Valley Center, KS 67147 Center, Valley Main W. 120 • 210 Box P.O. The Bel Aire VALLEY CENTER, KS VALLEY Permit No. 10 PRSRT. STD. PRSRT. U.S. Postage 67147 PAID Vol. 5, No.B 2 reezeMARCH 2010 Complimentary copy By Chris Hunter and by $14 for commercial custom- old Smith. “We have expenses and to a trip to Starbucks or a case of “None of us wants to do this, but ers from $18 to $32. we have to cover them.” pop. it is necessary,” said council mem- CitySaying it had to be done to keep increasesWhile several members of Council member Peggy waterAt the previous council meeting, ratesber Dave Austin. “This is a lot less the utility afloat, the Bel Aire City the council had said in the past O’Donnell said she had previously council member Dave Sly compared than what we originally thought it Council agreed to increase the rates how they were not in favor of the opposed the increase until seeing the the increase to the price of movie would be.” residents and businesses pay for increase, a $700,000 shortfall in work of the water board. tickets. Sly motioned to pass the resolu- water. the city’s budget for water led to a “I just wanted to publicly thank “It has to be done,” O’Donnell tion with council member Carolyn The council voted 5-0 in Febru- change of heart. every member of the water board for said. Marlier seconding it. ary to increase the base water rate “This is something we are pretty their work,” O’Donnell said. Other council members echoed The change will take place on the by $8 for residents, from $14 to $22, well locked into,” said Mayor Har- O’Donnell compared the increase O’Donnell’s sentiment. city’s March utility bills. Police department’s citizens of the year Tribe: Casino in Park City in 2010 Park City mayor calls Wyandotte’s effort ‘old news’ By Matt Heilman The Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma has owned 10.5 acres in Park City since 1992. After nearly 18 years, the tribe’s initial plan to build a casino on the land might happen by the end of 2010, ac- cording to the tribe’s second chief, Billy Friend. The 10.5 acres is located on the south side of 77th North between the county fire station near I-135 and the Wild West World property. Doug Spangler, the Wyandotte tribe’s director of governmental affairs, said the tribe applied for a trust applica- Courtesy photo tion about 12 years ago with the U.S. Mayor Harold Smith (third from left), Police Chief John Daily (third from right) and City Administrator Ty Lasher (far right) Department of the Interior. If the land honor (from left) Steve Rankin, Edward Bole, Larry Anderson and Det. Craig Pentecost. were put into trust, it would be set aside for the tribe to do what they want with the property. “If the trust application gets ap- proved, that’s sovereign land,” Spangler said. “(The issue) doesn’t have to do BelBy Chris Hunter Aire honorsin the city of Bel Aire volunteers, utilizing a pair of volun- one. officer with gaming.” teers to take to the streets. “They do a lot of work for us that relieves Recent reports say it’s possible for In his three years in Bel Aire, Police Chief Born was the Senior Patrol. the patrol officers from doing those tasks,” Dai- the application to be approved by the John Daily has made an effort to recognize Daily began accepting volunteers and the ly said. “They are freed up to do other things. It Department of the Interior soon, pav- those who have helped the department. first two were Larry Anderson and Ed Bole. is just a tremendous service to the community.” ing the way for a Class II, bingo-style Recipients of the awards are honored each Duties for the pair include checking on vaca- Daily said he received nominations from casino to be built on the 10.5 acres. year at a council meeting in early February and tion homes, patrolling the streets looking for city residents. Until the trust application is ap- the competition for the awards is usually tough, issues such as open garages and even calling “We could not find anyone who has served proved, a casino can’t be built on the but Daily said this year he had some easy in emergencies on the walkie-talkies they are the community in the capacity they have any property. choices. armed with. better than Ed and Larry,” Daily said. “There Gambling is illegal in Sedgwick Each year, Daily has awarded a Citizen “They have been a tremendous asset to the are no words to describe the level of apprecia- County. Making the property sovereign Merit Award and Citizen Service Award but police department,” Daily said. “We are not tion I have for what they do to the community to the tribe would lift this restriction. added a special award this season for his top the first law enforcement organization to have and for the police department.” If the trust is approved and the Wyan- officer on the department. a senior patrol and I hope we are not the last Daily said the pair have become well-known dotte tribe eventually decides to pursue because if other agencies can get a program by residents. buying the adjacent 97 acres of Wild like this and get volunteers like we have, it is a “They will flag down these guys before a West World, they could use the former great asset to the department and a great service regular patrol officer,” Daily said. “It is just a theme park for entertainment and retail Citizen Merit Award to the city they wouldn’t normally get.” In 2009, Daily implemented a new program Daily said his choice of the duo was an easy See AWARDS, Page 2 See CASINO, Page 2 County mothballs BrittBy The News staff Brownseum complex. County officials Arenawanted to build the Saddle Rock said they hoped to develop a Rodeo Resort. Another, North Some came for the motorcy- plan to financially break even American Management of Kan- cles and boats. Others came for with the pavilions by 2012, sas, sought to construct a mix of the “live shark encounter.” but it’s unclear whether they’ll retail and entertainment. A handful went to the Kansas remain open past 2011. County Commissioners later decided Coliseum Feb. 18 through 21 out staff had suggested that commis- not to open talks with a devel- of pure nostalgia. sioners shut down the complex oper, citing too much financial The Sports, Boat and Travel entirely, saying it has been a risk to the county. Show was the final event inside financial drain on the county’s Commissioners Kelly Parks the Britt Brown Arena on 85th budget. In 2008, the county lost and Gwen Welshimer voted to North. about $1 million operating the enter negotiations with North The arena will be mothballed coliseum. American Management, but Chris Strunk until Sedgwick County commis- Last year, the county asked were outnumbered 3-2. sioners decide what to do with it. developers to submit proposals County-owned Intrust Bank The Sports, Boat and Travel Show inside Britt Brown Arena wraps up Feb. The county will continue to to take over the complex. One, Arena opened in downtown 21. It was the final event held at the arena. The county will continue to use operate the pavilions at the coli- Heritage Development Group, Wichita on Jan. 9. the pavilions at the Kansas Coliseum. PAGE 2 MARCH 2010 • BEL AIRE BREEZE Hard He’sDuring my tenure at The beginning Ark Val- mentsa fromnew people who slightly chapterme you disagree with me again, the to say ley News and The Bel Aire Breeze, I disagree with me. OK, outright dislike blog is for you. have had the opportunity to meet many my opinions. I also have Facebook. I will gladly people and write about many different Hunting The phone calls, e-mails, letters to discuss positions on issues with you goodbye types of events. the editor and anonymous “What’s on over the chat feature. Now it has come to an end. for the truth your minds” I have received always In fact, I gladly will accept any Last month I accepted a position By Chris Hunter gave me a laugh each time. friend request and encourage people to with the Salina Journal, a daily news- Who knew one of my health care, talk about issues. It hurts to say goodbye. to arena paper in a town I have visited only limited-government “fans” would actu- Yes, I will miss the phone calls, Feb. 21, 2010, will be three times. a businessman who allegedly cheated ally go into selling life insurance and e-mails, comments and such but I will remembered as a sad day While it will be hard to leave and his investors, accidents, fires, more ac- government-mandated auto insurance? also just miss the people. for north Sedgwick County. take on another new challenge, it is cidents and the Kansas Coliseum fiasco While I have received complaints Whether my opinions were liked or That’s when the doors to Britt hard for me not to think back on the have been among the top issues I have and grievances (sometimes I feel like not, I have remained fair to the people Brown Arena were closed for things I have written about during my covered in the past and have added to George Carlin), I have also received of the cities through my reporting.