City Council

City of Springfield Agenda City Council Special Meeting Jeff Schrag, Mayor Zone Councilmembers General Councilmembers Monica Horton, Zone 1 Heather Hardinger, General A Abe McGull, Zone 2 Craig Hosmer, General B Brandon Jenson, Zone 3 Callie Carroll, General C Bruce Adib-Yazdi, Zone 4 Derek Lee, General D Councilman Denny Whayne Conference Room May 26, 2026 11:30 AM Busch Building, 4th Floor 840 Boonville Avenue Rules and procedures. 1. ROLL CALL. 2. EMERGENCY BILLS. Citizens May Speak. May Be Voted On. 2.1. Council Bill 2026-120 (Schrag) A Special Ordinance amending Special Ordinance 28270 by calling an election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement.” This project would be paid for in part by federal funds; and declaring an emergency. 3. NEW BUSINESS. 3.1. Responses to questions from the May 18, City Council Meeting. 3.2. Refer to the Community Involvement Committee the Transit Investment White Paper findings. (As recommended by City Council Committee of the Whole on May 5, 2026) 4. CLOSED SESSION. City Council will hold a closed meeting to discuss legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body or its representatives and its attorneys pursuant to Section 610.021(1), RSMo.; and leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body where public knowledge of the transaction might adversely affect the legal consideration therefor pursuant to Section 610.021(2), RSMo.; and to discuss hiring, firing, disciplining, or promoting of particular employees by a public Page 1 of 10 governmental body when personal information about the employee is discussed or recorded pursuant to Section 610.021(3), RSMo.; and sealed bids and related documents, until the bids are opened; and sealed proposals and related documents or any documents related to a negotiated contract until a contract is executed, or all proposals are rejected; pursuant to Section 610.021(12), RSMo; and this meeting, record, and vote shall be closed and the City Council shall stand adjourned at the end of the closed session. 4.1. Special Meeting Notice Page 2 of 10  EXPLANATION TO COUNCIL BILL 2026-120 (SCHRAG) FILED: 05/22/2026 ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: City Clerk TITLE: A Special Ordinance amending Special Ordinance 28270 by calling an election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement.” This project would be paid for in part by federal funds; and declaring an emergency. PURPOSE: To comply with both state law and the City Charter by moving the Referendum from the August 4, 2026, election to November 3, 2026, until an ordinance is passed to approve the real estate contract for the Property, repeal Special Ordinance 28232, and cancel the Referendum. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On December 15, 2025, City Council passed Special Ordinance 28232. This ordinance declared the necessity of acquiring certain real property, commonly known as 334 N. Main Ave. (“the Property”), for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement,” and noted this project would be paid for in part by federal funds. A petition to refer Special Ordinance 28232 to the qualified voters was filed with the City Clerk on January 9, 2026, and was determined to have insufficient signatures on January 29, 2026. An amended petition to refer Special Ordinance 28232 to the qualified voters was filed with the City Clerk on February 9, 2026, was determined to have sufficient signatures on February 13, 2026, and was certified to City Council on February 23, 2026. City Council reconsidered Special Ordinance 28232 and did not repeal the same on March 23, 2026. City Council called an election on Tuesday August 4, 2026, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement” (“the Referendum”) on March 23, 2026. The City and the Owners have reached an agreement for the purchase of the Property, subject to approval by ordinance, with first reading anticipated to occur on June 8, 2026, and second reading on June 22, 2026. The ordinance will also repeal Special Page 3 of 10 Ordinance 28232 and cancel the Referendum. In the meantime, Special Ordinance 28232 remains in effect and the final certification date for the August 4, 2026, election is May 26, 2026. In order to comply with both state law and the City Charter, it is necessary to move the Referendum from the August 4, 2026, election to November 3, 2026, until an ordinance is passed to approve the real estate contract for the Property, repeal Special Ordinance 28232, and cancel the Referendum. Submitted By: Jordan Paul, City Attorney Authorized for inclusion on the agenda pursuant to City Code section 2-33: Attachments: 1. Amending an Election Referendum SO28270_ord (002) Page 4 of 10  One-rdg. P. Hrngs. Pgs. 6 Filed: 05-22-26 Sponsored by: Schrag First Reading: Second Reading: COUNCIL BILL 2026-120 SPECIAL ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE 1 AMENDING Special Ordinance 28270 by calling an election on Tuesday November 3, 2 2026, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters 3 the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real 4 property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan 5 Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently 6 rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement.” This project would be paid 7 for in part by federal funds; and declaring an emergency. 8 9 10 WHEREAS, on December 15, 2025, City Council passed Special Ordinance 11 28232; and 12 13 WHEREAS, Special Ordinance 28232 declared the necessity of acquiring certain 14 real property, commonly known as 334 N. Main Ave. (“the Property”), for the purpose of 15 replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of 16 Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement,” and noted 17 this project would be paid for in part by federal funds; and 18 19 WHEREAS, a petition to refer Special Ordinance 28232 to the qualified voters was 20 filed with the City Clerk on January 9, 2026, and was determined to have insufficient 21 signatures on January 29, 2026; and 22 23 WHEREAS, an amended petition to refer Special Ordinance 28232 to the qualified 24 voters was filed with the City Clerk on February 9, 2026, was determined to have sufficient 25 signatures on February 13, 2026, and was certified to City Council on February 23, 2026; 26 and 27 28 WHEREAS, City Council reconsidered Special Ordinance 28232 and did not 29 repeal the same on March 23, 2026; and 30 31 WHEREAS, City Council called an election on Tuesday August 4, 2026, in the City 32 of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether to declare Page 5 of 10 33 the necessity of acquiring certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main 34 Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation 35 independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement” (“the Referendum”) on 36 March 23, 2026; and 37 38 WHEREAS, the City and the Owners have reached an agreement for the purchase 39 of the Property, subject to approval by ordinance, with first reading anticipated to occur 40 on June 8, 2026, and second reading on June 22, 2026. The ordinance will also repeal 41 Special Ordinance 28232 and cancel the Referendum; and 42 43 WHEREAS, in the meantime, Special Ordinance 28232 remains in effect and the 44 final certification date for the August 4, 2026, election is May 26, 2026; and 45 46 WHEREAS, in order to comply with both state law and the City Charter, it is 47 necessary to move the Referendum from the August 4, 2026, election to November 3, 48 2026, until an ordinance is passed to approve the real estate contract for the Property, 49 repeal Special Ordinance 28232, and cancel the Referendum. 50 51 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF 52 SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, as follows, that: 53 54 Section 1 – Section 1 of Special Ordinance 28270 is hereby amended to read as 55 follows: An election is hereby called and ordered to be held in the City of Springfield, 56 Missouri, on Tuesday November 3, 2026, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified 57 voters of the City the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real 58 property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which 59 the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and 60 recommends “replacement.” This project would be paid for in part by federal funds. 61 62 Section 2 – Section 2 of Special Ordinance 28270 is hereby amended to read as 63 follows: The ballot to submit the issue referenced in Section 1 shall be in substantially the 64 same form as the following: 65 66 67 OFFICIAL BALLOT 68 CITY ELECTION 69 CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI 70 71 Shall the City of Springfield, Missouri, declare the necessity of acquiring 72 certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge 73 over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation 74 independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement”? This 75 project would be paid for in part by federal funds. 76 77 - → Yes - → No 78 Page 6 of 10  79 INSTRUCTION TO VOTERS 80 81 To vote FOR the Question, complete the arrow opposite YES. 82 83 To vote AGAINST the Question, complete the arrow opposite NO. 84 85 86 Section 3 – Section 3 of Special Ordinance 28270 is hereby amended to read as 87 follows: The Greene County Clerk is hereby authorized to conduct an election in a manner 88 consistent with the provisions of Chapter 115, RSMo, as amended. 89 90 Section 4 – Section 4 of Special Ordinance 28270 is hereby amended to read as 91 follows: The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to notify the Greene County 92 Clerk of the adoption of this Ordinance as soon as practicable, but no later than 5:00 p.m. 93 on the tenth Tuesday prior to November 3, 2026, and to include in said notification all of 94 the terms and provisions required by Chapter 115, RSMo, as amended, or any other law. 95 The City Clerk is authorized to do all things necessary and convenient to ensure that the 96 question is properly submitted to the qualified voters on November 3, 2026. 97 98 Section 5 – City Council finds and declares, in accordance with City Charter 99 Section 2.12, that this Ordinance qualifies as an emergency because it relates to the 100 calling of an election and may be approved by the City Council on the same day as its 101 introduction. 102 103 Section 6 – Severability Clause. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or 104 phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect 105 the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. City Council hereby declares that 106 it would have adopted the Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, or 107 phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, 108 sentences, clauses, or phrases be declared invalid. 109 110 Section 7 – This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. 111 112 Pass at meeting: 113 114 115 Mayor 116 117 Attest: , City Clerk 118 119 Filed as Ordinance: 120 121 122 Approved as to form: , City Attorney 123 Page 7 of 10 124 125 Approved for Council action: , City Manager Page 8 of 10  May 21, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE of the SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL TO: All Members of City Council IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2-32 OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY CODE, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS HEREBY CALLED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE: 1. ROLL CALL. 2. EMERGENCY BILLS. Citizens May Speak. May Be Voted On. 2.1. Council Bill 2026-120 (Schrag) A Special Ordinance amending Special Ordinance 28270 by calling an election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters the question of whether to declare the necessity of acquiring certain real property for the purpose of replacing the Main Avenue bridge over Jordan Creek, which the Missouri Department of Transportation independently rates as “poor” and recommends “replacement.” This project would be paid for in part by federal funds; and declaring an emergency. 3. NEW BUSINESS. 3.1. Responses to questions from the May 18, City Council Meeting. 3.2. Refer to the Community Involvement Committee the Transit Investment White Paper findings. (as recommended by City Council Committee of the Whole on May 5, 2026) 4. CLOSED SESSION. City Council will hold a closed meeting to discuss legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body or its representatives and its attorneys pursuant to Section 610.021(1), RSMo.; and leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body where public knowledge of the transaction might adversely affect the legal consideration therefor pursuant to Section 610.021(2), RSMo.; and to discuss hiring, firing, disciplining, or promoting of particular employees by a public governmental body when personal information about the employee is discussed or recorded pursuant to Section 610.021(3), RSMo.; and sealed bids and related documents, until the bids are opened; and sealed proposals and related documents or any documents related to a negotiated contract until a contract is executed, or all proposals are rejected; pursuant to Section 610.021(12), RSMo; and this meeting, record, and vote shall be closed and the City Council shall stand adjourned at the end of the closed session. Page 9 of 10 SAID MEETING SHALL BE HELD beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and is at the Busch Municipal Building, 840 Boonville, in the Denny Whayne Conference Room. _________________________________ Jeff Schrag, Mayor Page 10 of 10