MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL


				Wichita, Kansas,  June 17, 1998
				        Tuesday,  2:30 P.M.
 
		The City Council met in Special session with Mayor Knight in the Chair. Council 
Members Cole, Ferris, Gale, Kamen, Lambke, Rogers; present.

	Cathy Holdeman, City Manager’s Office; Gary Rebenstorf, Director of Law; Pat Burnett, 
City Clerk; present.

	Call to Order.

	The call for a special meeting was read, the object of said meeting being for the 
purpose of considering an:

	ADVISORY ELECTION ON CITY/COUNTY CONSOLIDATION.

Mayor Knight	Mayor Knight reviewed the Item.

	Council Member Lambke brought an Item before the City Council, some time ago, requesting 
that a question be put before the voters of the City of Wichita regarding 
consolidation of Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita Governments.

	It is understood that at the Sedgwick County Commission meeting this morning, the County 
Commission decided not to participate in the advisory election.  It does not 
seem that this is to be a joint effort.

	The cost of an advisory election would be negligible.  

	The voting process would be that, while participating in the regular voting process, 
voters would be handed separate ballots and would move into the regular private 
voting booth, vote using the regular mechanical ballot, and then (still in 
confidence) mark a paper ballot on the consolidation question and deposit it in 
a ballot box.

	This procedure would not require different polling places but would keep the issue 
separate from the regular voting.

	The City ought to proceed and allow the Citizens of the City of Wichita to express their 
opinion in this matter.  If a majority are interested in consolidation, it would 
be easy to anticipate the next steps and move forward. If there is not a 
majority interest, no further effort would need to be made.

	The County Commissioners each voiced an opinion, at this morning’s Commission meeting, 
in opposition to consolidated government, and expressed the desire to have a 
county-wide survey. 

	Opinion polls or surveys are not wanted.

Council Member Lambke	Council Member Lambke said the County had indicated a desire to send out mail 
questionnaires with several questions with regard to the kind of consolidation 
the citizens would want.  In an effort to reduce the cost, the County would ask 
voters to place return postage on the return envelope.

	All the Commissioners had reasons why they thought there should be no consolidation.  
The result of the meeting was to defer the matter two weeks while staff prepares 
a questionnaire and examines the cost of a mail survey.

Commissioner Hancock	Sedgwick County Commissioner Hancock said it was not true that all voiced opposition to 
consolidation.  The advisory election would compromise the integrity of the 
ballot and the Commission was unsure how to address the question.

	The County Commission would like to do a survey and get the feelings on what kind of 
consolidation would be preferred. 

	The vote should count and not merely be advisory.



	It is a good idea to ask the questions, if voting no - against consolidation, why; and 
if voting yes - for consolidation, why.  Also, the Commission wanted or time to 
ask the City about a survey.

Mayor Knight	Mayor Knight said the County Commission’s actions were not consistent with what Mayor 
Knight and Commissioner Hancock had previously talked about.

Council Member Ferris	Council Member Ferris said he was interested in the answer to the question.  If 
the results of the vote come back positive, then it would be worth finding out 
the information on the kind of consolidation.

	The City wants to find out whether the people are even interested in consolidation.  It 
cannot be determined in two weeks what kind of questions to ask.  The City of 
Wichita is not interested in spending six-figures to find out the simple 
question of whether there is interest in any type of consolidation. If there is 
a majority interest, then the City should spend the time, energy, and effort to 
find out the rest of the answers.

	The City and County should not go to the expense of a mail ballot at this point.

	At the previous advisory election no one questioned whether there was a compromise of 
the election process.  The only people against the election were those against 
the question.

Gary Rebenstorf	Director of Law explained that in 1995, Judge Rogg ruled the City had the authority to 
do advisory elections.

Mayor Knight	Mayor Knight stated that the Election Commissioner has indicated she would move forward; 
and the Secretary of State has said he has no problem with the advisory election 
but would suggest guidance.

	The County will do what they have to do.  If by the middle of July the Commission should 
decide to make the election county-wide, they are encouraged to do so.  

Council Member Kamen	Council Member Kamen said that if seventy percent of the Citizens of the City of Wichita 
are for consolidation and 20 percent of the County residents are against 
consolidation, nothing would be shown.

Commissioner Hancock	Sedgwick County Commissioner Hancock said he felt the question is important and that he 
would like to ask the question.  It is thought that a mail ballot could be out 
by August.  It is important to get it out in August if legislative action in 
1999 is to be sought.  

	Commissioner Hancock said he wished the City would consider the County’s position on 
this matter.

Mayor Knight	Mayor Knight said this is the necessary first step to crystallize this issue of concern.  
The matter has been discussed for some time.

	The Election Commissioner needs the information by this Friday.
	
	Mayor Knight asked the County to join the city in the asking the question in the primary 
election.

	The City of Wichita wants to move forward and allow the citizens to answer the question.

Council Member Cole	Council Member Cole stated that she is now convinced the over-all information is needed 
before spending more to ask in-depth questions.

	Direction should be taken from citizens who vote - those who take their citizenship 
seriously.  

	Mail surveys with a fifteen to twenty percent response are considered to have had a good 
return.  Council Member Cole said she liked the connection of getting answers in 
the voting process.

Council Member Ferris	Council Member Ferris said the City of Wichita never dreamed of trying to get 
legislative action in 1999 or 2000.  The City is not telling the citizens what 
the consolidation is going to be as that could not be figured out in a long 
time.

	


	This is not “the” vote on consolidation.  In the future, there will be another vote 
with plans and details.  This is to see whether the citizens even want to embark 
on the process.

Council Member Rogers	Council Member Rogers stated that, almost daily, he receives questions about 
consolidation and he wants to know what citizens think to set focus on his 
thinking in the future.

Mayor Knight	Mayor Knight said he would be more than happy to attend county meetings if asked.

	Mayor Knight inquired if anyone wished to be heard and no one appeared.

Motion --	Knight moved that the Declaration of Emergency be approved and the Mayor be authorized 
to sign; and the Ordinance calling for a City-Wide Advisory Election on 
City/County Consolidation for the August 4, 1998, primary election, be placed on 
its passage and adopted on the date of its introduction, all in accordance with 
K.S.A. 12-3001; and that expenditure of not to exceed $1,000 for the cost of the 
advisory election and an indemnification of the Secretary of State and the 
County Election Commissioner, the details to be finalized by the Director of Law 
and the Secretary of State be authorized; and the Mayor be authorized to
       -- carried	sign the necessary documents.  Motion carried 7 to 0.

				ORDINANCE NO. 43-906

	An Ordinance of the City of Wichita, Kansas, under its home rule authority and authority 
pursuant to K.S.A. 25-2413(e)(2), calling an advisory election to be held on the 
4th day of August, 1998, for the purpose of advising the City Council on the 
consolidation of City/County governments.  Knight moved that the Ordinance be 
placed on its passage and adopted on the date of its introduction, all in 
accordance with K.S.A. 12-3001.  Motion carried 7 to 0.  Yeas:  Cole, Ferris, 
Gale, Kamen, Lambke, Rogers, Knight.


ADJOURNMENT	The City Council meeting adjourned at 2:50 p.m.



	Pat Burnett
	City Clerk

 	











COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

JOURNAL 166                               JUNE 17, 1998