City Commission

Regular Meeting Minutes City Hall Minutes of November 12, 2025 The Governing Body met at 4:00 p.m. on this date for the Regular City Commission Meeting, with the following members present and participating: Mayor Allen, Mayor Pro Tem Clayton, Commissioner Caylor, Commissioner Crowley and Commissioner Skidmore. Mayor Allen called the meeting to order. Mayor Allen welcomed the audience and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Pastor Dakota Smith from Ottawa Bible Church gave the invocation. Public Comments Diedre Altic, 716 E. 10th St. addressed the Governing Body expressing concerns for the brick streets in Ottawa. George Ogle, 1305 S. Elm St, addressed the Governing Body regarding his development. Appointments, Proclamations, Recognitions, Nominations, and Public Hearings Proclamation Recognizing November as Native American Heritage Month Commissioner Caylor read a proclamation recognizing November as Native American Heritage Month, honoring the history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities. Anastasia Stwyer from Ottawa University accepted the proclamation and expressed appreciation to the Governing Body. Proclamation Recognizing November 29, 2025 as Small Business Saturday Commissioner Crowley read a proclamation recognizing November 29, 2025 as Small Business Saturday, encouraging residents to support local businesses and strengthen Ottawa’s economic vitality. Sara Stauffer from Ottawa Main Street Association accepted the proclamation and thanked the Governing Body for its continued support of the small business community. Consent Agenda Commissioner Crowley moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Commissioner Caylor. The agenda included the minutes from the November 5, 2025 Regular Meeting and approval of 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 Ottawa Main Street Association (OMSA) – Third Quarter 2025 Community Partner Report Sara Stauffer presented the Third Quarter report for Ottawa Main Street Association. Fixed Base Operator Agreement Director Welsh presented the proposed renewal of the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Agreement with November 12, 2025 1 City of Ottawa Regular Meeting Minutes November 12, 2025 Page 2 Reeder Aviation, LLC for continued management and operation of the Ottawa Municipal Airport. The agreement establishes a two-year term beginning December 16, 2025 and ending December 15, 2027. Director Welsh highlighted that Reeder Aviation has served as the City’s contracted FBO since 2021, providing consistent, high-quality operational oversight and customer service. The company has maintained a strong working relationship with airport users, supported the Aviation Explorers Post 8000, and collaborated with City staff and community organizations on events such as Airport Fun Day and other aviation-related activities. It was noted that the annual contract amount remains unchanged from the previous term and is already accounted for in the 2026 budget. The agreement has been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney. Commissioner Crowley made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Skidmore, to approve the two- year renewal of the Fixed Base Operator Agreement with Reeder Aviation, LLC, and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement. The motion was considered and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the agreement duly approved. Consider an Ordinance Levying a General-Purpose Retailers’ Sales Tax City Attorney Finch presented an overview of the proposed ordinance levying a 1.00% general- purpose city retailers’ sales tax pursuant to K.S.A. 12-187. The proposed tax was approved by Ottawa voters on November 4, 2025, and will replace the existing one-cent special-purpose sales tax upon its expiration. The ordinance serves as the final legal action required before the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) may begin collection, with an effective date of July 1, 2026, or the earliest date KDOR can administer collection. Finch explained that the general-purpose sales tax will provide broad financial support for ongoing City operations and major community investments. Revenues generated from the one-cent tax may be used for street, sidewalk, and stormwater improvements; park and quality-of-life projects; utility infrastructure upgrades; and general governmental operations, helping reduce the City’s reliance on property tax revenues. Adoption of the tax is projected to avoid approximately 13 mills in property tax while ensuring continued funding for critical infrastructure and community development needs. Upon adoption, the ordinance must be published and certified to KDOR to initiate the collection process. Commissioner Skidmore made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Caylor, to adopt the ordinance levying a 1.00% general-purpose city retailers’ sales tax and direct publication and certification to the Kansas Department of Revenue. The motion was considered and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the ordinance duly adopted and assigned Ordinance No. 4166-25. OMA Boiler Bid Award Director Evans presented an overview of the proposals received for the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium (OMA) Boiler Replacement Project. She noted that OMA, constructed in 1921, serves as a historic community and performance venue and relies heavily on its mechanical systems to maintain year- round comfort and safety. The current boiler system, last replaced in the late 1990s, has reached the end of its useful life and no longer meets reliability or efficiency expectations. Director Evans reviewed the background of the Request for Design-Build Proposals issued on September 20, 2025, including the mandatory pre-proposal meeting held October 13, 2025, and the proposal submission deadline of October 28, 2025. The project scope includes replacing the existing November 12, 2025 2 City of Ottawa Regular Meeting Minutes November 12, 2025 Page 3 low-pressure steam boiler with two modular high-efficiency hot-water boilers, installation of new heating water pumps and piping, new heating coils for the main auditorium air handler, and updated digital controls tied into the City’s existing Distech system. The project further includes demolition of obsolete steam piping and unit heaters, electrical modifications, and restoration of affected building finishes. The design-build method was selected to minimize operational disruption and streamline coordination between design and construction teams. Two firms submitted complete proposals: Helm Service and BCI Mechanical, Inc. Director Evans explained that proposals were evaluated according to the published RFP scoring criteria, with weighting assigned for technical approach, experience and references, cost, compliance and safety, and project timeline. The evaluation results were as follows: Helm Service received a score of 7.35 and submitted a proposal of $150,000, while BCI Mechanical received a score of 9.58 and submitted a proposal of $174,860. BG Consultants, Inc. noted that Helm Service’s proposal lacked several required submittals, including a project management plan, resumes of key personnel, and a project timeline. Despite BCI Mechanical’s higher cost, BG Consultants concluded that their proposal represented the most complete and qualified response based on the RFP criteria. It was noted that the project is funded through the 2022A General Obligation Bond, with a project budget of $175,000. Both proposals fell within the available bond capacity, and all legal documents will be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney for compliance with state statutes and procurement requirements. Commissioner Crowley made a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Clayton, to award the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium Boiler Replacement Project to BCI Mechanical, Inc. in the amount of $174,860 and authorize the City Manager to execute the design-build agreement. The motion was considered and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the contract duly approved. Review of 2026 Community Partner Funding Agreements City Attorney Finch presented the draft 2026 Community Partner Funding Agreements for the Governing Body’s review. He explained that these annual agreements outline the scope of services, reporting requirements, and compliance provisions for partner organizations that support key community functions. The 2026 funding amounts reflect levels adopted in the approved City Budget. The Governing Body reviewed the following draft agreements: • Franklin County Development Council (FCDC) – $67,594 for economic development services jointly funded with Franklin County. • Elizabeth Layton Center (ELC) – $7,807 for behavioral health and crisis response services. • Ottawa Main Street Association (OMSA) – $47,000 for downtown economic development and business retention activities. • Prairie Paws Animal Shelter (PPAS) – $63,430 for animal control, licensing, and shelter services. City Manager Comments City Manager Silcott provided updates on recent operational activities across City departments. Utilities crews installed 705 feet of new water main, connected the line to the 7th Street valve, and completed chlorination. Public Works continued community maintenance efforts, including painting all City-owned parking lots, refreshing crosswalk markings, and ongoing crack sealing along North November 12, 2025 3 City of Ottawa Regular Meeting Minutes November 12, 2025 Page 4 Main Street. He also highlighted several upcoming community events, including the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Candyland Parade on November 29, the historic 1892 Courthouse cornerstone opening on December 4, OPD’s Citizen Response to Active Threats training on November 17, and Christmas Music Bingo at the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium on November 20. Current open positions were noted across multiple departments, including roles at the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium, Streets, Police, and Neighborhood and Community Services. City Manager Silcott concluded with a preview of tentative items scheduled for the November 19, 2025 Commission Meeting, which include community partner reports, financial updates, policy reviews, project presentations, and a potential executive session. Governing Body Comments Commissioner Skidmore and Mayor Pro Tem Clayton congratulated the Ottawa High School football team on their recent win. Announcements A. November 19, 2025 – City Commission Meeting – 10:00 a.m., City Hall B. November 26, 2025 – City Commission Meeting – 4:00 p.m., City Hall C. December 3, 2025 – City Commission Meeting – 7:00 p.m., City Hall Executive Session Recess Commissioner Crowley made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Caylor, to recess into executive session for a period of 15 minutes to engage in privileged and confidential communication with the City’s attorney pursuant to the attorney-client privilege exception, K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(2). The open meeting will resume in this room at 5:15 p.m. The motion was considered and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the meeting duly recessed. Reconvene Commissioner Caylor made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Crowley, to reconvene into open session. The motion was considered and upon being put, all present voted aye. The Mayor declared the meeting duly reconvened at 5:15 p.m. Adjournment There was no further business before the Governing Body, the Mayor declared the meeting duly adjourned at 5:16 pm. /s/ Melissa Scherman Melissa Scherman, City Clerk November 12, 2025 4