation, riders are able to participate in and support community businesses, medical facilities, and more. In short, the whole community benefits directly and indirectly from the availability of public transportation. That is why transit receives financial support at the local, state and federal levels of government.
It is important for transit advisory board members to remember that transit service is essential to independence and quality of life for many people. Transit board members must take into account the impact on the riders, as well as the Wichita community as a whole, for any decision they make.
If you have an interest and desire to get involved in improving our City, we need you! I am needing to appoint someone who has a vested interest in District V. For more info and to apply, please
click here, then scroll down to the Transit Advisory Board
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Happy St. Patrick's Day and have a great weekend!
Bryan Frye
District V City Council Member
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Getting to Know City Staff:
Troy Houtman
Director of Parks and Recreation
Troy Houtman was hired as the City of Wichita Park and Recreation Director and started in November of 2014. With almost 2 ½ year on the job, he has made an impact on staff, programming and operations.
Troy brings over 20 years of experience to the job with previous working locations at the City of San Antonio and the City of Austin. His background includes working in many areas of Parks and Recreation to include aquatics, youth and adult sports, golf, park maintenance, CIP projects, and general recreation programming. Specifically, the depth of his experience involves development of partnerships, contract development, park development, budget management and employee development.
Troy received his bachelor's degree in business management with an emphases in accounting at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley and also received his master's degree in public administration from Texas State University. He has attended the National Recreation & Parks Association Directors School and hold certificate as a Certified Public Manager from the state of Texas and Certified Parks and Recreation Executive from the National Recreation & Parks Association.
Several mentors have had a huge impact on Troy's management style and desire to become a Parks & Recreation Director. These influences have shaped his vision of public service and the passion for delivering quality service to the community. It's his belief that local government is the most important tool for creating and providing a high quality of life and it's the function of the parks and recreation department to enhance opportunities and develop pride in the community. To reach the goals and potential of the community the parks and recreation department is the most important department to reach the public and interact with their vision of what the community should be and what programs could be offered.
Troy's future vision for Wichita will include the completion of the Aquatics Master Plan, revision of the Parks, Recreation Open Space plan, and accreditation of the department through the National Recreation & Parks Association's Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). Other goals include more exposure for the department, more partnerships, more interaction with the community, more programs offered, upgrades to parks and park amenities. All to increase the quality of life in Wichita.
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Westlink Neighborhood Association General Meeting
When: Tuesday, March 21, 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Oxford Villa
3051 North Parkdale Circle
(West of 29th N. & Maize Rd)
Guest Speaker: Sgt. Steve Yarberry, WPD, will be giving a history of community policing as well as other current WPD activities in this important program for the community.
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Kellogg/I-235 Updates
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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Water Conservation 2017 Rebate Program Plan
Program Overview:
Conserving water is an important component of long-term water supply planning, which has a water conservation goal of 0.35% conservation per year. A component of the 0.35% conservation goal is the 2017 Rebate Program. The objective of the 2017 Rebate Program is to encourage the installation of water conserving high efficiency (HE) appliances in order to conserve water for future use. The City Council has approved $80,000 for the 2017 Rebate Program from the unspent H2O Cares fund. The 2017 Rebate Program will begin accepting applications on April 3, 2017.
Who is Eligible?
Homeowners, renters of single-family homes, owners of multi-family rentals and owners of businesses who are City of Wichita water customers will qualify as participants. Consistent with the previous years of the program, rebates will be available to people replacing fixtures in existing buildings. Customers will continue to be limited to five rebates annually, and the program will continue until the funding is exhausted.
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Public Works Staff Begin National Incident Management System Training
As part of an ongoing effort to be better prepared in the event of a widespread disaster or emergency, nearly 50 PW&U employees met this week to begin National Incident Management System (NIMS) training. Staff will be focusing on the Incident Command Structure by completing training in the following courses: ICS 100, Introduction to Incident Command System; IS 700 NIMS Awareness Training, and ICS 200 Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents. Upon completion of these courses, staff will attend a presentation by Sedgwick County Emergency Management. This presentation will better prepare staff for circumstances that call for a coordinated city-county response by providing information about locations, communications and other logistical details that promote a comprehensive and effective approach.
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Last week, the City received bond ratings from both Standard and Poor's and Moody's Investor Services. Bond ratings are an essential part of the process to sell City bonds and notes. A bond rating provides potential buyers of City bonds with an independent objective analysis of the City's credit worthiness.
Standard and Poor's affirmed the City's rating of AA+ rating. This rating is only one notch below the highest possible AAA rating. Moody's assigned an Aa1 rating to the City - this is also only one notch below the highest Moody's rating of Aaa.
Ratings are based on a variety of factors including the local economy, debt levels, financial measures, financial policies and financial management. The rating reports continue to note strengths related to the City's financial management, liquidity, ability to access the market, policies and its ability to take necessary measures to ensure a balanced budget is maintained without drawing down on General Fund reserves.
The City has scheduled a sale of bonds and notes for March 16th.
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Small District. Big Impact
Once a strip of industrial warehouses, Commerce Street is now a vibrant collection of art galleries, small businesses and urban living spaces.
Explore the evolution of this unassuming art district through photographs.
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CRIME STOPPERS OF WICHITA/SEDGWICK COUNTY INTRODUCES
New technology optimizes the tip submission experience and effectiveness
Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County, Kansas is proud to announce that they have recently partnered with the Texas-based company, Anderson Software, to provide a more seamless and efficient way for community members to offer information to help solve and prevent crimes. Anderson Software leads the industry with its latest secure and anonymous tip acquisition and management solution, called P3 Intel. This partnership allows Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County to foster a relationship between law enforcement and the public to proactively create a safer community.
Tips previously accepted as SMS text messages using a short code and dedicated keyword will be discontinued. The new software will allow submission of tips by phone, the web, and by way of the new free P3 Tips mobile app available on the iOS and Android platforms, greatly enhancing the mobile tip submission process. Still completely anonymous, tips submitted through the P3 mobile app, unlike SMS text tips, have no length limitations and allow images, video and documents to be uploaded with the tip. Anderson Software's sophisticated encryption processes obscure any and all identifying information and provides assured anonymity for tipsters.
Even without the app, there is still an easy and secure option for submitting tips from any PC or mobile browser by going to http://www.wichitasedgwickcountycrimestoppers.com and clicking the "submit a tip" icon. Of course, tips are still welcomed through calling our hotline (316) 267-2111. Using whichever method, once a person submits a tip, they will be given a TIP ID and password. With this information they can login at p3tips.com and submit follow-up information, engage in real-time chat/two-way dialogue, be informed of the outcome of the tip, and access any pertinent reward information.
Wichita/Sedgwick County Crime Stoppers feels that utilizing Anderson Software's P3 Tips program will enhance communications with the public, thereby building a safer and more trusting community in which everyone prospers. To further show our value of tipsters' contribution to the community, tips leading to an arrest will result in a cash reward
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St. Patrick's Day Parade in Delano
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Fairy Tea Party at Botanica
You won't want to miss this tea party and ballet performance by Ballet Wichita!
Each child will receive their own fairy wings when they take a seat at one of the tables at our new Lotus Hall. We will provide strawberry tea, lemonade and water along with mini sandwiches and other treats offered by Blue Moon Caterers.
After the tea, the kids are welcome to explore different stations where they will create their own fairy tutu, make a fairy wand and plant a flower to take home.
This will be a one-of-a-kind event you and your child won't forget.
When: Saturday, April 8
First Seating 10:00am - Noon,Tea from 10am - 11:30am, Ballet Wichita performance 11:30am - Noon
Second Seating 11:30am - 1:30pm, Ballet Wichita performance
11:30am - Noon, Tea from Noon - 1:30pm
$35 kids and $10 adults (150 per seating)
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Tulips, Fairies & Forts is back at Botanica with a host of games, activities, crafts and of course....64,000 tulips! Again this year we are hosting the Fairy House Competition, where the public is invited to build their own fairy house for a chance to win a Botanica membership.
Performers, activities and crafts are happening from 10am to 2pm every Saturday from March 25 through April 15.
- Fairy House Competition on the Pavilion
- Games, scavenger hunt, bubbles, chalk art and more
- DJ Ronnie Choy, the dance man
- At least two crafts every Saturday; crafts very every week
- Fairy dressup and photo props
- Forts throughout the Gardens and fort building
- Bounce house
- Lunch and snacks for purchase by Friends of Botanica
- Snow cones, cotton candy, funnel cakes, popcorn, hot dogs, brats and much more (cash only)
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Great Plains Nature Center Spring Break Activities
Are looking to get outdoors and enjoy the spring weather? Great Plains Nature Center staff are hosting daily Spring Break activities all week. There will be a special appearance by Barry the Bison on Monday from 12:30-2:00 pm.
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Wichita Public Library Spring Break Programs for Kids
Kids out of school for spring break? Take them to the Wichita Public Library for fun and free events all week long! There will be more than a dozen programs and storytimes for children at 7 library locations across the City.
All programs are free, but some require registration.
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Spring is in the Air
It's hard to believe it's February and spring is right around the corner. In this issue you will find some fun ideas for Valentine's Day, spring break, and tips for summer vacation. There is also have an interesting article about one of Wichita's own, Karyn Page, who talks about her international travels. And you'll read about the phenomenal year Eisenhower National Airport had in 2016. Sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy reading this issue of Eisenhower Air, and if you would share this with a friend, we'd be grateful.
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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
January through March 2017,
click here...
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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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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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KANSEL Construction Training Program
KANSEL has a great training opportunity for men and women interested in a career in construction. This FREE program prepares students for entry level construction work. They are trained in power & hand tools, construction math, blueprint reading, and receive OSHA, physical fitness, and life management skills instruction.
Students who complete the course have an opportunity to interview with local construction companies. Applicants must be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or GED, be legally employable in the U.S. and attend all session of the 7 week course.
Interested students should plan to attend one of the above information sessions to apply for the program.
Call 263-9620 for 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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FRAUD ALERTS
from the OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
There are many scams and frauds going on now days, so be alert when answering your phone or responding to an email from an unknown sender. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, has all of the latest tips and reporting phone numbers if you suspect you have been a victim of a scam or some type of fraud. Be prepared and be aware! Learn more by clicking on their
link.
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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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Spring 2017 Park & Recreation Activities Guide is now available!
Get registered for classes
by
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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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 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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