floor is yours. Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Good  morning to everyone. We have on the January 27th   agenda really only one major item yet. We have  some public speakers that have been identified   already and still have room, I believe, for two  more. Um, then we have just some general um agenda   items. We have some things from the airport. If  you look on the consent agenda, we do have some   sale of properties on there um towards the end as  well. So we have some kind of standard things. The   big um item is discussing the implementation for  the sales tax. Um so we do have a presentation   outlined that will involve different community  members as well as city staff. We will have um   Wood Forward will do a quick little introduction.  Um we'll have the finance director myself um   outlining how we see the implementation going and  then um you'll also hear from Susie Santo with   visit witchaw. We'll have a representative from  the performing arts or arts community and Sally   uh the director of our housing will speak to the  um initiative related to housing and homelessness.   Um, so as you may have seen already, we have  a 45page document we're working on for you so   that the overall purpose is for voters to have an  understanding of council's intent on how we would   move to implementation if the sales tax passes.  And so to do that, you will also see that we   have proposed and thanks to our law department  that we have a resolution for each of the five   initiatives to be funded with the sales tax. And  then we have one overarching resolution um that   is related more specifically to guard rails and  around the funding for the sales tax. When we talk   about guard rails from the staff perspective,  we're talking about the financial management,   how we're going to be transparent, how we're going  to account for the funds. And we talk about guard   rails also is what council sees as whether it's  prioritization or clear about private fundraising,   different things. so people have an understanding  when they go into the um election poll what the   program would be and how it would be implemented.  And so we'll outline that for you from the staff   perspective, but the resolution will give council  the opportunity to sort of speak put it in writing   what the intent is. So with the mayor, she can  um guide as you want. Whether or not you adopt   the resolutions on the 27th is certainly in your  purview. Um if you want to have conversations,   if you want to see them massaged a little bit and  come back on February 10th, um we can certainly do   that as well. And so we'll see what the will is uh  with the mayor's guidance on that um for the 27th.   So that's a highlight. Um we did send out some  information. One of the key items that we will   have for an attachment with the agenda item is the  exact CIP for public safety for police and fire.   So when people say what are the items the new fire  stations, police stations, equipment, different   things and to highlight for instance one question  is will any of the sales tax be used for staffing?   No. And so we want to make sure we outline that  um within the full parameter of all the five   initiatives to be funded. So we outline that, but  everyone if people were asking well what's in the   CIP for public safety, we'll have that for you and  that'll be part of the agenda item that will go   out later on. Can we proactively maybe put that on  the city's website? That's switchdoll.gov ballot   question. Could we put the presentation leading  up and really any supporting documents on there   as well? Another thing I heard from constituents,  maybe we talk about this on Tuesday, is how do we   do how do we create the online portal already  for people to submit nominations for people on   the oversight committee if we could have that? I  know that we have our application board process. I   don't think the resolution would preclude us from  actively taking names early. And if people want to   offer suggestions to people that should be on the  oversight committee, I think that would be helpful   um and something that could gain confidence and  trust to show that we're committed to an oversight   committee as well. Yeah, that's very much doable.  Um the thought was is that we'd wait till after   Tuesday to see what the direction is on a couple  different things with resolutions and even put   the resolutions on the uh ballot site. So, we do  see having what I'll call our education materials   um on that website. Um but we're thinking after  Tuesday. Okay. Yeah. The thing I I would like is   our our meeting u is it February 10th? February  10th at a town hall. So, we'll have a meeting in   the morning of the town hall if we could also make  that a regular meeting because I think that's the   meeting we should adopt the resolutions. I think  we have people should have two opportunities for   public input. on the resolutions which will  be one on 27 another one on the 10th. Then   after we have the public input we can adopt  the resolutions and if you have that on your   calendar already is the town hall night. I know  we talked about that at the last meeting then I   think I don't know if we call it a regular meeting  or a special meeting but um I'll confer with the   uh mayor but that's a will of council. Um I think  that makes sense that way people do have the input   and you can take action. we can set it up so you  can take action. What does other council members   agree or disagree? I'm comfortable. I would agree.  Uh this is the mayor speaking. I believe that what   council member Johnston just said makes a lot of  sense. Both having morning time and evening time   um public comment you count as a um our evening  meeting for the quarter. Oh, I think we've got   another one scheduled. But the will of council,  we'll do the will of council. Um but so we'll plan   on that then as cabinet. I think it technically  has to be a special meeting, but we'll outline   it so you can take the votes and finalize. Thank  you for the suggestion. Okay. Another question is   um we have talked about possibly putting some of  this in ordinance to tighten it up a little bit.   Will that be discussed too at the uh Tuesday  meeting? And what are our options with that?   Yes. I'll say the staff recommendation and it  can be changed certainly to an ordinance. Our   recommendation for the resolutions were to give  you the flexibility as you change things but also   as things evolve over seven years. We don't know  what may transpire revenues up down whatever over   seven years. Um but I think the resolution was  to state intent. If you want to put it into an   ordinance and people feel more comfortable with  that we can certainly do that. So we'll take your   your will. There any other questions about the  sales tax portion? Otherwise, I have a question   about the consent. Um, I have a question. Sorry.  Sorry, Vice Mayor. Um, I did have a question. I   wanted to know if prioritization was allowed that  how the ballot language uh is specified right now.   Uh, I believe said that we have to go through  each of the bunk or initiatives by percentage.   Can someone address whether it can be prioritized  such as the first three being public safety, uh,   homelessness, and property tax? I will, um, ask  our, uh, law director to address. I'll say from   a staff perspective, we have a recommendation  to do it among the buckets, but legally um,   I'll ask Miss Jennifer to outline that. Thank  you, Mayor. Uh, Jennifer Maga, city attorney. Um,   we've looked into this. There's there's not  bright line case law on it, but we have come   to the determination that under the guidance we  have in state law and other related similar cases   and attorney general's opinions that as long as  the individual caps and the intent of the voters   are not violated and that that ballot is followed,  council would retain discretion in prioritizing   the individual initiatives. That's just a legal  opinion. Um that's what what what our consensus   and determination is at this time. So legally yet  the answer is yes, you can prioritize it. Um we'll   outline some merits that we think about if you  fund each initiative based upon the percentage   of the ballot. But no, you have discretion. Thanks  Jennifer. Can I ask a clarifying question? So the   five buckets aren't being voted on individually,  right? But you're just asking whoever asked. I   just want to make sure I understand like the order  in what they're presented on the ballot. Okay. But   they're no way funded. The way they're funded.  I'm so sorry. Thank you. Thank you. I think   the question is is it the first dollar in where  does it go? I think that's how to frame it. Yeah,   that makes much more sense. And we'll take your  guidance on that. We have a recommendation,   but of course you all inter with a reminder. Prop  tax relief can't start till 2027, January 27th.   Any other questions about sales tax? I have one  about consent agenda item number 215. Um, I'm very   excited about this. Uh, it's regarding the lift  and their pickup at the airport. Uh, to doing it   directly in front of the airport instead of kind  of the side lot. I know obviously Lyft and Uber   are the two primary ones. Are we and I know the  airport directors in here currently. Are we also   working on something with Uber? I don't want to  pull this off because I'm very supportive of it,   but are we also working with something Uber as  well? Yeah, actually if you look on the next one   on number 16, they apparently have a parent  company called Razer. Oh, okay. And so that   actually is a subsidiary of Uber. Perfect. Or vice  versa. Um so yes, we will have both of those. ride   share companies with agreements with the airport.  Awesome. Fantastic. I think that's a really good   move. Okay. Are there any other questions for the  manager or for staff? Anything else anybody wants   to bring up on there? Um do we have Josh? Josh,  do you have an update from Topeka? Thanks for   being here. Yes. And actually, I've got it's  Josh and Kimberly this morning. Um couple of   things. Of course, next Wednesday is the league  day or local government day in in Topeka, and I   think most of you are planning on being there. We  have that calendar largely set, but that's also it   moves a bit. Uh, but you will have the typical  meetings. Uh, and I think the city manager,   you're planning on joining us and a lot of the  delegation's excited to meet you as well. We've   got a great schedule of events or a great schedule  of meetings lined up for you all. And then we did   um just learned that it's also the canons uh for  life rally and so that is now going to pull some   people for some of the lunch activities that we've  planned. So we are kind of moving a few things   around from when we talked to Jim Jonas not yet  even two hours ago. So that's but it's it'll be   a good day. And then yeah and then the the biggest  uh biggest item is that we did talk to the chair   of house tax and he has scheduled the hearing on  the sales tax food tax issue uh for that afternoon   at 3:30 in house tax and so um uh that hearing  will happen. um we will provide testimony as a   city of Witchah and and uh you however many of  you would like to be present for that um can be   there and so that should be a great capstone to  an otherwise good day. Uh the only other thing   we did have the hearing on the water reuse program  which is an agenda item uh that the city of Witaw   was very interested in. They had that hearing  on Thursday that went well. Uh there were a few   other people from other communities in Kansas  that came in and spoke in favor of it as well.   um KDH put a pretty large price tag on it, but the  committee uh thinks that that is unreasonable. We   agree that it's unreasonable. So, I think the  bill is going to advance regardless of what   KDH thinks on that and that's in a pretty good  place. Awesome. Good updates. I would love to be   in the hearing. I know a lot of my colleagues as  well. So, if we could get that on our calendar,   I think all of us would like to go and perhaps  offer testimony. Most certainly. Yes. And we did   speak with Jim this morning and the plan  is for Wednesday at 3:30 in the House Tax   Committee for that hearing. We will need to have  testimony in and submitted by 3:30 on Monday. So,   um, we'll work I think Jim will work with you  all and and then we'll all work as part of a   team to to get all of that testimony submitted and  confirmation on who would like to provide that in   those in-person comments as well. And you can also  you can provide written comments if you would like   and they would be entered into the public record  and be there for posterity as well. So yes, yeah,   there's multiple options. Two more things real  quick that are of import to the city of Witchah.   There there actually is a lot happening, but  these are two more highle issues. one, the Senate   uh tax committee did move out the constitutional  amendment yesterday that would cap uh property tax   increases and set the 2022 valuation point. So,  that did come out of committee yesterday. I just   don't want there to be didn't want there to be  any surprises. Um I I do anticipate that concept   moving out of the full Senate. uh but that will  be a a large point of discussion in the latter   property tax conversations the the latter part  of the session. Uh secondly, the House elections   committee did advance a bill that moves the um  local government elections to the even number   ballot still in the fall. So it that would put  local government races further down the ballot   and then next week they're going to have a hearing  on allowing for local government elections to be   uh the party affiliation to be identified on the  ballot. So that is um certainly a sea change from   how local government has tended to function  uh in the in the state historically but uh we   are watching those. So, and they're they're not  even certain yet exactly how that would impact   uh you know for people elected on a four-year term  if you were just elected and they change it. It   would be effective 28 progress. But yeah, they  stick around another year. Yeah. Thank you for   that update. I'll probably have further questions  in PA. Any other questions for my colleagues? I   will highlight that um we do have a weather event  coming in. So, you've seen information related to   those who may need shelter in the cold. We have  community partners who are certainly lined up and   our public works departments ready to mobilize and  deploy and so we are ready and we'll see what it   brings and we'll tackle accordingly. I um had a  tour with some folks yesterday at the airport and   um they're also prepared and were telling us their  emergency weather plans. So keep our airport folks   in mind as well. Yeah. Special shout out to all  our public works workers, our first responders,   WPDM fire while we get a hopefully bundle up in  bed and stay warm with our families. They're out   there putting their lives on the line and  working uh in all these conditions. So uh   just make sure to keep them in your thoughts.  Seeing nothing else, we are ajourned. Thank   you. Uh on point of order, uh as the vice  mayor, the acting vice mayor's first action,   they're supposed to get up and sing our city  song. If I sang, uh, everybody would be tuning out