City Council - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. The city of Blue Springs is developing a new 50 acre park north of Wyatt Road and west of Highway 7 known as Southwest park. Once complete, it will become the southernmost park in the city, giving residents on the south side better access to public park space. The Parks and Recreation Department is finalizing the park's design with construction expected to begin in late 2026 and an anticipated opening in 2028. Prior to the park construction,

Southwest 12th Street will be extended through the property to connect with Wyatt Road with street construction starting in spring 2026. The north end of the park will feature a custom-designed playground and a large shelter. A signature element will be a tree canopy walkway allowing visitors to experience elevated views as the path lines through the treetops. The center of the park will include an event facility for 250 to 300 people, primarily designed for weddings and receptions, but flexible enough for meetings and retreats. Outdoor ceremony spaces will surround the building, which will sit on a hillside overlooking natural wooded areas. The south end of Southwest Park will offer open green space for passive recreation, including a burm that can double as a sledding hill in the winter. Trails throughout the park will provide options for exercise or leisurely walks. Residents on the south side of Blue Springs have long asked for a park in this area, and we're excited to deliver a unique space they can enjoy for years to come.

Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. The city's newly adopted strategic plan alongside the 2024 downtown master plan has given the city renewed energy with its approach to downtown revitalization. The city's downtown revitalization effort is multifaceted, involving infrastructure projects, economic incentives, and redevelopment initiatives that will transform and enhance the downtown district. There are four big ticket items for downtown revitalization. The Central Park improvements project present the chance to bring a nature recreation area to the setting of downtown. This is an unutilized park that has the potential to be a new vibrant civic space for the downtown area, enhancing the landscaping pathways and seating to knit the park into downtown's pedestrian network. The former lumberard will see a transformation of this vacant site into an active mixeduse development. with first floor commercial space and residential units above. This will provide the downtown market with new commercial space to further attract new types of dining and retail. The former First Baptist Church property was purchased by the city of Blue Springs in January 2025, and the city issued a request for proposals in December 2025, soliciting proposals for potential reuse and redevelopment ideas. The downtown streetscape enhancements project will transform downtown Blue

Springs and build a new foundation for downtown revitalization. Funds from the 2024 voter approved bonds will be used to construct a new main street with sidewalks that are more pedestrian friendly and street lights and landscaping that will help to make downtown Blue Springs a distinct and unique destination, attracting culture, commerce, and community for the city. The city is excited and motivated to see these transformative projects through to completion, and we look forward to sharing more with the residents of Blue Springs over the upcoming months. Huh? Ah. Heat. Heat.

Come on. Come on. Welcome to the May 18th Blue Spring City Council meeting. If you will stand with me, I will lead us in the pledge of

allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. You can be seated. Now call the meeting to order. First item on the agenda is confirmation of a court. Council member Kaylor present. Bolan present. Ruml here. Ericson present. Markwart present. Rowan present. Mayor Levis here. We have a quorum.

Next item is the consent agenda. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Is there a second? Second. Is there any discussion? Yes, your honor. Council member Kaylor. Um on D 3D uh amendment uh with the newart Novvec uh construction renovation, what was actually the amendment for staff? Can you tell us what was added to the public works building renovation? Yeah, so um as you know on January 21st,

you might turn on your mic. So um on January 21st, 2025, the council entered into a contract with New Kirk Novak. At that time that was just for the pre-construction services. At that time it also it stated that there would be an amendment brought back. This amendment is for the actual construction cost of the facility itself. So that's there there's nothing been added to the contract. It's just this is the next step of that process. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you, your honor. Any further discussion on the consent agenda? Seeing none, roll call. Council member Kaylor, I. Then I, RML, I. Ericson, I. Markworth, I. Rowan, I. Mayor Leves,

I. Motion carries.

Next item is a proclamation for American Public Works Association week. This is actually the National Public Works Weeks. We have several public works employees here in the audience with us. So, I have a proclamation to officially designate this uh public works weeks the week of May 17th through the 23rd. Going to read a couple of the warehouse clauses and then council, we're going to go take a picture with our public works staff here. Uh it says, "Whereas this week is American Public Works Association is designated as the National Public Works Week to formally recognize public works professionals as first responders. And whereas the public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, services that are vital and of importance in sustainable and resilient communities. And whereas the public works professionals, engineers, managers, employees at all levels of government uh and are responsible for rebuilding, improving, maintaining, and protecting our nation's transportation, water supply, water treatment, solid waste systems, public buildings, and other facilities. As Council Member Kaylor always says, you want your water to turn on, your toilet to flush, right?

Yes, sir. Whereas a it is the public interest to gain knowledge of the ongoing interest and understand the importance of public works and public works programs. And this is the 66th annual National Public Works Weeks sponsored by the American Public Works Association. And now this week is a great time to recognize the efforts of public works professionals and recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our national health, safety, and advancing our quality of life. Therefore, the mayor of Blue Springs and the city council do hereby proclaim this week as the 66th annual National Public Works Week. Can we give our public works employees a round of applause? What this really highlights just as several of employees uh it kind of specifically talks about them as first responders. They are ones whether it's snowing or raining or whatever is happening uh when the water goes out when there's a water main break when this when the pothole needs to get filled. They're the ones in all weather and all temperatures and all conditions going out and doing the work. And so we greatly appreciate all that you do if you can share that with the rest of the public works staff as well. And uh congratulations on public works week. So, council, let's go down there and take a picture. Staff, if you're willing to come up and do the same, All right, you guys will have to get Rose. Here

we go. Here we go.

Round of applause.

I got you. Again, I will just echo glad we have an opportunity to recognize our public court staff and for all they do and so excited to do that tonight. Next item on the agenda, we actually have two to continue, two public hearing continuences. So, the first is for iconic Blue Springs. I'm going to open the public hearing, see if there's any comments from the audience or the council before I accept a motion to continue. Seeing none, I will accept the motion to continue to the June 1st city council meeting.

Your honor, I move to continue to June 1st. Okay. Motion to have a second. Second. Is there any discussion on the motion to continue? All in favor? I. Any opposed? No. Motion carries. We'll continue that to June 1st. Second, I have a public hearing on Windwater to continue to the June 1st city council meeting. Let me open that public hearing. See if there's any comments from the audience or the council before I take a motion to continue. Seeing none, accept the motion to continue to the June 1st city council meeting. Your honor, I'd like to continue June 1st, please. Got a motion. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion on the motion to continue? Seeing none. All in favor? I. I.

Any opposed? No. Motion carries. We will continue that to the June 1st city council meeting. Next, I have another public hearing, this one for the Ford Park Storage annexation. I will open that public hearing. The city clerk has some exhibits to read for the record. Mayor, the city has one exhibit to enter into the record. City council information form dated May 12th, 2026 with the following attachments. Staff report with attachments. Site location maps. Petition of voluntary annexation with attachments. Affidavit of publication the examiner April 25th, 2026. 185 ft notification map. names, addresses of property owners within 185 ft of the site, copy of letter sent to said property owners, and bill approving annexation. This is all we have to enter for the record.

Do you have to swear staff in no eyes? If you are going to speak on this, whether you're in the audience or staff, if you will stand and raise your right hand. Okay. Do you swear the testimony you're about to give in this case be the true so help you God? I do. Okay. You will have to give us your name and address for the record when you come up. staff, go ahead and continue with your presentation.

Yes. Chintel Fry, uh, on behalf of the city, 903 West Main Street, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015. Before you this evening is a request to approve an annexation of approximately 4.91 acres into the city. The property is owned by the applicant Blaine Balderson on behalf of BFRE LLC which is located at 3110 Southwestbound Highway 40. The annexation into the city is required to required prior to the development in order to access and utilize public utility services. The subject property is currently developed and is utilized at the Ford Park storage building. This request is for the public hearing and first reading of the bill for annexation petition. The second reading of the annexation petition annexation agreement is scheduled for June 1, 2026 city council agenda. The annexation petition was received on March 27th of 2026 and the initial public hearing is occurring within the state statute required 60 days. Staff believes that the proposed annexation meets the general criteria for annexation as outlined in Missouri revised statutes of 71.012 that the property is contiguous and compact to the existing corporate limits of the city. that the organication is reasonable and necessary to the proper development of the city and the city is unable to fi is able to furnish normal municipal services to set area within a reasonable time after annexation. Staff recommends approval of this annexation. I would be happy to answer any questions and the applicant is also here.

Any questions for staff from the council? Council member Kay. Yes. Would the all the utilities are there already though? Correct. That is correct. Thank you. Any other questions for staff and the council? Okay. If the applicant is present, we'll come forward and answer questions. Give us presentations to the Avalon. Give us your name and address for the record, please.

Thank you very much. Uh, Mr. Mayor, my name is Powell Menace, M I Nis. I work for Davidson Architectural and Engineering Group in Oland Park, Kansas. Uh we've worked with um Bob and his team for many years now uh with additions to their um uh Blue Springs um facilities, their Lee Summit facilities. Um we're hoping to uh improve his property here in an upcoming uh uh planning um and development proposal, but but the first step is to uh ask for annexation for his property. and he's very willing um and agreed to do so. Yes.

Any questions for the applicant from the council? All right. You did a great job. No question. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Shant. All right. Any other comments from the council before I go to the audience? Anyone in the audience like to speak in support of In? Anyone speak in opposition to any other comments before I close the public hearing? I will close the public hearing. Next item on the agenda is introduction and first reading only of bill 5403 approving the Ford Park Storage annexation. I'll introduce it, your honor.

First reading bill 5403, an ordinance annexing 4.81 plus or minus acres of property located at 3110 southwest eastbound Highway 40 into the city of Blue Springs, Jackson County, Missouri. Your honor, I move we approve on the first reading and move to the second on the June 1st of 2026 at the city council meeting. Is there a second on the motion? Second. Any discussion? Okay. Then all in favor? I I. Any oppose? No.

Motion carries. The second reading will be at the next council meeting. That is all of our business on the agenda this evening. I don't have a speaker appearance forms. So, we will go to council member comments. I know council members have been a lot of graduations and stuff happening at the parks all these last couple of weeks. So, any comments from council members before we move on? Council member Solen. Yeah, I just want to congratulate all the 2026 graduates. I had one of those that did that yesterday. So, a little teeyed, but on to the next chapter. So, congratulations. Any other council in the comments? Council member Taylor,

Council Member Ericson and myself, we were had the privilege to go to the Parkway and visit with the residents there and had a good hour with them. It was very enlightening uh entertaining on both everybody's perspective. They u enjoyed it very muchly which we did too. It was good to interact with them. you are. I might mention that we were incredibly good. You did a wonderful job.

We did a wonderful job. Jerry and I were Mr., you know, back and forth. But the point was we brought the new literature for the strategic plan and the parks and all of that and the eagle shirts and the memorabilia that staff put together for us. They were really, really, really happy and very positive about the city of Blue Springs. We had a resident that said she had been in town for six months and she was walking around and and saw young people in there going, "We love it here. Things are getting new and great." And it just kind of made us shine. That's why we were so good. We got complimented. We appreciate you representing us well with that group.

I know uh several council members both last week and this week have been attending some fifth grade graduations, so that's been fun. Council member Markworth and Council Member Kaylor and I went to one this week and Council Member Bremo went to one all by himself as well. So, uh, continue to do that this week as well. A lot of graduations and exciting things happened the last week of the school year. Uh, I also have several things. I tried to skip over a council meeting and announce Memorial Day. Last city council meeting, but this time it's for real. On Monday, May 25th will be Memorial Day and city offices will be closed. But that weekend is a lot of exciting things. have our first concert in the park. Loose Change is going to be at Rotary Park on May 24th on Sunday. And on Friday, Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. the Splash Pad will open at Burus Old Mill Park. And then Friday at noon will be the official grand opening for Blue Surf Bay. Uh some of us uh city employees and council members got to try that out uh last night and it's just as exciting as it was three years ago we opened it. So two years ago when we opened it for our third season. So that's exciting. Also downtown Blue Springs on Thursday, you can bring the family out for a foam party Thursday at 6 PM here downtown on Main Street. So great way to end the school year when there's just a half day on Friday. So lots of exciting things happening and uh that's all I have. So with that, I will accept a motion to go into executive session.

So move. Mayor, motion is in order for council to go into close session pursuant to section 610.021, 021 sub paragraph 2 revised statutes of Missouri for the purpose of privileged communications between a governmental body or its representative and legal counsel including real estate and that any minutes, documents or other records discussed or taken during the closed session remain closed and that this body stand adjourned at the completion of such session. Now I'll move now you so move. Is there a second? I'll second it. Roll call. Council member Tholan. Hi. Ruml. Hi. Ericson. Hi. Markwart. Hi. Rowan. Hi. Kaylor. I, Mayor Leves, I. Motion carries. We'll go into executive session.