November 23, 2015 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• Ward Boundaries Presentation: The City Manager will present proposed minor modifications to ward boundaries on 📅 December 7th. A public hearing and ordinance for approval are planned for the first meeting in 📅 January.
• Fire Station #2 (Bryan Street): Requests for qualifications from firms were received today. Staff will review submissions, and a contract is expected to be on the agenda in late 📅 December or 📅 January.
• Park and Recreation Master Plan: This plan will be presented to the Shawnee Planning Commission on 📅 December 2nd. If recommended for approval, it will be brought before the City Council on 📅 December 7th.
• Auditorium Heat and Air Engineering: Construction documents are nearing 100% completion. Staff anticipates requesting authorization to bid out the project in 📅 January or 📅 February.
• Airport Trail Lighting: OG&E is expected to begin installation of lights around the airport trail this winter.
• Holiday Lights: City staff are currently installing holiday lights around the city.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Agenda: Items A, C, D, F, H, I were approved as part of the consent agenda.
• 2016 Meeting Schedule: Discussion was held regarding reducing the number of monthly meetings from two to one. The item was moved to the next meeting for further discussion and staff review of historical changes and workload impact.
• Lake Lease Renewals: The Violet lease 016975 was moved to the next meeting for review due to potential date inaccuracies. All other lake lease renewals were approved.
• Shawnee Hospital Authority Appointments: The recommended appointments were approved. A request for nominees to provide bios and for the city to review its appointment application process for consistency and online accessibility was noted for future discussion.
• Library Heat Pump Units Budget Amendment: A budget amendment to transfer funds for the replacement of three failed heat pump units at the library was approved.
• Resolution of Appreciation for Chief Russell France: A resolution recognizing Chief Russell France for over 30 years of service, effective through his retirement on 📅 December 1, 2015, was approved.
• Resolution of Appreciation for Michael Jackson: A resolution recognizing Michael Jackson for over 27 years of service, effective through his retirement on 📅 November 30, 2015, was approved.
• Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund Payment: A lump sum payment for James Wilson's defined benefits plan was approved.
• The Garage Restaurant Preliminary Plat: The preliminary plat for The Garage Restaurant at 190 Mall Drive was approved with staff-recommended conditions.
• Airport Authority Consent Agenda: The consent agenda for the Shawnee Airport Authority was approved.
• Airport Concrete Hard Stand Project Bid: The contract for the OAC Concrete Hard Stand project SNL 16-S was awarded to ATEC Paving for $107,536.
• Municipal Authority Consent Agenda: The consent agenda for the Shawnee Municipal Authority was approved.
• Executive Sessions: Motions to enter executive session for both the Shawnee Municipal Authority and the City Commission to discuss potential claims and litigation were not seconded, so no executive sessions were held, and no action was taken on those items.

Financial Matters 💰

• Library Heat Pump Units: A budget amendment was approved to allocate funds for the replacement of three heat pump units at the library. These repairs are funded through the city's general capital outlay, not the library's independent budget.
• Sales Tax Report:
  • November sales tax collections totaled $1,426,000, which is $52,000 higher than last year but 5.1% lower than two years ago.
  • For the fiscal year 2015-2016, sales tax collections are up approximately 5% from last year, exceeding the budgeted 3% increase.
  • The state of Oklahoma is experiencing a general decline in sales tax revenue, attributed to factors like lower gas prices and layoffs.
  • Discussion included the recent implementation of sales tax at local theaters and the performance of the Marketplace development, which, after rebates, contributes a small increase over budget.
• Airport Concrete Hard Stand Project: The contract for the project was awarded for $107,536. The airport will be responsible for $5,376 after reimbursement from the OAC.

Public Comments

• No citizens came forward to address the Council during the public participation segment.

Agenda Summary Table