James Clendenin Archives - Voice For Liberty

Oct

The power and influence of the Wichita mayor

When pursuing a large Wichita city contract, did the winning company lobby all council members, or primarily Mayor Jeff Longwell? The role of Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell in the awarding of the contract for the new Wichita water plant has been in the news. A recent Wichita Eagle article showed how the mayor steered the award to a company other than the company recommended by the city's selection committee. [1. Swaim, Chance. Wichita’s mayor steered multi-million-dollar water plant contract to friends. Wichita Eagle, September 29, 2019. Available at https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article234701932.html.] Central to the story is the relationship between the mayor and…

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Starlite loan isn’t needed

The Wichita City Council seems poised to enter an unnecessarily complicated transaction. This week the Wichita City Council will consider a loan to the operator of the Starlite Drive-In Theater in Wichita. According to city documents, the proposal is for a five-year loan of $200,000 with an annual interest rate of one percent. The city is requiring both a personal guarantee and a letter of credit, presumably from a reputable bank. [1. "The $200,000 loan from the City will be structured to be repaid over five years as an interest only loan with an interest rate of 1% per annum,…

On big contracts, Wichita has had problems

Dec

By Bob Weeks

On big contracts, Wichita has had problems

As Wichita prepares to award a large construction contract, let's hope the city acts in an ethical manner this time. As the Wichita City Council prepares to make a decision regarding a contract for the new baseball stadium, the council's past reputation in these matters can't be overlooked. The controversy over the stadium contract has been covered by the Wichita Eagle: "The Wichita City Council hasn’t officially approved a design-build team for the city’s new $75 million Minor League ballpark, but there’s already been a protest over the recommended group. ... At issue in a protest by a competing team…

Wichita being sued, alleging improper handling of bond repayment savings

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Wichita being sued, alleging improper handling of bond repayment savings

A lawsuit claims that when the City of Wichita refinanced its special assessment bonds, it should have passed on the savings to the affected taxpayers, and it did not do that. A lawsuit filed in Sedgwick County District Court charges that the City of Wichita improperly handled the savings realized when it refinanced special assessment bonds at a lower interest rate. The case is 2018-CV-001567-CF, filed on July 13, 2018, and available here. The suit names David L. Snodgrass and Leslie J. Snodgrass as plaintiffs, and a long list of defendants, namely: The City of Wichita, Kansas Wichita City Manager…

From Pachyderm: Local legislative priorities

Dec

By Bob Weeks

From Pachyderm: Local legislative priorities

From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: Local government officials present their legislative priorities. Appearing are James Clendenin for the City of Wichita, Dave Unruh for Sedgwick County, and Sheril Logan for the Wichita Public School District. This was recorded December 22, 2017.

From Pachyderm: Legislative Agendas for 2017

Jan

By Bob Weeks

From Pachyderm: Legislative Agendas for 2017

From the Wichita Pachyderm Club this week: Representatives of local governments presented issues important to them in the upcoming session of the Kansas Legislature. Presenters were: Sheril Logan, board member for Wichita Public Schools. The material she presented to the audience is here. James Clendenin, Wichita City Council. His presentation is here. Jim Howell, Sedgwick County Commission. A link to the county's legislative agenda is here. This is an audio presentation recorded on January 6, 2017.

CID and other incentives approved in downtown Wichita

Sep

By Bob Weeks

CID and other incentives approved in downtown Wichita

The Wichita City Council approves economic development incentives, but citizens should not be proud of the discussion and deliberation. Today's meeting of the Wichita City Council saw the council discuss and approve economic development incentives for a project in downtown Wichita. The item contemplated economic development incentives for redevelopment of an empty building in downtown Wichita to become a Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. The incentives being considered were a Community Improvement District (CID), Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRB), a parking agreement, and a skywalk easement. The discussion by the council was useful for revealing two members who are opposed to some…

WichitaLiberty.TV: News media, hollow Kansas government, ideology vs. pragmatism

Jul

By Bob Weeks

WichitaLiberty.TV: News media, hollow Kansas government, ideology vs. pragmatism

In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: New outlets for news, and criticism of the existing. Is Kansas government "hollowed out?" Ideology and pragmatism. View below, or click here to view at YouTube. Episode 124, broadcast July 17, 2016. Shownotes Kansas Memo on Facebook A short video on using Kansas Memo and other pages of Facebook The Honest Media on Facebook Renee Erickson's Facebook post Article: In Wichita, Meitzner, Clendenin sow seeds of distrust Article: Kansas government ‘hollowed-out’ Prager U: Free Courses for Free Minds

In Wichita, Meitzner, Clendenin sow seeds of distrust

Jul

By Bob Weeks

In Wichita, Meitzner, Clendenin sow seeds of distrust

Comments by two Wichita city council members give citizens more reasons to be cynical and distrusting of politicians. In a recent Facebook post that someone sent to me, Wichita City Council Member Pete Meitzner (district 2, east Wichita) wrote: "Hmmmm.....of note; Wichita is the only sizable city in Kansas that does not ADD any sales tax on top of the State and Sedgwick County sales tax rate." It is astonishing that council member Meitzner would brag of this -- that Wichita has no city sales tax. That's because Meitzner, along with all council members but one, voted to place the…

Wichita city council campaign finance reform

May

By Bob Weeks

Wichita city council campaign finance reform

Some citizen activists and Wichita city council members believe that a single $500 campaign contribution from a corporation has a corrupting influence. But stacking dozens of the same $500 contributions from executives and spouses of the same corporation? Not a problem. On December 1, 2015 the Wichita City Council considered an ordinance regarding campaign finance for city elections. A Wichita Eagle article on the topic started with: "A proposed change in city ordinance would allow corporations, labor unions and political action committees to have a greater influence on Wichita politics. For years, city elections have remained insulated from the power…