Wichita City Council Meeting Summary - January 6, 2026

The Wichita City Council convened on January 6, 2026, to address various agendas including the introduction of the new city manager, Dennis Marstall, public testimony on homelessness and healthcare access, and critical negotiations regarding the Genesis Health Club settlement. Key discussions centered on closing gaps in the homeless response network, approving contracts for water and street infrastructure, and resolving a complex litigation dispute with a former city contractor.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the regular meetings on December 16 and December 23, 2025.
• Approved the Board of Bids and Contracts dated January 5, 2026, including contracts for dump trucks, iTron subscriptions, Axon drones, and airport street rehabilitation.
• Approved petitions for public improvements regarding sanitary sewer improvements at Southwise Church and Courtyards at Jacob Farm.
• Approved the Main Water Treatment Plant conversion to emergency use with a revised budget and contracts for design-build services.
• Approved the design concept and supplemental agreement for Webb Road reconstruction from Central to 13th Street North.
• Approved funding for 13th Street North improvements from Country Acres to Ridge Road.
• Approved funding for 2026 traffic improvements, railroad crossing improvements, and USD 259 safety improvements.
• Approved contracts for the Exploration Place parking lot expansion and arterial sidewalk program.
• Approved the 30% design for public artwork at Crystal Prairie Lake Park Phase One.
• Adopted amendments to Title 15, adopting the 2024 International Fire Code.
• Approved funding for fire apparatus and equipment replacement.
• Approved the acceptance of a $280,000 donation from QuickTrip Corporation for street outreach services.
• Approved amendments to the Wichita Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code regarding Renewable Energy Systems.
• Approved the transfer of the Market Street Studios property from Sancho to Passageways, waiving mortgage maturity clauses.
• Approved the sale of seven occupied Wichita Housing Authority properties to Hope Community Development Corporation.
• Approved a technology upgrade network replacement contract for Eisenhower and Jack Smith airports with Logicalis.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Arthur Stokes (Black Mold): Submitted a comment regarding housing issues (details of testimony not fully recorded in snippet).
• William Tipton (Homeless Individual): Expressed a position that the city is closing doors (enforcing anti-camping laws) without opening others (providing shelter), stating he has "no opportunity to get myself off of the streets" and that shelters are reported as full while homeless are being moved around. He argued that arresting or ticketing the homeless without prior housing options is unjust.
  • Councilmember Hoheisel: Expressed position of support for those in need but noted the city has invested $30 million in Second Light and has room available.
  • Councilmember Johnson: Expressed a position that trust must be built with unhoused individuals, acknowledging the perception issue when law enforcement (in uniform) asks people to move, even if the intent is compassionate.
  • Mayor Wu: Expressed sadness at the situation and urged individuals to utilize available resources.
• Danielle Johnson (Wife of Councilmember Todd Johnson): Expressed full support and gratitude for Councilmember Johnson's service, acknowledging the personal sacrifice involved and thanking him for leading with a "steady hand, steady heart, and a steady head."
• Student Initiative (Varshev, Tanya Ramesh, Shabani Hepser): Represented a student-led initiative focused on rural healthcare access. Expressed a position that transportation is a healthcare issue for rural Kansas, noting that "nearly 30% of Kansas residents... live in rural areas" where access is limited. They requested city support, networking, and a letter of support for their proposed transportation service connecting rural counties to Wichita hospitals.
  • Councilmember Glasgow, Vice Mayor Sten, Councilmember Ballard, Councilmember Tuttle: Expressed full support for the students' initiative and offered connections to partners, data, and leadership opportunities.
• Faith Martin (District 2): Expressed a position in favor of the sidewalk fund and requested the establishment of published norms for contracts. Later, regarding the Genesis settlement, expressed a position that the city needs better vendor management guidelines rather than just a public apology.
• Celeste Rossette: Expressed strong opposition to the Genesis settlement process, citing a position of mistrust in City Hall due to a lack of transparency and hidden loans. She questioned why City Manager Leighton was not reprimanded for the four-year default and argued that the total amount owed should be pursued. She stated that the contract terms were "written so poorly" that the city's recovery was severely limited.
• John Todd: Expressed a position of concern regarding the handling of public funds and advised the public to "vote no on the March 3rd sales tax proposal," characterizing it as a vehicle for future non-transparent abuse.
• Patsy Hiss: Expressed concern that the Webb Road project design might worsen flooding in her backyard, while stating she supports the safety aspects of the project.
• Councilmember Glasscock: Expressed a position of public distrust regarding the Genesis contract negotiation process and the lack of transparency, stating that "public trust is hard-earned" and lost in this instance.

Discussion Items

• Genesis Health Club Settlement: Council debated the settlement of a lawsuit seeking debt service payments related to the ICE Center. Staff recommended approving a $200,000 settlement to avoid trial risks. Councilmember Tuttle questioned the timeline and potential for additional damages. Councilmember Glasscock questioned the centralized contract management failures that allowed the debt to go uncollected for years. Councilmember Johnson questioned the process of contract drafting by the Parks Department in 2011-2012. Mayor Wu expressed a position that while disappointed by past failures, the city must move forward with accountability and the new city manager. Later, after legal counsel clarified that the $1.86 million counterclaim by Genesis would be resolved and the maximum recoverable was $219,000, Mayor Wu moved to defer the initial $200,000 motion to negotiate for the full $219,000 amount. The motion was amended to seek a resolution by the end of the meeting. Ultimately, City Attorney Jennifer Magania reported that the settlement amount had been updated to $219,000, which Councilmember Glasscock and the Mayor accepted as the maximum owed, leading to a final approval vote.
• **Homelessness Response:**讨论了 the lack of resources for the homeless, the availability of Second Light shelter (despite claims it is full), and the role of law enforcement. Councilmember Hoheisel expressed a position that the city's hands are tied regarding rent control due to state preemption but are working on a sales tax vote for affordable housing. Councilmember Johnson emphasized the need to build trust and acknowledge the reality of unhoused individuals' perceptions of law enforcement.
• Rural Healthcare: Council discussed the student-led initiative for rural healthcare transportation. Councilmember Tuttle highlighted the issue of health equity and connectivity, citing federal fiber optic needs and telemedicine. Councilmember Glasgow and Vice Mayor Sten offered to meet with the students to facilitate partnerships.
• Water Treatment Plant: Discussed the redundancy plan for the old Main Water Treatment Plant while the new facility is under construction. Staff confirmed that all costs for repairs to the new plant belong to Wichita Water Partners. Councilmember Tuttle emphasized the necessity of the old plant's conversion to emergency use to ensure redundancy, while Councilmember Hoheisel noted the plant is in good condition for the interim.
• Webb Road Improvements: Debated the eight million dollar cost of the Webb Road project versus street repairs in other areas. Councilmember Glasscock expressed a position that the community prioritizes repair over reconstruction. Councilmember Tuttle and Councilmember Johnson countered that the project addresses critical safety needs for schools (Minnaha and Collegiate) and connectivity in a growing corridor, noting the existing gaps in sidewalks prevent use.
• Public Art at Crystal Prairie Lake: Discussed the 30% design for public artwork. Mayor Wu expressed a position that the art should honor America's 250th anniversary using red, white, and blue colors. Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Tuttle, Vice Mayor Sten, and Councilmember Ballard expressed a position in favor of allowing the artist to follow their natural, earth-tone instincts, arguing that the design is contextually appropriate for the prairie setting rather than a patriotic theme. Councilmember Hoheisel agreed, suggesting a separate initiative for the 250th anniversary.
• Market Street Studios: Discussed the transfer of the property to Passageways. Councilmember Johnson noted a conflict of interest regarding the Home funds and abstained from the vote. The Council approved the transfer to provide housing for veterans.

Key Outcomes

• New City Manager: Dennis Marstall was officially welcomed as the new City Manager for Wichita, bringing experience from Manhattan, Kansas, and Lancaster County, South Carolina.
• Genesis Settlement: The City Council approved the settlement agreement for a total of $219,000 against Genesis Health Club Management. This resolves all claims against the city, nullifies the $1.86 million counterclaim filed by Genesis, and allows the city to proceed with its separate lawsuit against Waldinger for chiller damages.
• Homeless Outreach: The City Council approved the acceptance of a $280,000 donation from QuickTrip Corporation to fund a new street outreach team, adding two housing specialists and two peer support specialists to the Department of Housing and Community Services.
• Property Transfers: Approved the transfer of the Market Street Studios property from the defunct Sancho to Passageways Limited, with a waiver of mortgage maturity clauses, to provide housing for veterans.
• Public Art Approval: Approved the 30% design for the Crystal Prairie Lake Park public artwork, following the artist's natural aesthetic rather than the Mayor's proposal for 250th-anniversary themes.
• Zoning Amendments: Adopted amendments to the Unified Zoning Code regarding Renewable Energy Systems to align with Sedgwick County regulations.
• Travel Approvals: Approved travel expenses for Mayor Wu and Councilmember Tuttle to attend Local Government Day in Topeka, and approved travel for Councilmember Tuttle to attend the Early Childhood Advocacy Day in Topeka.
• Council Member Changes: Acknowledged the upcoming departure of Councilmember Todd Johnson and Vice Mayor John Sten, with Councilmember Glasscock delivering eulogies for the late Josh Blake.
• Vote on Genesis Settlement: The motion to approve the $219,000 settlement passed 6-1 (Councilmember Glasscock voted against, though he later stated his support for the final amount after clarification, the roll call reflects the final vote count; the transcript indicates a 6-1 passage).

Note: The transcript indicates the final vote on the Genesis settlement motion passed 6-1, with Councilmember Glasscock withdrawing his opposition after the amount was clarified to be the maximum court-allowed sum.