District 3 Advisory Board

District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 District III Advisory Board Minutes April 5, 2017 www.wichita.gov The District III Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211; Councilman James Clendenin, eleven District Advisory Board members, four City staff and four signed in members of the public were present. Members Present Elena Ingle Members Absent Marco Alcocer Jessica Hutton David Robbins Paul Davis Staff Present Emily “Emy” Winterhalter (Youth Member) Teia Wair, Community Services Bruce Gass Representative Daisy Olivar Officer Josh Hayes, WPD Catherine Johnson Officer Vanessa Minks, WPD Gerald Henry Don Henry, Assistant Director Public Works Ron Tracy Guests Cindy Miles Listed on last page Councilman James Clendenin ORDER OF BUSINESS At 6:30 p.m. Councilman James Clendenin called the meeting to order. The agenda for the current meeting was approved. Paul Davis (DAB): Provided an update that Christopher McAuliffe’s name needed to be added as the automotive detective to a question on the Minutes from March 1, 2017. When the question was asked last month the answer was unknown. Minutes from the March 1, 2017 meeting were approved. STAFF REPORTS Fire Report Scott Walker (Fire Station 2): Grass fires have decreased. In District III there were four fires totaling three-hundred fifty dollars in damages. 1. Trash bags set on fire outside of a school. No structural damage 2. 2 accidental fires 3. 1 currently under investigation The month of April we have a statewide burn ban. The only type of burning allowed would be barbecues, ceremonial and crops. Provided a friendly reminder with all the heavy rainfall that it is illegal to be in the water. Not only is it unsafe it is a hassle and very dangerous. No questions 1  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 Councilman James Clendenin: Tuesday, April 4, 2017 was the first day for the Citizens Fire Academy. There will soon be a Citizens Police Academy. Councilman Clendenin’s son is participating in this Fire Academy. This is a great opportunity for Citizens to see what Fire/Police do and how tax dollars a spent. Paul Davis (DAB): Attending the Police Academy will provide a visual as to why the WPD needs a new Law Enforcement training center. Police Report Officer Vanessa Minks (Beat 33): Introduced herself to DAB III as well citizens. Officer Minks is new to Community Policing. Officer Minks has four-teen years on the force. Working in partnership with certain departments/agencies is new for her but she is working hard to familiarize herself with the new task of being a Community Police Officer. In the District there was a homicide on Orme and Woodlawn. The case is still under investigation so information cannot be delivered at this time. There was one suspect apprehended. Auto thefts have increased. Officer Minks try’s to provide public awareness of the importance to not leave vehicles running unattended. Older model vehicles can have their steering wheels popped allowing access to start the vehicle. The newer vehicles are unable to start in this manner. There have been several vehicles burglarized. Encourages citizens to remove valuables as well as pocket change. Lock your vehicle and if you see something or someone suspicious contact 911. W.A. Stofer (PUBLIC): Is there a reason for the auto thefts? What are the suspects doing with the vehicles? Are they taking them to chop shops? Officer Vanessa Minks: In the past they would use the parts; however now they are driving around possibly taking the items they want then abandoning the vehicle. Four or five vehicles were stolen from a dealerships. When the vehicles were found there was no visual damage. Dog issues are down. There was one report of a dog bite incident thus far in 2017. Eight to nine reports of dogs running at large. A Title Boxing program for the summer will be held in an attempt to keep children off the streets. The boxing facility is in the 2000 block of S. Woodlawn. Additional details will be provided once program is up and running. Elena Ingle (DAB): What age of children will be allowed to attend the boxing program? Officer Vanessa Minks: Any child that wants to participate. Paul Davis (DAB): Are there any apprehending suspects connected to auto thefts? Officer Vanessa Minks: Three have been arrested. Auto thefts are usually a crime of opportunity; therefore despite three being arrested others were still out conducting auto thefts. Officer Josh Hayes (Beat 28/29): The Law Enforcement Parade is Saturday, April 8th 2017 on Central and Main at 10:30 a.m. The anticipation is that roughly four to eight thousand people will 2  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 attend. All Community Police Officers will be in attendance. Officer Aterburn’s family will be in attendance as well. Patrol South Crimes: 1. Shootings, some gang related 2. Auto theft 3. Auto larceny The South YMCA Branch and Officer Robinson are hosting a youth summer program. Individuals do not need to be a member of the YMCA. Two officers will be present at all times. One in street clothes and another in uniform. Fifty to sixty children attended on the first weekend. The event is every Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. the program is designed to provide an alternative to engage children with positive activates in an attempt to keep the children off the streets. Councilman James Clendenin: This is also a great opportunity to humanize officers. Create that relationship between children and officers. Next month WPD will start to receive the new uniforms. The uniforms are navy blue. Questions/Concerns: Marco Alcocer (DAB): Was it approved to have the WPD patrol on motorcycles? Councilman James Clendenin: The City Council approved the application for a grant to obtain the equipment. The City of Wichita will pay the salary of the WPD officers assigned to the motorcycle unit. Deputy Gavin Seiler stated that the motorcycle unit was removed in the past because training was not able to be maintained. The officers were required to take training every three weeks. The conversation is on the table to bring back the motorcycle unit and provide the proper training required for safety. Elena Ingle (DAB): What size motorcycles will be utilized? Councilman James Clendenin: A full size motorcycle will be utilized. Officer Josh Hayes: The motorcycles will be similar to the motorcycles that the Sheriff’s utilize. Councilman James Clendenin: The number one goal is officer safety. Motorcycles are much easier to maneuver than a vehicle. KDOT has noticed an increase in Wichita’s traffic issues by examining traffic statistics. PUBLIC AGENDA Scheduled Items: NONE NEW BUSINESS Scheduled Items Don Henry, (Assistant Director of Public Works): Provided an update on the results of the Storm Water Cost of Service Analysis. What is a Cost of Service Analysis (COSA)? COSA matches expenses with revenue and looks at the needs of utility. The Stormwater COSA considered the level of services based on current operational expenses, repairs, and replacement needs (based on experienced failure rate), and the need to build out large drainage improvement projects. The incoming revenue is not keeping pace with the current needs. 3  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 Additional revenue is needed to: 1. Stabilize the Stormwater Utility Fund and maintain a responsible fund balance (in line with other City utilities). 2. Maintain levee certification (toe drain projects and other repairs). 3. Keep pace with renewal and replacement of utility assets. 4. Fund construction of drainage improvements. The existing ERU structure has remained the same since 1992 (when it was adopted). The current ERU rate has remained unchanged since 2007. ERU means- Equivalent Residential Unit. Based on 2,139 square feet of an impervious area (one Equivalent Residential Unit). Impervious area is any ground that has been altered causing water to not absorb at the same rate as the native soil. This condition creates additional run-off which the City of Wichita’s system has to absorb. 1. Residential customers are billed 1.0 ERU times $2.00/month 2. Commercial properties are billed for every 2,139 square foot of impervious area times $2.00/month Commercial properties include 61% of impervious area across the City and accounts for 71% of the revenue collected by the utility. Contrariwise, residential accounts provide 39% of the impervious area while accounting for 29% of the utility’s revenue. The current rate is roughly a quarter more than when the ERU was established in 1992. General Fund’s support of the utility was eliminated in 2004. The cost are outpacing the revenue. The ERU rate has remained flat since 2007. Therefore revenue has not kept pace with inflation and increased operating costs. Utility assets are continuing to age causing many to fail as they age. $950,000 in annual repairs and replacement is required in order to keep pace with the current failure rate. Failing infrastructure poses public safety issues, increases flooding, as well as jeopardizes certification of levees with in the Wichita and Valley Center Floodway Project. There are similar needs for drainage improvements across the city. There is a disparity between commercial and residential rates in terms of impervious surface and the share of revenue coming in. The recommended option for providing additional revenue to meet the needs of the utility, stabilize the fund while providing for more equitable rates includes:  $1.50 based rate for all customers’ accounts.  Structure residential accounts into four classes based on the amount of impervious surface (similar to residential customers).  ERU’s would be rounded down to the nearest whole number. Residential customers will begin to pay at least a half ERU and no one paying more than three ERU’s. Residential customers would pay anywhere from 0.5 to 3 ERU’s. The impervious area will remain the same. However, the residential tiering results in residential customers towing more of the line. If adopted, the new structure results in 43% (residential revenue) and 57% (commercial revenue). The residential customer group, those larger properties with more improvements and this more impervious area, pay more than the smaller properties with less impervious area. This will not provide a fifty-fifty split but the proposed structure would provide a big step in the right direction toward more equitable rates. 4  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017  Stabilized fund provides a responsible for balance and is in line with the other utilities.  Revenues abstains current operations; does not increase staffing, equipment or levels of service.  Revenue keeps pace with repair and replacement needs based on experienced failure rates.  Accumulated $1.4 million each year for large drainage improvements. A large project can be built every 3 to 6 years. There is more of a balance in terms of revenue and impervious surface as the new revenue split would be 57% commercial and 43% residential as opposed to 71% and 29% currently. Showed a bar graph that showed: The projected trajectory fund balance and spending for operations, renewal and replacement, drainage improvements as well as catching up on the backlog of flood control project by 2031. The new rate structure would accumulate 1.4 million annually for drainage improvements. This would also cover the City's responsibility for Big Ditch Improvements for levee certifications. The drainage projects are prioritized by risk:  Safety four represents areas where stranded motorists have had to be rescued  Floodplain means there are a number of properties and structures within the 100-year floodplain  Safety two means there are areas with significant, nuisance street flooding (no rescues)  Highest total score= highest risk= highest priority The new increase would be:  $0.50 for less than 1 ERU  $1.50 for properties with 1 to 1.9 ERU  $3.50 for properties with 2 to 2.9 ERU  $5.50 for those properties with 3 or more ERU The City’s existing ordinance will have to be amended to establish the base rate and four residential classes. The target date for presenting the ordinance change to City Council is April 18, 2017. If approved:  The base rate would take effect this year, 2017  While residential classes would phase in, 2018 Questions/Concerns: Councilman James Clendenin: The projects completed to the north of District III have a positive impact in District III (Southside). Don Henry: The graft that was shown was not all the projects. Studies are preformed to help determine the projects and risk factor. 5  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 Bruce Gass (DAB): When repairs are made on bridges, is it typical to widen the area? Don Henry: No, only if the design calls for that. The idea is to have the project last for a hundred years or beyond. Paul Davis (DAB): The new rate is attached to your Water Bill. What happens if you do not pay your Water Bill? Don Henry: Your Water will get disconnected. Paul Davis (DAB): Then what happens to the Stormwater portion? Don Henry: The Stormwater portion continues to run. There is no way to shut that off. Paul Davis (DAB): So, it gets calculated into the property owner’s taxes? When I had a business I felt as though this was unfair. Are Apartment buildings charged based on how many residential units it has or based on how much impervious area it has? Don Henry: It can be billed either or. Paul Davis (DAB): Is the areal map still utilized to determine how much impervious land on property has? Is there away an actual inspector/Engineer can come out and physically examine the area. Don Henry: There are mechanize in place to examine impervious surface. Contact Stormwater Management. GIS allows for impervious and non-impervious surfaces to be examined. If a customer has a concern they are not being adequately charged based on impervious surface. Mark Hall is available to come to the property and observe visually if the area is or is not impervious. Councilman James Clendenin: If a Business has a concern about charges based off impervious or non-impervious charges they can contact City of Wichita Staff. A Staff member will come out and observe the actual land to determine if it is impervious. It is required by law that if requested a Staff member must come out and observe the area. Bruce Gass (DAB): Overall the City of Wichita’s Stormwater is quit safe. There are certain areas that can become dangerous during heavy rainfall. There is an issue with excess trash trapped in the trees and bushes along the Arkansas River. Assumption is during heavy rainfall the items wash along the bank eventually getting trapped in the trees or bushes. Other than that Stormwater does well with retrieving trash. Don Henry: The amount of trash is amazing. The City of Wichita has five trucks that address street/trash clean-up daily. Bruce Gass (DAB): Are there statistics on the amount of trash picked up by the street cleaners? Don Henry: If the statistics exist I do not have those numbers. Councilman James Clendenin: The free Eagle Flyers that are distributed are a common nuisance. The plastic wrapped flyers clog the Stormwater system. Many citizens do not wish to receive the Flyers. If you do not wish to receive the Eagle Flyer there is now a link on Wichita.gov there you can sign up to discontinue the flyer. Cindy Miles (DAB): How much will the new ERU effect the properties with well water? Don Henry: Those properties should receive a bill that totals roughly two dollars per month. It all depends on how much impervious surface the property has. 6  District III Advisory Board Minutes for April 5, 2017 Off-agenda items Councilman James Clendenin: Rooster the WPD dog was murdered in Lamplight Mobile Home Park. There was a stolen vehicle in the driveway of a residence. A male came outside. WPD utilized their commands for the male to stop/hit the ground. The male failed to follow commands and Rooster was unleashed to detain the male; however the male had a gun which officers did not see. Unfortunately the events occurred fairly quickly the K-9 unit was unable to place Rooster vest on. The male shot Rooster and WPD returned fire on the suspect and he passed from his injuries. Sadly several families are morning the loss of loved ones. At the memorial service for Rooster a citizen stated that she would supply the funding to purchase a new WPD dog. The goal is to deploy the K-9’s more often. WPD is seeking different ways to deescalate situations especially those do to a disabled person. Questions/Concerns: Lonnie Wright (Public): Why has the Hyatt meeting been delayed? Councilman James Clendenin: There have been a few scheduling conflicts. The new date will be released soon. Possibly the first or second week of May. Updates/Issues/Reports BOARD AGENDA Meeting was adjourned. The next District Advisory Board III meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., May 3, 2017, at the WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211. Respectfully submitted, Teia Wair, Community Service Representative – District III Guests W.A. Stofer Marjorie Griffith Christy Campbell Lonnie Wright 7