I was mildly amused by a fact in the latest story in the ongoing city manager search saga. In fact, it was the last line in the story.
Slavin was selected from 14 people or companies that submitted proposals for a national search. Council members Jeff Longwell, Feary and Schlapp interviewed three of them before picking Slavin.
So let me get this straight: The city interviews three consultants to find someone to replace the only guy it interviewed for the manager’s job the first time around. You know, the guy who then backed out of the job at the last minute.
Like I said, amusing.
Quietly, Wichita’s chances of landing a Bass Pro Shops store took another hit this week.
Longtime Wichita Realtor Jack Hunt, an avid fisherman who died Tuesday, was attempting to land the outdoors retailer in the weeks and months before his death, according to numerous reports this week. One source characterized the talks as “serious.”
The proposed location was some lakefront property Hunt owns just south of I-235, the site of a mobile home park destroyed by a tornado years ago.
But with Hunt gone and the fate of his real estate company up in the air, it’s unclear where those talks are headed. Bass Pro spokesman Brent Lawrence said the company doesn’t discuss new store deals until they are finalized.
Former Mayor Carlos Mayans reportedly led a city council drive five years ago to slash WaterWalk funding that drove Bass Pro from town. And now, the legendary outdoorsman after Bass Pro has died.
Perhaps Wichita and Bass Pro just weren’t meant to be.