Category: Wichita city government
-
Lord’s Diner debate focused on wrong issues
At today’s meeting of the Wichita City Council, an item no longer on the agenda still caused some controversy.
-
Kelo abandonment holds lesson for Wichita
In New London, Conn., developers wanted to build a new business complex on land owned by a number of homeowners, including Suzette Kelo. She didn’t want to sell, and the case eventually wound its way to the United States Supreme Court. In the decision, the court ruled in favor of the ability of cities to…
-
Carlos Mayans addresses state and local issues
Last Friday immediate past Wichita mayor Carlos Mayans addressed members and guests of the Wichita Pachyderm Club. Speaking of his experience as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, Mayans said that Kansas state spending must be brought under control. Having served under governors from both parties, he said that Republicans spend as much…
-
Downtown development chief to address Pachyderms
This Friday, the Wichita Pachyderm Club presents Wichita Downtown Development Corporation president Jeff Fluhr. The topic is an update on “What’s up in downtown?”
-
Uncertainty over Broadview’s future doesn’t bother Wichita
Yesterday the Wichita City Council approved plans for riverbank improvements that would benefit the Broadview Hotel in downtown Wichita. The cost is $2,200,000. One of the problems with this action is that the renovation of the hotel is on hold, according to recent reporting. The reason given by the hotel’s owners, Drury Southwest Inc., is…
-
Former mayor to address Pachyderms
This Friday, the Wichita Pachyderm Club presents former Wichita mayor Carlos Mayans as the speaker. His topic will be “National, State, and Local Issues.”
-
Wichita’s open records policy is contrary to the interests of citizens
The Kansas Open Records Act states: “It is declared to be the public policy of the state that public records shall be open for inspection by any person unless otherwise provided by this act, and this act shall be liberally construed and applied to promote such policy.” But in my recent experience, our city’s legal…
-
Wichita Downtown Development Corporation and City of Wichita refuse to follow Kansas Open Records Act
On October 15 I made a request under the Kansas Open Records Act, asking for agendas and minutes of the board meetings of the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation for 2009. The City of Wichita, and later the WDDC, denied this request. In its denial, the city stated: “The WDDC is a non-profit organization. Such entities…
-
Press availability: WDDC refuses to follow Kansas Open Records Law
Recently Bob Weeks submitted records requests to the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation. While organized as a non-profit corporation, the WDDC, because it receives its funding from property taxes, is subject to the Kansas Open Records Act. But the WDDC and the City of Wichita have refused to recognize the fact that the WDDC is a…
-
If Wichita truly seeks community input in downtown planning …
As Wichita begins to plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita, city leaders say they want everyone to be involved. All ideas are welcome and appreciated, they say. In a recent city council meeting, Mayor Brewer said “we need every person’s ideas, recommendations, and their opinion. … Being quiet and then complaining about it later…
-
Wichita downtown Q-Line an expensive ride
On the first Friday in June — that’s the outdoor music night in Old Town Wichita — I went downtown. One of the things I did was to ride the Q-Line. That’s the free trolley or shuttle bus that provides service in Old Town and downtown, including Exploration Place. I rode the entire route, and…
-
Wichita universal tax exemption could propel growth
I’m not here to speak as much to the specifics of the current case, but to the city’s policy of granting property tax exemptions and abatements, whether they are implemented through the economic development exemption program or through industrial revenue bonds. At the same time we’re told we must build up our tax base, we…