District 6 Advisory Board

District 6 Advisory Board Minutes Monday, January 4, 2021 • 6:30 p.m. Virtual Meeting • Zoom and Facebook Live The District 6 Advisory Board meeting was held online at 6:30 p.m. via the Zoom platform. Council Member Cindy Claycomb, ten DAB members, six City of Wichita staff, and seven members of the public were present. Link to District 6 Advisory Board January 4, 2021 Meeting. Order of Business Members Present Staff Present Linda Matney Ana Lopez, Community Services Representative, Sergio Devora-Najera City Manager’s Office Melinda Kellogg Officer K. Weidner, WPD Scott Lucas Officer C. Chrisman, WPD Bill Washburn Officer M. Johnson, WPD James Deckard Gentry Thiesen, Senior Management Analyst, Angela Martinez Greg Boyajian Park and Recreation Gisela Pena Sean Jones, Communication Specialist, Library Shaun Rojas Alayna Welch (Youth) Members Absent Bill Longnecker • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Staff Reports 1. Wichita Fire Department Staff will present District 6 fire statistics, discuss relevant safety topics, provide department updates, and answer questions. No staff report presented by Wichita Fire Department. 2. Wichita Police Department Community Policing Officers will present District 6 statistics and crime trends, discuss relevant safety topics, provide department updates, and answer questions. DAB 6 • January 4, 2021 • Minutes • Page 1  Officer Johnson, Patrol West, Beat 11, reminds residents about an increase in stolen catalytic converters, and encourages everybody to call WPD and report any vandalism to vehicles. Officer K. Weidner, Patrol North, Beat 49, reports on car warming assignments warning people who leave their cars running at gas stations, convenience stores or on their driveways. Police Officers leave flyer on the windshields of cars left unattended. WPD helped distribute 150 Union Rescue meals for the holidays to families who are less fortunate. A single mom whose car was broken into and was gifted Q (DAB): Did WPD get calls over the New Year’s period for fireworks violations, and what is the best way for resident to contact Community Police Officer? A (Officer K. Weidner): I’m not aware of call over the New Year’s period for fireworks violations. I did not work that day. Email is the best way to contact CPO’s, I check mine daily. My work schedule is Monday – Thursday and my email is kweidner@wichita.gov and my work phone is (316) 925-0724. Officer C. Chrisman, Old Town coordinator in the Central Bureau, there were two thefts of catalytic converters in the downtown area. We have video of the individual who committed the crime and hope to get the induvial identified. Two weeks ago and individual took his car and ran through some barriers that I put up there to kind of close the top level. He's been identified and I'm working within investigators in order to get him charged Q (Council Member) Were the catalytic converters stole from cars in the parking garage. A (Officer C. Chrisman): One was in the parking garage, the one that we have video of is outside in the back door of the Community Policing Office. C (Council Member): I sent you an email about a couple more that we’re over in the Parking Garage. Q (DAB): How can catalytic converter theft be deterred for those who park in the street at night? A (Officer C. Chrisman): Parking in a well-lit area, neighborhoods can help by being more vigilant. If you see somebody that is not normally in your neighborhood, please call 911. We'd much rather come out check and tell them why we're out there. Recommended Action: Receive and file. 3. Park & Recreation Department Report Gentry Thiesen, Senior Management Analyst, Park and Recreation provides updates for parks in District 6 and report on other activities taking place across the city. Forestry and Maintenance division are working on our winter work list right now. Cleaning up equipment molding and trimming on the riverbank and then starting to cut back ornamental grasses. This month, as well we’ll be taking down Christmas decorations. Our forestry crews are working on a regular routine pruning list and dead tree removal. Recreation division youth basketball registration is open at Evergreen Recreation center now, and winter classes are available for registration at www.wichita.gov/evolve . Also at Evergreen Recreation Center we will be starting a Capital Improvement project to replace the flooring and major improvements to the gym ceiling and game room area soon. Football registration started today for the spring league that will be played at South lakes. This got moved from a fall timeline to a spring timeline due to COVID- 19. The library is currently open with a remote pickup at Evergreen Recreation Center. Tennis renovations at Ralph Wulz Riverside Tennis Center is going well. The project is 70% complete and on schedule to open during the spring. DAB 6 • January 4, 2021 • Minutes • Page 2  C (Council Member): I want to say a big thank you for the beautiful trees that the Parks Department installed and decorated for the Holidays. They looked really nice one at Square Park, one at the Old Town Square, and one at Century II Kennedy Plaza. Recommended Action: Receive and file. 4. Wichita Public Library Report Sean Jones, Communication Specialist, Library will reports on events and programs at the Evergreen Branch Library and the Advanced Learning Library. All Wichita Public Library locations are operating with curbside and drive up window service only. This decision was made by Library staff due to the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Wichita. Customers are able to borrow materials from the Library by placing holds through the online catalog or by calling your branch location. Hold and transfer fees will be waived at this time. When materials are ready for pick up, customers will be notified. Public computing will not be available. Copy, print and fax service will be available at all locations through curbside and drive up window service. The Library’s digital collection is available 24/7 on OverDrive and Flipster. More information available at www.wichitalibrary.org/covid-19. The NEA Big Read: Wichita kicks off this month on January 9, running through February 21. This year’s selection is “Circe” by Madeline Miller, a book about the lesser-known goddess Circe we know from Greek mythology. The Big Read is a community-wide reading program that encourages adults to pick up the chosen book, read it and participate in community programs from different organizations in and around Wichita. For a complete list of upcoming programs, visit www.bigreadwichita.org. Registration for the winter session of virtual programs at the Library is available online at www.wichitalibrary.org/events. All programs will be held on Zoom. Customers will receive an email with Zoom login information the day before and the day of the event. The Library is proud to collaborate with Suzanne Perez and the Wichita Eagle for the fifth ReadICT Reading Challenge. ReadICT is a reading challenge for adults to read 12 books from 12 categories in 12 months (one book each month, but you can organize your reading to fit your schedule). We give you the categories and some ideas for books you can read, but ultimately, you get to choose what you want to read. Use the Beanstack app, the Library’s reading tracking app, to keep track of the books you read. Log your books each month for a chance to win cool prizes throughout the year! Visit www.wichitalibrary.org/readict to learn more. The Evergreen Branch temporary location is open at the Evergreen Recreation Center, 2700 N. Woodland. We’re open for holds pick up, materials drop off (using the book drop at the west parking lot) and to view a small collection. Hours of operation are 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Wednesday, 2-5:30 p.m. Thursday and 2-5 p.m. Friday. Knock on the door and we will serve you! If you hear of residents who are having difficulty finding the temporary location, please let me know and I’ll work with staff to find better wayfinding solutions. Q (DAB Member): Are the links and website on Facebook and could we share? A (Sean Jones): Yes, we have information on our Facebook page, and then we also have separate pages on our website. I'll send Ana all of those links and she can share that with everyone just we have direct access to everything. Recommended Action: Receive and file. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Public Agenda This portion of the agenda provides an opportunity for citizens to present issues that are not part of the regular agenda for the meeting. There is a five minute time limit for each speaker. DAB 6 • January 4, 2021 • Minutes • Page 3 5. Scheduled Items No scheduled Public Agenda items this month. 6. Off-Agenda Items Graffiti around Broadway between 21st and 25th Street. A (Ron Rosales) has this issue been brought up in prior meetings? Ana Lopez, CSR: Serval reports from concerned residents about the increasing Graffiti around the 21st and Waco area and along Broadway between 21st and 29th Street. Concerns were reported to Beat 48 Community Police Officer Soto and Public Works. C (DAB Member): Community Police Officers encourage residents to report vandalism, if you see something, say something. At times tags are directly tied to gang violence. C (Ron Rosales): Students currently have more access to technology and many times are bored. I understand this may be a factor to the issue. I wonder what other cities are doing to try to keep this at a minimum. I've lived here all my all my life and its’ always been there in a way. This year, the amount of cases have increased. Usually what happens after so much graffiti is that you begin to get shootings, violence and crime increases in the neighborhood. I would like to brainstorm ideas to deter vandalism. C (Council Member Claycomb): This is a good reminder about graffiti because the police want to know if there is graffiti immediately. The issue can be reported to them directly, or with Ana. C (Ana Lopez, CSR): We've seen an increase of graffiti and Public Works at times is not able to keep up with removing tags. There are different ways for community members to report graffiti: 1.Contact the Community Police Officer in your area. 2. Call or email me. 3. Report using AccesssWichita.gov. Usually everything we need is location and if you have a picture that sometime helps. Recommended Action: Receive and file. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • New Business 7. Evergreen redevelopment project update and brainstorm name ideas for the new community center. Council Member Claycomb gave a brief update on the Evergreen revitalization project followed by an interactive exercise for the naming of the new District 6 Community Center by Ana Lopez, Community Services Representative. In accordance with Wichita City Council Policy 13, the City Council has appointed the Library Board of Directors as this building's naming advisory committee. After a period of public input, the Library Board will submit its preferred name to the City Council for final approval. DAB members and member of the public had the chance to formally submit name choices at the following links: Form in English: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/acf3ea9b2d024054946fa652213c996f Form in Spanish: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d59dc9a1be434d0fac9cf414bf79240f Community outreach for names ideas for the new District 6 Community Center will continue until later this spring. DAB 6 • January 4, 2021 • Minutes • Page 4  • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •\ Board Agenda 8. Updates, Issues, and Reports Reports from Council Member Cindy Claycomb and the DAB on any activities, events, resources, issues, or concerns in the neighborhoods, council district, and/or city. The District 6 2021 Meeting Calendar is linked to the agenda, and make sure you get those added to your calendar.https://www.wichita.gov/Council/CityCouncilDocument/2021%20District%20VI%20DAB%20Calendar.pdf . Please let us know as your neighborhood association start meeting again. There are a few assassinations that are meeting virtually. Again, let us know as soon as you start those back up again whether virtually or in person. I'm happy to attend those when I can. I want to thank Bill Washburn for being our nominee to the Grants Review Committee. Thank you very much, Bill. If you missed the December District 6 Coffee we had a very good meeting. We looked back at topics covered in 2020 and discussed what we are looking forward to 2021. The meeting is recorded on the Wichita District 6 Facebook page. Thank you all for joining us tonight. Recommended Action: Receive and file. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m. The next District 6 Advisory Board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, February 1, 2021. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Guests Ron Rosales CiCi Garcia Claire Willenberg Teresa Caller 1 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Respectfully submitted, Ana Lopez, Community Services Representative, District 6 DAB 6 • January 4, 2021 • Minutes • Page 5