City Commission - Special Meeting

Today is December 30th, 2025. It is 6:30 p.m. Good evening. Uh it is a special meeting of the city of Garden City. Um Madame Clerk, do we have quorum? Yes, commissioner. Please rise for pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Please join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for the graces of this year. continue to provide us with the hope and the glory of your you through the next year and lead us to lead a city full of joy and goodness. Amen. Amen.

All right. Item 3A. The governing body has asked to consider and approve the first amendment to the Finey County law enforcement occupancy agreement between the city of Garden City, Finey County, and the sheriff of Finey County. Uh at the December 16th, 2025 city commission meeting, the governing body approved the first amendment to the Finey County enforcement occupancy agreement between the city of Garden City, Finey County, and the sheriff of Finny County. After the city commission meeting, it was discovered that the attachment included in the agenda was not the correct version of the amendment. And as a result, the city commission is asked to approve the correct amendment language as originally intended. The two items or two alternatives before you are one, the governing body may approve the first amendment to the Finny County law enforcement occupancy agreement between the city of Garden City, Finey County, and the sheriff of Finey County. Or two, the governing body may not approve the first amendment. Staff's recommendation is to approve the amendment as presented. Uh and the fiscal note related to this is that we'll uh this will maintain the status quo for an additional year. Costs will continue to be paid for out of the Garden City Police Department operating budget. And as a reminder, this is just allowing us to stay in the current law enforcement center for a year while the renovations at 1210 Fleming Street uh are underway. So that's the intent of this. Apologies for the wrong attachment being included. Uh but because you all were meeting uh we wanted to get this before you and get that corrected. Any questions for Denal?

I move to approve the amendment as presented. Second. There's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Say nay. Motion passes.

All right. Item 3B. Uh the governing body has asked to consider and approve uh the 2026 serial malt beverage licenses. Uh the the background related to this is again uh because we had a special meeting uh these were folks that did not get their stuff in on time or did not get what they needed from the state in on time for the December 16th meeting. Uh this will allow them uh to be able to um uh utilize their cereal malt beverage license um for tomorrow until the 6th. So, um, staff is, uh, recommending that the governing body approve the licenses as presented, uh, and the fiscal note, uh, is that fees for off- premise, uh, serial malt beverage license is $50 and on premise is $200.

Daniel, I did watch the county commission two weeks ago and they were talking about this. So, they are, even though we approve it, they still have to wait for the county to meet to get that approved on their end. Is that correct? I will let Corey answer that question. I see her nodding and yeah, so um basically um the state approves the application. Well, they don't really approve the application. They just look over it, make sure everything's spelled out correctly. Um and the applicant will send a um $25 stamp fee and they're going to send that to the state and then that's what we're waiting for to give back. Okay. Um so yeah, it's in the ordinance that the governing body has to approve it.

Okay. Any further questions? I'll make the motion to approve the license as presented. [snorts] I'll second. There's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Nay. Motion passes. Thank you. And that is the all the items on our special meeting. We will return back here at 700 p.m. for our town hall meeting. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you.

Do you want to sign this already? Just Oh my goodness. They don't hold anything locally anymore at all.

Good evening. Good evening. Today is December 30th. It is 7 p.m. and welcome to our town hall meeting. Uh again, this is not a business meeting, so no action will be taken here today. Um so, whoever would like to come forward first, please state your full name for the record. [laughter] Good evening. My name is Beth Coxel. I work at Lwaliny County. I wanted to personally invite you to join us for one of our upcoming St. Katherine Hospital Lwelliny County community meetings. These meetings will serve as one of our deliverables for our pathways to a healthier Kansas grant, working on the community health needs assessment and the community health improvement plan. The community health improvement plan or CHIP is a collaborative roadmap that helps us guide us how our community alongside partners like health care, schools, local government, and nonprofits can work together to address priority health needs identified through the community health needs assessment. Through the community health needs assessment process, we were able to identify access to care, behavioral health, including substance use, and chronic disease management as priorities for the next three years. The CHIP outlines how the hospital alongside their community partners will work together to address these areas. We'll be hosting two identical meetings on Tuesday, January 27th to make it easier for people to attend, one at noon and one at 5:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held in classroom B at St. Katherine Hospital and food will be served at both meetings because we know that's how we get you to come. Um, we truly value the

city's perspective and leadership in these conversations and hope you're able to attend whichever time works best for your schedule. I'd also like to respectfully request that coalition meetings be included as a meeting of note for the city. We regularly have incoming commissioners who attend coalition meetings and Commissioner Nwin also serves as a part-time staff member at Livewell. We deeply value the insights and perspectives of all of our partners bringing to the table and want to ensure that participation in coalition work does not create any concerns or unintended issues related to their service as commissioner. Thank you for your continued support of community health efforts in Garden City. And I have little postcards about the upcoming community meeting. And then I have a list of um not only our coalition meetings, but our LEA meetings for 2026 as well. So I'll leave those with you, Daniel.

Any questions? All right, good deal. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Hello, commissioners. Rebecca Bergman, Garden City High School. We come at requests from you guys. Uh we had our event one week before finals and I was able to conjure five of them here on their their winter break today to present to you some of their ideas. Um, however, all of the students that completed projects, their project boards are up in the meeting room and will be staying here after to help. Um, and then for those students who aren't here, I'm more than willing to go. But for the five students that are here, I'm going to let them start um with their project ideas, their problem of practice, um, what they felt like needed to be done, and um, some things they learned after the presentation, which is great. The first one up um is Naa. She has Happy Tales. I think it's embroidered in y'all hopefully. Thank you. Yes. Yes. I probably

Hi, my name is the Bunam and my project is called Happy Tails and it's mostly about trying to get to expand the humane society and sorry to expand the humane society to hire more staff for the humane society so it doesn't become a um euthanized um humane And um it's mostly about just trying to get um the stray dogs and cats off the street because it does cause um safety hazards and trash issues and injured animals that are left um helpless. My goal is trying to get to host mostly adoptions and education events, update ownership laws for responsible pets, and expand society. And the things that I learned learned going through this project is that there are hosts already established for the city event and that invest the social media and public relationship. So I'm wanting to get a photographer which Na I asked her to be my photographer to go out to the humane society and to take little pictures of them so we can update their little pictures so it looks better and to also get the dogs that have long hair. They're all matted and dirty to get some goons, which my job is already doing that. It's called Dog Days Resort. So, if you guys have dogs,

some bike and yeah, that's my project. Awesome. Thank you.

Thank you. Hi, my name is Rya Smith and my project is about um starting um because our community members with language and culture barriers are able to have full um access and benefits to housing and community programs. Um, my goal is to ensure that all community members, regardless of their p primary language, have equal access to information and opportunities related to housing and community programs. Um, my call to action, I want to start a relation recruiting members from diverse communities in Garden City so they can help us like break down the language barrier and like included everyone like in opportunities that we have in Garden City and make sure that everyone knows what's going on like what's going on around them.

Mhm. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Good afternoon everybody. My name is Nagon and I am here to talk about my team project. Um, basically my project is um more so about holding a um teen group just like just like how you guys have it, but for teens in the um high school community where we can share our opinions freely and we can give off um just different opinions, what is going to go around the school, what's going around the school, what can we help to um clean clean the art. Well, I know JTC does a lot of cleaning the school. [laughter] I I do that a lot. Um, but just basically like around the school, the robots, um, help them stay from getting beat up. I see a lot of kids being mean to them. Um, helping the custodians out. Don't leave a mess everywhere. Um, just basically coming together as a community just like how you guys have your community in the high school um, area. So, I'm going to go into more of my community problem. Um, students of Garcia High School feel that they don't have a real voice. Um, some of them are too scared to give out their opinion either to Mr. Wayne, our principal, or to any counselor because it's just like um not degrading, but basically it feels like I I know I was scared to give my opinion a lot. Um, but since I'm more a part of this now, I'm part of the public safety advisory board. Thanks to Miss Aaron um and you guys. Uh I feel more um outgoing with myself because I give my opinion out to you guys and I and I understand that it's very nerve-wracking as right now I'm stuttering so I'm very nervous. Um I just feel like they are misheard um unnoticed a lot. Like a lot of kids feel like they're noticed in their opinions and I just want to want them to feel more involved in the city, more involved in their school. So yeah,

thank you. Thank you.

This is Mindy. Mindy is one of our four English as a second language students. Um if you were able to attend the event, all four of them um presented in English that is very difficult for them as they are level one or level two into country. Um so she's asked that I assist her today. Um Mindy has an idea of cooperating two um pieces of the city. So the school and the city come together uh to work on park beautifification. Um and so pairing uh schools that are near parks uh to host events and competitions and murals and it become um kind of like their thing um within the the regular school day. Um her expected outcome is that they're going to be cleaner. um it'll be safer and that the um families that exist within the school will also feel um more attached to that park. Um she said that she would need to create um some sort of list of parks and schools that go together as well as uh finding resources as far as um who would provide things like trees um or plants or any of the cleaning materials which would uh collaborate with some of the already established city um utilities and things like that. Um and then she thought about there could be events like the cleanest park of the year or the best mural of the year. Um and through this process um one of uh the stakeholders also said um that they could uh talk about creating like some sort of like arbor there's an Arbor Day competition already and that could also become like a a place for that to exist as far as the celebration part. Um there's a lot of barriers if there's not volunteers which is why um the one of the solutions is to con connect the school um they can do during the school day. Um materials for funding so looking for grants especially

because this is like cleaner healthier involving the school. Um and then like bad weather so having backup days and things like that. So that was

Hello, my name is Alexis Ortega and my project consist of parks around the town, specifically basketball courts. I'm not sure if you guys notice as you go around walking with your families or you're driving your cars, but most courts around town have damaged cords. Like the floor is all cracked, me pieces missing from the backboards, that's falling apart. And I started to realize that cuz there'll be times where I'll be hurting myself cuz how bad the PE is and I didn't really like it. So, this is something I've been not really So, I've been talking to people a lot, but something I would want to get into to let the city know is it I feel like it would be more safe to have better courts for any age that want to play sports or basketball, for example, by the new skate park. There's a basketball court on the side, but it's always has rocks on it, which makes you end up slipping or falling. And there's no lights after But right now throughout the year, daylight savings time, the sun's down by 5:30. No one can play unless they have lighting up. That would be a good investment for the park considering the parents can go out and play sports like basketball with their friends while their kids play on the skate park. And the other course I looked into are the zoo courts. The payments is cracking, but it's holding up a little bit more. But I would prefer if they were able to do something about it because the backboards are wobbly and janky. So, I just wanted to come over here and talk about that cuz that's the thing I mostly want to help with cuz basketball is one of my favorite sports and I want to keep playing it whether

I still play whether it's cold or a little bit rainy. But I enjoy the sport doing it. I just wish that the CD would help disable so I can continue playing. And that's all. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Chris.

We have four that were not here today. Yo, Ali's the next one. Safe street and healthy neighborhoods. Uh, Herbble had to do with crosswalks and safe roots during busy times. Um, not only did I notice Alexis's project while I was driving down here past the skatepark, it was dark and there were no lights on the other side. I felt like that was something I personally learned as a constituent. Um I also noticed right across from a Hubert there was a school crossing walk that did not have a light and then it's a child trying to cross. And so this was Yoali's project specifically. Um she had a couple of ideas um of reducing incidences of people getting hit which has become a a higher need in our city. Um people feeling safer to walk in their community. And so one of the things she noticed there is not only is the crosswalks don't all have lights, but the city is not all walkable. The tally trail is um but it's outside cities, especially where our students reside, there are not a lot of um safe sidewalks. Um and then harsher punishments for those who do not follow um the laws. Um and so that was uh hers. There was something special kind of built within her project. um I believe it was called the sub the safe route publication and for that it looked for her um like creating um routes that students can take to school during busy school hours um that would reduce how many streets they would have to cross or busy intersections um and I thought that was a pretty unique part of her project. It had a lot of components to it but she did a great job. Um the next project is Altha. Um Altha noticed that um when we go around the city, there's a lot of big parking lots that are unused and she wanted to utilize those spaces for green spaces. Um and so there's a lot of um backup here there. She did realize that you're going to have to talk to the

private property. It's not public. Um but if we could create some sort of um cooperation with the city at utilizing some open lot spaces to create some green spaces which would create just better healthier areas. Um and so that was her project. She did uh identify that there's going to be load volunteers and she kind of backed off N's project which was maybe we could get the schools involved near those areas which I did think was really great because they did collaborate amongst themselves which I think was beautiful. Um, we have Alejandro's project. [clears throat] Actually, I'd like to There's a caveat to this that Matt and I talked about during the presentation that he didn't realize either. And as someone that participates in our sports, it was it was a lot for me. Um, but basically where Alejandro lives, there's only one park available and that community does not transport very well. They don't have a lot of cars and so um that only leads his community to do a couple things. One, the kids stay at home and watch iPads. You know, they really get into like the digital world and they don't get outside. And two, the only other sport they can play that's accessible is soccer. Assuming that the coach um that gets placed with that that child stays at that park. If they choose a different park um for practicing, it becomes inaccessible to that community. Um, so we actually think it was pretty great that there's a community um kind of surveying that he did in relation to I don't think me who has ever participated in rec sports as a coach and or um Garden City Wreck has ever thought that those two things could be barriers, right? you assign um a field and the coach is supposed to go there and you know sometimes there's lots of other availabilities as far as different times and places um and two um how it's created a bit of a problem with the sport accessibility. So his project was about creating inter mural sports during

the day. Um and so that would take a lot of cooperation by the school district and the city. Um but that was a solution he had for this problem that he saw. They could play multiple sports throughout the year. They can compete school to school. Um they could have, you know, schooltoschool competitions which would obviously create a better environment for the schools. Um but it it came down to the issue of the wreck program and accessibility which I thought was pretty neat. So yeah. Um and then sharing the reason that project came to be was something he felt um he learned which was the part that Matt really liked is that he really did his own survey and he just didn't realize it. um that his community became a a a problem of practice on his own. So that's beautiful. Um the last one um is safe streets project. Um this is in relation to the lights um and street racing. Um and I would like to note that the student was very nervous to even present this in in in real time because it is the students that we exist in the school that create kind of some of the safety hazards. Um, and so his call to action was that the city needs to identify areas that there are lack of lights because that is actually the areas where street racing is happening because they're not going to get caught as quickly. Um, and so um, one of the best parts of his project is he went on a Google search for headlines of how many um, headlines he could find where pedestrians and street racing were mentioned and it was way too many to even fit on a slide. Um, so I thought that was very impactful for him. Um, and so he talked about that there's there's going to be huge barriers here, funding, collaboration. Um, the the street lights are expensive, right? LEDs even in the bigger cities are pretty costly thing. Um but he really felt like that's the only way that things are going to get better is that when we can clearly see cars in license plates, that's when

we're going to be able to um identify and try to crack down on the system, which I thought was beautiful. So that is the last full project I have to present to you. I will stay and they have their project boards up and they they will also stay if you have questions, although they're very nervous when you talk to them. And I just want to let you know like from the bottom of my heart, thank you guys for all accepting us and Derek and I's crazy idea um about taking this one little afternoon that he spent with our kids for the last better part of three years and make it something bigger. Um, our grant will follow through to next semester and um, there have already been tons of talks within people in your community and mine about how to make this more permanent and how to make this experience something that the children do all of the time. This is something that we have spoken about should be done on a normal basis. This should be a graduation requirement for them to figure out how they're leaving our school and becoming constituents of Garden City. Um, so there's a lot of ways Bristol, lots of your departments have created better ways that we're going to do this next semester. They've already replicated the process um with other students, which is pretty neat. Um, but we've already started brainstorming ways that we can connect the college into this and and get some action started. Um, Livewell, which Beth left today, but Livewell has also extended some coalation possibility of funds for the students that exist, projects that exist today. um that the way that their funding works is pretty neat. Um and so some of them will be able to carry that on to next semester. Although um albeit till Riley's idea, we cannot have a second semester of government [laughter] to be able to carry this through. But the fact that there's people listening and that they want to make the changes and make the fixes is great. Um, and then also right now, um, the curriculum for one of our

programs, which kind of models Google's ideas of like a genius hour, um, the curriculum's a little muddled and they thought that maybe this is something we can implement for next year is like a full curriculum where the kids can work every day on this. Um because this is just a reminder these beautiful humans only had four hours a week with me after school hours and so we did the best we could with the hours that we had but this is obviously really great and the city just love to see it and I don't really know where we go up from here. They've set the bar pretty high and I'm pretty proud of them. um even more so like we're here on winter break. So it can I can only express to you how much you guys have impacted them um to want to make a change and to do something and to know how to be better involved in the community. So thank you so much.

Great job. Thank you, Mrs. Brien. [clears throat] I'm impressed. I said really good. Um, and [clears throat] actually I came to say thank you about the family resource fair, but I do want to bring something up about the parks and wreck um, idea that he had as well. Miss Martin, can you state your name for the record? Sorry. Britney Martin. Britney Martin. Thank you. [laughter]

Um, and see, even as adults, you get nervous and scramble and stuff, but that's okay. You still show up. Um, so, uh, yeah, Britney Martin. So, first I wanted to say, um, about the parks and Rex thing. Uh actually I have a meeting with Tisha on Friday. Um and I'd extend the meeting to the young man too because it has to do with the courts and stuff. Um there's another uh community member. She wasn't able to be here today because she had a meeting but um her name is Crystal and her son um passed away. So he uh passed away from census violence. Um and his name is Xavier. And um I had seen them doing 5K and basketball tournament trying to raise money because they were wanting to improve the zoo courts cuz I guess that's where he had played and they all like uh grew up there. And so when I seen that I was like girl no we need to use that money for a memorial something else. like what else could we do to help? Like maybe the city paid for it or L Heat. We had um put some uh gold nets at Yala Park. So I was like, well maybe we could do something there. Just something so that they could save the money that was raised for something else, you know, to honor his memory and stuff. Um and then I seen that the county is doing a grant for parks and wrecks. Right now it's open. Um and so uh I had talked to her. Well, maybe we could do something for that with the zoo and Aya Park too to have it painted um because she had also mentioned her kids um or the the corpse at the zoo rolling ankles and stuff like that. So, anyways, we do have a meeting coming up. I don't know what the requirements are if you're a minor or something, but you know, your teacher can come or whatever. Uh I think that that's good that people are seeing it that want to make a change, you know, in it. Um, I wanted to talk to Tisha and stuff cuz I know the city has budget and

stuff that they do and just to make sure before submitting a grant that it's not duplicating anything. Um, but I just wanted to mention, you know, that as well. Okay. So, now for waging. [laughter] Uh, so I wanted to say thank you um to the city of Garden City for uh I um the family resource fair that I do every year in October. That's an annual event. So, this upcoming year will be year five. Um and the community grants uh committee did offer um to go and speak to them, but that week I'll be out of town. So, I thought I'll come today just to show my appreciation and, you know, share uh how the event went and what the money went for because I did receive a grant through uh the city um for $1,500 um uh for the event in October, and it's essentially one-stop location for individuals to get uh resources. I did bring like a map and just so you guys could see what agencies were there. So there's over 34 different agencies. Um they go around Herald Long Park. So that that encourages physical activity. Um the event I started in 2021 as more focus on the health center because we do a great job as a city of outreach and stuff. Um, but in a lot of the different outreach events, there's not like a translation help center where people can go around, get the paperwork, and get help with their paperwork in the moment and not just take it home and forget about it. Um, and so that's a little different uh with this resource fair. And then we also have a time kettle that has 40 different languages. And we also uh pay translators to be there uh on site. So, usually it's three different translators of different languages um that come and then uh about two years ago I partnered with Kansas Children's Service League just so that there would be

sustainability of the event. Um and that also helped us to be able to provide food, free food to people that come to the event. So over 300 tickets are given away. Um we've had John Ross Gatorade. We this last year we had 1987 food truck. We've had a taco truck. So, it's good quality food that people get for free. All of the services are free. Um, we have surveys that people um can fill out and agencies donate like baskets to kind of encourage, you know, individuals to visit our health center to give feedback. What would they like to see at the event? What maybe do we not have? Um, we uh gather um zip codes to see where are people coming from? Are they traveling in? We have different agencies that travel from Topeka um Liberal to, you know, participate in this event. And I just want to say thank you to the city because um each year besides the first year, it literally started with $500 and it's been going ever since. And that can't that wouldn't be possible to pull without collaboration of all those people that show up, you know, cuz if they didn't show up, there wouldn't be an event. So it's part, you know, those that show up and those that help fund it. Um so thank you to you guys. Thank you to the committee for seeing the value in this event for funding it. This year we were able to purchase tables and chairs because we were borrowing from different agencies and stuff. So now we have those for long term. Um I I send a report to the committee and stuff. We received over 100 surveys. Uh we got data from um the um Penny County Convention Center. they calculated like over 500 uh people attended the economic development developments at 537. So, and then we gave out all 300 of free bags, glow-in-the-dark bags and um glow stick,

glow foam sticks. So, anyways, thank you guys for your guys' support. Um that's what I wanted to share. Awesome. Thank you.

Is there anyone else this evening? Um before we go, I do want to say a quick thank you to everyone that did come and also particularly to the students that came. Thank you, Miss Bin for your high praise of the city, but also I hope you can reflect on the high praise that our community has for you and for your students of when you put on this lens to see this community differently and collaboratively. You start to think that the changes that you desire are actually very attainable and all of you guys are making steps toward that. and the big step has been making these projects and also presenting here at the town hall. And lastly, thank you to our staff. I know you all have families waiting at home during this holiday season. So, thank you for taking time away from them to be here for community. And seeing no one else, um this town hall meeting is adjourned. Thank you.

Yes. I'm just gonna take a scan of it and email it. Oh, yeah.