Based on commissioner comments so far, it appears there is not enough support to go forward with a recommendation for Sedgwick County to enter into negotiations with North American Management-Kansas to develop the Kansas Coliseum.
Commissioners Tim Norton, Karl Peterjohn and Dave Unruh all have said they have too many questions at this time to feel comfortable moving forward.
Board members Kelly Parks and Gwen Welshimer have noted that at this point, the county only is recommending entering into negotiations with North American, which wants to build a mix of retail and entertainment at the complex.
Stay on Kansas.com for more updates.
A committee that reviewed proposals from developers for the Kansas Coliseum has recommended that Sedgwick County enter negotiations with North American Management-Kansas.
North American wants to build a mix of retail and entertainment at the complex.
The county has received three proposals: North American’s, one from Heritage Development Group and one from Hartman Arena.
Heritage wanted to build the “Saddle Rock Rodeo Resort” at the Coliseum. Hartman later withdrew its plans.
Sedgwick County commissioner Gwen Welshimer is questioning a caveat in the county’s agreement with the city for downtown parking near Intrust Bank Arena.
Under the plan, the county would pay the city up to $225,000 to cover any shortfall between gross revenue proceeds from the sale of and the city’s actual expenses associated with operating four parking lots for exclusive use during arena events.
Welshimer said the county has done enough to support downtown Wichita, including building the arena itself, which she said would bring more business downtown.
She was the only commissioner to vote against the agreement.
A move to suspend performance requirements for Sedgwick County employees to receive 2 percent raises next year has failed.
Commissioners Tim Norton, Karl Peterjohn and Dave Unruh voted against the suspension of performance qualifications. Board members Kelly Parks and Gwen Welshimer voted for the measure.
Earlier this year, the county froze salaries for employees making more than $75,000 and suspended the pool of money for performance-based pay raises, instead setting raises at 2 percent.
But a majority of commissioners thought employees still would have to meet performance standards to receive the 2 percent raises. At the end of 2008, 77 employees didn’t meet performance criteria. To pay those employees a 2 percent raise would have cost the county about $54,000, county manager William Buchanan estimated.
Read more about the raises in Thursday’s Eagle.
Sadness, disappointment and a message of hope marked the City Council’s abandonment this morning of a proposal to sell a vacant, city-owned building to The Lord’s Diner to feed the hungry in central-northeast Wichita.
The sadness came from council member Sue Schlapp: “I think we lost our focus someplace along here,” she said. Read More »
It’s officially a race.
Democrat Tom Wiggans filed paperwork with the state today to begin a campaign for Kansas Governor.
The political newcomer faces U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican, in next year’s election.
Wiggans still hasn’t spoken out about his interest in running for governor, but today a spokeswoman emailed this statement:
“Now more than ever as our state and our families deal with this difficult economic climate, we need a successful business leader in the Governor’s office.
Read More »
Palmer
Former Butler County state legislator Peggy Palmer has thrown her endorsement to Mike Pompeo in the 4th Congressional District race.
Palmer, of Augusta, served a Butler-county-based district in the House from 1996-2002 and in the Senate, 2004-2008.
“Mike understands our principles of limited government, free enterprise, individual freedoms and family values,” said Palmer.
Pompeo, a businessman and Republican national committeeman, is running in a Republican primary race that features two sitting senators, Jean Schodorf of Wichita and Dick Kelsey of Goddard; and businessmen Wink Hartman and Jim Anderson.
Six
Kansas will receive about $45,000 of a $3 million, multi-state settlement with Vonage, a company that provides voice-over-Internet phone service, Attorney General Steve Six announced Monday.
Attorneys general from 32 states had alleged that Vonage, one of the nation’s largest providers of Internet phone service, violated consumer-protection laws.
Vonage denied any violations.
The states had alleged that customers received unexpected and nonrefundable charges after signing up for “free trial” offers with Vonage.
Read More »
In July, while considering next year’s budget, Sedgwick County commissioners froze salaries for those making $75,000 — including themselves — and suspended performance-based merit raises to give employees a 2 percent raise.
The county’s current policy states that employees have to at least meet the minimum performance criteria to be eligible for performance-based pay increases. A rating of “does not meet expectations” would make an employee ineligible for a pay increase.
The county is considering suspending the performance criteria for the 2 percent raises for employees who make less than $75,000.
Commissioner Gwen Welshimer said she initially thought that employees still would have to meet criteria to qualify for 2 percent across-the-board raises. But she said commissioners Kelly Parks and Karl Peterjohn were not under that impression. All three commissioners asked for a resolution to remove the performance qualification, which the board will consider Wednesday.
County manager William Buchanan estimated that the move would cost the county $54,000. He said 77 employees out of 1,746 failed their performance evaluation at the end of 2008.
Former Wichita City Council member Sharon Fearey has filed for Kelly Parks’ seat on the Sedgwick County commission.
The Eagle earlier had reported that Fearey, a Democrat, was weighing a run for the District 4 seat.
“The time that I have spent meeting and visiting with people during this period has been very helpful,” Fearey said in a news release. “As I continued to hear from people in the district, my commitment to them and my desire to tackle the issues they are concerned about became even stronger.”
Fearey was twice elected to the city council.
Lucy Burtnett, a Republican whom Parks defeated in 2006, also has filed for Parks’ seat.
Parks, a Republican, has not yet announced if he is running again.
In other commission races, Democrat Betty Arnold has filed for Dave Unruh’s District 1 seat. Unruh, a Republican, has filed to retain his seat.
Derby Mayor Dion Avello, a Republican, has filed for Gwen Welshimer’s District 5 seat. Welshimer, a Democrat, has filed to retain her spot on the board.
City Council member Jim Skelton also has told The Eagle he is considering running for Welshimer’s seat.
Derby City Council member Chuck Warren also has said he plans to run for that district.