OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Wichita City Council Meeting: Water Plant, Policing Technology, Parking, Budget - March 24, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, March 24, 2026
BodyWichita, Kansas
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:34:18

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

To provide an update on which how water works where we're out on repair of the clarifiers in particular, which hot water partners is here.

0:07

He'll provide details here in just a moment.

0:10

So we have May with Saltwater Partners made some temporary repairs to one of the six clarifiers so that we could uh bring the plant back online.

0:22

Simulate what the permanent repair will do.

0:25

So that clarifier has been operational.

0:28

One of the things that's done by us is to start getting our staff accustomed to operating the plant.

0:34

So they've been able to be at the controls more than in the past, which is real value to us.

0:39

We can start seeing what how this new how the repair clarifier is going to work.

0:42

So we do have water running through the plant.

0:45

Um permanent repairs are underway.

0:47

Ron will talk about details.

0:49

That's all that's starting moving forward a lot more here in the coming months.

0:54

Um, and hopefully sometime by this summer, and you can talk about that timeline too sometime this summer.

0:59

We expect to have all of our permanent repairs done.

1:02

Um start looking at uh performance testing again and see what we can do get to the point of having the plant fully online.

1:09

As of now, as I mentioned before, the plan is still a responsibility of Wichita Water Partners until it says time that we get through all these repairs, all of the testing, agree that it's time for the city to take it over.

1:20

So, with that, I'm gonna return it over to Ron.

1:29

Thank you, Gary.

1:30

Uh Mayor, members of the council, uh, Ron Coker with Burnson McDonald and Wichita Water Partners, project executive for Wichita Water Partners.

1:37

I'm gonna give you a quick update again.

1:39

Uh just like last month, we'll uh we'll walk you through uh the status of each of the clarifiers.

1:46

Uh easier to do it by clarifier now than by activities.

1:49

So uh you're gonna see a lot of slides that that work through this same progression uh as we go forward in the next couple of months.

1:57

Uh for the first uh for SEC one.

2:00

Uh we've completed wash down activities on that clarifier, uh wash the old lime scale out from previous activities.

2:07

Uh mixer inspection is complete.

2:09

Uh no required repairs required.

2:11

Let me make a clarification on that.

2:13

There's a we have a standard repair procedure uh from WestTech, the clarifier vendor that uh when looking at the that uh the mixers remember when we talked about the failure, uh part of it was interference of the mixer with the upper draft tube.

2:28

So there was concern that had we done any damage to the bottom of the mixer uh where that interference occurred.

2:35

We got a repair uh process and uh observation process or determination process from West Tech that indicates if there's uh any more than a sixteenth of an inch of material loss, it requires a repair.

2:49

Uh that process is still being considered by the city uh as to whether that's adequate or not, uh, or that amount of material loss is adequate or not.

2:59

So when I say on these slides, no repairs required.

3:02

I'm simply saying that there is not any uh there's not any material loss greater than a sixteenth of an inch in line with the repair procedure that uh we've been given by the vendor.

3:12

Uh city will continue to look at that, uh, and I'm sure if there's changes, we'll uh next month when that occurs.

3:18

Uh coding identifications are complete, coatings repairs are ongoing.

3:22

I will also just uh uh for a point of clarification on the coatings.

3:27

There are a lot of individual coating repairs uh on some of these clarifiers.

3:31

Uh the team continues to look at are there better ways to handle the coating uh to speed the process up.

3:39

Uh very weather dependent, uh, as you might uh imagine trying to do coatings uh in place.

3:46

Uh so uh so if we have any optimization on that, likewise we'll give you an update next month uh on that process as it occurs.

3:54

Uh SEC number two, washdown is is ongoing.

3:59

Uh the mixture inspections are complete again.

4:01

No uh requires identified uh encoding identifications uh will start after washdown.

4:09

SEC number three.

4:11

Uh we've completed the washdown.

4:12

This will be the first SEC put back in the actual operation uh for uh testing, uh, which should uh repairs uh I'll give you an update on on that here on the last slide related to the upper draft too.

4:25

Uh coding identification identifications are complete, and we're ongoing with coding repairs, and then we're also looking at the rate round modifications on this clarifier right now, since it's the first to uh or will be the first to complete.

4:38

Here we are with SEC four.

4:40

Uh again, wash down's complete, no requires uh repairs required on the mixture inspection.

4:45

Uh coatings identifications are complete, and coding repairs begin this week.

4:50

Uh, here's the clarifier that Gary mentioned that we put in an operation with temporary repairs.

4:55

I think I misspoke last time.

4:57

Gary actually said it correctly this time.

5:10

It's been operation since uh late February.

5:14

As Gary mentioned, city staff has been part of the operations team, which is a great opportunity for them to train, and something that would have had to be done quite frankly at some point in the process.

5:25

The city staff has to train and learn this system.

5:29

So this is a great opportunity to get ahead of that.

5:32

About 15 different city of Wichita staff have rotated through activities covering both day and night shifts.

5:39

And then our team and the city staff meets about three times a week to talk about operations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety███████████████████████23%
Procedural████████████████████20%
Parking Management█████████████████17%
Technology and Innovation████████████12%
Water And Wastewater Management████████8%
Public Engagement█████5%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Community Engagement████4%
Pending Litigation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Wichita City Council Meeting: Water Plant, Policing Technology, Parking, Budget – March 24, 2026

The Wichita City Council met on March 24, 2026, for a regular meeting that included updates on the water treatment plant clarifier repairs, a comprehensive presentation on 21st century policing technology, a detailed report on downtown paid parking implementation, a review of the 2025 Polco community survey results, and an initial budget forecast for fiscal year 2027. The meeting also addressed ongoing legal discussions regarding plant delays and included citizen-facing data on crime prevention and parking enforcement.

Water Treatment Plant Clarifier Repairs

  • Gary (City Staff) and Ron Coker (Wichita Water Partners) provided an update on the repair of six clarifiers at the new water treatment plant. One clarifier was temporarily repaired and operational since late February, allowing city staff to begin training. Approximately 15 city staff have rotated through day and night shifts, and operations team meetings occur three times a week.
  • Permanent repairs are underway; the timeline anticipates all permanent repairs completed by summer 2026, with performance testing to follow. The plant remains the responsibility of Wichita Water Partners until all repairs and testing are accepted.
  • Ron Coker detailed the status of each clarifier: clarifier 1 and 2 have completed washdown and mixer inspections (no repairs required per vendor criteria); clarifier 3 is the first to be returned to operation for testing; clarifier 4 washdown complete; clarifier 5 (temporarily repaired) is operational; clarifier 6 inspections complete.
  • Discussion of upper draft tube replacement: material arrived in pairs, installation expected in April/May 2026. Coatings repairs are ongoing and weather-dependent; corrosion was noted, some areas earlier than expected in the clarifiers’ lifecycle.
  • City expressed concern about a WestTech repair criterion regarding 1/16-inch material loss allowance, stating they requested additional detail and are not yet satisfied. Gary confirmed the city will not take ownership of the plant until all contract performance testing is met. Legal discussions on cost recovery for delays are scheduled to begin April 2026.
  • Councilmembers asked about warranty (two-year warranty after possession), ongoing maintenance budgets, and training timeline. Staff noted that operating costs are included in the rate structure and future CIP budgets.

Police Department: 21st Century Policing Technology

  • Chief Sullivan presented on the department’s alignment with the 2014 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing pillars, emphasizing trust, technology, community policing, training, and officer wellness.
  • Drone program: 43 trained pilots; 308 drone flights from September to December 2025; 208 arrived first on scene; 50 calls cleared without a physical officer response. DFR (drones as first responders) hive at Fire Station on South Broadway operational, second hive at QuikTrip on East Douglas expected April 2026, with federal appropriation requested for more.
  • Gunshot detection (Raven system): live in 4 sq mi since 2025, as of March 18, 2026 – 300 verified alerts, 54 shooting victims, 14 arrests, 1,313 cartridge casings recovered, 28 firearms recovered.
  • Real-Time Information Center (RTIC): first phase completed Sept 2025; second phase summer 2026. Staffed currently by light-duty officers and Captain Hutchins; plans to add professional staff and interns. Will integrate with FUSUS, bodycams, license plate readers, and third-party cameras.
  • Discussion of Spot robot (grant-funded): used for de-escalation, barricaded suspects, hostage situations; 70 other departments use Spot, including NYPD.
  • Staffing: authorized for 700 commissioned officers; 235,724 radio calls in 2025 (up from 219,289 in 2024); 4,000 more calls year-to-date March 2026. Chief voiced need for a new staffing study (last done in 2017), citing 31 open commissioned positions. Councilmembers expressed support for a comprehensive public safety staffing study integrated with strategic planning.
  • Chief noted that technology does not replace officers but enhances their capabilities. He highlighted partnerships with mental health teams, HOT (Homeless Outreach Team), and collaboration with other city departments.
  • Privacy concerns addressed: drone transparency dashboard, Flock data sharing policies (no federal sharing, 30-day data retention), and vendor background checks. Captain Moses confirmed city owns license plate data; Flock cannot sell or share it.

Downtown Paid Parking Update

  • Troy (Assistant City Manager) reviewed the implementation of the 2019 Parking and Multimodal Plan. All equipment standardized (pay stations, signage, enforcement hours: Mon–Thu 8-6, Fri-Sat 8-9, Sun free). Rate $1/hour, with event rates up to $35.
  • Parking fund performance: 2024 year-end deficit of $232,000; 2025 unaudited net loss of ~$3,800 after $540,000 one-time implementation costs (meter removal, concrete, electrical). Recurring annual management fee to Car Park: ~$1.3 million (2025), decreasing as equipment is amortized.
  • Event rates will be activated in 2026; councilmember expressed concern about $35 rate being high.
  • City Hall paid parking: infrastructure replaced with same system; validation codes available for departments but will require internal transfers to parking fund (previously ~$200,000 in foregone revenue). Discussion of accessibility for cash users: coin/bill pay at key locations (Century II, Intrust Bank Arena).
  • Enforcement: backing into spaces is prohibited (ordinance 20+ years old); fine schedule approved. Council requested signage and education. Towing ordinance coming for repeat violators.
  • Capital improvements: security cameras RFP for garages this year; deferred maintenance plan being developed.
  • Council emphasized need for balance, user-fee transparency, and ongoing community education.

Polco Community Survey Results (Video Presentation)

  • Residents rated cost of living above national benchmark; safety from property and violent crime improved from 2024; 70% plan to remain in Wichita for five years.
  • Governance ratings saw declines: only 42% rated government treating residents with respect as excellent/good; fewer than 30% rated transparency, honesty, and value for taxes positively.
  • Safety perceptions: 80% felt safe in neighborhood during day; 60% felt safe from violent/property crime (improved). Police services, animal control, and crime prevention below national benchmarks.
  • Downtown safety concerns: top reason for not feeling safe was presence of unhoused individuals (33%); ~80% would visit more often with more police/security and better lighting.
  • Mobility: 75% rated ease of travel by car excellent/good; public transit rated low (20%). Street repair, sidewalk maintenance, and street cleaning rated lower than benchmarks.

2027 Budget Workshop

  • Elizabeth presented initial General Fund forecast: revenues expected $4 million higher in 2026, $5.5 million higher in 2027, $5.2 million higher in 2028 (compared to previous plan), driven by sales tax growth (3-3.2%) and higher assessed valuation growth (7.1% vs previous 5.6%).
  • Interest earnings declining from $31M (2026) to $22M (2028) – a $9M reduction over three years.
  • Expenditures updated for police and fire contracts; base budget currently balanced in 2027 after a $3M annual stabilization reserve transfer. 2028 shows a deficit; no new service expansions modeled.
  • Shrinkage (vacancy savings) assumed 3.7% in 2028. Staff noted potential for favorable changes in pension rates.
  • Councilmember questions about shrinkage methodology and reserve levels (total reserves ~$96 million); planned transfers from stabilization reserve are systematic and disclosed to credit rating agencies.
  • Next steps: CIP workshop in April, operating budget in May, final projection in June, budget adoption in August.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken during the workshop portion; the meeting included presentations, discussion, and direction from council.
  • Staff will continue legal discussions with Wichita Water Partners regarding delays; next meeting set for early April 2026.
  • Council expressed support for a comprehensive public safety staffing study to be incorporated into 2027 budget discussions.
  • The parking enforcement ordinance update (hooding fees, towing) will be presented for council action in coming weeks.
  • Budget workshops will continue monthly, with resident engagement at District Advisory Boards in May.
  • The meeting adjourned at an unspecified time after a motion and second (recorded as 6-0).

Meeting Transcript

To provide an update on which how water works where we're out on repair of the clarifiers in particular, which hot water partners is here. He'll provide details here in just a moment. So we have May with Saltwater Partners made some temporary repairs to one of the six clarifiers so that we could uh bring the plant back online. Simulate what the permanent repair will do. So that clarifier has been operational. One of the things that's done by us is to start getting our staff accustomed to operating the plant. So they've been able to be at the controls more than in the past, which is real value to us. We can start seeing what how this new how the repair clarifier is going to work. So we do have water running through the plant. Um permanent repairs are underway. Ron will talk about details. That's all that's starting moving forward a lot more here in the coming months. Um, and hopefully sometime by this summer, and you can talk about that timeline too sometime this summer. We expect to have all of our permanent repairs done. Um start looking at uh performance testing again and see what we can do get to the point of having the plant fully online. As of now, as I mentioned before, the plan is still a responsibility of Wichita Water Partners until it says time that we get through all these repairs, all of the testing, agree that it's time for the city to take it over. So, with that, I'm gonna return it over to Ron. Thank you, Gary. Uh Mayor, members of the council, uh, Ron Coker with Burnson McDonald and Wichita Water Partners, project executive for Wichita Water Partners. I'm gonna give you a quick update again. Uh just like last month, we'll uh we'll walk you through uh the status of each of the clarifiers. Uh easier to do it by clarifier now than by activities. So uh you're gonna see a lot of slides that that work through this same progression uh as we go forward in the next couple of months. Uh for the first uh for SEC one. Uh we've completed wash down activities on that clarifier, uh wash the old lime scale out from previous activities. Uh mixer inspection is complete. Uh no required repairs required. Let me make a clarification on that. There's a we have a standard repair procedure uh from WestTech, the clarifier vendor that uh when looking at the that uh the mixers remember when we talked about the failure, uh part of it was interference of the mixer with the upper draft tube. So there was concern that had we done any damage to the bottom of the mixer uh where that interference occurred. We got a repair uh process and uh observation process or determination process from West Tech that indicates if there's uh any more than a sixteenth of an inch of material loss, it requires a repair. Uh that process is still being considered by the city uh as to whether that's adequate or not, uh, or that amount of material loss is adequate or not. So when I say on these slides, no repairs required. I'm simply saying that there is not any uh there's not any material loss greater than a sixteenth of an inch in line with the repair procedure that uh we've been given by the vendor. Uh city will continue to look at that, uh, and I'm sure if there's changes, we'll uh next month when that occurs. Uh coding identifications are complete, coatings repairs are ongoing. I will also just uh uh for a point of clarification on the coatings. There are a lot of individual coating repairs uh on some of these clarifiers. Uh the team continues to look at are there better ways to handle the coating uh to speed the process up. Uh very weather dependent, uh, as you might uh imagine trying to do coatings uh in place. Uh so uh so if we have any optimization on that, likewise we'll give you an update next month uh on that process as it occurs. Uh SEC number two, washdown is is ongoing. Uh the mixture inspections are complete again. No uh requires identified uh encoding identifications uh will start after washdown. SEC number three. Uh we've completed the washdown. This will be the first SEC put back in the actual operation uh for uh testing, uh, which should uh repairs uh I'll give you an update on on that here on the last slide related to the upper draft too. Uh coding identification identifications are complete, and we're ongoing with coding repairs, and then we're also looking at the rate round modifications on this clarifier right now, since it's the first to uh or will be the first to complete. Here we are with SEC four. Uh again, wash down's complete, no requires uh repairs required on the mixture inspection.

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