Yet most mayors end up serving as trauma counselors, having to respond when a police officer or a resident gets killed. When suffering is more widespread, as during a natural disaster, they must remain resolute, showing up everyplace as the face of government and offering assurance that a comeback is around the corner.
A little more than a year into her term as mayor of Wichita, Kan., Lily Wu is trying to console her city after an American Airlines jet flying from her city crashed into the Potomac River just outside Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29. Residents of the city have been remembering lost loved ones, some of whose bodies were returned to Wichita last week.
“Personally, I knew one of the individuals on that flight,” Wu says. “Kiah Duggins was an exemplary young leader who graduated from the Wichita East High International Baccalaureate Program and Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business. My heart goes out to her family.”
Wu discussed the experience of leading her city during this difficult time and in general with Governing. Edited excerpts from her emailed responses to questions follow:
Governing: Let me ask you first about the plane crash. Can you comment on how the community is responding?
Wu: Nothing can prepare you for such a sudden tragedy. This has shaken our entire community and our hearts are with the families and friends of the 67 lives lost. This is a powerful reminder that life is precious, and we must take better care of one another. In the face of such heartbreak, I’m proud of how our community has come together.
In times of adversity, Wichitans rise to the occasion. We’ve seen that resilience and Kansas kindness firsthand. We continue to pray, support one another, and stand united in honor of those we’ve lost.
What has your own experience been like in trying to deal with this?
I’ve just tried to stay strong, understand and communicate verified information as I receive it, and hopefully be a source of some comfort.
Have you gotten any advice from mayors or faith leaders about how to help your residents at this time, while also taking care of yourself?
In challenging times, I lean into my faith. The night of the crash, faith leaders came to the airport and prayed over the council. The following day, we held a community prayer including all faiths and led by the Greater Wichita Ministerial League. I appreciate the hundreds of community members who joined us at City Hall in solidarity. We continue to pray for those who lost their lives, as well as their families and friends.
I wanted to ask about your background. Coming to City Hall as a broadcaster, what has surprised you or what have you learned about government that you hadn’t expected?
Local government is widely misunderstood. As a journalist I should’ve done a better job explaining how local government works.
People tend to lump sum government, but there are different governing bodies for the city, schools, county, state, and federal government, each of which serve different functions. I sometimes field blame for all their decisions, especially on social media where it’s evident many people are hurting.
As mayor, my vote counts the same as the other councilmembers. I can’t enact executive orders, and I don’t have veto power. This is why council-manager government is often referred to as a “weak mayor” system. My job is to represent and advocate for the people of Wichita while holding city bureaucracy accountable. Otherwise, I’m a figurehead, connector and ambassador.
There are always more problems than solutions, so I wish more people would try to be part of the solution. If you’re looking to government to solve your problems, you’re going to be disappointed.
Travis Heying/TNS
You have had some successes, such as raising police salaries, but also some setbacks with the City Council. Do you have hopes that will change, either due to this year’s elections or other factors?
On the campaign trail, I promised I would respect taxpayers. Resources are limited and, unfortunately, we’re facing a significant budget deficit over the next few years. Some may say, since we have a balanced budget this year, we’re fine. But, in my eyes, that’s not only irresponsible, it’s also disrespectful to taxpayers. If we know there’s a problem on the horizon, we should do everything within our power to address it immediately.
As an elected, it’s just not possible to please everyone. There will always be more wants than we can satisfy. We must be willing to prioritize and focus on the needs first. The sooner and better we can accomplish that, the more leeway we’ll have to entertain wants. But there’s a lot of work to do to get to that point.
One year into your term, what is on your priority list looking ahead? What will constitute success in your eyes when the time comes to step down?
I campaigned on ensuring public safety, strengthening our economy, restoring trust in city hall, and building a united community. The relationship between City Hall and our police department is now healthy, wages are now competitive, and staffing levels are improving.
The “Air Capital” has one of the world’s best-skilled manufacturing workforces, but we haven’t been able to avoid challenges in commercial aviation. At the same time, Wichita is starting to get more looks than it has in the past and I hope at some point that will translate to more opportunities to broaden our local economy.
Downtown Wichita is undergoing a renaissance and is poised to improve more in the next few years than it has in decades. Construction is underway on the new Wichita Biomedical Campus, a multimodal transit facility, the Exploration Place Destination Playscape, hotels, and hundreds of apartments.
A number of transparency initiatives have been implemented, and city bureaucracy is being held accountable much more than they’re used to. Trust in local government is on the rise.
I’m also proud of the unprecedented commitment this council has shown to our homeless population, investing $13.6 million in a new Multi-Agency Center, a temporary shelter where community partners will provide wraparound services in an effort to navigate more people out of homelessness. This endeavor carries risk, and real improvement will take time, so we’ve got to stick with it and encourage more community support.
Do you want to comment on other aspects of your background, as a daughter of immigrants and your childhood in Guatemala, as well as being the city's first woman mayor? I’m sure those are important parts of your life and yet not the things that define you as a leader, but please talk about when they've mattered to your role.
My story is really centered in gratitude. I immigrated to the United States as an 8-year-old who didn’t speak English. Thanks to taxpayers, I got an education and am a proud product of Wichita Public Schools. Watching local news helped me learn English and I admired those TV journalists. For 12 years, I was able to fulfill my dream of being a news reporter and anchor. But there was a higher calling.
I was the first female elected to serve a full term in Wichita and the first Asian American mayor in Kansas, against an incumbent, and without the support of a major political party. I do hope my story can provide some inspiration and encouragement to the next generation.
I never take for granted my parents’ many sacrifices so I could live the American dream. I don’t call myself a politician. I am a public servant. I’m doing this out of a deep sense of responsibility to give back to a city that has given so much to me. I want Wichita to reach its full potential.
Despite having relatively little power, I do feel I can make a difference. I hope more people give me that chance, and that Wichita ends up better off for it.
