October 8, 2019 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• Blue Zones Project Update: The Mayor's challenge for students to walk the distance from Shawnee to Okinawa is now halfway complete. National Walk to School Day provided a significant boost. OBU Lacrosse, Bank First, and First United are partnering with schools. A request was made for a crosswalk at Bryan and Bradley due to 50-75 children regularly crossing a busy street there.
• Community Renewal of Pottawattamie County: Last Tuesday, 📅 October 1st, National Night Out saw 20 block parties across the community with 407 neighbors participating, aiming to reduce isolation and crime.
• Blue Zones Project (Well-being Coalition): The project is working to identify partners to fund the installation of a water fountain at Sister Cities Park (Airport Trail), a highly utilized recreational area with approximately 200 daily users in summer months.
• Pet of the Week: A super sweet, but scared, male cat that has already been fixed was presented. Adoption fees are $10 for city residents and $5 for those outside city limits.
• Public Safety Alert: Commissioner Rutherford warned citizens to be extremely careful of scams, especially during the upcoming Christmas season. Never allow anyone claiming to be from a support service to access your computer remotely.
• City Budget & Infrastructure: Commissioner MacCallum noted that due to budget cutbacks this year, funds for inspecting and addressing dilapidated structures and alleyways could not be allocated. However, the city plans to put money in the budget for this purpose after 📅 January 1st.

Public Comments

• Alley Maintenance & City Image: A resident, Ms. Pickens, expressed embarrassment over the filthy and trashy alleys behind her home, particularly when hosting a visiting general. She urged the city to educate staff on appropriate routes for visitors and called for all residents to maintain clean yards.
• Pedestrian Safety: A representative from the Blue Zones Project reiterated the need for a crosswalk at Bryan and Bradley to ensure the safety of students walking to school.
• Community Engagement: A representative from Community Renewal of Pottawattamie County highlighted the success of National Night Out, emphasizing the importance of neighbors knowing each other to combat isolation and crime.
• Park Hydration: A Blue Zones Project representative discussed the initiative to install a water fountain at Sister Cities Park on the Airport Trail to provide access to drinking water for the many daily users of the trail.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Agenda: The consent agenda, which typically includes routine administrative items, was ✅ Approved.
• Budget Amendment for Fire Prevention Vehicle: A budget reallocation from the fire suppression fund to the fire prevention fund was ✅ Approved for the purchase of a Chevrolet 1500 crew cab for fire prevention.
• Rezoning Application P1619 (Break Ground Homes): An ordinance to rezone 79.85 acres east of North Kickapoo and north of Shawnee Mall from A-1 (Rural Agricultural) to R-1 (Single-Family Residential) for a new single-family residential development was ✅ Approved. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval, citing the city's housing needs, despite an opposition letter raising concerns about flooding and bridge infrastructure.
• Administrative Rezoning P1719 (430 N Tucker Ave): An ordinance to administratively rezone 1.22 acres at 430 North Tucker Avenue from R-3 (Multiple Residential) to C-3 (Highway Commercial) was ✅ Approved, along with an emergency clause. This change reflects the property's historical use as a pharmacy and sign shop for over 40 years, correcting a previous lack of official zoning records.
• 2019 Comprehensive Plan Approval: Following a presentation by RDG Planning & Design on the year-long process and content of the plan, the item was ❌ Tabled to the next meeting. Commissioners requested more time to thoroughly review the extensive document.
• Community Center Roofing Project Bids: Four bids were received for the Community Center roofing project. Staff requested time to review the bids, and the item was ❌ Deferred to the next regular meeting.

Financial Matters 💰

• A budget amendment was approved to reallocate funds from the fire suppression budget to the fire prevention budget for the purchase of a new Chevrolet 1500 crew cab.
• The Community Center Roofing Project is slated to be funded from the facility repair portion of the half-cent temporary sales tax.
• Commissioner MacCallum noted that budget cutbacks this year prevented allocation of funds for addressing dilapidated structures and alleyways, but the city plans to include this in the budget after 📅 January 1st.

Agenda Summary Table