District 3 Advisory Board
Regular MeetingWichita, KS · July 3, 2019
Minutes
District III Advisory Board
Minutes for July 3, 2019
DISTRICT III ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES
July 3, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/WichitaDistrict3/videos/347890362557011/
The District III Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the WATER Center, 101 E.
Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211. Council Member James Clendenin, six DAB members, six City staff,
and eight members of the public were present.
Members Present Staff Present
Bruce Gass Officer Dustin Fussell, Community Policing,
Catherine Johnson Wichita Police Department
Cindy Miles Officer Joshua Lewis, Community Policing,
Jared Cerullo WPD
Michael Loop Capt. Brien Snyder, Station 22, Wichita Fire
Paul Davis Department
CM Clendenin Firefighter Joshua Fajardo, WFD
Firefighter Seth Glaves, WFD
Members Absent Maddy Campbell, Community Services
Daisy Olivar Representative
David Robbins
Gerald Henry
Marco Alcocer
Ron Tracy
ORDER OF BUSINESS
At 6:30 p.m. CM Clendenin called the DAB meeting to order. The Minutes from June 5, 2019 were
not approved because there was not a quorum at the start of the meeting. The Minutes for June 5
and July 3, 2019 will be voted on at the August DAB meeting.
STAFF REPORTS
1. Wichita Police Department
CP Officer Joshua Lewis shared the following statistics for District III:
In May there were:
4 commercial robberies
13 individual robberies
11 burglaries to commercial businesses
46 residential burglaries
64 motor vehicle thefts
116 larceny to vehicles
65 aggravated assaults
In June there were:
1 commercial robbery
7 individual robberies
19 burglaries to commercial businesses
43 residential burglaries
48 motor vehicle thefts
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District III Advisory Board
Minutes for July 3, 2019
84 larceny to vehicles
32 aggravated assualts
Lewis shared that WPD is dedicating resources toward reducing the number of auto thefts
throughout the city. Lewis stated that the City is working with other law enforcement agencies
(such as the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department) to pool their intelligence and resources to
address this crime trend. Lewis advised that residents always lock their cars, avoid leaving their car
running unattended, and refrain from leaving personal belongings in their car. Lewis also reported
on a recent successful neighborhood cleanup and shared that WPD frequently works with MABCD
to address “problem properties.”
CP Officer Dustin Fussell introduced himself to the group as the new Community Policing Officer
for Beat 23. He shared that the South Central Neighborhood will be hosting a community
showcase event on July 20 and invited the public to attend.
The DAB and public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments:
DAB: What percentage of auto thefts are the result of a person leaving their keys in the car?
A: I do not have that percentage, but I can tell you each week we look through those cases and it is
a recurring trend. I would guess about 90 percent of auto thefts are done to cars that are left
running unattended.
Public: I feel like there is disconnect between patrol officers and specialized teams (such as the
Broadway Corridor Team or Homeless Outreach Team) when responding to calls in the South
Central Neighborhood. It appears officers rather turn a situation over to a different team than deal
with the situation as it is happening. If a problem is called in and immediate action is not taken,
then it is hard to collect evidence or stop/mediate the situation as it is happening. Sometimes I will
call in a situation and see an officer drive by without stopping or making contact. How do I get
additional information on how situations that I call in are being dealt with?
A: Sometimes officers might be responding to a higher priority call which is why you may see a
patrol unit drive by without stopping at the situation you have called in. We have seen calls hold for
a couple hours at a time. We will bring your concerns up to staff.
Public: I have noticed police cars driving slowly through the Hilltop Neighborhood with their lights
turned off. Is that a new technique or effort?
A: Police will frequently turn their lights off at night when they are trying to get close to a situation
without being noticed.
2. Wichita Fire Department
Capt. Brien Snyder shared that in May District III had 51 fire, 72 service, and 609 medical calls. In
June, there were a total of 739 calls with only 25 of those being fire alarms. Two significant fires
occurred in June that resulted in substantial damage and investigations.
Capt. Synder reminded the group of the City’s fireworks ordinance. He stated City policy is to
“shoot them where you get them” and any tickets written will result in a $250 fine. He shared that
WPD and WFD are working together this year to dispatch patrol teams to monitor for illegal
fireworks. There will be seven teams comprised of two police officers and one firefighter that will
patrol hotspots (areas that generate a significant number of complaint calls) between 8 p.m. to 2
a.m. He reminded the group to call the designated phone number, and not 911, for routine
complaint calls.
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Minutes for July 3, 2019
The DAB and public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments:
Public: I remember the Fourth of July patrol teams faced difficulties last year. Do you know how
some of those challenges were addressed and how this year is different?
A: One of the major concerns from last year was safety for WFD staff. There were a few incidences
WFD had to disengage from for their own safety. This year WPD will accompany each team for
additional enforcement and to deter aggressive and threatening behavior.
DAB: Where can you legally shoot off fireworks? Can people shoot off fireworks in public parks?
A: The rule of thumb is to use approved fireworks on your private property. There are no
designated public spaces for fireworks usage in the city and people are not supposed to be
shooting them off in parks. Every year piles of fireworks debris and trash must be collected from
park property.
Public: Have we seen a decline in tent permit requests due to the cost increase?
A (CM Clendenin): There was not a decline in 2018 and we are not yet sure if there was a decline
this year. There was some controversy around increasing the price and concern that it would affect
fundraising efforts. The price is still relatively low compared to surrounding cities.
Action Taken: Received and filed.
NEW BUSINESS
3. Greater Wichita Partnership Update
Evan Rosell, Vice President of Projects, and Andrew Nave, Executive Vice President of
Economic Development (both with Greater Wichita Partnership) provided an update on
Greater Wichita Partnership’s Economic Development Initiative. GWP stemmed from the Wichita
Regional Chamber of Commerce and was launched in 2015 with the goal to fast-forward economic
growth in the city and region.
Nave shared that GWP receives 80-85 percent of their funding from the private sector, but local
municipalities, such as the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, also provide funding to their
organization. Their team works with communities in Sedgwick County in addition to nine other
counties in the region. The GWP Economic Development team focuses on the recruitment of jobs
by supporting businesses and entrepreneurs to come alongside elected officials to facilitate job
creation in the city and region. Most job growth comes from existing businesses that are expanding
and GWP works alongside those businesses to help them determine how to grow within their
current community. A lot of their work involves training current workers and establishing workforce
talent pipelines. The GWP Economic Development team also works to recruit new businesses to
the region. They market financial incentives, such as Opportunity Zones, and utilize social media
and geo-fencing to send targeted marketing messages. Their regional growth plan is very tactical
and data-driven which allows them to identify areas of opportunity.
The DAB and public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments:
DAB: How closely does GWP work with WSU? Does GWP consult with WSU’s Innovation Campus
or collaborate in any way?
A: We work very closely with them and have WSU representatives on our boards.
Public: What would you say are the top three reasons why businesses do not move to Wichita and
the surrounding region?
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Minutes for July 3, 2019
A: Talent is the most significant criteria for attracting new business. Most businesses will ask us to
prove that our region has a trained talent pool of workers in addition to an established pipeline from
the school systems. There are other important aspects, such as network systems and
transportation. While taxes are important, they are often below the line in terms of highest priority
criteria. Tax incentives become important as tie breakers for businesses that have identified two to
three cities that fit their needs.
DAB: When trying to recruit individual talent, what are the reasons you hear about why people do
not want to move to Wichita?
A: Work talent feels that Wichita is limited to the field of aerospace. Individuals want to move to
cities that offer opportunities beyond a single company. People do not want to relocate their family
and potentially run into a problem with a specific company and feel they do not have any other
opportunities in their career field. We want to think in terms of how do we produce and attract
human capital (talent) and keep it here? Are there opportunities to grow a career with a second
and third job? How can we make our community distinctive and authentic? Local culture is
important to the younger generation of the workforce. We need to continue growing and promoting
our identity (think the Wichita flag and growing number of microbreweries) and expanding and
diversifying career fields.
DAB: Are there any initiatives focused on expanding specific career fields?
A: We are focused on expanding IT opportunities in the region and growing talent pipelines.
Friends University has an amazing cyber security program and Wichita has a robust gaming
community. There is a tremendous amount of synergy there and we need to continue identifying
those relationships. Local community colleges and WSU Tech are also working to ensure the
automotive industry has a workforce pipeline for skilled technicians.
Public: Do things happening on a State level make your job more difficult?
A: Resources from the State have been gutted. We used to get a third of our leads from the State,
but over the last few years that number has dropped to 10 percent.
DAB: Why is Park City better than Wichita at attracting warehouses?
A (CM Clendenin): As we talk about jobs and growth we have to think outside the boundaries of
Wichita. We have to think regionally. We should be celebrating Park City’s success in attracting
large warehouse businesses because many of those workers are living and spending their money
in Wichita.
Public: It is important to include the arts and entertainment in conversations about growing the
local economy and to work to keep artists and designers in Wichita. Will you help support local
artists and organizations?
A: Absolutely. The newest addition to our staff just came from City Arts and is an artist by trade.
Action Taken: Received and filed.
4. Budget Simulator Results
DAB provided feedback on the results of the City’s Budget Simulator. CM Clendenin stated City
Council was not surprised to see Public Safety and Streets listed as top priorities. He said the City
has increased the number of police officer positions but has struggled to fill those positions due to
attrition. The group had a robust conversation about the difficulties in getting trained police officers
on the streets. CM Clendenin went on to share that the majority of people who participated in the
Budget Simulator stated they were willing to pay increased taxes for additional City services and
amenities. He found that interesting since the City has not raised the mill levy rate in 25 years. He
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District III Advisory Board
Minutes for July 3, 2019
reminded the group the Budget Simulator was just one tool that Council will use to help shape their
decisions and that there is no current political will to raise the mill levy.
The DAB asked and made the following summarized question and comment:
DAB: How many people took this survey and who took it?
A: Roughly 1,000 people, or about 1 percent of the population, took the survey. People were
identified in the survey by their zip code. 33 percent of survey responders were listed as making
$50,000-99,000 annually.
DAB: I do not feel like I saw anything about this outside of the DAB meeting when it was promoted.
This survey is given a lot of weight for being a microscopic snapshot of people engaged and
interested enough to find the time and place to take the survey.
Action Taken: Received and filed.
PUBLIC AGENDA
5. Off-Agenda Items
No items were presented.
BOARD AGENDA
6. Updates, Issues, Reports
Bruce Gass shared he is impressed with how Wichita police are handling escalated standoff
situations. He also shared he is pleased City buses have decreased their exhaust emissions. Last,
he brought up two concerns regarding a sinkhole near 55th Street and Hydraulic and crooked lines
painted onto I-135. CM Clendenin shared that the sinkhole will be addressed once staff can ensure
everything underneath the street is repaired and in stable condition and that KDOT’s striping of I-
135 is temporary.
CM Clendenin shared that Central Business District improvements are going to also benefit south
Wichita. He stated that there are some significant road projects and street investments in District III
slated for this year and roads in south Wichita are beginning to look better than roads out east or
west. He reminded the group that the City will be putting together a Master Plan for Clapp that will
involve additional public feedback. Lastly, he addressed some concerns about a recent airport land
deal that was negatively highlighted in the media.
Action Taken: Received and filed.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 p.m. The next District III Advisory Board meeting will be held at
6:30 p.m. on August 7, 2019 at the WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211.
Guests
J.D. Croley
William Stofer
Richard Ruth
Lisa Strohm
W.S.
Respectfully submitted,
Maddy Campbell, Community Services Representative, District III
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District III Advisory Board
Minutes for July 3, 2019
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Agenda
District III Advisory Board
Agenda for July 3, 2019
DISTRICT III ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA (REVISED)
6:30 p.m. | July 3, 2019 | WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Call to Order
Approval of Agenda for July 3, 2019
Approval of Minutes for June 5, 2019
STAFF REPORTS
1. Community Policing
2. Fire Department
Recommended Action: Receive and file.
NEW BUSINESS
3. Greater Wichita Partnership Update
Evan Rosell, Vice President of Projects, and Andrew Nave, Executive Vice President of
Economic Development (both with Greater Wichita Partnership) will provide an update on
Greater Wichita Partnership’s Economic Development Initiative.
Recommended Action: Receive and file.
4. Budget Simulator Results
DAB to provide feedback on the results of the City’s Budget Simulator.
Recommended Action: Receive and file.
Budget Simulator Results Report:
https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-07-
03%20DAB%20III%20Budget%20Simulator%20Results%20Report.pdf
Budget Simulator Results Infographic:
https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-07-
03%20DAB%20III%20Budget%20Simulator%20Results%20Infographic.pdf
PUBLIC AGENDA
5. Off-agenda Items
Any individual present that did not request to speak on the public agenda prior to the meeting
may speak at this time.
Recommended Action: Receive and file.
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District III Advisory Board
Agenda for July 3, 2019
BOARD AGENDA
6. Updates, Issues, and Reports
Reports from Council Member Clendenin and the DAB on any activities, events, resources,
issues, or concerns in the neighborhoods, council district, and/or city.
Recommended Action: Receive and file.
ADJOURNMENT
The next District III Advisory Board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on August 7, 2019 at the
WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211.
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Budget Simulator Results
E OFFIC
POLIC ER
T
WICHI A
PO
LICE
48
89% 82% 90% 74%
of respondents
increased or kept
of respondents
increased or kept the
of respondents
increased or kept
of respondents
increased or kept
the Fire Services Park & Recreation the Police budget the Wichita Public
budget the same budget the same the same Library budget
the same
83% 90% 73% 84%
of respondents
increased or kept
of respondents
increased or kept
of respondents
increased or kept
of respondents
increased or kept the
the Public Health the Streets & the Arts & Culture Support Services
& Safety budget Transportation budget the same budget the same
the same budget the same
13%
of respondents
decreased their
2%
of respondents
kept their
85%
of respondents
increased their
property tax bill property tax property tax bill
bill the same
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
The City of Wichita created an online budget simulation tool for residents to weigh in on how their tax dollars
will be spent in the proposed 2020 operating budget. The simulator began by asking residents to enter the
appraised value of their home so the program could calculate their property tax bill. The simulator defaulted to
the average appraised value of a home in Wichita, or $137,000, if the user did not enter a value or does not
own a home.
The online budget simulator allowed residents to provide feedback on General Fund services, which were
grouped by service area: Public Safety & Health; Park & Recreation; Police; Wichita Public Library; Streets &
Transportation; Arts & Culture; and Support Services. As each participant progressed through the screens to
make budget choices, the effect of each increase or decrease was displayed. Participants could move the slider
to the right, as seen below with the green bars, in order to increase services. The impact on service levels from
increased support was described in the impact statement. Similarly, residents could decrease support for a
service (in red), or keep the level of support the same. Each time a slider bar was moved, the estimated tax bill
(upper right) and increase or decrease summary (upper left) were updated. Before submitting results,
participants could enter demographic information and provide comments.
The simulator was live from May 13, 2019 to June 15, 2019 at wichita.budgetsimulator.com. During that time,
the simulator was completed 1,442 times. The service areas with the greatest increases were Fire and Medical
Response, Police Emergency Response, and Persons Crimes Investigations. This report summarizes aggregate
data for each service area in the simulator.
Image 1: Public Safety & Health Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Table 1: Expenditure Increase/Decrease by Service Area
Service Increases and
Ranked in Descending Order
Decreases
Rank Service Item Increase/Decrease
Because participants had the option to
increase or decrease services by 5% or 10%, 1 Fire and Medical Response +4.04%
or keep service levels the same, the 2 Police Emergency Response +3.46%
maximum amount of increase or decrease for 3 Persons Crime Investigations +3.40%
any service area was 10%. This amount of 4 Police Training +3.05%
change more closely mirrors the budget 5 Pavement Maintenance +2.97%
process, rather than giving participants the 6 Property Crime Investigations +2.43%
opportunity to eliminate services, or to rank 7 Stormwater Drainage +2.37%
services without regard to the cost.
8 School Resource Officers +1.95%
9 Transit Services +1.57%
In many ways, the ranking to the right (Table
1) is consistent with prior community 10 Park Maintenance +1.54%
prioritization exercises. For example, in the 11 Community Fire Risk Reduction +1.53%
most recent National Citizen Survey 12 Snow & Ice Removal +1.51%
commissioned by the City of Wichita in 2018, 13 (tie) Environmental Health +1.50%
when residents were asked which of eight 13 (tie) Economic Development +1.50%
community facets were most important, 15 Pools and Splash Pads +1.38%
“safety” and “economy” rated the highest. 16 Street and Park Trees +1.21%
17 Recreation Programs +1.19%
The Community Investments Plan, which was
18 Code Enforcement +1.07%
approved by the City Council in 2016,
19 Housing & Community Services +1.04%
included investment priorities for
infrastructure projects. Though the budget 20 Information Technology +1.03%
simulator was about the operating budget, 21 Municipal Court +1.01%
rather than capital projects, it can also be 22 Facility Maintenance +0.96%
used to compare results. The Community 23 Traffic Patrol +0.92%
Investments Plan includes these priorities: 24 Traffic Signals & Signs +0.88%
Very High Priority: Streets, Bridges, 25 Recreation Centers +0.74%
Water, Sewer, Stormwater 26 Pavement Cleaning +0.68%
High Priority: Police, Fire, Municipal 27 Animal Control +0.49%
Court
28 Performing Arts & Convention Center +0.38%
Medium-High Priority: Transit, Libraries,
29 Planning +0.15%
Parks/Open Space, Recreation, Culture/
Arts 30 Neighborhood Resource Centers +0.12%
Low-Medium Priority: Highways 31 Call Center -0.03%
32 Mid-America All-Indian Center -0.05%
In the budget simulator, residents rated 33 Advanced Learning Library -0.15%
public safety higher than streets and 34 Library Materials -0.17%
stormwater, which is expected since the tool 35 Old Cowtown -0.19%
is focused on the operating budget. However, 36 City Communications -0.35%
the ranking of Transit and Parks compared to 37 Library Branches -0.36%
Libraries and Arts & Cultural services was a
38 Grants to Arts and Cultural Agencies -0.68%
departure from the Community Investments
39 CityArts -0.72%
Plan.
40 Golf -2.81%
CITY OF WICHITA 2 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Community Outreach
The 2019 Budget Simulator was promoted at 19 different community events and meetings. Shown below is a
picture of the poster posted around the City on community boards. In addition, information about the
simulator was distributed through multiple mailing lists and advertised on digital signs at the Advanced
Learning Library and in City Hall. The budget simulator was also heavily advertised through social media. The
City had paid advertisements on Instagram and other sites, as well as postings on all of the City’s social media
pages, broadcasting on Facebook Live, and some respondents shared their simulator budgets on Facebook and
Twitter. Furthermore, a few news outlets produced stories about the budget simulator. Over the course of 34
days, the simulator was completed by 1,442 residents. The main takeaways from the respondents are:
Image 2: Wichita Budget Simulator Poster
Overall, the average bill was increased
by 4%.
85% of users increased their property
tax bill.
Fire and Medical Response was
increased by 57% of respondents,
which is the most in the simulator.
Facility Maintenance and Animal
Control were kept at the same level by
66% of respondents, which was the
most in the simulator.
Golf was decreased by 44% of
respondents, which was the most
reduced service in the simulator.
Many users commented that they
would be willing to pay more in taxes to
support specific services.
Overall, Public Safety & Health was the
service area that received the most
support, closely followed by Police services.
The Wichita Public Library received the
least amount of support. However, services
that were decreased the most often were
Golf, CityArts, and Grants to Arts and
Cultural Agencies.
CITY OF WICHITA 3 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Demographics
While the budget simulator responses were anonymous, voluntary demographic data was collected about race,
income, gender, age, and zip code. Among those who participated, 93%, provided a Wichita area zip code, 6%
did not disclose their zip code and 0.7% of respondents had an out of area zip code. The tables below
summarize the demographic information collected from respondents. Budget simulator responses were
compared to demographic data from the 2018 Citizen Survey and US Census in order to verify that
participation was within the expected range.
Table 2—Demographics: Race
Demographics: Race Budget Citizen US
Though the respondents to the Citizen Survey Race
Simulator Survey Census
are more likely to be White than the population
White alone * 65% 82% 75%
as reported by the US Census, that was not the
case with the budget simulator respondents Hispanic and/or other
23% 23% 38%
who reported their race. The percentage of race(s) *
respondents reporting that they were Hispanic Did not disclose 18% 0% 0%
and/or other race was the same as the Citizen * Does not add to 100% due to Hispanic category.
Survey.
Table 3—Demographics: Gender
Demographics: Gender Gender
Budget Citizen US
The percent of male respondents is higher than the Simulator Survey Census
population as reported by the US Census, and also higher Male 51% 48% 49%
than the percentage of male Citizen Survey respondents.
Female 31% 52% 51%
Other 1% 0% 0%
Demographics: Household Income
Of respondents that reported their household Did not disclose 17% 0% 0%
income, there were fewer respondents in the Table 4: Demographics—Household Income
low-income and the low/moderate-income
Budget Citizen US
households groups than either the Citizen Income
Simulator Survey Census
Survey or the population as reported by the
US Census. The percentage of respondents in Less than $25,000 5% 15% 25%
the $50,000-$99,999 group was similar to the $25,000-$49,999 13% 27% 26%
Citizen Survey and the US Census. The
percentage of respondents in the $150,000 or $50,000 - $99,999 33% 33% 30%
more group was slightly higher than the US $100,000 - $149,999 22% 16% 12%
Census and Citizen Survey.
$150,000 or more 10% 9% 7%
Did not disclose 17% 0% 0%
CITY OF WICHITA 4 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Demographics: Age
Of respondents that reported their age, there were fewer Table 5: Demographics—Age
people in the 55+ age group than either the Citizen Survey
Budget Citizen US
or the population as reported by the US Census. The re- Age
Simulator Survey Census
spondents that reported their age for the 18-34 and 35-54
age groups were similar to the Citizen Survey. Under 18 1% 0% 26%
18-34 30% 33% 25%
35-54 37% 36% 24%
55 + 18% 31% 25%
Did not disclose 14% 0% 0%
Image 3: Demographic Section
CITY OF WICHITA 5 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Public Safety & Health
In general, Public Safety & Health received the most support from users, as indicated by the large number of
users who increased funding for Fire and Medical Response. The overall ranking column on the left side of
Table 6 shows how that service did in comparison to all of the other services included in the simulator. This
data shows that Fire and Medical Response received the most support, with 57% of all users increasing this
service. The majority of the users that increased Fire and Medical Response increased it by 10%, which was the
option in the budget simulator to add two stations in under-served areas and add 41 positions.
Table 6: Service Area Results—Public Safety & Health
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
1 Fire and Medical Response +4.04% $1,541,660 6% 37% 57%
11 Community Fire Risk Reduction +1.53% $27,572 16% 50% 34%
13 (tie) Environmental Health +1.50% $9,008 16% 47% 37%
18 Code Enforcement +1.07% $10,876 17% 51% 32%
19 Housing & Community Services +1.04% $4,127 23% 41% 36%
21 Municipal Court +1.01% $74,705 14% 59% 27%
Overall, users demonstrated that they are content with current service levels. Most users kept Community Fire
Risk Reduction, Code Enforcement, and Municipal Court at their current funding levels. The options for
Environmental Health were to increase outreach campaigns for cleaner air and air quality modeling. The
options for Housing & Community Service were only in regards to the Homelessness Assistance Program, which
when increased, the impact statement describes the ability to provide housing for three or six additional
individuals. This response indicates that the City is appropriately allocating funding to these items.
Image 4: Public Safety & Health Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA 6 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Park & Recreation
Overall, users indicated general support for the current levels of service within the Park & Recreation service
area. Park Maintenance, Pools and Splash Pads, and Street and Park Trees had similar percentages of users
that increased service levels, though Park Maintenance had the highest average change. The impacts for
increased services for those three services would be improved maintenance levels for downtown and river
public space, additional tree maintenance and storm response, and additional swim classes and water aerobics
classes.
Table 7: Service Area Results—Park & Recreation
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
10 Park Maintenance +1.54% $113,312 9% 60% 31%
15 Pools and Splash Pads +1.38% $4,956 13% 56% 32%
16 Street and Park Trees +1.21% $44,625 14% 55% 31%
17 Recreation Programs +1.19% $6,611 12% 57% 31%
25 Recreation Centers +0.74% $6,849 15% 58% 26%
40 Golf -2.81% ($21,312) 44% 44% 12%
Most users opted to maintain the current service levels for Recreation Programs and Recreation Centers. The
impact of increasing Recreation Programs and Recreation Center services would mean additional hours and
programming, in addition to lower fees. Golf was the lowest ranked service in the budget simulator; 44% of
respondents decreased funding for Golf, which included the option to close all but one golf course during the
winter. Image 5: Park & Recreation Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA 7 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Police
Police services was the second most supported service area. Five of the top-ten budget simulator services are
in the Police Service Area. Police Emergency Response was the second most supported item with the majority
of users increasing their funding. The impact statement in the budget simulator for increased Police Emergency
Services raised staffing levels and improved response times.
Table 8: Service Area Results—Police
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
2 Police Emergency Response +3.46% $1,610,938 7% 40% 53%
3 Persons Crime Investigations +3.40% $330,037 4% 44% 52%
4 Police Training +3.05% $74,629 6% 46% 49%
6 Property Crime Investigations +2.43% $91,129 7% 51% 42%
8 School Resource Officers +1.95% $7,454 14% 45% 41%
23 Traffic Patrol +0.92% $19,134 18% 52% 30%
27 Animal Control +0.49% $4,581 14% 66% 20%
Persons Crime Investigations was the third ranked service in the budget simulator, with a majority of users
opting to increase service levels in order to add detectives. Police Training had the fourth highest response,
with users expressing their preference to increase scenario-based training for recruits and officers. The +5%
option for Property Crime Investigations was to shift detectives to the Larceny and Burglary sections in order to
assign more cases. School Resource
Officers also received support, Image 6: Police Service Area
with options to increase mentoring
and add one resource officer for
middle schools.
The results also suggest that
residents are supportive of current
levels of service for Traffic Patrol
and Animal Control, as over 50% of
respondents opted to keep the
services levels unchanged. Users
increasing Traffic Patrol were
supporting increases in equipment
and officers. Animal Control
increases would allow for extended
hours and additional staff.
CITY OF WICHITA 8 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Wichita Public Library
Although Library services were ranked in the bottom ten, most users indicated support for the current funding
levels. The options for the Advanced Learning Library were to expand hours of operation and increase
programs and services that support early literacy, workforce, and digital skill development. Library Materials
was increased the most within this service area, in order to increase the size of the e-book collection and
reduce the wait list for printed materials. The options for Library Branches were to expand service hours at the
Linwood and Maya Angelou locations and add Spanish, early literacy, and after-school homework help. Overall,
these results suggest that users support the current service levels at the Wichita Public Library.
Table 9: Service Area Results—Wichita Public Library
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
33 Advanced Learning Library -0.15% ($8,471) 25% 53% 22%
34 Library Materials -0.17% ($1,151) 24% 53% 23%
37 Library Branches -0.36% ($7,971) 28% 50% 22%
Image 7: Wichita Public Library Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA 9 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Streets & Transportation
Overall, Streets & Transportation services were the third most supported service area in the budget simulator.
Pavement Maintenance, Stormwater Drainage, and Transit Services were all ranked among the top ten.
Pavement Maintenance was the most supported; funding for that service was increased by 46% of users in
order to increase the number of lane miles receiving street surface treatments by 2020. The options for
Stormwater Drainage were to replace aged and failing storm sewers. The options for Transit Services were to
add one or two hours of service in the early morning or early evening.
Table 10: Service Area Results— Streets & Transportation
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
5 Pavement Maintenance +2.97% $292,432 5% 48% 46%
7 Stormwater Drainage +2.37% $25,984 4% 58% 38%
9 Transit Services +1.57% $56,826 15% 51% 34%
12 Snow & Ice Removal +1.51% $9,839 8% 61% 31%
24 Traffic Signals & Signs +0.88% $22,034 10% 68% 22%
26 Pavement Cleaning +0.68% $13,078 15% 61% 24%
The results also suggest that residents are supportive of current levels of service for Snow & Ice Removal,
Traffic Signals & Signs, and Pavement Cleaning, as over 60% of users opted to keep the services levels
unchanged. Thirty-one percent of users opted to increase Snow & Ice Removal, indicating support for
shortening the amount of time it takes to get streets plowed after a storm. Traffic Signals & Signs impact
statements all captured how increased or decreased funding affect repainting schedules. Finally, Pavement
Cleaning supporters were indicated their support for sweeping all residential streets twice a year.
Image 8: Streets & Transportation Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA 10 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Arts & Culture
Though Arts & Cultural services were at the bottom of the overall rankings, around half of the users indicated
that they would like to see Arts & Culture services kept at their current funding levels. Performing Arts &
Convention Center received the most support in this section as 28% of users opted to increase the current
level of service. The options for the Mid-America All-Indian Center were to increase school tours and have the
facility open more hours. The options for Old Cowtown were to increase programming and extend hours for
costumed staff. Grants to Arts and Cultural Agencies and CityArts were ranked in the bottom three among all
other services. Results showed that 30% of users reduced funding for CityArts, and by extension, supported
some level of reduction in hours and classes.
Table 11: Service Area Results— Arts & Culture
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
28 Performing Arts & Convention Center +0.38% $4,598 24% 48% 28%
32 Mid-America All-Indian Center -0.05% ($86) 24% 51% 25%
35 Old Cowtown -0.19% ($986) 24% 53% 23%
38 Grants to Arts and Cultural Agencies -0.68% ($2,886) 31% 45% 24%
39 CityArts -0.72% ($2,810) 30% 48% 22%
Image 9: Arts & Culture Service Area
CITY OF WICHITA 11 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Service Area: Support Services
Finally, users indicated that they support the current levels of service in this category. The majority of
respondents opted to keep these services unchanged. Respondents showed a small level of support for an
increase in funding for Economic Development. Respondents opted to increase this service by an average of
1.50%, in order to increase the number of business visits and quality of life projects. Users also showed support
for Facility Maintenance, 90% indicated that the City should either increase or maintain current funding levels
for this service in order to increase cleaning frequencies for park facilities and libraries.
Table 12: Service Area Results— Support Services
Service Level Change
Overall Percent Change in
Ranking Service Item Change Dollars Decreased Unchanged Increased
13 (tie) Economic Development +1.50% $25,442 13% 55% 32%
20 Information Technology +1.03% $73,118 12% 62% 27%
22 Facility Maintenance +0.96% $80,598 10% 66% 24%
29 Planning +0.15% $965 18% 62% 20%
30 Neighborhood Resource Centers +0.12% $524 22% 53% 25%
31 Call Center -0.03% ($418) 15% 70% 15%
36 City Communications -0.35% ($3,162) 21% 62% 17%
The options for Planning Image10: Support Services Service Area
were to improve public
access to online documents
and add a planner to
coordinate neighborhood
plans. The option for
Information Technology
was the release new
technologies faster. The
option for the
Neighborhood Resource
Centers was to extend
hours. The option for the
Call Center was to
implement an after-call
survey. Finally, the option
for City Communications
was to boost the City of
Wichita’s reach on social
media channels.
CITY OF WICHITA 12 JUNE 25, 2019
Budget Simulator Results
2020-2021 Proposed Budget
Comments
There were 182 comments left by respondents after they completed the simulation. The top three comments
received were:
56% of the comments were respondents providing ideas of how the City can improve services or
advocated for extra funding for a specific service.
26% of users comments were stating that they would like to see more support for public safety.
18% of the comments were respondents commenting on how a small tax increase can have a large
impact.
Conclusion
The budget simulator provided residents an opportunity to provide constructive input on the City of Wichita
operating budget. This is demonstrated in the graph below which displays the original budget versus the aver-
age budget simulator results. Though many responses were similar to what has been heard during prior com-
munity engagement efforts and reflect the ongoing emphasis on public safety and street maintenance, some
outcomes varied from previous planning efforts. As the City of Wichita operating budget is developed for 2020
and future years, this data will be used to guide investment decisions.
Graph 1: Service Area Response Data
Budget Simulator Response Data
$70,000,000
$60,000,000
$50,000,000
$40,000,000
$30,000,000
$20,000,000
$10,000,000
$0
Public Safety & Park & Recreation Police Library Streets & Arts & Culture Support Services
Health Transportation
Original Budget Budget Simulator Results
CITY OF WICHITA 13 JUNE 25, 2019