HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson will soon take the national stage, with the city set to be recognized at the International City Managers Association’s annual conference later this month.
City Manager Enrico Villegas said Hutchinson was chosen as one of a handful of cities nationwide to be featured for its innovative approaches to local government. The conference runs Oct. 25-29 in Tampa, Florida.
“It’s definitely quite the honor to be able to show the city off to a big audience like that,” Villegas said. “We’ll be the first Kansas city in about six or seven years to be featured.”
Villegas also addressed ongoing concerns about floodplain maps, noting the city is working with federal representatives and providing additional stormwater data to the state. He said delays in the state’s publication of new maps could buy the city time to put new projects in place.
“We’re definitely taking this very seriously,” he said, adding that internal projects to increase stormwater capacity are expected to begin soon.
On other fronts, Villegas said the long-awaited reopening of Avenue A is still on track for January, with full completion of the Woody Seat bridge project expected later in the spring.
The City Council is also preparing to hold public hearings next week on nine properties with ongoing code and maintenance issues, including some facing demolition or asbestos abatement. Villegas emphasized the city isn’t targeting property owners but responding to community complaints about blight.
“It’s community members wanting to take an active interest in seeing blight removed,” he said.
Residents with concerns can contact council members directly, submit issues through the city’s “SeeClickFix” system, or bring comments to council meetings held the first and third Tuesdays of each month.