A few of the health and safety violations the city of Wichita found at Old Cowtown Museum seem petty. But many others are quite serious and, according to a letter given to Cowtown’s board this week by City Manager George Kolb, could endanger visitors and staff. Granted, it isn’t easy to keep mice, cockroaches and rain out of old, wooden buildings. But the letter revealed that Cowtown’s maintenance problems are sizable and won’t be fixed just by slapping on a fresh coat of paint.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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19 Comments
This just sounds like they really want to close it down.
I agree Joe. For some time I have been wondering if some developer has his eyes on the property.
One thing they pointed to on the news was the blacksmith shop was unsafe. As the Smithy pointed out - THAT IS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE! I’m sure he would agree with me that if he gets hurt it is on him.
Some of this makes me remember the funny picture of a “Horse after OSHA”!
Perhaps if the city and county quits spending millions on projects like the sports arena that was barely supported and support the history of their own City, there wouldn’t be a problem.
Maybe if we went to the root of the problem we could solve it. Most directors & politicians do not understand what the public wants.Hire Ron Tibbets from the Omnispere and the director from the Childrens Museum. They ran their facilities on shoestrings and were successful.
Proble is Bonnie and JM they wouldn’t make big bucks for the Good Ol’ Boys - politically connected developers etc. You seem to be laboring under the false impression that the purpose of public projects is to benefit the public. NOT TRUE! Their purpose is to funnel taxpayers money into certain pockets!
It is my personal opinion that the only thing that will satisfy our City Manager and council is for the Cowtown board to throw up their hands in defeat. The maintenance issues that the museum has did not develop overnight. But the “witch hunt” commenced when the board opted not to go along with the city’s plan to close the museum.
Our city government wants to increase tourism, but seems to be fighting tooth and nail to close down one of our most valuable assets. How about funneling some MORE MONEY to Old Cowtown Museum, and make it the showplace it could be for this city? Many millions are being spent on the water walk project, and the new arena, but the city council and county commission balk at giving Old Cowtown Museum $800,000 annually.
It does seem to me that some developer has their eye on the city property that Cowtown now occupies, and the city will stop at nothing to evict the museum as tenants.
Someone had said that it seems like a witch hunt. I completely agree. There are a number of places in this city that have code violations and I am sure there are some far worse than what Cowtown has, yet nothing is done about them. Just Cowtown. The City’s agenda is clear. They will stop at nothing to close Cowtown. I know I will be voting this November. Get some competant people in office. The West will not lose so easily.
Of course a new coat of paint is not the only thing needed at Cowtown. After decades of neglect at the hands of the city and county much more needs to be done. That said the board and volunteers have already demonstrated their willingness to give of their time and in many cased their money to do the work necessary.
Let us not forget the last part of Ms. Tanner’s Thursday story. People at Cowtown are NOT to throw anything away as the city is concerned over hazardous waste being disposed of improperly. So Cowtown is supposed to clean itself up but not throw anything away. Of course now the city will demand expensive cleanup, which the museum will not be able to afford. I think they think this is Check and Mate, but the last move will be made the second Tuesday of November. Hopefully the good citizens of Wichita and Sedgwick County understand that today it’s Cowtown, tomorrow it could be your home, church, charity or business.
By the way the city owns the building and they were given to Cowtown containing Asbestos and Lead paint. Seems to me the city is liable to bring the buildings up to code. After all they OWN the buildings and passed them on to the museum in that condition. One might argue that they (the city) have purposefully endangered the lives of staff, volunteers and visitors. Or we could all go back to our neutral corners and try to get something substantial done, while preserving our heritage.
How ’bout it?
Asbestos disposal is actually prety easy. Lead is more difficult but manageable.
Gee, I wonder if the City is checking all those disposed shingles all over town …
Kolb in essence is admitting that he and the City of Wichita have neglected it’s oversight of Cowtown and that, now, someone else is going to bear the brunt of their malfeasance.
In other words, the City heirarchy is looking for scapegoats.
City council and Mayoral races aren’t until next spring. The November races are for County Commission, state House of Representatives, and statewide offices like Governor and AG.
I can’t help but wonder what developer wants the land Cowtown sits on. That would tell more of the story than anything else.
You can bet it will probably be another much-needed city development that will need that arena sales tax to continue.
Definetely office space, CR. As if there isn’t vacant office space spread all over the city.
I was thinking condos. With the taxpayer-paid visitor center as the commons clubhouse.
The situation with Cowtown is about the same as with Ice Sports under the City’s previous Ice Rink management contractor. In that case, Ice Sport’s local manager was a guy named Norman from Canada. He had the best office view in Wichita, looking at the downtown skyline from his office on 2nd floor of the Ice Sport’s building. But would Norman work to get people into the building? No, of course not. He said if it got dirty, he would have to spend money to clean it up. So the usage declined to almost zero. Finally after two or three years of foot dragging, Norman returned to Canada. This was under City Manager George Kolb’s “leadership.”
The out-of-town Ice Rink Management Contractor was fired by the Wichita City Councl about a year or so ago. Of course the monthly management fee might continue on to this day, for all I know.
Following that disasterous situation, for about a year the City’s Park Department ran the Ice Sports building and hired a young lady named Debbie to manage it. Debbie did a good job, upgraded the inside of the building on a limited budget and got some programs re-started to again attract young ice skaters and the ice hockey players.
Then about a month ago, the City Council hired a new ice rink consultant to oversee Ice Sports operations. The new rink consulting manager seems to be full of vim and vinegar and hopefully will keep improving the programs in the Ice Sports building, hopefully by Christmas. Hopefully we will see some ice shows featuring local ice skaters, more arena football, and general skating sessions for the public.
Now regarding Cowtown, the best way to clean up Cowtown would be to vote out City Councilwoman Feary and County Commissioner Ben Sciortino. Even though receiving bloated salaries themselves for their jobs, they are determined to “fire” hundreds of volunteers at Cowtown who receive no pay for countless hours of work.
Volunteers have considered raising contributions for Cowtown. Unfortunately the salary of the former manager of Cowtown is ongoing and the overhead (heat, airconditioning, electricity, maintenance people salaries for the new million dollar “visitor’s center,” largely vacant, at Cowtown must be paid. Another mess by the City Manager and City Council.
Now regarding Cowtown, the best way to clean up Cowtown would be to vote out City Councilwoman Feary and County Commissioner Ben Sciortino. Even though receiving bloated salaries themselves for their jobs, they are determined to “fire” hundreds of volunteers at Cowtown who receive no pay for countless hours of work.
Volunteers have considered raising contributions for Cowtown. Unfortunately the salary of the former manager of Cowtown is or was ongoing. Also the overhead (heat, airconditioning, electricity, maintenance people salaries) for the new million dollar Cowtown “visitor’s center,” largely vacant, must be paid. These take priority over painting and weatherproofing the historic old buildings.
Another super mess by the City Manager and City Council.
But of course Sedgwick County Commissioners Ben Sciortino, Tom Winters, Tim Norton, Dave Unruh and “lame duck” Lucy Birtnet continue to try to “give” the taxpayers a new $ 250,000,000 downtown arena financed with 17% increase in sales taxes on the theory that taxpayers are not being adequately entertained.
But county commissioners and Wichita city councilmen CANNOT find money to solve financial problems related to the following projects:
** Exploration Place,
** Water Walk,
** Indian Center and statue,
** Lawrence-Dumont Stadium,
** Wichita Wrangles Baseball,
** Dowtown Hilton Hotel,
** New Technical training center,
** New downtown Jail,
** Expanded airport,
** Arts Center area financing,
** Boathouse,
** Kansas Coliseum,
** Cleanup Arkansas River,
** Century II & Exposition Ctr.,
** Renew Wichita’s downtown ctr.,
** Renew suburban business ctrs.,
Have I forgotten any?
Which do we want, all of the above put on solid financial footing OR … the white elephant, albatross, 1/4 billion dollar downtown arena, now not wanted by MORE THAN 150,000 SEDGWICK COUNTIANS.
Remember, Wichita is owned by the people, not by a few hired guns, politicians and ice hockey fans.
I’m not sure how many people know this but now that the city has sent it’s letter of compliance to Cowtown it has 60 days to fix ALL of the problems. It they can’t get these things accomplished with in that time frame, it will have broken it’s contract with the city.
Funny 60 days takes it past this Novembers election. What a coincidence!
Vote this November and vote against all standing incumbents, the ones who are in this up to their toupees and the ones who have sat around and watched. If they won’t stand up be counted they are of no use to us.