The Wichita City Council has approved several updates to the city's ethics ordinance.
One of the changes includes a provision which states that complaints based on the complainant's disagreement with a city officials’ beliefs, statements or voting record are insufficient to warrant an ethics investigation.
The ethics committee will permanently retain complaints and responses from city officials and ethics board reports, which will stay on the city's website until the person's term of service is completed.
The city says these updates will provide more guidance to the public, reduce confusion in interpreting the policy, enhance transparency and build trust.
The city's code of ethics applies to elected city officials and appointed volunteers on city boards.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, the council approved a lease agreement for a parking garage currently under construction adjacent to Equity Bank Park.
While work is underway, vertical construction must begin by July 31, with completion slated for July 31, 2028. Once the city receives a certificate of completion, they will purchase the 300-space parking garage from the developer for $32,000 per parking stall, or an estimated $9.6 million.
Developers are also constructing a hotel along the west bank of the Arkansas River.
