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Wichita council approves Dennis Marstall as next city manager, amid process concerns
Summary
The Wichita City Council approved an employment contract for Dennis Marstall to become city manager effective Dec. 31, 2025, with a $298,000 starting salary. The 5–2 vote followed a substitute motion to restart the process that failed, and several council members voiced concerns about aspects of the hiring procedure.
The Wichita City Council on Dec. 2 approved an employment contract for Dennis Marstall as the city's next manager, setting a starting salary of $298,000 and a start date of Dec. 31, 2025.
Pam Pennington, the city's human resources director, summarized the national search, stakeholder interviews and selection process, noting the council voted 5–2 the previous week to begin contract negotiations with the selected candidate. The contract includes a 10% retirement contribution and a $6,600 annual auto allowance; performance evaluations and potential merit adjustments were noted as part of annual reviews.
Councilmember Johnson moved to rescind the offer and restart the search, repeating concerns he raised at the Nov. 24 meeting about process transparency and elected officials' distance from the hiring steps; that substitute motion failed on a 5–2 roll call. The original motion to approve the contract, moved by the mayor and seconded by the vice mayor, then passed 5–2.
Johnson and other members who voted no said they respected Marstall's qualifications but remained worried about perceived flaws in the selection process. Supporters said they believed the pool produced well-qualified finalists and that Marstall's background in local government and nonprofit management suited him to oversee Wichita's 3,000 employees and 16 departments.
The council's action finalizes the appointment begun earlier in the year after the city solicited 89 applications and conducted semifinalist and on-site interviews with input from a selection advisory committee and community stakeholders. The council thanked outgoing City Manager Bob Layton for 16 years of service.
The employment contract and signatures will be authorized as approved by the council; council members indicated they expect an orderly transition before Marstall's start date.
