Voice For Liberty

Category: Sedgwick county government

  • Arena Seating Upgrade Illustrates Problem

    Once we’ve started down this road, it’s hard to turn back. I’m referring to the $1.7 million that the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners approved for upgrades to the seating in the downtown Wichita arena.

    Evidently there’s a new type of raised seating that makes for a better audience experience for those seated on the floor.

    The problem is that having built the arena, we need to do what we can to see that it earns a profit and doesn’t become a burden to the taxpayers. (I’m aware that there’s a contract with the management company that shields the county from losses. I’m sure that if there are several years of losses, that contract won’t be renewed under those terms.)

    Even new commissioner Karl Peterjohn realizes this. The Wichita Eagle story reported “New Commissioner Karl Peterjohn prefaced his affirmative vote by saying that although he opposed the arena before voters approved it, now that it’s being built, he wants it to be the best it can be.”

    Evidently some people aren’t satisfied with this. A comment left to the news story interpreted his words to mean “if this fails miserably, I will accept no blame and quickly point fingers. But if it turns out to completely revitalize downtown and be a huge success like I hope it’s not, I’ll gladly take responsibility for it.” The commenter added “What a joke.”

    Besides this commenter’s inability to accept victory and move on, some comment writers are terribly confused, one blaming Wichita city government for the mess. The arena is entirely a project of Sedgwick County.

  • Downtown Wichita Arena Spire. Wow.

    Here’s a photograph I took of the spire on the Intrust Bank Arena now under construction in downtown Wichita. You may be excused for confusing it with a non-functional flagpole.

    Downtown Wichita Intrust Arena Spire

    There was actually a ceremony surrounding the raising of this pole. Here’s what one Wichita Eagle letter-writer thought of the spire and Sedgwick County Commissioners.

    Signatures on spire reflect arrogance

    How dare our local elected officials write their names on any part of the people’s arena, as the Sedgwick County commissioners did on the downtown arena’s “spire” this week? This is called graffiti, and if anyone else were caught putting this visual garbage on anything, he would be arrested for it, as our officials should be. The arena is not their personal property to deface. I have little doubt they already had grand plans to prominently place their names on the arena, bragging about “their” accomplishment, so writing on the arena was unnecessary as well as improper. This is just one more example of how completely out of touch and arrogant they all are and why they should all be removed from office. I truly believe the future will show the harm they have caused to this community when it comes to the white elephant they refer to as the Intrust Bank Arena.

    JIM WILSON
    Wichita

  • Bob Hanson of Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission Speaks to Sedgwick County Commissioners

    At the January 21, 2009 meeting of the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners, Bob Hanson, President/CEO of the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission addressed the commission.

    We have to step back and wonder why it’s necessary to occupy the time of the Sedgwick County Commissioners and the people of the county who pay attention to these meetings just so that Mr. Hanson can recite the history of his organization.

    Here’s something that Hanson said to the commissioners:

    “As you are well aware, we are certainly proud of what’s taken place in the development of the Intrust Bank arena. A big congratulations to all of you, past commissioners, and certainly the staff of Sedgwick county for the leadership you have provided for our community in development of this jewel and huge community project. I know you are aware of the important role the Sports Commission and all of our members played in bringing the arena campaign to fruition.”

    I wonder if Hanson is aware that several of the commission members who supported the downtown arena were defeated in their bids for re-election. Their support of the arena played a role in that.

    Further, the makeup of the current commission would hardly be favorable to passage of a project like the arena. For Hanson to thank the current members for their support of the arena is laughable.

    Mr. Hanson and his organization have agitated for government funding of projects that benefit their special interests. The most notable of these is the downtown Wichita arena. That arena is likely to turn out to be a huge ongoing liability for the taxpayers of Sedgwick County. But the GWASC nibbles at the taxpayer in little ways, too. This year Sedgwick County will contribute $5,000 to the GWASC, just as it has in years past.

    Tomorrow’s agenda for the Wichita City Council workshop contains an item titled “Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission 2008 Annual Report.” This will likely be a chance for city council members to be treated to the same presentation the county commissioners sat through. Looking at the city’s budget documents it isn’t possible to tell whether the city contributes to the GWASC. The “search” feature on the city’s website isn’t helpful, either. This lack of transparency is something we need to address.

    But I think it’s safe to assume that Mr. Hanson and his organization will be asking the Wichita city council for a contribution. His history of asking taxpayers to support his pet projects — rent seeking is the technical term — is known.

  • Parks’ Selection as Sedgwick County Commission Chair Breaks Tradition

    In a move that suggests that there may be some change in the way things are done in the Sedgwick County Courthouse, Kelly Parks was selected as chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for the next year. No other name was placed in nomination.

    Then, Gwen Welshimer was selected as chairmen pro tem, again with no other name placed in nomination.

    Why is this a change? As the Wichita Eagle’s Deb Gruver wrote in todays news story Parks may chair commission: “For years, it’s been the Sedgwick County Commission’s tradition to ‘promote’ the board’s vice chairman to chairman.”

  • Karl Peterjohn Takes Oath of Office in Sedgwick County

    Karl Peterjohn takes oath of office for Sedgwick County Commission, January 11, 2009

    Today, Karl Peterjohn took the oath of office for the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners. The ceremony took place in front of a standing-room only crowd. Following are Karl’s remarks:

    I want to begin by thanking my family. I want to thank my wife Marilyn, and my children Christina and Alex. They worked so hard throughout the entire 2008 election campaign to help put me behind this podium today.

    In the last week I have started and had to re-start writing my first remarks as a Sedgwick County Commissioner. The news keeps changing that quickly.

    In each of the last three days I have heard in public meetings one or more elected officials as well as on one day, a key Kansas legislative staffer, report a series of increasingly grim and distressing information concerning the economic and fiscal problems we face.

    Today there were a series of articles in the Wichita Eagle with more articles about our current economic problems. The state of Kansas is facing a major fiscal crisis. The size of this crisis is growing.

    Let me remind you that crises are nothing new.

    Please remember the Kansas state motto. It is, “Ad astra per Aspera,” that is, “To the stars through difficulties.” We as a nation, as a state, and as a county have always faced challenges and controversies.

    Our state was born in a cauldron of problems and disputes that were much worse than anything we face in Sedgwick County today. Our county is named after Major General John Sedgwick who gave his life fighting for our country through the largest problems we have ever faced during the Civil War.

    A decade ago the head of the Federal Reserve bank, Alan Greenspan, warned against irrational exuberance in our economy. Today I urge all of us to avoid irrational pessimism.

    Remember that the challenge of our state’s motto is unchanged: to the stars through difficulties.

    I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and joining with my fellow commissioners, my fellow elected officials inside the courthouse as well as outside, my fellow county employees, and most importantly my fellow citizens in solving the problems facing us in Sedgwick County.

    Thank you and God bless America.

  • Sedgwick County Commission fails citizens

    At yesterday’s meeting of the Sedgwick County Commission, Commissioners Tom Winters, Tim Norton, and Dave Unruh failed to take an opportunity to stand up for good government.

    By ratifying the City of Wichita’s defective public hearing, notice is given that it’s open season on citizens. Their concerns are shoved aside. Commissioners say they were constrained by a very narrow range of action permitted by law. The reasons they voted against this TIF district in August are still there, though present in smaller measure.

    The problem is that these politicians want something so badly that they’re willing to overlook major problems in procedures that are designed to give citizens a voice. Newspaper editorial writers aren’t helping. They’re usually at the forefront of “good government” efforts. But not the Wichita Eagle’s Rhonda Holman, who wrote this in today’s lead editorial: “Yes, as some argue, the city should have done a better job of allowing public input on the arena TIF district. The late changes to the Dec. 2 City Council agenda left the public and at least one council member unfamiliar with the plan to add $10 million for future parking needs, arming critics and fueling public distrust of local government generally.” But, she’ll go along with this action anyway.

    Nothing that this TIF district can build is as important as destroying citizen confidence and procedures designed to give them a voice.

    Thank you to Commissioners Gwen Welshimer and Kelly Parks for voting for the interests of citizens instead of those of Wichita’s political entrepreneurs.

  • Jeff Fluhr decided

    A few weeks ago in the post Jeff Fluhr’s Decision I wrote that the the new president of the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation had a choice to make: “Mr. Fluhr needs to decide if he’s on the side of open and transparent government, or whether he’s in favor of crony capitalism and the good ol’ boy network.”

    When Mr. Fluhr testified at yesterday’s Sedgwick County Commission meeting, I learned the answer. It’s crony capitalism, all the way.

    Background: As defined by Wikipedia, “Crony capitalism is a pejorative term describing an allegedly capitalist economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between businessmen and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, and so forth.”

  • Sedgwick County Republican Party: democracy in action?

    I received this article from a local Republican activist who, obviously, isn’t satisfied with the way Fourth District Committee Delegates and Alternates are selected. As a committeeman myself, I have to say I agree. Last month the county party met to elect new officials: chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer. There was one slate of candidates, and any idea of presenting alternative candidates was strongly discouraged.

    When I saw on the agenda that delegates would be elected, I passed a note to a friend of mine and asked if he would submit my name in nomination for delegate. Then I realized that the slate of delegates and alternates was pre-selected. The election was pro forma.

    I agree with this writer that delegates and county party officers should be selected from the ranks of elected committeeman and committeewomen.

    Who runs the Republican Party in Sedgwick County? On the surface a novice would say that the voters elect precinct committeemen and committeewomen. Then it would make sense that they get together and elect their executive committee from those who were elected by the voters … right? Okay, then they would also elect the Fourth District Committee Delegates and Alternates to represent the Republican voters at the state level from those elected by the voters. Keep in mind that we elect over 300 committee representatives every two years so there is definitely a large group to chose from.

    SO … I ask why is it that of the current Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, only the Chair is an elected Precinct Committeeman?

    ALSO … Why is it that out of 40 Delegates, 17 are not 2008 Precinct committee elected?

    PLUS … Of the 40 Alternates, 16 are not 2008 Precinct committee elected?

    AND … Why were people who are duly elected precinct committee people that have been delegates in the past taken off?

    OH YEA … it is because a few people in a back room somewhere created a slate based on some God only knows criteria and presented it to the Precinct Committeemen and women as a SLATE to vote on.

    So much for democracy and so much for running for office. Obviously the Republican positions of power are based on who you know and not on who the voters elected.

  • Sedgwick County: please don’t ratify Wichita’s disrespect of citizens

    Remarks delivered at the December 17, 2008 meeting of the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners.

    I’m here today to ask this commission to not approve the expansion of the Center City South Redevelopment District, commonly known as the downtown Wichita arena TIF district. The reason I ask this of you is for reasons of good and open government, something I’m sure we can agree that all citizens are in favor of.

    There was a defect in the public hearing that the Wichita City Council held on December 2, 2008 regarding this matter. The defect in the public hearing is not the fault of this commission. That blame lies across the street at Wichita city hall.

    The undisputed facts are that the City of Wichita added a large amount of spending to the project plan less than 24 hours before the public hearing. Besides greatly increasing the size of the project, this additional spending is of a different character. Citizens, news media, and even at least one council member were not aware of this change until it was announced at the public hearing.

    Besides being disrespectful to citizens, there may very well be a legal problem with the way the City of Wichita conducted the public hearing. Kansas Statute 12-1772 requires that if a substantial change is made to the project plan, there must be another public hearing after publication of notice.

    Does roughly doubling the budget of a plan qualify as a substantial change? Does adding a new type of project, one that wasn’t mentioned in the notice of the public hearing qualify as a substantial change? Yes. I believe these are substantial changes.

    Wichita interim city manager Scott Moore admits there were problems with the public hearing. Rhonda Holman of the Wichita Eagle recognizes them, too. And Randy Brown’s description of changes to the public hearing having been “sneaked onto the Wichita City Council’s Tuesday agenda, essentially under cover of Monday evening’s darkness” accurately captures the nature of what the City of Wichita did.

    But what the City of Wichita will not do is accept the consequence of its actions.

    A volunteer citizen watchdog like me can’t afford to file a lawsuit against the city to force them to hold a proper public hearing. The city has nearly unlimited means to defend itself. Not lost on me is the irony that my own tax dollars would be used in a legal fight against me.

    This commission has the power to stand up for good government. Please don’t consent to what’s been termed an “aggravated assault on the spirit” of the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Please vote against the downtown arena TIF and ask the City of Wichita to hold a proper public hearing.