Are you ready?

I am still a little nervous.

You should be hoping.

Oh good.

That's why Josh was reminded like you've been working on this for six months.

So yes.

Morning, morning.

Good, good.

Hey, um, I uh am gonna send you an email.

Um uh uh on the airport advisory board.

Um and then do I I know I need to fill something out for the application online and we're uh email me.

Yeah, and yeah, if you'd send me the link and then because uh I I mean since I'm on the access advisory board and stuff, um they just need to point me to the airport advisory board.

Um two other factors.

Yeah.

Uh because they they really need somebody that is part of the disability and blind community.

Um we have the IRA access out at the airport now.

Um, but uh and that and another uh thing for out of town folks and that don't speak English.

I uh would really like to see if we can get the novel code inside the airport.

Um that no, you know, restroom, uh, you know, different gates and and stuff, and then that way because that'll help out the point and low vision, plus it'll help out the general system.

Yeah.

And then um, I wanted to see on what your thoughts were on uh you know, the transportation and things I know you guys talked about uh you know, combining a couple of things with Segar County.

And transportation would be one of them.

Um and stuff.

Um what what should well I mean, what's your thoughts on you know, merging those you know, those those park departments with uh second county.

I was expecting you to sit in the regular ways that you can see.

Oh gosh.

Yeah, we're gonna see it's over.

All right.

I mean uh never don't read it.

Yeah, yeah.

Sure you don't want to sit here?

Well, it sh and that uh so each one.

Just go.

So well thank you very much.

You have a great day.

I know we've actually never saw that.

I don't know.

She were beat whatever high ones today.

Order.

Yes, are you gonna make it sidewalk?

Sidewalk.

Yeah.

Not today.

Not today.

Twenty four.

I know a lot of you.

I think it's just a I've usually filled your presentation.

Yes, we are excited.

Consent usually doesn't last very long.

I think consent every last is an hour and a half.

How are you?

What?

Shity manager.

You can rearrange the plates if you want.

No, it's totally fine.

Hey, the first one switch it up every time.

The first one kids just at the table.

Good morning, Andrew.

Good to see you.

Andrew, sir.

Yeah.

Hey.

No.

I can try.

So um I guess.

When you get on a Saturday during further there, and then I hope Sally Snake sits right there behind this.

Down and um I met with uh John uh about some legislation and seeing how I can go up there and try to take it and voice the pieces.

And well I I I just wanted to identify in general see if we can get any more one day and ever go to the trench station before you see pictures like that.

Yeah.

So I mean if if we can meet on a Saturday, I'd love to take you guys direction.

Yeah, so you've given us a power script.

All right.

This is big time.

Good morning, good morning.

It's a miracle I haven't turned my years.

Yeah.

I would love to share.

Because they'll do it.

So they'll even see.

How is she doing okay?

Good morning, Wichita.

Good morning, staff, and good morning to all of you here at City Hall.

I call this meeting to order.

We will begin with our Pledge of Allegiance.

Do you know what that is?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

Under God.

Inevisible liberty and justice for all.

Madam Clerk, please call the first item.

No my dog.

Public agenda.

We now come to the public agenda.

The public agenda allows for up to five speakers to have five minutes each to address the council.

Please bear in mind that this is not a period of dialogue with council or a question and answer period.

This is your opportunity to address the city council with your concerns.

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 speak into the microphone.

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 is Faith Martin.

City Hall Parking.

The garage needs to be for staff only.

That left the lot out here, which was still a good lot.

Parking attendants were staffed by the city, and it was cash only.

If you didn't remember to bring quarters, you had to get some quarters from somewhere.

You could get your parking validated wherever you went to do business in the city of Wichita.

And then last week I saw that those are gone.

And I was kind of asking around, and I learned that park mobile will be running our city lot now.

Prices have changed, ability to get validation has changed.

Apparently, staff have to pay for parking now as well.

And so I was just really wondering did any of you know about this?

And when was the public going to be informed?

Because I like to think I'm pretty informed, and I had not heard anything about it.

So it's we paid for kiosk, we paid for whoever was going to run that, and now we're paying park mobile.

And so if I'm running in like today, I'm coming in just to do public comment, and I'll say a little while.

Is it 15 or 30 minutes?

Because City of Wichita website still has 30 minutes.

But I believe it's 15 minutes.

How much is it a day?

I believe it's six dollars a day, but the website says five dollars a day.

So I think when people are trying to figure out what's going on, how are we going to handle municipal court?

People don't know how long they're going to be here.

What happens if they're here longer?

They're already struggling to pay fines and fees, and now we're going to put parking tickets on top of that.

Is there going to be a park mobile staff member just hanging out in our parking lot determining whether we've been here 18 minutes or 15 minutes?

How do we, as the public that do business, which previously got parking validated?

How are we supposed to get our parking validated now?

Does everyone have to apply for a permit?

Are staff gonna have to apply for permits and to pay for that?

Is that out of their pocket?

There's just a lot of questions, and I was really like concerned that we keep nickel and diming our constituents to death.

Uh this is a city hall, this is a public parking lot that all of our tax dollars paid for, and now I have to pay to park here to do even the smallest amount of business.

The meters have all been removed, and you have to is it free on Sunday?

Is it not free on Sunday?

There's so many different things out there, and a lot of times for those of us that attend a lot of Wichita events, this parking lot on the side has been a great place to park over the weekend.

Well, now we can't park there over the weekend because you have to pay to park there as well.

So I would just really encourage City Hall to talk to staff, find out what's going to be best, and maybe let's dial it back a little bit and communicate more clearly about what's expected because I come to City Hall a lot, as you are well aware.

But for people that don't come here a lot, it could be really really confusing.

And now they don't even have anyone to talk to about parking because there's no longer a button you can push if you have questions or concerns.

It just uh defers responsibility to a third party who's I don't know where not in Wichita, not a person you could talk to.

So I didn't have a lot to say today.

I just really wanted to bring that to your attention because I was really shocked to see that we're already moving on to something else, and it's not been communicated.

Thank you.

Thank you, Faith.

Would anyone else from the community like to address the council?

I see none.

Thank you for the one individual who spoke in public comment.

I have a comment myself.

I want to know where that plan, whether it's city hall parking or parking in downtown Wichita, will be presented to the council.

A lot has changed over the last year, and I believe it's important to have an update.

Um, I would recommend the evening meeting on March 10th, which is coming up.

And so I would like to see an update regarding downtown parking and the city lot.

I see no further comments.

Madam Clerk, please call the next item.

Consent agenda items one through 14.

Council members, any items to be pulled.

I see none.

I move to approve consent agenda items one through 14.

Second motion second discussion.

See none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, same sign.

Motion passes 7-0.

Madam Clerk, please call the next item.

Board of bids and contracts.

Morning.

Mayor, City Council, Josh Laubert Department of Finance.

The Board of Bids can be yesterday, February 23rd, 2026, for the following items.

We have for engineering the Pump Station 369 repairs.

If the public's not familiar, this is coming back after it was a protest.

The uh action was sustained.

We are rejecting all bids.

We have stormwater sewer number 774 repairs, 13th Street North and I-135 and 13th Street North of Pennsylvania.

The utility maintenance contractors LLC and the amount of 348,640.

We have transportation of spoils for A plus trucking LLC for an estimated annual usage of 270,000 per year.

We have bare root trees.

And we have the Enterprise Support Services Renewal Change Order.

Um, this one looks looks unique or odd, so I'm gonna go through it real quick.

Um, this should look familiar.

So in February, we presented this to city council for recommendation for the amount and vendor price.

Uh the city staff facilitated a contract agreement.

We added our terms and conditions, the corporation signed the document and returned it to us.

Uh, we presented this for our city clerk and mayor's signature executing city council's approval.

The vendor declined or um is stating that they will not honor the agreement executed.

So I do not have a mechanism to ratify that except coming back to you to request that we terminate the executed agreement February 5th, 2026, and you authorize us to create or formate a new agreement without city contract terms and conditions.

This is how to do business with the city of Wichita.

This is our purchasing calendar of small business resource partner events the city's hosting or participating in.

These are open public opportunities out on the street today.

And I'd be happy to try to answer your questions and recommend your approval.

Can you go back to that Microsoft?

Absolutely.

So this new contract without the terms and conditions, what liability is on the city.

Sure.

So for the public, I have in the agenda report the more formal bid report.

Standard provisions relating to Kansas cash basis, mediation, arbitration.

I would not try to step outside my lane without the law department, but the city's exhibit standards A and B will not be included.

That commonly include many of those items.

And is that a Microsoft requirement?

Can you explain?

Sure.

So Microsoft Corporation has what I have been educated as is a is an agreement of adhesion, meaning you can have the services or you cannot.

So the city of Wichita facilitated our normal contracting processes.

We added our exhibits A and B.

What's really unique or odd for me to explain is I'm I've not encountered a vendor signing a document and giving it back to execute it.

So that is a first.

So because of that, for us to engage Microsoft Corporation Services, Microsoft Office Suite 365.

We could terminate the agreement.

Or we could risk a city usage of Microsoft Office 360 products.

Why we so is this something new then?

Because Office 365 has been utilized by the city for years.

Yeah.

So the city, the only thing that I would say that's new this year is that the city attempted to negotiate more favorable terms.

We attempted to negotiate our standard contractual exhibits A and B.

And that and that's a standard practice for us that we always go into agreement formation where we want to have favorable terms with taxpayer.

When there are instances where vendors have leverage or have market power, it makes it very difficult for the city to negotiate terms outside of having a decision to walk away or find another vendor.

This is a very good example or opportunity for the public that the city encounters many governments encounter where our negotiating power is limited.

It's an agreement of adhesion.

We can have the services or we cannot was the professional response that we received.

Thank you very much, Josh.

Do you know if uh Cedric County also is encountering the same thing?

I can't speak for Cedric County.

I can uh excuse me.

I can only speak to my experience at Cedric County.

Um these are not uncommon issues or challenges for a public agency.

Um they will negotiate the the two parties will come to an agreement or meeting of the minds, and um either you can walk away or you could accept the terms and conditions, but I I don't want to speak on behalf of another agency, only my personal experience.

So final question, just want to know.

I know that they are not going to accept A and B exhibits, however, are the terms still more favorable for the city or are they at the same as they used to be?

They would be the same as they used to be, uh meaning in the past there was not um exhibits A and B.

Uh this this is be a this would be a great example of a contract agreement where the city has little to minimal negotiating power.

Um the city in every contract formation strives to get the best terms and conditions will negotiate.

Um if that negotiation is successful, we will work to ensure that we have those terms included.

Um, in this instance, it was an impasse where we decided either we have favorable favorable terms and conditions or we potentially jeopardize loss of product.

Thank you.

Any questions from council members?

I see none.

I move to approve the board of bits and contracts dated February 23rd, 2026.

Second.

Motion, second discussion.

See none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposing signed.

Motion passes 70.

Madam Clerk, please call the next item.

Council member agenda approved and pursuant to section 2.04.090.

Councilmember Shepherd's travel expenses as estimated on the travel authorization and expense forms to attend City Leaders Academy in Salina, Kansas on April 16th and 17th for the purpose of newly elected officials training consistent with AR 3.1 be approved upon return from travel, actual expenses shall be reported to the controller's office.

I move to approve that travel.

Second.

Motion second discussion.

See none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed seeing sign.

Motion passes 70.

Madam Kirk, please call the next item.

Council member appointments and comments.

Council members, any appointments?

Mayor with an appointment for Jordy Dorn Dornboss, uh, who will be my youth member for the district for advisory board.

Appoint Jordy Dornboss for my youth advisor or youth member for my district advisory board.

Mayor, I would like to appoint Dennis Murphy to the Cultural Funding Committee.

Any others?

Um, I just have one for formality.

I'm going to appoint Vice Mayor Glasscock to the law enforcement training center advisory board.

I see no other appointments.

With that, I move to approve these appointments.

Second.

Motion, second discussion.

See none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed to sign.

Motion passes seven zero.

Council members, comments.

Mayor, I do have a comment.

Um I'm back and I'm black.

Happy back history month, everyone.

Uh so I'm here with the final fact.

I promise that I will give a fact every single week about black history.

I hope that folks have noticed the trend that in sharing the black history uh fact, it's an opportunity for us to look within ourselves and to ask ourselves what we can do to not only uh reflect on our history but embrace our history, be proud of who we are.

Um, our history is not perfect, but it certainly has shaped our strength and our resilience.

Um, black history is American history, so even if you are not black or identify as black or African American, this is a part of your history as well.

Um, so I do want to share uh a fact, and I hope that all of us as council members and representatives of the city uh take this history seriously as we come into City Hall and do this work every day.

So in the 1930s, parts of North and Northeast Wichita were redlined, they were labeled hazardous simply because black families live there.

This is not an opinion, this is a fact.

Um it has been identified by research.

The redlining was outlawed by the Fair Housing Act, the wealth gap it created, the gaps in social determinants of health it created, it impacted housing, it impacted access to education, it impacted business ownership, and it still impacts opportunities that exist today in 2026.

One of the most alarming things that I find as I'm driving through the city is that you can tell which parts of this city have not had the same same amount of economic investment as other parts of our city.

It's a problem.

Black history isn't just about the past, it's about repairing what was intentionally broken, and as I always say from the bench when we talk about situations from the past, um, I'm not responsible for what was done before I got here, but I'm responsible for what I do now, and we all have an opportunity to address what we have inherited.

Economic justice means meaningful investment, not just in places like Northeast Wichita, but in Southwest Wichita and South Wichita and the North End and in other areas.

So my commitment and I ask that we reflect on what does it mean to expand access to home ownership for families who have disproportionately impacted by redlining.

What does it mean to support small business and minority owned businesses and improve infrastructure working with our developers and our private philanthropy to ensure that we make sure every part of Wichita is proud of who they are in embracing their history and their heritage?

What does it mean to connect individuals to livable wages?

So please know that when we talk about economic justice, you may hear it in the form of reparations.

That just means writing a wrong.

I know a lot of people don't like the word reparations, but it just simply means writing the wrong.

No that this isn't about charity.

Certainly isn't about black people feeling bad about who they are, where they come from.

It's about addressing the facts that this community has a history of being one of the most redlined, not just in the state but in the nation.

And that's a problem.

So I ask for us to correct our policy failures and unlock the full potential of our city, especially in areas like Northeast Wichita, again, South Wichita, and areas like the North End, who arguably built this city.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Ballard.

Thank you, Mayor.

I was sad to learn late last night that my park board member Tom Ewert passed away suddenly doing what he loves the most, and that was birding in Ecuador.

So he will definitely be missed, not just in district six, but he's a huge asset to our city.

So just think about Tom and I'm super grateful for all of the things that he was able to do during his time on park board.

Councilmember Hohe.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to offer um condolences to Melody McGrain Miller's family.

Um if we got to know Melody, she was definitely a fighter and an advocate for children for her constituents.

Um she was one of the best legislators and civic leaders, I think by seeing in which laws.

So uh condolences to her family and uh the school board, and we'll those are gonna be some pretty big issues to fill.

Thank you, council members.

Uh, with that, we cannot adjourn because we have two uh executive session meetings that will be held after the workshop, so we'll keep the meeting open.

Uh we will now move on to the workshop.

City manager Dennis.

Thank you, Mayor and Council members.

Good morning for my first official workshop.

We have a presentation uh for you to give you an update on the Wichita Waterworks.

Um for our February update.

We said we'd do a monthly update for you.

So I'll turn it over to Gary Jansen and uh he'll open it up.

Thank you, Mr.

Manager Gary Janssen Public Works and Utilities.

Uh good morning, Mayor and Council.

I'm just gonna be very brief here, and I'm gonna turn it over to Ron.

To Gary and Chief Snow.

So workshop workshop is now completed, however, we are still in official council meeting uh because we have two executive session motions.

So I will read these it is 11:30 right now.

Um first one I move that the city council recess into executive session for 15 minutes to receive information on compliance with state law pursuant to KSA 75-43192 for legal consultation with the city attorney, which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship regarding legal advice.

The executive session is required to protect attorney client privilege and the public interest.

The executive session will begin.

Do we need a break before or um five minutes?

So let's begin at 11:35.

Uh, and it will end at 1150.

Is that accurate?

Okay, but then I have another executive session.

So motion that I just read.

Second, second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Motion passes six zero.

Aye.

Okay, six zero.

I move that the city council recess into executive session for 20 minutes to receive information on multiple civil actions pursuant to KSA 75-4319B2 for legal consultation with the city attorney, which would be deemed privilege in the attorney-client relationship, pending litigation and potential litigation.

Mayor, I may suggest we may be able to do that in 10 minutes if you'd like to make that.

10 minutes.

We'll try to hurry.

I move that the executive session will now be 10 minutes to receive information.

Now the executive session is required to protect attorney client privilege and the public interest.

The executive session will begin immediately after the first executive session.

Um, so that's an additional 10 minutes.

Motion passes seven zero.

Council members, we will convene at eleven thirty-five.