2026-10-13 - City Council

00:41Good morning to all of you and good

00:43morning Witchaw. Thank you for joining

00:44us for this week's city council meeting.

00:47I will call this meeting to order. With

00:50us this morning is Pastor Khan Howton of

00:53Temple Baptist Church to provide our

00:55invocation. Following that invocation,

00:57we will have our pledge of allegiance.

00:59And we please ask you to stand for both.

01:11Mayor,

01:12city council, thank you. Let us pray.

01:15Father in heaven, we come to you this

01:17morning. We want to say thank you for uh

01:19the 250 years as we just heard, the 156

01:22years that you've given this amazing

01:24city, the grace to continue and to grow

01:26and to flourish. I pray God for this uh

01:29city council. I pray for their families.

01:31I beg you Lord to pour your grace and

01:34love on them and wisdom and Lord just

01:36help them. There may at times be some

01:39agenda items that provide conflict. I

01:42pray that God you'd give them grace. I

01:44pray that you'd uh watch over, Lord, our

01:46police officers. We see them out every

01:49day. And Lord, I pray you just remind us

01:52to lift them and their families up to

01:54you. And Lord, the 4,000 somewhat

01:56employees of this great city. I pray

01:58that God, you'd bless them and all the

02:00works that they do. And Lord, bless this

02:02meeting today, God. All that's done. I

02:05just pray that Lord, you'd watch over

02:08everything that's done. And I thank you,

02:10Lord, for the history of this city, the

02:14the planes that fly overhead and the

02:16families and the military and the

02:18children that run our streets. I just

02:20thank you, Lord, for the heart of these

02:22men and women here that God, they've

02:24come, they've sacrificed, they've given

02:26up quite a bit, Lord, to provide some

02:30security and safety for these families

02:32that live in this city. And I pray that,

02:34Lord, you'd bless them in a mighty and

02:36powerful way. We love you, Lord. We pray

02:38this in the precious and powerful name

02:40of Jesus. Amen.

02:42>> Amen.

02:44>> I pledge algiance to the flag of the

02:47United States of America and to the

02:50republic for which it stands. One nation

02:53under God, indivisible with liberty and

02:57justice for all.

03:02>> Thank you, Pastor Howton.

03:05Madame Clerk, can you please call the

03:07first item?

03:08>> Approve the minutes of the regular

03:09meeting October 6, 2026.

03:14>> Council members, any items to be edited

03:17from the minutes?

03:19I see none.

03:21With that, I will move to approve the

03:24minutes for the regular meeting of

03:25October 6, 2026.

03:28>> Second.

03:28>> Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none,

03:31madame clerk, please open the roll.

03:36I

03:40I believe we also have council member

03:44and vice mayor glasscock online right

03:46now. Is that accurate?

03:49>> We're working on getting him the correct

03:50link.

03:52>> He is able to hear us and they are

03:55waiting for him to be able to speak to

03:57us as well, but he is on and

04:01I will ask for his vote.

04:30I just don't want it to reflect that

04:32he's absent. because he is here. So, uh

04:36we'll go with 6. Uh council member, vice

04:39mayor glasscock is online though right

04:42now, so not absent.

04:45Madame clerk, please call the next item.

04:48>> Awards and proclamations. Today's

04:50proclamations are Witchah Thunder Day,

04:52Family Promise Week, and Walktober.

04:56>> May I please ask the individuals with

04:58Witchah Thunder to please come forward

05:01at this time?

05:21Hello.

05:28>> The proclamation reads, "The city of

05:31Witchaw, Kansas, founded in 1870.

05:34Whereas for 35 years, the Witchaw

05:36Thunder Hockey Club has stood as a proud

05:39source of community pride,

05:41entertainment, and shared spirit for the

05:43citizens of Witchaw and the surrounding

05:45region. Whereas since first taking the

05:47ice in 1992,

05:50the Witchaw Thunder has created

05:52cherished memories for generations of

05:54fans while contributing significantly to

05:56the cultural vibrancy and economic

05:59vitality for our community.

06:02Whereas the 2026 2027 season marks the

06:0635th anniversary season of the Witchah

06:09Thunder commemorating three and a half

06:11decades of professional hockey in the

06:13air capital of the world and honoring

06:16the team's enduring legacy. Whereas for

06:19players, coaches, staff, ownership,

06:22sponsors, volunteers, and loyal fans

06:26have all played a vital role in

06:28establishing the Witchah Thunder as a

06:31treasured and enduring institution

06:33within our city. Now, therefore, be it

06:35resolved that the Witchah City Council

06:38does hereby proclaim October 17, 2026 as

06:42Witchah Thunder Day.

06:50speech.

06:54I never give impromptu speeches. That's

06:56not true.

06:58So, I had three other meetings come up

07:00this morning and thanks to Megan Lovely,

07:02she called me while I was in my car and

07:04I illegally parked. I will pay the fine.

07:07And ran across the parking lot and made

07:09it here. And I am so excited to be here.

07:12I'm so thrilled. Um, as mayor said,

07:16we've been around for 35 years. We are

07:18the sixth oldest minor league hockey

07:21team in the country, which says a lot.

07:23Our first game is this weekend. We're

07:25very excited and uh looking forward to a

07:27great season. The only thing I ever ask

07:29of people is come to one game a year. If

07:31everybody came to one game a year, we'd

07:34be doing quite all right. I also want to

07:37I noticed that Family Promise is on the

07:38agenda. Is that correct?

07:41Is anyone here from there? I I went to

07:43your gala this last week. Oh, you know

07:45that. Okay. So, thank you. Thank you

07:47very much.

07:50[applause]

08:08>> I'm doing

08:15Thank you.

08:16>> Thank you.

08:27May I please ask Family Promise of

08:29Greater Witchaw to come forward and

08:31Council Member Maggie Ballard.

08:50You guys brought the crew.

08:55I'm excited to see all of you here.

09:05Right. This is the proclamation of the

09:07city of Witchaw, Kansas, founded in

09:101870. Whereas family homelessness and

09:14housing insecurity remain a growing yet

09:17often unseen crisis affecting children

09:20and parents throughout our community who

09:22are striving to overcome barriers to

09:24safe and stable housing. Reminding us

09:27that every child deserves the security,

09:30dignity, and opportunity that come with

09:32having a place to call home. And whereas

09:36Family Promise of Greater Witchaw

09:38proudly celebrates its 10th anniversary

09:41this October, marking a decade of

09:44empowering families with children to

09:46overcome homelessness and housing

09:48insecurity through holistic services,

09:51community involvement, and sustainable

09:53solutions while becoming a trusted

09:56community leader through its

09:58collaboration with volunteers, faith

10:00communities, businesses, donors, and

10:02community partners. And whereas through

10:06innovative programs focused on

10:07homelessness prevention, emergency

10:10shelter, housing stability, and

10:12long-term success, Family Promise has

10:15helped thousands of local children and

10:17parents move beyond crisis and towards

10:20lasting independence, demonstrating that

10:22family homelessness is a challenge our

10:25community can solve together. And

10:28whereas Family Promise Week celebrates

10:30the power of collaboration and

10:32community, honors the volunteers and

10:34partners whose compassion make this work

10:37possible, raise awareness to the

10:39realities of family homelessness, and

10:42invite all Witch attends to join in

10:44building brighter futures of children

10:46and families as we commemorate 10 years

10:48of hope, partnership, and meaningful

10:51impact in our community. Now therefore,

10:54it be a resolve that the Witchaw City

10:56Council does hereby proclaim October

10:5912th through the 16th, 2026 as Family

11:02Promise Week.

11:05[applause]

11:10Good morning. My name is Don EP and I'm

11:12the CEO of Family Promise and I just

11:15want to thank Commissioner Ballard,

11:17Mayor Woo, and our other commissioners

11:19for this opportunity to raise awareness

11:21on on the issue of family homeless

11:23homelessness because it is so often

11:25invisible. Um, we work every day with

11:29other nonprofits in our community

11:31collaborating to end this issue in

11:34Witchah. And we are, our organization is

11:37just very proud of the impact that we've

11:39had in the first 10 years. Um, but

11:41there's still more to do. And so we're

11:44really excited to work with our city

11:46council um to find ways that we can

11:49provide resources um not only for

11:51shelter but for stabilization and

11:54definitely access to affordable housing.

11:56So, thank you again for this opportunity

11:58and we're excited to work together.

12:02[applause]

12:37May I please ask BikeWalk Witchita and

12:40Council Member Becky Tuttle to come

12:42forward at this time.

12:56>> Hi, how are you?

13:02>> Thank you for being

13:09>> Good morning. It's my privilege to be

13:11able to read a proclamation for

13:13Walktober. I've been involved in this

13:15for almost two decades. So very excited.

13:17So today, a proclamation of the city of

13:19Witchah, Kansas, founded in 1870.

13:22Whereas Bikewalk Witchah in partnership

13:25with the city of Witchah and numerous

13:27community organizations proudly

13:29recognizes Walktober each October as a

13:32celebration of walking and many ways it

13:35enhances health, safety, and

13:37connectiveness of our Witchah community.

13:39And whereas walking is an accessible and

13:43inclusive form of physical activity and

13:46transportation that supports both

13:48physical and mental well-being, offering

13:51opportunities for recreation and

13:53strengthens connections among neighbors

13:56and within the broader community. And

13:59whereas safe, welcoming, and accessible

14:02places to walk strengthen neighborhoods,

14:04expand transportation choices, supports

14:07local businesses, and helps create a

14:10city where people of all ages and

14:12abilities can move safely with

14:14confidence, connection, and joy. And

14:17whereas walktober encourages witchtons

14:20to experience their community on foot to

14:24incorporate walking into their daily

14:25lives and to strengthen connections with

14:28friends, family, co-workers, and

14:31neighbors. Now therefore, be it resolved

14:34that the city which got to the city

14:36witch hot council does hereby proclaim

14:39October 2026 as Wtober.

14:44[applause] Thank you.

14:49Good morning, mayor, city council

14:51members, and everyone joining in person

14:53and online today. My name is Holly

14:55Terrell, and I serve as the executive

14:57director of BikeWalk Witchah. On behalf

15:00of Bikewalk Witchita, our partners at

15:02the city of Witchah at Health and

15:04Wellness Coalition, and other community

15:06partners, thank you for recognizing

15:08October as Walktober in Witchaw. I also

15:11want to extend a special thank you to

15:13Council Member Becky Tuttle, whose

15:15enthusiasm and support helped bring

15:17Walktober to life in 2008. Councilwoman

15:20Tuttle has been a wonderful champion for

15:22creating a healthier, more connected

15:24Witchah. And we're grateful for her

15:26commitment to encouraging our community

15:28to get outside, get active, and

15:30experience our city. Walktober began as

15:33an initiative encouraging residents to

15:35get at least 30 minutes of physical

15:36activity five days a week. Nearly two

15:39decades later, that simple invitation

15:41continues to remind us that something as

15:43extraordinary as walking can impact our

15:46lives and our community.

15:49Walking is one of the most accessible

15:50ways to improve our physical and mental

15:52well-being. It gives us an opportunity

15:54to slow down, connect with our

15:57neighbors, discover something new about

15:59our city, and experience our

16:01surroundings from a different

16:02perspective.

16:04Buttober is about more than just

16:06encouraging people to get their steps

16:08in. It's about an opportunity to

16:10recognize that everyone deserves the

16:12freedom to walk safely and comfortably

16:14in their community. Whether we're

16:17walking for exercise, recreation,

16:19transportation, or simply the joy of

16:21being outside, our sidewalks,

16:24crosswalks, trails, and neighborhood

16:27should be welcome for anyone of any age

16:29and any ability. At Bikewalk Witchaw, we

16:32believe a more walkable Witchaw is a

16:34stronger Witchita. When we invest in

16:36safe, connected places for people to

16:38walk, we're investing in healthier

16:40residents, more vibrant neighborhoods,

16:42stronger local businesses, and a greater

16:44sense of community.

16:46And you don't have to walk far or fast

16:49to participate. Whether it's a stroll

16:51around the block, a walk in your

16:52favorite neighborhood, or an afternoon

16:54exploring one of Witchaw's beautiful

16:56parks, every step counts.

16:58So, for the rest of October, I invite

17:00you to lace up your walking shoes,

17:02invite a friend or neighbor, and

17:04experience Witchaw one step at a time.

17:07Thank you, mayor and city council, for

17:08this proclamation. To our community

17:10partners, for everyone's continued

17:12support for helping make Witchaw a place

17:14anyone can walk safely, freely, and

17:16joyfully. Happy October.

17:19[applause]

17:52Madame clerk, please call the next item.

17:55USD 259 presentation.

18:04>> Hello everyone.

18:08Just click the mouse.

18:10>> Okay. All right. Perfect. So, Kelly

18:12Beerfeld, superintendent. Happy to be

18:14here with you this morning and uh sir

18:16missing uh Mr. Glasscock. But uh I did

18:18want to start off just by genuinely um

18:21expressing gratitude for your service. I

18:24mean, uh, I know, uh, to some extent

18:27kind of what these jobs are like and

18:28what what you deal with and, um, it's

18:30not easy. Uh, solutions aren't simple

18:32and straightforward and, uh, what you do

18:35for our community is is appreciated. So,

18:38um, I'm here today to talk about our

18:40bond issue and really why this, uh, vote

18:43on November 3rd, uh, really matters to

18:46not just the city of Witchaw and the

18:47community members who live in our

18:49community, but but you, uh, the city of

18:51Witchaw and how, um, we can strengthen

18:54our partnerships even further and deeper

18:56as we uh, move forward. So, um, you guys

18:59probably know a lot of this already,

19:01but, uh, 83 school buildings, uh, 43,000

19:05students, that was our our latest number

19:07we found out last night at our census.

19:09U, we have a lot of older buildings in

19:12our community, uh, a lot of which are 60

19:15years. The average age is 60 years or

19:16older. So, um, the bond issue is looking

19:19to, um, invest in our community in a way

19:22that we haven't done for about 18 years.

19:26Um you guys understand this uh as well

19:28as anyone, but uh a year ago, not this

19:31last school year, but the previous year,

19:34um we had uh operational funds that uh

19:37were budgeted but weren't spent, and we

19:39had to reallocate all of those funds,

19:41which to the tune of $17 million to our

19:43facilities. Uh those dollars could have

19:46gone toward teaching and learning. They

19:47could have gone toward textbooks or

19:48technology. Uh but because of our aging

19:50infrastructure, we're having to

19:52reallocate dollars um in order to uh fix

19:55the facilities that we have. Um the bond

19:59plan we arrived at uh had a lot of

20:01community feedback. Um you know that we

20:03had a bond proposal in February of 25.

20:06Uh that failed by 319 votes or about a

20:10percentage point. Uh so we went back to

20:12the community uh and really listened,

20:15really uh reshaped the plan. A lot of

20:17it's the same, a lot of it's different.

20:19Um, but where we arrived at, it was

20:22really based on community feedback and

20:24you guys particularly will appreciate

20:26this. Um, so we engaged the community

20:29and we listened to uh our people. We

20:31listened to their opinions about things

20:33and believe it or not, not everyone in

20:36Witchaw agrees on things. I I'm being

20:39sarcastic, but um we have direct

20:41evidence of this. So these are actual

20:44comments from people uh when we were

20:45doing our community engagement. Uh HVAC

20:48in PE that seems like a luxury thrown in

20:50with a bunch of necessities. So a

20:52community member felt that way. Somebody

20:54else said air conditioning that should

20:56be be a basic part of every building. So

20:58two different people, two different

21:00opinions. I love everything future ready

21:02center related. Future ready center that

21:04feels like this is unnecessary. Repair

21:07existing buildings, don't replace

21:09buildings. you could have already paid

21:11for an entirely new high school for the

21:12price that keeps getting pumped into

21:14saving a tradition. So, we came up with

21:17a plan that we felt best articulated the

21:20the desires of the community, but we

21:23know that not everyone in our community

21:24agrees with 100% of what we're doing.

21:27Uh, and you probably experience that

21:29same thing with the decisions that you

21:30make. Um, that doesn't mean we don't

21:33move forward though. So, uh, we did the

21:35best we can at honoring, uh, that

21:37feedback to come up with the bond

21:39proposal. Um, some important things, and

21:42this is important for you all and for

21:44our community to understand that school

21:46finance, our finance is different than

21:48your finance and the way that we're able

21:50to do things. So, uh, we are not able

21:54to, uh, bond things without a public

21:57vote where you guys can bond things just

22:00here at the table. Um, our large capital

22:03expenditures can only come from bond

22:05issues. This is why schools go after

22:07bond issues. So, we hear comments,

22:09excuse me, [clears throat] we hear

22:10comments in the media like the school

22:12districts always have their hand out

22:14looking for more money. Well, that's

22:16that's not really true. The school

22:18districts are going to the public for

22:19votes because they're required to.

22:21Topeka decided that. Witchita didn't

22:24decide that. Uh, you guys don't

22:26necessarily have to do it that way. um

22:29one is good, one is, you know, not one

22:31is not better than the other. That's

22:33just the rules that we're playing by.

22:35Also, bond proceeds for us cannot pay

22:37for operational expenses. Um we hear

22:39questions like, why don't you just pay

22:41teachers more? We would love to pay

22:42teachers more, but a bond issue can't do

22:44that. Legally, the bond issue can only

22:46go toward facilities. Um and school

22:48districts, unlike cities and counties,

22:50must take bond proposals to a vote uh to

22:52the voters. We don't have an authority

22:54to issue bonds on our own. So, what does

22:56this mean for our kids? Um, more funding

22:59would be available for teaching. As I

23:01already mentioned, all schools benefit

23:03with this bond issue, even though not

23:05every school is named on the bond issue.

23:08Um, through our capital funds, we've

23:10created a plan uh that will impact every

23:12school in the district if the bond were

23:15to pass. Um, we can improve our learning

23:18environments, many of which were uh

23:20built 70 and 80 years ago. And we can

23:23expand career and teched options. And

23:25that's one of the things I want to make

23:26sure you guys are fully aware of and

23:28understand. What does it mean for

23:30Witchah though beyond our students and

23:32parents? Uh it means that we can

23:34strengthen the workforce pipeline. Uh a

23:36lot of what we're trying to do is

23:38connect our kids to jobs in our

23:40community in order to expand and

23:42increase uh our capacity as a community

23:45for workforce development. It supports

23:48that e economic development and it

23:50reflects community priorities. So like I

23:53said, we had did a lot of listening in

23:54order to come up with the plan from the

23:56community. It also protects property

23:58values. Um we are uh connected with

24:01other big urban districts like ourselves

24:04and there are urban districts uh who

24:06weren't able to invest in their

24:08infrastructure over decades and property

24:11values in those communities are actually

24:13on the decline. Uh we talk about

24:14property values a lot in our community

24:16because of uh property taxes and large

24:19jumps in valuation, but I don't think

24:21any of us is interested in declining

24:23property values. Uh that when we bought

24:25our home, we want that home to maintain

24:27its value. Uh and strong public schools

24:30are part of how we do that. Um so I want

24:33to I I wanted to list out a number of

24:36partnerships. These are all really since

24:382023 since I became superintendent. and

24:41I became superintendent about 5 months

24:43before Mayor Woo uh was elected. So, we

24:46kind of started at the same time and I

24:48believe in our community since then,

24:50we've had this spirit of really

24:51partnership and working together. Um,

24:53one of the things we did in 2024 uh was

24:56we sold Park Elementary to the city of

24:58Witchaw for $1. Um, it's one of the most

25:02often uh complaints we hear about from

25:05community members. Well, if you're in a

25:06budget situation, why would you sell a

25:08building for a dollar? Well, you guys

25:10understand that taxpayers paid for that

25:12building once and if we were to sell it

25:16to you for whatever number it is,

25:18taxpayers would pay for that money

25:19again. And it's the same taxpayers that

25:21would be paying for that building twice.

25:24So, we thought it was the right thing to

25:26do. It was also the right thing to do

25:28for our community at the time. uh when

25:31uh Bob Leighton, former city manager,

25:33reached out. It was the winter that we

25:35had just had to create the temporary

25:37homeless shelter uh up at 21st and

25:39Grove. Uh and that wasn't a great

25:41situation for many reasons. And by

25:44working together, collaborating, we we

25:46worked with uh Miss Ballard and worked

25:48with the city council, worked with Bob

25:50at the time. Uh we stepped up and we

25:53made a a difficult decision that has has

25:56really caused controversy for us ever

25:58since in the selling of Park Elementary.

26:01Um, another example of uh of

26:04collaboration and partnership that I

26:07want to make sure that that you guys are

26:09aware of these next two bullets in the

26:11second question of the bond issue are

26:13expansion of two CTE pathways, career

26:16and technical education. So, one is at

26:17South High School where we currently

26:19have a fire science program. uh we would

26:22I think it's $7 million I believe off

26:24the top of my head uh to create a

26:27standalone uh really a premier fire

26:30science program there that we could

26:31expand and offer uh the opportunity for

26:34more kids. Then at Northwest High

26:36School, we do not have a law enforcement

26:37pathway. So we would start a law

26:39enforcement pathway at Northwest High

26:40School because there's now a police

26:43substation there. Well, not quite yet.

26:44It's coming. Um if you haven't been by

26:46recently, it's coming along. It looks

26:48really great. Um, but because we have a

26:50police station right there on the campus

26:52of Northwest, we feel like it's a prime

26:54opportunity to connect kids with law

26:56enforcement careers. So, we talk a lot

26:58about workforce pipeline with the

27:00Greater Witchaw Partnership and economic

27:02development and these jobs in aviation

27:04manufacturing. Well, you all have a

27:07workforce, too. Uh, Chief Sullivan has a

27:10workforce, and I don't know the new fire

27:13captain's name, but anyway, uh, I

27:16haven't met him yet. uh but they have a

27:17workforce and we are trying to align to

27:20to meet those workforce demands also. So

27:23the city of Witchah uh I think as as

27:28partners of ours it's important that we

27:30see this connection between what we're

27:32trying to do in K12 public education and

27:34what you guys are trying to do in

27:36keeping our community safe um in fire

27:39prevention and firefighting and in uh

27:41police. Um we also uh have uh worked

27:46with you guys on two police substations.

27:48Both of those were our property that we

27:50uh worked with you on. One is their uh

27:52Lincoln and Edgemore and the other one I

27:54already mentioned. Um we do lifeguard

27:55training at WPS pools. I think most of

27:58you know that but if not um I see Reggie

28:00over here and we work uh really closely

28:02with Reggie on that. Um your pools don't

28:04necessarily uh get become operational in

28:07time to train lifeguards. So we spend

28:09some time in our indoor pools in the

28:10spring doing that. safe routes to

28:12schools. Um, you know, it's WTober, so

28:15we need to we need to make sure we're uh

28:17have safe routes to schools. This is

28:19kind of an ongoing working thing. Uh,

28:21funds are tight for this. So, a lot of

28:24people, you know, they want crosswalks,

28:26you know, to show up tomorrow. Uh, your

28:27budgets are tight, our budgets are

28:29tight, but having that collaborative

28:31conversation amongst your staff and our

28:33staff is really important. uh and that

28:35the ongoing alignment with community

28:37growth just continuing to have

28:38conversations uh you know with with

28:40Dennis and Tom Stoaltz at the county and

28:42I and making sure that we're connected

28:44on where our community is headed. Um so

28:48we're going to have opportunities for

28:49more partnership in the future. Uh we'll

28:51we'll be back having more conversations

28:53down the road. Um but we have really

28:56tried to be a great partner with the

28:57city of Witchaw. You guys have been

28:59great uh partners with us and I think

29:01it'll be exciting to see that continue

29:03in the future for both of us. I also

29:06want to share this graphic. I talked

29:08about your uh workforce pipeline. Um but

29:12I also want to talk about the Greater

29:13Witchaw Partnership and the Chamber of

29:14Commerce. Both of those entities had

29:16come out uh and endorsed the bond issue

29:19on November 3rd. And part of I believe

29:22the what what I've heard from those

29:25members of the business community is the

29:27strong alignment with what we're trying

29:29to do uh with our CTE pathways with our

29:32future ready centers and with what uh

29:34Greater Witchaw Partnership is trying to

29:36do. So uh the if you don't recognize the

29:38icons these are the partnerships icons

29:40through the middle here of the seven

29:42sectors of growth that they see for uh

29:44the South Central region. Um so that

29:47first one is manufacturing. Uh the red

29:50um

29:52titles there are our CTE pathways and

29:54our high schools and then the navy blue

29:56are at the future ready center. So you

30:00see for manufacturing we have automation

30:02engineering, manufacturing, production

30:03and manufacturing maintenance at some of

30:05our high schools and then the future

30:06ready center has production and assembly

30:09and maintenance and automation. The next

30:11one is aviation which we have at our

30:14high schools and at the future ready

30:15center. The next one is healthcare which

30:17we have at some of our high schools but

30:19very strong programs at the future ready

30:21center for healthcare. Then we have IT

30:23cyber um again network systems

30:26programming software development at our

30:28few of our high schools and then cyber

30:30programming and data analytics at our

30:32future ready center. For agriculture we

30:34don't have a future ready center but we

30:36have a really strong FF or uh a program

30:38at Southeast High School. We have the

30:40biggest FFA program in the state of

30:42Kansas at Southeast which is mega cool.

30:45Um, and then, uh, for transportation, we

30:48have automotive maintenance at South

30:50High and North High. And you'll notice

30:52that last one there is blank. It's kind

30:54of lonely there all by itself. And

30:56that's energy. Um, if we were to pass

30:59the bond in question one, we have a

31:01future ready center for construction

31:03trades that we would build on the campus

31:05of East High School that would have an

31:07energy pathway in that track. So that

31:10future ready center would have plumbing,

31:12HVAC and electrical along with energy.

31:15Um and we've worked closely with EverG

31:17and uh other partners in order to uh

31:20begin mapping that out. This is years

31:21down the road uh after the bond

31:24hopefully passes. But that would be able

31:26to we would be able to align with all

31:28seven sectors then um in working with

31:31our community.

31:33Another uh important part, this is a

31:35Witto Business Journal quote um that uh

31:37so this is not from the district, but I

31:39think it's important to the conversation

31:41about uh what economic impact uh bond

31:44work has. Um school bond work was a

31:46lifeline for area contractors and

31:48architects, some of who faced um the

31:50harsh reality of having to close their

31:52doors permanently were it not for school

31:54bond work to keep them afloat. Now, this

31:56is not a reason to pass a bond issue,

31:58but this is a reality of a bond issue

32:00passing. Um, in one of the meetings that

32:03we were in, uh, one of the larger

32:06construction firms, uh, brought up after

32:08seeing this quote that this was even

32:10more true in the 2000 bond, um, because

32:12of 911 and the economic downturn that

32:15happened there. So, um, we, uh, we know

32:18that there's an economic impact and

32:20those dollars stay in our community um,

32:22and help our community grow and thrive.

32:24So, uh, I won't go through all of the

32:26details of every project. Um but what's

32:29being proposed is a two question bond.

32:31So there'll be ability for people to

32:32vote twice um on once on question one,

32:36once on question two. The projects are

32:38focused on future ready opportunities,

32:40modernizing learning spaces, improving

32:42experiences for efficiency, and

32:44preserving historic high school

32:46facilities, particularly North High and

32:48East High. Question one really

32:50represents the combination of high need

32:52teaching and learning uh things that we

32:56need uh and things that were high

32:58support from the community. Um that $47

33:02investment in question one is actually a

33:04lower amount than the previous bond

33:05issue and there's fewer projects than

33:07the previous bond issue. U the future

33:09ready center for trades uh rebuilding

33:11Trudale um and then you can see the rest

33:14of the list there. Um, one other thing

33:16that I will lift up on this one next to

33:18last is improving traffic flow at select

33:22elementary schools. Um, one of the

33:24topics that we have talked about uh at

33:27the the three entities of the county,

33:29the city, and the school district is

33:30Christine McAuliffe Academy. Um, which

33:32is down on 143rd. Um, it's currently a

33:35county land or a county road, but it's

33:38very close to city limits and there's

33:40lots of housing around there. So, it's

33:42kind of been this no man's land and from

33:45maybe 3:05 to 3:20 every day, it's a bit

33:48of a mess uh because traffic gets backed

33:50up. If the bond is able to pass, we can

33:54pro we can create more parking and get

33:56more of that traffic off of the street

33:58so that EMS can get through, neighbors

34:00can get through, all those sorts of

34:01things. So, if you know anybody that

34:03lives down there who has ever been

34:05cranky about traffic, uh make sure they

34:08know this. We won't be able to solve

34:10this if this doesn't pass. Uh we neither

34:13of our entities really have the dollars

34:14and our CIP plans to do this right now,

34:17but if this passes, we're committing to

34:19improving traffic flow. The other is

34:20true at Easley, which is uh Bair, which

34:24you guys don't care about. But any

34:25important to our community to have these

34:27uh traffic problems fixed. Last thing or

34:31question two then is a list of other

34:33projects. Um I I should uh I should

34:37mention question one is millne neutral.

34:39So if question one passes, our mill rate

34:40won't change as a district for Witchaw

34:43public schools. Question two represents

34:45about a 2 mill increase uh for voters.

34:47So that's really what they're deciding

34:49on. There's uh several other projects

34:51that total up to 207 million uh

34:54including um renovating OK Elementary uh

34:57to an early childhood center and

34:59improving those CTE spaces at some of

35:02our buildings that I already mentioned.

35:04There is the map of our district. We

35:06have a huge district square mileage

35:08wise. It's a lot bigger than a lot of

35:10our neighbors. Um the red dots there are

35:14um question one projects and the blue

35:17dots are question two projects. So you

35:20can see the that we're we're hitting all

35:22sides of our community and all parts of

35:24town. All of your districts will be

35:26impacted um if the bond were to pass.

35:29Um, just to give everyone some context,

35:31if both questions pass, the average

35:33homeowner, which is about a $200,000

35:35house for our community, uh, would pay

35:37about $4 a month uh, in property taxes

35:41because of the mill for for that rate.

35:44So, um, we feel like, uh, although times

35:47are tough, gas is up, things are, uh,

35:49not as affordable as they were, we feel

35:52like this is the right time, uh, for

35:54this level of investment. Um and uh we

35:56have been getting good feedback from a

35:58lot of community members about that.

36:01You can learn more about this at

36:03wpsbond.org.

36:05Um you can uh see all of the projects.

36:08There's a long lengthy FAQ on all sorts

36:11of pieces and parts. Um we encourage

36:13everyone to go there. Um we encourage

36:16people to go there for facts. Um, as you

36:19know, this is the season and election

36:21time when lots of things will be getting

36:23said and lots of it will be inaccurate.

36:26Um, and so if you want the facts, um,

36:29you can, uh, find them at our bond site.

36:31That's where the, um, you know, we try

36:33to put everything there. So, it's the

36:35one reference point for every community

36:36member to know. Um, and if there's any

36:38questions that you get, um, that come

36:40across your desk and you're like, "Huh,

36:42I wonder what that is." We want to add

36:44those to the to the website so that

36:46people know. Um, and at that that's all

36:48I had. So, at this point, I'll I'll

36:50pause for questions. I I do have Diane

36:51Albert with me here, our uh former past

36:54board president, and she can answer

36:56questions on the on her side, too, if

36:58you have any questions for her.

37:02>> Thank you, Kelly, and thank you to um

37:05school board member Albert. We'll start

37:08with Council Member Shepard.

37:10>> Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for

37:11being here and all the support that you

37:13are providing to our public schools. Um,

37:16you mentioned potentially the law

37:18enforcement pathway, which I'm really

37:19excited about. Um, I know that you all

37:21have a pathway into fire at South High.

37:24My nephew attends South High. Um, with

37:26that being said, I'm curious, how are

37:28you all ensuring that that pathway is

37:30smooth? because I know that in speaking

37:32with our fire department, there may be

37:33some things that we can do on our end to

37:35ensure that they have like the EMT

37:37training and different things of that

37:38nature to just once they graduate,

37:40they're getting that EMT training while

37:42they're in high school and it creates a

37:44smoother pathway for them to be able to

37:46go directly into fire training. Are we

37:49working through that as we talk about

37:50law enforcement pathway as well?

37:52>> Yeah, great question. Um, and part of

37:55part of the challenge we've had with

37:56long with fire science with the EMT

37:59program at the future ready center is

38:00getting those kids to kind of get the

38:02certifications while being at South High

38:04and and all of that. Um, so I think

38:07we've got we've worked through that at

38:09South High, but I think it's a great

38:11question. Law enforcement's different,

38:13credentials are different, opportunities

38:14are different. Um, and so we would, you

38:17know, this a lot of this the origin of

38:19this actually came from Chief Sullivan.

38:21I'll give him some credit. um he had

38:23brought to me a I this is not the name

38:26of it but kind of a middle school age

38:29junior uh you know troopers sort of a

38:32thing um where we could get kids at

38:33Wilbur High School uh engaged and

38:36excited because that's the feeder to

38:37Northwest um this program could be open

38:40to to kids all across the district with

38:41our special transfer process but to

38:43create you know a connection and a

38:45pipeline um with the substation there to

38:48to have some exposure to writeouts and

38:51uh what does the job really like um for

38:53juniors and seniors in high school. We

38:55we think there's potential to really

38:56work together with that. Um and as we

38:59build any of these pathways, we really

39:02connect with industry to make sure we're

39:04providing the experience kids need. If

39:06the credential is something that isn't

39:08really relevant to that industry, you

39:10know, we don't want to be, you know,

39:12having kids take that test or paying for

39:14that. So, um yeah, we would we would sit

39:17down and start mapping that out and

39:18planning that out. Again, these, as you

39:20guys know, if if we get a yes November

39:233rd of 26, you know, these projects

39:26start getting planned in 27, start

39:28actually happening in 28. So, we we

39:30would have time to really align some

39:31curriculum and have those conversations.

39:33>> Mayor, with the follow-up,

39:36so I've been hearing some folks might be

39:39torn on this. I'm a yes. Yes. It's it's

39:42a no-brainer for me. I think we need to

39:44be supporting our public schools and I

39:46know how important it is to invest in

39:48our public schools. What would you tell

39:51arm us with the knowledge that we can

39:52give to someone who may be on the fence

39:54and or may be hesitant to support this?

39:57>> Yeah, I I think there's a couple things.

39:59I think um I think the reality is we are

40:04um like if if you look at the data since

40:06I become superintendent, we're trending

40:08in the right direction on outcomes. Um

40:11graduation rate is up. Um, we've we've

40:13hit a record graduation rate every year

40:15since 23. We're at 85%. We'll be

40:18exceeding 85% for class of 26. Um, our

40:22our literacy outcomes have improved

40:25since 2023 when I became superintendent.

40:27We were at 19% as a district. We're over

40:2930% now with our 2026 data. So, that's

40:33another thing is make make sure you look

40:34at the recent data because um that's not

40:37always what's getting shared. Um, those

40:40are our main goals as a school system is

40:42to send kids across the graduation stage

40:44who are ready for the jobs and the

40:46careers and the military and the college

40:48experiences that our community offers.

40:51In addition to that, we don't do this

40:54very often. This will be the third bond

40:56issue in 50 years for Witchaw Public

40:59Schools. Our mill rate is by far the

41:02lowest of any public school district in

41:05our surrounding area. Even if both

41:07questions pass, even if both questions

41:09pass, we will still be the lowest mill

41:11rate um for any school district in the

41:14area. And I know it's a lot of money. I

41:16know property it's not nothing. So I

41:19understand when people are concerned

41:20about property taxes, but this is the

41:23system that we've been given. We didn't

41:25get to decide the system. The systems

41:27decided in Topeka that we have to go

41:30about it this way in order to fund large

41:32scale projects. Um, so a lot of the

41:35people that don't like where the

41:37convers, you know, that that part of the

41:39conversation about property taxes,

41:41that's not we're doing what we need to

41:43for our infrastructure and for our kids.

41:46We didn't decide that uh, you know, 20

41:49of your mills is automatically going to

41:51go to the state for for public ed. That

41:53wasn't up to us. Um, I think we're

41:56proving that we're headed in the right

41:57direction. Um, you know, and then I

41:59think when people get to know our kids,

42:02when you know that 80% of our kids are

42:04growing up in poverty, um, you you know,

42:06when Family Promise was talking about

42:08families in home experiencing

42:10homelessness, that is our kids. That is

42:13around 800 to a thousand of our kids at

42:16any given point in time in our district

42:18um, that they're trying to help. And

42:20kudos to them for for pouring into them.

42:22Um, but our kids need an investment. our

42:24our kids deserve uh air conditioning in

42:27their gyms. Our kids deserve high

42:29quality facilities. We feel like this is

42:31the right plan. Um it's up to the voters

42:33to ultimately decide if it is.

42:35>> Y

42:37>> Council Member John Stunn.

42:39>> Thank you, Mayor Kelly. Thanks for being

42:40here. As you know, my uh one of my sons,

42:43Jake, works for you. Yeah.

42:45>> And he is the principal at Christy

42:46Mcola. And so I hear about that issue

42:49all the time.

42:50>> I bet.

42:50>> What a mess it is. [laughter] And so

42:52actually one of my best friends lives

42:54just a block east of Christ makola

42:57district 2 and uh he tells me how much

43:00of a mess it is too. So uh in that

43:03respect it very much support it and I

43:06hope it does well. Thank you. Thank you

43:10>> council member Shepard.

43:11>> Thank you mayor. This will be my last

43:13comment on this and I've had the

43:14opportunity to listen to this

43:15discussion, follow along in the board of

43:17education meetings, really inspired by

43:19Diane Albert who has been a a real voice

43:23of reason in this conversation. Thank

43:25you for your support and really trying

43:27to strike a balance of how important

43:29this conversation is. So, I'll just say

43:31this. When we talk about investing in

43:32public education, we have to look beyond

43:35this bond issue being just a building.

43:37We must ask whether we are preparing our

43:39children for a strong future given the

43:41current condition of many of our

43:42buildings. As the superintendent

43:44mentioned, roughly 80% of our students

43:46and their families live below the

43:47federal poverty line. And at any given

43:49time, nearly 800 to a,000 of those

43:52families are experiencing homelessness.

43:54I highlighted this reality when I spoke

43:55at the family promise 10th anniversary.

43:58But I want you all to just take for a

44:00moment, my colleagues here, that these

44:01are not just statistics. They represent

44:03children whose circumstances outside the

44:06classroom can impact the opportunities

44:07inside of it. And we have a moral and

44:09ethical obligation as representatives of

44:12this community to be vocal about what

44:13can change the trajectory of their

44:15lives. Research shows that students from

44:17lowincome and first generation

44:19backgrounds can experience cultural

44:21mismatch when entering collegiate

44:23environments or post-secondary

44:25environments that differ significantly

44:27from what they have known. We have an

44:29opportunity to begin bridging that gap

44:31before they ever step into their next

44:32phase of education. Modern facilities,

44:35updated technology, collaborative

44:37classrooms, and hands-on learning help

44:38prepare students for college and today's

44:41workforce. And from an economic

44:43development perspective, having served

44:45on many Kansas site selection

44:46committees, I know that companies

44:48evaluate communities who are making

44:51investments in public education. Um, and

44:54we cannot demand a more competitive

44:55workforce while neglecting the

44:56investments necessary to develop one. My

44:59colleague, Council Member Johnston, has

45:00once said it best that we have to be

45:02more methodical at what we define as an

45:05expense versus an investment. This is

45:07one that I think that we should totally

45:09make. As someone who represents one of

45:12Kansas's poorest zip codes, uh, one of

45:14which my nieces and nephews are a part

45:15of, I know that the best way to break

45:18the cycle of poverty in a child's life

45:19is access to a quality public education.

45:22Our children's zip code and family

45:24income should never determine how

45:25they're prepared or how they succeed.

45:28And investing in our schools is

45:29investing in our children, our

45:31workforce, and the future of our entire

45:33community. So, while I know that these

45:35conversations often weigh on our hearts

45:37as if we come out in support of it, what

45:39backlash may we receive as it relates to

45:42being an elected official and how does

45:44that determine our next four years or

45:46our next election or whatever we want to

45:47do in the future? And I saw a billboard

45:50that I think described it perfectly.

45:52Some things are not about politics. Some

45:54things are not about taxes. Some things

45:56are simply about doing what is right and

45:58in the best interest of our future. And

46:01in this case, I choose to support all

46:04God's children. I'll be voting yes. Yes.

46:06And I hope our community will join me in

46:08doing the same.

46:11>> Kelly, I'll just end with uh a question

46:14I have for you. As you know, uh you

46:16mentioned that this failed in February

46:19of 2025

46:21and a city uh sales tax also failed in

46:24March of this year. What learnings have

46:27you had since that failure last year? Um

46:32and you mentioned this. Uh the yes was

46:3513,889

46:37people. The no was 14,28

46:40people. Uh that's a total of 28,097

46:44people voting. Out of the 200,

46:49333 registered voters at that time, that

46:52voter turnout was 14%.

46:55What have you learned from that failure

46:57last year to this year?

46:59>> Well, we we've learned a lot. I

47:01appreciate the question. Um because I

47:04mean we've learned a lot internally, but

47:07I think more than anything um we learned

47:11to slow down and engage the community in

47:14a way that we weren't doing before. Um

47:17we were so close that it was very

47:19tempting to just run it right back. Um

47:22and we uh on the heels of uh the no

47:25vote, we created a financial oversight

47:27committee. So we have a group of

47:28community members um most of whom have

47:31some sort of financial expertise and you

47:34know CFOs or that sort of thing. And um

47:37it was that summer after the vote that

47:39that group of people said we really feel

47:42like you need to you need to slow down.

47:44You need to go back to the community uh

47:46and engage. And so we did that um even

47:49though that was hard to hear um because

47:52we thought we need we know we need this.

47:54We know we need to move. Um but we did

47:57that. We spent the fall uh really

47:59listening uh through surveys, through

48:01focus groups, all of those sorts of

48:02things. We developed three different

48:05options for our board. Um so we brought

48:08those in I believe April of uh last year

48:12or this year. Um we went out and did 12

48:16different community sessions uh in all

48:18parts different schools and all parts of

48:20our community and listened to that

48:22feedback. We brought that feedback back

48:24to the board. That's where we came up

48:26with the two questions uh that came from

48:28the feedback from the community. We get

48:30that question a lot. Why two questions?

48:32Because we heard that having a millne

48:35neutral option, a tax flat option is

48:37really important to the community. So,

48:39uh that's why we had broke it out into

48:40two questions. Um we came with that

48:44final proposal to the board. We went

48:46back out and did another round of

48:47engagement uh and settled on the plan in

48:50June of 26. Um, we I think that paid a

48:54lot of dividends in many ways. I think

48:56people understand the plan more. The

48:58other thing that we did that we didn't

49:00do last time, we had line some line

49:02items for some general like we had a

49:05line item for $60 million for high

49:07schools, high school maintenance. Well,

49:10I mean, you guys know that that that

49:12that kind of blob of money, that feel

49:15doesn't really sit well with a lot of

49:16taxpayers. And so this idea of, you

49:19know, just trust us, just give us, you

49:20know, some money and we'll fix some high

49:22schools. So we went line by line, very

49:24specific. I mean, you you saw the

49:26slides. Um, every project is planned

49:29out, uh, by name. Um, when you get to

49:32the ballot, you'll see a lot of these by

49:34name on the ballot. Um, and we did that

49:36intentionally because we want to make

49:38sure that we build trust back with the

49:39community. um that we are going to

49:42follow through and say what we're going

49:43to do what we say we're going to do when

49:45we uh ask voters for approval of these

49:47projects. We're going to follow through

49:48on these votes. Um I was just talking

49:51telling uh JV before the meeting um that

49:54we have a third grader and um I say this

49:57publicly a lot that my my plan would be

50:00that I'm around until my third grader

50:01graduates from high school. So I'm going

50:04to be here for a while as long as Diane

50:06keeps me around. Um, but I plan to, you

50:10know, I plan to be here. And so these

50:12these decisions what we're asking the

50:14community to make, I'm going to be on

50:17responsible for ensuring that we follow

50:19through and build up back that trust. So

50:21these really specific projects are part

50:23of that vision of like, you know, as a

50:26voter in five or seven years, you're

50:27going to be able to check them off and

50:28say they did this, they did this, they

50:30did this. Um, ultimately that's our

50:32goal. So um, we appreciate the public's

50:35engagement on everything we've been

50:36doing. Uh we've had a lot of good

50:38engagement. I think this is a day I

50:40skipped Sunday, but nine days in a row

50:42of me coming and talking doing these

50:44slides. Some of you have seen these

50:45slides before already. Um so we're

50:47really trying to get the word out um and

50:49make sure everybody knows what the

50:51options are um in a very crowded and

50:53noisy political environment these next

50:55few weeks. We hope everyone makes it all

50:57the way to the end of the ballot to vote

50:59uh on the on the bond issue because

51:01they'll probably be the last thing on

51:02there.

51:03Sorry, I have one followup and that's

51:05simply because I know a lot of people

51:07received this and we got it right here

51:10on our um dis um this was not provided

51:14by Witchaw public schools. Can you

51:16explain the difference between what

51:18Witchaw public schools can do versus um

51:20the campaign I guess?

51:22>> Sure. Um we are uh as a tax in you know

51:26a taxpayer funded entity we uh can

51:28educate our community on the bond issue.

51:31We're really um I think our our

51:33community expects us to educate them on

51:35the bond issue. They want to know what

51:36it is they're voting on. They want to

51:37know what the tax implications are, but

51:40we we cannot advocate or encourage

51:41people to vote a certain way. Um so we

51:44feel like we've done a good job of

51:46creating a good plan, but you know, as a

51:48voter, it's up to you to decide if if

51:50this is the right plan at the right time

51:52for our community. Um there are other

51:54groups of people that are encouraging

51:56people to vote yes and encouraging

51:57people to vote no. Uh and there's some

51:59groups of people that are encouraging

52:01people to vote yes no um because they

52:03want the first question to pass but they

52:04don't want taxes to go up. So um

52:06different people have different beliefs

52:08when it comes to that. But our job is

52:10just to educate. So we're here just to

52:11answer questions. U yeah we didn't we

52:14didn't print or provide that um that

52:16material there. I did bring this is kind

52:19of a little not completely off topic but

52:21some future ready center data for you

52:23too. I'll leave it with Dennis um and

52:25you can read that. It's not relevant to

52:26the bond issue exactly, but it's

52:28essentially our numbers and our trends

52:30we're seeing in our future ready

52:31centers. So, um, love to come back

52:33sometime and share more about that.

52:34>> Can you just high level because I think

52:36a lot of folks may not know about future

52:38readies. Um, this council has had the

52:41opportunity to tour the various future

52:44readies. There's a future ready in

52:45advanced manufacturing, a future ready

52:48in healthcare, and a future ready in IT.

52:50Can you just explain for folks that may

52:53not have gone to uh one of the public

52:55schools recently uh what future readies

52:58are?

52:58>> Yeah, thank you. It's a it's an

53:00opportunity for juniors and seniors.

53:01Anybody in the in the district can

53:03attend and they are able they're free of

53:05charge. We provide transportation. Uh

53:07it's a collaboration with W Tech and

53:09Witchaw Public Schools. So, it gets kids

53:12job ready skills and work-based learning

53:14or internships. Uh, so they can head

53:17right out the door of the graduation

53:19stage and into a job if they want to.

53:21And these are good jobs for our

53:22community, jobs in healthcare, jobs in

53:25IT, jobs in manufacturing or aviation.

53:27Um, we would like to create a fourth

53:29future ready center for trades that I

53:31already mentioned. Um, and that would be

53:32contingent on the bond issue passing.

53:34Uh, so hopefully we're able to to get

53:36that up and going, too. But we have um

53:39we we ran the numbers recently and of

53:42our u we have about 3,000 students in

53:44every grade level as a district. That's

53:46how big we are. Um about 15% of our

53:49juniors and seniors have experienced a

53:51future ready center. U we would love to

53:53expand that but resources are limited

53:55and we need to we have need more money

53:56and we need more teachers and we need

53:58more space. Um but 15% is a pretty good

54:00number for exposure for those kids. So,

54:03u we do have waiting lists on some of

54:04them and that's part of the part of the

54:06story of continued advocacy for those

54:09future ready centers. So, um but this

54:11this gives you guys some some data to to

54:14speak to as far as the trends and the

54:16numbers go. So,

54:17>> and I'm sorry, I do have one more

54:19question because um you started the

54:22conversation with uh a declining

54:25enrollment. Can you just um share the

54:28the challenge that you have because I

54:30actually have what you provided us which

54:32was the district at a glance or you

54:34provided me. Yeah. Back in 2022 2023

54:38>> 47,500

54:40and now what is that enrollment and can

54:42you explain what's going on?

54:44>> Yeah. Well, I can I can try. Um there's

54:47probably lots of factors but uh our

54:49enrollment for this year will be 43,600

54:52and some change. Um so we we have

54:54declined. we've gone down about 3% from

54:57last year. Um, some of this is birth

55:00rate, uh, declining birth rate. So, we

55:03looked at the numbers of, um, pretty

55:05much all the districts in the area last

55:07year and, uh, with the exception of

55:10maybe one or two, every district was

55:12declining in enrollment. Uh, some 1%,

55:15some 2% and we were at 3%. Um, so it's

55:18it's an overall trend. Some of it's

55:21birth rate, some of it's school choice.

55:23uh parents have options for

55:24homeschooling and micro schools and some

55:26of those sorts of things. So that's a

55:27piece of what's going on. Um but we we

55:31still at 43,600 kids are by far the

55:35biggest district in the state of Kansas

55:37almost by double. Um is about 26,000

55:41kids and they're the second biggest. Um

55:43so it's still an enormous operation uh

55:45with enormous opportunity um for our

55:48kids. We feel like um the health of our

55:52community both in on our side and on

55:54your side are are definitely connected

55:56and if we have a growing economy with

55:58parents and families moving to town um

56:00that will help our enrollment. We feel

56:02like if we have a strong public

56:04education system that will help families

56:07and businesses want to grow and move to

56:09town. Uh so we're very you know that

56:11that partnership slide is really all

56:13about uh we feel like our success is is

56:16tied to yours and vice versa that u we

56:18need to continue to partner together and

56:19work together in order to um to uh do

56:23what's best for our community. So

56:26>> thank you superintendent.

56:27>> Thank you guys. Appreciate the time.

56:28Thank you everyone.

56:29>> Council member Ballard had one more.

56:30>> Sorry. Um actually someone texted me a

56:33question that I was going to take the

56:34opportunity to ask you. I'm sorry. Um

56:37they just said, "Can you explain how um

56:40the classrooms will accommodate the

56:41influx of students moving into school

56:44like the schools that are closing or

56:46consolidating, how will those schools

56:47adapt with the the kids that are going

56:49to be kind of moving around a little

56:51bit? And then can you talk about what

56:52schools um regardless of the bond will

56:55be closing?"

56:56>> Yes, thank you. Um, we actually talked

56:58about this last night at our board

56:59meeting. And so there's a there's a

57:00little clip that you could watch, but

57:02just to summarize, um, uh, class sizes

57:07would not when we closed schools last

57:10time, um, we were able to, uh, move

57:13those students into into open spaces and

57:15we have magnets which allows for some

57:18choice and some options for families,

57:19too. So, it's a little bit complex.

57:20They're not just neighborhood schools.

57:22uh some of them. Um but for example,

57:24Lovatureer Elementary is one of the

57:26schools that's slated to close at the

57:28end of this year. Um Mueller Elementary

57:31is uh um nearby and their their

57:34boundaries are shared and so we would

57:36most likely be able to move some of the

57:39students to Mueller uh who live in that

57:41neighborhood. Mueller was built in the

57:442008 bond, I believe, as a four section

57:46school, but we only have two we only

57:48have te two teachers per grade level.

57:51So, what we would probably do, and this

57:53isn't a promise, but we would probably

57:54do is we would move some teachers to

57:57Mueller. Uh, they're in open classrooms,

58:01and then we could move some students

58:02there. So, the class sizes wouldn't

58:04increase. Now, Mueller would become a

58:05bigger school, uh, numbers wise. Some of

58:08those kids would probably go to Spate,

58:09some of those kids would go over to

58:10Washington, some would probably end up

58:11at Irving. Um, but there's only in in

58:14Lovature, there's only about hundred or

58:16so neighborhood kids. It's a it's a

58:18magnet. So, some of those kids are bust

58:20in, too. Um, so we're not talking about

58:21huge numbers of kids. Pleasant Valley

58:23Elementary is the other school that's

58:25slated to close at the end of the year.

58:26And both of those closures are

58:27independent of the bond. So, whether the

58:29bond passes or fails, those will those

58:31will move forward. Um, Ortiz is another

58:34example, as a school that was built uh

58:36it's a beautiful school that was built

58:38uh in the last 20 years. It has open

58:40room and space. Cloud Elementary is

58:42pretty close, too. So those kids would

58:45probably be able to to move, but we

58:47would add we would add teachers to those

58:49building. We wouldn't just cram more

58:50kids in with no more teachers. We would

58:52add teachers to the buildings to to

58:53level that out. So um and then the other

58:56two uh schools that it is, you know, the

59:00most common question I get when being

59:02asked about the bond is what what are

59:03you going to do if it if it fails? What

59:05happens if it doesn't pass? And we're

59:08going to be optimistic, but uh we have

59:10to be realistic at the same time. Um, we

59:12have two other schools that are slated

59:14to to close. OK Elementary at 13th and

59:16West and then Woodland Elementary in

59:18North Riverside. Um, we would have to we

59:20would have to evaluate those timelines.

59:22Um, they're scheduled to close in 2029.

59:26Um, when there's new buildings that will

59:28be built. So, if the bond were to pass,

59:30we would build a new building at the old

59:32Emerson site, which is at like 15th and

59:36uh, north of 15th and St. Paul, I think,

59:39in that area. Um, and we would we would

59:41consolidate Black Elementary and OK

59:43Elementary. So, those kids would get to

59:45go to a new school if the bond were to

59:47pass. If the bond doesn't pass, we'd

59:49have to re-evaluate those those

59:51timelines for closure and possibly uh

59:55send those students to a school that's

59:56that's, you know, in need in one of the

59:58schools that's on the list that has

1:00:00need. So, it's not a great option, but

1:00:03we believe it's important for us to be

1:00:04transparent with people about what the

1:00:06options are because if you're going to

1:00:08go vote no, you need to understand what

1:00:09the consequences of that are. And it's

1:00:12not nothing. Just like the sales tax, we

1:00:14woke up the morning after the sales tax

1:00:16failed and we still had a homeless

1:00:18problem. It didn't just go away because

1:00:20people voted no. We'll be in the same

1:00:22boat. November 4th, if we get a no vote,

1:00:24it doesn't fix our buildings magically.

1:00:27we're still going to be in a situation

1:00:28where we have aging infrastructure and

1:00:30not enough capital funds to to meet the

1:00:31needs. So, um yeah, they're complex as

1:00:35you know. I mean, you guys live it.

1:00:36These are complex challenges and there's

1:00:38not one right answer. Um hopefully we we

1:00:41uh have done a good job of engaging the

1:00:43community and we hit the hit the right

1:00:45note for where to land on this bond

1:00:47issue. So, we'll see.

1:00:49>> Council member Shepard,

1:00:50>> final question. Thank you for bringing

1:00:52up Lover and sharing that information. I

1:00:55I I'm not sure A lot of my colleagues

1:00:57have had the opportunity to engage and

1:00:59as you know theou is on the agenda for

1:01:01later today. Um it's closing regardless

1:01:04of the bond. Right.

1:01:05>> Right. Yep.

1:01:06>> Can you say that one more time?

1:01:07>> Is closing regardless of the bond.

1:01:08>> Thank you. Uh can you also speak to uh

1:01:11little

1:01:13>> which is within close proximity to

1:01:14lower. I just want to paint the full f

1:01:16picture for folks y

1:01:18>> about the impact that it would have on

1:01:19that community.

1:01:21>> Yeah. So, Little is the appropriately

1:01:25named early childhood center. We have uh

1:01:27that's um 17th in Valuchia, maybe

1:01:30somewhere in that neighborhood. Um I

1:01:32should have all these memorized, but

1:01:34there's 83 and so there's a lot. Um it

1:01:37is an early childhood center for uh

1:01:40really our special needs kids that are

1:01:42ages three to five years old. So, we bus

1:01:44kids from all over the city to that

1:01:46site. There are a couple neighborhood

1:01:48kids that go there, but most of the kids

1:01:50that attend Little uh come from all over

1:01:52the district. Um part of the bond plan

1:01:54would be to relocate that to OK

1:01:56Elementary at 13th and West and

1:01:58consolidate our parents as teachers

1:02:00program into that. Uh consolidate our

1:02:03what we call our echo team, which our

1:02:04early childhood evaluation team, which

1:02:06is now out at Kulvin, into that. We

1:02:08would have all of our early childhood

1:02:10stuff in one place, which couldn't

1:02:12currently fit at Little. Um, as far as

1:02:15the little property, we don't have any

1:02:16plans or you know what what we've done.

1:02:19Another question you guys get a lot is

1:02:21when these buildings close, what happens

1:02:22with the property? Um, we have a

1:02:24standing closing

1:02:26uh closed schools sale uh committee um

1:02:31that's made up of some staff and some

1:02:32community members. Uh but like Clark

1:02:34Elementary, when we sold Clark

1:02:36Elementary, uh we we engaged the

1:02:38neighbors and we brought the neighbors

1:02:39to the table and said, "Here's three

1:02:41different proposals." um which of these

1:02:43do you want? And because Classical

1:02:45School of Witchah had been such a good

1:02:47partner to that neighborhood for years,

1:02:50that was what the neighbors had told us.

1:02:51They said, "We would really like um you

1:02:54know, that to be the you know, we we

1:02:55sold it to them at market value, but um

1:02:57there were options on the table for

1:02:59development or all sorts of different

1:03:00things." So, we will engage

1:03:02neighborhoods when we get to the point

1:03:04of making decisions on these things. Um

1:03:06some of the properties we'll maintain

1:03:07and keep and some of the properties we

1:03:09may uh work with partners and and do

1:03:11other things with. So,

1:03:14>> thank you, Kelly.

1:03:15>> Great questions. Appreciate it. Thank

1:03:16you, guys.

1:03:18>> Madame Clerk, can you please call the

1:03:20next item?

1:03:21>> From the city's adopted civility pledge,

1:03:23the city council is committed to

1:03:25promoting civility. They stand united.

1:03:27They lead with respect and dignity, and

1:03:28they honor every resident in all

1:03:30communities. They are working to create

1:03:32an environment that values shared goals

1:03:34with increased empathy and genuine

1:03:35dialogue. We now come to public agenda.

1:03:38The public agenda allows for up to five

1:03:39speakers to have five minutes each to

1:03:41address the council. Please bear in mind

1:03:44this is not a period of dialogue with

1:03:46the council or a question and answer

1:03:48period. This is your opportunity to

1:03:49address the city council with your

1:03:51concerns. I ask that you address your

1:03:53remarks to the city council as a body

1:03:54and not to any individual council

1:03:56member. No action will be taken relative

1:03:58to items on the public agenda other than

1:04:00referral to the city manager for

1:04:02information as necessary. Speakers will

1:04:04please speak into the microphone. Please

1:04:05state their name for the record. A time

1:04:07clock will display the speaker's

1:04:09remaining time to speak. Order and rules

1:04:10of decorum will be observed. The first

1:04:12speaker today is Walt Chapel, USD 259,

1:04:15school bond proposal.

1:04:32Could

1:04:50you make sure that you have a copy,

1:04:51please?

1:04:54[clears throat]

1:05:15Thank you so much for this opportunity

1:05:17to speak with you folks today about a

1:05:19very important issue for our whole

1:05:21community.

1:05:23It's how well our kids are learning.

1:05:25That's the reason we send them to

1:05:26school. We want them to be prepared for

1:05:28life. My name is Walt Chapel. I served

1:05:31on the state board of education and been

1:05:33involved in education for over 50 years.

1:05:36My parents taught in this school

1:05:38district. I have a daughter that teaches

1:05:39kindergarten. My sisters taught school.

1:05:42My grandparents, it's kind of a cast

1:05:44system. We all kind of say, "Let's see

1:05:47if we can help kids learn." Okay. So, I

1:05:50feel like a David and Goliath situation

1:05:53here. You've given the superintendent of

1:05:56schools almost a half hour of time. They

1:05:59were supposed to be on the same agenda

1:06:01as myself and another gentleman. Five

1:06:04minutes each. You gave him a whole block

1:06:07of time to say one side of the story.

1:06:10There's a second side to this whole

1:06:11thing. As you know, almost every issue

1:06:13has an opportunity to say, "Wait a

1:06:15minute. What's going on here?"

1:06:19Now, talk about declining enrollment.

1:06:22One of the major issues in 259,

1:06:25according to the teachers and the staff,

1:06:27is disruptive behavior.

1:06:31Parents are deciding to send their kids

1:06:33to suburban schools. They're going into

1:06:36private schools, into the dasis schools.

1:06:39We have 6% of our teachers have resigned

1:06:42and retired early. They don't want to

1:06:44put up with the nonsense anymore. The

1:06:46chaos is not conducive to learning.

1:06:50You mentioned Mueller. Mueller has 8% of

1:06:54the kids proficient in math

1:06:57and 10% of the kids are proficient in

1:07:00science

1:07:02and yet they call themselves aerospace

1:07:05and engineering magnet.

1:07:08How's that supposed to make any sense?

1:07:11We've gone from 14,000

1:07:14per kid up to $22,600

1:07:19per child in 259.

1:07:22Most of the private schools around here

1:07:24are able to teach the same standards at

1:07:27a higher level for 7 to $8,000 per kid.

1:07:33We're spending money like water. We have

1:07:36all this information saying, "Oh, it's

1:07:38so great. Most of this bond issue is

1:07:41building new buildings.

1:07:44If you have repairs to make, make

1:07:45[clears throat] make the repairs. Don't

1:07:48say, "Well, we got to have a bond issue

1:07:50of 615 million." When most of that's for

1:07:55a new Trudedale school, major re

1:07:58renovations at Coleman, a new Adams,

1:08:02a new MLAN in parks that we already have

1:08:06for green space in these neighborhoods.

1:08:08They want to take over. One of your

1:08:10agenda items today is about giving

1:08:12[clears throat] a memorandum of standing

1:08:16on

1:08:17the park over in by Adams. You haven't

1:08:20had community input. I have asked just

1:08:23yesterday as a matter of fact one of the

1:08:25school board me how how did you come up

1:08:27with 615 million? She didn't know.

1:08:30The independent calculation shows we're

1:08:33going to spend about five to$10,000

1:08:36per household in property taxes over the

1:08:39next 20 years to pay for this bond. I

1:08:43ask what's the interest rate going to

1:08:44be? They don't know.

1:08:47Why are we pushing this so quickly

1:08:49throughout the whole process without any

1:08:52of us knowing the bottom line facts?

1:08:54How's this going to help kids learn? Why

1:08:57haven't you repaired the AC, for

1:08:59example, that you've had money spent

1:09:01from the 2000 bond issue, the 2008 bond,

1:09:06and you spend millions of dollars from

1:09:08the COVID funds on fixing AC, and you

1:09:12still say you have a problem? Most of

1:09:14those problems are in individual

1:09:15classrooms. Has to do with a thermostat

1:09:19or control valve for that particular

1:09:21classroom. It's not the whole reason to

1:09:24tear down a building.

1:09:27So, a lot of unanswered questions and I

1:09:30ask the community to please make sure

1:09:33you take a good look at this. I've taken

1:09:36time to put together the actual cost and

1:09:39the performance of our kids. It's

1:09:42dropped the last 10 years, every year

1:09:45for 259. The second document is the ACT

1:09:49scores. They've dropped for Witchaw

1:09:52every year for 10 years. were the lowest

1:09:55in the region. And this document right

1:09:57here is a master plan that was given.

1:10:00It's a $2 billion master plan. This is

1:10:03the first step. They want us to approve

1:10:06something to get the process started.

1:10:09It's all driven by the architects and

1:10:11the contractors. They're the ones that

1:10:12are actually producing the documents.

1:10:15They're the ones that will make the

1:10:17profits off of this bond. We need to

1:10:20vote no. We need to come back to reality

1:10:22as a community. this is not going to

1:10:24solve the problems that they claim. I

1:10:27thank you for your time. If you got some

1:10:29questions, I'll be glad to stand for a

1:10:30question.

1:10:33>> Thank you, Walt. Council member Ho High

1:10:35School.

1:10:35>> Thank you, Mayor. I appreciate you

1:10:37coming up and expressing your point of

1:10:39view, Walt. Um,

1:10:42we know that public school is the

1:10:44hardest to educate. It's one of the

1:10:47things that makes our country unique is

1:10:49the fact that we try and educate every

1:10:50student. So, I guess I would ask you,

1:10:54especially with the number of people

1:10:55moving out of the district or going to

1:10:58other schools, do you think that voting

1:11:01no on the bond issue will actually help

1:11:03our children, help educate our children?

1:11:07>> Well, bring us back to reality. We're

1:11:09not going to solve the instructional

1:11:12competence of our kids. They don't have

1:11:14any incentive right now to perform.

1:11:18We don't have the expectation because

1:11:20you're going to get promoted to the next

1:11:22grade level whether you pass exams or

1:11:24not. We have kids that are absent a

1:11:28third or more of the time and they still

1:11:30are promoted to the next grade level or

1:11:32given a diploma.

1:11:34Now, this is not just Witchaw public

1:11:36schools. This is all over America. We

1:11:38have so many kids that aren't prepared.

1:11:42We can't compete for jobs in the global

1:11:44economy with that kind of performance.

1:11:46Our kids are precious. We're supporting

1:11:49a concept of an improved learning first

1:11:52because we want to put the focus back on

1:11:54learning and not on building new

1:11:56buildings.

1:11:57>> Well, I I hear you. And what you're

1:11:59talking about is structural reform, but

1:12:01at the same time having the

1:12:03infrastructure to educate our children

1:12:05as a taxpayer, as a property tax or

1:12:08somebody who pays property tax as a

1:12:10homeowner, and as somebody who has

1:12:12children in our educational system. Um,

1:12:15I do want to make sure that they have

1:12:17all the infrastructure that they need.

1:12:19So, I think there's a separating the

1:12:22issue from structural reforms that

1:12:25you're talking about as opposed to the

1:12:28infrastructure that we need.

1:12:30>> Thank you for making that distinction,

1:12:31Mike. Here's what's really going on.

1:12:34I've attended every one of the board

1:12:36meetings for the last three years. I've

1:12:38gone to the financial oversight

1:12:40committee when they've met.

1:12:42They talked about the school district

1:12:44said they had $1 billion in deferred

1:12:47maintenance. They don't. That whole list

1:12:50of 4,000 line items was compiled by

1:12:53contractors. And it goes clear back to

1:12:55the 1900s up to 2030.

1:12:59Things that aren't broken are in that

1:13:01list. When the financial oversight

1:13:02committee met, they said, "Well, these

1:13:04aren't deferred. These aren't things

1:13:06that were broke you decided not to fix."

1:13:08So when I go to the board meeting, I see

1:13:11every month Senate agenda that has 20

1:13:14million, 30 million on it. And you look

1:13:16at the items, most of those aren't

1:13:18things that are affecting kids learning

1:13:20or are actually necessary repairs.

1:13:25For example, you have $330,000 for new

1:13:28curtains in the auditoriums of a bunch

1:13:30of the schools. Who cares whether you

1:13:32have new curtains or not? You have

1:13:34$40,000 for polishing concrete. Another

1:13:38was about 57,000 for putting up new

1:13:41fencing behind the the home plate of the

1:13:44junior varsity over at East High. I

1:13:47mean, this kind of stuff just bugs the

1:13:48heck out of me. Why are we spending

1:13:50money on things that aren't broken that

1:13:52don't have any effect on kids learning?

1:13:54And then you want to come and say, well,

1:13:56we got to have a bond issue when the

1:13:58bond issue is primarily for these

1:14:00contractors to go out and build new

1:14:02buildings when the ones we've got we

1:14:05need to maintain and take care of. So,

1:14:07yes, the facilities are important. We

1:14:09have the money to fix them, over 90

1:14:11million. We're not spending our money

1:14:14wisely, and we have a whole bunch of

1:14:16people in the school district that are

1:14:18able to sign off on projects that have

1:14:21nothing to do with the urgency we have

1:14:23as a as a community.

1:14:25>> So, we've got to really be much more

1:14:27approached of what are the priorities.

1:14:31Is it to have all this money go out

1:14:33before we actually take care of the

1:14:35major issues like some of the air

1:14:36conditioning or are we going to take

1:14:38care of what we've got with what we

1:14:41already receive?

1:14:42>> Well, I know with climate change and the

1:14:43raise rising of temperatures 90° 100°

1:14:47into September, um there's a need for

1:14:50air conditioning. And I also know when

1:14:52we took a look at Jardine because we

1:14:55were looking at making that a community

1:14:56center by our standards that was $20

1:14:59million of maintenance that it need to

1:15:01be caught up on. So that's one school.

1:15:04So I I again I appreciate you coming up

1:15:06and sharing your perspective. Um I just

1:15:11again I want to make sure that our

1:15:12children have all the tools and that

1:15:15includes the infrastructure as well. So

1:15:17>> well Mike thank you for that. Again, all

1:15:19of us are voting no are on the same

1:15:22page. We want the facilities to be taken

1:15:24care of. As homeowners, I've got repairs

1:15:27on my house. You probably do, too. Most

1:15:29of the houses in our city of the older

1:15:32type need repairs. That's common. Things

1:15:35break. You fix them. You don't go to

1:15:37your neighbors and say, "Okay, I don't

1:15:39have enough money right now. Would you

1:15:40take care of it for me? Would you uh

1:15:43give me a brand new house, by the way,

1:15:45because I don't have air conditioning

1:15:47that works? This is ridiculous. We've

1:15:49got to start focusing on what it is that

1:15:51we really need.

1:15:52>> We're talking about our kids getting air

1:15:54conditioning, not private residents. And

1:15:57that's falls on all of us to to ensure

1:16:00that they have a safe

1:16:03place that they can actually focus on

1:16:05education and I do believe air

1:16:07conditioning is part of that.

1:16:09>> Well, it is. We already have air

1:16:10conditioning in most of our schools. We

1:16:12spent millions and millions of dollars

1:16:14and if you've got a problem in a

1:16:15particular classroom, if it's too hot or

1:16:18too cold, you fix thermostat in that

1:16:21room or you take care of the control

1:16:23valve that's bringing the heat or the

1:16:25cooling into that particular classroom.

1:16:28You don't say the whole building needs

1:16:29to be condemned and start over. That's

1:16:32what's going on. And we don't need that

1:16:34as a way for taxpayers to come ahead and

1:16:37try to bail out the school district

1:16:39because they didn't make good decisions.

1:16:42>> Appreciate you all.

1:16:43>> Yeah. Thank you so much. Anybody else

1:16:45got a question?

1:16:48>> Thank you, Walt.

1:16:49>> Thank you for your time. And please read

1:16:52the information. It comes directly from

1:16:53the state department of education.

1:16:56That's the source. It's like Johnny

1:16:58saying, "Well, gosh, I thought I did

1:17:00really good on my exams." And yet you go

1:17:03to the teacher and say, "All right,

1:17:04here's your actual score. This is what

1:17:07the state has recorded and is available

1:17:10to anybody to find. It's not

1:17:12misinformation. It's accurate data.

1:17:14Thank you.

1:17:15>> Thank you, Madame Clerk. Please call the

1:17:18next individual."

1:17:19>> Ben Seymour, USD 259 school bond

1:17:22proposal.

1:17:36Good morning, mayor and members of the

1:17:38council. My name is Ben Seymour, and I'm

1:17:40speaking today on behalf of Improve

1:17:42Learning First. I appreciate the

1:17:44opportunity to share our perspective on

1:17:46the upcoming US 259 school bond

1:17:48elections set for Tuesday, November 3rd.

1:17:51Uh we want to be clear from the start.

1:17:53We care deeply about Witchaw students,

1:17:56teachers, and we recognize that our

1:17:58city's school buildings are aging. Our

1:18:00concerns are not about motives.

1:18:03They are about process, price, and

1:18:05results. We believe the current $650

1:18:08million bond proposal is premature and

1:18:10incomplete. And we are asking voters to

1:18:12vote no so the district can bring back a

1:18:14more specific, transparent plan. We

1:18:17bring this to the city council today

1:18:19because of your direct role in this

1:18:21process. The proposed land swap

1:18:23surrounding MLAN Elementary and Coline

1:18:25Park is contingent on this 650 million

1:18:29bond passing. The district has presented

1:18:32a tenative concept to the park board,

1:18:34but the but the uh binding agreement and

1:18:36your council vote will take place only

1:18:38after the election. Voters are being

1:18:41asked to approve a major bond before

1:18:43critical details are public.

1:18:45Neighborhood residents have raised valid

1:18:47open questions about potential street

1:18:49widening the long-term upkeep costs of a

1:18:52community center in the old MLAN

1:18:55gym and whether alternative rebuild

1:18:57sites were evaluated. Furthermore, while

1:19:00the district plans to expand MLAN to a

1:19:02four section school, no boundary maps,

1:19:06no boundary maps or enrollment

1:19:08assignments have been published to show

1:19:10which students will fill those

1:19:12classrooms. Asking citizens to approve a

1:19:15project first and reveal the operational

1:19:17and neighborhood impacts later is the

1:19:19wrong sequence.

1:19:23Second, let's look at the tax math. USD

1:19:25259 is presenting question one, a 47

1:19:28million ask as having quote no tax

1:19:31increase unquote. But the plain fact is

1:19:33that homeowners currently pay a 7.5 mil

1:19:36levy from the 2008 bond issue which is

1:19:39scheduled to expire in 2029. On a

1:19:42$200,000 home, that levy costs roughly

1:19:46$172 a year. Passing question one

1:19:49extends that debt and cancels $172

1:19:53in scheduled property tax relief.

1:19:57Question two adds an additional $50 a

1:20:00year on that same home. Furthermore,

1:20:02this $650 million principal request is

1:20:05merely step one of a broader $2.07 07

1:20:08billion draft facility plan and step one

1:20:11itself grew to 165 million since it was

1:20:15introduced in 2024. Meanwhile, district

1:20:18revenue grew 35% between 2018 and 2024,

1:20:22reaching over 921 million, and the

1:20:25district currently holds about 92

1:20:26million in unencumbered capital outlay

1:20:29cash. The case that these projects can

1:20:31be only funded through new debt has

1:20:33simply not been made. Finally, we must

1:20:36look at the relationship between capital

1:20:37spending and student achievement. In

1:20:402008, Witchaw voters approved a $370

1:20:42million bond package. Yet, over the

1:20:45decade, from 2015 to 2024, Witchaw's

1:20:48math proficiency gap behind the Kansas

1:20:51State average widened on a consistent

1:20:53scale from 12.6 points to 17.1 points.

1:20:58Look at Mueller Elementary, which

1:21:00received a brand new building under the

1:21:012008 bond. In 2025, Mueller posted just

1:21:058.3

1:21:078.3% proficiency in math and 18.2% in

1:21:11English compared to state averages near

1:21:1439% and 45% respectively. And new

1:21:17building planning did not prevent those

1:21:19low outcomes. Over that same period,

1:21:22licensed classroom teachers in the

1:21:24district fell by 212, while

1:21:27non-classroom staff grew by 536.

1:21:31We are not advocating for a no plan. We

1:21:33are asking for a better plan, a no vote

1:21:36on November 3rd asked the school

1:21:37district to come back with a sequenced

1:21:40transparent proposal where boundary

1:21:42maps, site impacts, and land swap

1:21:45details are published before asking

1:21:46taxpayers for 615 million. I end my

1:21:50comments with a quote from John Adams

1:21:521765. Quote, "Liberty cannot be

1:21:54preserved without a general knowledge

1:21:56among the people who have a right and a

1:21:58desire to know." Thank you for your

1:22:01time.

1:22:03>> Thank you, Ben.

1:22:06>> Madame Clerk, please call the next

1:22:08individual.

1:22:09>> Robert Fletcher, not being allowed in my

1:22:12residence during Prairie Fire Run and

1:22:14St. Patrick's Day.

1:22:24Mr. Fletcher.

1:22:27I see none. We will now open it up for

1:22:32three individuals who would like to

1:22:33speak before the council.

1:22:51Mayor Woo, city commissioners. My name

1:22:53is Charlie Harris. I live at 252 South

1:22:56Bleckley. I'd like to address to you

1:22:59today my concerns concerning the Bleley

1:23:01drainage project, which I oppose.

1:23:05Although we disagree about the project,

1:23:06I'd like to thank Commissioner Shepard

1:23:08for arranging for myself and Dr.

1:23:10Roseworm to be able to address you

1:23:12directly about this project. I've

1:23:14actually lived on Bleckley since 1965

1:23:17when my family moved to Witchah. After a

1:23:20brief stint in the army and law school,

1:23:22my wife moved back to Witchah. We looked

1:23:25in one neighborhood to live, Crown

1:23:27Heights. We purchased in 1979 our

1:23:29forever home. We raised our three

1:23:31children. They went to Hyde, then went

1:23:33to Robinson. It was a wonderful

1:23:35neighborhood. It is a wonderful

1:23:36neighborhood and was recently declared

1:23:38to be the third best neighborhood in the

1:23:40Witchaw metro in which to live. Bleckley

1:23:43Drive was constructed by the WPA project

1:23:46in 1937. Prior to that was a dry creek

1:23:49bed extending to 13th Street. Since its

1:23:52construction, although it there are

1:23:53drainage tubes under the street, they're

1:23:55not big enough to handle all the water

1:23:57during a heavy rain. And yes, Bleckley

1:23:59does flood, but the water on Bleley is

1:24:02not a flash flood. It goes up slow and

1:24:05goes down slow. And within a couple of

1:24:07hours after the rain, it is gone. The

1:24:11people that live on Bleckley considered

1:24:12the flooding a minor inconvenience.

1:24:16During the time I've lived on Bleley,

1:24:17I've seen everything that mother nature

1:24:20can throw at us, including a

1:24:21thousand-year flood. The years the

1:24:24houses on Bleley are mostly built in the

1:24:2640s. The yards are built up. The houses

1:24:28are never in danger. But the powers of

1:24:31bee at the city have declared this to be

1:24:33a public safety issue. I disagree.

1:24:36No one has drowned on Bleckley since it

1:24:38was constructed in 1937. What you have

1:24:41is a stupidity issue. The only person ad

1:24:44persons adversely affected by the

1:24:46flooding are those people who insist on

1:24:48driving past the signs that say turn

1:24:49around, don't drown into a flooded

1:24:52street that's visible or the people who

1:24:54ignore the weather forecast and park on

1:24:56the street. You can see the water

1:24:58moving. Two weeks ago, we had a 2 and

1:25:011/2 in rain. It was a downpour. Bleley

1:25:03flooded about two feet up into the

1:25:05yards. There were white caps on the

1:25:08water. And yet, someone made the

1:25:10decision to ignore the signs and drive

1:25:12into the runway. And yes, their car got

1:25:15flooded. The city has told us that

1:25:17Bleley floods eight times, 8 to 10 times

1:25:19per year. The remaining 355 days out of

1:25:23the year, it's dry. The city's solution

1:25:25is is a two to three-year project that

1:25:28will completely excavate Bleckley and

1:25:30install eight 16 ft culverts under the

1:25:32roadway and that they've also admitted

1:25:35their solution will not completely

1:25:37resolve the flooding to provide access

1:25:40to the residents during this project.

1:25:42The city proposes to put 8 foot wide

1:25:45asphalt strips on each side of the block

1:25:48running up and down for access. no

1:25:51compensations being offered uh to for

1:25:53the impact on the overall value of our

1:25:55homes. All they want to do is pay for

1:25:57specific items such as trees, sprinkler

1:25:59systems, or imprinted roadways. Not

1:26:02surprisingly, a third of the 79

1:26:04residents on Bleley have not accepted

1:26:06the city proposal. Those refusals are

1:26:08what necessitates the request today for

1:26:11you to authorize the condemnation

1:26:12lawsuit.

1:26:14A significant majority majority of the

1:26:16people on Crown Heights do not want

1:26:18this. But there's another reason the

1:26:20residents are outraged by this city

1:26:22plan. The city has announced that it

1:26:23needs to install new utility lines and

1:26:25sanitary sewers along Bleckley. They

1:26:28have the rideway that extends 15 ft up

1:26:30into the yards. The city is l that

1:26:32Bleckley is lined by 89 established

1:26:35trees. Some are 90 years old, 75 ft

1:26:38tall. If you drive down Bleckley, it's

1:26:40like driving through a tunnel. The city

1:26:42has announced its intention. They're

1:26:43going to cut all of those trees down. Of

1:26:46course, they proposed to put in 4-in

1:26:48saplings to replace them. I'm not going

1:26:51to be around to see those trees grow to

1:26:52maturity. The interest contradicts the

1:26:55city's plan. They have three programs to

1:27:00encourage people to plant trees. So, our

1:27:02neighborhood uh met a couple of weeks

1:27:04ago. The city has refused to consider

1:27:07every other option for this 37 million

1:27:10project, including electric arms going

1:27:12across the crossways.

1:27:14Um, and our big concern is it's not yet

1:27:17been bid. Phase two is the trees. Phase

1:27:21three is the actual excavation. We don't

1:27:23know how much it's going to cost. The

1:27:25$37 million budget that they have

1:27:27projected is four years old. We want

1:27:30them to ascertain what it's going to

1:27:33cost and to determine that they have in

1:27:36fact the money to pay for it. Um, I

1:27:40stand for you before you in opposition

1:27:42to this project. I feel a little bit

1:27:44like Don Coyote tilting at windmills. I

1:27:48never anticipated I'd have to fight the

1:27:50city over my own property, but I

1:27:53obviously was wrong. I ask you to put

1:27:56this back. Let's give it some more

1:27:58consideration. Let's look at other

1:28:00options. Don't take our trees. Thank

1:28:02you. I'll take any questions.

1:28:05>> Thank you, Charlie.

1:28:11We have space for two more individuals

1:28:13if anyone would like to speak.

1:28:20Good morning. My name is Dr. Karen Irene

1:28:23Countryman Roseworm. I live at 137 South

1:28:26Bleckley and my husband Robert and I

1:28:29have lived there along with our two

1:28:30children for 25 years. And my husband

1:28:34actually unfortunately could not be here

1:28:35today. He's done a lot of research on

1:28:37this project, but he's actually on the

1:28:38Kansas Honors Flight. You know, it's

1:28:41interesting that today we've talked a

1:28:43lot about homelessness, public schools,

1:28:45all these things. I've come up through

1:28:46all of that in Witchaw, Kansas, y'all.

1:28:50I'm watching what's going on in Chapen

1:28:52Park. And I'm one of those kids. I was

1:28:55one of those people. And never would I

1:28:57have thought in my wildest imagination

1:29:00that I'd go through everything I've gone

1:29:02through and own my home and be fighting

1:29:05for my life, for my home, for our

1:29:09sanctuary, for our safety and our

1:29:12stability.

1:29:15You know, in doing so, all this time

1:29:17that we've spent over the last couple of

1:29:18years, we along with many others have

1:29:20shared extensive amount of research and

1:29:23evidence with you all. Thus, I ask for

1:29:26you to refer to all of that as you move

1:29:29forward with your decision-making. I'm

1:29:30not going to go over all of that today.

1:29:32For now, I simply just want to briefly

1:29:34skim the surface on four key points.

1:29:38Number one, think about our physical

1:29:40safety. from the risk of falls into the

1:29:4320 feet pits that will be dug in in our

1:29:45front yards

1:29:47to

1:29:49you know due to these temporary roads

1:29:51errant vehicles driving into the

1:29:53bedrooms where we or god forbid our

1:29:56children sleep. I ask for you to look up

1:30:00studies on projects such as this in

1:30:02other communities around the United

1:30:04States that these are facts these are

1:30:06realities of things that actually

1:30:07happen. In fact, just last week on

1:30:11Glendale, one block east of Bleckley, a

1:30:14high-speed police chase, resulted in a

1:30:17car running up into the yard of our

1:30:19neighbor's home. If this would have

1:30:22occurred on the temporary road that you

1:30:24all plan to build just feet from my

1:30:27daughter's bedroom, the vehicle would

1:30:29have been halfway through her bedroom.

1:30:32This is a reality. There are cases that

1:30:34have happened like this in Witchah, and

1:30:36I'm sure you all are aware.

1:30:38Second is our health. We have researched

1:30:41and shared significant amount of

1:30:43information regarding the exposure to

1:30:45dust, particullet, and toxic chemicals,

1:30:48particularly when there's no trees to

1:30:51gather those particullet.

1:30:53demonstrating the reality of these

1:30:55concerns. Just this past Saturday, in

1:30:58response to Chase Billingham's post on

1:31:00our neighborhood Facebook page about you

1:31:01all proceeding with imminent domain, a

1:31:04woman named Christy Benton wrote the

1:31:06following, and I'm going to use her

1:31:07quote that is still up. Quote, "I had to

1:31:11live with phase one, noise, dust,

1:31:14traffic, and destruction of my property.

1:31:16asphalt dumps, constant cleanup of messy

1:31:19workers trash, and if you drive down

1:31:21there, and I know that you recently

1:31:22have, Mayor Woo, there are rocks and

1:31:25sand and debris. It looks trashy." She

1:31:28continued on in her quote, "There is a

1:31:30negative health exposure with all the

1:31:32concrete dust. I was pretty much sick

1:31:35this past year with severe respiratory

1:31:38issues."

1:31:39Do you all want to be responsible for

1:31:42severe respiratory issues, some of which

1:31:45you cannot resolve later on? And we've

1:31:47spoke to many functional doctors and our

1:31:49primary healthcare providers about this.

1:31:52Third, the devaluation of our homes.

1:31:54Again, you've received s significant

1:31:56information on this and even what can

1:31:57happen with the removal of trees,

1:31:59increased utility costs that people will

1:32:00not want to live there that previously

1:32:02would have wanted to live in our

1:32:04wonderful neighborhood. Building on

1:32:06this, at minimum, the reality is that

1:32:08excavation sends lateral vibrations that

1:32:10will absolutely damage our home. Our

1:32:13home was built in 1938.

1:32:15And then fourth, the inability to even

1:32:17access our homes. And again, when you

1:32:20look at projects such as the water

1:32:22plant, right, where you project that it

1:32:24might take two or three years, it ends

1:32:26up taking quite a bit longer. So, we

1:32:28don't know how long. And just over the

1:32:30past several months, numerous neighbors

1:32:32who live through phase one, which wasn't

1:32:34near as extensive of what our phases

1:32:36will be, have shared that they

1:32:38frequently were unable to get to and

1:32:40from their homes, particularly during

1:32:42the dark winter, cold months. There were

1:32:46evenings when many could not return home

1:32:48with groceries or others who had to miss

1:32:50work the following day because they

1:32:52could not get to their vehicles.

1:32:54While parking a a block away for some

1:32:56may be possible, this is not an option

1:32:59for others with various physical

1:33:00limitations.

1:33:03You know, unfortunately, Joseph

1:33:05Shephard, you um inherited this this

1:33:07project, and I want to thank you for

1:33:09just your recent attempts to gather and

1:33:11share information. However, at this

1:33:14point, you know, the way in which this

1:33:16project has been conducted thus far,

1:33:18folks feel demoralized and there's a

1:33:20lack of trust here. So I ask you all to

1:33:23just pause and reconsider, dig into the

1:33:26research, seek input from EPA, USDA,

1:33:29National Arbor, investigate and get bids

1:33:32on micro tunneling, pipe jacking, right?

1:33:34There's so much that we've presented.

1:33:37Also, I continue to extend my

1:33:38invitation. I did not hear a response

1:33:40back from my email that I sent to many

1:33:42of you on September 16th. There's still

1:33:44I have not received a response. And I

1:33:46invited you all to come to our home. See

1:33:49what a young person who was once

1:33:51homeless in Witchah has built in a in a

1:33:53property that I own. Come see my

1:33:55gardens. Come have a drink with me on my

1:33:56porch and get a sense of what it you

1:34:00would feel like if somebody was digging

1:34:02a 20ft pit in your front yard and

1:34:04putting a temporary road this close to

1:34:05your child's home. Thank you so much for

1:34:07not just hearing my head, but hearing my

1:34:09heart.

1:34:11And I'll take questions.

1:34:13>> Thank you, Irene.

1:34:16Council member Shepard.

1:34:17>> Thank you, Mayor Karen. So good to see

1:34:20you. Appreciate your passion. Um have

1:34:23had opportunity to see your passion for

1:34:25a very long time now. So I know when you

1:34:26come forward and you talk about these

1:34:28things, you're not it's not performative

1:34:30outrage and and I certainly understand

1:34:32where you're coming from. I'm looking

1:34:34through my email though and I don't it

1:34:36may have gone to junk. Our server is

1:34:38very

1:34:40too good at times at bumping things to

1:34:42junk, but I'd be happy to come out and

1:34:45uh take you up on that drink on your

1:34:46porch. Yeah.

1:34:47>> And uh I've also been in the area. I've

1:34:50been in conversation with public works.

1:34:52Actually, the last uh major rain that we

1:34:54had, I drove down there specifically to

1:34:57see how the project was working. Um I've

1:34:59gotten out. I've had the opportunity to

1:35:01speak with residents and uh I've

1:35:03followed up with the director of public

1:35:05works, Gary and Paul, um to also engage

1:35:08in a lot of the uh conversations that

1:35:11we've been having as a community. In

1:35:13addition to that, I'm happy to forward

1:35:15you what I sent out on Monday to some of

1:35:16the residents who provided their email

1:35:18to me. It uh consists of about 15 core

1:35:22themes after synthesizing all the data

1:35:24and disagregating the data that I've

1:35:25heard, synthesizing it into 15 core

1:35:28themes. And uh I'm meeting with public

1:35:30works next week or coming weeks to uh go

1:35:34through some of the the ways in which I

1:35:36hope we can proceed to address many of

1:35:38the concerns that you've shared, but

1:35:39also your neighbors have shared as well.

1:35:41I was going to pull the item for further

1:35:44discussion today, but it's actually on

1:35:46number eight, I believe, is going to

1:35:48give us the opportunity to hear from

1:35:50Paul and I do have some questions for

1:35:51Paul and many of those things that

1:35:53you've mentioned. I will make sure that

1:35:54I ask those questions.

1:35:56>> Thank you. And if you need any of that

1:35:57language and other people to reach out

1:35:59to or specific research, we'd be happy

1:36:01to share that with you.

1:36:03>> Council member Hoha.

1:36:04>> Erin, I

1:36:06sorry, Mayor.

1:36:07>> Sure. Vice Mayor Glascock first. here.

1:36:10And I just also wanted to echo

1:36:12Councilman uh Shephard's um remarks that

1:36:15I did not get your email. So, if you

1:36:17could reforward that um I found you on

1:36:19Facebook Messenger, so I sent you my

1:36:21email, but I would love to come out and

1:36:22maybe Joseph and I can come out at the

1:36:24same time.

1:36:25>> Yes. And thank you for getting back with

1:36:27me. Um regarding trees, as as Charlie

1:36:30mentioned, there's programs that support

1:36:32the planting of trees while ours are

1:36:34being removed. So, thank you,

1:36:37>> Council Member Hoheisel.

1:36:38>> Thank you, Mayor. Just want to

1:36:39reiterate, I checked my email. I think

1:36:42we tried to be pretty responsive and I

1:36:44just don't see any.

1:36:45>> You were not on the email, so

1:36:46>> Oh, okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate

1:36:49that.

1:36:50>> I was just able to find your email in

1:36:52spam, so we

1:36:53>> I'm like, I know you received it.

1:36:55Somebody had to. So, thank you. And

1:36:58again, I I extend that invitation very

1:37:00seriously. Um because I think it's one

1:37:02thing to look at these projects on paper

1:37:04and theoretically. It's another thing to

1:37:06come and and sit in people's homes and I

1:37:09know a lot of folks even who have signed

1:37:11the the agreements uh for lack of better

1:37:15terms that doesn't mean that they are

1:37:17for the project. Many of folks have are

1:37:19continuing to speak up and say we felt

1:37:21like there was no option or taking

1:37:23$1,000

1:37:25for the the harm that we're going to be

1:37:27exposed to is better than not having the

1:37:28chance to have anything at all. Right?

1:37:30They don't feel like they have voice.

1:37:32Many people feel very stuck and forced

1:37:34into the situation.

1:37:37>> Thank you.

1:37:37>> Thank you.

1:37:38>> We have space for one more individual.

1:37:42I see none. I'll bring it back to the

1:37:44bench. Thank you to the four public

1:37:46speakers today, including Thank you,

1:37:49Charlie, for being being a veteran. I

1:37:51appreciate uh your service to our

1:37:53country. Um I do know that council

1:37:56member Shepard's going to pull an item

1:37:58from consent.

1:38:01So I I don't see a need to pull the land

1:38:04acquisition from consent because number

1:38:06eight is actually a discussion on the

1:38:08supplemental design agreement related to

1:38:10Bleley and I believe I'm looking at

1:38:12attorney Maggaya that it would be gerine

1:38:14for us to ask questions related to

1:38:16Bleley instead of pulling something from

1:38:17consent.

1:38:19>> I will beg to differ with you just for

1:38:21legality reasons because consent agenda

1:38:24item number 11 is specifically a minute

1:38:27domain.

1:38:27>> Sure. I'm happy to pull if

1:38:29>> is that happy to pull it. So then we

1:38:31have one portion eminent domain and then

1:38:34uh new business is actually the project

1:38:37itself. So I think it would be

1:38:39appropriate. So if the two guest

1:38:40speakers want to continue uh staying

1:38:43this will be pulled um and just for

1:38:45awareness uh about three years ago we

1:38:48started pulling items from consent which

1:38:51are then have the opportunity for public

1:38:53comment again.

1:38:56All right, with that I see no more

1:38:58comments regarding public agenda. Madame

1:39:00clerk, please call the next item.

1:39:02>> Consent agenda items 1 through 18.

1:39:06>> Council members, any items to be pulled?

1:39:10I will council member Shepard.

1:39:12>> Thank you, Mayor. And just per our

1:39:14discussion and per my commitment to the

1:39:16residents who I have the opportunity to

1:39:18represent, um I'm going to pull agenda

1:39:20item number I want to say 1124A.

1:39:30It's the partial acquisition of 4910

1:39:32East Central Avenue for phase three of

1:39:34Bleckley Drive drainage improvement.

1:39:36Charlie, was that what you were

1:39:37expecting to pull that? Just a thumbs up

1:39:39would be good.

1:39:40>> Yes, those two.

1:39:41>> You got it. Which sorry, which item

1:39:43again?

1:39:44>> It's number 11. Sorry, I said two.

1:39:46Number 114A.

1:39:48>> Consent agenda item number 11. Thank

1:39:49you, Council Member Sheepard. I just

1:39:52have a couple of ones for

1:39:56clearing the uh consent agenda item

1:39:59number six

1:40:02and consent agenda item number 12.

1:40:10Okay, with that I will go ahead and move

1:40:14to approve all consent agenda items

1:40:17without consent agenda items number 6,

1:40:2011, and 12.

1:40:22>> Second.

1:40:23>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

1:40:25Madam clerk, please open the role.

1:40:28I

1:40:39>> motion passes 70. We'll go in sequential

1:40:42order beginning with uh agend consent

1:40:45agenda item number six. Uh this was to

1:40:49uh correct the record. Council member

1:40:52Tuttle voted for the family promise week

1:40:55proclamation.

1:40:58So, we just want to correct that record.

1:41:00I

1:41:01>> I think if I may, I might have missed

1:41:04the vote, but I would like to vote for

1:41:06it if that's appropriate.

1:41:08>> My bad. Uh, Council Member Tuttle would

1:41:10like to vote in favor of family promise

1:41:13week proclamation. So, then it will

1:41:16reflect a 70 on that item.

1:41:20Okay. Uh, any further questions from the

1:41:23bench? Uh we will now open it up for

1:41:26public comment regarding this item

1:41:28consent agenda number six. Seeing no one

1:41:30from the audience, we'll bring it back

1:41:32to the bench. With that, I will move to

1:41:34approve consent agenda item number six.

1:41:37>> Second.

1:41:37>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

1:41:40Madame clerk, please open the role.

1:41:44>> I.

1:41:46>> Motion passes. 70. M. The next item is

1:41:49consent agenda item number 11.

1:41:53acquisition by eminent domain of tracks

1:41:55required for the Bleley Drive drainage

1:41:58improvement project in district one.

1:42:01Can we have uh someone from development

1:42:05services or real estate come forward and

1:42:07just share uh where we're at in terms of

1:42:11why imminent domain is now necessary.

1:42:19>> Good morning. Jerry Ford, real estate

1:42:21administrator.

1:42:23The item before you today is a petition

1:42:27and ordinance, resolution and ordinance

1:42:29for the initiation of Eenement domain

1:42:32action on the Bleley drainage project

1:42:34phase 2 corridor. The project itself has

1:42:38approximately 80 tracks whereas 23 of

1:42:41the 80 are currently still outstanding.

1:42:45While the city continues to work with

1:42:47property owners as much as we can, um we

1:42:51do anticipate that we will not be able

1:42:53to acquire all the properties through

1:42:55acquisition negotiation and therefore

1:42:58it's necessary to initiate the enem

1:43:00domain item.

1:43:04>> Council member Shepard.

1:43:06>> Thank you, Mayor. And again, Jerry,

1:43:08thank you. Pulled this item because of

1:43:11course the mayor thought it was

1:43:12important and was asking been asked by

1:43:15residents to do that, but I know that

1:43:16you and I have had a lot of conversation

1:43:18and I just want you to share um have you

1:43:21knocked doors?

1:43:22>> Yes. Okay.

1:43:23>> What other levels of communication have

1:43:25you done to try to reach residents?

1:43:28>> In addition to our consultant uh being

1:43:31on the on the ground and in the field uh

1:43:34trying to uh work with property owners,

1:43:36our office has sent letters. We have

1:43:39knocked on doors and we have tried to uh

1:43:43we've communicated with property owners

1:43:44with email that we've been able to

1:43:46identify and have attempted to call

1:43:49property owners by phone.

1:43:51>> Um and Jerry in in the case that maybe

1:43:54the owner of the property list on the

1:43:57website or however we get our or the

1:43:58Sedick County website or however we get

1:44:00our information is not the resident that

1:44:02lives there. What have we done to try to

1:44:04communicate with the right person who

1:44:06may have more autonomy to make decisions

1:44:10about this particular cost?

1:44:13>> Our acquisition negotiations are with

1:44:15the owners and so we do contact the

1:44:18owners themselves.

1:44:20>> And final question, I've had an an

1:44:22opportunity to converse with some

1:44:24residents. um what is the process if

1:44:27they feel that what they're being

1:44:29offered is not in alignment with the

1:44:32inconvenience or just what they're going

1:44:34to experience to the project. We heard a

1:44:35previous speaker speak to that.

1:44:38Who should they contact? What are those

1:44:41conversations like?

1:44:43>> Yeah. So, we are willing to work with

1:44:46property owners. Property owners know

1:44:48their properties best. And so if there

1:44:50is something that is not appropriately

1:44:52or adequately addressed, uh we work

1:44:55through that with the property owner to

1:44:57to identify what those issues are um and

1:45:01to establish a try to reach an amicable

1:45:05value for that measure of damage.

1:45:09You're welcome.

1:45:11Jerry, can you talk about um what has

1:45:14been done regarding actual easements has

1:45:19especially temporary versus permanent

1:45:22easements? What have you guys done in

1:45:24terms of the city to try to reduce that

1:45:27um footprint?

1:45:28>> Yeah. So the project itself comes to us

1:45:31as designed as we need to have it as

1:45:34it's the easements are design developed

1:45:36as it is needed to facilitate the

1:45:38project itself. In a couple of

1:45:41instances, there have been opportunities

1:45:44where design has been altered. Um, but

1:45:47that sometimes changes the need for an

1:45:50easement, may reduce an easement, but it

1:45:52might increase an easement elsewhere.

1:45:55Um, or the easement area will stay the

1:45:57same and maybe the anticipated impact to

1:46:00the project is lessened.

1:46:03>> One of the concerns we heard from uh

1:46:05residents is devaluation of property.

1:46:09Can you talk about how that will or will

1:46:13not I know that that is uh an a guess

1:46:17but can you talk about since you work in

1:46:19uh real estate what could this do to

1:46:22properties?

1:46:23>> You have to look at these on an

1:46:25individual basis and on a per property

1:46:27to be able to accurately respond to

1:46:29that. But in general, the project

1:46:32corridor itself with these easements

1:46:34being temporary in nature um with full

1:46:37restoration intended uh we do not

1:46:40anticipate that there is a devaluation

1:46:43of of value to the property itself.

1:46:47>> And then because this is specifically to

1:46:49imminent domain, we don't get this

1:46:51often. Uh this basically is um the last

1:46:55resort. Can you share how will property

1:46:58owners be compensated? So you're not

1:46:59just taking the property, correct?

1:47:01>> You will be compensating.

1:47:03>> That is correct. So in the enem domain,

1:47:06there are three persons that are

1:47:07appointed to represent um the property

1:47:11owners and the city at the same time. So

1:47:13three individual persons will be

1:47:15appointed as courtappointed appraisers.

1:47:18There will be a hearing that is set for

1:47:20property owners and their

1:47:22representatives to have an opportunity

1:47:24to visit with the courtappointed

1:47:26appraisers on site and a property owner

1:47:30can have all the discussion they need to

1:47:32with those prop those courtappointed

1:47:34appraisers to express their concerns.

1:47:36the the the real estate itself is what

1:47:39is considered in the uh the

1:47:41courtappointed appraisers are

1:47:42considering the value and the impact as

1:47:45to the real estate and not the project

1:47:47itself. They don't discuss design

1:47:49changes. Um but those courtappointed

1:47:52appraisers are the ones that assign a

1:47:54value and that is the value that the

1:47:57city pays in. Now either party has the

1:48:00opportunity to appeal that if they don't

1:48:03feel that that award is adequate.

1:48:06Sorry, a lot of these questions because

1:48:08again this is very serious when we as a

1:48:12city vote on imminent domain um because

1:48:15I believe in property rights and so I

1:48:17want to know uh when it comes to this

1:48:20going to imminent domain and now you'll

1:48:22have three individuals that will be

1:48:26speaking with property owners and you

1:48:28said no design changes at that time. Is

1:48:30this the time to do any design changes

1:48:32because you just mentioned one property

1:48:34owner was able to negotiate and then the

1:48:37easement became smaller.

1:48:40>> Well, the easement was Yes, it was it

1:48:43was smaller and then it caused another

1:48:45easement to be increased on another

1:48:47property.

1:48:50>> Does that mean that if there are any

1:48:52design changes, they should be now

1:48:54instead of during imminent domain? I

1:48:57believe I would let engineering speak to

1:48:59when design changes can occur.

1:49:14Good morning, Mayor Paul Gumsman, Public

1:49:16Works and Utilities. And that was going

1:49:18to be part of my um discussion in in

1:49:21item number eight. But yes, we have been

1:49:23working as we have met with some of the

1:49:25the property owners. We have made some

1:49:27design changes um in order to um

1:49:31hopefully help save some trees along the

1:49:34especially on the private side. The ones

1:49:35in the RA in the radius or in the in the

1:49:38rideway will need to be removed. But we

1:49:41are um have made some changes um to

1:49:45hopefully save some of the trees on the

1:49:47private side. So we have made some

1:49:49adjustments to the plans in order to do

1:49:51that.

1:49:52>> My concern with that is I just want to

1:49:54make sure that if this passes as moving

1:49:58forward with imminent domain that if

1:50:00property owners that are still the ones

1:50:02there 23 parcels that have not said yes

1:50:05yet that they still have an opportunity

1:50:07to basically negotiate uh what will

1:50:11still happen with their property. If

1:50:13this goes into effect, does that mean

1:50:15that they will no longer be able to

1:50:17negotiate?

1:50:20>> We will continue to work with property

1:50:22owners throughout the whole process.

1:50:28>> Thank you. I just want to make sure that

1:50:30again there are only two property owners

1:50:33here right now and there are 23 parcels

1:50:36that still have not said yes. Um, so I

1:50:40just want to know that that process

1:50:42still continues despite if we all vote

1:50:45yes on this.

1:50:46>> Yes, we still will work with property

1:50:48owners throughout the process. We can um

1:50:51negotiate up until the day of actual

1:50:53hearing itself.

1:50:56>> Thank you. You're welcome. This question

1:50:58is for Paul. I know we're going to talk

1:51:00about this uh item number eight, but the

1:51:03project is $36 million maximum. So

1:51:06there's not going to go

1:51:09another increase regarding this $36

1:51:12million.

1:51:12>> Correct. That that is what is programmed

1:51:15within the capital improvement program.

1:51:17That is the budget 36 million.

1:51:18>> And does that include the property

1:51:21acquisition and negotiations because

1:51:23some of them are going above even market

1:51:26value

1:51:27>> right at this time? Yes. Um you know

1:51:30it'll include design construction of

1:51:32phase one so far and and what's

1:51:33estimated what you know phase two. That

1:51:36is the budget we will have within item

1:51:39number eight. That'll be um asking the

1:51:41city council to approve the remaining

1:51:45budget within the CIP

1:51:47for a total of 36 million.

1:51:50>> Thank you. I see no further questions

1:51:53from this bench. We will now open it up

1:51:55for public comment on consent agenda

1:51:57item number 11.

1:52:02>> Thank you. Charlie Harris, 252 South

1:52:04Bleley. Um,

1:52:07I want to explain to you what what is

1:52:09going on here as far as the city

1:52:11proposal. As a as a property owner, I in

1:52:14January I received a proposal was for 60

1:52:16approximately $6,200.

1:52:18Uh, a portion was for the temporary

1:52:20easement, which is three-year easement.

1:52:23That means they can keep that strip on

1:52:25my yard for three years. That's right in

1:52:29my front yard. They were also at that

1:52:31time proposing to take two trees up in

1:52:33my yard. All of the proposals that they

1:52:36have made are for specific items. They

1:52:38do not address the value reduction of

1:52:41this project. This is a potentially

1:52:43three-year project. I think they're

1:52:45going to say that it's going to be less

1:52:47on each block, but the easements for

1:52:49three years, so I have to assume it's

1:52:51potentially three years.

1:52:54Um the problem that they have with the

1:52:58uh way that they've negotiated, it's all

1:53:01specific amounts. It's take it or leave

1:53:04it. They do have some discretion, but

1:53:06the only discretion that comes up is

1:53:08when somebody comes up with I have a bid

1:53:10for my uh my sprinkler system. They're

1:53:14cutting my sprinkler system. Will you

1:53:16endorse? So, they've gone up. As as far

1:53:18as I know, the highest amount that

1:53:20they've paid is $25,000.

1:53:22The lowest that they paid is $200 and

1:53:25they're all basically the same with some

1:53:28variance because of trees or the one

1:53:30that got 25,000 had an imprinted uh

1:53:33sidewalk. But the bottom line is this

1:53:36project is going to last for however

1:53:38long it lasts is going to be a total

1:53:40excavation and they're putting in these

1:53:43little temporary roads. It's an 8 foot

1:53:44wide strip along each side. I don't know

1:53:49how thick it's going to be, but on our

1:53:51street, for example, when we have an

1:53:53emergency, they don't bring the squad 51

1:53:56pickup. They bring the big fire truck. I

1:53:59don't know how long a road like that

1:54:01will hold up to a 40,000lb truck. Um,

1:54:05and uh the vibration, the dust. We

1:54:09already experienced that with phase one.

1:54:10it's going to be a lot worse for phase

1:54:13uh the phase two which is cutting all

1:54:16our trees which we strongly oppose. They

1:54:19say that they have made adjustments.

1:54:21They have made some adjustments but they

1:54:23certainly to me aren't considering other

1:54:26ways that they could change the

1:54:28configuration of the roadway. You know

1:54:30they proposed to put in an 8 by6 ft

1:54:32pipe. Well, that's in the middle of the

1:54:35road. That leaves a little bit on the

1:54:37side. And then they're going to dig up

1:54:39into the rideway to put the piping and

1:54:41whatever they have to do. I said, "Well,

1:54:43why don't you put in a 12 by 12? That's

1:54:46the same amount of water it could hold.

1:54:49It would be a lot narrower and you could

1:54:51do more digging in the street." They

1:54:53don't want to consider that electric

1:54:55arms versus the other uh options that

1:54:58they want. The last thing I want to

1:55:00point out is the gentleman said 36

1:55:03million is the cap. Folks, they've been

1:55:05proposing that number for four years

1:55:09now. They have not bid this project and

1:55:12I don't think they have a clue as to how

1:55:14much this thing is going to cost under

1:55:17present dollars with the inflation and

1:55:19the rising costs of materials, things

1:55:21like that. The citizens on the street

1:55:24are very concerned that phase two is cut

1:55:28the trees. They come in, they cut the

1:55:30trees, and then they find out it's going

1:55:31to be $50 million and they don't have

1:55:33the money to pay for it. So, they cancel

1:55:36the project. We lose our trees. They

1:55:39don't care.

1:55:41That's the kind of thing that we're

1:55:43dealing with. So, that's why many of us

1:55:45have rejected their proposals. uh we are

1:55:48going to go to condemnation. In the

1:55:50condemnation process, the standard is

1:55:53fair market value of your property value

1:55:57after the taking.

1:55:59Just imagine on blely for the next three

1:56:02years, people aren't going to be able to

1:56:04sell their house. They're not going to

1:56:06be able to rent their house. Uh so I

1:56:10don't know what it's going to do for

1:56:11value. Uh Miss Ford says it's not going

1:56:13to reduce the value. She's not on our

1:56:16street. She didn't know. Um I think that

1:56:20there clearly common sense tells you it

1:56:23is going to reduce the value. Nobody

1:56:25would want to buy facing that kind of a

1:56:28situation. We have somebody that's put

1:56:30their house on the market recently.

1:56:32Normally houses sell like hotcakes. It's

1:56:34been about a month now that house hasn't

1:56:36sold. Thank you.

1:56:39Question.

1:56:40>> Thank you.

1:56:43We

1:56:49just to kind of draw out a couple of the

1:56:51things that Charlie just mentioned. I

1:56:53mean, when this project started, we were

1:56:55shown these beautiful videos that we

1:56:57were going to get much larger trees,

1:56:59right? And to Charlie's point, $36

1:57:02million, the the plan has changed where

1:57:05we're getting these little saplings,

1:57:06right? Um, Charlie again mentioned the

1:57:09reality that there's not even a bid on

1:57:11this. So, why tear out our trees when we

1:57:14don't even really know what the next

1:57:16phase will look like, exactly how long

1:57:18it will last. Um, many of us have jobs

1:57:21that could take us anywhere. Um, for me

1:57:23it's DC at any point and what am I going

1:57:26to do during those three years when the

1:57:28project is continuing. Talk about

1:57:30devaluation of home. We are literally

1:57:32stuck in that situation. So again um I

1:57:35ask you all to look into some of these

1:57:37other solutions that we've proposed

1:57:39rather than the way in which the project

1:57:41is proposed right now or you know the

1:57:43reality is that this is going to proceed

1:57:45in a manner where many of us are are

1:57:47saying we don't want to move we don't

1:57:49want to sell our homes but please buy us

1:57:52out then buy our homes so that we can at

1:57:55least escape the dangers and the harms

1:57:57that this project will bring us and our

1:57:58families.

1:58:02I see no one else from the community who

1:58:04would like to speak on this item. I will

1:58:06bring it back to the bench. Uh this is

1:58:09consent agenda item number 11 and does

1:58:12reside in council member Shepard's

1:58:13district. Uh before I pass it to him, I

1:58:16simply want to say that I pulled this I

1:58:19wanted to pull this item because again

1:58:20imminent domain is a very serious topic.

1:58:23Um, and I wanted to make sure that

1:58:25number one, there will continue to be

1:58:27open conversations with property owners

1:58:30regarding uh valuation of their home and

1:58:32any negotiations, but also that it's on

1:58:36the record that this project will not

1:58:38exceed $36 million. And with that,

1:58:41because of those two things, I will be

1:58:43voting in favor. Council member Shepard.

1:58:46>> Thank you, Mayor. And

1:58:49I'm going to ask this question now

1:58:51because I believe it's germanine to

1:58:52this, but it feels like we're being I

1:58:54hate to feel like we're being redundant

1:58:56knowing that it's number eight. Uh

1:58:58previous speaker spoke about buying

1:59:00homes. Why are we not offering to

1:59:03purchase homes?

1:59:09The nature of the project itself it

1:59:11these are the work is being most of the

1:59:14work is being done within the existing

1:59:16rights of way. The city of Witchah would

1:59:20only typically purchase a property in

1:59:22its entirety when we are getting into

1:59:26those types of improvements.

1:59:28These properties in this corridor were

1:59:31just mostly acquiring temporary

1:59:33construction easements to facilitate

1:59:35construction.

1:59:38>> You're welcome.

1:59:40>> Thanks, Mayor. I um

1:59:44I've spoken about this a lot. I I

1:59:46there's no doubt in my mind this project

1:59:48is an inconvenience for you all. And I I

1:59:50would be a fool to sit here and try to

1:59:52make it seem like it's not. And I'm torn

1:59:55here because as I've said, it's a much

1:59:57needed project in my opinion, but it's

2:00:00also coming at the inconvenience of many

2:00:02of the residents specifically on Bleley.

2:00:05And so my commitment has been and will

2:00:08continue to be and I I hear people all

2:00:09the time say I've inherited this project

2:00:11and I've maintained I don't care how

2:00:14I've come into something. It's my

2:00:15responsibility now to try to make it

2:00:17right um or to make it better. Um and

2:00:20I'm and I'm trying to do that. And so

2:00:22with that being said, uh to the mayor's

2:00:24point, I know our staff have heard me

2:00:27loud and clear when I say I want to

2:00:29document every single concern and I want

2:00:33to make sure we are working one by one

2:00:36to see what we can do. The answer on

2:00:38those concerns may be there's really not

2:00:39much we can do about this, but I'm going

2:00:41to continue to ask the questions. In

2:00:43fact, I've sent them over a 28page

2:00:47document uh that public works is looking

2:00:50through right now. So, I want you all to

2:00:51know that I hear you and I and I'm

2:00:53trying. And I know I hear you means

2:00:56nothing if action doesn't follow up. So,

2:00:59give me some time and I hope my actions

2:01:01will align with what you are wanting to

2:01:03see from your representative. With that

2:01:05said, mayor, I move that we approve the

2:01:07acquisition, approve the budget, and

2:01:08authorize the necessary signatures.

2:01:11>> Second.

2:01:12>> Motion second. Further discussion?

2:01:14Seeing none, madame clerk, please open

2:01:16the role.

2:01:19Hey.

2:01:21Motion passes 70. Madam, sorry. Consent

2:01:25agenda item number 12 is a correction to

2:01:29the actual item. Uh the bid tabulation I

2:01:33believe says 244,725,

2:01:38not 244,735.

2:01:41So I just want to make sure that that is

2:01:44corrected.

2:01:48Can someone from public works

2:01:51Make sure that that's accurate. The

2:01:53green sheet was incorrect

2:01:55compared to the tabulation which was

2:01:58attached to this green sheet.

2:02:14Paul Gunzelman, public works and

2:02:16utilities mayor, you are correct. The

2:02:18bid tab did show 725 and agenda item

2:02:217:35. So, we'll get that corrected.

2:02:23>> Thank you very much, Paul. With that, no

2:02:26further questions regarding this item.

2:02:29Uh, open for public comment regarding

2:02:32this item. Seeing none, bring it back to

2:02:34the bench. This resides in council

2:02:36member JB Johnson's district, but I'll

2:02:38go ahead and move the item. I move to

2:02:40approve the acceptance of the lowest bid

2:02:42at 244,725.

2:02:46>> Second. Motion second. Discussion.

2:02:49Seeing none. Madame clerk, please open

2:02:50the role.

2:02:53>> I

2:02:54>> motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

2:02:56call the next item.

2:03:01>> Contracts dated October 12th, 2026.

2:03:05>> Morning, mayor, city council. Josh

2:03:07Lober, Department of Finance. Uh we have

2:03:08seven items for your consideration today

2:03:11after the board convened October 12th,

2:03:132026 for the following. Engineering is

2:03:16storm water sewer number 837 South

2:03:19Ashley Park and West Harmony Street,

2:03:216201 West Brookview Street, storm sewer

2:03:24repairs for utility maintenance

2:03:26contractors LLC in the amount of

2:03:28$244,725

2:03:30is subject to approval of your new

2:03:32estimate and budget authorization just

2:03:34recently. [snorts]

2:03:35For purchasing, we have Bare Routt Trees

2:03:38contract for Schneidles Nursery

2:03:40Incorporated for an estimated annual

2:03:42usage of $84,567.

2:03:47We have the on call street light and

2:03:49traffic system maintenance and repair

2:03:50contract for TLS Group Incorporated for

2:03:54the rates listed for one year with four

2:03:56one-year options to renew.

2:03:58We had the irrigation improvements

2:04:00project at Auburn Hills Golf Course and

2:04:03Tex Consulver Golf Course for VM Golf

2:04:07Services Incorporated for an aggregate

2:04:10total of $4,83,959.50.

2:04:15And [snorts] for we have the Leadcast

2:04:17subscription software service for Trenix

2:04:20Incorporated for a 2-year aggregate

2:04:22total of $246,466.

2:04:27And for airport, we have the Axon tasers

2:04:29and their subscription for Axon

2:04:31Enterprise Incorporated for 5-year

2:04:33aggregate total $149,992.

2:04:38And we have the liquid deicer for

2:04:40runways contract change order for

2:04:42Nature's Alpine Solutions LLC for an

2:04:45estimated annual usage of $78,840.

2:04:50This is how to become a vendor with the

2:04:52city. This is our purchasing calendar

2:04:54small business resource partner events.

2:04:56the city will be hosting or

2:04:57participating in in the community. And

2:05:00these are open public opportunities out

2:05:02on the street today. And I would

2:05:04recommend your approval and be happy to

2:05:05take any of your questions.

2:05:08>> Thank you, Josh. Questions for staff?

2:05:10See none, I will go ahead and move to

2:05:13approve the board of bids and contracts

2:05:14dated October 12th, 2026.

2:05:18>> Second.

2:05:18>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

2:05:20Madame clerk, please open the role.

2:05:26Motion passes 70.

2:05:28Madame clerk, please call the next item.

2:05:33>> Petitions for public improvements.

2:05:37>> Good morning again. Paul Gunsman, public

2:05:39works and utilities. For the record, I

2:05:40have a new and revised petitions for

2:05:43your consideration this morning.

2:05:46The signatures on the petitions

2:05:48represent 100% of the improvement

2:05:50districts and the petitions are valid

2:05:52per Kansas statute. Greenwich Heights

2:05:55edition located in district two. The

2:05:58project will provide water, drainage,

2:06:02storm water, sanenetary sewer, and

2:06:05paving improvements for multiple phases

2:06:07of a new residential development

2:06:10and to cover the cost of a private bid

2:06:14and revised petitions for 47th Street

2:06:17edition located that should be in

2:06:20district 4. On December 23rd, 2025, the

2:06:23city council approved water and paving

2:06:25improvements required for a new

2:06:27residential development. The developer

2:06:29has submitted revised petitions with

2:06:31revised budgets to reflect current

2:06:33market conditions.

2:06:35It is recommended that the city council

2:06:37approve the new and revised petitions

2:06:39and budgets, adopt the new and amending

2:06:42resolutions, and authorize the necessary

2:06:44signatures. Stand for questions.

2:06:48>> Thank you, Paul. Questions for staff? I

2:06:51see none. With that, I'd move to approve

2:06:53the petitions for public improvements.

2:06:55>> Second.

2:06:56>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

2:06:58Madame clerk, please open the role.

2:07:05>> Motion passes. 70. Madame clerk, please

2:07:07call the next item.

2:07:09>> Request to set a public hearing for a

2:07:11tax increment financing district and

2:07:13adoption of a redevelopment plan for a

2:07:15business park, Witchaw Kellogg LLC.

2:07:24uh you know uh good morning uh Corey

2:07:27Nisley with uh you know with uh you know

2:07:31with uh development services. Today I

2:07:34have uh two uh presentations for you. Uh

2:07:37the first one is the first step into uh

2:07:44you know into uh developing a new uh

2:07:47tiff district in district 4. So, just a

2:07:50little bit of background on uh December

2:07:53uh you know 16th of uh 2025

2:07:56uh uh you know the city council uh

2:08:02uh

2:08:04uh

2:08:06uh sorry my stutter uh you know like

2:08:08approved uh DA you know to develop uh

2:08:12the former uh uh you know a town west

2:08:16mall into a business park. This site has

2:08:19seen its fair share of challenges

2:08:23uh you know within the last year. And so

2:08:25though the uh developer uh came in and

2:08:29uh you know it wants to fill in a gap of

2:08:32these different uh office spaces uh to

2:08:35bring more uh you know like uh of those

2:08:39spaces here and fill in that gap. Since

2:08:42uh

2:08:44uh since uh 2025, different substantial

2:08:49uh

2:08:50uh you know like improvements have been

2:08:52made uh to the site and uh one of the uh

2:08:56tenants uh you know have signed

2:09:00uh you know like a lease and that is uh

2:09:02Protect. Uh, Protect is a uh, service

2:09:06company who focuses uh, uh, uh, you

2:09:09know, in compliance uh, kind of in like

2:09:12the bofuel and a lot of other uh,

2:09:17uh, you know, uh, companies as well. So,

2:09:20consistent with the DA uh, the the like

2:09:22developer is now coming back to formally

2:09:26uh, seek the uh, creation of the TIFF

2:09:28district.

2:09:30So just talking a little bit about tiff

2:09:32because um uh uh just to you know uh

2:09:38refresh people's minds is that

2:09:41you know is that a tiff district works

2:09:43to where the uh base value of the uh

2:09:48properties you know uh within that tiff

2:09:51district are frozen you know uh you know

2:09:54during the 20-year term you know like of

2:09:58a tiff district you you know uh because

2:10:00of the new uh

2:10:04uh you know uh development that goes

2:10:06there you know those uh new uh you know

2:10:10generated taxes will be um

2:10:15uh you know given back to the uh

2:10:16developer uh for a uh tiff cost cap for

2:10:20like each project uh you to help with a

2:10:23different uh tiff cost to make the

2:10:25project you know uh viable. Um and so

2:10:29the tiff does not

2:10:31uh you know like increase uh taxes. It

2:10:35uses the taxes uh that are gained from

2:10:39the project being uh developed uh you

2:10:41know and after the 20-year term yeah uh

2:10:45you know all the property tax goes back

2:10:47to the school county uh city and the

2:10:51state. So for our uh visual uh people uh

2:10:56this is the uh basic uh tiff model uh uh

2:11:00you know that I uh uh just uh detailed

2:11:04you know uh d you know the uh tax base

2:11:08is frozen of what the uh current taxes

2:11:10are for that year uh you know then after

2:11:12the 20 years there is a new tax base for

2:11:14that parcel. So within the DA uh the the

2:11:20private

2:11:21uh you know capex is about 50 uh you

2:11:25know uh 50 uh you know 50 uh you know uh

2:11:30million dollars uh

2:11:33uh you know with the TIF cost cap being

2:11:3513 uh uh uh you know which will be uh uh

2:11:40you know uh you know you know

2:11:47uh you know uh reimburseed to the uh

2:11:49developer uh you know on a pay as you go

2:11:52basis. There are some uh compliance uh

2:11:57uh you know uh matrix that are uh within

2:12:00the DA uh with those are that uh

2:12:03construction has to be uh completed uh

2:12:06you know within four years of the

2:12:07creation of the TIFF district and that

2:12:10uh uh you know and that business park

2:12:12has to have a 50%

2:12:16uh

2:12:19uh you know tenants

2:12:21uh you know

2:12:23uh you know uh within that five years of

2:12:25the creation of the tiff district. So uh

2:12:30just like I said uh during the start of

2:12:32the presentation this is uh you know one

2:12:34of the first steps to uh to like uh

2:12:38develop a tiff district. uh per statute.

2:12:41Uh

2:12:43uh statute uh

2:12:46uh you know uh needs a uh formal public

2:12:50comment

2:12:52uh you know for the establishment of the

2:12:54tiff district. That date is attentively

2:12:57scheduled for like uh December 1st uh

2:13:00pending today's

2:13:03uh you know like uh uh you know like uh

2:13:06presentation uh uh you know like uh

2:13:10after the uh formal uh

2:13:14uh you know public comment uh you know

2:13:17the city council may

2:13:20uh you know like establish the t

2:13:21district and the district plan. So, uh

2:13:25just like I said, the uh TIFF will be on

2:13:28a pay as you go basis and the city uh

2:13:33uh you know will not have uh debt for

2:13:35this project

2:13:37and is with that that I uh stand for

2:13:39questions. Uh so I will say that the

2:13:42developer uh you know could not uh you

2:13:45know come today uh but uh uh but uh the

2:13:49developer has confirmed that like he

2:13:51would be here on uh December 1st to

2:13:53prepare a presentation and just explain

2:13:55the project.

2:13:59>> Thank you very much Corey. Questions for

2:14:01staff. Um I submitted questions ahead of

2:14:04time uh to staff. Uh the question I

2:14:06really just wanted to make sure that we

2:14:09understood was uh does this property

2:14:12continue paying its current property

2:14:14taxes prior to these improvements and if

2:14:17so what was the assessed value?

2:14:20>> Uh yes the uh property uh

2:14:23uh you know continued to pay taxes for

2:14:26the 2025

2:14:28uh you know uh taxes uh the assessed

2:14:31value was around

2:14:33uh 3.4 4, you know, uh 3.4, you know,

2:14:403.4,

2:14:41uh, you know, uh, you know, 3.4,

2:14:46you know, a million dollars. And the

2:14:48taxes paid were about 279,000.

2:14:54[clears throat]

2:14:54>> And again, that is what they'll continue

2:14:56paying uh, moving forward. Um, and so,

2:14:59and one last question I also asked, um,

2:15:02via email was, "What are the eligible

2:15:05costs for this tip district?" Um, and

2:15:08you responded with um

2:15:11acquisition at 10.9 million, landscaping

2:15:14at 292,000,

2:15:16parking lot repairs at 1.1 million,

2:15:20exterior sidewalk repairs at 198,000,

2:15:24exterior light lighting improvements at

2:15:2761,000, and site signage at 294,000,

2:15:31which comes up to just under the 13

2:15:34million of eligible costs. Thank you

2:15:36very much for the answers. With that, I

2:15:39see no further questions from this

2:15:41bench. We will now open it up for public

2:15:44comment on this specific item.

2:15:47I see none. I'll bring it back to the

2:15:49bench. This resides in council

2:15:51member/fice

2:15:53mayor's district number four.

2:15:56>> Hey, mayor. Uh, thank you. I would be

2:15:58honored to make this motion. In

2:15:59addition, I wanted to highlight two

2:16:00specific points, and Corey hit on them,

2:16:03but they're also in the agenda packet

2:16:04for the public. that different measures

2:16:06have been incorporated into the

2:16:07agreement and the two that stand out to

2:16:09me uh complete the construction within

2:16:11four years following the creation of the

2:16:12tiff district and obtain 50% occup

2:16:16occupancy within 5 years following the

2:16:18creation of the tiff district. I know

2:16:19when we had our economic development

2:16:21workshop a couple weeks ago. Those were

2:16:23two very uh key points that we wanted to

2:16:26put into consideration. I'm glad that

2:16:28they're part of this agreement and I

2:16:30look forward to the hearing on December

2:16:321st. And so with that, I'll make the

2:16:33motion that we adopt the resolution

2:16:35setting the public hearing for December

2:16:371st, 2026 for the consideration of the

2:16:40establishment of a tiff district and

2:16:42adoption of the district plan and

2:16:44authorize the necessary signatures.

2:16:46>> Second

2:16:47>> motion second discussion. See none.

2:16:50Madame clerk, please open the role.

2:16:54>> I

2:16:56>> motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

2:16:58call the next item. Public hearing and

2:17:01request for approval of a letter intent

2:17:03to issue industrial revenue bonds for

2:17:05the Kansas African-American Museum

2:17:06Incorporated.

2:17:11Uh my uh second you know uh presentation

2:17:15is uh you know you know uh is an ask

2:17:18from uh TCAM for a sales tax

2:17:22uh you know uh for a sales tax uh you

2:17:27know sales tax uh sales tax you know

2:17:32uh

2:17:34sales tax uh you know like abatement um

2:17:37and so just Talking a little bit about

2:17:39the background, TCAM is currently uh you

2:17:42know

2:17:45uh redeveloping the former uh you know a

2:17:48Sunflower Bank. Um TCAM bought the

2:17:51building in uh 2021. Uh and I believe

2:17:54the building closed uh sometime in that

2:17:58spring of uh 2021. Uh uh and um so far

2:18:03they have made um some different

2:18:08uh you know like improvements to the

2:18:10building uh uh uh uh you know and this

2:18:12was funded through a uh state of Kansas

2:18:15grant and various uh private uh you know

2:18:19uh donations because of the uh grant uh

2:18:24you know timeline um you know TCAM has

2:18:28uh committ since the first phase of uh

2:18:31construction because of the uh uh uh uh

2:18:34because the grant uh stated that all

2:18:37funds of the um uh uh you know had to be

2:18:42uh dispersed by like the end of uh 2025.

2:18:46And so to help in the uh rest of the uh

2:18:50development costs because um because of

2:18:54all the uh rising costs uh TCAM uh you

2:18:58know is asking for bonds for about 4.8

2:19:00uh you know 4.8 uh you know 4.8 uh you

2:19:06know 4.8 eight, you know, a million

2:19:10dollars, you know, for a sales tax. Uh,

2:19:14uh, uh, you know, and the sales tax

2:19:16there is, uh, valued at, uh,

2:19:21uh, you know, 360,000.

2:19:24And so this is our uh standard uh you

2:19:27know uh standard

2:19:29uh you know uh

2:19:33uh you know you know uh disclaimer for

2:19:36these uh types of projects. There are no

2:19:39uh taxpayer dollars uh that um that are

2:19:43at risk for this project. And is with

2:19:46that that I stand for questions. Uh uh

2:19:48but before we uh uh you know uh get to

2:19:51questions, Mayor uh Shane Carter is here

2:19:54today and uh he would like to share just

2:19:56a couple slides about the project.

2:20:06Thank you, Corey. I appreciate your hard

2:20:07work on this project. Good morning,

2:20:09mayor and city council. Thank you for

2:20:10having me today. My name is Shane Carter

2:20:13and I serve as the executive director of

2:20:14the Kansas African-American Museum. Um,

2:20:16I would be remiss to not also um let you

2:20:19know that I have with me today Ted Ays

2:20:20who's our our president-elect as well as

2:20:23the campaign chair. Ted has committed a

2:20:25lot of time not only to TCAM but this

2:20:27project and has served not only as

2:20:28executive director but uh as the board

2:20:30chair on previous occasions. Before I

2:20:33begin, I want to express our sincere

2:20:35gratitude to the city of Witchah. Um not

2:20:37only for your support of TCAM and our

2:20:39capital campaign, but also for the arts

2:20:41and cultural funding. It's very

2:20:42important to our programming and to our

2:20:44organization and what we do. The city

2:20:47has been an important supporter of our

2:20:48capital campaign and has also provided

2:20:51annual support to TCAM through arts and

2:20:53culture funding funding and we are

2:20:54extremely grateful for the investment

2:20:56and the confidence the city continues to

2:20:58place on our organization. We work we

2:21:00work hard to make good use of these

2:21:02dollars that support us and help us grow

2:21:04the organization, expand our programming

2:21:06and establish meaningful partnerships

2:21:08with the city of Witchah and across the

2:21:10state of Kansas.

2:21:12In just the past 16 months, under my

2:21:13leadership, we've provided more than 50

2:21:15educational opportunities for learners

2:21:17of all ages while engaging in new

2:21:19partnerships that are helping extend

2:21:21TCAM's reach beyond Witchah.

2:21:24For us, that is what partnership and

2:21:25public investment should accomplish. It

2:21:27should create opportunities, strengthen

2:21:29organizations, and ultimately extend the

2:21:31benefit to more people.

2:21:34And today, we're asking you to help us

2:21:36take another step forward. What you what

2:21:39you will see here on my slides are the

2:21:40the design the new home at 2011 North

2:21:42Main for TCAM.

2:21:51This is much more than moving our museum

2:21:54to one building. This is an opportunity

2:21:56to create a permanent cultural and

2:21:57education destination in the heart of

2:21:59downtown Witchah. As you can see on the

2:22:01slides here, uh not only is the downtown

2:22:04location increase our visibility and

2:22:05accessibility, uh within our current

2:22:07location, as you guys are probably

2:22:09aware, uh parking, uh accessibility as

2:22:12far as ADA compliancy, visibility, um

2:22:14and the ability really to accommodate

2:22:16our guests is just something we we deal

2:22:17with every day, especially with large

2:22:19groups. Um when we're having uh field

2:22:21trips and educational opportunities as

2:22:23well as groups traveling from throughout

2:22:25the state um and really throughout the

2:22:27region, uh we struggle to accommodate

2:22:29their request. Um, we do offer

2:22:31validating parking in the parking garage

2:22:33and we're thankful for Sedwick County

2:22:34and that partnership. But you'll see

2:22:36that the expanded museum capacity will

2:22:38allow us to to not only effectively

2:22:40display our artifacts and exhibitions,

2:22:43but allow for us to interact with

2:22:45multicultural and multigenerational

2:22:47opportunities.

2:22:51This is much more than moving the

2:22:53museum. This opportunity creates a

2:22:54permanent and cultural educational

2:22:56destination in the heart of downtown

2:22:57Witchah. And the new facility is

2:22:59approximately 22,000 square feet that

2:23:02allow for not only um being able for

2:23:05traveling exhibits but for additional

2:23:06educational programs. And we believe

2:23:08this project represents not only the

2:23:10future of TCAM but becomes another

2:23:12important cultural asset for the city

2:23:14and for Witchah.

2:23:20When we look at the public benefit uh we

2:23:22talk about this project one of the most

2:23:23important questions that I feel is what

2:23:25does Witchah receive in return? For us,

2:23:28the answer is very clear. We envision a

2:23:30year-round culture and education

2:23:31destination with exhibitions, school

2:23:34programs, lectures, performances,

2:23:36community conversations, and special

2:23:37events. Our professional market studies

2:23:40project that more than 45,000 visitors

2:23:42visitors annually will attend once the

2:23:45new facility is completed. Those

2:23:47visitors don't experience the museum in

2:23:48isolation. They come downtown. They

2:23:51visit restaurants and businesses. They

2:23:52experience other attractions. And they

2:23:54bring students, families, visitors into

2:23:57the center of our city core.

2:24:00But this return isn't only economic.

2:24:01There's also tremendous cultural and

2:24:03education value, educational value in

2:24:05creating a place where people can learn

2:24:07about the African-American experience

2:24:08and the significant contributions

2:24:10African-Americans have made to Witchah,

2:24:12Kansas, and our nation. Our goal is to

2:24:16build a museum that welcomes people from

2:24:17every background and every generation.

2:24:20And the return of this investment is

2:24:21both economic and cultural.

2:24:25When you look at the the museum as far

2:24:27as the immersive and interactive design,

2:24:29you'll see that TKM not only will this

2:24:32provide different experiences for

2:24:33visitors, but our goal is to create an

2:24:35immersive, interactive, engaging museum.

2:24:37Rather than simply asking visitors to

2:24:39look at artifacts and read about

2:24:40history, we want them to experience

2:24:42history.

2:24:43Through multimedia and interactive

2:24:45environments, technology, and hands-on

2:24:47educational opportunities, we can engage

2:24:49students, families, and lifelong

2:24:50learners in new ways. Our exhibits will

2:24:53explore important stories of migration,

2:24:55civil rights, entrepreneurship, arts,

2:24:57culture, and community leadership.

2:25:00Ultimately, we want someone to leave

2:25:01TCAM not simply saying, "I learned

2:25:03something." We want them saying that I

2:25:05want to return and experience this

2:25:07again.

2:25:09When we look at the IRB at a glance

2:25:12and trying to explain why this request

2:25:14matters,

2:25:16there are really three numbers on this

2:25:17slide. Um I I definitely have to give

2:25:19honor and and a lot of respect to my

2:25:22previous our predecessor Denise Sherman.

2:25:24She put in a lot of hard work as you

2:25:25guys can know um in her role in raising

2:25:27these funds, not only private funds but

2:25:29but also uh public dollars. And I

2:25:32believe that Corey spoke to the Sprint

2:25:34grant that we received from the state of

2:25:35Kansas and Department of Commerce.

2:25:38This IRB would allow us to remove

2:25:41$360,000 in estimated sales tax savings.

2:25:44And TAM is not asking the city to

2:25:46finance the museum or provide us with a

2:25:47loan. We're requesting that the

2:25:49industrial revenue bond as a mechanism

2:25:51to obtain sales tax exemp exemption on

2:25:53eligible remaining project cost. For a

2:25:56nonprofit organization like ours,

2:25:58approximately 360 $360,000 is very

2:26:01significant.

2:26:03These are resources that can remain in

2:26:05the project and help us to complete the

2:26:06building, exhibits, technology, and

2:26:08overall visitor experience. We have

2:26:10worked extremely hard to secure private

2:26:12and philanthropic support for this

2:26:14project. And we we believe we have an

2:26:16obligation to those donors, partners,

2:26:18and to supporters to stretch every

2:26:20dollar as far as possible.

2:26:23Some may also ask why construction began

2:26:25before the request came in before

2:26:26council. One important factor is that

2:26:29TCAM was awarded the state of Kansas

2:26:30sprint grant and that funding had

2:26:32requirement that had had to be allocated

2:26:35and spent during during the calendar

2:26:37year of 2025 and allowed us to complete

2:26:39the first phase of construction.

2:26:42This IRB request helps us maximize the

2:26:45resources available for the remaining

2:26:46redevelopment work and move this project

2:26:48toward completion.

2:26:53I think in closing what I would suggest

2:26:55is that uh mayor and council members uh

2:26:58TCAM has been entrusted with an

2:26:59extraordinary with extraordinary

2:27:01stories, artifacts and history. But what

2:27:04we are building at 2011 North Main is

2:27:05much more about preserving the past is

2:27:07not is not only about preserving the

2:27:09past. It is about investing in Witchah's

2:27:11future. We are creating a destination

2:27:13for students, educators, and a gathering

2:27:16place for our community. a cultural

2:27:18attraction for residents and visitors

2:27:19and a museum that can help tell the

2:27:21story of Witchah and Kansas to people

2:27:24throughout our state and beyond. The

2:27:26city of Witchah has already been an

2:27:28important partner in the growth of TCAM

2:27:30and I want to say how grateful we are

2:27:31for this partnership. We take that

2:27:33investment very seriously. We want to

2:27:35continue growing our educational impact,

2:27:37developing meaningful partnership

2:27:39partnerships, expanding our reach, and

2:27:41creating something that Witchah can be

2:27:42proud of for generations to come. This

2:27:45IRB provides another tool that allows us

2:27:47to stretch the dollar entrusted to us

2:27:48further and put more of our resources

2:27:50directly into completing this

2:27:52transformation transformative cultural

2:27:54asset. We respectively ask for your

2:27:56support and I thank you for your

2:27:58continued investment in TCAM belief in

2:28:00my leadership and thank you for the

2:28:02opportunity to share our vision with you

2:28:03today. And I would happily uh stand for

2:28:05any questions.

2:28:07>> Thank you Shane and thank you Corey for

2:28:09the presentation. We'll begin with

2:28:11questions from the bench. I have just a

2:28:13couple. First and foremost, thank you so

2:28:16very much, Shane, uh for being a really

2:28:18good partner, especially with um a

2:28:21neighbor down south, which is Tulsa. Uh

2:28:24Greenwood Rising is a partner museum

2:28:28with you all. And I know that the

2:28:29Witchaw Police Department takes its

2:28:32recruits um every single class to

2:28:35Greenwood Rising to understand history.

2:28:38Um once this museum will be on First and

2:28:41Main Street, do you envision that there

2:28:43will be greater opportunities for you

2:28:45all to maybe also be part of that um

2:28:49part of the recruit class training

2:28:52because then they won't have to drive

2:28:54down to Tulsa. They'll get to experience

2:28:55their own um amazing 11 million museum.

2:28:59>> Yes, Mayor. I think uh well, number one,

2:29:01I I I wanted to make that trip with them

2:29:03this year and I can't because

2:29:04something's on my calendar. Um, but I

2:29:05think it's a great opportunity for TCAM

2:29:08to look at the industry standard.

2:29:09Greenwood Rising is a state-of-the-art

2:29:10facility. Uh, Dr. Dwell, their leader,

2:29:12is not only a a mentor of mine, but we

2:29:15believe in collaboration we can

2:29:16accomplish more. So, to answer your

2:29:18question, I think there's two parts

2:29:19there. Um, as we open up our space at

2:29:212011 North Main with a target date of

2:29:23June of 2028, I think that we not only

2:29:26will partner in collaboration with uh,

2:29:28Greenwood Rising, I believe that we do

2:29:30believe we can be the destination uh,

2:29:32location for Witchah Police uh, for

2:29:35cultural and history, not only

2:29:36discussions and training, but to really

2:29:38create um, I would call it a strong

2:29:41partnership in which both uh, respective

2:29:43organizations can benefit. Um, it's been

2:29:45my experience even pre previous to TCAM

2:29:48that being able to have open discussion

2:29:50and dialogue around race relations uh

2:29:53improve not only our community, but I

2:29:55think they improve what the perception

2:29:56is of not only young people but uh all

2:29:58of us taxpayers and how we interact and

2:30:01communicate with our law enforcement.

2:30:02So, I think that it's a great

2:30:04opportunity for TCAM. Um, I have spoke

2:30:05with Andrew Ford and with uh with our

2:30:07chief and I believe that we're on the

2:30:09same page that as TCAM can develop our

2:30:10space that we would definitely uh want

2:30:12to not only take on that role but see

2:30:14how we could grow it.

2:30:17>> Thank you. And Shane, uh, another thing

2:30:19that really excites me is that First

2:30:21Street will be fully activated with from

2:30:24TCAM uh, to the Oreium and beyond. I'm

2:30:29curious how all the museums locally kind

2:30:32of interact together. Um, Oreium was one

2:30:35of also um other nonprofit organizations

2:30:38that this council uh wanted to utilize

2:30:42economic development tools to assist

2:30:44them as well and um now TCAM is asking

2:30:47for that. Can you just share the

2:30:50cohesiveness between all these uh

2:30:52cultural assets in our community that

2:30:54may not be owned by the city but they

2:30:56are definitely assets in our community?

2:30:59>> Yeah, I definitely I can speak to that

2:31:00mayor. So, the attractions council and I

2:31:02have to give Visit Witchah the credit

2:31:03for that. Um, between Susie and Shannon,

2:31:05they head that up. Uh, we meet about

2:31:07bimonthly. Um, sometimes more depending

2:31:10on what's going on. Maybe sometimes

2:31:11we're meeting more uh consistently, but

2:31:13the bottom line is we come together as a

2:31:15group not only to highlight um what we

2:31:17have coming on with programs, how we can

2:31:19partner, um when things are going on

2:31:21such as the Riverfest and other things,

2:31:23how we can come together and be able to

2:31:25utilize resources. Uh I'm aware that a

2:31:28lot of us are fighting for the same

2:31:29dollars, whether if it be through

2:31:30foundation dollars, uh city support,

2:31:33public support, county dollars. Um so

2:31:35that's one way that we were able to get

2:31:36together and collaborate, plan, think,

2:31:39uh strategize. The other piece I'll say

2:31:41is that uh Ben over at the Aviation

2:31:42Museum, at least during my tenure, has

2:31:45done a really nice job of getting all of

2:31:46us executive directors together at the

2:31:48nonprofit level um and being able to

2:31:50talk and strategize about not only um

2:31:52job opportunities, uh ways to utilize

2:31:55different interns, partnerships

2:31:56throughout the state. And so, you know,

2:31:58in my 16 months, I feel like there's

2:32:00really been a lot of synergy amongst the

2:32:01nonprofit leaders. And you know, it was

2:32:04explained to me when you look at kind of

2:32:05the arts and culture corridor on First

2:32:07Street and you go all the way from

2:32:08Exploration Place down to Oreium. I

2:32:10think we're creating an opportunity

2:32:12where somebody out of town visiting,

2:32:14stopping through comes to Witchah and

2:32:16decides to stay for an extra day or an

2:32:18extra half an or extra half a day or an

2:32:20extra evening. And so I'm excited to be

2:32:22a part of that. Um, and I know our team

2:32:24is as well. And our current location,

2:32:26we're kind of just hiding out back

2:32:27there. And as you guys know, if you're

2:32:29traveling, you look on your maps,

2:32:30regardless of what Google, uh, Apple,

2:32:33you know, the location looks like we're

2:32:34sitting inside of the jail. And so it

2:32:36creates some tough dilemmas um, for

2:32:38both, you know, mother and children

2:32:40traveling, out oftowners, uh, because

2:32:42perception becomes reality sometimes.

2:32:44And so I will tell you that I take phone

2:32:46calls. I work many Saturdays and

2:32:48evenings where a lot of times people

2:32:49will say, "Hey, I'm traveling. I see

2:32:51that you guys are open." And I would say

2:32:53that the success rate on those calls

2:32:55sometimes is most times is probably

2:32:56under 50%. And I have reason to believe

2:32:58it's due to some of the parking and some

2:33:01of the perception that's tied to our

2:33:02location. And so you're exactly right.

2:33:04Being on the corner of First and Maine

2:33:06um with a conference room that we

2:33:07actually just started developing, you

2:33:09can look down the main down Main Street

2:33:10and really see the main vein of the city

2:33:12is something that we're extremely

2:33:13excited about.

2:33:16>> And sorry, one more question before I

2:33:17pass it to Council Member Shepard. Um,

2:33:20why is this economic development tool

2:33:22necessary for you all?

2:33:24>> Well, you know, as I've met mayor, I've

2:33:26taken the time to meet with I would say

2:33:28about every one of our donors to this

2:33:30project. Um, and just to bring some

2:33:32clarity to where we're at. When I

2:33:34arrived here at TCAM, we had raised

2:33:36approximately $6 million. There was a a

2:33:38challenge grant through a foundation um

2:33:40that didn't come through, but really

2:33:42wasn't clarity on TCAM side. And so,

2:33:44really that number was really around

2:33:46$5.8 8 million that we had raised when I

2:33:48took the the role in May of 200 heck I

2:33:50guess what 25 um May 12th 2025 and so

2:33:54what I realized as going back and

2:33:56talking to all of our donors Witchah has

2:33:58supported this project both public

2:34:00private um foundations individuals and

2:34:03to be able to go back and check in with

2:34:05all of our donors and share with them

2:34:06that in my 20 years of managing

2:34:08construction projects that I was going

2:34:10to cost value engineer this project to

2:34:12the penny. Um I took some time in May

2:34:14under the support of our our leadership

2:34:16K. Monk Morgan to really understand

2:34:18where every single dollar was going but

2:34:20ultimately how the pro the project and

2:34:22the cost had increased. And so why this

2:34:24becomes critical to our project is

2:34:26because I think it's fiscal

2:34:27responsibility. I think it's

2:34:29understanding the the tools and vehicles

2:34:32that are available for a nonprofit in

2:34:34the state of Kansas. Um this is new to

2:34:36me in the state of Ohio. there's a

2:34:37different role that we would take in

2:34:38being able to make the the the purchases

2:34:41from the contractor tax exempt. Um we

2:34:43work through the Department of Commerce

2:34:44in a different arena. So the IRB is a

2:34:46different tool um than what I'm used to

2:34:48working and understanding, but it allows

2:34:50us to not only stretch the dollars that

2:34:52have been given to us. I think it allows

2:34:54me to go back and our team to go back to

2:34:56our donors and supporters and say that

2:34:57we've been working diligently on cost

2:35:00and on timeline. Um I'll be extremely

2:35:03transparent. A lot of the feedback I've

2:35:04received, good, bad, or indifferent, is

2:35:06this project's been on the docket for a

2:35:08long time. Um, it's been in discussion

2:35:10for, I want to say, five years, and with

2:35:11the purchase of the building in 2021,

2:35:14um, I think there was great vision

2:35:15there. I think that we did a great job

2:35:17fundraising, but this particular

2:35:19opportunity will allow us to bring the

2:35:20cost down by $380,000,

2:35:22allow me to plan for sustainability,

2:35:24also plan for additional staff that

2:35:26we'll need in order to properly staff

2:35:27the building.

2:35:30>> Thank you very much, Shane. Yes, Council

2:35:31Member Shepard. Thank you, Mayor. And

2:35:34Shane, you just articulated very well

2:35:36why these tools are important to not

2:35:38just our business community, but also

2:35:40our nonprofit community that does

2:35:42exceptional work. I love that the mayor

2:35:44is interested in making sure that we

2:35:46bring our law enforcement officers to

2:35:48the the Kansas African-American Museum.

2:35:50Had the opportunity to travel with them

2:35:52and much of the history they're learning

2:35:53in Tulsa, urban renewal, race relations,

2:35:56we can point right here in Witchaw,

2:35:58Kansas, in northeast Witchdaw to

2:36:00understand that history. And so to have

2:36:02those officers being able to serve this

2:36:04community and understanding that it

2:36:05didn't just happen in Tulsa. We have

2:36:07much of that history here, I think opens

2:36:09up the door for a lot of conversations.

2:36:11So, uh, the chief and I have actually

2:36:12been in conversation for about 3 months

2:36:14on how to curate a framework that makes

2:36:17sense and and certainly glad to hear TAM

2:36:19is on board, but I'm not surprised. I

2:36:21just want to say uh, congratulations.

2:36:23You've hit the ground running in this

2:36:24city and you've done phenomenal work.

2:36:26This project may have been going on a

2:36:27long time, but one of the things that

2:36:29I've heard is that um there have been

2:36:31points in which Kansas African-American

2:36:33Museum has started campaigns and

2:36:35unfortunately it did not come to

2:36:36fruition. We are closer than I think we

2:36:39have ever been particularly for this

2:36:41project and I and I'm grateful for the

2:36:43opportunities, but I'm more importantly

2:36:45grateful for the work that I believe

2:36:47TCAM has done to innovate. Museums

2:36:50cannot function in the traditional way

2:36:52that they have that we have just evolved

2:36:54as a society. Um and I think of the

2:36:57trailblazers. Uh when COVID hit, there

2:37:00were a lot of nonprofit organizations

2:37:01who were saying, "What are we going to

2:37:03do?" Our annual fundraiser, which was an

2:37:05in-person banquet, is not going to be

2:37:07able to happen, but we know that that

2:37:08helps us stay out of the red or at least

2:37:11break even. And you all did us one

2:37:13better. you took it international uh by

2:37:16utilizing our our TV stations here. And

2:37:19so I think it's a testament to the work

2:37:21that you all are doing and the

2:37:22innovation that you all are are pouring

2:37:25into this space to ensure we're not just

2:37:27reaching generations of today, but 5

2:37:29years, 10 years from now. And I look

2:37:30forward to being very supportive of this

2:37:32today.

2:37:32>> Yes, sir. Thank you, Councilman Shepard.

2:37:35>> I see no further questions from the

2:37:37bench. Thank you, Shane, and thank you,

2:37:39Corey. We will now open it up for public

2:37:42comment on this item.

2:37:57Madame Mayor, members of the council, my

2:37:59name is Ted Heirs and I we've just moved

2:38:02so you're going to test me. 9911 East

2:38:0521st Street North, Witchah, Kansas. Uh,

2:38:09first of all, I want to echo Shane's

2:38:11comments about appreciation to the city.

2:38:15Uh, the city and the county have been

2:38:16great supporters historically of our

2:38:18museum and we recognize that it's a

2:38:22partnership. And so again, I can't say

2:38:25thank you too many times.

2:38:28I want to also express as a board member

2:38:32and I would tell you that I'm very proud

2:38:35of our board. We have great individuals,

2:38:37great talent, uh great diversity and

2:38:40youth, age, experience, uh and we as a

2:38:45board are very happy, very appreciative,

2:38:49uh and excited that we have Shane K.

2:38:54Carter is our executive director. He has

2:38:57hit the ground running and he's done a

2:38:59wonderful job. has brought so much to

2:39:02this project that uh he's made a real

2:39:05difference in our city.

2:39:07And I will just close with the again the

2:39:10statement Councilman uh Shepard has

2:39:14recognized the role that we do play and

2:39:17that Kansas history can play uh in the

2:39:20future. Uh, I would suggest there's no

2:39:22reason for our police department, our

2:39:24fire department, our city workers to

2:39:26travel to Oklahoma to learn about the

2:39:29African-American experience and the

2:39:31contributions that have been made to

2:39:33American history. So, thank you. And I

2:39:38this this project

2:39:41really is wonderful for the state of

2:39:43Kansas, but certainly for the city of

2:39:46Witchah. And for that we say thank you

2:39:49and appreciate your consideration of our

2:39:51request.

2:39:53>> Thank you Ted.

2:39:55[snorts] I see no further comments. I'll

2:39:58close public hearing and bring it back

2:40:01to the bench and this resides in Council

2:40:04Member Ballard's district.

2:40:07>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh I would just echo

2:40:10all of the comments that um the mayor

2:40:12and council member Shepard mentioned.

2:40:14Thank you so much for your leadership

2:40:16and for your vision. Um really excited

2:40:19about your new uh location and to uh

2:40:23continue to learn more about what what

2:40:24all you guys are doing. So um if none of

2:40:27my colleagues have any more questions, I

2:40:30make the motion to close the public

2:40:31hearing, adopt the resolution, and

2:40:33authorize the necessary signatures.

2:40:35>> Second.

2:40:36>> Motion second. Any discussion? Seeing

2:40:39none, I can I just add one little

2:40:40comment and just say once again, Shane,

2:40:43thank you very much for thinking outside

2:40:46the box and coming to the city and

2:40:49seeing what economic development tools

2:40:51there are to be a partner in that

2:40:54investment that the community and

2:40:56various other partners are coming

2:40:57alongside you to do with TCAM. And so

2:41:00the economic development tools are there

2:41:03for that very reason. And so very

2:41:06supportive of this project. Uh with that

2:41:09we will open it up for the vote.

2:41:16>> I

2:41:16>> motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

2:41:19call the next item.

2:41:21>> Memorandum of understanding with the

2:41:23unified school district 259 for Claude

2:41:25Lamb Park due diligence.

2:41:29>> Council member Shepard.

2:41:30>> Thank you mayor. City attorney. I have a

2:41:32question for you.

2:41:35There there's been some things brought

2:41:36to my attention this morning in regards

2:41:38to perhaps maybe some of my colleagues

2:41:40having additional questions about this.

2:41:42I feel deeply concerned about bringing

2:41:44this up for discussion and then um

2:41:46having that part of our community

2:41:49feeling as if um they've not had a

2:41:51chance to engage with their council

2:41:53members. I would like to table this

2:41:54discussion to spare my neighbors and

2:41:57residents from anything that may be in

2:41:59congruent from the desires of their

2:42:00heart to give our colleagues more time

2:42:02to engage. Can I do that before we even

2:42:05open the door for this to take place?

2:42:07>> Before, you know, you can move to table

2:42:09the item. Um, tableabling takes it off

2:42:11the agenda indefinitely. Um, so if

2:42:13that's what you'd like to do, you just

2:42:14make a motion to table.

2:42:16>> I don't want to table it indefinitely. I

2:42:18have heard from residents um to also

2:42:21include members of the council of elders

2:42:23who I also believe have engaged with all

2:42:25of the colleagues or majority of them

2:42:27about this. But it appears there's some

2:42:29some consternation or questions and I

2:42:31want to I want to respect both them and

2:42:34my colleagues. So I wonder if we don't

2:42:37have council

2:42:40the last week of October, but I'm

2:42:43wondering if we can table this

2:42:44discussion until

2:42:47the 10th of November.

2:42:48>> May I suggest the motion is actually to

2:42:50defer

2:42:51>> defer? Defer. There's two different.

2:42:53Yeah, tables indefinitely. So, you would

2:42:56move to defer until the date you would

2:42:59like.

2:42:59>> Thank you, Reggie. Would that be okay if

2:43:02we Is this going to get in the way of

2:43:05anything Parks and Rex has in motion

2:43:08already?

2:43:12>> Thank you. I appreciate you and thank

2:43:14you for being prepared. I just don't

2:43:17think this is wise to do this. Um, and I

2:43:21want to give my colleagues the

2:43:22opportunity to hear from members of that

2:43:24community directly. So, with that being

2:43:26said, mayor, if I may have your support

2:43:29to t uh not table, defer. Um, so I am

2:43:35going to uh move that we defer the

2:43:38memorandum of understanding with USD259

2:43:41for Cloudland Park due diligence until

2:43:44Tuesday, November the 10th.

2:43:47>> Second.

2:43:48>> Motion second. discussion just so that

2:43:50everyone's aware that is our evening

2:43:53time meeting uh on Tuesday November

2:43:5510th.

2:43:57So, we have a motion. Second. Any

2:43:59discussion?

2:44:00>> See, council member Shepard,

2:44:02>> I want to say that I'm t I'm not

2:44:04tableabling this. I'm deferring this not

2:44:06because I don't think that we deserve to

2:44:08have this conversation today. Um, staff

2:44:11has done their job. I have done my job.

2:44:14My door is always open to my colleagues.

2:44:16If there are ever any questions about

2:44:18the temperature on this matter, I always

2:44:21invite my colleagues to come engage with

2:44:23me. the Council of Elders and many

2:44:25people pushing for this conversation

2:44:27have also offered the same thing to all

2:44:29of my colleagues. Um, I think it is a

2:44:32disservice to residents in this

2:44:34community who wanted to see this go

2:44:36forward today, unfortunately, not have

2:44:38this go forward today because we are

2:44:40worried about how other people who will

2:44:42not be directly impacted by the closure

2:44:44of this school um are are having some

2:44:47concerns. Um, again, from now until

2:44:50November the 10th, as always, my door

2:44:52remains open. And to the residents who

2:44:54were here today to speak on this item,

2:44:56I'm deeply sorry that we've had to do

2:44:57this. Uh, but I encourage you to come

2:44:59and speak with my colleagues. And I

2:45:01encourage my colleagues to reach out to

2:45:02the community should you have concerns

2:45:04or questions about what this school

2:45:06closure means to this community and why

2:45:08it's critically important to engage on

2:45:09the topic.

2:45:12>> City Attorney Managa,

2:45:14>> the motion to defer um is subject to

2:45:17public comment. If you wish to open it

2:45:18to public comment.

2:45:23>> Does anyone want

2:45:26There is one individual who I would

2:45:29entertain the uh motion adjustment to

2:45:33allow for public comment on this item.

2:45:38>> Second. Okay. So, can we vote on the

2:45:40public comment first? Okay. We'll vote

2:45:43on public comment first. We have a

2:45:45motion and a second for public comment

2:45:46on this item.

2:45:49Madame clerk, please open the role.

2:45:53>> I

2:45:58motion passes 70. We will open it up for

2:46:01public comment and then we'll come back

2:46:02to the deferring this item.

2:46:11>> Thank you, Madame Mayor, mayor, members

2:46:12of the council. Brian Fry, 1444 North

2:46:16Batton.

2:46:17Now, that was my residence from 2 to

2:46:19eight years old when we lived across the

2:46:22street from the future Claude Lamb Park.

2:46:25Growing up, the nearest playground was

2:46:26at Carter Elementary at 14th and Oliver.

2:46:30That was before the school district

2:46:31gated and locked their pre playgrounds

2:46:34like they do now. In 1993, John and

2:46:37Randy Cooper donated nearly 12 acres to

2:46:39the city, which became Williamsburg

2:46:41Park, later changed to Claude Lamb Park

2:46:44to honor the businessman and

2:46:45philanthropist who developed the

2:46:47surrounding neighborhoods. Neighborhoods

2:46:50rely on the green space that Claude Lamb

2:46:53provides for recreation, exercise, and

2:46:56free play. The next closest park is

2:46:59Edgemore, a mile and a half away with no

2:47:02sidewalk on Edgemore for a significant

2:47:05dangerous stretch.

2:47:07Lover Elementary at McAdams Park is over

2:47:10two and a half miles away and it has

2:47:12seen tens of millions of dollars of

2:47:14investment. Meanwhile, Claude Lamb has

2:47:17had virtually no investment since 1993.

2:47:20There's not even a safe way to cross

2:47:2213th Street from the nearby

2:47:23neighborhoods. It's a park the city has

2:47:26ignored.

2:47:28Public open space, especially in urban

2:47:30neighborhoods, is critical.

2:47:33To even have anou under consideration,

2:47:36is an injustice to these children and

2:47:38families who live near Claude Land Park.

2:47:41Where would these families go if the

2:47:43park disappears? What is your obligation

2:47:46to them? Thank you.

2:47:50>> Thank you, Brian. Council member

2:47:51Shepard.

2:47:52>> Thank you. Don't go too far. Former

2:47:54council member Fry, I appreciate your

2:47:56note of injustice. Would you also

2:47:58acknowledge that it's an injustice to

2:47:59have another vacant building in that

2:48:01historically disinvested community?

2:48:05>> Which vacant building you talking about?

2:48:07>> Lowure, which we heard today, regardless

2:48:09of the bond outcome.

2:48:10>> That's a separate issue that has nothing

2:48:12to do with the park space.

2:48:14>> Okay. So, you see it as a separate

2:48:15issue.

2:48:16>> Absolutely.

2:48:17>> That's school district's responsibility.

2:48:19Your responsibility is park open space,

2:48:21not school land. Thank you.

2:48:25>> Thank you. We see Would anyone else like

2:48:28to speak on this item? I see none. I'll

2:48:31bring it back to the bench. Uh we have a

2:48:34live motion and a second regarding

2:48:36deferring this item until Tuesday,

2:48:39November 10th at 6 PM.

2:48:42I see no further comments. Madame Clerk,

2:48:44please open the role.

2:48:49>> Motion passes 70.

2:48:51Madame clerk, please call the next item.

2:48:55>> Contract for indigent defense services.

2:49:11Good morning, Miss Mayor, members of the

2:49:13council. Nathan Emery, court

2:49:15administrator for the record.

2:49:18I bring this to you uh to satisfy the

2:49:21requirement that we provide legal

2:49:24counsel for those deemed indigent and

2:49:27have the possibility of facing jail

2:49:30time. Uh this service has been provided

2:49:34over the past year in 9200 cases to f

2:49:38over 5,000 defendants.

2:49:42Uh the process uh was initiated in July.

2:49:46We only received one response. Uh the

2:49:49staff screening committee uh selected

2:49:56uh the

2:49:58contractor that we're bringing to you

2:50:01today.

2:50:03And the uh overall contract is for uh

2:50:08$634,000

2:50:10which is about 57% higher uh than the

2:50:15cost of last year. And just to give some

2:50:18context to that, uh the previous

2:50:22contractor

2:50:23in their proposal really didn't build in

2:50:28uh adjustments for inflation. They were

2:50:30our contractor for 11 years. For the

2:50:34first six years, uh the initial contract

2:50:38was for $350,000

2:50:41with no adjustment for six years. They

2:50:44then were the only contractor to apply

2:50:47to the for the next contract which was

2:50:50in 2021 which had a 1%

2:50:55adjustment per year and was for

2:50:58$375,000.

2:51:01Interestingly, if you look back to that

2:51:04first contract

2:51:06for the services we have today in

2:51:08today's dollars, that contract would be

2:51:10worth $510,000.

2:51:14and the contract that they uh signed in

2:51:172021 would be worth $480,000

2:51:21today. So those inflationary effects um

2:51:25we we got the benefit of having a very

2:51:28favorable contract for that period of

2:51:30time.

2:51:32I think we've also are all aware that

2:51:35the market for attorneys has changed in

2:51:39our community. I know we've all seen

2:51:40presentations from uh from uh District

2:51:44Attorney Bennett uh highlighting some of

2:51:47the challenges that he and and other

2:51:50agencies within our area are facing uh

2:51:54with attorneys. And so that's uh in

2:51:57large part the reasons for this

2:52:00substantial increase which when you

2:52:02actually look at the the inflation is is

2:52:05less substantial than it looks like on

2:52:08the face of it. The primary service is

2:52:12literally representing clients and and

2:52:15making sure that people have good

2:52:17representation. They also uh will be

2:52:20serving as an important uh gatekeeper uh

2:52:24to get folks out of jail and uh if if

2:52:27resolved uh that does actually save the

2:52:30city money on our jail bill. Uh but they

2:52:34will be uh primarily responsible for

2:52:37providing

2:52:40legal services to individuals in their

2:52:44in their professional capacity.

2:52:48The November 26 through November 27 cost

2:52:52is $634,000.

2:52:56Uh there's an option to renew uh for

2:52:59four additional years. Each year uh is

2:53:02uh has includes a 2.77%

2:53:06annual increase. It'll be funded by our

2:53:09contractual service budget. Uh, this

2:53:12contract exceeds our current budget for

2:53:15this service by $56,469.

2:53:19I believe that we'll be able to absorb

2:53:22that through moving uh different

2:53:24contractual money for this year and

2:53:26we'll have to re review options to

2:53:28accommodate the other increased costs uh

2:53:32next year.

2:53:34The contract was reviewed by uh the law

2:53:37department

2:53:40and I advanced too far.

2:53:51>> There we go. And it's recommended that

2:53:53the city council approve the contract

2:53:55with Hartstein's Poor Foster LLC and

2:53:57authorize the necessary signatures and

2:53:59approve any necessary budget adjustment.

2:54:02And I'll stand for any questions.

2:54:05>> Thank you, Nathan. Questions for staff,

2:54:07beginning with Council Member Ballard.

2:54:09>> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Nathan.

2:54:11Okay, so question. So, you only got one

2:54:14person to respond.

2:54:17>> Obviously, that is who you had to

2:54:19choose. Do you feel like you had to

2:54:22choose that or should you go back out?

2:54:24Like, I'm sure time is of the essence,

2:54:27but why do you think only

2:54:31one responded? I know it's it's tough.

2:54:34It's a tough job.

2:54:35>> It's a tough market. It's a tough job.

2:54:37Uh when we put this out for a bid last

2:54:39time, we got one response. Uh in 2015,

2:54:43we got four responses and they were one

2:54:45of the respondents as well as our

2:54:47current contractor. So our current

2:54:49contractor decided they didn't want to

2:54:51do it. Uh and so uh really we're, you

2:54:54know, if you consider our current

2:54:55contractor, that's two of the four who

2:54:57applied

2:54:58>> in 2015.

2:55:00Um that we would have liked to have more

2:55:04to look at. uh the the uh committee

2:55:09looked hard at them to make sure uh that

2:55:12we shouldn't go out for other bids and

2:55:15that we're comfortable with how they

2:55:17plan to provide those services. Uh that

2:55:21uh we think it can satisfy the needs of

2:55:23the court efficiently and effectively

2:55:25and and uh

2:55:28while being fiscally responsible and

2:55:30taking care of of the the finite dollars

2:55:33that we're given. So, uh,

2:55:35>> and do you and do you think from your

2:55:37professional opinion that it's a fair

2:55:39price?

2:55:41>> I know that there's inflation and I know

2:55:43you explained a little bit of it, but

2:55:45>> you know, of course, you just

2:55:46immediately get nervous that if one

2:55:48person is bidding and it is

2:55:50significantly higher than it was that,

2:55:53you know, we just want to make sure

2:55:54we're not being taken advantage of.

2:55:56>> Yeah. I I expected substantially higher

2:55:59prices. I know I I've I briefed several

2:56:01people as we were engaging in this

2:56:03process that I thought we had a very

2:56:05favorable contract for the last 11

2:56:07years, favorable to the city. Uh and

2:56:10that I anticipated substantially higher

2:56:12costs in this contract for this this

2:56:15next RFP or for this RFP that we're

2:56:18currently

2:56:18>> Thank you so much. Appreciate that.

2:56:20>> Yeah.

2:56:21>> Council member Hohheisel.

2:56:22>> Thank you, Mayor. Appreciate your

2:56:24presentation and work on this. Nate, um

2:56:26two questions. One is does this do um

2:56:30would this um attorney

2:56:33have anything to do with evictions, the

2:56:35eviction process?

2:56:37>> No, that's a civil process. The

2:56:39municipal court handles only misdemeanor

2:56:42uh misdeme misdemeanors. So, we're a

2:56:45we're a pure criminal court. We do see

2:56:49two kind of quasi civil functions. uh

2:56:53and that would be uh dangerous dog and

2:56:58uh impound hearings. Uh and I guess a

2:57:01third if we if we ever see one which

2:57:03would be the anti-discrimination

2:57:05ordinance. So we're appeals in that

2:57:08respect but our our bread and butter is

2:57:11misdemeanor criminal. So they would have

2:57:14no no relationship to that process.

2:57:16>> Okay. What what would their relationship

2:57:18be with the Cedar County District Court?

2:57:20What would we be?

2:57:21>> Their relationship with that court is

2:57:23they would help clients uh file motions

2:57:26for appeal uh should they choose to

2:57:29appeal the result of their case here.

2:57:31Any case out of municipal court gets can

2:57:34be appealed denovo that means appealed

2:57:38as if nothing happened over here and so

2:57:40they get a trial a new over there. Uh

2:57:43that's part of us being not a court of

2:57:45record. uh we provide very swift justice

2:57:48and then there's an opportunity for a

2:57:51trial in a court of record and an

2:57:52opportunity for jury trial should they

2:57:55want it should they appeal and so that's

2:57:58that's their primary relationship over

2:58:00there is just assisting with getting

2:58:02them over there should that be the

2:58:04desire of their client

2:58:06>> okay so it doesn't sound like we're

2:58:07going to have too much to do with a new

2:58:09mental health hospital through this

2:58:11process

2:58:12>> I mean the only the only way that we

2:58:14could have something to do with that is

2:58:17if uh somehow we uh connect them with

2:58:21services that would probably be through

2:58:23probation rather than through the

2:58:25attorney. Probably be an order of the

2:58:28court if there are assets and and uh

2:58:30tools available to us. Certainly the

2:58:34public defender could make

2:58:35recommendations to the court for

2:58:37sentencing or for pre-trial release. And

2:58:40so I mean there could be kind of a

2:58:43tangential relationship with that but

2:58:46nothing that's really directly

2:58:48connected.

2:58:49>> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.

2:58:52>> Thank you Nathan. I asked uh a question

2:58:54to you um so that I could understand the

2:58:58scope of this. Last year there were

2:59:0131,500

2:59:03cases that municipal court uh

2:59:06adjudicated. Um and in this uh specific

2:59:10green sheet, 9,200

2:59:13um municipal court cases were appointed

2:59:16legal counsel. So that's about 30% of

2:59:20the cases that come to the city of

2:59:22Witchah. Um the individual may not have

2:59:25the means to pay for an attorney. So

2:59:28they you guys then provide an a

2:59:31court-appointed um attorney. So 30%. So

2:59:35we are, in other words, this is to help

2:59:38individuals that may not have the

2:59:39resources or means to have their own

2:59:41attorney. Is that accurate?

2:59:43>> That is accurate. It is actually a lot

2:59:45closer to 50%. Uh you have to consider

2:59:48that it's for folks that are potentially

2:59:50facing jail. So when you take out all of

2:59:53the traffic offenses, uh we're a lot

2:59:56closer to 50%. I think we if if I

2:59:59remember correctly and I don't have the

3:00:01data in front of me, I think we're right

3:00:02around 45%

3:00:05of those cases where a public defender

3:00:08could be appointed, they are appointed.

3:00:11And so, um, they typically they won't be

3:00:14appointed if someone comes in and and

3:00:16pleas immediately to the judge. They

3:00:18won't be appointed typing a traffic

3:00:21ticket or if they're just, you know,

3:00:23even fighting a traffic ticket. that

3:00:25would typically be a prosay uh person if

3:00:29they if they wanted to fight that

3:00:31because there's no jail at risk. But

3:00:33yeah, it's about 45% if if my memory

3:00:36serves and it is for those people who

3:00:38simply who who don't have the resources

3:00:41to defend themselves.

3:00:43>> Thank you, Nathan. And for

3:00:46clarification, you did send this to me

3:00:48because I asked the question. And so you

3:00:50were able to show me uh the municipal

3:00:52court cases, the types of cases. So they

3:00:55would include criminal, drug, DUI,

3:00:59domestic violence, environmental,

3:01:02handicap, general parking, and traffic.

3:01:04But you just said traffic and general

3:01:06parking would probably not require that.

3:01:09Correct. So it's everything minus those

3:01:11two. And so you said it's closer to 45%

3:01:15require uh a court-appointed attorney.

3:01:18Is that our acc?

3:01:18>> Yeah, that's my memory of of our our uh

3:01:22statistics when we do our annual budget

3:01:24review of of this uh activity.

3:01:27>> Thank you. Um and one last question, the

3:01:30current provider, what has been their

3:01:32feedback of why they did not choose to

3:01:36apply for this? I know that they

3:01:37obviously were under um what they could

3:01:41have asked, but they were giving the

3:01:43city a deal. In other words, um why did

3:01:46they not apply?

3:01:48>> I think uh

3:01:51I think several of the members are just

3:01:52burned out. It's it's a lot of work.

3:01:54It's tough work. It's a grind uh to to

3:01:57be there in municipal court uh

3:02:00representing uh indigent folks day in

3:02:02day out for 11 years. And so uh some of

3:02:05the key people who were involved in that

3:02:08contract said, "I'm just not interested

3:02:10in doing that again."

3:02:12And with the market as it is, and this

3:02:15is editorializing, I I don't think they

3:02:18could fill the gaps that that that those

3:02:20people who were leaving uh filled to put

3:02:23forward an RFP.

3:02:27>> Thank you for that uh feedback. And as

3:02:29I'm looking back at your court cases in

3:02:32terms of criminal cases, you gave me

3:02:34three years worth of data. Criminal uh

3:02:38filed 7,100 cases and in 2025 8,300

3:02:43cases. Um so um I just want to say thank

3:02:47you uh for trying to get other uh

3:02:50community members that are experts in

3:02:52this to apply for this. And while only

3:02:55one may have come forward to uh apply,

3:02:58uh the one that currently is servicing

3:03:01the city, um has also served the city

3:03:03for well over a decade. Um and so thank

3:03:08you for helping individuals who did not

3:03:10have the means to defend themselves. Um

3:03:13and the city is now moving forward with

3:03:15a new um provider. So thank you, Nathan.

3:03:19I see no further comments from this

3:03:21bench. We will now open it up for public

3:03:23comment on this item.

3:03:26I see none. I'll bring it back to the

3:03:28bench. And with that, I will go ahead

3:03:31and approve I I move to approve the

3:03:33indigent defense services contract.

3:03:36>> Second.

3:03:37>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

3:03:39Madame clerk, please open the role.

3:03:43>> I.

3:03:44>> Motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

3:03:47call the next item. Funding [snorts] for

3:03:492027 sidewalk maintenance program.

3:04:00Good afternoon, mayor, city council

3:04:02members. Paul Gunsman, public works and

3:04:04utilities. For the record,

3:04:07the public works and utilities

3:04:09department oversees an annual program

3:04:11for sidewalk repairs as provided by

3:04:13charter ordinance number 88.

3:04:16Staff contin continually receives

3:04:19requests to repair uneven or broken

3:04:21sidewalk sections that may be considered

3:04:23a trip hazard or safety concern.

3:04:26Per section 2C of the charter ordinance,

3:04:29adjacent property owners are responsible

3:04:31for the cost of repairs.

3:04:34Slide before you show some photos of

3:04:36sidewalks that are needing repair.

3:04:40Sections of sidewalk with multiple

3:04:41cracks or cracks wide enough to grow

3:04:44grass shall be replaced. Sections of

3:04:47sidewalks that are raised or have sunken

3:04:48one inch or more creating a trip hazard

3:04:51shall also be addressed.

3:04:55In addition, sidewalks with excessive

3:04:57cross slope quarter inch and 12 in

3:05:01or sloped away from the street shall be

3:05:03repaired per ADA guidelines.

3:05:08The city of Witchaw is responsible for

3:05:10sidewalk adjacent to city facilities

3:05:13such as fire, police stations, parks,

3:05:15and libraries for example.

3:05:17And the city does share in the cost of

3:05:19repairing sidewalk that is greater than

3:05:216 in or 6 feet wide.

3:05:25The city is also responsible for

3:05:27sidewalk um sections that are um

3:05:31including the wheelchair ramps at the

3:05:33corners. If you extend the property

3:05:35lines um out to the street, then that

3:05:38area within that um section is

3:05:42responsible for the city.

3:05:47As staff receives complaints, uh once we

3:05:50go out and verify the need for sidewalk

3:05:53repairs, the state statute requires that

3:05:55property owners receive a minimum of 30

3:05:58days for opportunity to have those

3:06:00repairs made by a licensed contractor.

3:06:03An annual on call contractor is hired by

3:06:05the city for repairs not completed by

3:06:08the property owner, which is often the

3:06:10majority. After the initial 30 days have

3:06:13passed, the city proceeds with

3:06:14completing the necessary repairs.

3:06:18And the 2027 through 2036 adopted

3:06:21capital improvement program includes

3:06:23general obligation bond funding of $1.2

3:06:262 million in 2027 for the sidewalk

3:06:29maintenance program with costs offset by

3:06:32direct payment from or special

3:06:34assessment to the property owners.

3:06:37Staff requests authorization of the full

3:06:39amount of the 2027 budget to continue

3:06:42repairs.

3:06:44And with that, it is recommended that

3:06:46city council approve the budget, adopt

3:06:47the resolution, and authorize necessary

3:06:49signatures. And I'll stand for

3:06:51questions.

3:06:52>> Thank you, Paul. Questions for

3:06:54[clears throat] staff. I just want a

3:06:55clarification. You said that any

3:06:58sidewalk that is greater than six feet

3:07:00wide, the city must share the cost.

3:07:03>> We do share in that cost. Yes.

3:07:05>> So, anytime we build new sidewalks that

3:07:09are 10 foot wide, the city will then

3:07:11have the responsibility of maintaining

3:07:13it.

3:07:14>> We would have we would share Yeah.

3:07:17basically anything above six feet. Yes.

3:07:20>> Thank you,

3:07:22Matt. I see no one else from the council

3:07:24who would like to ask questions. We will

3:07:26open it up for public comment now. I see

3:07:29none. I'll bring it back to the bench.

3:07:32With that, I will go ahead and move this

3:07:34item um with a note that I always do

3:07:38when it comes to sidewalks. And that is

3:07:40a reminder that it is the responsibility

3:07:43of the property owner adjacent to that

3:07:45sidewalk to maintain the sidewalk. Um,

3:07:48and so my concern has always been uh

3:07:51that we want walkability as council

3:07:53member Tuttle today uh proclaimed

3:07:56Walktoberfest. Uh we want to make sure

3:07:58that sidewalks are safe uh but they are

3:08:01the responsibility of the adjacent

3:08:03property owner.

3:08:04>> That's correct.

3:08:04>> With that I will move to approve the

3:08:06budget and adopt the resolution.

3:08:08>> Second.

3:08:09>> Motion second. Discussion see none.

3:08:11Madame clerk please open the role.

3:08:15I

3:08:16>> motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

3:08:18call the next item.

3:08:20>> Vendor selections and contracts for

3:08:21Mosley Bridge at Chism Creek and Kellogg

3:08:24and Cynica intersection improvements.

3:08:27>> Thank you. Paul Gunzelman, public works

3:08:28and utilities. For the record, I have

3:08:30two projects for vendor selection and

3:08:34contracts for your consideration.

3:08:37The 2027 through 2036 adopted capital

3:08:40improvement program includes multiple

3:08:42projects that are identified to begin

3:08:44design in 2026,

3:08:47including the two considered in this

3:08:49agenda item. On April 3rd, 2026, city

3:08:53staff issued a request for proposals for

3:08:56Mosley Bridge at Chisman Creek, which is

3:08:59located just south of 21st Street and

3:09:02for geometric and traffic improvements

3:09:04near the Kellogg and Synica interchange.

3:09:07And this will include going up to along

3:09:10Cynica up and beyond the um intersection

3:09:14of Cynica University.

3:09:17The staff screen and selection committee

3:09:19interviewed six vendors on June 8th and

3:09:22June 25th, 2026 and recommends the

3:09:25following selections along with design

3:09:28concept fees.

3:09:32Mosley Bridge at Chism Creek MKEC was

3:09:35selected for their comprehensive

3:09:37approach to investigating soil and

3:09:39groundwater contamination and performing

3:09:41hydraulic modeling to address flood

3:09:43plane and permitting requirements.

3:09:46and Kellogg and Cynica iter was selected

3:09:49for their comprehensive approach to

3:09:50traffic data collection and analysis of

3:09:53the existing interchange to develop

3:09:55concepts to improve geometrics and

3:09:58reduce reduce crashes.

3:10:01The proposed initial agreements provide

3:10:03for the development of design concept

3:10:05for each project.

3:10:12The concept design fees and existing

3:10:14budgets are shown on the table before

3:10:16you.

3:10:18In addition, the 2027 through 2036

3:10:20adopted capital improvement program

3:10:22includes $3 million for the construction

3:10:24in 2028

3:10:27for the MOS Mosley Bridge

3:10:30and construction funding will be

3:10:32evaluated and programmed in a future CIP

3:10:35after approval of the design concept for

3:10:38the Kellogg and Synica project. We don't

3:10:40have that programmed in the CIP at this

3:10:42time for construction. We will be

3:10:44working with KOT um to go through our

3:10:47design um concepts and see what works

3:10:50with the interchange.

3:10:53Each project will be returned to the

3:10:55city council at a future date for for

3:10:57approval of the respective design

3:10:59concepts, final design agreement, and

3:11:02final budget approval.

3:11:05And with that, it is recommended to

3:11:07approve the selection of the vendors,

3:11:09approve the contracts, and authorize the

3:11:11necessary signatures. And I will stand

3:11:12for questions.

3:11:14>> Thank you, Paul. Questions for staff? I

3:11:16just have a couple. I wanted to know um

3:11:18why Mosley Bridge and Kellogg and Cynica

3:11:22rose to the top of the list for design

3:11:25so that the community can understand

3:11:27priorities. So each uh every other year

3:11:31we do a bridge inspection uh program

3:11:34that we have inspector hire a consultant

3:11:36to inspect the bridges and that one rose

3:11:38to uh the level that it needed some

3:11:40rehabilitation for that project. Kellogg

3:11:43and Cynica has a um relatively high

3:11:47crash rate um number of accidents partly

3:11:50at the intersection of um Synica and

3:11:53University. Um so we were engaging with

3:11:56KOT um to look at that and they wanted

3:11:59us to do a little bit more further

3:12:01design to determine what truly the scope

3:12:04of the project should be.

3:12:07>> Thank you. Um and then last question

3:12:09regarding Kellang and Cynica. Um you

3:12:12just mentioned KOT would be engaged in

3:12:15all of this. What are the estimated

3:12:18project costs for these two projects?

3:12:22The uh budget for 20 the budget for

3:12:24Mosley at the drainage um Chisom

3:12:28drainage canal is $3 million is what we

3:12:30have programmed in the CIP for that. The

3:12:33we don't know what improvements we can

3:12:36make at Kellogg and Senica until we get

3:12:38into this design concept and then we'll

3:12:40have a better idea of what needs to be

3:12:42programmed into the CIP for that project

3:12:45improvements.

3:12:47This is the first step to get that done.

3:12:50I'm sure that you're already engaged

3:12:52with council member Glascock on this

3:12:54item since there's a lot of conversation

3:12:57regarding Cynica and Maple and that area

3:13:01um in in addition to University and

3:13:04Cynica. So for the community members who

3:13:07are watching or listening, uh this is in

3:13:09district 4 and council member vice mayor

3:13:13Glascock has been engaged in that

3:13:15conversation regarding Kellogg and

3:13:17Senica.

3:13:17>> Yes, he has. He reached out to me

3:13:19regarding university as well. Yes.

3:13:22>> Thank you very much. With that, I see no

3:13:24questions from the bench. We will now

3:13:26open it up for public comment.

3:13:29I see none. I'll bring it back to the

3:13:31bench. This is in council member

3:13:32Ballard's district in one of the

3:13:34projects.

3:13:36>> Thank you, mayor. Uh I

3:13:40move to approve the selection of the

3:13:42vendors, approve the contracts, and

3:13:44authorize the necessary signatures.

3:13:46>> Second.

3:13:47>> Motion. Second.

3:13:49>> Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none.

3:13:52Madame clerk, please open the role.

3:13:56>> I.

3:13:57>> Motion passes.

3:13:58>> Sorry, JB. Force of habit.

3:14:00>> Motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

3:14:03call the next item.

3:14:05>> Supplemental design agreement number

3:14:07four and funding for Bley drain drainage

3:14:09improvements.

3:14:13>> Paul Gunsman, public works and

3:14:15utilities. For the record, the item

3:14:17before you supplemental design agreement

3:14:18number four and funding for Bleley

3:14:21drainage improvements.

3:14:23As a reminder, the project limits are

3:14:25from Kellogg North to Elm Street, which

3:14:29is one block north of Central, as shown

3:14:31in blue on the screen before you.

3:14:35and it will construct storm sewer

3:14:37improvements along Bleley Drive drainage

3:14:41from Elm to Kellogg.

3:14:45The slide before you shows the uh well

3:14:48in Jul July of 2022, the city council

3:14:51approved funding for the Blackley Drive

3:14:53drainage improvements and the following

3:14:55agreements with professional engineering

3:14:57consultants have been approved by the

3:14:59city council to date.

3:15:05The design and construction are

3:15:07sequenced in a

3:15:09to deliver a full completion of the

3:15:13improvements

3:15:15in multiple phases so the project can be

3:15:18um completed more timely. Phase one as

3:15:22shown in red that was um improving the

3:15:26channel improvements and that project

3:15:28has been substantially completed.

3:15:31Phase two, we are finalizing plans for

3:15:34that for public utility relocations

3:15:38and then we'll follow that up with phase

3:15:40three um for the large drainage box to

3:15:44be constructed.

3:15:47We have uh based on um some of the

3:15:50especially the last meeting we have uh

3:15:53looked at I know folks are concerned

3:15:56about trees. Um we will not just go in

3:15:58and um remove all the trees. We have uh

3:16:02we are looking at maybe removing the

3:16:03trees as we go kind of block by block as

3:16:06we in uh initiate the project or start

3:16:08the project and kind of see how that

3:16:10goes.

3:16:14Phase phases two and three require

3:16:16additional public engagement efforts,

3:16:18project design changes and and design of

3:16:21a drainage channel access ramp for

3:16:23future maintenance activities.

3:16:26Supplemental number four has been been

3:16:29prepared for this work.

3:16:32The design fee to date is $2.7 million.

3:16:35The cost of supplemental design

3:16:37agreement number four is $319,200

3:16:41for for a total design fee of $3,42,024.

3:16:47The existing budget of $13.8 8 million

3:16:50was approved by the city council on

3:16:52February 25th, 2025 and is funded by

3:16:55storm water utility. The 2027 through

3:16:582036 adopted capital improvement program

3:17:01includes additional 22 million $200,000

3:17:05for construction of phases two and

3:17:07three. And staff recommends initiating

3:17:09the remaining amount at this time for a

3:17:11revised budget of $36 million.

3:17:18And before I um turn it over to you, I

3:17:22wanted to address some of the things

3:17:25that have come up uh earlier in

3:17:27conversation. Uh physical safety. Um

3:17:31there will be um some type of temporary

3:17:34fencing adjacent to the access roads

3:17:38that we will construct to uh um protect

3:17:42that deep excavation.

3:17:46um health was brought up. Um dust, you

3:17:50know, as with other projects, the

3:17:52contractor will be required to mitigate

3:17:54dust.

3:17:56And then believe you had uh discussed

3:18:00about deevaluation of houses earlier.

3:18:03And then four, the inability to access

3:18:06homes. And that is the reason that we

3:18:08are constructing the temporary asphalt

3:18:11roadways. Um those will be constructed

3:18:14um five inches thick. We have reached

3:18:16out to Witchah Fire Department as well

3:18:19as EMS and um that roadway they

3:18:22confirmed will um handle a a an

3:18:25ambulance and it will handle the squad

3:18:28trucks but not the large um pumper

3:18:31trucks. So um we have worked with

3:18:34Witchaw Fire as well as EMS on that. So

3:18:39>> thank you Paul. questions for staff

3:18:41beginning with Council Member Shepard.

3:18:43>> Thank you, Paul. What is the budget to

3:18:45date? I know the overall project has a

3:18:48$36 million budget, but what's the

3:18:50budget to date?

3:18:50>> The the budget um to date is $13.8

3:18:55million,

3:18:58>> mayor, if I may get a follow-up. Thank

3:19:00you. Um Paul, one of the residents that

3:19:03I was speaking with um as it relates to

3:19:05the trees asked if if it might be a

3:19:07possibility if they wanted to pay the

3:19:10difference for a more mature tree. Would

3:19:13that be possible? And have we done that

3:19:16for any of our residents thus far?

3:19:18>> I I want to and I think we were working

3:19:21with our our park department and to get

3:19:23a little bit more information on some of

3:19:25that. Typically our projects we plant a

3:19:282inch caliper tree. I believe on this

3:19:31project we are increasing to threeinch

3:19:33caliper trees but um and hopefully we'll

3:19:36get some more information but um over

3:19:38time you know the smaller trees will

3:19:40catch up to the larger trees that are

3:19:42planted. So um but we'll get you some

3:19:44more information on that.

3:19:46>> Thank you. because I I think that's a

3:19:47reasonable ask if it is possible that if

3:19:50we take the average of what we're

3:19:51spending on the replacement of trees and

3:19:53the homeowner wants to pay the

3:19:55difference to have a more mature tree if

3:19:57it is possible and logistically

3:19:59manageable. I think that's an easy

3:20:02compromise and which we can meet the

3:20:03residents in the middle with. Um what

3:20:06about the environmental concerns that

3:20:08we've heard about about the toxins in

3:20:11the air? Have we had any environmental

3:20:13studies done thus far and what did they

3:20:15show?

3:20:16>> I might ask.

3:20:24>> I know we've gotten permits from some of

3:20:26the you know regulatory agencies so they

3:20:28have reviewed some of those plans.

3:20:31Sorry Paulie Gary Jans public works and

3:20:33utilities and if you were looking for

3:20:35something from Steve you still can but I

3:20:36did want to provide some input on this

3:20:38part. So, you know, I I suppose there's

3:20:40always a possibility that in in any

3:20:42particular area that we work that there

3:20:44could be some specific concerns. I don't

3:20:47we have no reason to believe that there

3:20:48are here. Um, we've built a I've been

3:20:51with city for 31 years now and been

3:20:54involved with designing and building a

3:20:55lot of projects and over that course of

3:20:58time if we if we run environmental

3:21:00concerns during construction, those are

3:21:02addressed at that time. But but what I

3:21:04wanted to provide is just kind of a

3:21:05general context about the concerned

3:21:07about health hazards and dust. To Paul's

3:21:11comment about mitigating dust, that's

3:21:12part of our specifications as part of

3:21:14our requirements that goes so far as to

3:21:17being a requirement at the state level

3:21:19of KDHE for uh air quality. But but what

3:21:23I want to provide is is we have not seen

3:21:26that over the course of time over my

3:21:29long career. Here's here's the context I

3:21:31would give you. If that was truly a

3:21:33concern on these types of projects, our

3:21:35contractors would be having issues.

3:21:37Contractors are not getting sick.

3:21:39They're the ones in the middle of that

3:21:40all day, every single day. And I don't

3:21:43want to minimize the concerns of

3:21:44property owners, but it's been proven,

3:21:46it's shown contractors, workers are not

3:21:49getting sick from building these types

3:21:50of projects. It just doesn't happen. U

3:21:53but we have a measures in place to

3:21:55control dust. I can't speak to the

3:21:58concern about the concrete dust on phase

3:22:00one. Uh but we don't see it happen. It's

3:22:03unproven. Um and I I feel very confident

3:22:06about that moving forward. This is we

3:22:09have other projects where we go in 17th

3:22:11Street in your district where we rebuilt

3:22:14the entire street uh through the heat of

3:22:17the summer, the dry summer. I'm sure we

3:22:18had dust control issues there, but we

3:22:20obliterated that entire street through

3:22:22that neighborhood. That's not going to

3:22:24create any more issues. In fact, on a

3:22:26project like this, the construction

3:22:28moves slow and it's it's likely to

3:22:32create even less issues than you might

3:22:35have on a faster pace project. And

3:22:36that's not to justify anything. Those

3:22:38are just actual parts of how this work

3:22:40happens. So,

3:22:41>> yeah, I appreciate you, Gary, and I

3:22:43certainly take your word for it. Um, I'm

3:22:46wondering though, what if anything we

3:22:48can show residents that showcases that?

3:22:51I believe I saw something on the on the

3:22:53website that we have as it relates to

3:22:55Bleckley that we we've done some

3:22:57environmental testing, didn't we? And it

3:22:59came back clear. I could be thinking of

3:23:02something completely different, but my

3:23:04understanding was that there was some

3:23:05testing done and it came back clear for

3:23:07us to move forward. And um I'm wondering

3:23:11is that something we can share with the

3:23:12residents to give them a sense of

3:23:14relief? I think they're looking for

3:23:16relief that they can read for

3:23:18themselves.

3:23:19>> Uh correct. Steve Dagenheart with public

3:23:21works and utilities. Uh with the

3:23:23geotechnical work that was done on this

3:23:25project, there were known uh

3:23:27contaminants that were found uh in the

3:23:29subgrade and we have those reports

3:23:31available and I thought we might have

3:23:33shared them with our comm's team, but if

3:23:34not, we'll run that down.

3:23:36>> You definitely did. Uh they it is on the

3:23:38website because I found it myself. I

3:23:41think in the height of the moment uh the

3:23:44average worker probably just can't go

3:23:45through all of the documents. There's a

3:23:47ton of information out there, but I'm

3:23:49wondering if we can pull that

3:23:51information specifically and share that

3:23:53with residents. Um, because that has

3:23:55come up. I mean, of all the residents

3:23:57that I've spoken with, that came up

3:23:58about 80% of the concerns about the

3:24:01environment. I now know that, right?

3:24:03There's nothing to be concerned about. I

3:24:05want to be able to share that with

3:24:06residents and allow them to read that

3:24:07document for themselves.

3:24:09>> Sure.

3:24:15I had I had one other as I was reading

3:24:18through my notes there. I think Mr.

3:24:20Harris had brought up you know the

3:24:21length of time it will be in in houses.

3:24:24We're anticipating four to five months.

3:24:27We're also looking at based on you know

3:24:29some of the recent uh or the recent

3:24:32public information meeting that was held

3:24:34you know we will look at to see if we

3:24:36can restore some of that area as we

3:24:38build south to north you know if the um

3:24:42appropriate season is at the time we can

3:24:45plant some grass and kind of restore

3:24:47that as we go instead of waiting till

3:24:49the entire project's done before we do

3:24:50that. So, I think that was another

3:24:52comment that was raised earlier.

3:24:56>> Council member Shepard.

3:24:57>> Thank you, Mayor. And the reason why I'm

3:24:59stressing this is because I really want

3:25:01folks to understand how much we've been

3:25:03working together to try to meet

3:25:05residents in the middle. And again, as I

3:25:07said earlier, this project is an

3:25:09inconvenience. I think construction can

3:25:11be an inconvenience for everyone, but

3:25:12this one in particularly, it's a 50-year

3:25:15challenge. And we my understanding is as

3:25:17I even go back and look at the history

3:25:19of where we built the homes, right? If

3:25:21we if we know what we know today, we

3:25:24probably would have said, "Hey, we

3:25:24probably shouldn't build there." But

3:25:26hindsight's 2020. That said, what

3:25:29adjustments have been made um with

3:25:33residents in that area to uh you know, I

3:25:36know that a lot of them have been

3:25:37concerned about losing trees or

3:25:39particularly how long they would be

3:25:41inconvenienced. I know you all have made

3:25:44some adjustments because we've talked

3:25:45about that. Can you share it with the

3:25:47rest of the council what adjustments

3:25:48you've made?

3:25:49>> We have at the south end of the project

3:25:51near um Mr. Harris's uh property, we did

3:25:55um revise the sanitary sewer layout to

3:25:58uh

3:26:00help, you know, minimize the impact to

3:26:03his residents. Um we continue to look at

3:26:05that um the degrading, you know, in

3:26:09order to get that temporary road in um

3:26:11to see if we can, you know, set salvage

3:26:14some of those trees on private property.

3:26:16Um we've met with a gentleman that had

3:26:18some wall anchors uh for their house uh

3:26:21just met with them I believe last week

3:26:23and those seem to be clear of the

3:26:25excavation for the um for the the

3:26:29temporary access road. So we do continue

3:26:31to uh meet with property owners

3:26:36I just have one question and I asked it

3:26:38earlier uh during the consent agenda. I

3:26:41just want to make sure that this project

3:26:43does not exceed $36 million. So my

3:26:47question is very specific. Does $36

3:26:50million include acquisitions,

3:26:53condemnation awards, utility

3:26:55relocations,

3:26:57restoration, contingency, inflation, and

3:27:01project management. That is the budget

3:27:03we have. Yes.

3:27:05>> Thank you. With that, I feel comfortable

3:27:08reaffirming my vote that I had earlier

3:27:11regarding this project. As long as it

3:27:14does not exceed $36 million, that will

3:27:16be paid with the storm water utility

3:27:19fund. With that, I see no further

3:27:22questions from the bench. We will now

3:27:23open it up for public comment on this

3:27:25item. I see none. I'll bring it back to

3:27:28the bench. This resides in Council

3:27:29Member Shepard's district.

3:27:31Thank you, mayor, and thank you to the

3:27:33staff who have been working extremely

3:27:34hard and diligently on this project. Um,

3:27:37thank you for for being in the arena. I

3:27:39know it's not easy. Um, but with that

3:27:41being said, I would move that we approve

3:27:43SDA number four, adopt the amending

3:27:45resolution, and authorize the necessary

3:27:47signatures.

3:27:48>> Second.

3:27:49>> Motion second. Discussion. See none.

3:27:51Madam clerk, please open the role.

3:27:55>> I

3:27:57>> motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

3:28:00call the next item.

3:28:02>> Vendor selection and contract for list

3:28:04lift station rehabilitation projects.

3:28:08Paul Gunsman, public works and

3:28:10utilities. For the record,

3:28:13item before you is vendor selection for

3:28:15lift station rehabilitation.

3:28:21This map didn't quite come up. The uh

3:28:23city operates and maintains 69 lift

3:28:27stations throughout the Witchaw area. On

3:28:29March 3rd, 2026, city council approved

3:28:32funding for the 2026 lift station

3:28:34rehabilitation and replacement project.

3:28:37And this annual project serves to

3:28:39repair, replace, or upgrade lift station

3:28:42infrastructure and accessories such as

3:28:44pumps, pipings, covers, equipment, and

3:28:46controls.

3:28:50On February 27th, 2026, city staff

3:28:54issued an RFP for lift station

3:28:56rehabilitation project. We broke this

3:28:58into two groups. The item before you is

3:29:01group A and we received three responses.

3:29:06The staff screener and selection

3:29:08committee interviewed all three vendors

3:29:11and the staff screener and selection

3:29:12committee recommends professional

3:29:14engineering consultants for the first

3:29:16group based on its project

3:29:18understanding, project approach,

3:29:20experience, and proposed schedule and a

3:29:24contract has been prepared accordingly.

3:29:27The proposed contract cost for group A

3:29:30is $290,700.

3:29:33Funding is available in the 2026 lift

3:29:36station rehabilitation budget of $1.2

3:29:39million which was approved by city

3:29:41council on March 3rd, 2026 and is funded

3:29:44by sewer utility funds.

3:29:48And with that is recommended that the

3:29:49city council approve the selection of

3:29:51the vendor and contract and authorize

3:29:54the necessary signatures. Stand for

3:29:56questions.

3:29:58>> Thank you Paul. Questions for staff?

3:30:01Seeing none, we'll open it up for public

3:30:04comment regarding this specific item.

3:30:07Seeing none, bring it back to the bench.

3:30:09With that, I will move to approve the

3:30:11selection of vendor and contract.

3:30:14>> Second.

3:30:14>> Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none.

3:30:17Madame clerk, please open the role.

3:30:20>> I.

3:30:23>> Motion passes. 70. Madame clerk, please

3:30:25call the next item. Zone 2026-35

3:30:30with CUP 2026-31

3:30:33zone change requests in the city from

3:30:35limited commercial district to general

3:30:37commercial district to permit additional

3:30:39commercial uses located on the southeast

3:30:41corner of South George Washington

3:30:42Boulevard and East Pony Avenue at 2404

3:30:46South George Washington Boulevard.

3:30:49>> Good afternoon. Scott Wadel from the

3:30:50planning department here to present this

3:30:52item. As you heard, the applicant is

3:30:54requesting approval of an amendment to

3:30:56an existing community unit plan and a

3:30:58reszoning of the property to GC General

3:31:00Commercial. This item is being heard

3:31:02today because protests were received

3:31:03from within the protest calculation

3:31:05area. In terms of the request, the

3:31:08applicant has indicated that they are

3:31:09requesting the zoning change in order to

3:31:11permit additional uses at the site.

3:31:14Recently, new trailers and stacks of

3:31:17pallets associated with the company. We

3:31:19believe it's associated with a company

3:31:20dependable pallet have been placed on

3:31:22the site. In terms of the property, the

3:31:24subject site is located at the southeast

3:31:26corner of Pond and George Washington, as

3:31:28you can see here. The subject site

3:31:30consists of uh 5.25 acres. It's two

3:31:34ownership parcels. The smaller parcel

3:31:37located on the west, as you can see

3:31:38here, is developed with a retail

3:31:39establishment. The larger parcel located

3:31:42to the east is undeveloped.

3:31:44In terms of context, property to the

3:31:47south is zoned LI limited industrial and

3:31:50is within the same cup and is

3:31:51undeveloped. Here's the zoning map.

3:31:54Property to the east is zoned GC General

3:31:56Commercial within the same cup and is

3:31:58developed with a self- storage facility.

3:32:01Properties to the west across South

3:32:03George Washington Boulevard are zoned

3:32:05MF29 multifamily and are developed with

3:32:07single family dwellings. Properties to

3:32:09the north across Pondy Avenue are zoned

3:32:12SF5 and TF3 and developed with single

3:32:14family homes. So here's what the zoning

3:32:16map looks like. Here's back to the

3:32:18aerial terms of the staff report. The

3:32:20staff report provides information about

3:32:22the request and recommended permitted

3:32:25uses also screening and landscaping. In

3:32:28terms of review on August 27th, the

3:32:31planning commission reviewed the request

3:32:32and recommended approval of the zone

3:32:34change and the cup amendment. and that

3:32:37was the vote was 130 with one

3:32:39abstension. No members of the public

3:32:42spoke on this item at that meeting. The

3:32:44planning commission recommended

3:32:46conditions of approval and recommended

3:32:48cup text are included in the staff

3:32:50report. So I won't go over those in

3:32:51depth, but just know that they're

3:32:52attached.

3:32:54On September 2nd, the district advisory

3:32:56board reviewed the request and

3:32:58recommended approval of the zone change

3:32:59and the CUP amendment request with the

3:33:01same conditions and text as the planning

3:33:03commission. And that vote was 9 to1.

3:33:06At that meeting, three members of the

3:33:08public spoke on this item. One person

3:33:10expressed support for the new jobs that

3:33:12are near housing, but at the same time

3:33:14expressed concern for the noise and

3:33:15trash on the site. Two people spoke in

3:33:18opposition to the zone change request

3:33:20and CUP amendment with concerns for that

3:33:22the allowed uses that would be permitted

3:33:25then would run with the land and may be

3:33:27detrimental long-term to nearby

3:33:29residences.

3:33:31Six protests were received against the

3:33:33application and total 32% of the land

3:33:36within the 200 foot protest area that

3:33:39exceeds the state threshold of 20%.

3:33:41Therefore, six of seven votes are

3:33:43necessary in order to approve any zoning

3:33:45change. The recommendation coming to you

3:33:48from the planning commission is to adopt

3:33:49the findings of the planning commission,

3:33:51approve the requested zone change and

3:33:53CUP amendment with MAPC recommended text

3:33:56and conditions, authorize the necessary

3:33:58signatures, and instruct the city clerk

3:34:00to publish the ordinance resolution

3:34:01after the second reading. Again, that

3:34:03would require six of seven votes because

3:34:05of the protest. Alternatives include the

3:34:08following. You can override the MAPC,

3:34:10adopt alternative findings, and deny the

3:34:12requested zone change. That would

3:34:14require five of seven votes because it's

3:34:16an override of the MAPC. Or as always,

3:34:18you can send the requested zone change

3:34:20in CUP amendment back to the MAPC for

3:34:22additional consideration. Just requires

3:34:24a simple majority. A note about the

3:34:26process that city council policies for

3:34:28the public that public hearing occurs at

3:34:30the planning commission meeting and the

3:34:32city council does not typically receive

3:34:34public comments on zoning items. So with

3:34:37that, I'll take you through some of the

3:34:38graphics and images. Here's the aerial.

3:34:41Here's the zoning map that was discussed

3:34:43earlier. Here's the map from the

3:34:45comprehensive plan showing that

3:34:46commercial is recommended in this

3:34:48location. Here is the CUP uh document.

3:34:52And you can see that parcels we're

3:34:54actually talking about are parcel one

3:34:56and parcel seven of the cup.

3:34:59Ah, here they are outlined. Here's a

3:35:02protest map. Again, it was over the 20%

3:35:04threshold and 32%.

3:35:06Here are photos from the subject site

3:35:10and the surrounding area

3:35:13>> looking across the street to the north.

3:35:17>> And with that, I'll stand for any

3:35:19questions.

3:35:20>> Thank you, Scott. Questions for staff? I

3:35:22just had one. What is the intention of

3:35:25the applicant for this area? Again,

3:35:27>> they were not specific. Uh they

3:35:29indicated that they're requesting this

3:35:31to allow for additional uses. However,

3:35:33it's our understanding uh that a

3:35:36recently a company moved in that uh

3:35:39repairs pallets.

3:35:44>> Thank you. This resides in council

3:35:46member Hohheisel's district.

3:35:49>> Thank you, mayor. Um I have been working

3:35:51I have had exparte communication uh with

3:35:54the applicant um trying to resolve some

3:35:57of the concerns from the surrounding

3:35:58neighborhoods. Um, so I think we've come

3:36:01together and gotten a pretty good

3:36:03product here that helps um appear helps

3:36:07with the appearances and some of the

3:36:09issues surrounding uh the work being

3:36:11done there. So uh with that being said

3:36:14um I am uh making a motion to approve

3:36:17the requested zoning change in CUP

3:36:19amendment with custom conditions. I move

3:36:22to override the MAPC adopt the following

3:36:25findings. Approve the request of zone

3:36:27change and CUP amendment with custom

3:36:29conditions. I'll describe those in just

3:36:32a minute. Place the ordinance on first

3:36:34reading. Authorize the necessary

3:36:36signatures and instruct the city clerk

3:36:39to publish a resolution. In support of

3:36:41this motion, offer the following

3:36:43findings. The custom conditions will

3:36:45help ensure that future uses of this

3:36:47property will be more compatible with

3:36:49the neighborhood. The CU language shall

3:36:52include all of the MEPC recommendations

3:36:54text plus the following modifications.

3:36:58Hours of operation for any outdoor works

3:37:00will shall be limited from 7:00 a.m. to

3:37:029:00 p.m. Storage outdoor shall be

3:37:05limited to the height of the solid

3:37:06screening. Storage outdoor uses shall be

3:37:09limited to cup parcel 7. Storage outdoor

3:37:13and outdoor work area uses shall require

3:37:16solid screening. The screening shall be

3:37:18provided in the form of a 6 or 8 foot

3:37:20solid screening fence or masonary wall.

3:37:23It shall be constructed and installed to

3:37:25screen any storage outdoor and or

3:37:28outdoor work area use from adjacent cup

3:37:31parcels that have other uses except for

3:37:34where the CU parcel is under the same

3:37:36ownership and has a use directly related

3:37:38to the storage outdoor and or outdoor

3:37:41work area use. An exception to this

3:37:44condition is where the height is

3:37:46required to be lower per city of Witchaw

3:37:48regulation.

3:37:50All drive and circulation aisle shall be

3:37:52paved with the monolithic surface.

3:37:55Outdoor stir storage shall be subject to

3:37:57supplementary use route. Regulations

3:37:59found in section 3D.6

3:38:02DD of the unified zoning code and all

3:38:05material stored outdoor shall be neatly

3:38:07stacked and/or organized.

3:38:11Second

3:38:12>> motion second discussion

3:38:15see none I just want to say thank you

3:38:17council member Hohisel and all the

3:38:19council members who work very diligently

3:38:21to find solutions uh this is exactly

3:38:24what we see and I think that it's

3:38:27important for people to understand that

3:38:29there are oftentimes council members

3:38:31work very hard to find a win-win

3:38:33situation so thank you very much for

3:38:35doing that uh with that we have a motion

3:38:38second discussion seeing none madam

3:38:40Madam clerk, please open the role.

3:38:43>> I

3:38:45>> motion passes 70. Madam clerk, please

3:38:47call the next item.

3:38:50Zone 2026-37,

3:38:52zone change requests in the city from

3:38:54single family residential district to

3:38:56limited commercial district for parking

3:38:58recreational vehicles waiting to be

3:39:00serviced generally located on the north

3:39:02side of West 2nd Street North within 300

3:39:04ft west of Northwest Street at 4142 West

3:39:082nd Street North.

3:39:12>> Scott Weedle again from the planning

3:39:13department. For this request, the

3:39:15applicant is requesting approval of a

3:39:17reszoning from SF5 to LC limited

3:39:19commercial. This item is being heard

3:39:21today because the DAB and the planning

3:39:22commission recommendations both were for

3:39:25approval, but they're slightly

3:39:26different. I'll explain that in just a

3:39:28moment. In terms of the request, the

3:39:29applicant has indicated they're

3:39:31requesting the zoning change in order to

3:39:32allow RVs to be parked on the property.

3:39:35The RVs would be undergoing repairs at

3:39:38the property immediately abudding into

3:39:40the north. The applicant has indicated

3:39:42that the RVs would be parked at the

3:39:43subject site less than 72 hours in in

3:39:46duration.

3:39:47In terms of the property, the subject

3:39:49site is located roughly at the uh north

3:39:53and west corner of West and Second

3:39:55Street. It consists of one ownership

3:39:58parcel. It's just over a quarter of an

3:39:59acre in size and it's currently

3:40:00undeveloped.

3:40:02In terms of context, property to the

3:40:04north is zoned LC and contains the

3:40:07associated vehicle repair limited

3:40:09business. Property to the west is zoned

3:40:11SF5 and developed with a single family

3:40:13home. Property to the southwest is zoned

3:40:16TF3 and developed with a duplex.

3:40:19Property to the southeast is zoned LC

3:40:21and developed with a retail

3:40:22establishment. Property to the east is

3:40:25zoned LC and developed with an office.

3:40:28In terms of the staff report, the staff

3:40:29report provides information about

3:40:31development standards, screening,

3:40:33landscaping, and parking and

3:40:35circulation. In terms of review, on

3:40:38September 10th, the planning commission

3:40:39reviewed the request and recommended

3:40:41approval of the zone change with a

3:40:42protective overlay, and the text for

3:40:44that is included in attached with the

3:40:46staff report. The vote for that was 13

3:40:49to zero. The planning commission

3:40:51recommended protective overlay includes

3:40:53condition number six and that would

3:40:55restrict the RV parking to the north 118

3:40:58ft of the property. And the reason for

3:41:00that is that they wanted to make sure

3:41:02that the parking of the RVs did not

3:41:03extend further than the house which is

3:41:05adjacent to the west.

3:41:08There were no public comments at that

3:41:09meeting regarding this request. On

3:41:12September 14th, the DAB reviewed the

3:41:14request and recommended approval of the

3:41:15zone change request the same as the

3:41:17planning commission except for condition

3:41:19number six, which is the one that

3:41:21restricted it to the north 118 ft. The

3:41:24vote at the DAB was seven to zero.

3:41:27In terms of protest, no protests were

3:41:29received against the application.

3:41:30Therefore, the zone change can be

3:41:32approved by a simple majority of four of

3:41:33seven votes. In terms of recommendation,

3:41:36it's recommended the city council adopt

3:41:37the findings of the MAPC, approve the

3:41:40recommended zone change, authorize

3:41:41necessary signatures, and instruct the

3:41:43city clerk to publish the ordinance

3:41:44after approval. Again, requires just

3:41:46four of seven votes. Alternatives

3:41:48include the following. You can override

3:41:50the planning commission, adopt

3:41:51alternative findings, and approve the

3:41:53requested zone change per the DAB and

3:41:56the DAB protective overlay. That would

3:41:58require five of seven votes. You can

3:42:00override the MAPC adopt alternative

3:42:02findings and deny the requested zone

3:42:04change. That would also require 507

3:42:06votes or you can return the case to the

3:42:08MAPC for additional consideration as

3:42:10always requires just four seven votes.

3:42:13And again, a note about the process that

3:42:14the public hearing per the city council

3:42:16policy public hearing takes place at the

3:42:18planning commission. And according to

3:42:19that policy, the city council does not

3:42:21typically receive public comments on

3:42:23zoning items. So with that, I'll take

3:42:25you through some of the graphics. So

3:42:27here's the aerial. Here's the zoning map

3:42:29that was described earlier. Here's a map

3:42:31from the comprehensive plan. and it does

3:42:33show uh residential recommended. Here's

3:42:36the protest map and notification area.

3:42:38Again, no protests were received. Here's

3:42:41the graphic that was submitted as part

3:42:43of the application by the applicant.

3:42:45Here are photos from the site and the

3:42:47surrounding area.

3:42:52And with that, I'll stand for any

3:42:54questions.

3:42:56Questions for staff? Seeing none, uh,

3:43:00this resides in council member Ballard's

3:43:02district.

3:43:04>> Thank you, mayor. I,

3:43:06um, move to approve the MAPD, uh,

3:43:09recommendation and with a protective

3:43:11overlay. [snorts]

3:43:14>> Second.

3:43:14>> Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none.

3:43:18>> Madam clerk, please open the roll.

3:43:21Right.

3:43:28>> Motion passes 70. Madame clerk, please

3:43:31call the next item.

3:43:35>> Approve that pursuant to section 204090.

3:43:38Council Member Tuttle and Council Member

3:43:40Ballard to travel to attend the

3:43:42Greenwood Rising Tour hosted by the

3:43:43Witchaw Police Department on October

3:43:4630th, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the

3:43:49purpose of professional development and

3:43:50cultural cultural education consistent

3:43:53with AR3.1 be approved. They will ride

3:43:55the charter bus with the Witchaw Police

3:43:57Department and there will be no other

3:43:59expense to the city.

3:44:02>> I move to approve that travel.

3:44:05>> Second.

3:44:05>> Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none.

3:44:07Madame clerk, please open the role.

3:44:10>> I.

3:44:11>> Motion passes. 70. Madame clerk, please

3:44:14call the next item.

3:44:16>> Council member appointments and

3:44:17comments.

3:44:21>> I would like to see if there are any

3:44:23appointments. First, I sent a

3:44:27appointment via email. Um, I move to

3:44:31approve the appointment of Jennifer

3:44:33Mackey to the Cedric County Juvenile

3:44:36Corrections Advisory Board.

3:44:39>> Second.

3:44:40>> Motion second. Discussion. See none. All

3:44:42those in favor say I.

3:44:44>> I.

3:44:45>> I.

3:44:46>> All those opposed, same sign. Motion

3:44:48passes. 70. Council member comments at

3:44:51this time.

3:44:52>> Mayor,

3:44:54>> I would like to ask for a brief update

3:44:57about Chapen Park. There are individuals

3:44:59who are reaching out and I know that

3:45:01I've asked the city manager to prepare a

3:45:04statement to give an update about Chief

3:45:06Park today.

3:45:10>> Wait for comments or do you want me to

3:45:12go ahead and do that now?

3:45:14>> Any further comments from council? I

3:45:16just want I have one really quick one

3:45:18and that is thanking the Witchaw Sports

3:45:21Commission for hosting the annual

3:45:23Prairie Fire um marathon f half marathon

3:45:275K mayor's friendly 5K. There were over

3:45:303,400 participants uh from 45 states and

3:45:34eight countries and so our city got to

3:45:38have individuals that don't even live in

3:45:39our community experiencing a tradition.

3:45:42So, thank you to the council members

3:45:44whose districts were affected. Um, I

3:45:46know it was temporary, uh, but it was

3:45:48also a really great way to bring

3:45:50community together. So, with that, city

3:45:52manager Mars.

3:45:54>> Thank you, Mayor and Council members. As

3:45:56you've gotten, um, information from

3:45:58constituents um, to kind of back up, the

3:46:01city strives, as you all know, to work

3:46:03with our community partners to achieve

3:46:05safe and stable housing and enhance the

3:46:08quality of life for those experiencing

3:46:09homelessness. And many have found Chapen

3:46:12Park, a city park which is located in a

3:46:15flood plane to be a source of where they

3:46:17could find at least some respit from the

3:46:20homelessness. But Chapen Park does not

3:46:22advance our goals, particularly when

3:46:24we've had calls for public safety

3:46:26assistance, including just two down to

3:46:29Chapen Park yesterday morning for police

3:46:32and fire. Since March, the city and

3:46:35community partners have engaged 90

3:46:37people experiencing homelessness in the

3:46:38Chapman Park area over a multitude of

3:46:41interactions and services and housing

3:46:43options. As part of that process, the

3:46:46city's been able to secure at least 36

3:46:49housing vouchers for residents in the

3:46:52park and start the encampment cleanup

3:46:55process as part of the city's no camping

3:46:57ordinance.

3:46:58All the occupants of the park were

3:47:00notified at least with a two-eek notice.

3:47:02some longer got longer notice to vacate

3:47:05the area no later than today with a

3:47:08cleanup contractor scheduled to begin

3:47:10operations tomorrow. So many have made

3:47:13themselves available to the city and

3:47:14community resources for the move. We've

3:47:17even had the humane society and our

3:47:18animal shelter involved and others have

3:47:21found housing options or resources on

3:47:23their own.

3:47:25There were approximately five

3:47:26individuals still working to remove

3:47:28belongings as of this morning and as of

3:47:32an hour ago reported there are currently

3:47:34no occupants on the land. Um as of last

3:47:38report there are still some folks who

3:47:41are community folks helping to move some

3:47:43things out. Um it is reported that no

3:47:46one from the camp has utilized the

3:47:48second light shelter but bedsp space

3:47:51does remain available for anyone needing

3:47:54shelter this week. So, our intention and

3:47:57understanding is that everyone has

3:48:00complied with the order to vacate and

3:48:04that will be achieved this afternoon and

3:48:06then tomorrow morning there will be a

3:48:09contractor to help move all the uh

3:48:12remaining items that are there from

3:48:15pallets and different things. And so

3:48:17that will take up to maybe four weeks to

3:48:20move everything out. Um I would like to

3:48:23thank our housing services

3:48:26our police team, parks and recreation,

3:48:28public works, everyone, I think, has

3:48:30been lenient and accommodating during

3:48:32this process. We know it has emotions

3:48:35and feelings with those, but trying to

3:48:38again find safe and appropriate housing

3:48:41for those who are experiencing

3:48:42homelessness has been our overall goal.

3:48:45That's my update.

3:48:52>> Yeah. Um, I just want to say I've been

3:48:54having concerns the whole time we played

3:48:57through this process. Um, I've warned

3:49:00people

3:49:01the entire time I've been here. It's

3:49:03turning one big camp into a couple of

3:49:05smaller ones. That's the way it's looked

3:49:07like it's been so far. Um, so we need to

3:49:10definitely make sure we continue to

3:49:11follow through with those residents, do

3:49:14everything that we can to get them out

3:49:16of the elements and into um safe

3:49:18accommodations and

3:49:22going forward continue to make this a

3:49:24priority among council to one of the

3:49:26issues we're finding is um just lack of

3:49:29available landlords who are willing to

3:49:31take these vouchers. So, um, we got to

3:49:35make sure that we keep that in mind as

3:49:36we continue our policies going forward

3:49:39and the discussion. Um,

3:49:42we've delayed it a couple times. I've

3:49:44been pushing to delay it. I've been

3:49:46pushing to allow people to get in there

3:49:48and get their stuff out and, uh, as much

3:49:51time as possible to find housing. So,

3:49:54um, there's definitely things we're

3:49:56going to learn from this. And, um, it's

3:50:00where we are today, I guess. So, thank

3:50:02you.

3:50:06>> I see no further comments with that.

3:50:08>> Mayor actually did have a comment. I'm

3:50:09sorry. It probably didn't show up on

3:50:11your screen, but um I just

3:50:16Mike, I feel for you. I think you are in

3:50:19a very hard situation.

3:50:22And um I remember standing right there

3:50:25when the emergency winter shelter was

3:50:27moving into northeast Witchaw and a

3:50:28group of folks who um

3:50:32don't have great positive feelings about

3:50:35the way in which this city or local

3:50:37government may view their neighborhood

3:50:39was very adamantly opposed to that

3:50:41emergency winter shelter moving in

3:50:42temporarily. And I stood in a crowded

3:50:45room and I was one of two people who

3:50:46said, "I hear you and we need to give

3:50:49folks housing." And that was a very hard

3:50:52thing for me to do. And I took a lot of

3:50:54backlash for it. And I know what it's

3:50:56like to be in your situation. And I feel

3:50:59that we have collectively failed you. I

3:51:01feel that we have collectively failed

3:51:03our housing staff. And I feel that we've

3:51:06collectively failed the community by not

3:51:07ensuring that the ecosystem is as strong

3:51:09as it could be to make sure that as we

3:51:12are guiding people out of the encampment

3:51:14that we're guiding them into resources.

3:51:16I think what we heard today was that

3:51:18there are shelter beds available, but no

3:51:20one from Second Light has yet enrolled

3:51:22in the shelter. That's concerning

3:51:24because I think that that tells us that

3:51:25there are additional barriers to them

3:51:27going to the shelter that perhaps our

3:51:30housing staff may not be equipped with

3:51:32the resources to guide them to. Um this

3:51:36is this is why I feel that moving

3:51:38forward in any case I don't care which

3:51:40district it is in that we should think

3:51:44more methodically about the process in

3:51:47which we are doing this. It is not

3:51:49humane to have folks living in

3:51:51conditions that don't honor their

3:51:53humanity and dignity. And it is also not

3:51:56humane to not provide them with the

3:51:59resources needed to to mitigate all the

3:52:02risk to get them into shelter.

3:52:04Um,

3:52:06I' I've said this time and time again.

3:52:07I'm going to say it out loud and it's

3:52:09not um it's not a black eye on our

3:52:12housing department. I've watched them

3:52:13work hard every single day with the

3:52:15limited resources that they have. A

3:52:18housing voucher is not housing.

3:52:21And now we're asking our community's

3:52:23landlords to step up as we are pushing

3:52:26folks out of the encampment. It it just

3:52:29it just seems counterproductive.

3:52:32I see our attorney Maggaya is not here

3:52:34so I won't throw this on you but one of

3:52:36the questions I've asked is how did this

3:52:38happen without a vote?

3:52:40How did this occur without a vote? I

3:52:42don't understand

3:52:44the authority that one has to move

3:52:46something forward without any

3:52:48conversation from the bench.

3:52:52And I can address that a little bit. And

3:52:53again, some of this uh predates me. Um

3:52:57but when the encampment ordinance was

3:52:59adopted by council and funding for some

3:53:02of the subsequent cleanup, so when

3:53:04there's been encampment cleanups are

3:53:09I don't want to say routine, but have

3:53:11been done in the past. Sims Park has

3:53:14been one in the past, but there's also

3:53:16smaller ones that you'll see. We did um

3:53:19one under the Broadway bridge I believe

3:53:21earlier this year as well. So this one's

3:53:23just a bigger one with a chapen and it's

3:53:26been around a bit longer, but part of

3:53:28our ongoing policy from council with the

3:53:31um encampment ordinance is doing

3:53:35different encampment cleanups, but a lot

3:53:37of them are in smaller, maybe it's five

3:53:39people or whatever and trying to help do

3:53:41the resources. So that is where the um I

3:53:44think the authority is vested. But I

3:53:46will say compared to Sims Park, which

3:53:49was a one of the larger ones that was

3:53:51done in recent memory, um we did a more

3:53:55methodical process for this one at

3:53:57Chapen knowing that we have more

3:53:59individuals who are utilizing that land.

3:54:02Um we did more community partner um

3:54:04outreach. We had nine different

3:54:06community partners down there on several

3:54:08occasions working on resource and

3:54:10different resources and different

3:54:12opportunities to help engage folks down

3:54:15there. So I think you're right, we are

3:54:17getting more in tune with how we can

3:54:20find solutions

3:54:22as we take on these efforts. But again,

3:54:24the encampment cleanup is something that

3:54:26is kind of ongoing where we see them and

3:54:30trying to engage so that we can help

3:54:32people get to safe um housing and help

3:54:35them understand what some of their

3:54:36housing options are.

3:54:37>> City manager, I really appreciate that.

3:54:39I guess it doesn't answer the question.

3:54:42Um so I think this might help. How much

3:54:45are we spending to clean up the

3:54:48encampment? um roughly on a cleanup

3:54:52contract or not with staff time and

3:54:54staff hours per when our team has been

3:54:56out there. Um I believe the current

3:54:59contract for cleanup is about 110,000.

3:55:03>> What's the minimum threshold typically

3:55:06that something has to come to us?

3:55:09>> 100,000 now.

3:55:12>> And you said it was 108.

3:55:14>> Yeah. And I think

3:55:15>> that's what I don't understand. How is

3:55:17this over the threshold? But it never

3:55:20came to us. It It never came for

3:55:23discussion. Um I have brought it up from

3:55:26the bench many of times. So there was an

3:55:28opportunity. I'm asking city legal to

3:55:30look into this because as far as I'm

3:55:33concerned, this can't happen again. I

3:55:35mean, I don't know about any of you all,

3:55:37but the commentary, the calls. Council

3:55:40member Hohazo, I know you were contacted

3:55:42over the weekend while you were doing an

3:55:44event for the firefighters of people

3:55:46just in panic. And I feel this could

3:55:50have been mitigated if we would have had

3:55:52the opportunity to

3:55:56communicate this better out loud. I'm

3:56:00not going to say there wasn't any

3:56:01communication. There was communication,

3:56:03but better communication out loud. We

3:56:07see today that there are multiple people

3:56:09who have stepped up over the weekend,

3:56:11regular citizens, who said, "I'm going

3:56:13out there and I'm going to help." I

3:56:16can't imagine that if we would have done

3:56:17a better job communicating this, that

3:56:19this could have been a really unique

3:56:21opportunity to watch our community in

3:56:23action, helping serve the most

3:56:24vulnerable, and we miss that

3:56:26opportunity. But more importantly, we

3:56:29don't have case management. We've heard

3:56:30from our housing that this is not a best

3:56:32practice. We have four and a half case

3:56:35managers who again I would argue that we

3:56:39have shelter but no one not one person

3:56:41has taken a bed at Second Light. Again I

3:56:43would argue that that might tell us it

3:56:45might be an indication that there needs

3:56:47to be some supports and some

3:56:48relationships to help folks understand

3:56:50that this is probably one of the best

3:56:52options for them to get the help that

3:56:54they need. I I don't I just think we

3:56:58missed the opportunity to even provide

3:56:59you with that perspective because it

3:57:01never came before us. And how does a 108

3:57:04$1,000 price tag get approved without

3:57:07this council's blessing? I I just don't

3:57:10understand how that happened. So, I look

3:57:12forward to city legal telling me how

3:57:14that happened. Um because I would have

3:57:17been a vocal proponent of yes, I want to

3:57:19make sure we get these folks help and

3:57:21no, I don't think this is the best way

3:57:22to do it. And I think that we might need

3:57:24to invest in looking at some best

3:57:26practices from other places on the way

3:57:28to do this and also using dollars to

3:57:31provide our housing department with the

3:57:33supports that they need. Finally, I will

3:57:35say that I am really concerned about

3:57:37what we have exposed our staff to

3:57:41their health and wellness. And while we

3:57:44have a benefits package that provides

3:57:46them with that support if they need it,

3:57:48I'm really interested in what we can do

3:57:51as a as a internal team to make sure

3:57:54that we're giving them the space to

3:57:56process everything that they have

3:57:58experienced over this last 6 months and

3:58:00everything that they have been exposed

3:58:01to because I think that's another

3:58:03element that we're not talking about. I

3:58:05mean, we've sent our staff into this

3:58:07encampment to engage with people who are

3:58:10dealing with things that are

3:58:12unimaginable and that we don't have the

3:58:15resources to help them with, but all

3:58:17they know that is that they've been

3:58:18given a directive to clear out an an

3:58:20encampment.

3:58:22I'm really concerned about the impact it

3:58:24has on them and how that might

3:58:26contribute to turnover in the future.

3:58:30>> And thank you. I do have the answer

3:58:31about um the as I said we do um cleanups

3:58:36as it's called. Um we do have money in

3:58:40the parks and recreation budget. We have

3:58:42a ongoing contract with a contractor for

3:58:46cleanup whether it's at Chapen, whether

3:58:48it's at SIMS, whether it's at Broadway

3:58:52or whatever it may be. is that this

3:58:55contract 110,000 for Chapen was part of

3:59:00that approved contract with the company.

3:59:04This is just that portion for Chapen

3:59:07Park.

3:59:08>> I see that purchasing manager is here.

3:59:11Can that be addressed? Uh the 100,000

3:59:14limit.

3:59:15>> Sure. Sorry, I was running down here. Um

3:59:19yeah. Um Josh Lber, Department of

3:59:22Finance. So the question was is how is

3:59:24the authority to spend a contractual

3:59:26without counsel afforded it was not uh

3:59:30specifically and if I may explain

3:59:32December of 2024 uh the board of bits

3:59:35recommendation was for a fixed fee for

3:59:38services contract for uh itinerary

3:59:41encampment cleanup and that contract was

3:59:44developed in coordination with our park

3:59:45and recreation staff. So it was a

3:59:49um supplemental contractual to support

3:59:52the insourcing efforts and the manager's

3:59:54correct. So we clearly outlined and

3:59:58solicited the contract. We brought the

4:00:01recommendation and that's where that

4:00:03authority lies. I have a followup based

4:00:06on that and thank you for running down

4:00:08here. Got some water for you. Let's see.

4:00:112024,

4:00:12and we should probably have a

4:00:14conversation about this later on because

4:00:16obviously I wasn't hearing, so I need to

4:00:17be informed on this. Was that a vote?

4:00:19Did this council vote for that change in

4:00:232024?

4:00:24>> I don't know about the management model,

4:00:26but the board of bids and contracts

4:00:27affirmed that contract being approved.

4:00:30>> Okay. Yes, council member. A and so am I

4:00:32hearing in in basic layman terms and I'm

4:00:35I'm sorry I just need you to break this

4:00:36down for me

4:00:37>> that this is a part of a larger

4:00:39encampment cleanup budget.

4:00:43>> So this is Yeah. So

4:00:45>> yes.

4:00:45>> Yes.

4:00:46>> And how much is that total budget?

4:00:49>> $300,000

4:00:50for encampment cleanup

4:00:52>> for fiscal year, right?

4:00:54>> For I believe

4:00:55>> 26.

4:00:57>> Yes, I believe so.

4:00:58>> calendar year. Okay. Thank you. And so

4:01:00we have used 110,000 from that budget

4:01:04for this specific cleanup. Okay. I'd be

4:01:08curious how much is left and remaining

4:01:11and what impact does that have on all

4:01:14the other encampments that we have

4:01:15across the city of Witchaw and how did

4:01:17we factor that into this decision that

4:01:21that that was going to impact other

4:01:23encampment because what we do know is

4:01:25that right there are some folks who

4:01:26refuse services. you some folks just

4:01:29refuse services. I am concerned that we

4:01:32are shifting the challenge to other

4:01:34parts of the city and not solving it. So

4:01:37that tells me that we will have more

4:01:40encampments to clean up and I want to

4:01:43make sure that we're being fiscally

4:01:45responsible

4:01:47to have the dollars to be able to do

4:01:48that. And I appreciate that. Thank you.

4:01:51Because on please keep in mind on this

4:01:53one as well since part of this is city

4:01:56land and state land through department

4:01:58of transportation some of it's um core

4:02:01of engineers federal um but we do have

4:02:04support from the department of

4:02:06transportation the state dot that is

4:02:10paying for part of the cleanup as well.

4:02:11So, we usually don't have partners when

4:02:14it's just city land or whatever. But in

4:02:16this instance, we do have a reduced

4:02:20contract amount than what was originally

4:02:22proposed because the state is taking the

4:02:26cost share to actually haul the debris

4:02:29out um to offsite locations. So, we're

4:02:32able to partner with the state on this

4:02:34one to help mitigate our financial

4:02:36contribution from our funds.

4:02:42I do have one question and that is for

4:02:44Sally since she is in the back. Uh the

4:02:47comment was made that this is not best

4:02:50practice but I do recall that this is

4:02:52actually a best practice from Texas. Uh

4:02:55there is a individual that is helping

4:02:58with encampment cleanups in Houston and

4:03:01the most humane way to do this is to

4:03:03connect people to resources at these

4:03:06major encampments in Houston. Can you

4:03:09share is this best practice?

4:03:11>> It is a it is a variation of the best

4:03:13practice taught by Mandy Chapman sample

4:03:15to come in um and not just sweep people

4:03:18from encampments but to go in with

4:03:20housing resources and try and connect

4:03:22people to those services. Yes.

4:03:25um in an encampment this large,

4:03:30the best practice would have been to do

4:03:33it in sections

4:03:35that they the terrain of this particular

4:03:38uh encampment made that extraordinarily

4:03:41challenging. So it was just a variation

4:03:44of that practice.

4:03:48>> See no further question. Oh, I can't see

4:03:51any

4:03:53council member Hisel,

4:03:55>> thank you, mayor. Um, just one other

4:03:57thing. I talking about the challenges

4:03:59with communication. Uh, this is on KOT

4:04:03property. Um, so a lot of the potential

4:04:06deforestation. I know I've had, uh, a

4:04:10lot of people reach out about those

4:04:11concerns as well. That is not up to us.

4:04:15That is up to the Kansas Department of

4:04:17Transportation as to what they want to

4:04:20do with their property moving forward.

4:04:22So, I did want to get that out there,

4:04:24too. Um,

4:04:27again, communication issues with it. Um,

4:04:29that's something I do think we need to

4:04:31work on moving forward. Um, so

4:04:34just wanting to make sure that's on

4:04:36everybody's radar.

4:04:38>> Council member Ballard.

4:04:39>> Thank you, Mayor. I did just want to

4:04:41share with my colleagues that I learned

4:04:42that Second Light is um allowing up to

4:04:46100 people in the night to night night

4:04:48by night beds and they do have um up to

4:04:5225 bunk beds reserved for folks coming

4:04:56from Chapen Park. So, um really

4:04:59appreciate that. A little bummed that

4:05:01nobody's using them yet, but just if any

4:05:04of you all here, um I just want to make

4:05:06sure that you know the resources

4:05:08available and they are reserved. So, um

4:05:12just wanted to share that.

4:05:16I see no further comments regarding

4:05:19this. Uh Council member Johnston,

4:05:23>> thank you. I think one of the challenges

4:05:25is a lot of those people remaining had

4:05:27pets, didn't want to give them up. I

4:05:30think that's why it's important for

4:05:31Second Light to

4:05:34somehow accommodate that. I think

4:05:36eventually I know it cost money, but

4:05:39>> I think I think that should be a factor.

4:05:42And the second thing is I think it's

4:05:45important that we don't get into

4:05:47day-to-day operations of the city. We

4:05:50are policy board. We're not day-to-day

4:05:54operations. So, we hire city manager and

4:05:56the staff to do that. Um, I think it's

4:05:58important us to to set policy and then

4:06:00let them do their job. So,

4:06:07>> I'm just Oh, Council Member Tuttle,

4:06:09>> thank you. I did have a conversation

4:06:11with the folks from Wall and they worked

4:06:14and they did a couple media interviews,

4:06:16too.

4:06:16um they worked significantly to try and

4:06:19be involved and to try and be helpful

4:06:21any way that they could. So that was one

4:06:23of the things that I saw from the

4:06:25outside and and again I want to applaud

4:06:27council member I know that he's done a

4:06:29great job and spent the most amount of

4:06:30time on this but it seems like lots of

4:06:32community partners were engaged and we

4:06:35reached out to as many entities as we

4:06:37could. So for all of the community

4:06:39partners that assisted with this

4:06:41project, but especially the housing and

4:06:43to parks and our own internal and

4:06:45homeless outreach team, our internal

4:06:47departments, just thank you.

4:06:50>> I know that uh Reggie is not here at

4:06:53Sorry, Council Member.

4:06:54>> Go ahead, Mayor.

4:06:55>> Uh I know Reggie is not here at this

4:06:57moment, but I just wanted to highlight

4:06:59something for anyone who's watching. The

4:07:02parks and recck department has done 524

4:07:06work orders for homeless remediation,

4:07:08which means encampment cleanups this

4:07:11year alone. And the total cost of that

4:07:13work is $335,792

4:07:19and total labor hours is $4,843

4:07:24hours and that is only for 2026.

4:07:27Council member Shepard,

4:07:28>> thank you. because some of the

4:07:30commentary alludes to this idea that

4:07:32we're getting in into the weeds of

4:07:34things. I want to be very clear that

4:07:36policy and setting policy impacts how

4:07:38you operate. And I think the mayor does

4:07:39a phenomenal job with the rat card of of

4:07:42really describing how things work. And I

4:07:43agree with that philosophy of our city

4:07:46manager is our CEO and we are the board

4:07:48of directors and every decision that is

4:07:50happening be it operation or policy

4:07:53impacts how and and when or yeah really

4:07:56how we should respond to our

4:07:57constituents. What I'm saying is over

4:07:59the last three months, I've not had any

4:08:02any way to really respond in depth to

4:08:04the people that I've been called to

4:08:06represent because I didn't have an

4:08:08understanding of the policy that allowed

4:08:10this to move forward. So, that that is

4:08:13where I'm coming from. I don't want the

4:08:15city manager's job. I think he has a

4:08:17tough job. Um, we have very candid and

4:08:19spirited conversations, but I want to be

4:08:21very clear that from a policy

4:08:24perspective, I would have said that

4:08:25let's equip housing with the resources

4:08:28to do this well. And a community

4:08:30resource fair

4:08:32is it's the resources being there are

4:08:34only as good as if people are using them

4:08:37and if they're available to be used. Um,

4:08:40so I just wanted to be very clear here.

4:08:42It's not an a fault of getting into the

4:08:45wees of the operations or holding our

4:08:47housing um accountable. It's this could

4:08:50have been done differently and it could

4:08:51have been done better and had we had a

4:08:53policy discussion on this, we could have

4:08:54had an opportunity to contribute to that

4:08:56conversation.

4:09:00>> I see no further comments on this. I

4:09:03will now uh move to a blue sheet. I move

4:09:07that the city council recess into

4:09:09executive session for 10 minutes to

4:09:11receive information on the potential

4:09:13availability of real estate pursuant to

4:09:16KSA75-4319B2

4:09:20for the preliminary discussions of the

4:09:22acquisition of real property. The

4:09:24executive session is required to protect

4:09:26the city's right to the confidentiality

4:09:28of its negotiating position and the

4:09:30public interest. The executive session

4:09:33will begin immediately following this uh

4:09:36session so that we can get on to this.

4:09:38It will begin at 110 111 p.m. and end at

4:09:421:21 p.m. The meeting will resume in the

4:09:45council chambers.

4:09:47>> Oh. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Uh Council Member

4:09:50Tuttle would like a a break. So, we will

4:09:53actually begin at 1:15

4:09:56p.m. and come back at 1:25 p.m.

4:10:00>> I

4:10:00>> motion second. Oh, council member

4:10:02Hullheisle,

4:10:03>> just one other point before we finish

4:10:05here. Our comm's team does a great job.

4:10:08Um, and they they often have a lot on

4:10:10their plate. So, I just want to make

4:10:13sure everybody knows this. Any comments

4:10:16about comms was not a indictment of

4:10:18them. It was our overall strategy. So, I

4:10:21I agree there's things that we need to

4:10:23do better um in terms of communicating

4:10:26and that comes from the top down. So,

4:10:28that's on us as well. So, just want to

4:10:30make sure that point is made.

4:10:34>> All those in favor say I.

4:10:36>> I. All those oppos same.

4:10:38>> I.

4:10:38>> Motion passes 70. Uh we will begin

4:10:41executive session at 1:15.