Meeting Summary
Announcements
- Christmas Parade: The annual Christmas Parade, themed "Christmas Through The Eyes of a Child," is approaching. In a new tradition, Sequoyah School was drawn to have one of its students ride on Santa's float. The parade is Shawnee's largest nighttime Christmas parade, with last year's event drawing 30-35,000 attendees and distributing 142 tons of candy.
- Boo on Bell: Central Oklahoma's largest Fall Festival, "Boo on Bell," is happening this weekend.
- Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Awards: Shawnee has been named a finalist in two categories for the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful awards: the Shawnee Beautification Committee and the Historic Shawnee Alliance (formerly the Chamber Downtown Task Force) for the Paint Day project. Winners will be announced on 📅 November 30th.
- Texting While Driving Ordinance: A new city ordinance prohibiting texting while driving will go into effect on 📅 November 1st.
Key Decisions & Votes
- Consent Agenda Approval: The majority of the consent agenda items were approved.
- 2016 Holiday Schedule: The proposed holiday schedule for 2016, which includes observing Christmas Eve on 📅 December 23rd (as December 24th falls on a Saturday), was approved.
- Shawnee Splash Project Change Order: Change Order #1 for the Shawnee Splash project was approved. Discussion included concerns about subcontractor overhead and for-profit costs, with the City Manager noting the $13,000 in change orders was reasonable for a $3.7 million project. Staff will review policies for consistent profit/overhead percentages in future contracts.
- Texting While Driving Ordinance: An ordinance amending the Shawnee Municipal Code to prohibit texting while driving was approved. This ordinance aligns with existing state law, though concerns were raised about its enforceability and lack of specific structure.
- Emergency Conduct Ordinance Amendment: An ordinance amending the Shawnee Municipal Code to prohibit certain conduct during a declared emergency was approved, along with its emergency clause. This amendment brings the city's ordinance into compliance with state law, which no longer permits the prohibition or suspension of firearm/ammunition sales or ownership during emergencies. Violations will be classified as a Class C offense (fine up to $500, no jail time).
- Retention of Legal Counsel for Pawn Shop Lawsuit: The retention of the law firm Colin Zorn and Wagner was approved to continue defending the city in the lawsuit brought by Circle Deep Pond #4 Inc. et Al. The lawsuit challenges the city's pawn shop regulations, which require photo identification and photos of serial numbers for pawned items. The firm will continue at a rate of $175/hour.
- South WWTP Emergency Generator Project: A bid from All Phase Electric for $225,000 to install a backup generator at the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant was approved. This project addresses the current lack of backup power at the facility.
- Budget Amendment for Generator Project: A budget amendment of $175,000 from SMA Fund 501 was approved to cover the cost of the emergency generator, with funds available from existing reserves.
Financial Matters 💰
- Sales Tax Report: The sales tax report for October was acknowledged. Collections exceeded $1.5 million, an increase of $116,000 from the previous year. Retail trades showed a 10.8% increase over the same quarter last year. The City Manager noted that a separate check of approximately $50,000 is expected from the state for the sales tax-free weekend. A request was made for a three-year trend comparison of retail sales across different areas of the city (Harrison, Independence, Main).
- Pawn Shop Lawsuit Legal Fees: The city will pay legal counsel at a rate of $175/hour to defend against the pawn shop lawsuit, following the withdrawal of insurance coverage after initial civil rights claims were dismissed.
- WWTP Generator Project: The $225,000 cost for the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant emergency generator will be funded by a $175,000 budget amendment from SMA Fund 501, with the remainder already budgeted.
Public Comments
- No citizens came forward to participate during the Citizens Participation segment.
Agenda Summary Table
| Agenda Item | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Agenda Approval | Approval of routine administrative items. | ✅ Approved |
| Holiday Schedule for 2016 | Discussion and approval of the city's observed holidays for 2016, including Christmas Eve. | ✅ Approved |
| Change Order #1 for Shawnee Splash Project | Approval of the first change order for the Shawnee Splash project. | ✅ Approved |
| Citizens Participation | Opportunity for citizens to address the Council. | No comments |
| Presentation by Safe Events for Families regarding Annual Christmas Parade | Update on the upcoming Christmas Parade and Boo on Bell festival. | Information only |
| Public Hearing - Rezoning with Conditional Use Permit for 111 West 45th Street | Public hearing for a rezoning application. | ❌ Withdrawn |
| Ordinance amending Shawnee Municipal Code to prohibit texting while driving | Consideration of an ordinance to prohibit texting while driving. | ✅ Approved |
| Ordinance amending Shawnee Municipal Code prohibiting certain conduct during a declared emergency | Consideration of an ordinance to update emergency conduct prohibitions to comply with state law. | ✅ Approved |
| Discussion/Action for retention of Council in Circle Deep Pond #4 Inc. et Al vs. City of Shawnee | Discussion and action on retaining legal counsel for a lawsuit against the city regarding pawn shop regulations. | ✅ Approved |
| Acknowledge Sales Tax Report for October | Review and acknowledgment of the monthly sales tax collection report. | Acknowledged |
| City Manager Update | Update on various city projects and initiatives. | Information only |
| Airport Authority Consent Agenda Approval | Approval of routine administrative items for the Airport Authority. | ✅ Approved |
| Municipal Authority Consent Agenda Approval | Approval of routine administrative items for the Municipal Authority. | ✅ Approved |
| Consider bids on South WWTP Emergency Generator Project | Consideration and award of bids for a backup generator at the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant. | ✅ Approved |
| Budget Amendment on SMA Fund 501 for Generator | Approval of a budget amendment to fund the emergency generator project. | ✅ Approved |