February 19, 2016 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• Animal Shelter Changes: Effective immediately, the City of Shawnee will no longer use the gas chamber for euthanasia of cats or dogs. Euthanasia will now be performed via lethal injection by two veterinarians. No euthanizations occurred in January or so far in February. The Police Department and Animal Control Officers were commended for their efforts, and a modest expansion of the shelter (eight additional runs) is planned.
• City Wayfinding and Branding: Visit Shawnee Inc. voted on 📅 February 10th to extend a contract with a branding consultant to develop biddable wayfinding documents and finalize signage specifications, fully funded by Visit Shawnee Inc. The City Council will be asked for official action and blessing on 📅 March 7th, with sign installation anticipated by mid-year.
• Special Call Meeting/Workshop: A workshop to discuss City projects, goals, long-term needs, budget, and funding operations has been scheduled for 📅 March 25th at 9:00 a.m. The location will be announced at the 📅 March 7th meeting.
• Downtown Streetscape: Construction on the downtown streetscape project is ongoing and making good progress. Citizens are encouraged to continue shopping and dining at local businesses.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Agenda Approval: Several items were pulled from the consent agenda for discussion, including details on fee schedules, a long-standing airport lease, fire department wage adjustments, retirement definitions, and a dispatch services contract. After discussion, all pulled items were approved, along with the remaining consent agenda items.
• Fire Station #2 Repair and Renovation: Staff was authorized to enter into a Phase One agreement with Britz Batty Architects for $8,900. This initial phase will involve an analysis of the structure, a detailed cost estimate for repair or new construction, and will be completed within 30 days.
• Cooperation Agreement with Absentee Shawnee Tribe: A cooperation agreement with the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma was approved.
• Final Plat for Shawnee Auto Mall: The final plat for Shawnee Auto Mall, located on Shawnee Mall Drive East of Union, was approved with five listed conditions.
• Termination of Contract with JTS Inc.: The contract with JTS Inc. for antenna work at the North radio tower was terminated due to default. JTS Inc. agreed to forfeit their bid bond of $1,796.75. Staff was authorized to rebid the project, which is expected to cause a three-month delay in activating the radio relay for emergency services.
• City Attorney Position: The City Council approved hiring Stewart, Cone & Clover Law Firm as the interim City Attorney. The firm's proposal includes a $5,000/month retainer (with unused hours carrying over) and $200/hour for additional services. Staff was directed to work out the contract details, including an option to renew for a full year at the end of the current fiscal year.
• Lease of City Property for Pasture Land: A bid from D.A. Stalkery for $5,000 per year to lease 160 acres of city property for pasture land was approved. The lease includes an out clause for future city use.
• Shawnee Municipal Authority - Emergency Sewer Plant Repair: An emergency was declared to replace a critical blower at the Northside sewer plant. The original repair estimate was $24,400, but the blower was found irreparable. Staff was authorized to expend up to $45,000 for a new blower, with parts requiring a 12-week lead time.

Financial Matters

• FY 2014-15 Audit Report: Arnett & Associates presented the audit report, confirming the city received an unmodified (clean) opinion on its financial statements, governmental auditing standards, and federal awards expenditures. A minor audit finding related to year-end transfers/appropriations was noted, which is being corrected.
• Sales Tax Report: The city's sales tax revenue was up 1.5% for the month and up 4.24% for the fiscal year to date, meeting budget expectations. Rebate payments have commenced. Retail trades, particularly in the I-40 area, showed an increase, while some other categories were down. Use tax was up almost 20%. Total top revenues for the year are $423,000.
• Budget Amendment for Fire Station #2: A proposed budget amendment for Fire Station #2 repairs was tabled as existing funds were available for the initial phase of work.

Public Comments

• Animal Shelter Operations: Amber Green, representing Friends of Shawnee Animals (FOSA), spoke in support of the city's ongoing improvements at the animal shelter. She clarified that sick or injured animals are currently handled by local rescues through medical release forms. She also requested additions to the dog park and announced FOSA's plans for a feral cat program.
• Absentee Shawnee Tribe Cooperation Agreement: The Governor of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe expressed strong support for the cooperation agreement (Agenda Item 6), emphasizing the tribe's commitment to being an integral part of the Shawnee community.

Agenda Summary Table