District 4 Advisory Board

District IV Advisory Board Minutes December 04, 2017 www.wichita.gov The District IV Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the Alford Library at 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67217. There were eight (8) District Advisory Board members in attendance as well as Councilman Blubaugh. There were seven (7) City Staff, and eleven (11) members of the public present. Members Present Staff Present Kit Corby Rebecca Fields – Community Services Rep – D4 Michael Gomm Robyn Belt – Alford Branch Library Manager Stephanie Hartman WFD – Cpt. Sam Williams Benny Boman Dale Miller - MAPD Don McManamey WPD – Officer Roddy Winder Alex Martinez WPD – Officer Chris Robinson Jason Platter WFD – Cpt. Jim Heath Rebecca Robertson Members Absent Guests Matt Lashley Col. Brenda Dietzman Nick Hoheisel Greg Waldo David Kapaun Jr. Lowell Gaulding Council Member LaVerba Gaulding Jeff Blubaugh Ernest G. Driver Bill & Karen Gale Joshua Blick Marjorie Griffith Tania Cole Geoff Vail (Lexington/Cambridge HOA) ORDER OF BUSINESS At 6:33 p.m. DAB member Alex Martinez opened the DAB meeting and asked everyone to take their seats and called the meeting to order. He then asked everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, after which he asked for a motion to approve the agenda for December 4th. A motion was made by Jason Platter, 2nd by Kit Corby. The minutes for the 2017 November 6th meeting were then approved (motion made by Stephanie Hartman and 2nd by Rebecca Robertson). Both motions passed 8/0. STAFF REPORTS Mr. Martinez then asked for a report from the Wichita Fire Department. Capt. Sam Williams of Station 12 reported that there had been no significant fires in District 4 last month (November) and that there were no fires in the district this year due to cooking turkeys for Thanksgiving. Mr. Martinez then asked for Wichita Police reports. Page 1 of 4  District IV Advisory Board Minutes December 04, 2017 www.wichita.gov Community Police Officer Roddy Winder, Patrol West Beat 14, reported that auto thefts and auto break-ins were on the rise. Many of the auto thefts were due to warming up vehicles in the morning, and that even a few seconds are enough for a criminal to drive off with your vehicle. Office Winder reminded everyone to also keep valuables out of your vehicle, and if you are out shopping to put items in your trunk BEFORE you park. Mr. Ernest Driver, a nearby resident attending the meeting, then had questions about illegal dumping at the Burger King on south Meridian, and people sleeping in their cars in that parking lot. Officer Winder referred the question to Officer Chris Robinson of Patrol South. Community Police Officer Chris Robinson, Patrol South Beat 299, responded that he would look into this and obtained Mr. Driver’s information. Officer Robinson then relayed that larcenies and thefts of autos were also on the rise in his area. Also, burglaries were on the rise. Officer Robinson then reminded everyone that he was still coordinating Teen Night at the South YMCA, 8:30 – 11:30 pm on Saturdays. Teen Night averages about 180 kids each Saturday night, and that this program offers teens something constructive to do rather than cause mischief. There are plans in the making to have an additional Teen Night at another Y location as well. Officer Robinson then spoke about the Windridge Apartments located in the 2500 block of West Wildwood. At this complex there were 41 police cases made from September through October 14th. A partnership/program was formed with HUD in order to question management about their applications screening. From there, a change was made in management and there were several evictions. After a program was developed, there was a significant drop in calls from these residences. From October 14th through November 1st there were 17 police cases made from 911 calls. So having law enforcement present three days a weeks at various time during the identified high crime times has made a positive impact in the environment. New management and residents have verbally identified their gratitude and appreciation for officers’ work in the area and for being on foot and engaging residents, thus improving communication. Robyn Belt, Manager of the Alford Branch Library, was then called on to give her monthly report. Ms. Belt reported: Alford’s Gate Count for November was 7,243 visits. Alford’s Circulation count for November was 13,691 items. 1. Alford is looking for teens grades 6th through 12th to join our Teen Writing group. The group meets every month on Monday’s afterschool. It is a great way for them to share their work in a relaxed and encouraging environment, and meet other teen writers. 2. The Wichita Public Library and the Wichita Eagle have issued a challenge for adults to read 12 books in 2018. To make it fun and a little bit challenging, Reporter Suzanne Tobias has created 12 different categories of books to read – and they are not what you Page 2 of 4  District IV Advisory Board Minutes December 04, 2017 www.wichita.gov might expect! The 12 categories will be listed on our website at wichitalibrary.org starting January 1. 3. All Wichita Public Library locations will be closed December 23rd through December 25th for the Christmas holiday. We will reopen December 26th for our regular hours, 10am-8pm. PUBLIC AGENDA Mr. Martinez then asked if there were any questions for Ms. Belt, and seeing that there were none, he then asked if there was anyone from the public that wanted to speak on any issues not on the agenda. Seeing that there were none, he then moved on to New Business. NEW BUSINESS Dale Miller, Director of MAPD, was there to present CON2017-00039, a request for Conditional Use to permit a “correctional facility” on 3.39 acres located at the southwest corner of West Harry Street and South McLean Boulevard (701 West Harry Street) that are zoned LI Limited Industrial (LI). The property is developed with an approximately 22,164 square-foot building built in 1960 that is currently being used as an adult work release facility. Mr. Miller disclosed that the facility was specifically going to be used as an overflow facility for the Sedgwick County jail. At this time Colonel Brenda Dietzman, Undersheriff for the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, stood to answer questions and to elaborate on details. Col Dietzman started off by stating that the jail had 1157 beds, and that the facility at Harry and McLean could add 158 beds and possibly more after the square footage was reconfigured. The facility would operate fully manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Board Member Michael Gomm asked about the cost of running the facility and the types of criminals that would be incarcerated at this location. Col Dietzman replied that the cost of incarceration would be less than the $35 a day it is costing taxpayers, per inmate, to house out- of-county which they are currently having to do due to the jail not having enough room. This does not include the cost of transportation to and from the jail to out-of-county facilities. In addition, there are out-of-county facilities that can no longer accommodate inmates from Sedgwick County, and that the Federal government is willing to pay more for the incarceration and care of their inmates awaiting trial in Wichita. The current Sedgwick County budget allowance for housing inmates out-of-county is 2.7 million dollars annually. Also, the Sheriff’s Office is in desperate need of more deputies which is causing a problem since it takes two (2) deputies to transport criminals back and forth to out-of-county facilities. As for the types of criminals that will be incarcerated/held at the facility on McLean and Harry, they will be low- level criminals, meaning that they would be “non-person” crimes. Board Member Alex Martinez then asked Col Dietzman about the outside appearance of the facility, and what type of fencing would be used. Col Dietzman replied that there would be chain link fence (no barbed wire) close to the facility in order to comply with evacuation standards as well as a use for outdoor recreation needs. Page 3 of 4  District IV Advisory Board Minutes December 04, 2017 www.wichita.gov Board Member Jason Platter asked again how many criminals they are planning to have on site. Col Dietzman replied that they can currently take on 157 inmates, but will see about adding to this once they have moved in. Col Dietzman went on to state that the current work release residents were going to be put in the care of the Division of Corrections and will no longer reside at the facility. A re-entry program is being reviewed and will hopefully change the process for work release inmates. Joshua Blick, president of the Southwest Neighborhood Association, stood and asked about the safety of the proposed changes, and how likely would it be for escapes? Col Dietzman replied that since the inmates in this facility would all be low-level and that their incarceration terms would be short, not to mention that they would all be in bright orange jumpsuits, that the chances of escape would be extremely low. Col Dietzman added that the deputies assigned to this task have all been specially trained, and that by having this facility to use it would free up extra monies of their current budget that allow the housing and transportation to and from the out-of- county facilities. Seeing that there were no more questions for Col Dietzman, Alex Martinez asked for a motion from the board. Board Member Stephanie Hartman made a motion to approve the request, and Board Member Don McManamey made a 2nd motion. The motion passed 8/0. The next item under New Business on the agenda was ZON2017-00052, a request for a currently zoned SF-5 Single Family Residential lot to allow a LC Limited Commercial for a new proposed restaurant, subject to a Protective Overlay. Property is located on the east side of Meridian Avenue and south of 31st Street South at 3430 S Meridian. Mr. Miller said that the property was owned by Heartland Baptist Church and was to the north of the church. The property had been sold to Freddy’s Frozen Custard in order for them to build a restaurant on the property. The agent and a representative from Freddy’s Frozen Custard were both available to answer any questions, but seeing that the church had already agreed to this arrangement and that there were no questions from the public, the board made a motion to approve. Board Member Kit Corby made the motion, and a 2nd motion was made by Board Member Jason Platter. BOARD AGENDA Community Services Representative for District IV, Rebecca Fields, reported on the total cost and amount of waste that was disposed of during Wichita’s neighborhood cleanups for 2017. Rebecca said that the cost savings for the City this year was over $20,000 due to the use of a professional metal scrapper. For the 2018 cleanups she was going to make metal scrapping mandatory and that she would allow cleanups for areas as small as 6 blocks. There were no other comments from the Board Members. Board Member Michael Gomm then made a motion to adjourn, and a 2nd motion was given by Don McManamey. The meeting adjourned at 7:12 pm. 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