Category: Wichita city government
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Defective public hearing in Wichita. Open government needed.
John Todd and Bill Davitt speak about the defective public hearing held at a recent Wichita City Council Meeting, and about the importance of open and transparent government.
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Sharon Fearey doesn’t appreciate the Wichita Eagle
At the December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, Sharon Fearey expressed her displeasure with reporting done by the Wichita Eagle.
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We Don’t Want Secrecy in Wichita Government
President Harry Truman said “Secrecy and a free, democratic government don’t mix.”
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“Thank You, Wichita Eagle”
Mustering all the sarcasm she can, Sharon Fearey says “Thank you, Wichita Eagle.” Speaking from the bench at the December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, she’s referring to reporting that newspaper did that uncovered problems in the past of the person referred to as the principal developer of a project. Wichita city…
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Wichita City Council: Put better procedures in place before proceeding
Mr. Mayor and members of the council, developments surrounding the Renaissance Square project in the C.O.R.E. Redevelopment District are unfolding so rapidly that we need to step back and think about the wisdom of proceeding with the current plans. As things stand now, citizens can have little confidence in this project and the way the…
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Wichita City Hall confusion leads to evaporation of confidence
Reporting in the Wichita Eagle by Brent Wistrom (City vows to better vet its partners, Sunday December 15, 2008) has revealed a city staff confused as to basic procedures for safeguarding citizens’ taxes, not to mention their trust.
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Wichita Public Hearing Action Not Evidence of Leadership
In an op-ed piece in Sunday’s Wichita Eagle, Interim Wichita City Manager Scott Moore makes the case that “the [Wichita city] council’s Dec. 2 vote demonstrated leadership and an ability to respond decisively to urgent community matters after appropriate public deliberations.”
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Dion Lefler: Problems With Wichita Developer Uncovered
On the KPTS television public affairs program Kansas Week yesterday, Wichita Eagle reporter Dion Lefler talks about problems he uncovered with a developer the City of Wichita wants to partner with. I chime in a little.
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Problems with Open Government in Wichita
On the KPTS television public affairs program Kansas Week yesterday, I spoke about some problems with a public hearing regarding a controversial matter in Wichita.
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Wichita TIF Developer’s Ownership Restructuring not Very Reassuring
Recent reporting by the Wichita Eagle uncovered troubling facts from the past of a developer the city is considering partnering with.
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No Diligence in Wichita City Hall
Rhonda Holman’s Wichita Eagle editorial today (Need vetting of City Hall partners) correctly states that city staff “missed the mark in vetting negotiator Grant Gaudreau.” Or is the proper title “principal developer,” as stated by Wichita’s director of urban development Allen Bell? (See Wichita’s Faulty Due Diligence for video.)
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Wichita’s Faulty Due Diligence
In the Wichita city council meeting on December 2, 2008, council member Jim Skelton questioned Allen Bell, Wichita’s director of urban development, about developers the city is considering working with on a TIF district. Specifically, Skelton asked if there was anything in the backgound of the developers that the council should be concerned about. Bell…