July 11, 2016 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• 📅 The July 5, 2016 City Commission meeting has been canceled.
• 📅 The Fourth of July Parade will be held downtown on July 4th, hosted by the Veterans Committee and American Legion, ending at the Veterans Memorial.
• 📅 The Youth Finals Rodeo (IFR) entrance ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, July 10th, at 7:30 PM.
• The "Night on the Bricks" festival, organized by Safe Events for Families, received a first-place award from Frontier Country, a region-wide economic development organization.
• The Airport Track Lighting project is back on schedule after FAA review delays. The contractor is expected back in July, with completion anticipated in August. There will be no additional cost to the city for required baffles/covers.
• Construction signs from the Kickapoo project are still present on Independence, though the project is not fully closed out and requires final striping.
• The Dunbar Organization hosted a successful event with approximately 100 attendees, including 40 children. It was announced that the Project Park kitchen will move there, and new activities are being explored following the non-renewal of the Wise contract.
• The Juneteenth parade saw a good turnout for walking floats.
• The downtown streetscape project, particularly at Broadway and Main, is progressing well, with another block expected to open soon.
• Boy Scout Park is seeing significant activity, with over 100 people observed enjoying the facilities.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Agenda Approval: The majority of the consent agenda items (1A-C, E-G, H1) were ✅ Approved.
• Mayor's Appointments: The Mayor's appointments (Item 1D) were ✅ Approved as a separate action.
• City Attorney Contract: Action regarding the City Attorney contract (Item 1H2) was ✅ Approved, ensuring the city would not be without legal counsel after June 30th.
• Pawnbroker Ordinance Amendment: An ordinance repealing and amending portions of Ordinance No. 2569 regarding pawnbroker dealings was ✅ Approved. This action modifies the municipal code to ensure compliance with new state statutes and assist with ongoing litigation dismissal. An emergency clause for the ordinance was also ✅ Approved.
• Affordable Housing Project Support: A resolution supporting the construction of a 24-unit housing development by Shawnee Affordable Housing Partners LP at 101 East Main was ✅ Approved. This resolution indicates favorable consideration for a tax credit award for the project, aiming to revitalize downtown residential living.
• Capital Assets Policy Update: A resolution adopting a city commission policy to increase the capital assets threshold from $2,500 to $5,000 was ✅ Approved. This change aims to streamline inventory management and reduce administrative paperwork.
• Vehicle Donation to McLoud: A resolution to surplus certain city vehicles (two one-ton trucks) and donate them to the City of McLoud was ✅ Approved. These older vehicles were deemed to have low auction value and the donation is consistent with past similar actions.
• Asphalt Streets Rehab Project Bid: The bid for the FY15-16 Rehab Asphalt Streets Project was ✅ Approved, awarding the contract to Haskell Lemon Construction Co. for $588,144. The project includes Shawnee Mall Drive, Center Street, 11th Street, and Whitaker.
• Sale of Agnew Addition Lots: The bid for the sale of Lots 5 and 6 of the Agnew Addition to Darren Markel for $305,000 was ✅ Approved. The funds will first pay off a remaining balance of $114,446 owed to the Shawnee Development Authority, with the remaining balance allocated for tourism-related activities.

Financial Matters 💰

• Occupancy Surcharge Discussion: The Commission held a discussion regarding a potential increase in the occupancy surcharge. This was a non-action item, but staff presented data showing Shawnee's current 5% lodging tax is common, but the combined tax rate is high for the region. Each 1% increase could generate an additional $100,000 annually, potentially funding Expo Center maintenance, downtown projects, or the Pottawatomie County Museum. Concerns were raised about the potential deterrent effect on travelers and local businesses. Staff was directed to gather more input and structure future proposals.
• Sales Tax Report Acknowledged: The June sales tax report was acknowledged.
  • Total sales tax collected: $1,437,000, slightly less than the previous year.
  • Top 5 revenues are up 5.25% from last year.
  • Overall top 10 revenues are up 3.7%.
  • Use tax has significantly increased, doubling from the previous year.
  • Franchise tax is down due to a mild winter but is expected to balance out with the current hot summer.
  • Water sales are up, while sewer sales are down due to lunar month averaging for billing.
  • Staff is working to transition financial reporting from a cash basis to an accrual basis.

Public Comments

• No citizens came forward to share comments or concerns during the designated public participation period.

Agenda Summary Table