Changes are coming to the City of Wichita and it all has to do with money.
As a part of the 2019-2020 budget, the city will close Clapp Golf Course, Linwood Library and possibly Evergreen Library. The city will also change the way it handles animal services.
City Manager Bob Layton says Wichita is collecting less sales tax because of internet shopping and gathering less cable and landline phone franchise tax because people aren’t using them as much.
He says the budget is moving Wichita into the 21st century. A group came to Tuesday’s city council meeting concerned about cuts to CityArts.
“It was disbelief that they were going to cut that much, and in particular, they were going to cut out the galleries and the boutique. The school, I understand, was to be largely left intact,” said Denise Irwin, an artist and former art educator.
Layton says the city will provide classes at CityArts but volunteers should tend to the gallery.
“I think it is a good model especially as we struggle with balancing the budget and making sure we put money into police, fire and streets. We’re going to look for more creative ways to partner with other organizations,” said Layton.
The city will look at more public private partnerships including with the Greater Wichita Partnership and having a private operator run the animal shelter.
(Read more: KWCH News)