Wichita City Council Meeting – June 24, 2025

The Wichita City Council met on June 24, 2025, at 9:00 AM. The meeting covered a range of routine consent items, three pulled for discussion, and council member comments focusing on water conservation and community events. All votes were unanimous (7-0).

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of June 17, 2025: Approved.
• Consent Agenda Items 1–16 (excluding items 10, 12, 13): Approved via one motion. These included licenses for retail cereal malt beverages, deeds and easements, agreements/contracts (e.g., wastewater sampling, water main extension design), advisory board minutes, resolution authorizing Section 5307 funding, Wichita Transit Title VI Program and Service Standards Policy, memorandums of agreement with Kansas Forest Service, second reading ordinances (No. 52-753 and 52-754), housing consent items (items 12–15) and airport consent item (FAA Master Site Lease for Jabara Airport).
• Board of Bids and Contracts (June 23, 2025): Approved after review by Finance’s Josh Lauber. Items included waterworks supplies, mattress recycling, roof replacement, engineering contract extensions, fire hose contract amendment, and vendor outreach events.
• Petitions for Public Improvements: Approved for Clear Creek 3rd/4th additions (stormwater improvements) and Cottonwood Creek Estates (water, sewer, paving – phases 2 and 3). These are funded via special assessments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public agenda or during the discussion of pulled consent items (items 10, 12, and 13).

Discussion Items

• Item 10 – FY25 COPS School Violence Prevention Program Grant Application: Captain Aaron Moses of Wichita Police Department presented the grant request for up to $500,000 over 36 months (25% city match, max $42,000 annually from the Real Time Information Center operating budget). The grant would fund technology for direct teacher-to-police emergency notifications and integrate school floor plans, initially covering secondary schools and later all 93 Wichita Public Schools attendance centers. The school district is separately applying for the same federal grant to cover physical infrastructure. Mayor Wu praised the collaborative approach between the city, county, and USD 259.
• Item 12 – Public Housing Recovery Agreement Status Report: Sally Stang (Housing and Community Services) reported that 173 homes have been sold (out of 215 authorized), with 28 pending closing. On June 20, 2025, HUD approved the fifth and final application for disposition of all remaining properties. Of the sold homes, 38 went to individuals for homeownership (including 4 to public housing residents) and 47 to nonprofit partners for affordable homeownership. Starting this month, this item will appear as regular new business due to HUD’s request for oral updates.
• Item 13 – Kansas Housing Resource Council (KHRC) Community Services Block Grant FFY 2025 Discretionary Funds: Sally Stang explained the grant would fund a Peer Support Specialist (with lived homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health experience) embedded with the city’s Unsheltered Resource Coordinator, Housing Specialist, WPD Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), and Continuum of Care agencies. The specialist would engage unsheltered individuals in encampments to build trust and connect them to housing. Mayor Wu noted the coordinated effort and asked for a process flow chart, which City Manager Layton said would be sent this week. National encampment expert Mandy Chapman Semple is tentatively scheduled for July 10–11, 2025, to assist with training.
• Council Member Travel / Gift Approvals:
  • Council Member Tuttle’s travel to the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers Conference in Dodge City (June 26, 2025) was approved.
  • Mayor Wu’s acceptance of a $16,378 gift (tuition, travel, hotel, meals) from Bloomberg Philanthropies to attend the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative (New York City, July 13–16, 2025; Harvard Spring 2026; five virtual sessions) was approved. No taxpayer dollars used.
  • Mayor Wu withdrew previously approved travel to Detroit (City-to-City visit), requesting removal from the website.
• Council Member Comments – Water Conservation: Council Members Johnson, Hoheisel, Tuttle, and Glasscock discussed the need for a cultural shift toward water conservation, including requiring drought-resistant landscaping in new developments, pursuing the water reuse program, and aligning policies for well users and city water users. City Manager Layton indicated a July workshop will be scheduled to review draft drought policy changes (permanent moderate restrictions) and to invite Kansas State Extension and WABA (homebuilders) for input. Council Member Ballard noted the new Delano dog park uses Bermuda sod (drought-tolerant) and thanked city staff for storm cleanup. Vice Mayor Johnston praised the Music Theatre production of “Waitress.” Council Member Ballard appointed Rosa Cisneros to the CSBG Board.

Key Outcomes

• FY25 COPS School Violence Prevention Program Grant Application: Approved 7-0; city will submit the final application.
• Public Housing Recovery Agreement Status Report: Received and filed 7-0.
• KHRC CSBG Discretionary Funds Grant Application: Approved 7-0.
• Council Member Travel / Gift: Both Tuttle’s travel and Wu’s gift acceptance approved 7-0. Wu’s Detroit travel withdrawn.
• Appointment: Rosa Cisneros appointed to CSBG Board 7-0.
• Upcoming: July workshop on water conservation policy changes; flow chart on homeless encampment response to be distributed; Mandy Chapman Semple visit July 10–11; Sedgwick County to announce additional debris disposal site for storm cleanup.