The Wichita City Council met in regular session at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in City Council Chambers. The meeting included public comments, numerous consent items, and discussions on major projects including a new community center in Planeview, industrial revenue bonds, permanent watering restrictions, and a bridge replacement. The meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM after a 30-minute executive session.
Good morning, Wichita, and good morning to all of you. Welcome to City Hall. We'll call this meeting to order. With us this morning is Pastor Philip Moore of Eden Fellowship Ministries to provide our invocation. Following that invocation, we will have the Pledge of Allegiance, and we ask that you please stand for both morning to the mayor and the city council members and the citizens of Wichita. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Grant our leaders discernment to seek justice, fairness, and the common good. Bless the citizens of Wichita with safety, peace, and opportunity. We pray for unity, collaboration, and respect in this chamber. That the work done here reflects your will for the good of all. In your mighty and matchless name, we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which we stand one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. Thank you, Pastor Moore. Madam Clerk, can you please call the first item? Approve the minutes of the regular meeting, August 7th, 2025. Council members, any corrections to those minutes? I see none. I move to approve the minutes for August 7th, 2025. Second. Motion and a second, any further discussion. I see none. Madam Clerk, please open the roll. We'll do a voice vote for this. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. Motion passes, seven zero. Madam Clerk, can you please call the next item? Awards and proclamations. Proclamation, Saint Paul African Episcopal Church, 150th anniversary day and self-awareness month. Please ask the individuals from the St. Paul AME Church to please come forward at this time. The proclamation reads, the City of Wichita, Kansas, founded in 1870, whereas churches are the cornerstone of every community, providing guidance, fellowship, counseling, support, and concern for families and individuals within their congregations and through ministry to those outside their congregations. Whereas Wichita's oldest African American church, St. Paul AME, is celebrating its one hundred fiftieth anniversary with the theme, Proclaim the Year of Jubilee, and the AME Church is celebrating two hundred nine years on Sunday, August 24th, 2025. Whereas this celebration promoting community inclusion in our neighborhoods through participating in fellowship is a unique opportunity for the church and the congregation to share information, worship, and fellowship with family and friends. Whereas the City of Wichita shares the pride of the St. Paul AME Church promoting community inclusion in our neighborhoods through participative fellowship under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Pamela M. Hughes, pastor, the Reverend Dr. Carla J. Cooper, President of the Elder Midwest South District, and the right Reverend Francine A. Brookins, Brookins, Esquire, presiding prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District. And now therefore be it resolved that the Wichita City Council does hereby proclaim August 24, 2025 as Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church 150th Anniversary Day. On behalf of the St. Paul family, we are waiting and expecting an awesome celebration this week. So we thank God for our mayor and our city council honoring us on this day. What do we come to do? Proclaim the year of Jubilee.