City Council Report /w Gordon Basham; Children's Museum, Pay Increases

[GORDON BASHAM]: And these are the City Council reports- agenda preview reports- for the council meeting on 12/11/[19]90. First and second reports are the short reports to air on 12/10/[19]90. during ATC. The third report, the third cut, is the report- preview report to air on 12/11/[19]90 during Morning Edition. And this is cut number 1. Tomorrow's regular council meeting is the next to the last this year. Because of that, the council as a crowded agenda, made more crowded by some leftover items making an encore performance from two weeks ago when the council last met. One of those items of unfinished business is a request by Mercury Printing for an ad valorem tax exemption, part of which is for some new equipment the company wants to buy. The request was deferred two weeks ago when council member Greg Ferris pointed out the request included some equipment that does not qualify for tax exemption; that problem reportedly has been corrected. Another piece of unfinished business will be the Water Department's proposed ordinance allowing it to shut off water service on private property with a leaky main on private property poses a public

hazard or violates a declared water emergency. The ordinance has been amended to eliminate fines and jail time for offenders. Some new business before the council will be the filing of a report by an interim committee studying what to do with the Omnisphere and Children's Museum. It's expected the report will recommend merging the two and housing them in a new facility. The report may also recommend the city fund the new entity in much the same way it now funds the Omnisphere, but allow them to operate under private control. Some more controversial items on the agenda include a report to the council by a special committee studying whether the mayor, vice mayor and council should get pay increases. That committee two weeks ago recommended higher salaries for the city's top elected officials; it also recommended they be limited to serving only two consecutive four year terms. It's expected the issue will be put before the voters during the city elections next spring. The council will also get a preview of the city's 1991 legislative package- the issues the city feels need to be addressed by the 1991 legislature. Among those issues are the revitalization of the

downtown Wichita area, the cleanup of underground water pollution beneath the downtown and the amending of the laws that outline the building condemnation process. The city wants those laws streamlined. Finally, the council is expected to hear from the Traffic Commission and Citizens' Participation Organization number 1B on the proposed widening of 21st St. between I 135 and Hillside. It's not certain whether the council will take any action on the the measures, since the two bodies are recommending different plans for the reconstruction of 21st. As usual, the council meeting gets underway at 9:00 tomorrow morning in the council chambers at City Hall; the meeting is open to the public. For KMUW, I'm Gordon Bassham. Number 2. The council faces a crowded agenda when it meets tomorrow morning. In addition to a couple items of unfinished business, there are quite a few items of new business to take up. On the unfinished agenda, the Water Department's ordinance allowing it to shut off water service on private property is back. 2 weeks ago, the council deferred the ordinance when 2 members of

the council complained the ordinance excessively punished violators with stiff fines or jail time. The ordinance allows the Water Department to turn off water on private property when a leaky main either poses a public safety hazard or violates a declared water emergency. Mercury Printing's request for an ad valorem tax exemption is also back before the council. Two weeks ago, Mercury's request was deferred when council member Greg Ferris discovered some of the equipment Mercury wanted to include in its tax abatement request didn't qualify. The request has reportedly been amended. One of the items of new business the council will consider will be what to do about raising the salaries of the mayor, vice mayor and council. Two weeks ago, a special task force studying the issue recommended their pay the increased, but that they also be limited to 2 consecutive terms in office. Mayor Bob Knight says he'll recommend the issues be put before the voters to decide during the upcoming 1991 city primary election. The council will also hear recommendations about the reconstruction of 21st St. North between

I 135 and Hillside. The Traffic commission and Citizens Participation organization number 1B have come to different conclusions about how the street should be widened and the council could either choose one of the construction alternative or ask the city Planning or Public Works Departments to make a recommendation. Finally the council will also consider reports by an interim committee studying the possible merger of the Omnisphere and the Childrens Museum. The report recommends the two be merged; it's uncertain, though, whether the council will elect to fund the merged organization publicly and allow it to operate privately. As usual, the council meeting gets underway at 9:00 tomorrow morning in the council chambers at City Hall. The meeting is open to the public. For KMUW, I'm Gordon Bassham. and this is a long council report for 12/11/[19]90 to air during Morning Edition. Considering the fact that this is the first council meeting in 2 weeks,

and the next to the last of the year, it's easy to understand why the council faces a crowded agenda this morning. 2 citizens plan to address the council during its public agenda session; their comments are relative to the development of downtown and the alignment of city boundaries. Back before the council this morning will also be Mercury Printing's request for an ad valorem tax exemption for some new equipment it wants to purchase. 2 weeks ago the council sent Mercury's request back to the city manager's office when it learned some of the equipment on Mercury's request list didn't qualify for the tax abatement. The council will also consider an ordinance giving the Water Department authority to shut off private water service to protect the public safety or enforce compliance with water emergencies. Council members Frank Ojile and Sheldon Kamen two weeks ago had problems with provisions of the ordinance which would fine or jail offenders, saying such punishment was excessive. The council also consider alternatives for reconstructing 21st St. between the Canal Route and Hillside. City Engineer, Mike Lindebak, outlines the 4 alternatives the Public Works Department will present to the council. [Lindebak] Alternative 1 is a

basic five lane roadway where it'd be much like Central is east of City Hall. Alternative 2 would be a 120 foot right-of-way with a median where a we would have 4 through lanes of traffic and then there will be cut outs for left turns, but they would be protected by a median throughout the quarter. With that, there would be some landscape beautifications that would occur outside the pavement area, adjacent to the properties. With Alternative number 3, it would have a solid median throughout the project with very few opportunities for people to make left turns. [GORDON BASHAM]: Very similar to what Kellogg is right now east of downtown. [Lindebak] That's right. It would be a wider, more continuous median, so the thought would be then, if that were done, there would be be a tree plantings and

grass and landscaping that would occur in the center of that median. It would also have 120 foot of right away, basically throughout the project, which would require acquisition of a number of properties. Then alternative number 4 is kind of a variation of alternative number 1 where at both the east end and the west end there would be a small grassed island- or landscaped island- just east of I 135. just west of Hillside. [GORDON BASHAM]: The alternatives run in cost from 2.2 million dollars to just under 6 million dollars. Although the council could choose one of the alternatives this morning, it's possible they'll refer the choices back to city staff. The local Citizen Participation Organization wants to see alternatives 2 and 3--either one of those--adopted. Area business owners want the the council to adopt

alternative number 1. The council will also receive a report from a committee considering a possible merger between the Omnisphere and the Children's Museum. Assistant City Manager Shawna Mobley says the committee used information gathered and analyzed by a professional consulting company. The report looked at, among other things, whether it would be feasible to combine the Omnisphere and Children's Museum, and if so, whether the two should be housed in a new facility. It also looked at an organizational structure of the two museums should they be combined. Mobley outlines soe of the conclusions of the committee which will be presentedt to the council. [Mobley] The committee decided that the merger is a feasible to take on the part of council because the museums have similar programs. They both have hands- on experiences for similar audiences. Again, a second facet that makes it a complimentary move: they both cater to children and families, so it wouldn't be an unusual move for those two types of entities to come together. A third thing that they felt was important is that

corporations may find it more appealing to have one entity to contribute to, whereas now they have to make a decision about what deserves their funding. [Bassham] Currently, the Mid-America All Indian Center is a good example of one funded by the city but run by a private organization. Some observers feel it's not likely the council will be willing to allow that city-funded privately-run alternative. Another item on the council agenda will begin consideration of the city's 1991 so-called called legislative packet; issues that affect the city's operation. Cathy Holdeman, the city's Manager of Intergovernmental Affairs, or lobbyist, talks about some of the issues the city will take up with the legislature. [Holdeman] Each year the City of Wichita develops a legislative packet. The legislative packet is composed of those issues that affect the operations of the City of Wichita. It includes issues that had been previously introduced; it includes requests for new legislation and it includes issues that are of concern not only to the City of Wichita but to

other units of government and organizations. [Bassham] The Kansas Legislature will have a different makeup in 1992; we'll have a democratic governor, whereas we've had a republican governor over the last few years. Do you envision there being any difference in how the the City of Wichita is going to lobby the legislature? Do you envision there being difference in how the City of Wichita will fare in getting this packet through? [Holdeman] Last year, one of the issues that affected the legislature, in fact probably the major issue, was the property tax. We expect the issue to still be a major concern during the 1991 legislative session. It was an issue that affected both democrats and republicans. In terms of whether or not the new legislature, with a democratic house, a republican senate, and a democratic governor will have a different effect on the effectiveness of moving

our issues through the legislature is somewhat uncertain. We would like to consider our issues to be good government issues- those issues that improve the quality of life for our citizenry; those issues that make government more efficient and effective, and we hope that they are issues that do not necessarily fall along party lines. [Bassham] What one or two major points of legislation- pieces of legislation does the City of Wichita consider to be a high priority in terms of the upcoming legislative session? [Holdeman] Our primary issue relates to the Downtown Revitalization Plan. The City of Wichita will be seeking enabling legislation to authorize us to enact a local food and beverage tax and an excise tax on the rental of vehicles. These will be very important tools that will be coupled with other financing tools to finance the downtown

revitalization program. A second piece of legislation concerns our efforts to finance the cleanup of groundwater contamination in our downtown area. We'll be seeking a modification to the cash basis law, which is Wichita-specific. [GORDON BASHAM]: Another issue the city will take before the legislature is the procedure the city must follow when it comes to tearing down abandoned structures. The city wants to streamline what is often a lengthy and cumbersome process. The council meeting gets underway at 9:00 this morning in the council chambers of City Hall, and, as unusual it's open to the public. For KMUW, I'm Gordon Basham. [silence] [silence] [silence] [GORDON BASHAM]: And this is the Council Action Report. Short report number one for 12/11/1990.

Short report number two for 12/11/1990 and the long report to air tomorrow morning, 12/12/1990. Here comes short report numero uno. The council's crowded agenda took over 4 hours to wade through. Among those items dealt with was the issue of whether or not to raise the pay of the mayor and council members. Recently, a special task force appointed by city manager Chris Cherches recommended the salaries of the mayor, vice mayor and council be increased. The committee also voted to recommend the elected officials be limited to 2 consecutive terms in office. Vice mayor, Rip Gooch, recommended the council deal with the issue since the committee's recommendation was that the pay raises not go into effect until after the terms of the present members of the council have expired. It was Mayor Bob Knight, though, who proposed the issue be placed before the voters next February during the city's primary election. Under Knight's proposal, which passed on a vote of 5 to 2, Wichitans will get to vote separately on the salary levels of the mayor, vice mayor and council. A fourth question

on the ballot will be that of the two-term limit. The council also voted to delay a decision on which of four construction alternatives to choose from regarding the construction of 21st St. between Hillside and I 135. The Citizens Participation Organization reviewing the four alternatives proposed the city choose from either one of two different ones, both of which would place a median down the middle of 21st St. The Traffic Commission, meanwhile, reflecting the views of local business owners, recommended an alternative which recommends 21st be made into a five-lane thoroughfare with a center turn lane and no median.Vice mayor Rip Gooch requested he be given time to work on a compromise on the issue; it'll come back before the council in early January. In other action, the council voted to raise the city-funded Omnisphere with a privately run and funded children's museum. The new children's museum and Omnisphere will be housed in a new structure built on city-donated land. It won't, at least for the moment, be funded with city money though. That issue failed to gain council approval. Finally, the council voted to approve on first reading, an ordinance which

gives the Water Department the ability to shut off water service on private property when a leaky private main poses a public hazard or violates a city-declared a water emergency. The ordinance, as passed, does not contain language it contained two weeks ago, which would jail or heavily fine offenders. For KMUW, I'm Gordon Basham. [silence] [GORDON BASHAM]: And short report number 2. The issue of the reconstruction of 21st St. between Hillside and I 135 came back before the council today, but no aaction was taken on which of four alternatives for reconstruction should be adopted. A Citizens Participation Organization reviewing of those alternatives recommend the city adopt either one of two proposals which would rebuild 21st with a median down the middle; meanwhile the Traffic Commission, acting on recommendations by area business owners, recommended one of the alternatives without a median. Vice mayor, Rip Gooch, will meet with citizens in the area to try to reach a compromise

plan. The council did act, however, on the issue of pay raises for the mayor, vice mayor and council. Two weeks ago, a citizens task force appointed by City Manager, Chris Cherches, to study the issue, recommended the raises for the elected officials and that they be limited to two consecutive terms in office. Mayor Bob Knight proposed the issue be left up to the voters to decide and got the council to agree to put it on the city's February primary election ballot. What the voters will get to decide individually will be the pay raise questions for the mayor, vice mayor and council, and the fourth question, of whether their terms of office should be limited. Wichita children will be affected by another issue acted on by the council. Recently, a special committee set up to study a possible merger of the Omnisphere Science Center with the Wichita Children's Museum, came back with a recommendation that the two be merged. Moreover, the committee recommend they be housed at a new facility and funded by the city for the next five years to the tune of $250,000 a year. The council went along with the merger idea and voted to donate the land near the Indian Center to house the new facility.

It didn't, however, vote to provide public funding. Finally, the council gave the Water Department the power to shut off water service on private property when a leaky made on private land either violates a city water emergency or poses a public hazard. The ordinance was before the council two weeks ago for first reading but was sent back for revision when two council members felt the language, which will either jail or heavily fine, offenders should be removed. for KMUW, I'm Gordon Basham. [GORDON BASHAM]: And here comes the long city council report for airing on 12/12/1990 during Morning Edition. One of the first major items of business the council dealt with was the proposed redevelopment of the 21st St. corridor between I 135 and Hillside. The Citizens Participation Organization, which reviewed the recommended alternatives to rebuild 21st, and the Traffic Commissior each reached different conclusions on which of the four options should be adopted.

Because of, that, Vice mayor Rip Gooch decided that things should be worked in a compromise. [Gooch] Knowing that there were going to be some people who appeared here today that might be spending time waiting for this item to come up and find that my approach would be a carry this over for another couple weeks so that we can see if we can get a better feel for what the real belief is in the community as to how this might work best for the community. So, for that reason, Iwould like to make a motion that this be deferred for a couple weeks and given some chance to discuss. [Bassham] The issue he brought back before the council again shortly after the first of the year for a vote on which of those four alternatives the council will approve. The council also voted to approve on first reading an ordinance which gives the Water Department the authority to shut off water service to private residences and businesses when a broken main on private land either poses a public safety hazard or violates a declared a water emergency. The ordinance

eliminated language which would have imposed jail time and/or a fine on violators. The agenda item which drew the most public comment, though, was the issue of pay raises for the mayor, vice mayor, and city council. Dr. Joe Pisciotte of Wichita State University's Hugo Wall Center for Urban Studies, chaired the special task force appointed by City Manager Chris Cherches to study the issue. Cherches outlined how the task force members were chosen. [Cherches] This was a task that the council realizes Ididn't volunteer for, and it's one of those that was directed my way. What I attempted to do is to take a look at the various elements- the segments of the community- the various communities of interest within the community and to try to ensure that all of those communities of interest would be represented as best we could. We attempted to find individuals that did not have an expressed opinion

already, as best we could on this, or would maintain an open mind as they entered into this. We attempted to get someone from the CPO community, we attempted to get minority representation, representation from the League of Women Voters, who are very active in governmental issues and affairs. Individuals from the academic community, from the ministerial community, and from the labor community, as well as just citizens at large. [GORDON BASHAM]: During the meeting, both Cherches and Mayor Bob Knight went to great lengths to assert that the mayor and council had no input on the selection of the members; a point further made by Pisciotte. [Pisciotte] He put this together, he asked us to do it. I think the committee was broad-based; there were certainly no tershrinking violets on it. Everyone brought their opinions to the discussion. There was no attempt from the mayor or any of the council members to influence in any way.

[GORDON BASHAM]: Two weeks ago, the committee voted 4 to 3 to recommend the mayor's salary be increased from $12,500 a year to $48,000. The vice mayor is up to $24,000, and the council members' salary from $7,500 to $18,000 dollars a year. The commission also recommended the mayor and council be limited to two consecutive terms of office. It was Mayor Knight who proposed the voters make the salary and term of office decisions, not the council. Council member Sheldon Kamen expressed concern over the voters having to decide each of those issues separately and said he wouldn't vote for such a proposal. [Kamen] The reason I won't accept- here's what could happen. Let's say the council members get a raise to $18,000 per council member, and the mayor's salary fails; that would mean that the council members will be getting approximately $5,000 more than the Mayor would be getting. [Knight] I appreciate your concern. [audience laughter] I know how sincerely motivated you are about that, council member Kamen, but I have an idea

that that you're underestimating voters. We've gone through this before on different issues where we've packaged them together and there's been a very clear expression of opposition by voters to packaging things together. If these are important matters- you know, we may vote like the vice mayor is saying, to do nothing, and move on. I don't believe there's anyone sitting up here that probably finds whole question more embarrassing or more or more tiring than myself and my family. [Bassham] It was vice mayor, Rip Gooch, though, who felt the issue should be settled by the council. [Gooch] I'm very disappointed with the committee. It's fine to go out and do this and to come back with it; that we, as a council here, are not willing to accept thir recommendation and vote for it or against it and move on with it.

I want to make it very clear: I don't believe that the conditions that exist here, if known, as I see here in your figures, amount to about 49 cents per person, and if we are talking about 49 cents a person, we're not talking about a financial burden on anybody if that was to happen. [Bassham] A total of six citizens and spoke out on the issue, one of them was Pat Lehman, who spoke on behalf of various labor groups in the area. [Lehman] I feel compelled to report to you that we absolute cannot find support for the committee recommendation, which I might add was passed by a 4 to 3 vote. We do find some level of support for an intermediate change in salaries. It is probably unfortunate that you did not, at some point, tie the salaries of council members, vice mayor, and mayor to the same

percentages of increases enjoyed by employee employees. [Bassham] Don Farrington, an announced candidate for the new 6th council district seat, spoke out in favor of raising the pay of Wichita's elected officials. [Farrington] I sincerely do not leave any council member on this bench is in financial hardship, but it is a fact that as time progresses and we go more into the true district electins- I'm retired, it's not going to hurt me- But there are other people who are going to have four college- age kids or three high school-aged kids and they come from an ordinary job and they get on this council, or even become mayor, and they are going to have financial hardship putting their kids through college andt hey're going to have all kinds of problems. I stated yesterday that I think if our mayor puts in more than 8 hours a day, which he does, and and 6 and 7 days a week, which he often does, whether it's the new mayor, it's Mayor Knight, or anyone else, that pay should be much higher than it is now, simply because of the terrible

amount of time it takes. [GORDON BASHAM]: It was Wichitan Gary [Sheer?] who spoke out neither for nor against the pay raise, but in favor of letting the people decide the issue. [Sheer?] I guess I'm just here today, not on behalf of this issue, but on behalf of perhaps, just, well, we're sitting around and we're all talking about the how many teeth we think the horse has. I think an election allows you to open his mouth and count 'em and then go about your business. I just hope you'll give us that opportunity. [GORDON BASHAM]: The council approved Knight's motion 5 to 2 with council members Kamen and Ferris voting in the negative. [music: Here We Come a Wassailing] [GORDON BASHAM]: Not all of the meeting was about serious issues, however. About a hundred members of the College Hill Elementary School serenaded the council with Christmas carols, maintaining a tradition established over several years. Another children's issue also surfaced on the council agenda with the council building to merge the Omisphere and Childrens Museum and donating land for the new combined facility. The council, however, did not vote to honor a recommendation

by the interim committee studying the merger, that the city fund the joint Children's Museum and Omnisphere to the tune of $250,000 a year over the next five years. The funding for that museum and other museums, such as Cowtown, the Art Museum, and Indian Center would come from private donations raised as part of the downtown redevelopment package approved the council recently. The committee seeking those donations has until February 15 to raise more than $40,000,000, the proceeds of which would be used to endow those museums. For KMUW, I'm Gordon Basham.