City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, and welcome to the Monday, July 6, 2026 City Council meeting. Our invocation will be provided by Steve Kellogg from the Beacon Heights Community of Christ. Please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Creator of us all, As the fireworks, speeches, and flyovers fade, following the historic 250th anniversary of our nation's Declaration of Independence, we gather tonight to continue the bold experiment those visionaries began, to see one another as equals in your sight, despite our differences, and to govern ourselves peaceably electing and replacing our leaders and laws through our own free choice rather than through decrees dictated by the priorities of a monarch. Help us honor the significance of the processes we follow, even when the issues before us may seem small to others, remembering that these processes not only shape us, they shape those among us who will lead tomorrow and may even lead our nation. You know the issues we carry into this room tonight and the ones still unspoken. Bless our leaders with wisdom to weigh the facts, figures, and testimony, and the vision to choose well for today and for the years ahead. Bless our citizens with courage to speak plainly and the patience to continue working together with each other and their representatives, even in disagreement. Grant us all the humility of the blind men and the elephant, who each grasp only part of the truth, knowing it is by joining our separate perspectives that we build a fuller and wiser understanding of what our community needs. In gratitude for the life and liberty we have inherited, Inspire us to build faithfully for those who follow. We ask in your holy name, amen. Amen. I pledge 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.

We have a, we need to do roll call. Madam City Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Dorman.

Here.

Council Member Perkins. Here. Council Member Stewart.

Here.

Council Member Atkinson. Here. Council Member Wiley. Here. Council Member Vaught. Here. Mayor King.

Here.

All right.

We have a couple resolutions or one proclamation and one resolution. I would like to get a motion and a second to pass 26-751. I'll make that motion, Mayor. Got a motion?

I second.

Got a motion and a second. All right. Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman. Yes. Council Member Perkins. Yes. Council Member Stewart.

Yes.

Council Member Atkinson. Yes. Council Member Wiley. Yes. Council Member Vought. Yes. Mayor King.

Yes. All right. So, July 2026, I-Star Employee Recognition. This month's I-Star Award recognizes Heather Ury, Animal Control Officer with the Health and Animal Services Department. Heather was nominated by Brandi Gardner. for her outstanding dedication to both the community and the animals she serves. She is known for treating anyone with kindness, respect, and compassion while always putting the well-being of animals first. Her knowledge, patience, and willingness to go above and beyond make her an exceptional representative of the city of Independence. Heather regularly helps families by providing needed pet supplies such as food and water containers, leashes, and other resources. She does so without judgment, always treating people with dignity and understanding during difficult times. One example that demonstrates Heather's compassion occurred when she responded to City Hall to assist an injured stray cat. Heather carefully set a trap, safely captured the cat, and transported it to get medical evaluation. When it was determined that the cat's injuries were too severe and humane, euthanasia was necessary, Heather remained by its side offering comfort and kindness until the very end. Her actions reflect the compassion, professionalism, and dedication she brings to her work every day. Heather's commitment to serving both the community and its animals truly exemplifies the city's I-Star values. Congratulations, Heather Ury, on being selected as the July 2026 I-Star Award recipient. So any comments from the council?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. So I just want to add an anecdotal story about Heather, which is I recently volunteered in the clinic to help with spay and neuters. And Heather asked to be let so that the vet clinic would let her know when a particular dog was put down because it was a very active husky that desperately needed to be groomed. And so in the middle of a really busy day, Heather took five, 10 minutes to comb out the mats of this dog that really needed it, not just because it would help it get adopted, but also for health reasons. So I want to congratulate Heather. This is well-deserved.

All right. Whereas the service recognition program recognizes outstanding performance and exemplary acts of service by employees of the city of Independence. And whereas an employee committee selects the I star independent service and teamwork above responsibilities award recipient for exhibiting the qualities and ideals that best represent public service. And whereas the Service Recognition Committee has selected Heather Ury, Animal Control Officer in the Health and Animal Services Department, as the I-Star Award recipient for July 2026. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Independence, Missouri, as follows, that the City Council of the City of Independence, Missouri, joins in recognizing Heather Ury as the City of Independence I-Star Award recipient for July 2026. Heather? We have one more proclamation. Designation of July as Parks and Recreation Month. Whereas parks and recreation are an integral part of communities throughout this country, including Independence, Missouri. And whereas parks and recreation promote health and wellness, improving the physical and mental health of people who live near parks, visit the city's recreation facilities and participate in our programs. And whereas parks and recreation promote time spent in nature, which positively impacts mental health by increasing cognitive performance and well-being, and alleviating illnesses such as depression, attention deficit syndrome, and Alzheimer's. Whereas parks and recreation encourage physical activities by providing space at Independence Athletic Complex and numerous parks for popular sports, multi-use trails, classes, and many other activities to promote active lifestyles. And whereas parks and recreation are leading provider of healthy meals, nutrition services, and education at the Palmer Center and the Independence Farmers Market. And whereas parks and recreation programming and education activities such as toddler town, youth sports, and environmental education are critical to childhood development. And whereas parks and recreation increase a community's economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction. And whereas parks and recreation are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our community. And whereas parks and recreation are essential and adaptable infrastructure that makes our communities resilient in the face of natural disasters and climate change. And whereas our parks and natural recreation areas ensure the ecological beauty of our community and provide a place for children and adults to connect with nature and recreate outdoors in the city's parks, green spaces, and at George Owens Nature Park. And whereas the U.S. of Representatives have designated July as Parks and Recreation Month, and whereas Independence, Missouri recognizes the benefits derived from the parks and recreation resources. Whereas, I'm sorry. Now, therefore, be it resolved by Mayor Kevin King, that July is recognized as Parks and Recreation Month in the city of Independence, Missouri. Kay Douglas, would you like to come up? All right. This brings us to citizens requests. Our first speaker is Cindy Rogers, and she will be speaking on FIFA and aquatic activities.

Cindy Rogers, Independent Square Association, 106 South Liberty Street. Good evening, mayor and council members. I'm here tonight bringing the fun for the final Soccer Saturday, which happens this Saturday, July the 11th, from 6 to 10 p.m. You will not want to miss this final night. Here's what we've got planned for you. We've got Spider-Man... giveaways, and we have a real Spider-Man coming out for a meet and greet to take pictures with folks. We've also partnered with El Mercado Fresco to co-host a Panini FIFA World Cup sticker swap. If you don't know anything about it, that's all right. But it is something that has been happening during FIFA, and we're excited to partner with El Mercado Fresco on that. Of course, we have our Ted Lasso lookalike. You're probably wondering what you're going to win for the Ted Lasso lookalike. Well, we have a special trophy. We also have a jacket, a Ted Lasso jacket. It is free to sign up, any ages. Everybody is welcome. You can sign up in advance on our Facebook page at the Independence Square, or you can sign up at the door. But if anybody has ever said to you, you look like Ted Lasso, this is your chance to win. Bring your friends. We are not having judges. This is going to be the audience votes by applause. So that's going to be a good time. believe you will like it. The other thing I wanted to mention was I wanted to invite everybody to the second annual Independence Roots Music Festival happening August 8th from noon to 9 p.m. on the lawn of the beautiful historic Bingham Wagner Estate. Independence holds deep historical significance as a pioneer era hub and a cultural crossroads. As you know, thousands of settlers passed through building infrastructure like the 1827 log courthouse and establishing a vibrant community. This frontier history shaped the region's identity, blending pioneer resilience with a strong sense of community. The city's cultural fabric was also influenced by music, so the roots music in independence reflects this rich heritage. The Independence Roots Music Festival celebrates the city's traditional music traditions, such as folk, blues, country, and gospel, often rooted in rural and pioneer themes. It's organized by the Independence Square Association in collaboration with Independence residents Chris Bruters and Mark Hamblin. Chris and Mark are well-known and well-respected musical artists within the Kansas City metro and regional music scene. The festival features local and regional artists performing on the porch of the Bingham-Wagner Estate with food, drinks, and more adding to the experience. It's designed to preserve and share the city's rich music history while fostering community connection. Artists performing this year are Beth and Brandon, Primrose Junction, Key and Byrne, Cowtown Cajuns, Copper Threading, Hutspeth and Taylor, Gullywasher, M.A.W., and the evening closes with the Rural Grit All-Star Jam Session. Again, if you want to learn more about it, go to our Facebook page at the Independence Square. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Angie Lotz. She will be speaking on the moratorium, and I apologize. I did not do this for Cindy, but you have five minutes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor and council members. My name is Angie Lotz. I live in the third district, 1326 South Kings Highway. First, let me start by saying thank you for you all stepping up to serve our community. And thank you for the new mental health facility in our community. I was so excited to see that happen. I know that will be a huge blessing to so many in this community. A few quick things I would love to also see in our community no more high-speed chases instead use drones or another viable solution so civilians are not unnecessarily put at risk and also on the agenda tonight please keep the guideline as is for the required distance between schools and daycares and dispensaries. Now on to what I'm here for.

Yeah, please. Yes. Thank you.

I am not a fan of data centers, especially ones that cause noise, pollution, issues with safe water and having enough water, concerns with energy in the power grid, and foreign ones built way too close for comfort to anything that could be a concern for national security and already are not keeping their word on how they're operating. Since I first found out about the NEBIUS Hyperscale Data Center, I have had so many concerns that most people have with data centers, but at the top of my list, national security. I still don't understand why a company based out of the Netherlands with a Russian oligarch, chose Independence, Missouri, within five miles of the Lake City ammunition plant out of every possible plot of land in this world. Why? And why would somebody knowingly sell to them with that being so close for a national security concern? This plant supplies 90% of all small arms ammunition to our entire military. Yet every elected official I have spoken with, from state, federal, you name it, doesn't seem to be concerned about this. This Russian oligarch CEO allegedly fully denounced his citizenship in February 2026 after the nebulous plan started here in Independence. This just leaves me feeling unsettled, and I have always trusted my gut. And another thing, how is it that any foreign company can own land so close to anything tying to our military or national security? I never could have imagined that around the 250th anniversary of our country, instead of speaking on how proud I am of living in independence, a city so based on history, I would be speaking on a possible national security concern and concerns of our area turning into data center alley of the Midwest. Let me be clear, I have nothing against Russian people or people from any other country. I have concerns with the Russian government and Russian oligarchs who were sanctioned and who until they were sanctioned didn't seem to have any problem with the way Russia does things. I am the proud daughter and niece of Vietnam veterans, granddaughter of a World War II veteran, and a great-great-niece of a World War I veteran who's buried in Paris, France. I am proud of my family and know they didn't serve to let us roll out the red carpet to let our community be taken advantage of. So far, I have seen online and spoken with new friends on Bly Road about the issues that continue to happen as recently as last Thursday. Construction vehicles going down their road getting stuck or turning around in their yard leaving a torn up mess. Wearing out their part of Bly Road leaving it cracked and torn up. 4 a.m. construction when noise from sunup to sundown is awful enough. Security guards who are asleep or aren't even sure why they're there when they're supposed to keep construction vehicles from being on their road. This really doesn't sit well with me. If we can't even stay on top of these issues... You have one minute, ma'am. Yes, thank you. How are we going to stay on top of everything when it's built? Noise levels, power grids, safe water. Yes, I know it's a closed-loop system, but accidents happen. Air pollution from generators. I was always taught when someone shows you who they are, believe them. If they truly cared about the people of Independence, they would get their construction people in line and do right by the Bly Road neighbors. They're not. Nebious isn't being a good neighbor. Their being a neighbor, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. More red flags are going off for me. Nebious has already broken rules and done the don't ask for permission, ask for forgiveness, and act like, oops, I didn't know. This is already a mess. Please hold them accountable because so far we are dropping the ball. They're not holding up their end of the contract. As far as I'm concerned, I think this is a breach of contract. I mean, you guys would know that better than me, but it just doesn't seem like they're holding up their part of the bargain. My dad is retired IBEW.

Ma'am, your five minutes is up.

Sorry. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker is Daniel Moorhead, and he will be talking about the Nebious Worksite. You have five minutes. Thank you.

Daniel Moorhead, Bly Road. I'm representing the Independence Guard Alliance. So after 30 years of living in Missouri, I discovered the Show Me State is not actually our motto. I know that's kind of a surprise. But in fact, there's a Cicero quote on our flag, just behind you, that was adopted in 1822. I'm going to butcher the Latin here, but salus papuli, suprema lex esto. It roughly translates, the welfare of the people should be the supreme law. There are still several lingering items to ensure that motto is fulfilled in independence. Tonight I have six, and I'll make them short and to the point. Pass the moratoriums. It's such a common sense move to make. It would be vacating of your duty not to pass those moratoriums. This will allow the city to breathe a breath to correct so much of what remains to be done. Second, pass stricter moratorium language for even the current data centers as every predatory data center developer will make you look like impotent imposters taking all kinds of advantages. They hold sway over you the city and its citizens. Three, update the zoning code. Changing data processing and hosting to conditional and light industrial is a start, but it is only that. You must create both categorization and stratification within the code to ensure we will not be taken advantage of again. The city is embarrassingly exposed and it is your job to correct the gap. Number four, stop work on the Nebious job site till Bly Road is complete. 27 signs, a guard, many frustrated calls to the city, all because the city decided to put ARPA funds for North Point, ARCA construction desires, and preference for Nebious above these of the citizens. Stop the disenfranchisement now of citizens who have every right from the Missouri Constitution to enjoy the fruits of their labor on their own land. Five, NEBIUS must present the fully scoped plan. Have they presented official and complete plans for the entire project? Piecemeal permitting, like they are right now, allows them to slide items into construction that would never be allowed if seen in their entirety. Don't allow our welfare to be compromised like the proverbial boiling of the frog. Six, vote to rescind the chapter 100s for NEBIUS. This is not a good deal, and it continues to show itself over and over again. Oh, I didn't know you had a light switch for when I'm done. I reclaim my time. Something like six billion over 20 years left on the table. You all now have skin in the game to support Nebius in opposition to the citizens, and that's the wrong side for you to be on. In short, you have some work to do, and in certain cases, a need for stronger backbones in the face of impressive odds. As a wise man once said, desperate times call for faithful men and not careful men. The careful men come later and write the biographies of the faithful men, lauding them for their courage. Do what is right in support of those who have been calling for just and merciful actions. If your mercy and justice is not full and complete, then it is cruel. The welfare of the people should be the supreme law. We now expect it. Show me and my fellow citizens a more fitting justice then the cruel mercy we continue to receive. In short, pass both moratoriums. Pass stricter moratorium language. Update the zoning code. Stop work on the job site till Bly Road is complete. Nebious must present the fully scoped plans and vote to rescind the Chapter 100s for Nebious. Thank you.

Council, I have a couple speakers that I did not realize that are out of town or out of the city. Could I get a motion and a second to allow these to speak? I'll make the motion to spin the rules of order, Mayor. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman? Yes. Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart? Yes. Council Member Atkinson?

Yes.

Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Vaught? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. Our next speaker is Phillip, and I hope I get this, Frasica. He's speaking on the moratorium. You have five minutes, thank you.

Thank you, you nailed it. Phillip Frisica, Renew Missouri, based out of Columbia. Good evening, Mayor and Council Members. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you tonight. I'm here on behalf of Renew Missouri. We're a 501c3 nonprofit that advocates for renewable energy and energy efficiency policy across the state of Missouri. In addition to my role as our Director of Programs, I also serve on the Columbia Utility Advisory Board, and I'm here to let you know that we are available as a resource as you evaluate your long-term energy needs. I just want to make a few brief points regarding the proposed battery energy storage moratorium. First, battery storage and natural gas are not competitors. They're complementary technologies. Last year, the city fast-tracked a natural gas plant. Now you're considering restricting battery storage. That sends the message that you're choosing winners and losers. The electric grid works best when these resources can work together. Ameren, Missouri, has already recognized this. by developing both natural gas generation and battery storage at its Big Hollow site because they provide different reliability benefits to the grid. Further, Columbia Water and Light, my local municipal utility provider, recently completed their integrated resource plan, or known as a master plan, and they're currently considering building a battery storage project near their existing natural gas plant in the city and are also strongly considering buying into a different project that's outside of their service area. Second, battery storage is an economic development tool. Large manufacturers and other major employers increasingly look for a reliable, flexible electric service. Battery storage helps utilities integrate more generation, improve reliability, and meet growing demand that we're seeing all across the nation and the state. By placing a moratorium on battery storage before completing a broader energy strategy, independence risks limiting future investment and job creation opportunities. I also understand the concerns about battery fires, and those are one of the key factors around the moratorium that you all are looking at tonight. Safety should absolutely be part of this discussion, but every form of generation carries a fire risk, including natural gas plants. Modern battery projects are designed with extensive fire protection systems, and lithium ion is only one battery technology of many that are available today. There are also established fire response and mitigation resources available that communities can rely on as they evaluate how to deal with a fire from one of these projects if it does happen. And we can share those resources with you. Finally, just last week, the Southwest Power Pool, the regional transmission organization that serves independents in the western part of Missouri, issued a multi-day resource advisory because of reliability concerns they were facing due to the extreme heat. As electricity demand continues to grow, we should be looking at every reliable tool available to us and not taking options off the table. We want to work with you to create an ordinance that can support these projects in a safe manner and you do not need a moratorium to do so. I respectfully ask for you to reject the battery storage moratorium and instead evaluate battery storage as part of a comprehensive energy plan for independence.

Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Tony Privateer. He will be speaking on Underground Infrastructure Project Eastgate.

All right.

Our next speaker then is Terry Hoflichter. We'll be speaking on moratoriums. You have five minutes. Thank you.

Hi. Okay, my name is Terri Hoflicher, and I'm a longtime resident of Independence. Mayor and City Council, I appreciate the opportunity to speak this evening. I'm speaking to respectfully request your full support for resolutions 26, 741, and 742, which propose 180-day moratoriums for the data processing and hosting facilities, as well as battery energy storage systems. As we learned during the last study session, numerous cities and counties nationwide are implementing similar measures. The widespread adoption underscores the significant complexity involved and the necessary and necessity for thoughtful deliberation. We, as a community, recognize that 43 percent of the current dias was not in office when the initial hyperscale data factory was approved. Given the demands of recent campaigns and transition into office, we understand there has been limited time to fully examine these matters. Due to the intricate nature of these facilities, your constituents want you to have the necessary time and resources to make informed decisions for the long-term benefit of our community. As a fellow community advocate, I serve on the Animal Welfare Committee and I volunteer at our animal shelter. In my volunteer work over the years, I dedicate significant amount of time to ongoing education to provide the best care possible. I share this to emphasize that I believe we as a community would not ask more of you than we ask of ourselves as active and informed community members. Supporting these resolutions will provide the essential timeframe needed to thoroughly understand the potential impacts on the residents of Independence. We ask for your support to ensure the most informed approach currently available for the future of our city. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your dedicated service.

Thank you. Next speaker is Ted Luce. He will be speaking on the recall election. You have five minutes. Thank you.

Mayor, members of the city council, my name is Ted Luce. My address is 3605 South Liberty, where I have lived for 42 years. This address is not only to you, but to the citizens of Independence as a whole. I'd like to address a phenomenon I'll call vengeance politics. I know that our city charter allows for the recall of those on our city council. I'm not questioning the legality of doing this, but the wisdom in doing so at this time. Obviously, we've recently seen changes in the makeup of our council and the mayor's seat. Spring of 2028 will be here before you know it. Is it responsible to spend a large amount of money, a large amount of money, city money, and expend the energy to conduct a recall election. I believe the best use of this energy and resources would be for those wanting change to find a candidate who will best represent their interests. Gather residents' names on petitions. Run that candidate. This is how change is brought about in our communities. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Michael Veit, represents the Firefighters Union. He will be speaking on special election and recall. And because you are representing FOP, you have 10 minutes.

Not the FOP, the IAFF.

I'm sorry, IAFF. I apologize. I apologize. Yeah.

I live in Grain Valley. Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Michael Veit, and I am the President of the Professional Firefighters of Independence IFF Local 781. Tonight I come to you to speak on item number 10 under first readings and the recall of a City Council member. I want to be very clear, we're not against the democratic process and the citizens to exercise their rights. I'm here tonight to make sure accurate information is being presented. In my 16 years of working for the fire department, I've been fortunate enough to be stationed at Fire Station 1 and currently Fire Station 3 in Englewood, which both cover the northwest section of the city. During this time, I've seen the transformation of these neighborhoods. When I first started at Station 1, it was not uncommon for us to run a working house fire once a week, a shooting, or a stabbing. multiple drug overdoses, pedestrian struck, many other types of calls that were associated with rundown blighted neighborhoods. Over the years, we've seen this change. We don't run near as many fires or shootings or stabbings. So ask yourself, why is this? Well, it's due to investment in neighborhoods, investment in infrastructure and listening to the citizens, all of which were accomplishments of the council member representing this district. Over the last decade, There have been 219 buildings demolished across the city. Why is this important? It reduces blight, it reduces crime, and it reduces the number of structure fires, which allows for a rebirth of the neighborhood. For example, in the Quality Hill neighborhood, it was not unusual for us to run a house fire or two a week 10 to 12 years ago. Now when you drive through there, you see homes that have been remodeled and a neighborhood that is well on its way to thriving. In keeping up with the improvements in neighborhoods, it takes an advocate who listens to their citizens to push for investment from the city. With someone advocating, the northwest section of the city has seen $18 million in stormwater improvements, $8 million in sanitary improvements, and $21 million in street overlay over the last decade. You really want to measure success? This is true success, when people move into the city and reinvest into their homes. Now let's take a look at the square. once a thriving area that involves some of our greatest history with President Harry S. Truman. We saw this area deteriorate over time and become an eyesore. Over time, with investment from a cost share of $3.5 million between the city and the federal government, it has now become a centerpiece of revitalization that continues to lead to growth throughout the city. With this type of investment, it has now turned into MidCon at Library, bringing $49 million headquarters to the squares. Let's be honest, this doesn't happen without a seasoned representative of the city. Now move into the Englewood District. This area has been transformed into an arts district that allows our citizens to express their creativity and brings a heartbeat back to the west side of our city. It is allowed for the Winter Road Complete Street programs that invest nearly $13 million, including a roundabout at Winter and Northern. If anybody's been through that intersection, it's a dangerous intersection, not only for us, but for the citizens. Another section I'd like to speak on is the Fairmount district, but also the 24 highway corridor. One of the toughest calls a first responder faces is when someone loses their life in a traumatic way. Over the years, many of us have run calls along 24 highway and in the Fairmount district of pedestrians being struck by vehicles. With the improvement along 24 highway with additional sidewalks and proper drainage, this has decreased the number of times we run these unfortunate calls. This has taken significant investment that, given the city's financial situation, took someone to think outside the box and find a partner in MoDOT to invest $35 million. But this isn't the only area of the city that has seen improvement with sidewalks and roadways. With the passing of the general obligation bond in April 2025, this allows the city to expand sidewalks around schools such as Mill Creek and Fairmount Elementary, where we see so many kids walking. But it also helps with other areas of the Kentucky Bridge and Chrysler Bridge that have been burdens for everybody in this city for a very long time. Now I'd like to take a minute to clarify a few things that were posted on social media several weeks ago. The post had several bullet points, but two of them are specific to what I can speak on. The first point was stating that the citizens voted an increase in the police and fire budgets that did not materialize. Well, I can't speak on the police budgets. I can tell you that the fire department budget has increased over the years with the passing of the fire safety sales tax in November of 2021. In my five years as an officer with IFF Local 781, we have watched the budget very closely and even more so the sales tax because we know the investments the citizens made in us. This tax has allowed us to hire additional firefighters, replace an aging fleet of apparatus, replace outdated fire stations, and in 2028 we'll open an additional fire station. The second bullet point was a citizen died due to the lack of road and bridge maintenance. This is absurd. Your firefighters take extreme pride in their jobs. One of the responsibilities is knowing your run district, but also the potential detours to get to the call in the safest and fastest way possible. By making an accusation that someone died due to the lack of road and bridge maintenance is not a shot at a politician. It is a slap in the face to the first responders who risk their lives daily for the citizens of this city. We are given the tools and the resources from the city and through our budget to avoid these situations. In conclusion, I'd like to thank you for your time and hope that you take the time to really understand the issue at hand, but also look at the facts when you head to the polls. Thank you. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Eileen Weir. She will be speaking on Resolution 26-740, Historic Site.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mayor, members of the Council. My name is Eileen Weir, Independence, Missouri. I came this evening to speak on Resolution 26-740, which is a resolution directing the same measure to explore ways to fund and support the city-owned historic sites. This is being sponsored by one of the council members. This is an issue that the city has recently gone to the polls and voted no on a GO bond to support the historic sites. That failed by a very slim margin. And has less left the city with very few options on how to continue to maintain and own some of the most iconic Historic sites anywhere in the Midwest or and maybe anywhere in this nation So I applaud the council member for bringing this forward and advancing this I know that there's been many discussions over the last several weeks between some of you some of the council members and and the volunteers who give hours and hours and hours to help us operate these historic sites for our city and our visitors and do their best to maintain them to their ability with limited resources provided through our city coffers. So rather than directing the city manager to explore options, we have a very simple option, which is to put this back on the ballot. And I'm recommending that you do so in November of this year I know that does not provide you a whole lot of time This would have to go to the election board in August to be placed on the ballot in November But frankly the city has very few other options Moving forward in order to continue to own and operate the Bingham Wagner and the veil mansion we understand that the cost of that is a in the neighborhood of $10 to $15 million to bring those buildings up to standards, and then there's the annual operating cost. And I feel that it's the opportunity for this council to let the voters decide this. rather than spending a prolonged period of time looking at various different options, which may include selling these properties, conveying them to somebody else to operate, limiting their access to the public, and the opportunities that we have to educate our community and our nation about the importance of our local history and independence, I'm asking that you move forward and place this on the November ballot. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Howard Hoff, and he will be speaking on the moratorium and AI factory.

Hello, City Council Mayor. My name is Howard Hoff. I live at 400 North Bly Road, which I'm sure a lot of you know by now. I am just one of the unfortunate residents that received a data center that was not wanted in our neighborhood and I'm here tonight hoping to see you all vote the right way on the moratorium because I do believe that the way you vote tonight will show how the next public vote will fall in this city. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Joni Flanagan. She will be speaking on the moratoriums as well. You have five minutes.

Thank you. Good evening, Council and Mayor. Thank you for allowing me to speak this evening. I stand before you tonight to implore you to vote yes on the moratorium that will be presented to you. While it is my deeply held belief that this moratorium is flawed and does not go nearly far enough, it is what we have before us and it's better than nothing. It will give us the time to reflect and engage as a community and find out more information, more research. As a volunteer with the Independence Community Action Committee, I knocked on hundreds of doors during the referendum petition and the recent successful recall petition campaign. I and other volunteers had the shared common experience that the people of Independence overwhelmingly oppose the NEBIUS Hyperscale AI Data Center. I understand that this flawed moratorium may have no bearing on the NEBIUS project, but make no mistake, we will continue to oppose that project on all available fronts. Our community, along with hundreds of communities all over the country, are worried about the future of our water, the water supply, water pollution, We're worried about increases to our utility bills and our ability to keep our grid operational. We're worried about our health and the health of our children and the health of our environment and wildlife. We're also worried about the process and the lack of transparency. No elected official should sign an NDA with a corporation. Full stop. This means that you are bound to a corporation to keep certain details secret from your own constituents. And it is an ethical failure. I propose a resolution banning NDAs altogether for elected representatives and other city officials. There's much still unknown. The AI industry of today is not on solid ground. There's an enormous amount of circular lending, and many, including Nebious, are not consistently making a profit. The CEO of Anthropic, one of the largest AI companies in the world, recently admitted on a podcast that one single year of mis-projections could drive his company into bankruptcy. One bad year could drive his company into bankruptcy. Just today, it was reported that the U.S. Department of Treasury has produced a draft report warning to the extensive risks to the economy if the AI bubble repeats the dot-com bubble that burst 25 years ago. There is much unknown about the long-term effect of these centers on human pets, humans, pets, hopefully we don't have human pets. On humans, pets, and wildlife, and the environment. The newly launched website, Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting, has so far logged 7,847 community reported concerns ranging from water use, to noise, to energy consumption, among other issues. The people, I've stood before this body and told you this before, the people of Independence want to be heard. And they are organizing. The amount of grassroots organizing that's going on in this city right now is extraordinary. So my hope is that this council will vote yes on this moratorium. And like other speakers reiterated, that we should have stronger moratoriums, a possible ban, do the real research, find out what's going on. You have one minute, ma'am. Okay, thank you. So my hope is that you will vote yes on the moratoriums and take the next 180 days to research, reflect, and truly engage with and listen to the community. Hold town halls. Reach out and let constituents that you want them to come to your town hall. Make them feel welcome. Be prepared to answer hard questions. It's a lot of homework, but it's your job. Let them know that their participation in the process is important. And most importantly, open your ears and your hearts to the people of Independence. We live in the land of Harry Truman. Ma'am, your time is up. The buck stops with you guys, and we're watching.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Wes Epperson. Oh, I'm sorry. Wes, I'm sorry. I missed one. Hannah Albina. Hannah? She's speaking on public transportation. You have five minutes. Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council. My name is Hannah Albina and I live in the 4th District. I want to start by asking a rhetorical question. How many of you drove here tonight? I drove here tonight and on my way, I thought to myself, how lucky I am to have had that privilege. My car has been out of commission for over a year. I had to stop using my car after a long battle dealing with electrical issues. It would die in busy intersections, and I would have to push it to the closest lot, where I would then have to wait for friends and family to give me a jump start and hope and pray that I would be able to make it back home. Needless to say, I spent my holiday season learning how to read wiring diagrams. And after months of learning and working, I was finally able to successfully fix my car. Some would say it's a miracle that my car drives again, but I would call it determined desperation. I can't afford a mechanic, so I am a mechanic. I can't afford an electrician, so I become the electrician. I see many of my neighbors operate in the same resourceful mindset out of necessity. I couldn't afford a new car, but I was lucky enough to have some amount of support from my family, or I would be like many of the voices that I've heard come before you since the regular bus services have disbanded due to lack of funding. Having a reliable public transportation service is essential. It's essential. What makes me the most upset is the fact that our city is subsidizing multi-billion dollar companies using rate increases that we will have to pay to fund the infrastructure upgrades needed to bring these data centers into our city. We want to be competitive. We want to attract economic development. Our city needs it. But man, I really wish people knew how to be a little bit more frugal and tried a little bit harder to channel that inner independence resourcefulness I mentioned earlier. We really need to focus more on funding things that benefit those who need it the most. Some of you may feel more passion putting your efforts towards beautifying historic sites, allocating funding to old theaters. Those are noble causes, and I respect that passion. But what I don't respect is hearing dozens of residents express the major downfalls of the micro transit system our city is actively choosing over a fixed route system that we used to have. Individuals who are given nothing, who aged out of the foster care system, who are forced to walk 40 minutes in freezing cold weather just to get to work, individuals who are disabled, who've relied on the fixed route services, pleading for you to do something, anything to bring them back. Monday through Saturday, six to six, we have five cars, five drivers, and that's supposed to cover the transportation needs for the entire city. The rider only has one minute to enter the car when it arrives, and if they don't enter the vehicle within one minute, the ride is canceled. I feel for those people. And our city has a duty to provide adequate essential services for its citizens. And to me, the current micro transit system is anything but adequate. I urge you all to vote yes to approve the data center moratorium. Vote yes to approve the battery facility moratorium. Please ensure an analog opt-out for AMI meters. Let corporations get the pass-through rate increases when fees rise.

You're getting off topic. I would appreciate it if...

Sorry, but we have so many things that I wish I could speak on, and the fact that this agenda is so stacked is kind of frustrating to me. So I get my five minutes. I really think that it's important that you guys hear this. You have about 30 seconds left. I've been timing it, so... I can't... Okay, I'm sorry. Let corporations get the pass-through rate increases when fees rise. Don't pass that burden on to your residential rate payers. I promise these corporations can afford it. And I couldn't say the same for residents who are actively struggling to get by. Every dollar counts for us. I urge you all to be a little bit more thoughtful when making these big decisions that have real impacts on people. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. We need to bring back the fixed route services. And if you drove here tonight, I hope during your drive home, you feel grateful for the privilege to do so. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Next, we have Wes Epperson. Wes is going to speak on Resolution 26-747, Terrace Crossing. You have five minutes to speak. Thank you.

Okay, Wes Epperson, 3600 Poplar Avenue in Southwest Independence. And, yeah, there's a lot of topics I'd like to speak on tonight, but I want to focus on this one. Terrace Crossing. This will be the third time that this has come up at the City Council. It hasn't made the roster, I guess you could say, at the MHDC before. Let me say this. Terrace Crossing, 9701 East 35th Street, is a big, ugly, vacant, blighted lot and has been for years since the school that was there Pitcher Elementary burnt down several years ago. They had talked about, at the time, redeveloping that old school building into a senior living center, kind of like Mount Washington did with their school. So I'm not opposed to a project there. In fact, I support one, just not this one. I support and several other people do in our area a senior living center there, and I'll tell you why. And it's not about not in my backyard. We want a project there. My reason for opposing this is based on safety. The safety of the children that would be expected to walk along a busy 35th Street That's through street from the city limit clear out to Lee Summit Road. Same as 39th. When I-70 backs up, 35th Street gets very busy. And we would expect school children to walk along on the edge of 35th Street almost a mile, just under a mile, from this address. up to Castle Park Elementary School, which is almost a mile away. And I might add that the school board or the school district has not endorsed this project at least the last couple of times. They didn't because I think they're thinking about maybe school, possibility of crowded schools. Let me just say about Castle Park, I think it was about 2019 when it opened, brand new school that the Independent School District built there. It wasn't until, I think, 2022 when we finally got the city to build four blocks of sidewalk there, and that's on Hardy Avenue that runs south up to 35th. There was no sidewalk at all on 35th. And I know there was projects planned along 31st Street, and that even had a project number, but that never got funded. It was funded for like $900,000 by the city, but I think maybe $300,000 of it got spent. on the sidewalk there at Castle Park. I think most of that money got deferred. Now, Castle Park has been promised sidewalk in the geobond. I think we're next up to get our sidewalk built. But we'll only have probably a mile of that sidewalk, and I think that will all be built on 31st Street. Not 35th. OK, thank you. One of the biggest safety factors of building an apartment complex there with children is 40 Highway. 40 Highway would be a half a block from this complex. There are two motels closed nearby right now by the city of Independence because they're dangerous, but we're not assured that they won't reopen. They have a lawsuit against the city to reopen. Forty Highway would be unsafe for these kids to be at, and we don't really have any green space in that area. The nearest park is not that close. and it's not very well developed either.

Sir, your time is up.

Thank you. Thank you.

All right. This brings us to our consent agenda.

Mr. Mayor.

Proceed.

Thank you. I move for approval for the reports and recommendations of the city manager.

Got a motion?

Second.

Got a motion and a second. Would anybody like to pull any items off the consent agenda?

Mr. Mayor.

Proceed.

I'd like to pull 26-743 under resolutions.

Mr. Mayor.

Proceed. I'd like to pull 26-740 under resolutions.

Anyone else?

Mr. Mayor. Proceed. I would like to pull 26-747 under resolutions.

Mr. Mayor. Yes. Can you please pull item number 11 from the reports and recommendations and from the resolutions 26-741 and 26-742?

I'm sorry, Councilman Stewart, say those. Item number 11, reports and recommendations.

And then from the resolutions 26741 and 26742. Okay. All right. Any others? All right.

Madam City Clerk, would you please call a roll on the consent agenda without the ones that have been pulled?

Council Member Dorman? Yes. Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart? Yes. Council Member Atkinson? Yes. Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Vought? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. Consent agenda passes 7-0. I'm going to go in kind of the order here. So, Councilmember Stewart, you wanted to talk about number 11.

I'll make a motion for approval on item number 11. Second.

Got a motion and a second on item number 11. Any further discussion? Mr. Mayor. Proceed.

Mr. City Manager. $154,000 is that that's for one lawnmower? That's correct. Can you give us a reason? Why would we be willing to spend that much money on one lawnmower, please?

Yeah, this particular mower is designed to be a an extremely high yield high efficient mower that allows us to mow more grass and more turf areas faster and in order to cut down on staff time dedicated and the need for additional equipment that is generally used to mow these types of large open areas. This particular piece of equipment will, again, allow us to do that faster and more efficiently so that we can get to other areas of the community.

Okay, that's all I have. Thank you.

Any further discussion on item number 11? Mr. Mayor. Proceed.

I, too, had my eyes widen whenever I saw this item in the budget. And I think I actually sent a question to our budget manager about this mower as well. Spent some time kind of Googling it. It is quite the mower. So it is not your old snapper mower. you know, Forrest Gump mower. This thing is going to get things done a lot more quickly for our community. There is a lot of feedback that I've received. I'm sure everybody else has received about how we need to upkeep our parks and green spaces. This is going to help us tremendously in that area. So I would support others to support this purchase. Any further discussion?

Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman?

Yes.

Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart? Yes. Council Member Atkinson? Yes. Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Vought? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. Item number 11 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. Okay, next up is 26-740. Council Member Perkins.

Thank you, Mayor. This is an item that I sponsored after the PGAV began their discussion some months ago regarding our selling, possible selling our historic sites. We immediately started working with our historic friends for the Bell, Bell Mansion, Bingham, Wagner, and stakeholders there to work with them to talk, slow this process down. Let's explore some different ways to fund these these areas so we've had two really good robust meetings since then been able to bring some good conversation forward i've spoken to all the council members and colleagues here and i appreciate your support on that mr city manager i believe we do have slated up for july 13th of the study session to continue this conversation and more of a larger community conversation as well going forward that's correct i'll make a motion for approval

Got a motion. Second.

Got a second. Any further discussion on 26-740?

Mr. Mayor. Proceed. It has been a pleasure working with the historic sites folks, discussing all the needs and the importance to our city of these historic sites. So really looking forward to continuing that discussion. And I want to thank Council Member Perkins for facilitating those meetings and I know that myself and the mayor attending that, it was very informative, and I'm just glad that we are continuing that discussion and recognize just how important they are to this city.

Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman? Yes. Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart?

Yes.

Council Member Atkinson. Yes. Council Member Wiley. Yes. Council Member Vought. Yes. Mayor King.

Yes. Resolution 26-740 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. All right. This brings us to 26-741. Council Member Stewart.

I will make a motion for approval on 26-741. Second.

Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion?

Mr. Mayor. Proceed. So just to make things very clear, this moratorium would only affect anything new applicants for data centers that would come into independence or apply for any permits. It would not affect anything existing or anybody that's already applied. I basically just want to put a pause on any new data centers so that it gives city staff time to look at the zoning and possibly recommend changes back to the city council. And if at some point, I mean, actually, Mr. City Manager, do you believe you can get this done within six months? Is that plenty of time?

Yes. In fact, as we've been talking about this over the last several weeks, getting this slated for this agenda, we've already commenced some research, started drafting some amendments to the city codes and ordinances and are slating to prepare those. for presentation of the planning commission here later this month.

Thank you. So I know there, so this will go 60 months unless otherwise we would repeal it for some reason. But as long as that's good, okay. That's all I have on that one. Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Mr. Mayor. Yes. I have really enjoyed working with Council Member Stewart on this, just throwing ideas back and forth. I am looking forward to continuing that work and getting this moratorium passed as we evaluate where we move to next.

Thank you.

Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman?

Yes.

Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart?

Yes.

Council Member Atkinson? Yes. Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Vought? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. 26-741 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. This brings us to 26-742.

Council Member Stewart? Motion to approve 26-742. Second. Second.

Got a motion and a second. Any discussion?

Mr. Mayor. Proceed. So I'll just kind of revert back to my previous comments on the data center. Same zoning stuff. I would like to also add, you know, if we would have a disaster, some type of fire, city staff can look at how we can best do that. I realize there was a public speaker last week at the study session and one tonight that mentioned maybe we were It would stop progress on these and, you know, it would maybe hurt the grid. I just want to point out that while this says 180 days, if city staff came back to us in 90 days and we did some of this stuff, we can always repeal this. So it doesn't necessarily have to be 180 days. So, I mean, that's all I have. Thank you.

Any further discussion? Hearing none, Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman. Yes. Council Member Perkins. Yes. Council Member Stewart. Yes. Council Member Atkinson. Yes. Council Member Wiley. Yes. Council Member Vaught. Yes. Mayor King.

Yes. 26-742 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. This brings us to 26-743. Council Member Wiley.

Thank you, Mayor. First, I move to approve 26-743. Second. Second. I do not support this. I am going to vote no on reducing the separation distance. Thank you.

Thank you.

Any further discussion? Mr. Mayor. Proceed. Mr. City Manager, can you kind of tell us how this happened? I mean, they started work at that location, and then all of a sudden, they want us to extend the separation. How did that happen to begin with?

Yeah, so thanks for giving us an opportunity. So under both state and local laws, and I've got folks behind me that will be more than happy to chime in if I misrepresent any of this. But for all intents and purposes, under state and local codes and ordinances, there's a separation requirement between marijuana facilities, retail and schools, churches, daycare centers. As part of the building permit, review and approval process, the applicant is required to submit verification as to whether or not there are any schools, churches, daycares within the distance of the location that they intend to remodel and establish a facility there. Unbeknownst to anybody, during the permitting process, the permit was issued. It was later brought to our attention that there is a daycare facility located within that distance. It's my understanding, state law, the requirement is 500 feet separation. Our local codes and ordinances require 1,000 feet, and that this daycare center is approximately 800 feet. So it's greater than what the state separation requirement allows. but does not meet the local codes and ordinance separation requirements, hence the allowance or the ability of the city council to reduce that separate and comply with state law, but it would be less than 1,000 feet that we currently have on the books today.

Okay, so the applicant has already started work on this. Have they given any indication what they're going to do with this? If they do not... decrease the separation agreement?

Yeah, so as we became aware of this issue during the construction process, we immediately reached out to the owner applicant with the intention of issuing a stop work order. The owner applicant had requested that we not issue that stop work order at that point in time to allow them to continue the renovations. The renovation remodel is not sort of specific and unique to that type of retailer and could be repurposed for another type of retailer, regardless of whether this particular use was approved by City Council or not. So we have allowed them to continue to renovate the facility to with the anticipation or expectation that they'll complete that remodel and renovation regardless of whether this use goes into that building or not. And they're fully aware that as they proceeded, that they were sort of proceeding at their own risk, denied that distance reduction, that they would not be able to have that location be used as a marijuana facility.

Okay, that's all I have. Thank you. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman?

No.

Council Member Perkins? No. Council Member Stewart?

No.

Council Member Atkinson?

No.

Council Member Wiley? No. Council Member Vaught? No. Mayor King?

No. 26-743 fills with zero yeses and seven noes. This brings us to 26-747. Council Member Vaught.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I move to approve Resolution 26-747.

Second. Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion?

Yes, I have a few questions and I'm not sure who to direct this one to. So Mr. City Manager, do we know why this application wasn't approved last year?

Not necessarily. Usually as part of the state tax credit applications, there is a scoring system and applications Based on certain site constraints and proposals and criteria, they can start earning points. At the end of the day, there's only so many tax credits that are awarded, and so this particular project over Lasting County... amenity packages of, you know.

For those reasons, I will again be supporting this resolution while continuing to make sure the concerns of the surrounding neighborhood remain part of the conversation. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman. Yes. Council Member Perkins. Yes. Council Member Stewart. Yes. Council Member Atkinson. Yes. Council Member Wiley. Yes. Council Member Vought. Yes. Mayor King. Yes.

Yes. 26-747 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. This brings us to our regular agenda. Madam City Clerk, please proceed with 26-056.

26-056, second reading, an ordinance approving the issuance of tax increment and special district revenue bonds, Wally's Redevelopment Project. Series 2026 in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $12 million by the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Independence, Missouri, and authorizing certain other actions and documents in connection therewith. Second reading.

You've heard the second reading. Any discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Dorman?

Yes.

Council Member Perkins? Yes. Council Member Stewart?

Yes.

Council Member Atkinson?

Yes.

Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Vought? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. 26-056 passes with seven yeses and zero noes. This brings us to our first readings. Madam City Clerk, please proceed.

26-059, first reading, an ordinance amending section 18.18.001-010 of the Independent City Code concerning bicycles, motorized bicycles, and motor scooters, first reading. 26-060, first reading, an ordinance amending section 18.01.001 of the Independent City Code to change the definitions of electrical personal mobility devices, motorcycle and motorized bicycles, first reading. 26-062, first reading, an ordinance approving a rezoning from District R6 Single Family Residential and C2 General Commercial to District C2 General Commercial for the property located at 16523 East US 40 Highway, first reading. 26-063, first reading, an ordinance approving a rezoning from District R6 single-family residential to District R6 slash PUD single-family residential slash planned unit development and approving a preliminary development plan for the property located at 20691 East US 24 Highway, first reading. 26-064, first reading, an ordinance approving a special use permit to expand the operations of a car rental agency. to 3601 South Nolan Road, Independence, Missouri, first reading. 26-065, first reading, an ordinance approving a final plat for the Meadowbrook Estates, second plat, located southeast of Eureka Road and Artemise Road in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, first reading. 26-066, first reading, an ordinance approving a final plat for the Jackson Place first plat located west of Jackson Drive and south of Artie Mize Road in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. First reading. 26-067, first reading, an ordinance approving a preliminary development plan for the property located north of U.S. 24 Highway. and West of Salem Drive in District R30 slash PUD, High Density Residential slash Planned Unit Development in Independence, Missouri, first reading. 26-068, first reading, an ordinance approving a final plat for McBee Acres located north of US 24 Highway and West of Salem Drive in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, first reading. 26-069, first reading, an ordinance calling for a special recall election proposing the form of the ballots and redirecting the city clerk to do all things called for by law in connection with holding of said election, first reading. This is an emergency item. First and second readings will occur. 26-069, second reading, an ordinance calling for a special recall election, proposing the form of the ballots and directing the city clerk to do all things called for by law in connection with the holding of said election, second reading.

Any discussion on 26-069? Mr. Mayor? Yes.

Yeah, I mean, this is the elephant in the room, right?

So I would just like to say that in the same vein that I was talking about this affordable housing development project, we hear of any number of things that residents would like to see in our city, if that is nicer parks, better treatment for those with addiction issues or struggling with homelessness, nicer roads, cleaner roads, any number of things, and not a single one of those is free. So as this council member who is being put up for a recall weighed his vote, he had to weigh not just the concerns of those opposed to the data center, but also the concerns of those most at need within our community. Again, nothing that we do is free. We want to make sure that we are taking care of the residents of Independence. This project at full build out is going to pay into the city roughly $140 million between three different funds. That's 30 to 55 million to IPL, an additional 30 to 55 million to our general fund, and an additional $30 million to our school districts. This is an unprecedented amount of money to be able to take care of our community. And I know that the council member, in good faith, weighed these decisions very heavily. We spoke at length about this decision that he made. He cares about independence. He cares about his district. He is willing to meet with anybody and everybody about anything. He went out of his district to have a meeting to... Please refrain. so John is the council member for the first district. Um, he even offered to meet with those who organized, um, against him with this petition and they declined.

Um, while please, please guys, please refrain. Thank you. Um,

I know John, and I know that this has weighed heavily on him, but it's the same reason that we have all voted in some manner in support of this project moving forward, whether that be the power purchase agreement or the switch yard, we know that better days are ahead because we will be able to provide for the citizens. of this city. So while the charter binds us to this vote to move forward with election, um, I just wanted to make sure folks know that John is not some evil person. He is not somehow responsible for somebody's death because a bridge is closed that we don't even fully own.

Please, please, please.

That's all I have to say. Thanks.

Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please call the vote.

Council Member Dorman?

Yes.

Council Member Perkins? Abstain. Council Member Stewart?

Yes.

Council Member Atkinson? Yes. Council Member Wiley? Yes. Council Member Bott? Yes. Mayor King?

Yes. 26-069 passes with six yeses and one zero nos and one abstention. This brings us to council member comments. Council member Dorman.

Okay. I just have a couple of things. This past week was celebrating the 250th birthday of our country. And there were a couple of really neat things that happened. We did have Fox and Friends come to visit with a band and a dance group. And they actually chose independence because of our history, not because we tried to market to them. So I find that pretty impressive. It's on their cities, like American cities, and they happened to see us and thought we were very fitting. So it was an honor that they did that and we got to participate. The mayor and I also went to which I think the timing's nice for celebrating our 250th birthday, but we went to a naturalization of 37 people that became U.S. citizens in this last week, and they represented 19 countries? 18. 17 countries. 17 countries, and it was... really neat event to watch because a lot of us as citizens take this for granted and to see the work that they put in and the emotions that they had and the words that were spoken to us as Americans was pretty incredible. So and then I just appreciate that we have a grassroots effort and that you guys are engaged in our city and looking forward to making things better for all of us.

Thank you. Council Member Stewart. Nothing tonight, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Atkinson.

Yeah, I had a great time last week. So Artists Helping the Homeless, they have finalized their purchase of the old Sprint building. That is going to be 60 units of transitional housing for those most at risk of being street living homeless. That is going to provide full wraparound services, whether it be their mental health care, physical well-being, their meals, transportation, workforce development, which dovetails really nicely into another development, the Three Trails Behavioral Health. which is set to open this fall. Councilwoman Wiley and I took a tour of that facility. It will provide both outpatient and inpatient services to, again, those struggling with mental health and addiction issues. I would like to thank Wes Epperson and all those who organized and showed up to the Southwest Independence Community Group, such an incredible organization of residents there to be able to communicate and solve problems in a collaborative manner. I really appreciate that. And if anybody else would like to kind of head up their neighborhood and do the same, please do so. I would be more than happy to help you do that. The, let's see, Declaration of Independence reading at First Christian Church on Saturday, it was a really incredible experience with about 40 individuals who showed up. We all kind of went through paragraph by paragraph and read out the Declaration of Independence. Just really beautiful, powerful moment there. That's all I have.

Thank you Councilmember Wiley Thank You mayor.

I only have one thing tonight City manager. I need to bring back a ordinance that we Put aside Indefinitely in March. It's 26 dash 0 0 1 0 It's an amendment to the public nuisance animal ordinance if we can bring that back for the July 20th meeting. I

Yeah, we'll get that on the next City Council meeting.

Great, thank you. That's all.

Council Member Vought?

I have nothing tonight, thank you.

Thank you. Council Member Perkins?

Thank you, Mayor. With some of the discussion that was taking place tonight, it's kind of apropos. Mr. City Manager, I know your office had met with the Kansas City and your counterparts. They were talking about the Kentucky Avenue Bridge that we've been working on for several years now, and it feels like your frustration that you've had, and please speak Free to speak candidly, the same frustration we've experienced for the past five, going on six years. Do you mind explaining just a little bit of how that conversation went and the next steps there?

Yeah, so we had a conversation with folks from the city of Kansas City on de-annexing part of that Kentucky Avenue bridge from the city of Kansas City's corporate limits upon de-annexation. The city can subsequently annex that half of the bridge and that part of the right-of-way into the city's corporate limits, and then we can continue with the renovations and the repairs that we need to make on that Kentucky Avenue bridge. in conversations Sounds like the next step is this item is slated for the city of Kansas City's Planning Commission later this month July 15th if the date serves my memory well that this item is supposed to appear on the Kansas City Planning Commission agenda for Deannexation once the Planning Commission approves it it'll ultimately have to go to the City Council and Once city council approves it, then we'll subsequently be required to annex it into our corporate limits. And so we're monitoring the progress of that diligently.

Thank you. And to continue the conversation, just to reframe this a little bit, that bridge is literally in half Independence and half Kansas City. This is something that we've been working on quite diligently, have the documentations to prove that. The city council several years ago did approve to support our side of the bridge with a vote of unanimous city council. That moved forward and died in Kansas City. We now have full funding, design work. There is nothing holding us back but Kansas City. I just want to make that known, and this is a continual effort, and thank you for your efforts for trying to do that. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Yes.

I apologize. I messed up. I need to move to bring forward 26-0010 to place back on the agenda for July 20th. I second.

Thank you.

Got a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Madam City Clerk, please take the roll.

Council Member Dorman. Yes. Council Member Perkins. Yes. Council Member Stewart. Yes. Council Member Atkinson. Yes. Council Member Wiley. Yes. Council Member Bott. Yes. Mayor King.

Yes. Passes 7-0. Thank you. All right. A couple things for me. Soccer Saturday, July 11th, as you heard Cindy talk about that in the Ted Lasso look-alike contest. I challenge anybody because I am going to be in the Ted Lasso lookalike contest. But I also got a little bit of extra as Cindy had that great trophy. We're going to give 10 sweet tickets to the winner of this thing to a future Comets game. So get your Ted Lasso lookalikes ready to go. I hear Police Chief Walker may be entering the contest as well. So I'm sorry, Fire Chief. Man, why am I? Fire Chief. So a couple of things. I want to thank the Parks and Recreation. They have done a fantastic job through the July 4th celebration on July 2nd, but also the Popsicles in the Park. If you haven't been to those things, those were great. I really appreciate getting the opportunity to speak at the 4th of July celebration and look forward to those in next year. our 200-year celebration. So I just want to let you know that I am planning on having a town hall on July 22nd. I do not have the place yet, but the time will be around 6 o'clock. As soon as I get that, I will get that out. But I am planning on having a town hall on July 22nd. And that's all I have. City Manager Anderson.

Yeah, Mayor, thank you again. Congratulations to Heather Ury on our I-Star Award recipient. I want to take a shameless plug here to remind folks to follow us on social media. We're going to try some new things, try to showcase some of our amazing employees and some of the amazing folks in the community that are doing some really incredible work. So that's my little teaser to go out Check out City of Independence on social media and be on the lookout for some really amazing, heartwarming stories about all of the amazing people that are just doing good work here in Independence.

Thank you all for coming. Meeting adjourned.