WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – In 2024, the city of Wichita has already paid out nearly $800,000 in lawsuit settlements.

On Tuesday, the City Council voted 6-1 to approve a settlement related to a lawsuit stemming from an incident in which a passenger fell while aboard a city transit vehicle.

The only council member to vote against the deal was Mayor Lily Wu. In an email, Wu explained his vote, saying he opposed the deal because of concerns about the growing number of settlements in the city this year, which he noted would ultimately be funded by taxpayers.

Documents shared by Wu indicate that seven lawsuits have been settled so far in 2024, worth nearly $800,000.

That’s not including $244,000 in other claims, bringing the total close to $1 million.

The largest settlement, $550,000, was awarded in a lawsuit related to the Wichita Police Department’s gang list. The city’s self-insurance fund for 2024 amounts to $2.5 million. There is currently $1.4 million left in the self-insurance fund.

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