The mayor is elected to a four-year term, serving full-time on the City Council. The mayor gets paid $96,209 a year. There are six council members, each representing a certain part of town, and one mayor elected at large. All of Wichita’s registered voters may vote in the mayoral race.
The answers provided below are the candidates’ own words — they have not been edited.
The candidates
Travis Heying The Wichita Eagle
Jeff Longwell
Age: 60
Occupation: Mayor of Wichita
Education: Two years of college attending Wichita State
Political experience: 12 years on Maize School Board, 8 years as City Council member of district 5 and 4 years as Wichita mayor
Community involvement: Member of several civic groups including Rotary Club, former Trans-Net board member, former WSU west-side campus advisory member, former board member for WIBA.
Phone: 316-200-2953
E-mail: jefflongwell@cox.net
Website: None listed
Social media: Jeff Longwell for Reelection on Facebook and Twitter
Brandon Whipple
Age: 37
Occupation: Lecturer at Wichita State University
Education: I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Psychology, and an MA in Liberal Studies focusing on Cross-Cultural Studies and Public Administration from Wichita State University. I earned a Doctor of Arts in Leadership Studies with a concentration in policy and law from Franklin Pierce University. While earning the DA, I picked up a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Plymouth State University.
Political experience: 2012: Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. 2014: Re-Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. 2014: Elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the South Central Delegation. 2016: Re-Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives 2016: Elected to serve as Chair of the South Central Delegation. 2018: Re-Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives.
Community involvement: I am an alumnus of AmeriCorps and previously served on the Board of the Southwest Neighborhood Association and Agape Care Cradle. I am a volunteer martial arts instructor for a youth program and a volunteer instructor for free women’s self-defense seminars.
Lyndy Wells. Candidate for Mayor of Wichita. Travis Heying The Wichita Eagle
Age: 68
Occupation: I have retired from a 40 year career in the banking and financial services industry.
Education: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Hastings College
Political experience: None
Community involvement: WSU Tech, Ascension Via Christi Wichita, Ascension Via Christi Health System, Greater Wichita Economic Development Cmte., Prairie View, Inc., Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, United Way of the Plains, Greater Wichita Partnership, Business & Education Alliance, St. Stephens Episcopal Church
What is the most pressing issue for the city and what do you think city leaders should do about it?
Longwell: Public Safety and we must continue to address how we respond to 911 calls using the right mix of talent that includes now mental health personnel with our Integrated care team. With an increase of police officers, community service officers and crime analysts we can continue to see crime drop by double digits.
Whipple: Wichita’s biggest export is not wheat or airplanes, it’s educated young people. I want my boys to have the same opportunities to achieve their dreams in Wichita as I did. That starts with rebuilding trust in City Hall. To compete with our sister cities like Tulsa and OKC, we need a Mayor willing to talk to the people and put their ideas into action, instead of operating behind closed doors.
Wells: The most pressing issue is to bring more integrity and transparency to the issues in city hall. Wichita taxpayers deserve a Mayor that will bring an intentional strategic approach to all taxpayer funded efforts – including more funding for law enforcement, engaging to improve mental health in our community and building a welcoming, inclusive community.
Qualifications
Why should voters consider you the most qualified candidate?
Longwell: I have over thirty-five years of business experience, twelve as a School Board Member, eight as a council member and four as Wichita’s Mayor. In 2017 I was fortunate to be selected as the elected person of the year for Kansas by the Kansas Society of American Public Administration.
Whipple: While serving in the Legislature, I’ve seen how strong local leadership can work with business and state entities to improve their local quality of life. My leadership and depth of experience will allow me to start work on this critical task on day one by setting specific policy objectives and actively engaging in the process to achieve those objectives from start to finish.
Wells: Over my 40 plus year career in financial services and working on non-profit boards, I’ve learned how to prioritize within a budget and how people can be motivated to accomplish great things. My vision is for a Wichita unified around our shared desire to see our community succeed. We can only achieve this vision by inviting new voices to the table with open minds to imagine what could be possible.
Job creation
How can the city attract new businesses and create new jobs?
Longwell: We have proven we can accomplish this and the past four years have been very successful because of our collaborative approach with the Chamber, Greater Wichita Partnership along with building a Wichita that companies want to be in. From incubator programs to expanded aerospace Wichita now has more jobs than people.
Whipple: The City must collaborate with the county, state and Federal government to maximize our resources to invest in transportation, digital, and civic infrastructure. In terms of economic development, we need government efficiency and partnership-minded outlook. The government must stay out of the way of growth in areas where it is more successful in the private sector.
Wells: As Chair of the Board of WSU Tech, I understand the relationship between workforce training and business needs. Our biggest opportunity is to keep younger people in our community, rather than exporting our talent. We can only attract new businesses if we build a welcoming environment for young people to stay – making sure we are a truly inclusive community.
Crime
Wichita has experienced an increase in violent crime. What should happen to reverse that trend?
Longwell: Actually since we have added sixty police officers, Crime analyst, Community Service Officers and now an Integrated Care Team, we have seen crime drop year to date in all major categories and by as much as 30% in some areas.
Whipple: I am the only candidate that has released a plan to fully fund our police department to get response time back down to three minutes, from the current seven minutes. However, the police department not only needs additional funding for police officers, we must invest in plainclothes social workers that are trained to de-escalate in situations of a mental health crisis and domestic abuse.
Wells: WPD Chief Gordon Ramsay recently said that one-fourth of all police calls are related to a behavioral health issue. The Mayor has not been leading finding solutions for this issue. The City must become an active partner with the County and State to push for more behavioral services. We must develop solutions to address this along with appropriately staffing our police force.
More resources?
Is there a particular city service that you think needs more resources? If so, how would you pay for that?
Longwell: We will continue to add to public safety as we evaluate our programs. Funding can come from growth.
Whipple: Training for police officers. Police officers are tasked with a lot of power and with great power comes great responsibility. We must ensure that our officers are adequately prepared and trained to be great community officers prior to being put out on patrol.
Wells: We must properly fund our Wichita Police Department. Wichita’s crime rate is double the national average according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigations. Our WPD is understaffed, by about a third, and we are seeing the consequences in increased crime. I will work to prioritize services and with County officials to respond to mental health calls that are draining WDP resources.
Development
What do you see as the proper relationship between city government and private developers and/or private industry?
Longwell: We must work together to help recruit talent, eliminate bureaucracy and create an environment that allows companies to be successful.
Whipple: Tax incentives should only be used in limited, and highly-scrutinized, circumstances. Like with all incentives, City incentives must be tied to concrete economic goals and objectives that act as safeguards for the taxpayer. As Mayor, I will ensure that tax dollars and incentives benefit the whole and not just the best-connected.
Wells: The lack of transparency on projects and embarrassing headlines demonstrate there is too much behind-the-scenes work on taxpayer funded projects. There must be more transparency, accountability and a fundamental demand for accuracy on business transactions. Projects need to be discussed in public, not through a “consent agenda” rubber stamp or with last minute changes.
Century II
What should the city do about Century II?
Longwell: engage the community and allow our citizens to provide the direction for this iconic building.
Whipple: We must invest in our civic infrastructure. We cannot limit the experiences available to our community due to facility restrictions. I want to work with community and business leaders to get this performance center done right. In my experience, solutions are usually less involved than we’d expect, but require innovative leadership to put the pieces together.
Wells: A lack of strategic planning has put Wichita in a difficult situation on Century II. I am encouraged by the Riverfront Legacy Coalition Master Plan, to set an inclusive, strategic approach for conventions, performing arts and the entire use of our great river front. I will continue to be supportive of efforts that engage residents and are thoughtful and intentional – not simply legacy projects.
Workforce
What can Wichita do to attract and retain more young professionals?
Longwell: Continue building a Wichita that is more attractive. Provide internships and get young people involved in the numerous opportunities that exist in Wichita. Listen to our young professionals and include them in the process of building a better Wichita.
Whipple: Wichita gave me the opportunity to be the first in my family to graduate college and to own my own home. Investing in quality of life, strong schools, our arts and culture, and encouraging the development of small businesses and entrepreneurs will create the perception of Wichita we need to retain our young talent.
Wells: Young professionals are looking for career growth opportunities and quality of life amenities. I’m proud of the work of many in Wichita to create pride and enhance cultural life in our community. But we must better value the input of the next generations as we develop the city. We also need to promote a culture of inclusiveness and appreciation for all Wichitans to contribute to our success.
Douglas
What are your thoughts on narrowing Douglas Avenue to enhance walkability?
Longwell: We need to engage citizens so that they can fully understand what is suggested. All scenarios should be discussed with options and ramifications.
Whipple: As Mayor, it will be critical for me to review all of our transportation master plans and ensure they are working together. Our public transportation system is expensive and is not easy to use. We have great bike trails and new scooters, but there has been a failure to ensure that our city is easy to navigate for those from all walks of life.
Wells: After a period of time where many businesses left downtown, we are seeing a resurgence of culture and business activity. I believe the changes to Douglas Avenue will continue to help bolster downtown. We cannot always hold onto “the ways things were” if we are to be competitive and provide the environment to attract residents, visitors and businesses to Wichita.
Parking
What are your thoughts about availability and cost of parking in downtown and around the new baseball stadium?
Longwell: We continue to work on parking solutions that will encourage the community to come down and enjoy all the amenities including the river corridor. We should not start charging people to park in Delano and will encourage more free parking in the area.
Whipple: Parking downtown should be accessible and affordable. Business owners shouldn’t have to worry about customers being ticketed for parking in front of their establishments. To add new parking around the baseball stadium will take smart planning, and input from the community. The goal is to add more parking spaces without detracting from other community assets. Good planning can strike that balance.
Wells: Having a large-event center in downtown requires intentional planning for both parking and transit. Unfortunately, the baseball stadium project does not have a well- thought-out parking plan – which makes this non-transparent project even more concerning for residents. A plan to provide parking for this facility will require a significant public engagement process to find acceptable solutions.
Policing
Do you support releasing the names of Wichita police officers who shoot civilians? When should an officer’s name be released, if ever, following a shooting?
Longwell: I believe we should be releasing all the information regarding any prior incidents and history for officers involved in shootings. If there is a crime committed by an officer then the name should be released .
Whipple: The Court has ruled that police officers are public officials with no right to privacy regarding their official duties. However, we must have transparency while ensuring the safety of our officers. If there is objective evidence of threats showing that the officer’s safety would be at risk, then the city should withhold the name.
Wells: I believe as a community we need to build a strong, trusting relationship with our law enforcement partners. The Wichita Police have been understaffed for too long, which puts these dedicated officers under additional stress and strain. I trust our Police Chief, the KBI and our District Attorney to investigate and make decisions about when to release names and under what circumstances.
Transparency
How would you ensure transparency in city government?
Longwell: Work to improve communications and how we disseminate information on what is happening with local government. It is always difficult when negotiating to bring new business to Wichita because of not alerting the competition to how we are encouraging businesses to come here.
Whipple: While serving in the Kansas Legislature, I sponsored the Bi-Partisan Transparency Act to ensure that the people had access to the business taking place in Topeka. Many argued that this would prevent the legislature from making deals. However, the result was quite the opposite. When deals are made in the open, the taxpayers can hold both sides accountable for the promises that are made.
Wells: Transparency and integrity are key values that I bring as Mayor. I have heard from many people who strongly encouraged me to run for office that we need a change from the status quo and special projects. We need to bring the work of our tax dollars into the public view. For me, transparency is not a vision, but a daily practice that citizens should expect from their elected officials.
Vendors
Do you support making the city’s vendor payments available and easily accessible to the public? What specific actions could you take as mayor to make sure taxpayers know where and how their money is being spent?
Longwell: We track and share all vendor payments in our quarterly document that can be retrieved online. We should continue working with technical people to make the process easier for the public to find the information online.
Whipple: Yes, when the City spends money, those expenses should be easily available to the public. This can be accomplished most easily by utilizing technology. One of my goals as Mayor is not only to publish information, but ensure that we do a better job at advertising the information so average working families can access it easily and stay informed on City business.
Wells: With my business experience, I know that these types of vendor transactions and other processes can be more transparent. While I am not familiar with the specific applications that the City uses for financial transactions, I believe we have smart people within the City organization and within our community to work together to provide the accessibility and transparency that taxpayers deserve.
Ethics
Wichita has no limits on gifts elected officials can accept. Do you support placing limits on gifts?
Longwell: Of course. I don’t think any of us have a problem with drafting a policy that clarifies some vague wording that the current state policy has. Our new policy should provide better clarity on gifts and we should research what other cities and counties use for limits on gifts. I would even be willing to have a citizen oversight group to help us draft and adhere to said policy.
Whipple: Yes I support placing limits on gifts and I would advocate those gift limits match the limits at the state level.
Wells: Yes, I do support placing limits on gifts and providing rules for disclosing gifts from members of the public.
What should the gift limit be for city council members, if any?
Longwell: I am fine with listing everything received and would research to what other cities of similar size set as a gift limit.
Whipple: In the Kansas Legislature, the gift limit is $40 a year for items. This allows businesses or interest groups to give elected officials small, promotional items such as hats, pens, folders, and plaques. For entertainment the cap is $100, allowing elected officials to attend charity events and pay the difference if it goes above the amount. I propose that the City use these limits on gifts as a standard and propose they be adopted. Currently, there are no limits on gifts for elected officials at City Hall, which leads to confusion and opens the door to pay-to-play situations.
Wells: I believe gifts under a certain amount are acceptable, however I don’t have a specific amount in mind without discussion among those who would be included in such a policy and with the public.
Are you willing to disclose all gifts you have received or will receive during your time as a council member valued above a nominal dollar amount?
Longwell: I would have no problem going retroactive of disclosing all gifts received during past years. It is generally easy enough to look back at calendar and events to come up with my list.
Whipple:I believe any significant gift should be disclosed on the Statement of Substantial Interest as required by state law. This form has an amendment process and thus there is a system already in place to retroactively report.
Wells: Yes, I would expect to disclose all gifts received over an amount as discussed above.
The city’s code of ethics prohibits council members from voting on contracts and zoning matters involving friends. Do you support leaving the word “friend” in the city’s ethics ordinance?
Longwell: Using the word “friend” is too vague and doesn’t define the code of ethics well enough. I consider a good portion of people we regularly do business with a friend. We must build relationships in the community to be effective. However, we must clarify that any type of potential financial household impact a decision could make to myself as the mayor or a council member must be disclosed. The Council has a solid history of excusing themselves from votes that would pose a conflict of interest to them, but we should better define the language to clarify for ourselves and the community what types of conflicts we would be beholden to recuse ourselves from.
Whipple: The wording must be extended to include business partners, associates of businesses with whom the council may do business, family members, and other titles that demonstrate either a personal or professional relationship with an elected. City employees are held to a much higher standard than elected officials at the City level. I believe that City elected officials should be held to at least the same standard as City employees, but certainly I would support a higher standard for elected members of the City Council.
Wells: I believe the word “friend” should be more closely defined in any ethics policy or ordinance so that both the elected official and the public understand the intention. It would be more appropriate to use terms like business or personal relationships that would cloud independent, objective perspective in awarding city contracts. In Wichita, we are very fortunate to all have a lot of friends. However, being acquainted with or friendly with each other should not exclude people or businesses from receiving appropriate consideration for city contracts. If any policy or ordinance is properly written, it should define what a conflicting relationship should be, and care should be given to not exclude legitimate participants just because of a friendship or acquaintance. All such relationships should be adequately disclosed so the taxpayers are able to have confidence that all transactions are open and above board.
Other issues
What other issue do you feel strongly about?
Longwell: Quality of life is critical to building a Wichita that will encourage generations of people to call Wichita their home. From expanding our pools to building better streets we are catching up. Wichita is now an All America City for the first time in ten years and you can see the pride we have in our city by observing how many people are displaying the Wichita flag everywhere.
Whipple: N/A
Wells: I believe taxpayers deserve to know their dollars are being properly allocated to the core services provided by the city. When special projects are pursued, they should be appropriately prioritized along with normal operating responsibilities to be sure we can afford the special projects. We must take a longer-term perspective and prioritize expenses be able to balance all needs across the city.
