Wichita City Council Meeting Summary – May 6, 2025
Wichita City Council Meeting – May 6, 2025
The Wichita City Council met on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 9:00 AM in the Council Chambers at 455 N. Main Street. The meeting opened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, followed by proclamations, awards, and a lengthy agenda covering consent items, public hearings, new council business, planning matters, and council member actions. Numerous items were discussed and voted on, including housing bond approvals, federal grant allocations, zoning changes, and tourism funding.
Proclamations & Awards
- Provider Appreciation Day – May 9, 2025, proclaimed. Mandy Waugh of Child Start spoke in support, and Councilmember Becky Tuttle was recognized with an Early Education Advocate Award.
- Water Safety Month – May 2025 proclaimed. A speaker noted formal swimming lessons can reduce drowning risk by 88% among young children.
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – May 2025 proclaimed. Sonali Gurlicker, president of the Wichita Asian Association, highlighted cultural events and the upcoming Wichita Asian Festival on September 27.
- Service Award – Dean Mefford, Airport Department, recognized for 24 years and 7 months of service.
Consent Calendar
The consent agenda (items 1–37) was adopted with a 7-0 vote after pulling four items for separate discussion: Item 3B (real estate consultant contract for Douglas Avenue), Item 8 (approval of offers for the same project), Item 6 (Visit Wichita financial reports and lease), and Item 11 (MABCD fee waivers for LIHTC projects).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mark Diller, Ronald McDonald House Charities Wichita: Described the organization’s mission to provide free housing for families of sick children. Noted a sharp increase in hotel stays for overflow families – 221 nights through April 2025 vs. 133 in all of 2024. Invited community support.
- Nancy Bradfield, Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies Pet Therapy: Presented the nonprofit’s work with therapy rabbits and pygmy goats for veterans, hospice patients, and others. Announced a new Veteran Emotional Support Animal Program. Asked for volunteer recruitment and business partnerships.
- Shani Alston and Tim Marie Burroughs, homeless advocates: Spoke about their nonprofit Grassroots Bridge Builders, working to launch a mobile unit providing showers and peer support for the homeless. Asked for community support.
- Celeste Rossette (public comment on consent item 6): Criticized Visit Wichita’s spending, lease at Waterwalk, and lack of competitive bidding for tourism services. Suggested moving tourism to the former public library building. Questioned $7 million in annual T-bid and transient guest tax funds and the organization’s $3 million cash reserves.
- Cortland Redding (public comment on 721 W Maple): Asked about parking ratios and fire suppression system type for the proposed apartment development.
Discussion Items
- Items 3B and 8 (Pulled Consents): Contract for real estate consultant services for Douglas Avenue (Seneca to Meridian) at $358,000 ($2,990 per parcel) and approval of offers for property acquisitions. Staff clarified the consultant will start offers after contract approval. Councilmember Glasscock questioned the short timeline and in-house capacity. Both items approved 7-0.
- Item 6 (Pulled Consent): Visit Wichita’s independent auditor’s report and lease. Councilmember Hoheisel asked about the 10-year lease locking in space until 2032. Visit Wichita CEO Susie Santo explained the rent is $95,000 per year, with total costs of $207,000. Public comment from Celeste Rossette criticized the arrangement. City Manager Leighton noted reusing the old public library would require $10–17 million in renovations. The report was received and filed (7-0).
- Item 11 (Pulled Consent): MABCD fee waivers for Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. Councilmember Hoheisel discussed the process and federal tax credit availability. The resolution was approved 7-0.
- Board of Bids and Contracts (May 5): Approved 7-0. Included notable bids: River Corridor Improvement West Bank ($6.8M to Dondlinger), Holy Oak Water Main replacement ($447,600 to Barkley Construction – a new vendor aggressively pricing).
- Petitions for Public Improvements: Approved 7-0 for several new residential developments (Abilene Place, Pierpoint Acres, Oak Tree, Bridger at Central). All funded by special assessments.
- 721 W Maple Multifamily Revenue Bonds: Public hearing held. Developer proposes 36 units (18 one-bedroom, 18 two-bedroom) near downtown Delano, with 75% property tax abatement estimated at $43,000 in first year. Cost-benefit ratio for city: 1.47:1. The developer noted using replicable designs to reduce future costs. Council discussed parking (one space per unit) and code barriers for four-story construction. The resolution was adopted 7-0.
- WAM 4200 LLC Industrial Revenue Bonds: Deferred to May 13, 2025, per staff recommendation (7-0).
- Assessments for September 2025 Bond Sale (Series 836): Public hearing on 85 projects totaling $24.5 million. Approved 7-0.
- Hyatt Funds Reallocation (District 1): $73,450 reallocated from unused District 1 Hyatt proceeds to Park & Recreation: $49,450 for youth football scholarships (430 scholarships) and $24,000 for free swim days at McAfee Pool (11 Saturdays in 2025, 5 in 2026). Ordinance placed on first reading 7-0.
- Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) 2026 Scope of Services: Approved 7-0. Budget of $3.9 million from visitor-paid fees. Visit Wichita reported $263 million economic impact in 2024. Discussed upcoming events (figure skating, NAIA wrestling, NCAA March Madness) and the TBEX travel blogger summit in October. Councilmembers suggested adding local cultural sites.
- Wichita River Festival (May 30–June 7, 2025): Approved licensing report, street closures, and permit per MOU with WFI. Vote 7-0.
- Urban Growth Area near 55th Street South and Ridge Road: Initiated comprehensive plan amendment review to examine future land use, contamination, and municipal service extensions. Vote 7-0.
- Summer Camp Bus Transportation: Approved vendor selection of First Student at $95 per bus hour, estimated $102,000 for 2025. Vote 7-0.
- 2025-2026 HUD Annual Action Plan: Public hearing held. Plan allocates $2.7M CDBG for infrastructure, $1.2M for housing, $1.1M for public services, $11M HOME program funds, etc. Staff noted federal allocations not yet finalized but within expected range. Council discussed homelessness strategies, including a new encampment coordinator (Lacey Stanberry) and a pilot program to address 25% return-to-homelessness rate. Approved 6-0 (Councilmember Johnson abstained due to conflict).
- HOME Program for Ark River Residences: Conditional commitment of $420,000 for 42 affordable units by Commonwealth Development. Vote 5-0 (Johnson abstained).
- HOME Program for 212 N Market Project: Conditional commitment of $680,000 for adaptive reuse of historic Elks Lodge into 68 affordable units, partnering with Mennonite Housing. Vote 5-0 (Johnson abstained).
- CUP2025-00006 (Warehouse Self-Storage at 6803 W Taft): Approved with modifications per District IV DAB recommendation, allowing up to 30% metal on north and east facades, and full metal on west and south facades. Overrode MAPC recommendation to deny metal. Vote 6-0.
- ZON2025-00005 (Zone Change at 1200 N Waco): Deferred to May 13 meeting (6-0).
- DER2024-00008 (Daycare General Use in Residential Zones): Approved ordinance amendment to allow daycare general (more than 12 children) via administrative permit in certain residential districts, limiting to children under 16. First reading passed 6-0.
- Council Member Agenda: Approved exceeding gift limit for Mayor Wu to accept travel expenses ($1,112) for the Heartland Summit in Bentonville, AR (May 6–9). Vote 7-0.
- Appointments: Councilmember Dalton Glasscock appointed to Wichita Sister Cities Organization. Approved 6-0.
Key Outcomes
- Approved Items (all 7-0 unless noted): Consent agenda (with four items pulled and individually approved), Board of Bids and Contracts, Petitions for Public Improvements, 721 W Maple revenue bonds resolution, Hyatt funds reallocation ordinance (first reading), TBID 2026 scope, River Festival license, summer camp bus contract, HUD Annual Action Plan (6-0, one abstention), HOME commitments for Ark River and 212 N Market (both 5-0, one abstention), CUP2025-00006 with DAB modifications (6-0), daycare zoning amendment (6-0), Mayor Wu travel gift waiver.
- Deferred Items: WAM 4200 LLC revenue bonds to May 13; ZON2025-00005 to May 13.
- Initiated Process: Comprehensive plan amendment review for 55th Street and Ridge Road.
- Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at approximately 12:30 PM after a break. Final vote 5-1 (one nay on adjournment).
Meeting Transcript
Oh, there's a manager. Good morning, which time. Welcome to all of you to City Hall. We'll call this meeting to order. With us this morning is Minister Nina Shaw Woody with the Kansas Family Advisory Network, who will provide our invitation. Following that invocation, we will have the Pledge of Allegiance, and we ask that you please stand for both. Father, I God, I just thank you for our city council members, our mayor, and all those who are present, Father. I thank you that you give them wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Give them the wisdom to be able to make the decisions that need to be made today that will make all our residents within Cedric County and in the city of Wichita to be able to be a great city. Help them be able to take care of the needs of all the demographic of people represented today. And Father God, just bless them, keep them, sustain them, and love on them and let them know that they are been sitting here and they appointed by you to do a work for the people. In Jesus' name, Amen. Are there any items to be pulled or corrected? I see none. Motion and a second, any further discussion. I see none. Mr. Clerk, please open the roll. Motion passes seven zero. Mr. Clerk, please call the next item. Awards and proclamations. The proclamations this week are Provider Appreciation Day, Water Safety Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Months. Mefford Airport Department. May I please ask Child Start and any supporters with Provider Appreciation Day to please come forward, including Council Member Becky Tuttle. The proclamation reads The City of Wichita, Kansas, founded in 1870, whereas Child Start Inc. and the City of Wichita Childcare Licensing and other organizations nationwide are recognizing licensed child care providers on this day as young children need skilled, educated, competent, devoted, consistent, and compensated early care and educated professionals. Whereas over half the children under the age of six nationwide are estimated to spend a majority of time with an early care and education professional on a weekly basis, which provides critical enrichment opportunities and nurtures development for children of all backgrounds and is a vital building block in our economy. Whereas high quality early care and education play a vital role in mitigating the effects of poverty, identifying and addressing developmental delays, and preventing child neglect. These programs also foster the development of essential social emotional skills and cultivate healthy peer relationships, laying the foundation for academic readiness and lifelong success. Whereas young children need developmentally appropriate, accessible and available early care and education settings. Working families need a strong regulatory structure to give them peace of mind that their children are safe and in high-quality early care and education settings. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Wichita City Council does hereby proclaim May 9th, 2025 as Provider Appreciation Day in the City of Wichita, and encourage all citizens to recognize licensed child care providers for their important working. My name is Mandy Waugh. I am the Early Childhood Connections Program Director at Child Start. Thank you for letting me speak to you about celebrating and recognizing a group of professionals whose dedication, heart, and hard work often go unseen but never go unfelt. Our child care providers. May 9th is Child Care Appreciation Day. This is a day to pause and truly honor the incredible impact that the early childhood professionals have on our children, our families, and our communities. They are among the first to greet our children in the morning and often the last to say goodbye in the evening. They nurture, teach, comfort, and guide, playing a vital role in shaping young minds and supporting emotional growth and the most critical early years of life. Childcare providers are more than caregivers. They are educators, mentors, problem solvers, and often an extended part of our families. They show up with patience, resilience, and love, no matter the challenges. They help children take their first steps, learn their first words, and build the confidence that will carry them through life. Their work also makes everything else possible. Without dependable quality child care, parents and guardians can't fully participate in the workforce, pursue education, and provide for their families. Early care and education is the foundation that supports not just childhood development, but our entire economy and future. So today, let us say thank you, not just with words, but with action and advocacy. Let's recognize the true value of their work and continue to support policies and programs that uplift this essential profession.
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