Wichita City Council Meeting - January 14, 2025
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Wichita City Council Meeting - January 14, 2025
The Wichita City Council met on January 14, 2025, at 9:00 AM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included approval of minutes, selection of a Vice Mayor, proclamations, public comments, consent agenda items, new council business on golf carts and the bicycle plan, and four planning items. The meeting adjourned at 12:55 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of January 7, 2025: Approved 6-0 with one abstention (Councilmember Johnson abstained).
- Consent Agenda Items 1–25: Approved en bloc 7-0, except Items 7 and 11 which were pulled.
- Item 7 (Heat Resilience Cohort Application): Approved 7-0. Staff clarified this $10,000 grant requires no local match but future implementation costs would return to council.
- Item 11 (Amendment to HOME Program – Jakub’s Ladder): Councilmember Johnson abstained due to personal conflict. Approved 6-0-1.
- Board of Bids and Contracts (January 13, 2025): Approved 7-0. Included contracts for sewer improvements, dump trucks, uniforms, and AV equipment at Carl Brewer Community Center.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Chief ES Lewis (Tribe of Judah): Requested expedited facilitation of the Holy Kingdom of Judah Tribal Community Center, citing a petition with over 500 signatures in 30 days. Expressed gratitude for council support.
- Mary Dean (Kansas Justice Advocate): Asked whether the Mayor or City Council had contacted other cities with reparations commissions (Evanston, IL; Kansas City, MO; Tulsa, OK). Councilmember Johnson noted prior outreach and invited her to DICRAB to collaborate on an ordinance. Mayor Wu did not directly answer; Councilmember Hoheisel echoed support for the DICRAB process.
- Gloria Bayer (District IV resident): Raised concerns about bike lane costs, safety, snow removal from bike lanes, and thanked city crews for road clearing.
- Harlan Bascombe (District III): Argued city budget must prioritize needs (public safety, infrastructure) over wants (bike paths), though acknowledged quality-of-life programs matter for underserved populations. Councilmembers engaged in discussion about deficit and spending.
- Twila Purity (District I): Urged deeper scrutiny of city contracts, legal costs, and compliance. Mayor Wu requested a three-year breakdown of legal fees and payouts from the City Manager.
Discussion Items
- Selection of Vice Mayor: Councilmembers submitted ballots; JB Johnston was elected 7-0 as Vice Mayor. Maggie Ballard received recognition for her 2024 service. Judge Jones administered the oath.
- Proclamations: Religious Freedom Day (January 16), Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Council 100th Anniversary (January 31), and Human Trafficking Awareness Month (January). Representatives from each organization spoke.
- Golf Cart Ordinance (Chapter 11.51): Staff presented an ordinance to allow golf carts on streets with speed limits ≤30 mph, excluding core area, highways, and arterial streets. Requirements: driver ≥18, slow-moving emblem, city decal, insurance, operation only 30 min after sunrise to 30 min before sunset, no sidewalks or trails. Debate: Councilmember Glascock supported but wished for fewer restrictions; Ballard and Tuttle opposed over safety and police burden; Hoheisel supported; Johnson opposed; Vice Mayor Johnston argued the ordinance provides legal operation where currently illegal. Motion to adopt on first reading passed 4-3.
- 2024 Wichita Bicycle Plan Endorsement: Staff presented the plan with 33.5 miles of priority bikeways, cost estimates (~$250K per mile minimum), and funding from CIP and potential federal/private sources. Public speakers (Dr. Amy Seery, Alan Kaler, Vince Hancock, Holly Terrell, Doug) urged endorsement citing safety, equity, and economic benefits. Council debate: Johnson (in favor), Ballard (in favor), Glascock (opposed due to fiscal concerns and lack of data), Tuttle (in favor), Hoheisel (in favor), Mayor Wu (opposed citing deferred maintenance and cost). Motion to adopt the resolution passed 5-2.
- Planning Items:
- PUD2024-00018 (Central/Oliver): Council overrode MAPC and approved zone change with DAB-recommended PUD text prohibiting car washes (7-0).
- CON2024-00242 (Daycare at 4640 E 15th St N): Council adopted MAPC findings and approved conditional use for daycare (general) up to 100 children (7-0).
- PUD2024-00024 (Empower PUD, 2157 N Market): Council adopted MAPC recommendation approving zone change to PUD (7-0).
- ZON2024-00052 (Doris St): Council overrode MAPC and approved rezone to TF-3 (two-family) per DAB recommendation, not MF-18 (7-0).
- Travel Authorizations: Approved 7-0 for Mayor Wu and Councilmember Johnson (Jan 22-23, Local Government Day); Vice Mayor Ballard, Councilmembers Tuttle and Hoheisel (Jan 22); and Councilmember Glasscock (Jan 21-22).
Key Outcomes
- Vice Mayor: JB Johnston elected and sworn as Vice Mayor for 2025.
- Golf Cart Ordinance: Placed on first reading (4-3). Final adoption pending second reading.
- Wichita Bicycle Plan: Endorsed by resolution (5-2). The plan will guide future bicycle infrastructure; no immediate funding attached.
- Planning Approvals: Four zoning items approved (each 7-0) as follows: PUD at Central/Oliver (no car wash), conditional use for daycare on E 15th St, PUD for Empower entertainment district on N Market, and rezone to TF-3 on N Doris St.
- Future Actions: Staff to provide legal fee data and sidewalk mileage information as requested by Mayor Wu and Councilmember Johnson. Councilmember Glasscock to attend State of the State and presidential inauguration at personal expense.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good morning, which time. Good morning to all of you. Welcome to City Hall. I will now call this meeting to order. With us this morning is Pastor Jeff Gannon of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church to provide our invocation. Following that invocation, we will have the Pledge of Allegiance and an invite for both contents to be stood up by all. Let us pray. Oh God of us all. We give you thanks and praise for the gift of this new day. The gift of life. The privilege to serve you and each other. Today, as the proclamations are made, we celebrate and we rejoice in religious freedom day. We pray your blessing upon the Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Council as they celebrate their 100th anniversary. We especially pray for Rurlinda Sample, the CEO. Bless her and all the girls that they serve. And we pray for those who are serving those who are in need of help because of human trafficking. Bless each of us to do our part to help those that are in bondage. We are mindful today, O God, of all the people and communities in California. We pray that you would have mercy on all who suffer. Bless and empower all of those who are there to help. The firefighters, police, EMS, social service agents, good neighbors, clergy. We pray that you would bless all who help. We pray for a swift end to the fires so that the healing can begin. We pray today for these elected officials. We ask that you grant them wisdom, discernment, and prudence as they make decisions that impact our community. Guide their hearts, minds, and spirits, O God, to prioritize the needs of all, to seek justice for all, and to lead with compassion and integrity. We pray that their deliberations would be guided by your will, and may they always act with the best interests of our great city in mind. We pray for unity among them, that they may work together in collaboration and compromise to achieve the common good. We ask that you bless them with strength and courage to fulfill their responsibilities faithfully. For we entrust our lives and our community to you. Amen and amen. The United States of America and to the Republic for which we straw. Thank you very much, Pastor Gannon. Madam Clerk, can you please call the next item? Approve the minutes of the regular meeting, January 7th, 2025. Council members, any changes or corrections. I see none. I move to approve the regular meeting minutes for January 7th, 2025. Motion and a second, any further discussion. I see none. Madam Clerk, please open the roll. Motion passes six zero with one abstention. Madam Clerk, please call the next item. Selection of the vice mayor and oath of office. Council members, you have a ballot in front of you. Please submit your ballots. And I will read them as they come forward to me. I will read ballot from Maggie Ballard. A ballot for J.B. Johnston.
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