October 23, 2014 City Commission Meeting

City Council Meeting Summary – October 20th

📅 Announcements

• Veterans Memorial Funding: Staff is working with the Veterans Committee to seek additional funding sources, including Visit Shawnee Inc. A contract for Visit Shawnee Inc. is expected on the November agenda, with their first full-fledged meeting likely in mid-December or January. The Veterans Committee is expected to return to the Council for further discussion on funding in January or later.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Agenda Approval: The agenda was approved, with items 5 and 6 (regarding property detachment) removed due to pending litigation and lack of prepared ordinance.
• Consent Agenda: The consent agenda was approved as presented. A motion to amend the consent agenda to pull specific items (October 6th minutes, license payment report, and Pioneer Library System audit) for later discussion failed due to lack of a second.
• Sidewalk ADA Ramps & Trails Project (Contract No. COS PW 1301): A motion to increase the quantities of work on this project to accommodate the Bryant Street trails facility (an additional 💰 $601,933.50) failed due to a lack of a second. Staff had recommended the increase, citing difficulty in getting bids for such projects.
• Surplus Nortel Telephone Instruments: A resolution to declare Nortel telephone instruments as surplus property and authorize staff to solicit bids for their disposal was ✅ Approved.
• Dispatch Center Bids: Bids for the construction of the new dispatch center were opened (Sage Mill Construction LLC: 💰 $218,000; Ben Hayes Construction: 💰 $401,361). Staff recommended deferring the decision to the next meeting for review, which was 🗓️ Deferred.
• Co-Ed Roofing Project Bids: Bids for the Co-Ed roofing project, including an alternate for the City Hall roof, were opened (Robbins Roofing: 💰 $19,575.21 for Co-Ed, 💰 $22,979.79 for City Hall alternate; Today's Roofing: 💰 $22,139 for Co-Ed, 💰 $22,357 for City Hall alternate; More Salt Construction: 💰 $24,881 for Co-Ed, 💰 $21,513 for City Hall alternate; Coats Roofing: 💰 $29,500 for Co-Ed, 💰 $29,500 for City Hall alternate). Staff recommended deferring the decision to the next meeting for review, which was 🗓️ Deferred.
• Shawnee Airport Authority Consent Agenda: The consent agenda for the Airport Authority was ✅ Approved.
• Shawnee Airport Authority Lease Amendment (Vive Broadband A LLC): An amendment to the 1996 lease with Vive Broadband A LLC (formerly Falcon Media, Allegiance Cable, BCI Broadband) was ✅ Approved. The amendment increases the annual rent from 💰 $500 to $1,000 per month, extends the lease term by 20 years, and changes the notice period for contract breach from 10 to 90 days.
• Shawnee Municipal Authority Consent Agenda: The consent agenda for the Municipal Authority was ✅ Approved.

Financial Matters

• Sales Tax Report: The October sales tax report showed a 💰 $36,000 (2.47%) decrease compared to the previous month, but an increase of 💰 $42,000 compared to October 2012. Staff noted no specific trending categories for the decrease and anticipated an increase in use tax and sales tax from the Hunt properties project as construction progresses.
• Veterans Memorial Funding: Discussion centered on a request for 💰 $40,000 in additional funding. The City Manager noted the project is not in the capital improvement plan and suggested seeking other funding sources, potentially matching city funds.

Public Comments

• Barbara Smith: A long-time Shawnee resident, Ms. Smith urged the city to work collaboratively with local tribes, citing examples of other Oklahoma cities (Durant, Tahlequah, Ada, Sulphur) that have prospered through such partnerships. She highlighted recent expansions at Seminole State College made possible by tribal support and expressed concern over "win-lose scenarios" and the expenditure of tax dollars on divisive endeavors.
• Vicki Was: Ms. Was, a Shawnee resident with disabilities, raised concerns about difficulties paying her water bill. She reported instances of phone payments being misapplied to other accounts and mailed payments arriving late, leading to shut-off notices and late fees. She requested a more reliable payment system and consideration for holiday due dates.
• Bruce Winston (Attorney for Citizen Potawatomi Nation): Mr. Winston clarified that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has affirmed Indian tribes as beneficial owners of trust lands, granting them the right to petition for detachment. He argued that state statute requires the governing body to hold a public hearing on a detachment petition, regardless of whether the city clerk deems it sufficient or insufficient, and urged the Council to address the matter.
• Greg Quinlan: Mr. Quinlan recounted past negative interactions between city commissioners and local tribes (Citizen Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Absentee Shawnee, Sac and Fox, Iowa). He described a meeting where a commissioner suggested tribes "stick to arts and crafts," leading to a walkout by the Kickapoos. He also detailed an instance where the city refused tribal offers to fund improvements to the city's sewer lift station and plant, which were out of EPA compliance, ultimately forcing the tribe to build its own 💰 $3.5 million sewer system. He contrasted this with the city's pursuit of a 💰 $29 million sports complex.

Agenda Summary Table