Jul 8, 2024

SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

July 8, 2024

You can stream the full City Council meeting at the link below! If you don't have time to watch, here's my quick recap. 

The only item that generated meaningful discussion at tonight’s meeting was the closure of 43rd Street between Powell and Lakecrest Drive by adding a gate. Nearby citizens have been requesting this for a long time due to truck traffic and a dumping issue. Councilmember Gillette felt that the gate staff recommended was too expensive, and said they hadn’t “done their homework” on finding a cheaper option. Mayor Sandifer pointed out that this gate is in line with gates he had installed recently, and if a gate is too cheap then a car could just drive through it anyway. Councilmember Murphy asked if the gate would impede fire trucks, ambulances, etc. and staff advised that no, it should not decrease their response time. Overall, the governing body praised this project as a response to resident feedback and approved of the project unanimously.

Two members of the public spoke during Business from the Floor. Ray Erlichman claimed staff misinformed him last week when they said volunteer applicants for city boards did not usually have their resumes and applications posted online. Erlichman said that the city sent him an apology letter stating that these items would be posted online in the future, and wanted this corrected in the minutes for last week’s meeting. Richard Liptak complained of a neighbor playing loud music in their car and parking across the street from his driveway, and asked that city ordinances be changed to prohibit parking across from someone’s driveway. 

During Mayor’s Items, the mayor explained that he added funding for Old Shawnee Days into the budget because they have lost sponsors since COVID, and he wants to keep an historic event going. During Miscellaneous Council Items, Councilmember Gillette requested the city add a sign at the 435 and Midland detour detailing how to access nearby businesses. Councilmember Stiens thanked staff for putting up the Flags for Freedom and the DeSoto school district for giving her a tour.

Additionally, the Council considered the following:

• Passed consent agenda (unanimous)

• Approved rezoning for Cedarhurst of Shawnee development (unanimous)

• Approved a series of resolutions allowing staff to issue general obligation bonds to finance projects (unanimous)

• Declared intent to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for the 2025 budget as required by state law (unanimous)

• Enacted moratorium on battery energy storage systems and renewable energy collection systems as the primary use of property until staff can review and put forward guidelines (unanimous)

• Approved addendum to contract for professional services agreement for the 2024 Engineering, Technical, and Administrative Services and Staffing for the Stormwater Management Program (unanimous)

• Approved contract for the 50th St and Rene CMP replacement project (unanimous)

• Approved contract for the 75th and Switzer CMP replacement project (unanimous)

• Approved final plans and bid authorization for the King Street reconstruction from 59th St to Johnson Drive (unanimous)

• Approved final plans and bid authorization for Mid-America West Sports Complex Stormwater CMP replacement project (unanimous)

• Approved change order and final contract for construction of salt tents (unanimous)

• Ratified semimonthly claims (unanimous)

At Council Committee, the city manager presented the 2025 operating budget and Community Improvement Plan. A few items from his presentation jumped out as points of discussion. The first was the request to add two full-time staff members in 2025: a parks technician, and a grant coordinator that is projected to pay for itself by bringing in grant money for projects. Councilmember Gillette balked at adding new people to the city staff and suggested making the grant coordinator a contractor position to avoid paying for benefits. Councilmember Burchfield pointed out that Shawnee already runs a lean staff compared to nearby cities and that a grant coordinator working at this level can really only be done in-house. Councilmember Whitted felt that as a growing city, it makes sense for staff to grow some as well.

The city is also adding one new pilot program, a summer camp that should pay for itself with registration costs. Generally, the committee appreciated the need for such a program and look forward to the city offering this in 2025. Councilmember Walters asked if there will be a possibility to review the program after the first year to ensure it truly did pay for itself, and staff assured her that would be part of the process.

The final item of discussion was the mill levy. The budget as it stands now spends more money than it brings in because the city council has cut the mill levy for the past three years, each time against staff’s recommendation. Now, each year, the city must drain down its reserves to cover the deficit. Staff recommended a flat mill levy this year based on current revenue and expense projection and reduced sales tax revenue but still, Councilmember Gillette proposed cutting the mill levy again this year by one full mill. Councilmember Kemmling agreed, and Councilmember Walters wanted staff to put together a side-by-side comparison of what a mill levy decrease of varying levels would look like for the budget. Councilmembers Burchfield, Whitted, Murphy, and Knappen all agreed that with a deficit budget, sales tax revenue decreasing, inflation increasing, and economic uncertainty on the horizon, now is not the best time to cut the mill levy. Councilmember Stiens felt conflicted - while she sees the value of a mill levy decrease, she also pointed out that there are projects the city wants to get done and they are always hearing from residents who want sidewalks, curb and gutter, etc. in their neighborhood.

The city is holding a budget open house on July 30 to inform residents about the budget process, and the 2025 budget will come before the council at their August 26 meeting for approval, preceded by a public hearing. If you have opinions on any of the above items or on the overall budget, you can speak at this meeting meetings or provide written comment ahead of time!

City Council Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/301171/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Council Committee Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/301174/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Recap by: Alex Welch Blattner