City/County En Banc Meeting – January 29, 2025

The City of Wichita and Sedgwick County held a joint en banc meeting on January 29, 2025, from 9:00 AM to approximately 12:30 PM in the First Floor Board Room at 455 N. Main Street. The meeting focused on two major agenda items: a presentation on affordable housing and an update on the implementation of recommendations from the Jensen Hughes post-incident analysis of the Brookhollow fire. Additionally, the bodies discussed potential topics for future en banc meetings.

Discussion Items

1. Affordable Housing: Escaping the Housing Trap

• Presentation by Chuck Marohn (Strong Towns): Marohn argued that post-World War II development patterns have created financially unsustainable cities. He highlighted that many cities have 10 times more infrastructure per person than in 1950, while median incomes have only grown 1.6 times (inflation-adjusted). He advocated for regulatory reforms (e.g., legalizing backyard cottages, eliminating parking minimums, reducing minimum lot sizes), nurturing a network of incremental developers, and using tools like tax increment financing (TIF) for entry-level infill housing rather than subsidizing large-scale projects.
• Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh asked about overcoming underwriting barriers for first-time buyers. Marohn suggested using TIF to cover down payments, with the city taking a senior lien position through special assessments.
• Councilmember Dalton Glasscock requested examples of cities that successfully created incremental developer networks. Marohn cited South Bend, Indiana, and the Incremental Development Alliance.
• County Treasurer Brandy Bailey and attorney Chris McLean provided an overview of the current land bank program. They noted that in the most recent tax foreclosure sale, 385 parcels were initially selected; 309 were redeemed, 68 were sold, and $1.244 million was collected against $1.358 million in taxes owed, leaving $113,796 in forgiven taxes. The land bank has struggled to acquire properties because Kansas law allows properties to be sold for as little as $1, unlike other states where minimum bids equal back taxes.
• Councilmember Mike Hoheisel and Councilmember Becky Tuttle emphasized the need for code reform (zoning by right, density bonuses, reducing parking requirements) to stimulate private-sector housing development.
• Commissioner Jim Howell expressed skepticism about land banks, arguing that the private sector can remediate properties if government reduces red tape. He noted that only 0.05% of levied taxes go uncollected through the foreclosure process.
• Vice Mayor JB Johnston suggested evaluating the current land bank and either fixing it or starting over. He also mentioned the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act as a potential state-level fix for vacant homes.
• The presentation was received and filed unanimously.

2. Jensen Hughes Implementation Plan

• Rusty Leeds (County Public Safety Manager) and Bob Leighton (City Manager) presented progress on implementing the 40 recommendations from the Jensen Hughes report, which followed the Brookhollow fire that resulted in a death.
• Emergency Communications (9 recommendations): 1 implemented, 1 in progress (policy review), 4 implemented (human factors), 3 in progress (technical factors). Key actions: enhanced training plans with real-time oversight, retraining of all fire dispatchers.
• Sedgwick County EMS (2 recommendations): 1 implemented (dispatch of one ambulance and a district chief to all apartment/high-rise fires effective Feb. 1, 2025), 1 in progress.
• Wichita Fire Department (26 recommendations): 20 implemented, 6 in progress. Accomplishments include an officer development program, monthly mandated training with accountability, a Mayday training exercise, and improved communication with emergency communications.
• Wichita Police (2 recommendations): Both in progress.
• Other Considerations (county side): 2 pending, 7 in progress, 2 implemented.
• Mayor Lily Wu asked about integration with ARPA funds for communications improvements. City Manager Bob noted that station alerting and radio projects are funded.
• Chairman Ryan Batty and several council members expressed concern about accountability and oversight. They agreed to form a quarterly task force (likely starting February 2025) consisting of elected officials from both bodies to track implementation. A proposal was made to have two elected officials from each body attend the existing Emergency Communications Advisory Board meetings (bi-monthly) and then hold a 30-minute follow-up focused on Jensen Hughes.
• The presentation was received and filed unanimously.

3. Future En Banc Topics

• The next en banc meetings are scheduled for April 29, July 29, and October 29, 2025.
• Mayor Wu proposed the next meeting (April 29) focus on the blue ribbon committee report on shared services for parks and cultural arts, with a request for financial metrics and employee impact data.
• Councilmember Tuttle suggested keeping housing on the agenda for updates on code reform and eviction processes.
• Commissioner Howell advocated for a discussion on water issues, including contamination at 29th and Grove, conservation, and the city's water reuse project. He noted that 17% of the state's population gets water from Wichita.
• Commissioner Wise recommended a topic on employee wellness, potentially including a joint health clinic for city and county employees (north of 20,000 covered lives).
• Councilmember Hoheisel mentioned the Multi-Agency Center (MAC) for mental health and substance use as a future topic.
• Mayor Wu noted that the opioid strategic plan report is nearing completion and may require a special en banc meeting in February, possibly combined with the blue ribbon committee report.

Key Outcomes

• Affordable Housing Presentation: Received and filed unanimously. Staff was directed to explore a workshop on code reform.
• Jensen Hughes Implementation Plan: Received and filed unanimously. The bodies agreed to form a quarterly oversight task force with elected officials from both governments to track progress.
• Succession of Topics: The April 29 en banc will likely address the blue ribbon committee report on parks and cultural arts shared services. Additional topics (water, wellness, MAC) will be scheduled for future meetings. A special en banc may be called in February for the opioid strategic plan and blue ribbon findings.