City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF MISSION HILLS, KANSAS October 14, 2024 The City Council of the City of Mission Hills, Kansas held a meeting on October 14, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. PRESIDING: Mayor David W. Dickey PRESENT: Councilpersons Bill Bruning, Gregg Davidson, Eden Thorne, Andy Weed ABSENT: Councilperson Barbara Nelson ALSO PRESENT: Jennifer Lee, City Administrator; Meghan Woolbright, Assistant to the City Administrator; Jill Clifton, City Planner; Jason Nickles, City Clerk; Cole Carmack, City Arborist; Judy Fang, Financial Analyst; Aaron Thomas, Intern; Anna Krstulic, City Attorney; Chief Byron Roberson, Prairie Village Police Department (PVPD); D.A.R.E Officer Scott Marandah, Prairie Village Police Department (PVPD); Deputy Chief Major Eric McCullough, Prairie Village Police Department (PVPD); Captain Adam Taylor, Prairie Village Police Department (PVPD); Doug Gibson, Battalion Chief, Consolidated Fire District No. 2, CFD2 VISITORS: Tim McQuaid, Mission Hills, KS; David Arteberry, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc.; Tyler Ellsworth, Kutak Rock LLP CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dickey calls the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and the pledge of allegiance was recited. GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS Mayor Dickey greets visitors and notes that the order of the agenda would be adjusted to accommodate the interests of the visitors. Mayor Dickey notes that the meeting would be recorded for the purpose of meeting minutes. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING – September 9 and September 26, 2024 Councilperson Bruning moves to approve the minutes of the September 9 and September 26, 2024 meeting. Councilperson Davidson seconds. Approved 4-0. 1 PUBLIC SAFETY A. Police Report Chief Roberson states last month was a quiet month. Chief Roberson notes from his report an incident where a car was thought to be stolen but ended up being a civil incident. Chief Roberson moves on to the next incident in the report stating that the vehicle in this incident was unlocked. Chief Roberson reminds the Council and audience to always lock your personal vehicles. Chief Roberson informs the Council that D.A.R.E Officer Scott will present slides from the student presentation about scooters and e-bikes. Officer Scott addresses the Council, introducing a presentation, shared with students, on how the department is working to address scooters and bicyclists on the streets. Officer Scott starts by teaching traffic signs and signals to kindergarteners, using posters that show them the signs they may see on the road and encourages them to talk about it with their families. By third grade, students receive bicycle safety lessons and Officer Scott explains that this is when students start coming to school on bikes. Officer Scott teaches them the importance of wearing helmets, even though it is not a legal requirement. Officer Scott adds that these lessons continue up to sixth grade. Officer Scott shows two posters she has created. Officer Scott refers to the first as a quick reference guide with safety tips for riding scooters and bikes, ensuring students know they need to ride scooters and bikes similarly. Officer Scott stresses that sidewalks are preferred, but if they use bike lanes, they must stay close to the curb and not weave in and out of traffic or use turn lanes. Officer Scott adds, the second poster goes more in-depth and is distributed to the six schools she visits. Officer Scott mentions that the department uses social media to connect with parents and students, encouraging parents to share safety information with their children and ensuring that safety messages are reinforced at home. Officer Scott states they also plan to hand out flyers with scooter and bike safety tips, along with pencils and rulers featuring safety reminders, at various community events throughout the year. Officer Scott refers to the school resource officers, Officer Shull and Officer Huber, who are stationed at the middle and high schools adding, while they are not in classrooms as frequently as the D.A.R.E. officer, they maintain communication with students throughout the day and use platforms like Canvas to share important information. Officer Scotts adds Officer Huber has also created a safety video for middle school students, which parents can watch as well to encourage more discussions at home. Although scooters are not widely used at the high school level, Officer Scott notes that many middle school students rely on them, as they do not have cars yet. Officer Scott concludes by talking about the patrol officers, who aim to have positive interactions with students adding, when patrol officers encounter students on scooters or bikes, they remind them to use crosswalks properly, avoid riding in the street, and look both ways before crossing parking lots and roads, where many accidents occur. Councilperson Weed asks Officer Scott if there is any need to involve the Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) to which she states yes, while she has not had the opportunity to do this yet she can push the information to them. Councilperson Bruning asks Officer Scott what she has been advising students to do about riding on the sidewalks to which she explains that she instructs students to ride on sidewalks because it is safer than riding on the road. Officer Scott notes that many of the accidents they have observed involve kids trying to avoid cars in the road 2 and then attempting to go over the curb unsuccessfully, though they are not typically hit by vehicles in these cases. When on the sidewalk, Officer Scott tells the students they need to yield to pedestrians, as they do not have the right of way and adding, she explains the concept of yielding as early as kindergarten, so students understand that they need to either get off their scooter or ride in the grass when approaching pedestrians. Officer Scott also reminds them to walk their scooters or bikes in crosswalks to ensure safety. Councilperson Davidson states that teaching the concept of yielding is the most important. Councilperson Bruning asks Officer Scott if the parents are being told that this issue is largely their responsibility. Officer Scott confirms that she plans to address parents during PTA meetings, stressing that they need to set a good example by wearing helmets themselves. Officer Scott states she will encourage parents to ensure their children wear helmets and to take the matter seriously. Mayor Dickey asks Officer Scott to remind him what six elementary schools she teaches to which Office Scott states Prairie, Briarwood, Belinder, St. Ann, Corinth, and Tomahawk. Councilperson Weed asks Officer Scott if this is taught at the Montessori School to which she replies no but she has been to Kansas City Christiam Academy and is willing to teach lessons at the Montessori School if requested. Councilperson Weed thanks Officer Scott and adds that the presentation is great and notes we may be the only community in the area doing something like this. Chief Roberson shares with the Council that he is working with Prairie Village City Council to draft an ordinance focused specifically on helmet requirements for those under 18 years old riding scooters and motorized vehicles. Chief Roberson acknowledges that there are still legal aspects to work through to ensure the ordinance will be enforceable. However, Chief Roberson expresses confidence that the Prairie Village ordinance will be passed. Mayor Dickey asks the Chief for a timeline for this ordinance to which the Chief replies they are looking to have this in place by mid-November. Mayor Dickey shares with the Council the opportunity to watch the police video of the car accident that occurred last month. Chief Roberson explains the importance of LPRs (License Plate Readers) cameras and in-car cameras. While there is no current lawsuit involving the accident, the Chief points out that lawsuits are common in fatality car accidents, especially if the police are involved in any way. Chief Roberson adds, even if an officer’s actions are not at fault, the presence of cameras can be crucial in defending against legal claims. The Chief emphasizes that cameras, including those in Mission Hills, provide valuable evidence. Chief Roberson notes that in cases where a vehicle was not being pursued by the police, but a police vehicle was present the police camera footage can demonstrate that the vehicle was acting independently, which helps avoid false claims serving not only to catch criminals but also as a liability measure to protect the City from legal issues and save taxpayer money. Councilperson Bruning raises the question of whether a policy should be developed regarding making camera footage available for private lawsuits. Chief Roberson clarifies that the police department already has a policy for releasing camera footage, which is outlined on the department's website and includes procedures 3 for requesting video access. Mayor Dickey openly asks if the City needs its own policy which mirrors that of the departments to which Ms. Krstulic states yes. B. Fire Report Battalion Chief Doug Gibson notes of the relatively quiet third quarter and shares with the Council that he was on the scene for the recent Mission Hills Country Club (MHCC) fire. Chief Gibson notes that he arrived from the South and was happy to see no flames, only smoke bellowing from the MHCC. Officer Gibson adds that most of the damage was smoke from inside the club and after a thorough investigation the source of the fire was identified as the golf cart storage area. Chief Gibson shares with the Council that the fire was likely started from either electrical wires and surge protectors in the area, the golf cart battery chargers, or the batteries themselves. Chief Gibson reassures the Council that preventive measures are being reviewed to mitigate similar risks in the future. Chief Gibson emphasizes the importance of continued vigilance and proactive safety protocols. CONSENT AGENDA A. Claims Ordinance No. 1661 Councilperson Bruning moves to approve Claims Ordinance No. 1661. Councilperson Thorne seconded. Approved 4-0. B. Time & Material Prices for Snow/Ice Control on Belinder Sidewalk: Driscoll Turf Care Councilperson Bruning moves to approve Time & Material Prices for Snow/Ice Control on Belinder Sidewalk: Driscoll Turf Care. Councilperson Thorne seconded. Approved 4-0. C. Resolution No. 2024 - W: Resolution Confirming the Addition of the State of Kansas 401(a) Plan to the City Employee Benefit Options Councilperson Bruning moves to approve Resolution No. 2024 - W: Resolution Confirming the Addition of the State of Kansas 401(a) Plan to the City Employee Benefit Options. Councilperson Thorne seconded. Approved 4-0. FINANCIAL REPORT A. September Financial Report Ms. Lee refers to the September Financial Report and asks the Council if they have any questions. Councilperson Weed notes that the City has a $540,000 surplus but the City is $600,000 behind because of various components that did not perform well and asks Ms. Lee to explain further. Ms. Lee states that the $540,000 is net and the City is up $600,000 in revenues. Ms. Lee adds that the City is currently up by around $600,000 compared to the budget and after verifying the figures, she clarifies that $300,000 is due to Kansas City, Missouri paying late for State Line Road Improvements completed in 2023, which means the actual revenue increase is approximately $300,000. Ms. Lee notes that while sales tax has slowed down slightly, it is still performing adequately, and she anticipates that there will be a $500,000 surplus by the end of the year. However, Ms. Lee cautions that the surplus of $300,000 will likely be adjusted to 2023 by the auditors, and the additional $200,000 would typically be reserved for other auditor adjustments. Ms. Lee concludes that the current surplus may not reflect actual available funds 4 unless further savings are identified in the last quarter which could be allocated for other encumbrances. Councilperson Weed asks Ms. Lee if this is representative of what we will see every year to which Ms. Lee notes that there have been unusual sales tax and other revenue returns over the last two or three years, resulting in surpluses that were not anticipated. Ms. Lee mentions that the typical savings usually come from capital projects coming in under budget; however, this year is different, as they are currently over capital budget due to the emergency Ensley Lane wall repair. Ms. Lee points out that wall repairs are not typically anticipated, making this situation somewhat unique and she states that if they exclude the wall repair costs from their calculations, there could potentially be a couple hundred thousand dollars available for other uses. Ms. Lee adds that they may still see changes in revenues over the next three months or uncover savings that she cannot currently foresee. Ms. Lee adds that they would not encumber any funds or prioritize specific projects that would prevent them from setting aside leftover funds for the next year and notes that if year ended today and it matched what is written today, it would likely indicate that they have not added any funds to the bottom line. Ms. Lee adds, typically, when such situations arise and funds are not assigned or obligated for a specific purpose, those funds fall into the general fund balance and based on last year’s audit, they were able to grow that fund balance due to leftover money, and she anticipates that some funds will also contribute to it this year. Ms. Lee reassures the Council that they are still in a strong financial position. Councilperson Weed asks Ms. Lee when the budget is drafted if the City anticipates having a surplus of money to which Ms. Lee states when the 2025 budget was created, it was assumed that the City would start without a fund balance. City Treasurer Mr. Jones notes the City has been conservative over the past 3-4 years on projecting consumer spending that is credited to the City. Mr. Jones adds that the City has beaten the projections this year but he notes that the opposite can happen, where consumer spending is lower than projected. Mr. Jones adds that this value can go negative. Councilperson Weed thanks Ms. Lee for her artful explanation. Ms. Lee notes in the report that the prior year’s actual was $1.63 million, and she predict a similar number for this year. Ms. Lee adds the City budgeted $1.5 million, so despite a lack of growth, the City is still above budget. Mayor Dickey asks if there are any additional questions about the financial report. Councilperson Bruning asks Ms. Lee about the gas franchise fees not meeting budget expectation to which Ms. Lee explains that milder winters have affected franchise fees as well as lower gas prices. B. Quarter 3 Financial Report Ms. Lee notes that most of the topics covered in the Quarter 3 financial report were discussed during the October Financial Report Discussion. OLD BUSINESS A. Repeat Nuisance Properties Ms. Woolbright notes there was activity at 2517 W. 68th Street and adds the reported nuisances were addressed and the property owner was cited. Ms. Woolbright notes there were no changes to 6510 Indian Lane. Ms. Krstulic adds she has an associate working on next steps. Councilperson Bruning asks if the City’s fees and penalties affectively incur our expenses to 5 manage these properties to which Ms. Lee responds that it is something she could look at and from the perspective of repeat nuisance properties, the escalating fine structure gets very close to covering cost. Ms. Lee adds the citations are cumulative and fees are capped. Councilperson Bruning asks if the fees are cited against the title to which Ms. Lee states that information is included in the Court process and fees are eventually recovered by the City. Councilperson Bruning adds that at $2000 a citation should get someone’s attention. Ms. Lee states that for first time offenders, the cost is passed on and no administrative fees are charged. Mayor Dickey adds that when they created the repeat nuisance ordinance, it was designed to give some grace. Ms. Lee recommends that for repeat nuisance fines, she is not sure they need to pursue additional fees but an administrative fee could be added. Councilperson Bruning asks if the owner of the 68th Street property is going through the court system now to which Ms. Woolbright states yes and an additional citation was issued. Ms. Lee states that there is a court date issued on the citation. Mayor Dickey adds that there is a $2,000 fine and they will either have to pay an attorney to go to court or show up in court themselves which is inconvenient. Councilperson Bruning states that the reckoning will happen sooner rather than later when they eventually sell the property to which Ms. Lee and Ms. Woolbright reply yes. Councilperson Bruning asks if there is a sense of what is going on at the property to which Ms. Woolbright states the owner has indicated they plan to submit an application to the ARB for additional site improvements. Councilperson Bruning asks for clarification that the Indian Lane property will no longer be purchased by the neighbors to which Ms. Woolbright confirms. Councilperson Bruning asks if the Indian Lane property is being charged for the mowing to which Ms. Krstulic notes there are some tricky issues with this property but eventually these costs will be assessed. B. Draft Ordinance Discussion on Scooters, Bikes, Skateboards (and Electric Versions) Mayor Dickey notes that, until tonight, he was unaware of Chief Roberson’s information on Prairie Village’s scooter ordinance. Mayor Dickey recommends tabling the discussion on the item until they have better clarity on what Prairie Village is doing for next month. Mayor Dickey acknowledges that while he was previously willing to lead the charge, it seems that any action taken by Prairie Village would likely be mirrored, as having the police handle two different approaches would be impractical. Councilperson Davidson opines that the ordinance sounds reasonable. Ms. Krstulic notes that she will add what Chief Roberson noted about helmet requirements to the draft ordinance language. Mayor Dickey adds that since the D.A.R.E. officer shared with the Council that they are teaching kids to ride of the sidewalk, they will need to rethink sidewalk regulations. C. Draft Letter to KCMO regarding Sanitary Sewer Overflows Mayor Dickey reports that City staff has worked diligently on addressing a portion of the City that remains connected to Kansas City, Missouri’s sanitary sewer system and during intense rain events locations on Brookbank Lane, where the combined system is overloaded, raw sewage and other biomaterials are discharged onto Brookbank Lane, which then flows into Brush Creek. Mayor Dickey mentions that the City is trying to work with Kansas City Staff on this issue and Kansas City does not currently have a clear timeline for resolution. Mayor Dickey acknowledges that while Kansas City, MO staff is thoughtful about the situation, he believes that a letter outlining the problem will be beneficial. Mayor Dickey emphasizes the seriousness of the issue, 6 as raw sewage is being injected into the City and ultimately flows into the neighboring City, making it imperative that they seek assistance to resolve the problem. Mayor Dickey invites feedback on the letter, encouraging anyone with edits to provide them either tonight or via email so they can finalize it and send it to Mayor Lucas to expedite the process. NEW BUSINESS A. New Position Description – Senior Financial Analyst Ms. Lee notes the City wants to have a position description that accurately reflects all the responsibilities our Financial Analyst is currently handling. Ms. Lee explains that over the last two or three years, they have been working to expand Ms. Fang’s responsibilities. Ms. Lee expresses her desire to retain the existing financial analyst position description but also add a new one to encompass additional duties. Ms. Lee notes that this is important for the future, if Ms. Fang were to leave the position and they wanted to hire someone at a more senior level, they need a comprehensive description in place. Ms. Lee adds that Ms. Fang will transition from our current financial analyst to this new position. Councilperson Weed asks if this would be an additional FTE or a repositioning to which Ms. Lee confirms the latter. Councilperson Weed asks if this position works with the City Treasurer or if they do any reporting to the Council, clarifying that he is not opposed, just asking the question to better understand. Ms. Lee replies that the Treasurer is the lead for auditing and investing idle funds and if the Mr. Jones has any questions they would be funneled to the financial analyst. The Mayor and City Council thanked and complimented Ms. Fang for her great work as finical analyst. Mayor Dickey entertains a motion to approve the new position description for Senior Financial Analyst. Councilperson Bruning approves. Councilperson Thorne seconds. Approved 4-0. B. Ordinance No. 1662 - Revision to Zoning Regulations re: Front Building Line Ms. Clifton explains that this proposal revises how the building line is determined on properties without a platted setback. Ms. Clifton notes that the current requirement works well on blocks where the properties have a relatively uniform depth, allowing houses to be set back a similar distance from the property line. However, Ms. Clifton highlights that this approach is ineffective on blocks where the lots vary significantly in depth. Ms. Clifton illustrates this issue, referring to High Drive where the current regulations do not function effectively. Ms. Clifton notes for 5650 High Drive, the existing rules would allow a lot to have a setback of 100 feet, which would position it 80 feet in front of the house to the north. Ms. Clifton states, to address this, the proposed change stipulates that if the front setback of one of the adjacent properties on either side exceeds the average setback of the block, the new front setback will be adjusted to the average of the two adjacent properties. In this case, the front setback for the property at 5650 would be set at 140 feet, which better aligns it with the houses on either side. Mayor Dickey entertains a motion to approve Ordinance No. 1662 - Revision to Zoning Regulations re: Front Building Line. Councilperson Davidson approves. Councilperson Bruning Seconds. Approved 4-0. C. Resolution No. 2024 - X: Contract with LMCC for Additional Sidewalks, Belinder Low Water Crossing Headwall Repairs, Capital Maintenance (Salt Guard for New Concrete, Crack Sealing) Ms. Lee explains that they generally present an annual list of regular capital maintenance projects, which includes activities like salt guarding the concrete from the last two years, as well as crack sealing on the streets identified during their drive around. Ms. Lee notes that this year, 7 they are adding a couple of items to the list, particularly the Belinder Low Water Crossing. Ms. Lee notes that while the structure of the Belinder Low Water Crossing itself is fine, the headwall on the upstream side is crumbling and the concrete is failing. Ms. Lee mentions that LMCC plans to replace the failing concrete and the estimated range for this replacement is uncertain because they cannot determine how the bollards are attached to the structure without further investigation. Ms. Lee anticipates that the cost could be around $15,000, but it may be higher, exceeding her spending authority. Ms. Lee explains that once they remove the old concrete, they will have a clearer understanding of the situation. Additionally, Ms. Lee references the priority list that the Council provided during the last meeting regarding connecting sidewalk projects. Ms. Lee includes the commitment from earlier this year to finish the section of State Line Road from 70th Street to the City limit with Prairie Village, which covers a block and a half, estimating that work to cost $79,000. Ms. Lee also discusses the next priority, which is 63rd Street, mentioning that they have obtained pricing to complete the block from Wenonga Road up the hill to Aberdeen Road, as well as the block from Aberdeen Road up the hill to Verona Road & Norwood Road. Ms. Lee highlights a challenge with the Verona Road & Norwood Road section, noting that it would require the removal of about five trees. Based on previous feedback, Ms. Lee suggests that it may be prudent to postpone that section for now, focusing instead on the work from Wenonga Road to Aberdeen Road. Mayor Dickey notes a positive of the connecting the sidewalk project from Wenonga Road to Aberdeen Road as the sidewalk on Aberdeen Road extends all the way to the intersection. He emphasizes that this connection would effectively link the areas. However, Mayor Dickey points out that the sidewalk on Verona Road & Norwood Road does not extend all the way down to the intersection, as it is set back behind the median. Mayor Dickey expresses his opinion that they should begin with the section from Wenonga Road to Aberdeen Road and observe how the public responds to it. Mayor Dickey warns that making decisions about removing trees without understanding how people will utilize the space would be a mistake. Councilperson Thorne expresses her disagreement noting the trees are smaller. However, Councilperson Thorne acknowledges the importance of connecting to the other side, suggesting that they might also consider connecting to the sidewalk on Verona Road & Norwood Road. Councilperson Thorne expresses concern that this is a dangerous intersection for pedestrians. Although she appreciates the trees, Councilperson Thorne indicates that prioritizing safety may require taking them out to improve connectivity. Mr. Tim McQuaid asks Ms. Lee if there is a minimum sidewalk width to which Ms. Lee states the City generally installs a 4-foot 6-inch sidewalk with a 6-inch curb which makes it 5 feet. Councilperson Thorne adds she believes a smaller sidewalk could go in there. Councilperson Bruning notes his concern on 63rd Street of not going the full width on the sidewalk due to safety concerns from cars passing pedestrians. Councilperson Bruning asks Ms. Lee if the City wants to go one extra lot on the southside of 70th Terrace as there is nothing to connect to. Ms. Lee confirms and states then they previously discussed this topic about six to eight months ago, during which they experienced great success with the initial phase of the sidewalk along State Line Road, she reached out to the City of Prairie Village to discuss the possibility of completing the connection to 71st Street. Ms. Lee mentions that the feedback from the community indicated a desire to extend the sidewalk all the way to 71st Street to connect with the existing sidewalk. Ms. Lee recalls her conversation with Prairie Village's public works director who indicated that if Mission Hills builds their section to the City limits, Prairie Village would do the same. Ms. Lee presents an alternative option: instead 8 of constructing the sidewalk between 70th Street and 70th Terrace Street, they could focus on the section from 70th Terrace to the Prairie Village boundary since there are existing east-west linear sidewalks along those other streets. She explains that theoretically, pedestrians could walk all the way to the west at Overhill Road, then come around and head the other way. Ms. Lee notes that adding a sidewalk from 70th Street to 70th Terrace would create a continuous line along State Line Road. However, Ms. Lee emphasizes that this is just one idea and suggests that if they wanted to allocate funding differently, they could consider investing in sidewalks in other areas instead. Mayor Dickey asks the Council to return the topic of the 63rd Street sidewalk to give the Staff clear guidance. Councilperson Davidson shares his approval of the sidewalk between Aberdeen Road and Norwood Road. Councilperson Bruning believes that their decisions impact pedestrian behavior, specifically regarding walking on 63rd Street. Councilperson Bruning expresses concern that the proposed sidewalk might direct pedestrians into yards or the street along that long stretch. While he is not strongly opposed to the project, Councilperson Bruning acknowledges that he leans toward supporting it and emphasizes the importance of consistency in their approach to sidewalk development. Ms. Lee adds that part of the budget could include the replanting of trees. City Arborist Mr. Carmack adds that the caliper of trees is around eight inches and three of them are Gingkoes and two of them are Maples. Mr. Carmack notes that the sidewalk's proximity means it would likely require removing about three to four inches of concrete, which could significantly affect the structural roots that have already been established. Mr. Carmack adds that they would likely be replaced with fast growing varieties. Mayor Dickey recommends approval of everything except the sidewalk between Aberdeen Road and Verona & Norwood Road to allow Council to do a drive-by. Ms. Lee asks the Council if they have a preference about whether the City does the Wenonga Road & Aberdeen Road section first or State Line Road from 70th Street to the City limit. Councilperson Weed suggests doing the Wenonga Road connection as it would connect Aberdeen Road. Ms. Lee notes of the next step is to send a letter to the two adjacent homeowners to make them aware the City is moving forward, and funds will be set aside. Councilperson Thorne recommends having LMCC investigate connecting to the sidewalk from 63rd Street to Norwood & Verona Road. Mayor Dickey notes the challenges with the intersection and recommends the Council look as well. Ms. Lee notes that a traffic engineer drew both of those sections, and she will review their recommendations. Mayor Dickey notes that the focus thus far has been connection existing sidewalks. Councilperson Weed asks if the City made a decision on the crosswalk on 63rd Street and Belinder Avenue to which Ms. Lee states they went back to the engineer for additional review and it will be brought up in November. Councilperson Bruning recommends holding off on a decision to allow for a clearer comprehensive view. Ms. Lee states that the City will move forward with Wenonga Road to Aberdeen Road and will review Aberdeen Road to Verona & Norwood Road. Ms. Lee adds that the 63rd Street & Belinder Avenue crosswalk recommendation will be reviewed at as well. Ms. Lee asks the Council about the block and a half section on State Line Road to connect to the City limits to which the Council shared in their approval. Mayor Dickey entertains a motion to approve Resolution No. 2024 - X: Contract with LMCC for Additional Sidewalks, Belinder Low Water Crossing Headwall Repairs, Capital Maintenance. Councilperson Davidson approves. Councilperson Weed seconds. Approved 4-0. 9  A. Charter Ordinance No. 18 Ms. Lee shares with the Council a quick summary of the Charter Ordinance, which exempts the City from particular State statutes and would become effective on December 30th if it were adopted tonight. Ms. Lee adds that it is not specific to any project, it just gives the City the authority to issue general obligation bonds to the improvements described in the charter ordinance. Mr. Ellsworth explains to the Council that the real advantage of establishing this charter authority and completing the 60-day period is that it allows the municipality to issue general-obligation bonds backed by full faith and credit or any public building project they desire, without the need for an election. This charter authority effectively removes the election requirement that is typically mandated by statute. Mr. Ellsworth states the original statutes talk about public buildings specifically and the language has been revised for public buildings to include public buildings, facilities, and improvement. Mayor Dickey notes that this makes sense and entertains a motion to approve. Councilperson Weed approves. Councilperson Bruning seconds. Approved 4-0. REPORTS OF CITY STAFF A. City Clerk Mr. Nickles notes to the Council that the next Council meeting will be delayed by one week to Monday, November 18th due to Veterans Day on Monday, November 11th. B. City Administrator Ms. Lee notes in her report a calendar item regarding the Comprehensive Plan proposal. Ms. Lee adds, the steering committee has narrowed it down to three consultants, and they have scheduled in-person interviews for November 7th. Ms. Lee mentions that everyone is welcome to attend, with the interviews beginning at 1 p.m. at the Mission Hills Country Club. Ms. Lee asks that those who wish to attend notify staff so notice can be provided if needed, particularly if a majority of the Council is present. Additionally, Ms. Lee shares that they are inviting the steering committee, which includes the Chair and Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, as well as Ms. Clifton and Ms. Woolbright, the full Council, ARB, Planning Commission and the BZA are also invited to attend the interviews. Councilperson Bruning states that he will be in attendance. Ms. Lee acknowledges that everyone provided valuable feedback and comments on the drive- around that Ms. Clifton organized for the new houses. Ms. Lee suggests scheduling a work session or a pre-Council meeting before a regular Council meeting to discuss the observations and have a presentation on the topics. Ms. Lee asks whether they want to try and do this before the end of the year or if they would prefer to tackle it in January. Ms. Lee suggests starting the meeting an hour before the regular council meeting and estimates it will take about 1 hour, with roughly 30 minutes for the presentation and 30 minutes for questions and discussion. Mayor Dickey recommends the December 9th City Council meeting. Ms. Lee points out that the Kansas City Country Club (KCCC) has approached the City about a right-of-way swap. Ms. Lee references the map, explaining that the yellow section on the map represents the piece the KCCC proposes to deed back to the City. Ms. Lee notes that a large portion of the road is in that yellow section, which has been known for some time but neither party had acted on it. The red section, Ms. Lee adds, is the piece the KCCC would like the City 10 to deed to them. Mayor Dickey opines that this cleans things up. Councilperson Weed asks if there is any financial transaction to which Ms. Lee states that has not been discussed. Councilperson Davidson asks to clarify what is in the red portion of the map to which Ms. Lee states that it is only a couple feet wide. Councilperson Bruning notes of the dangerous pedestrian environments along this strip. Councilperson Weed asks if the transfer will result in a burden to the City to which Ms. Lee states that City has been maintaining this property already and this just cleans up records. Ms. Lee states she will bring more formal documents later. Ms. Krstulic recommends a title report on both parcels. Ms. Lee explains that Intern Aaron Thomas is present as he has been working on the City's flood warning system signage. Ms. Lee notes that the City is required to have these signs in place, following the standards of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which dictates what signs should say and their ratings. Ms. Lee notes there will be large yellow signs installed at all 13 locations, 100 feet in advance of the crossing stone pillars with flashing lights. She noted the yellow signs will be posted on existing poles like streetlights where possible. Ms. Lee adds that there will also be brown signs that will replace the old golf course-style signs that previously said, "Do Not Enter When Flashing" and since those signs were not reflective it was determined the National Park-style brown sign, shaped like a trapezoid matches the pillar shape. The new signs will read "High Water Signal" in reflective material, ensuring better visibility and safety. Councilperson Thorne notes she loves the National Park brown color and would love the National Park font. C. Assistant to the City Administrator Ms. Woolbright states that the City is close to finalizing the Eisenhower Lake ad hoc committee. Ms. Woolbright notes that the Mission Hills Homes Company is selecting their representee. Councilperson Weed notes that the Tomahawk Road Homes Association is not active. . Councilperson Bruning suggests that if there is an issue with engaging the Tomahawk Road Homes Association , the City should address it informally. D. City Planner Ms. Clifton states she does not have anything to report this month. E. City Arborist Mr. Carmack mentions that they are planning to plant 93 trees, with three residents declining new plantings. Next year, they plan to send out two more notices for upcoming plantings. Mr. Carmack adds, the urban forestry program has gained more members, and they are looking at adding another member by the end of the year, Happy Lemon Tree Care, a company with great reviews. Additionally, Mr. Carmack adds, bid packets for the 2025 pruning contract were sent out to seven companies, with one removed from the previous year’s list. Mr. Carmack notes that the deadline for the Tomahawk Roads Homes Association pruning contract is December 2nd and a recommendation will be on the December Council agenda. Mr. Carmack notes of discussions about spraying, which was reviewed a few weeks ago. Mr. Carmack asks the Council if there are any further questions to which there are none. 11 COUNCIL LIASION REPORTS Councilperson Bruning acknowledges the excellent work of Mr. Carmack on the Park Board, referencing the details provided in his report. Councilperson Bruning notes that a couple of new benches will be installed at Verona Columns. Councilperson Bruning highlights the cooperation between the Mission Hills Homes Company and the City, noting that they are splitting the cost of a project, which he considers a good process. Councilperson Bruning concludes by saying that Mr. Carmack covered all the topics discussed. Councilperson Thorne asks if the benches are being replaced to which Councilperson Bruning states yes. Councilperson Weed states he has nothing to report from the Crime Prevention & Safety Committee. Councilperson Davidson notes from the Planning Commission approved a conditional replat for the home at 6700 Cherokee Lane that will be demolished and combined with 6708 Cherokee Lane. Councilperson Davidson adds that front plating item was discussed, and side plating will be brought to the Council later. Councilperson Thorne states there is nothing to report from the ARB. MAYOR REPORTS Mayor Dickey notes he has received the first couple calls with questions and some frustrations about the Kansas City Country Club noise. While acknowledging that this frustration among residents will likely continue, Mayor Dickey assures that the noise ordinance will be enforced appropriately. Mayor Dickey does not believe there have been any violations so far but recognizes that it is an ongoing issue. Mayor Dickey anticipates that Fairway Mayor Hepperly may approach him regarding resident frustrations at some point and encourages people to continue directing concerns his way. B. Executive Session – Potential Acquisition of Real Property Councilperson Weed moves to enter an executive session, stating “I move that the City Council recess into executive session for preliminary discussion for the potential acquisition of real property for public use, pursuant to K.S.A 75-4319(b)(6). The Executive session will include the City Administrator, Assistant to the City Administrator, City Clerk, City Attorney, and Financial Council. The meeting will resume in the City Council chamber at 7:30 p.m.” Councilperson Bruning seconded. Approved 4-0. The Council reconvened in open session at 7:30 p.m. Councilperson Weed stated that no binding action was taken during the executive session. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. /s/ Jason Nickles 12