May 13, 2024

SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

May 13, 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. 

Tonight’s meeting didn’t see meaningful discussion on too many items - the one hot topic on the agenda was the rezoning item for XPO Logistics, which was tabled to the May 27 meeting at the request of the applicant. Still, three neighbors spoke on this item to reiterate concerns they had expressed before.

Additionally, one member of the public spoke during Business from the Floor about a recent dog attack she experienced this spring. She didn’t specify what policy objectives she was looking for (she vaguely mentioned muzzles and responsible dog ownership,) but asked the council to take action. Councilmember Knappen assured her that the council will be proposing future action on this.

During Miscellaneous Council Items, Councilmember Tony Gillette complained that "KC Falling Star" or "Shawnee Mission Hitching Post" have not covered a recent staff resignation. He believes they blamed city council for previous resignations but are not covering the recent one since it doesn't fit their narrative. He also criticized them for not covering Councilmember Stiens’s appointment to fill Owen Donahoe's newly vacated spot in the Kansas house (Ray Ehrlichman posted this same complaint last week.) Councilmember Gillette continues his pattern of using the council dais to air his personal grievances with local press.

Additionally, the Council considered the following:

• Passed consent agenda (unanimous)

• Ceremonial swearing in of new city manager Paul Kramer

• Issued $9,250,000 in IRB (bonds) for Shawnee Industrial Park LLC (unanimous)

• Accepted the 2025 funding from Johnson County Stormwater Management Program for the Stormwater Pipe Renewal Projects (unanimous)

• Approved Final Plans and authorized staff to bid for 50th Street and Rene Drive CMP replacement project (unanimous)

• Approved Final Plans and authorized staff to bid for 75th Street and Switzer Road CMP Replacement Project (unanimous)

• Approved Change Order No. 2 to Contract No. 2023-067 with Weidenmann, Inc, for the 6000 Nieman Emergency Stormwater RCB Replacement Project (unanimous)

• Approved agreement with BHC for inspection and testing services related to the 80th Street Construction Project, Millridge Street to Woodland Road (unanimous)

• Adopted a Resolution authorizing the Financing of Fire Fighting Equipment with General Obligation Bonds (unanimous)

• Ratified semimonthly claims (unanimous)

At Council Committee, the committee kicked off the budget process for 2025. Finance Director Rocco brought up the Revenue Neutral Rate - by state law, the city has to advise residents if they plan to exceed that rate each year. Most cities exceed the RNR each year by default due to growth. The city would need to cut the mill levy by almost 1.5 mills to avoid exceeding the RNR this year. Rocco and city staff recommended passing a resolution with the intent to exceed the RNR so the city isn’t forced to stick to the same rate in future years and so we don’t have to forego all the tax revenue from new construction in 2025 and beyond. The governing body didn’t discuss this much - it did seem like they maybe discussed whether or not to exceed the revenue neutral rate at the recent budget retreat, but it wasn’t totally clear. After several aggressive mill levy decreases in a row, it seems staying at the RNR and cutting the mill levy again would be financially ill-advised, but I can see the conservative members of the council pushing for it anyway like they have in the past. Stay tuned to find out during the rest of the budget process this summer!

City Council Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/298750/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Council Committee Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/298753/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Recap by: Alex Welch Blattner