Wichita City Council Meeting – May 5, 2026

The Wichita City Council convened on May 5, 2026, at 3:00 PM UTC (10:00 AM CDT) for a regular meeting lasting over seven hours. The agenda included proclamations, public testimony on renewable energy, multiple public hearings on housing bonds and special assessments, approval of a first-responder wellness facility, a safe haven baby box initiative, and a contentious debate over federal CDBG funding allocations. The meeting concluded with a vote to draft an ordinance repealing the 2008 prohibition on backing into parking stalls.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the April 28, 2026, regular meeting (7-0).
• Approved consent agenda items 1–20, excluding item 5A (Douglas pilot program), which was pulled for discussion (7-0).
• Approved the Board of Bids and Contracts report (May 4, 2026) (7-0).
• Approved petitions for public improvements (Clear Ridge, First Furlong, Stoney Point) (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Renewable Energy Advocacy: Five students from Independent School presented detailed arguments for solar, wind, and hydropower, citing statistics (e.g., 65% sunny days in Wichita, 150,000 bird deaths from wind turbines vs. 1 billion from cats, 71% of Earth is water) and urged the council to adopt clean energy incentives.
• Douglas Pilot Project: Tex Dozier, chair of District Advisory Board (DAB) 1, spoke in favor of the pilot but urged consideration of back-in angle parking to increase safety and parking capacity, citing examples from Tucson and Potstown.
• Special Assessments: Gabe Schultz and Jeff Roberts, residents of affected improvement districts, expressed frustration over delayed project closeouts (up to 5–6 years) that increased interest costs and added unexpected assessments.
• HUD Annual Action Plan: Multiple speakers addressed the CDBG public services allocation. Amanda Myers (Wichita Family Crisis Center) and Levante Williams (former council member) advocated for funding for the YMCA after-school program and domestic violence services. Mark Quayle (board chair, Wichita Family Crisis Center) and Ron (YMCA) emphasized the importance of proven programs. Cindy Miles (GRC member) explained the committee’s rationale for prioritizing newer, smaller organizations.
• Safe Haven Baby Box: Cindy Miles, Samantha Oaks, David Alexander (Via Christi Foundation), Claudio Ferraro (St. Joseph Hospital), and Brent Worthington (Ridgepoint Church) spoke in strong support of the baby box, emphasizing its life-saving potential and the collaborative partnership.

Discussion Items

• Proclamations: Recognized National Small Business Week (May 3–9), Goodwill Week, Wichita Heights Women’s Basketball Day, and Provider Appreciation Day (May 8). Honored Harlow Aerostructures as Kansas Small Business Persons of the Year ($35M annual sales, 120 local employees).
• Douglas Pilot Program (Item 5A): Public Works Director Paul Gunzelman explained the $1.4M pilot (including $105,000 design and $300,000 construction) to restripe Douglas from Washington to Grove with bike lanes and preserve existing parking. Councilmember Shepard noted collaborative work with USD 259 to remove school buses from the corridor. The pilot will run six months starting July 2026 with data collection. Councilmember Tuttle highlighted alignment with the new Biomed Center revitalization. Approved 6-1 (Mayor Wu dissenting, citing consistency with previous vote).
• Public Hearings – Housing Revenue Bonds:
  • Knox Court East (District 2): Conversion of church into 27 senior affordable units at 831 E. Gilbert, financed with 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). Approved 7-0.
  • Knox Court South (District 4): Conversion of church into 20 senior affordable units at 1522 W. 27th St. S. Approved 7-0.
  • Vicino Bond Group (District 3): 50-unit supportive housing complex at 1130 S. Broadway, with 10 units for individuals exiting homelessness, plus a planned co-op grocery next door. Approved 7-0.
• Special Assessments (91 Projects): Public Works presented $41.5M in assessments for paving, water, sewer, and storm sewer projects. Residents raised concerns about delays (e.g., Auburn Lakes took 4 years) and increased interest costs. The city acknowledged staff turnover contributed to delays and agreed to cover some cost overruns. Council directed the city manager to explore process reforms to prevent future delays. Approved 7-0.
• Pinnacle Wellness Facility: First-responder wellness center at 3rd and Broadway, a joint effort with Sedgwick County and the Crime Commission. The Crime Commission will fund $5M renovation; city and county each pay $94,000 annual operating costs. The facility will offer physical training, mental health services, and confidential consultation. Approved 7-0.
• Safe Haven Baby Box: Approved lease and service agreement with Via Christi Foundation and Ridgepoint Church to install a baby box at Fire Station 9 (350 S. Edgemore). The box provides anonymous, climate-controlled surrender for newborns up to 6 days old. The city will conduct outreach and public service announcements. Approved 7-0.
• Police Vehicle Storage Buildings: Authorized construction of four storage facilities at patrol bureaus (East, West, South, North) to house specialized vehicles. First two at Patrol East and Patrol West, funded by repurposed $500,000 and $600,000 from CIP. Approved 7-0.
• Wichita River Festival: Approved MOU for May 29–June 6, 2026, with $80,000 cash sponsorship and $350,000 in-kind services (public safety, parking, park use). Approved 7-0.
• HUD Annual Action Plan 2026–2027: Approved the overall plan (including $2.98M CDBG, $1.41M HOME, $260,932 ESG) but after extensive debate, the council voted 4-3 to amend the $475,000 public services sub-recipient allocations. The final motion allocated $50,000 each to seven organizations (Catholic Charities, Stepstone, Wichita Children’s Home, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Prime Fit, Colvin Kids Club, Masters and Mentors) and $75,000 to Wichita Family Crisis Center, with United Methodist Open Door receiving $50,000 (no strings attached). The motion removed the YMCA and Prime Fit’s higher amounts, overriding the Grant Review Committee’s recommendations. Councilmembers expressed frustration over process and transparency.

Key Outcomes

• Douglas Pilot Program: Approved 6-1 (Mayor Wu dissenting).
• Three Housing Bond Projects: All approved 7-0.
• Special Assessments: Approved 7-0 with directive to reform process.
• Pinnacle Wellness Facility: Approved 7-0.
• Safe Haven Baby Box: Approved 7-0.
• Police Vehicle Storage: Approved 7-0.
• River Festival: Approved 7-0.
• HUD Action Plan and CDBG Allocations: Plan approved 4-3; CDBG public services reallocated by council vote 4-3, diverging from GRC recommendations.
• Backing into Parking Stalls: Council voted 5-2 to direct staff to draft an ordinance repealing the 2008 prohibition, with a public hearing scheduled for June 2, 2026 (evening session).
• Board Appointments: Approved appointments to the Animal Advisory Board, Sustainability Integration Board, Affordable Housing Review Board, and Arts Council (7-0).
• Executive Session: Entered into a 20-minute closed session for legal consultation on pending litigation (7-0).