May 28, 2024

SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

May 28, 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, the governing body finally came to a decision on the XPO Logistics project. Originally the planning commission had recommended they approve this project, but they remanded the item back to the planning commission to address a few items (namely, a noise study.) The applicant completed the noise study, finding the project would not violate the city’s noise codes, and the planning commission once again recommended the governing body approve the project. Several members of the public (many who have come to speak to this item before) attended the meeting to express their concerns about the project. The governing body’s role is to review the rezoning item in light of the Golden Factors (determined by a previous judicial ruling) and ultimately they determined that although XPO Logistics addressed resident’s concerns with data, they did not feel the project was right for this area since there are homes nearby and a park may be built there in the future. The rezoning item was denied 7-1, with Gillette in dissent. Typically he is one of the first in favor of denying rezoning when neighbors speak up, so I was a bit surprised by his vote, and it wasn’t really clear why he wasn’t in favor of denying this time.

During Business from the Floor, one member of the public asked the governing body for help after being evicted from her home and having her belongings put up for auction. Another resident complained about trucks turning around on his street, believing it was not his responsibility to maintain the wall and turnaround area despite being told so in the past.

During Miscellaneous Council Items, Councilmember Burchfield requested a presentation from staff at a future committee meeting on warming centers for unhoused people during severe weather. Though Councilmember Knappen said he would not be in favor of this program, the council agreed to at least discuss this in the future.

Additionally, the Council considered the following:

• Passed consent agenda, minus items 6 and 13 (unanimous)

• Rezoned 3.78 acres at 74th and Renner from Mixed Residential to Single Family (unanimous)

• Rezoned 5.72 acres at 78th and Monticello from Agricultural to Single Family (unanimous)

• Renewed contract with DeSoto School District to provide School Resource Officer services (unanimous)

• Renewed contract with Shawnee Mission School District to provide School Resource Officer services (unanimous)

• Renewed contracts to provide crossing guard services (unanimous)

• Approved agreement with Johnson County for joint appointment of an EMS physician as the medical director for the Emergency Opioid Antagonist Program (unanimous)

• Accepted $4 million of federal STBG funding for Midland Road project (unanimous)

• Approved contract with Johnson County for engineering and construction services for 67th and Cottonwood Storm Drainage Improvements Project (unanimous)

• Approved change order to contract with MegaKC for 2023 Bridge Repair Program (unanimous)

• Approved change order to contract with J.M. Fahey for the Nieman Road Rehabilitation Project

• Ratified semimonthly claims (unanimous)

At Council Committee, the committee continued their budget process for the 2024 revised and 2025 budgets. Staff presented projections for what revenues will look like in 2025. They also reviewed proposed plans for possible increases to the Stormwater Utility Matching Fee and the city’s match for those funds (which it sounds like the committee discussed at their budget retreat earlier this year. Unfortunately, the audio quality of the livestream deteriorated so badly that I couldn’t make out what anyone was saying. I’m hoping the councilmembers’ recaps can fill in some of the blanks on what happened since this discussion is so important.

City Council Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/299143/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Council Committee Meeting: 

https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/299140/?splitscreen=true&media=true 

Recap by: Alex Welch Blattner