City Commission

Regular Meeting Minutes City Hall Minutes of July 24, 2024 The Governing Body met at 4:00 pm on this date for the Regular City Commission Meeting with the following members present and participating to wit: Mayor Skidmore, Mayor Pro Tem Allen, Commissioner Caylor, Commissioner Clayton and Commissioner Crowley. Mayor Skidmore called the meeting to order. Mayor Skidmore welcomed the audience and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Reverend Terance Roberson from Bethany Chapel Baptist Church gave the invocation. Public Comments None were given. Appointments, Proclamations, Recognitions, Nominations, and Public Hearings Proclamation Recognizing July 26, 2024 as Access Awareness Day Commissioner Clayton read a proclamation recognizing July 26, 2024 as Access Awareness Day. Director Neece accepted the proclamation and thanked the Accessibility Board for their hard work and the Governing Body for the recognition. Recognition of Mat Simonson, Multimedia Specialist, for winning the Excellence Award at Best of the Midwest Media Fest The Governing Body recognized Mat Simonson for winning the 2024 “Best of Voter Education Access Center Professional” Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation for his video “Be In The Know - County Government,” which also won a regional award at the Best of the Midwest Media Fest in April 2024. This is his first national award while working for the City of Ottawa, where he has been since 2006. The City is proud of his accomplishment and the positive impact of the "In The Know" video series, a collaboration with the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, the Legislative Action Committee, and the City of Ottawa. Mr. Simonson thanked the Governing Body for the recognition. Consent Agenda Commissioner Crowley made a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Allen, to approve the consent agenda, including minutes from the July 17, 2024 Regular Meeting, the minutes from Advisory Boards and the Regular Meeting agenda. The motion was considered, and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the consent agenda duly approved. Declaration No declarations were made. Unfinished Business New Business K-68 Corridor Access Management Plan July 24, 2024 1 City of Ottawa Regular Meeting Minutes July 24, 2024 Page 2 The Governing Body heard from City Manager Silcott, David Seitz of KDOT, and Andrew Robertson from GBA, who presented the K-68 Corridor Access Management Plan: Davis Rd to I-35 interchange. They highlighted the following: • The plan was initiated to manage development interests along the K-68 corridor between Davis Road and the I-35 interchange, focusing on enhancing traffic flow, safety, and community access. • The plan builds on the K-68 Corridor Management Plan completed in October 2009, aiming for sustainable growth and development along this vital transportation artery. • Key goals include leveraging Ottawa’s strategic location at the intersection of major highways to bolster economic activities and manage expected population business growth sustainably. • The plan includes strategic access controls, such as regulating driveway locations, intersection designs, and median access to streamline traffic flow and reduce conflict points. • Developed collaboratively with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), George Butler Associates, and Shockey Consulting for public engagement, the plan integrates community feedback. • Budgeted at $105,000 with the City financing $20,000 and KDOT contributing $85,000. A $15,000 contingency is available for any excess costs, but the project is on budget. • Action items are focused on long-term improvements like raised medians, exclusive turn lanes, consistent speed limits, and enhanced pedestrian pathways. City Manager’s Comments City Manager Brian Silcott reviewed tentative agenda items for the next City Commission meeting and provided updates on upcoming events in the City of Ottawa. He highlighted Ottawa Memorial Auditorium’s $15,127 grant from the Kansas Arts Commission to support general operations, the splash pad update, and the recent Windows outage. Additionally, he discussed the ongoing electric system update and outlined the upcoming tentative agenda items and key city projects. Governing Body Comments Commissioner Clayton also thanked the IT department for their work on the recent outage and the parks department for their efforts on the splash pad. Commissioner Crowley thanked the utility crew for their hard work on resolving the electric outage. Announcements A. July 30, 2024 Splash Pad Ribbon Cutting – 10:00 am, City Park B. July 31, 2024 City Commission Meeting – 4:00 pm, City Hall C. August 6, 2024 National Night Out – 6:00 to 8:00 pm Adjournment There was no further business before the Governing Body, the Mayor declared the meeting duly adjourned at 4:53 pm. /s/ Melissa Reed Melissa Reed, City Clerk July 24, 2024 2