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Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell Highlights City's Successes In Video Address

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Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell gave his first State of the City address Thursday.

Unlike past addresses, this one was released in the form of an 11-minute video shot at various locations around Wichita, including Wichita State University’s under-construction Innovation Campus and downtown’s Pop-Up Park.

In the video, Longwell touts what he considers the city’s successes in 2015 and outlines goals for the coming year. Highlights from last year include:

-The opening of the new terminal and parking garage at the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport;

-The approval of a new “splash park” and two Community Improvement Districts along west Kellogg near the new airport;

-$180 million of development initiated along Douglas Avenue as part of Project downtown;

-Approval of a new downtown library called the Advanced Learning Center;

-The completion of a two-year program to repair thermal cracks throughout the city;

-The hiring of Police Chief Gordon Ramsay;

-And a plan to implement all police officers with body cameras under the police department’s extensive organizational assessment.

Longwell says the city’s finances—council members approved a $227 million budget—are “in good shape,” but that the city is still working to implement new efficiencies and improve the budget process.

You can watch the full address here:

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