August 3, 2021 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• Emergency Solutions Grant Application: Staff is submitting an application for an Emergency Solutions Grant by 📅 July 30th. Award notifications are expected around 📅 August 23rd, with the contract period starting 📅 September 1st and ending 📅 August 31st, 2022.

Public Comments

Citizens addressed the Council on a variety of local issues:

• Lake Shawnee Concerns:
  • Kayak Dock Location: Several residents, including Mike Cox and Ron Morris, expressed concerns about the new kayak dock's location at Lake Two, citing its placement in a floodway/spillway and potential safety issues due to strong water flow during floods.
  • Lake Advisory Committee: Multiple citizens, including Wolf Googler, Teresa Rowe, and Amy Camerata, voiced strong support for establishing a Lake Shawnee Advisory Committee to assist in revising lake ordinances, ensuring leaseholder and public input, and addressing issues like lake patrol presence and boat slips.
• White Fox Scooters: Jackson Winn and Noah Damas, students from Oklahoma Baptist University, praised the success of White Fox scooters on campus, highlighting their convenience, docking system, and potential to provide affordable transportation for students and the wider community.
• Park Adoptions Program: John Bob Simple introduced a new "Park Adoptions" program by the Blue Zones Project, aiming to rally community support (individuals, families, churches, businesses) to invest in and maintain neighborhood parks, working with Public Works and OSU Extension.
• Airport Development Proposal: Darren Lofton, owner of KSNL Aero, requested an opportunity to present a proposal for significant development at the airport, including two restaurants, a rental car center, parking, additional hangers, and a 40,000 sq ft hanger, which could bring an estimated 100 high-quality jobs to Shawnee.
• Support for Commissioner Weaver: Teresa Burnette thanked Commissioner Bob Weaver for his integrity and for standing up for the people, noting increased public attention to council proceedings.
• Business Vandalism & Homelessness: Antoinette Smith, owner of two car washes on Bernard Road, appealed an administrative demolition order, detailing ongoing struggles with vandalism, homelessness, drug trafficking, and illegal dumping at her properties. She also suggested community outreach for the homeless.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Agenda: The consent agenda, including routine administrative items, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Vice Mayor Appointment: Commissioner Aaron Rutherford was ✅ Appointed as Vice Mayor (6-0-1, Rutherford abstained).
• Emergency Solutions Grant Application: Staff was authorized to ✅ Submit an application for an Emergency Solutions Grant from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to address homelessness (6-0-1, Matthews abstained).
• Interim City Manager Contract: A contract with Eric Benson to serve as Interim City Manager, at a rate of $75/hour plus reimbursable costs, for a term ending October 30, 2021, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Sewer Line Engineering Services: A contract with Holloway Updike and Bellin Inc. (HUB) for $85,000 for engineering services for the Kamik and Georgia gravity relief lines, eliminating existing lift stations, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• White Fox Scooters Services Agreement: A services agreement with White Fox Scooters Inc. to expand their e-scooter service into the downtown area and surrounding community, with docking stations and geofencing capabilities, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Shawnee Lake Advisory Committee: A motion to ↔️ Defer the discussion and possible action to appoint a Shawnee Lake Advisory Committee to a future meeting, allowing staff to develop a proposed scope, size, and timeframe for the committee, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Scooter's Coffee Driveway Variance: A variance request for a proposed right-in/right-out driveway at the intersection of Harrison and Independence for Scooter's Coffee, which is closer than the 150-foot minimum separation, was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• AW Real Estate Demolition Appeal: The appeal of an administrative order regarding the demolition of the structure at 801 South Beard Street was ↔️ Deferred to the second meeting in August, allowing the estate 30 days to address concerns or pull a demolition permit (7-0).
• Wedding Venue Conditional Use Permit (CUP): An ordinance to rezone property at 33001 Lake Road from A1 Rural Agricultural District to A1 with a CUP for a wedding venue with the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages on premises was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Garage Cottage Conditional Use Permit (CUP): An ordinance to rezone property at 15515 Perry Road from A1 Rural Agricultural District to A1 with a CUP for a garage cottage/accessory dwelling unit was ✅ Approved (7-0).
• Commercial Rezoning (Kickapoo Avenue): An ordinance to rezone property at 3715 North Kickapoo Avenue from C2 Suburban Office Commercial District and R1 Single Family Residential District to C3 Commercial Highway District was ✅ Approved (7-0).

Financial Matters

• Year-End Budget Amendments (FY2020-2021): Several year-end budget amendments for fiscal year 2020-2021 were ✅ Approved (7-0) as cleanup items.
• Budget Amendments (FY2021-2022): Budget amendments for fiscal year 2021-2022 were ✅ Approved (7-0) to account for items missed in the initial budget.
• Monthly Sales Tax and Budget Reports: The monthly sales tax and budget reports were ✅ Acknowledged. Sales tax collections for July came in approximately 💰 15% higher than projected, and use tax was approximately 💰 44% above projections. The General Fund's revenues exceeded projections, and expenditures were under the budgeted amount.
• Edward Byrne Memorial Grant: The administrative report included acknowledgment of an application for the 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Grant for 💰 $28,272. The funds, split with the Sheriff's office, will be used by the Police Department to purchase 15 new body cameras.

Agenda Summary Table