WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The International Association of Firefighters Local 135, representing Wichita firefighters, has filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Lily Wu. However, the mayor denies the accusations.
The complaint alleges Wu had a meeting with Wichita Fire Chief Tammy Snow and told her to lay off 42 employees. It claims the mayor used improper influence and instruction on Snow, violating the city’s ethics code.
In its complaint, the union states, “During a meeting with Chief Snow, the IAFF Local 135 President, Ted Bush, was informed by Chief Snow that Mayor Lily Wu came to her individually, and outside of any public City Council meeting or actions and informed her that Chief Snow must lay off forty-five (45) employees within the Wichita Fire Department before the end of 2025, and that she did not have any choice in the matter.” The union later told KSN that the actual layoff request was 42 employees.
According to the union, Snow agreed to enact the layoffs but advised Wu of the extremely negative impact it would have on “the Wichita Fire Department and the City of Wichita.”
The union chapter accuses the mayor of going directly to Snow on several occasions to inform her that she must lay off personnel.
The union says Wichita Ordinance Title 2. Administration and personnel, Chapter 2.04 – City Counsel, section 2.04.100, prohibits such communications and instructions by individual members of the Council and that “spending decisions belong with the full of City Council and the City Manager’s office. Hiring decisions belong with departments. Any attempt to circumvent that process is deeply concerning. The impact of this conversation, in particular, could have severely damaged our ability to protect the citizens of Wichita and each other.”
The mayor said this is just a continuation of the union’s repeated attacks to damage her reputation, something she claims started during last year’s mayoral campaign.
“While the firefighters’ union has elected to file a false and frivolous complaint and then make the allegations public via press release in an apparent attempt to further its goal of damaging my reputation, I respect the right of the Ethics Board to do their work confidentially and without public interference,” Wu said. “I strongly deny any and all allegations. I will be responding in writing tomorrow and will cooperate fully in any subsequent investigation.”
The mayor said her support for public safety, including the Wichita Fire Department, is well documented.
Union President Ted Bush said he was not there during the alleged conversation between Wu and Snow.
“I wasn’t in the room,” he said. “She may have not said it. I don’t know. I know it was told to me, and so that’s for them to decide and to investigate and for her to defend herself. That’s fine. I’m not saying she did it.”
KSN News asked the City of Wichita for its response to the ethics complaint. Jennifer Magana, the city’s director of law, said the city will not comment on an active complaint.
