Wichita City Hall promised a vote on saving Century II; what’s the holdup? | Commentary

A recent legal setback from the Kansas Court of Appeals just means the battle to save Century II and the former downtown library building has changed direction.

Now it is a 2023 City election issue.

Instead of being fought in a Kansas courtroom, Century II’s fate is now going to be fought in the court of public opinion, at the ballot box.

Wichita voters should determine the fate of saving these two beloved, historic buildings in 2023.

In 2019, citizen Celeste Racette was turned away from a so-called, “open meeting”, about the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan.

She was told this was not a public meeting and no questions were allowed about the plans.

In frustration, she and a group of committed Wichitans banded together to fight back and have a voice in the future of their public land and their beloved, historic Century II and the former public library.

Members of this group worked hard to get the buildings added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 2021.

The Save Century II Committee organized speaker forums featuring architects, local personalities, and prominent citizens to educate the public on what was at stake.

In January 2020, a voter rally was held to kick off a municipal initiative petition.

This was a remarkable petition drive in the midst of a pandemic.

This campaign utilized the Kansas Constitution’s provision that “all political power in the state is inherent in the people.”

Wichitans exercised their First Amendment constitutional right to petition their government; 17,265 signatures were collected and delivered to City Hall.

A few days later, City Hall responded by initiating a lawsuit against the Save Century II leaders and in turn, the 17,265 citizens who signed the petition.

The Save Century II Committee responded by going to the Statehouse in Topeka to try to have the legislators protect the citizen’s right to petition and force a binding referendum vote.

This effort was unsuccessful.

To everyone’s surprise, the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce lobbyist and two city council members testified against letting the people have a binding vote on Century II and the former public library.

This battle is now returning in this municipal election year.

Since the city has adopted a policy saying both buildings will not be destroyed without a public vote, then let’s put it to a public vote in the city election this year.

The Save Century II Committee challenges the Wichita City Council to put the fate of Century II up for a public vote, as promised, on the upcoming August primary ballot.

This would give Wichita voters the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote at the ballot box during this 2023 City election.