Mayor Carl Brewer announced today the creation of a Water Utilities Advisory Committee to assist the Water Utilities department in its efforts to ensure a long-term water supply for the community. The committee’s responsibilities include advising the City Manager and City staff and serving as a resource for the City Council on decisions regarding financial and water supply maters for the Wichita region. The committee will also review the Wichita Water Utilities’ future financial commitment to the Aquifer Storage and Recovery, or ASR, project.
“This committee will make recommendations to the City Council on everything related to the water supply of our region,” Mayor Brewer said. “The purpose of the committee is to make sure the Wichita area has water for the next 50 years and beyond.”
The committee will serve as a communication liaison to area communities, businesses, civic organizations and water customers in an effort to ensure a safe, viable and ample water supply for the region. Committee members are expected to attend monthly meetings to provide feedback on critical Wichita Water Utilities issues. Their responsibilities include ensuring an open public review. They will have access to relevant financial and ASR project information, including Water Utilities budgets, financial projection models, ASR project reports, financial audits and water consumption models. The committee is expected to convene for at least one year.
Committee members were identified for expertise in public finance, utilities and management. Mayor Brewer will serve as the convener of the committee; Chris Carrier, City of Wichita Public Works and Interim Water Utilities Director, will serve as the staff contact. Misty Bruckner of Wichita State University’s Hugo Wall School, will serve as the project advisor.
Wichita Water Utilities Advisory Committee
David Banks is the Energy Manager for Wichita Public Schools. He has certifications from the Association of Engineers in Energy Management and Procurement. Banks is one of the founders of the Greenbush Energy Group and continues as an advisor to its executive committee. In addition, he has been heavily involved in regulatory issues with the Kansas Corporation Commission.
Tim Boese is the manager for the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District (GMD2). He has worked in various capacities since 1992, including hydrologic technician, hydrologist, interim manager, and manager since November, 2007. The Equus Beds GMD2 is a special government district established under the authority of a Kansas legislative declaration. The GMD2 responsibility and goal is to properly manage the groundwater resources within its boundaries. Boese brings knowledge and expertise in the City of Wichita Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project, water rights, Equus Beds Aquifer, and regulatory duties and oversight.
Ronald C. Brunton is the Senior Vice President of Special Assignments for Spirit AeroSystems. During his tenure with Boeing, Brunton has held various positions. Prior to joining Boeing, he worked for the J.I. Case Company where he held various engineering and management positions. Brunton currently serves on the board of the Sedgwick County Zoological Society. His past board and leadership roles include Chairman of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President of the American Institute of Plan Engineers, Director of Wichita Children’s Home, and Commissioner on the Governor’s Kansas Health Care Cost Containment Commission.
Darryl Crotts is an Owner/Broker of Crotts Commercial Real Estate. Crotts has served as a member of the District II Advisory Board for the last six years. In addition, he is chairperson of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Institute’s Professional Standards committee, President Elect of the Wichita Building Owners and Managers Association, which represents mostly urban building owners and management companies.
Joyce D. Dixson is the Vice President of Residential Lending with Intrust Bank. Dixson has worked in banking for more than 25 years and during her tenure assisted neighborhood groups addressing specific needs of the community. Dixson is active in her community and her involvement includes: serving on the Board of Habitat for Humanity, Community Housing Services, the YMCA Community Development Board, the YMCA Job Prep Program, and the Urban League of Kansas Board of Director Trustee.
John Goetz is the District Water Engineer for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Goetz experiences have allowed him to work with the public water supply systems, including commercial, industrial, and municipal wastewater treatment facilities. He has also assisted with numerous water quality investigations. Goetz is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF).
Willis Heck is Mayor of the City of Newton, is serving a fourth consecutive term as Commissioner in the City of Newton. He has represented the City of Newton in REAP since 1999, and served as REAP Chairman from 2004-2006, and is currently the REAP Water Resources Committee Chair. His career in education ranged from a classroom teacher to school psychologist, building administrator, and superintendent; serving as superintendent of schools in Parsons from 1980-1990 and in Newton from 1990 until his retirement.
Art W. Huber, III, is the Vice President of Facilities at Via Christi Medical Center. Huber’s community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House of Wichita, Executive Committee for the American Heart Association – 2008 Heart Walk, the United Way of the Plains Allocation Committee, and the Council of Directors for the Centercity Organized Revitalization Effort (CORE).
Stephen R. Lackey, P.E., is a Senior Design Engineer who works on projects such as road improvements, storm sewers, and sanitary sewers. Mr. Lackey served as the Director of Public Works for the City of Wichita from 1987 to 2004. He has assisted with the Utility Relocation Policy and the Storm Water Utility Implementation Plan for Wichita. Lackey’s community involvement includes American Society of Civil Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, Professional Engineers in Government, and the American Public Works Association.
Nancy McCarthy Snyder, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Public Administration in the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs at Wichita State University. She has been on the faculty of the Hugo Wall School for Urban and Public Affairs at WSU for nearly 30 years. Snyder has taught courses in statistics, public sector budgeting, economic insecurity and nonprofit management. Her research interests have focused on human service policy and financing of human services, particularly issues of contracting and the privatization of child welfare in Kansas.
Senator Carolyn McGinn is the State Senator for the Kansas 31st District. McGinn earned both her undergraduate degree and a Masters in Environmental Studies from Friends University. Senator McGinn serves as chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and of the Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy. She is vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Senator McGinn is actively involved in national and international organizations including the National Conference of State Legislatures Council of State Governments, and The Energy Council.
M.S. Mitchell is a retired Assistant Superintendent of the City of Wichita Public Works Maintenance division. He also served as the Flood Control Supervisor for Wichita and Sedgwick County. Mitchell served on the Task Force for the Water Department, member of the City of Wichita Ways and Means Commission, member of the Kansas Water Authority and attended meetings regarding the Groundwater Management District # 2 to follow the progress of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project beginning with the early concepts.
Joe L. Norton is a shareholder and Director of Gilmore & Bell, P.C., one of the leading public finance law firms in the United States. Mr. Norton has concentrated in the area of public law, with emphasis in financings for state and local government capital needs, including general obligation and revenue bonds, economic development, lease-purchase and health-care financings. Norton serves as the general counsel to the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency and the Kansas Municipal Gas Agency.
Kenney Nguyen is a Medical Technologist at Via Christi Hospital. Nguyen has served as the President of the Vietnamese Student Association and now serves as the Vice President of the Vietnamese Community and Vicinity.
Kathy Sexton is the City Manager of Derby, Kansas, serving in that role since March 2006. She previously was the Assistant County Manager of Sedgwick County from 2001 to February 2006. While working in the Governor’s budget office from 1992-1995, Sexton founded the Capital-Area Chapter of the Wichita State Alumni Association and later become the President of the Alumni Association. Sexton currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Wichita Business Coalition on Health Care and is active with Visioneering Wichita, Wichita State University and other community organizations.
George Sherman is the Vice President, Special Projects, for Key Construction, Inc. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming, with an emphasis in water and wastewater treatment. He has almost 40 years in real estate development throughout the United States. His development responsibility included site selection, property acquisition, governmental permit approvals, planning, financing, design, construction, retail and office lease negotiations and property management. Sherman spent 10 years serving on the Metropolitan Area Commission, and was appointed to the Sedgwick County Storm Water Management Advisory Board.
David M. Traster is Special Counsel for Foulston Siefkin, LLP, who specializes in environmental law, water rights, commercial and complex litigation, oil, gas and minerals, and agribusiness. Traster works with numerous clients with water supply issues and concerns. He assists clients in acquiring, preserving and changing existing water rights as well as creating new water rights and handling water rights enforcement proceedings. Traster’s community involvement includes the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Resources Committee and Chairman Leadership Kansas.
Thomas G. Winters is a community leader who served as County Commissioner for 16 years. Winters was a founding member of REAP and served as its chairperson for the regional organization. Winters has served on several boards, including Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Counties Environment Energy and Land Use Steering Committee, Visioneering Wichita, and the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition.
