May 8, 2012 City Commission Meeting

Announcements

• The Shawnee Economic Development Foundation (SEDF) announced that Casey Moran has withdrawn from the Executive Director position for personal reasons.
• The SEDF will hold its regular board meeting on 📅 Wednesday, August 6th, 2008, at 9:00 AM at the SEDF office to determine the next steps for finding a new qualified candidate.
• For the months of 📅 July, August, and September, the SEDF will bill the city at the old rate of $8,333 per month. Billing will then be suspended until a new Executive Director is hired and in place.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Approval of Agenda: The agenda for the meeting was ✅ Approved.
• Approval of Consent Agenda: The consent agenda was ✅ Approved, with items FA and LB pulled for separate discussion.
• Street Lights on Gordon Cooper and Hardesty (Item FA): The request to approve the city taking over the operation and cost of street lights on Gordon Cooper (south of the bridge) and Hardesty Drive was ✅ Approved. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) offered to reimburse the city for all actual costs associated with these lights, including those outside city limits. City staff will draft a formal agreement for both parties to execute.
• Street Lights in South Shawnee (Item LB): A request for new street lights in the South part of town was ✅ Approved. The city will cover the monthly operational costs, and OGE will handle installation. Several existing lights in the area that were out have been reported to OGE for repair.
• Windmill Ridge West Phase Three Improvements (Item 4): The acceptance of water, sanitary sewer, and paving drainage improvements for the Windmill Ridge West Phase Three addition was ✅ Accepted. All improvements met city standards, and maintenance bonds were placed into effect.
• Repair of Outfall Line at Southside Plant (Item 5): Bids for the repair of the outfall line at the Southside Wastewater Plant were received from Craft Rentals Construction Company ($124,830 with alternate) and Urban Contractors ($92,733 with alternate). Staff recommended deferring the decision to the next meeting for further review. The item was ❌ Deferred.
• Enchanted Gardens Drainage Issue: City staff reported a resolution to the water runoff issue affecting Enchanted Gardens homeowners from the Emmanuel Baptist Church property. The church will build a berm at the toe of the slope to prevent runoff into backyards. The city will address concerns regarding the ditch along 45th Street and the culvert under Lily Valley, including grading the ditch and upsizing the culvert if needed.

Financial Matters

• Economic Development Foundation Contract: The SEDF will bill the city at the previous rate of 💰 $8,333 per month for July, August, and September, then suspend billing until a new Executive Director is hired.
• Street Light Costs: The city pays monthly rental rates for street lights, which vary from $3.50 to $28 per month depending on the fixture. OGE covers installation costs.
• Street Project Costs: City staff noted a significant increase in asphalt costs, from 💰 $41 per ton to $59.25 per ton. To maximize existing contracts, remaining quantities from the TJ Campbell contract were used to pave MacArthur Street. Staff will present a list of additional streets for overlay using remaining quantities from the Atch contract in a few weeks.

Public Comments

• Economic Development Foundation Update: The Chairman of the Economic Development Foundation informed the Council that Casey Moran, the recently accepted Executive Director, has withdrawn for personal reasons. He outlined the SEDF's plan to re-advertise the position, bill the city at the old rate for three months, and then suspend billing until a new director is hired.
• Citizen Feedback (Jim Sims): A citizen expressed appreciation for the Commissioners and Mayor, encouraging them to attend Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) and National League of Cities meetings for professional development. He urged the Council to expedite the Veterans Park project, suggesting the use of excess funds from the Centennial Commission. He also complimented the Mayor on the horse art project and advocated for expediting the hiring of a permanent City Manager, preferably from Oklahoma, to fill other key city positions. Lastly, he suggested shortening meetings and utilizing the City Attorney more frequently.
• Broadway Street Project Concerns: A citizen distributed a letter raising concerns that the Broadway Street project specifications do not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, urging the city to "do this right the first time." City staff responded that their ADA specs are standard and they had provided the bid documents to the citizen for review.

Agenda Summary Table