City Council - Regular Meeting

Maybe they switched our chairs. [laughter] That's a step. Yeah, for the MLK. All right. Good evening, everyone. Good evening. It's 7 o'clock in Gardener, Kansas. Call the meeting to order. Please rise and join me for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. [snorts]

All right. Good evening. We do have a presentation this evening to start us off about the Garter Land Bank. Probably be a pretty brief presentation. Jinxed it. It will be.

Good evening, Mayor, council members. The land bank is required to provide an annual report to the governing body accounting for all receipts, dispersements, and property transactions. The land bank currently contains three parcels, all associated with proposed mixeduse Stone Creek development project. There were no land transactions in 2025. 2025 beginning cash balance for the land bank fund was $5,426.72. The land bank earned $24.96 in investment earnings on idle funds. There were no expenses in 2025. The land bank's financial records will be audited as part of the 2025 audit.

That's it. Thank you. Does council have any questions? Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it.

All right, we'll move to public comments. members of the public are welcome to use this time. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh the second uh presentation um we pulled and we will come back to that at a later date. Um so public comments, members of the public are welcome to use this time to make comments about city matters or items in the agenda that are not part of a public hearing. If you wish to come forward, please leave your comments to five minutes or less. There is five time clock on your left. With that being said, come forward. State your name and address for the record. The podium is now open. coming up. Evening,

mayor. I got one thing. This is Steph Tani off 408 East. I got one thing to ask you guys. What is going on with this local option tax that they want to okay when you read the paper and all this stuff about this football thing up by not counting they keep talking about I know I has got to do what Sean he's got to do the next but they say western Johnson County doesn't specify what town or what towns at all just as an area they want to go and come in and take a part of your local option tax do any of you guys know what's going on with this Jim Yeah, Gardner's not included in that. There are four jurisdictions. Shaunie, Lanexa, Edwardsville, and

I know I know all but they're only giving up the state increment, not the local sales tax. So, Gardner was never approached. We were never part of the the stadium or practice facility discussion. So, it does not include us.

Okay. I was just kind of curious. I was wondering if the if the good old boys over in John over in LA the county board super said see if they can't hack another penny or what half cent sales tax they can't can they okay that's what I cared about guys I already talked to the chief I've talked to police officer already about the other thing I was going to ask you a question about these about these scooters I know I know the police officers don't have time to do everything but I know it's a bunch of kids they like to run down Shauny street at Balarian where ballarian shy street at that nice nice little stop sign. They come zooming through there. Baby, how fast can we go? I was kind of curious. I don't want to see any kids get hurt, but one day someone's going to get carried. He's going to get smacked.

You know, there there's I saw something in the state to more laws on that. Is that there's talk that they might introduce a bill, but I haven't seen one yet. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I was going to let you guys know, but thank you for telling me about the about the tax. I was just kind of curious if someone's going to come in here and say, "We're going to raise your sales tax up." Okay, we're good. Thanks, guys. Thanks. Thanks, DC. All right. No other public comment. So, uh, move to consent agenda. Is there an item on the consent agenda? Council would like to move.

Motion to approve consent. So, moved. Second motion McN we approve consent agenda. All in favor? I. All opposed. Consent agenda passes. No planning and zoning consent. No committee recommendations. No old business. New business. Item number one. Consider approving a contract to purchase real property.

Good evening. In May 2020, the city adopted the gardener destination downtown plan. plan outlines a vision for the desired look and feel of [snorts] the downtown area through development and public open spaces. The acquisition of property in the planning area is a key element of carrying out that vision. The per purchase of this property is another step in that process. Staff continues to seek opportunities to acquire properties to further advance the plan. Recommend authorizing me to execute the contract to purchase the property at 108 East Shaune and close on the property. Thank you, Jeff. No other comment. Council, do you have questions, comments? Good.

I know a lot of people talk about the destination downtown and want us to move forward and we are and this is more just me talking. We are It's just a slow process because it's government and it's red tape. So, this is just one more step in the right direction towards seeing that. Right. We had $50 million [laughter] away. Judicious.

All right. Do you hear a motion board? So moved. Second. Motion De and second McNair. We authorize the city administrator to execute the contract to purchase the property at 108 East Shaune and close on the property. All in favor? All opposed. Abstain. New business item number one passes. So we will move to council updates. That was fast. Did anyone have any questions?

Uh just to follow up on traffic concern. We are going to meet this week discuss. We've also looked at our statistics tipping uh obviously enforcement looking at alternatives for educational pieces such as a billboard direct to come through. just looking at all options along that we do have a what I consider a robust plan in place to roll out this spring. So to come on that social

I I think uh I saw maybe they stepped up a little bit patrol out in that area a couple days ago or this past week. Yes. Yeah, we we directed obviously it's always resources calls for service, right? When they're not on calls, they're directly out there. Thank you. I got a question for the stats that we got, the 2025 stats and the calls of service and so forth, is there a way that we could get that with a little more detail as far as like the granularity of like how many of them were violent calls for service and how many of them were traffic stops and

you talk stats as a whole. Mhm. Just break it up like a pie chart or something and what do we have and you know did it change from 24 and 23 because obviously calls are going up but what kind of calls and so on. Yes. Yeah. We can get you already dissing some some of the stats for this last year. So yes we can get more granular with what we call part one part two violent crime property crime. Is that what you're asking? That'd be great. We can check. Thanks. Yes sir. Questions. I have nothing tonight.

Yes. Um, our code enforcement officer recently wrote a violation for GMC chapter 8.80 under vegetation and health nuisances and as part of that citation, the occupant and owner are offered an appeal. Under our code, the owner, occupant, or agent in charge of the property may request a hearing before the building code board of appeals, which is also the city council. Would you all want to hear that appeal after the next city council meeting? We can adjourn the city council meeting and then do the appeal at that time. Or would it be better to do it? Are you 6:30? Are you ready tonight? the

they are not here and we don't have the information prepared to provide to you tonight. Okay. How long do it? It's a good question for Ryan. I'd say if you wanted to do it at 6:30 before a regular meeting

and Rene will send you additional information out about the Thank you.

All the way down there. The only thing I have for you to let you know is the Cedar Niles uh gravity sewer project and sewer pressure line project is underway. Contractors will be on site next week and we are planning to close 191st Street for two weeks starting next week. And from where to where on 191st? Just 191st Street. We're crossing 191st Street on the on the router project. Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you.

Maggie, just one item. Next Monday is our planning commission meeting. It's 7 o'clock here in the chambers and our packet will be distributed tomorrow afternoon. Nothing tonight. Start with I'm sorry. I was [laughter] gonna have to go back this way.

So, we've gotten a couple emails since the first of the year from the county from county attorney and county administrator um about the public safety sales tax. They're not going to appeal um the the ruling, but they indicated they are looking at additional sources of revenue, potentially a sales tax that's dedicated to mental health and and things in that nature. So that those discussions will be in the next couple months. When are they not looking for another source of revenue? Thank you, Council McNair.

Nothing. I just want to say thank you to Denica who pulled off a great exhibit Friday and yesterday for Martin Luther King. Um I came over here with my husband and I was telling her every time I come I learn something new and I feel that way. I told her reading about May J um May Jameson who was also on the wall of of accomplished people in the back. I said reading about her accomplishments makes me feel like a total slacker. [laughter] So she said that's okay. her accomplishments make everybody feel like a total slapper. Um, but I really just enjoyed what she put together. She did a really great job.

Uh, one thing, um, wanted to see if I could get, um, a consensus from the council. Um, with the changes that we're going to make to Win Windwood Park, um, and the addition of the court, um, the idea came up that maybe it might be interesting to rename that park in honor of um, the Gourney family or um, of her in particular. Uh, I know we're going to do a plaque or memorial for the court and name the court and that seems appropriate as well, but uh I don't know why we named it Winwood Park. I don't know the history behind it, but it seemed more meaningful if you know you're you're saying, "Hey, I'm going to Gourney Park to to shoot hoops." And you go, "Well, who is that? And why did we name a park after her?" So, um, just curious I we asked the question, not sure what it would take to rename a park like that. And so we wanted to see if we could get consensus um and then maybe direct Ryan to go figure out what we need to go do. [laughter]

We do whatever we want. [clears throat]

But I would also say I don't know why we named it Winwood Park. I don't know if it's I imagine it's because both those streets are Windwood. Winwood Street and Winwood terrace right into it. I know back in the day it was Winwood development developer with parking makes sense to the city. Anyone have an objection to that? It's a great idea. I like the fact that what you know how you said that why was it named Gourney Carty. at Windwood Park like Arrowhead. [laughter]

Yeah, it'd be better. I think it's good to do both, but yeah, I like it. We'll work on it. Perfect. Get signage and everything figured out and we'll consult with the the council and the family. Sounds good. That's all I have.

Council vice. Yeah, just echoing off uh Council Member Johnson's thank you Dena and everybody else that helped with the MLK thing. I did ask Dena how the attendance was and she said it was the most attended MLK she's had yet. So it's good that you know she does add new things every year and that that's generating more and more interest and it's not dwindling. So, thank you for all your work on that. Council President, nothing.

And I'll also say, you know, I was I was able to see it and she did a great job as always. Delicious cookies as well. But got some news coverage on it too as well as a few times, I think. Yes. She kept coming back to get me for more interviews. [laughter] But I don't think I asked Anique and I there's not too many other memorials and tributes that day with other cities. So I think that really positions us a lot of bias. I think that's really great. Very well done. Uh I've got nothing left, nothing further. Motion to adjurnn.

So move to second. Motion De second. Johnson we adjourn. All in favor. All opposeain.