Wichita City Council Meeting: October 14, 2025 – Public Agenda, Consent Items, and Major Infrastructure Approvals
Wichita City Council Meeting
October 14, 2025 | 9:02 AM – 12:05 PM
The Wichita City Council met in regular session on October 14, 2025, at 9:00 AM in the City Council Chambers. All seven council members were present. The meeting included proclamations, a public agenda with five speakers, approval of consent items (including a bronze sculpture donation), several new business items (design funding for capital improvements, Hess Reservoir improvements, library public art, public art maintenance, and the Visit Wichita contract renewal), and two non-consent planning items. All votes were 7–0 except where noted.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of October 7, 2025 – Approved 7–0.
- Consent Agenda Items 1–14 – Approved 7–0, with Item 5 (Bronze Sculpture Donation by Paul Foley) pulled for separate discussion. The sculpture, valued at $70,000, is a gift to the City; installation costs (less than $5,000) will be covered from existing project funds, and the artist is responsible for transportation/delivery. The sculpture will be placed at the Alfred Branch Library as part of a story walk. Approved 7–0.
- Board of Bids and Contracts (October 6, 2025) – Approved 7–0 (contracts for engineering, construction, and purchasing items).
- Petitions for Public Improvements – Approved 7–0 (water line improvements for St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church Addition, District 4).
Public Comments & Testimony
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Manuel Gomez – Expressed strong concern about Wichita's public transit system, citing late buses, infrequent service, lack of routes to manufacturing jobs, medical appointments, and the airport. He noted turning down three jobs paying over $20/hour because of transit gaps. He urged expanded service hours and coverage. Council Member Hoheisel acknowledged the issue and noted ongoing talks with neighboring communities and businesses. City Manager Layton said a new service plan will roll out in 2026, focusing on frequency and connections. Vice Mayor Johnston offered free Lyft rides to medical appointments via Guadalupe Clinic.
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Four Twenty Jim – Spoke against the city's camping ordinance and in favor of marijuana legalization, arguing that synthetic drugs are sold legally while cannabis is not. He thanked the police for professionalism and stated he would not park over 48 hours. He urged the council to "let God's herb be free."
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Yadon Duprez – Asked whether any discussions have occurred regarding privatization of the municipal water supply. He proposed a resolution declaring the water supply will remain publicly owned. Council Member Hoheisel stated no such discussions have taken place and no desire to privatize. Council Member Johnson also opposed privatization. City Manager Layton noted that a public-private partnership was previously considered but rejected due to cost and risk. The Law Department clarified that a resolution would be a statement of intent, not legally binding.
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Richard Churray – Praised the city's bike trails but said they are poorly maintained, with overgrown grass, low-hanging branches, and trash buildup. He suggested police patrols on horseback and more proactive maintenance. Council Member Ballard thanked him for raising the issue. Mayor Wu asked about trail maintenance procedures; Parks representative Reggie Davidson said there is a schedule but also relies on reports via SeeClickFix.
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Andrew Crane (Guiding Paws, ICT) – Invited council to the National Federation of the Blind convention (Oct 31–Nov 2) and asked for continued support of accessible pedestrian signals.
Discussion Items
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Design Funding for Multiple Capital Improvement Program Projects (Districts II, V) – Staff presented three projects: 13th Street North (Gatewood to Webb Road), Pawnee Avenue (Greenwich to 127th Street East), and Mosley Bridge at Chisholm Creek. Total design budget $1.75 million; includes $60,000 for public art on the Pawnee project. Council discussed speed bumps, traffic calming on Douglas Street, and plans for road diet on Douglas. Staff noted speed bumps are not used due to emergency response concerns and an ordinance. Traffic calming measures under study. Approved 7–0.
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Amendment No. 1, Evergy Agreement, and Funding for Hess Reservoir Improvements – Staff requested approval to separate Hess Reservoir improvements from the Wichita Waterworks budget, revise budgets, and approve an Evergy agreement ($250,000) for power line relocation. Total project budget $16.6 million, funded from utility rates and existing CIP. Construction expected to complete Q1 2027. Discussion included the removal of parking lots over the reservoirs due to structural issues; the area will be leased for conservation purposes (RFP 250305, closing Oct 31). Approved 7–0.
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Library Branch Projects Public Art (Districts III, IV, VI) – Approved $145,000 for public art at Alfred Branch (story walk) and Walters Branch (murals). Funds include $50,000 from CIP and $95,000 reallocated from previous project savings. Council Member Johnson noted contact with the Walters family for collaboration. Approved 7–0.
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2025-2028 Public Art Maintenance – Approved $160,000 for conservation and restoration of public art, including annual contracts with four conservators. Discussion focused on the 2% for art ordinance, maintenance funding (currently 10% of the 2% for art), and potential future cuts. Mayor Wu emphasized prioritizing maintenance over new acquisitions. Council Member Johnson argued against cutting the arts percentage. City Manager noted any change to the 10% allocation would require code amendment. Approved 7–0.
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2026 Contract Renewal with Visit Wichita – Approved $3.1 million from the transient guest tax, including $150,000 for convention promotion contingency and $100,000 for a destination master plan. Visit Wichita reported $1.5 billion in visitor spending, $210 million in taxes from outside the city, and highlighted the recent TBEX influencer conference. Discussion focused on the need for a modern convention center (Bob Brown expansion) with at least 150,000 contiguous square feet. Council expressed support for further community engagement. Approved 7–0.
Key Outcomes
- All consent and new business items were approved unanimously (7–0), except the final adjournment vote (4–0).
- PUD2025-00016 (Proctor Family Indoor Athletic Facility, District II) – Deferred to the November 6, 2025 evening meeting at the applicant's request (motion by Council Member Tuttle, 7–0).
- ZON2025-00025 (Vehicle Repair Zone Change, District III) – Approved 7–0, adopting the MAPC recommendation to change from MF-29 to LC Limited Commercial. The property will be used primarily for parking adjacent to a proposed auto repair shop. Council noted safeguards for Gypsum Creek.
- Council Member Comments – Council Member Hoheisel announced the Candy Crawl event on October 17, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM at Plainview Park. Mayor Wu thanked the Wichita Sports Commission for the Prairie Fire Marathon.
- Executive Session – Council recessed at 11:55 AM into a 10-minute executive session (ending 12:05 PM) for legal consultation on pending litigation (KSA 75-4319B2).
- Meeting adjourned at 12:05 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Member of Commerce and the Kansas Manufacturing Council. Thank you to Mayor Wu and the entire city council for helping to celebrate Manufacturing Day. An annual event aimed at honoring the manufacturing industry, its impact on the local, state, and national economy, and highlighting the potential for manufacturing jobs into the future. Over the next ten years, it is estimated that the U.S. will need to fill almost four million job openings in the manufacturing sector. My business operates in District 4, and we want to thank Councilman Glasscock for his leadership and attention to the issues impacting the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing is the largest sector of the Wichita economy, supporting over 50,000 jobs. Our products are known all over the world and in all different industries. A few examples, we have BG products with automotive oils, lubricants, and other fluids that are used by thousands of distributors. We have gear hall manufacturers protective gear for farmers, linemen, and construction crews, and keeps them safe as they're working out in all sorts of conditions. And finally, obviously, Wichita is proud of its heritage as the air capital of the world, which would not be possible without the backbone and foundation of the highly skilled aerospace manufacturing jobs that support all airframes flown the world over. In closing, the Kansas Manufacturing Council would like you to invite you to our yearly event, the Kansas Manufacturing Summit, and the coolest thing made in Kansas celebration being held October 28th at the Hyatt. We will be discussing the current state and the future of manufacturing in Kansas, as well as awarding the coolest thing made in Kansas, sponsored by Forvis Mazars, to the people's choice from dozens of items nominated across the state. Thank you again for your support. One, two, three. May I please ask the entire city council to come forward at this time along with city manager Bob Leighton. Polco is one of the nation's most respected civic engagement and data analytics companies. Polco administers Wichita's annual community survey, and we appreciate their partnership and assistance in turning resident perspective and hard data into actionable priority setting. Last Thursday, Polco announced their national best in governance awards, and Wichita was named a top performer for 2025 for its transformation in the award category of community connection as determined by the voice of the people. Only five top performers were chosen in each category out of hundreds of communities nationwide. Being a top performer in the best in governance awards for community connection signifies a local government's excellence in fostering strong community relationships and trust, as evidenced by high resident satisfaction, active civic engagement, and innovative approaches to connecting with people and ensuring transparency. It means our community is on the right track in building a foundation of shared purpose and pride through effective communication and collaboration, resulting in a thriving community for residents. Each year, Polco recognizes communities not only for earning the highest ratings from their residents, but also for demonstrating the greatest improvement over time. With a robust data set spanning more than a decade and thousands of participants in local government, these awards provide a credible and competitive benchmark for measuring progress and success. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to thank the mayor and council for their commitment to citizen engagement and community connection, and that's recognized by this award that we're receiving from PolCall. I also want to thank the 3100 employees that we have every day that wake up trying to make the world a little better place for Wichita's residents and who are committed to providing raving fan service on a daily basis. I do have a teaser for you, Mayor and Council members. I believe this coming Thursday, actually two days from now, Polco will make another announcement of another award that we're receiving as a result of our connection to the community and improvement in service delivery. I can't wait for the mayor to share that on Thursday and maybe next Tuesday, we'll talk about that again. Again, thank you. One, two, three. One, two, three. Thank you. Thank you for all of our proclamation recipients and award recipients. Madam Clerk, please call the next item. Public agenda. The public agenda allows for five speakers to have up to five minutes each to address the council. No action will be taken relative to items on the public agenda other than referral to the city manager for information as necessary. Speakers will please state their name and address for the record. A time clock will display the speaker's remaining time to speak. Order and rules of decorum will be observed. The first speaker today is Manuel Gomez, Wichita's public transportation system. Good morning, council and residents of Wichita. Um sorry, today to start off is I can speak to you guys about the transit system here in Wichita and how I feel it can be better improved to serve Wichita, not just in connecting our community together, helping people get to and from medical appointments, and even finding jobs in the manufacturing fields. I was actually one of the strongest speaking points I had today. Uh simply because trying to get here on the bus, the first bus I was supposed to hop on was 20 minutes late, so I had to run four blocks in the opposite direction to get on a blessed. That got me here a lot earlier than I to intended to. So that was one of the first issues I did want to bring up that a lot of us here in Wichita do have to deal with. Like I said, I've missed out on tons of financial opportunities simply because I couldn't get there.
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