e e e e e e e e e [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] welcome wi time good morning to  all of you thank you for joining   us for this council meeting I  will call the meeting to order   with us this morning is Pastor Marsha Haney of  St Mark United Methodist Church to provide our   invocation following that invocation we will have  the Pledge of Allegiance I invite you to stand for both let us pray Almighty Creator we come this  morning to say thank you thank you for our life   our health and our strength thank you for our  mayor thank you for our city council members   thank you Lord for every city employee every  elected official thank you for another January   that you have blessed our city staff to come up  with creative and innovative ideas in 20125 Lord   we are looking forward to this year we're looking  forward to working together and making witch even   greater than what it is we ask your choice  blessings upon this city council and meeting   in jesus' name amen amen I pledge aliance to the  flag of the United States of America and to the   Republic for which it stands one nation under  God indivisible with liy and justice for all   thank you Pastor hany and thank you to the greater  witch child ministerially Le for hosting the   MLK celebration yesterday Madame clerk can you  please call the first item approve the minutes   of the regular meeting January 14th 2025 are  there any changes or corrections to the meet   meeting minutes I see none I move to approve  the minutes of the regular meeting January   14th 2025 second motion and a second any further  discussion I see none Madam clerk please open the rle motion passes 70 Madame clerk please  call the next item Awards and proclamations   today's proclamations are Junior League  of witon month National Mentor month and   firefighter cancer awareness month I please ask  ask the Junior League of Witchita to please come forward I would also like to  invite council member Maggie Ballard the proclamation reads the city of wiah  Kansas founded in 1870 whereas the Junior League   of Witchita was established in January 1925 with a  mission to develop the potential of women improve   the community Through the effective action  and Leadership of trained volunteers whereas   for 100 years the women of the Junior League of  Witchita have dedicated their time and effort to   making a positive impact on the witch Community  addressing critical needs and improving the lives   of individuals through initiatives focused on  Education Health and community service whereas the   Junior League of Witchita has fostered leadership  development empowered women to take an active role   in Community Affairs and provided a platform  for collaboration with local organizations to   address the most pressing social issues of the  time now therefore be it resolved that I Lily   woo mayor of the city of Witchita can along with  the witcha city council do hereby Proclaim January   2025 as Junior League of wiah month in the city of  Witchita and encourage all citizens to recognize   and celebrate the impactful work of the Junior  League of Witchita as they commemorate their   100th anniversary and join in honoring their  continued service to our community [Applause]   good morning honorable council members and mayor  woo I am the President of the Junior League of   wiah my name is Amy schlater as you mentioned  the Junior League is an organization of women   committed to advancing leadership through  volunteer action collaboration and training   100 years ago 10 charter members dared to dream  of a brighter future for our community due to   their belief in the power of possibility we are  here today to honor this remarkable Milestone and   honor our Founders and the thousands of women  who have served as Junior League members for   their courage resilience and vision to make the  Witchita Community a better place our Legacy is   written in the hearts of those the league has  served and of our members who are inspired and   empowered to do great things the Junior League  is proud of the impact of the work and of our   Financial commitments to the Witchita Community  most recently a $2 million gift to exploration   places outdoor playscape which will no doubt have  an impact for our local families and on the growth   and development of the city for the past 100  years The League members have trained women to   have a positive impact while addressing critical  needs to improve the lives of our citizens such as   delivering milk to needy families in the 20s and  30s starting a dental clinic for children needing   dental care in the 1940s collecting 1.3 million  bandages and delivering them to local hospitals   in the 1950s helping establish the Witchita youth  home a residential home for teenagers in the 70s   funding the pride of the pr exhibit at the zoo in  the late 90s and providing funding to the Child   Advocacy Center in the 2000s these are are just  a few of the many highlights on behalf of the   Junior League of Witchita I want to thank you  for your leadership and dedication to our city   the league is proud to be a part of this community  and work along others to build a brighter future   we look forward to serving the community for the  next 100 years and Beyond thank you [Applause] okay thank you very may please ask the representatives  of Youth Horizons to please come forward yes the proclamation reads the city of Witchita  Kansas founded in 1870 whereas January is National   mentoring month an annual campaign to raise  awareness and celebrate the powerful impact   of mentoring relationships Recruit new members  and encourage institutions to integrate quality   mentoring into their policies and practices  whereas mentoring programs have been found   to positively impact many aspects of mental  well-being including reducing unhealthy coping   mechanisms improving interpersonal relationships  and reducing parental stress whereas mentoring   programs have a significant positive impact on  youth academic achievement school connectedness   and engagement as well as educational success  which which can lead to outcomes such as improved   Behavior attendance grades and test course whereas  mentoring is an innovative evidence-based practice   and uniquely is both a prevention and intervention  strategy that can support young people of all   demographics and backgrounds in all aspects  of their lives now therefore be it resolved   that I Lily woo mayor of the city of Witchita  Kansas along with the Witchita city council do   hereby Proclaim January 2025 as National mentoring  month in the city of wiah and encourage men women   and families to volunteer to become mentors  and thank the mentors who are serving our [Applause] community good morning mayor woo  and coun uh city council thank you for this   opportunity to uh be before you to bring  highlight to the mentoring work that is   happening at youth Horizons um we are working  hard to serve young people and we do it in a   school-based and community-based fashion where  we match boys and girls with Christian men and   women um who are about impacting the lives of  young people there are some data that I want   to share with you regarding how impactful  the work of mentoring is 92% kids are more   likely to volunteer in the community if they're  mentored 75% more hold leadership positions in   extracurricular activities 74% say their Mentor  contributed to their long-term success 85% say   that mentors helped them with their school and  education 58% say their Mentor supported their   mental health 60% of the former mentees under  40 seek advice from their childhood mentors we   see each and every day the positive work that  is happening between men and women who stand   in the gap for young people we're excited that  we get this opportunity to bring highlight to   the work that's happening in the community  because we know that our young people are   the Next Generation to give back to make  Witchita a better place I'm so grateful   for the work that we're doing and I'm thankful  that the community has is standing in the Gap   to help young people achieve and become  and thrive in the city and I'd also would   be remiss if I didn't ask our vice chair of  euth arizons Joy Ain to say a few words for us good morning uh it is truly an honor to be on  the board of Youth Horizon's uh second generation   my in-laws were part of the founding people who  helped support it in the beginning and I'm really   passionate about mentoring um and particularly  this program and what it does for children I   was think uh I think once when I was on the  school board Robert worked for the district   and afterwards when I was joining his board  he asked me why I was so passionate about kids   and I we had a real long Frank discussion about  the kind of home I grew up in and the fact that   um it wasn't a good home there were a lot of  difficulties and most people don't know that   part of my story they just see the joy today  and they think I was just born this way but   I wasn't when I was 32 years old I was taking  a class and as part of the class in graduate   school they asked us to sit down and write about  all the events and all the people that had had   impact in our lives and when I finished at the  age of 32 I had the over 80 names of people over   my life in all the little cities we moved to  in the different churches we went to and all   the little places where people just popped up  maybe a caring teacher maybe a caring adult a   neighbor um just somebody in the community that  saw me and thought I had potential and poured   into my life and that's why I'm passionate  about mentoring because that work that we do   here in Witchita and by the way we're really  good at making faithful investments in people   when we do that we have more great things in our  community so um thank you for this opportunity to   this morning to talk to our city about how  important mentoring is for our kids thank you may I please ask council members who are  mentors in our community to come forward and   also uh provide this Proclamation uh for National  mentoring month and just as a reminder uh anyone   can sign up to become a mentor whether it's  with youth Horizons Big Brothers Big Sisters   um we have lots of programs here in our community  including USD 29's Future Ready Advocate mentors   um so Pastor Haney this is a a communication to  you and the greater witch ch ministerial League   that we want more mentors in our community and  all in Witchita are encouraged to become mentors at this time may please ask the witcha  fire department council member Becky   Tuttle Valerie sole Daryl Kohl's Chief  snow Dustin winter Dal gaale gains Ted   Bush Maxi Wiggins Kesha humph Scott Evans Travis  Francis and Colleen Pate to please come forward the individuals named are part of a  committee that started about a year   ago to get to this position in time thanks  to also the leadership of uh Chief snow and   council member Tuttle for getting us to  the firefighter Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation the proclamation reads the city of  Witchita Kansas founded in 1870 whereas city of   witcha firefighters serve our community  and put the safety of others above their   own often working in an environment of smoke  soot and other carcinogens whereas according   to research firefighters have a 9% greater chance  of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% greater   chance of dying from cancer than the general  population and firefighters occupational cancer   is the leading cause of line of duty deaths in  professional firefighters whereas firefighter   cancer awareness month takes place in January  however these efforts must be recognized every day   whereas early detection of cancer through routine  screening leads to earlier treatment and better   disease outcomes including improved survival and  reduced morbidity now therefore be it resolved   that I Lily woo mayor of the city of witch along  with the Witchita city council do hereby proclaim   the month of January 2025 as firefighter Cancer  Awareness Month in the city of Witchita and   encourage all citizens to show appreciation to  our former and current firefighters and encourage   our brave firefighters to get screened  for cancer early and often [Applause] good morning mayor city council members and  citizens of witto um thank you very much for   this proclam Proclamation I'm very honored to  have council member Tuttle um be a Pioneer with   us as we uh journey through this um new venue for  us in in an attempt to U not only bring awareness   um to um regarding cancer and the significant  impact that it has on firefighters but also um   to be our leader in our quest of um trying to uh  change these um um change the risk or reducing the   risk as we move forward I'm very honored today  to stand before you as we recognize January as   firefighter career Awareness Month firefighters  face a significantly increased risk of cancer   due to hazardous materials they encounter in  the line of duty this Proclamation highlights   not only the sacrifices our firefighters make  but also the importance of continuing education   prevention and support for those impacted  by cancer in our fire service family at   the witto fire department we are committed to  reducing Risk by implementing best practices   enhancing decontamination procedures and F  fostering a culture of Health and Wellness   we are grateful for the council's support  in ensuring our firefighters are protected   and I now encourage all committee all I and I now  encourage our our community to join us in raising   awareness about this critical issue together  we can honor those that have been affected and   take steps to protect the health and safety  of those who serve thank you very [Applause] much for Madame clerk can you please call the next item  special usd259 graduation rates presentation good morning mayor woo city council members  uh we are honored to be here today to share   and celebrate our successes in our graduation  rate I am Gil Alvarez Deputy superintendent for   the witell public schools and with me today  is Lauren Hatfield assistant superintendent   of secondary schools that we would like to  share and and celebrate our graduation rate increased it it all started it wasn't by accident  there was actually an intentional focus on   how we going to continue to increase our  graduation rate and and here in just a little   bit we'll share some data with you but it starts  with our strategic plan and I know superintendent   Bela Feld came before you and kind of shared some  of our strategic plan uh but on the screen are   the three specific goals that helped us uh begin  this Venture of increasing graduation rates for   our students so they have opportunities it was all  about breaking down barriers eliminating obstacles   and creating opportunities for our students  so goal number one is the increase academic   achievement and graduation rate and that's what  we're here to talk to about today but it's more   than just graduation rate as academic achievement  as you know there's some formative assessments   there's summative assessments that we also look  at to uh increase academic achievement but it's   not just about getting a diploma as well so as we  make our way into goal number two which is prepare   students for Life College and Career Success we  want our students to get a diploma Plus something   else that will help them help them prepare them  to be successful postsecondary this some of these   or else things can be things like credentials  certifications work-based learning as well as   college credit so we know if our students engage  in other things while they're in high school   they'll get their diploma and then be prepared for  Life After High School and getting into uh their   own successes postsecondary and then our third  goal is create and enhance safety and belonging   so those are our three specific goals but we're  going to hear we're going to talk about and spend   a little time on increasing graduation rates so  on the screen our strategic plan goal number one   specifically our smart goal is increase graduation  rate from 79.2% to 85% by 2029 and there is some   dates up here that are significant kind of we look  at Milestones um in order for us to kind of tell   our story so 2010 is actually when the new gradu  the graduation rate formula came into play so   before 2010 it would have been a whole different  formula on how they measured graduation rat so we   don't look past uh 2010 so we can really compare  and how well we're doing currently so in 2010 we   started at 63.1% of our students graduating from  high school in 2018 that's significant because   that's where we started our strategic plan that  we really said we're not where we we need to be we   need to really focus our efforts uh and strategies  to make sure that our students have opportunities   so we so one of our goals and our very first  strategic plan was to increase graduation rates   so we were at 74% and in 2020 was our highest at  the time was 80.5% now we put a little asterisk   by the 2020 because that was when the pandemic  came and be and that was when our students fourth   quarter did not go back to school so we had to  do some things in order to help our students   uh during that particular time but then  in 2023 which was two years ago we had   a 79.2% graduation rate and this is significant  because our graduating class of 2024 was at 84.3%   graduation rate that is a 21.2 percentage Point  increase since 2010 that is a 10.3 percentage   Point increase since 2018 and that is is a 5.1  percentage Point increase compared to our class   of 2023 which is the largest single increase  that we have seen in a year from one cohort   to the next uh this obviously this class was very  special if you think about it they came into High   School in 2020 doing remote learning so this was  a people were concerned on how are they going to   get connected to school because they're they're  learning going into a new high school experience   they don't get the the the community building  they get with building friendships they had to   do it online at that particular time but to see  them persevere to see them the resiliency to be   able to get to an 84.3% was extremely amazing um  so we are excited to share that goal that we have   made for them I'm also it's dear to my heart  too because my daughter my oldest one is also   a 2024 graduate so these are the students that  would have been seniors last year and are now   either in the workforce are now in college doing  some great things with us as well so some people   are asked well how does how do you calculate  graduation rate so you can see that there is   a Formula so the number of graduates divided by  the cohort times 100 will give you that graduation   rate but it's a little bit more uh difficult  than that because we have when you look at the   cohort we have to look at all students that come  in as ninth graders and that makes up our cohort   so those ninth graders then plus any transfers  that come in we're responsible to make sure that   they graduate and there are some that transfer  out but not everybody that transfers out will   either benefit us because some actually will go  against our graduation rate think for example if   we have a student in 10th Grade they came in  as a nth grader so we count them and at their   10th grade year they decide to transfer to another  District they moved well if they move and go into   another District then we can say that District  picked them up so that doesn't hurt us in our   graduation rate we just remove them however if  a student drops out if a student is whereabouts   unknown we don't know where they were or where  they are currently that does negatively impact   our graduation rate so it is extremely important  and we just talk about mentoring that's one of   our strategies mentoring was a huge uh success  for us to make sure that students are getting   what they need on track to graduate um so it was  great to see the uh mentoring month earlier this   morning so just wanted to make sure that people  understand the graduation rate is not just about   saving seniors and a lot of people think that  their senior year is where we spend most of   our time we actually have to do early warning  indicators all the way back into n9th grade   making sure that they are on track to graduate  so they can get to where they need to be by their   senior year I'm going to turn over now to Lauren  who's going to get a little bit more into the data good morning uh I get to share data and tell  stories so I get the best of all the worlds um as   I go into the presentation I do want to draw  your attention you do have a handout in front   of you um that should give you some specifics  about where individual subgroups have been uh   for the last four years and where they are  now and we'll talk a little more about that   subgroup data in just a minute so the screen  in front of you now has a chart that shows our   race and gender subgroups for our five largest  demographic subgroups in witto public schools   so spanic white uh black Asian multi-racial  makes up about 90% of our student population   um in the class of 2024 and this shows you their  graduation rates for that entire subgroup together   that's the Blue Line uh the red line are males  in that racial subgroup and then the teal line   are females uh females are outperforming  males in every single subgroup where there   is a male and female breakdown um that is  not just a top Public Schools Trend that   is a national Trend um and so we are working  really hard on um not downplaying the females   we still want them to raise but in helping our  males catch the females in all of the subgroup breakdown and then um this screen has 24 out  of 36 which yes reduces to two-thirds if we're   reducing fractions I was a former matth teacher  so can't can't leave that off of there but the 24   and the 36 matter um KSD Kansas State Department  of Education counts any subgroup that you have   10 or more kids in so Witt public schools has  36 subgroups that count um we have the most   subgroups of any school district um in the state  which is probably not surprising just because our   number of kids 24 of those 36 had their highest  graduation rate ever um in the class of 2024 um   and I'm going to highlight some of them that uh  we're particularly proud of and then I'm going to   read through the list of all 24 just really  fast so you get a sense of what they are so   um four that we're particularly proud of um our  students with free lunch 82% of our students um   that have free lunch that qualify for free lunch  graduated for the class of 2024 um students with   disabilities those students that have an IEP 81.9%  of those students graduated our virtual students   72.1 and then our foster students uh 75.9 which  if you look at your handout is a massive jump   um from the class of 2023 so here's just a  quick rundown of all the subgroups all 24 of   them that had their highest um our overall  our males are females our Hispanic overall   our Hispanic females white overall white  males white females African-American overall   African-American males African-American  females multi-racial overall multi-racial   males multi-racial females American Indian  females free lunch overall free lunch males   free lunch females free lunch females reduced  lunch females students with disabilities overall   students with disabilities males students with  disabilities females virtual and Foster um that's   pretty amazing that two-thirds of the subgroups uh  all achieve their highest graduation rate with the   class of 2024 so how uh how do you how do you do  this how do you make such a big jump in a little   bit of time part of it is innovative programming  um our district has done some pretty amazing work   work with within the confines of alternative  education um and at risk programming to create   some Innovative programming some of that has been  mentioned earlier um our um Future Ready centers   our gap program which is graduation advocacy  program which fills the gaps for um neglected   and delinquent students um as they transition back  into school um Flex night school our future ready   Advocates our mentoring programs I leaned over to  Kelly I said how appropo they're here uh we didn't   even plant that uh but um the mentoring groups are  massive and so that Innovative programming is how   we're going to continue to raise graduation rates  um data quality improvements Gil mentioned earlier   not all enters and exits count for you some count  against you um so making sure that our cohort is   the right cohort size um Timmy's always my example  kid if Timmy moves to Texas but we don't code that   right Timmy counts against us so we need to make  sure we're doing all the coding on the back side   all those humans that are doing data entry to make  sure that our cohort size is the right cohort size   and we're not um in unintentionally messing with  what the what the data should be and then early   intervention um we are the best I would put us  up against anybody with responding to student   need um towards the end of their High School  career um but we need to continue to improve   what our early intervention strategies are  um so that we can be responsive instead of   reactive to our students that maybe start to  waver away from being on track to graduate and   then really the overall is relentlessly pursuing  every student and that means something different   for every single kid um but that is our job to  know the kids and to relentlessly pursue them   find a way to connect with them and then find  a way to get them across the stage to improve   yes our graduation rate but these students lives  we do an exit survey for our seniors and for the   class of 2024 this is a mind-boggling statistic  to me one in five of our class of 24 graduates   are the first in their family to graduate from  high school one in five us raising our graduation   rate changes Witchita and changes the trajectory  of families for generations to come because they   broke the barrier and they are the first um I  want to just end with some stories uh from the   class of 2024 uh because that's what we connect  with most um I've been given permission to share   these stories and the students first names um so  that you have a little bit of an idea about what   it means to relentlessly pursue every student to  start with my favorite which is a story out of a   sour um students can graduate all the way through  September 30th and count as an on-time graduate   and sour has a night school program and there was  a young man named Anthony who hadn't finished his   requirements yet and they were like hey get in  here finish get in here finish so he was coming   to night school and uh making up his credits and  he had a friend named Christian who came to pick   him up well Christian also hadn't graduated yet  and then Christian got jealous that Anthony was   finishing and then Christian started sewing up for  night school too so that he could graduate that's   two more kids two more lives changed because they  got a high school diploma um there's raml who was   in the juvenile delinquent facility um here in  witchta then he entered our gap program at Gateway   um to help bridge the gap back into school got  enough credits to enter our Flex program and then   got a diploma now he's working and a contributing  member of witto he's working at Goodwill I'm doing   great things there there's Deshawn who bounced  from home to home but joined a counseling Mentor   small group at lunchtime at his high school and  found connection um with his counselors and his   classmates and was able to graduate there's  Blanca who went to the Healthcare F FRC and   is now working as a CN while she's working on her  RN because of the healthcare FRC there's Jose who   wanted to go to the manufacturing F FRC what he  was behind on credits so he worked really really   hard and he recovered his credits so that he go to  the manufacturing F FRC and he got a high school   diploma and Associates Degree in the exact same  weekend when he graduated and now he works at   te Techtron there's Destiny who went to our ear  Early College Academy at Northwest and got over   60 college hours while she was in high school  and is now a junior uh at kstate and studying   microbiology and there's Adrien whose basketball  team developed a tracking system for grades that   kept him on track when otherwise he says he  wouldn't have and contri and says that's why   he graduated so what does it mean to relentlessly  pursue every student it's different it's different   for every single one of them we have over 13,000  high school students and relentlessly pursuing   them is different for all 13,000 but our job is  to find a way to connect with all 13,000 of them   and get across the stage I hope that we can force  uh Kelly and the Board of Education to change the   Strategic plan goal um four years sooner than they  planned on it because 85% um is right in front of   us and I hope that we can pass that and we can  change that soon thank you uh for your time this   morning and Mr Alvarez and I uh stand ready for  any questions that you have thank you very much   Gil and Lauren we'll begin with council member  hoisel thank you mayor uh thank you guys and   thank you to the whole school school district for  everything you're doing I'm really impressed by a   lot of the increases we have here um I I suppose  just three quick questions um what what have we   done to help catch up um from Co I know a lot of  students were behind on reading scores and math   scores coming out of Co um some of them still have  some of that kind of clinging to them there um so   what what have you guys done uh to help catch up  on in those areas so in terms of reading scores   and math scores in high school they're actually  only tested in reading and math from the state   as sophomores so um our English and math scores in  high school are trending um in the right direction   um our English scores for our sophomores had a  massive jump for last year's sophomores than the   year before um but it's really understanding what  is good core instruction and teaching to the level   of rigor of the standards so there are standards  for for all classes and if you don't teach to   the appropriate rigor level the kids are always  going to be behind and fall further behind and so   really it's making sure in every class every day  we're hitting that rigor level because the best   intervention is strong core instruction so it's  really delivering that strong core instruction so   that they don't fall behind just because we aren't  hitting the correct rigor level um our a average   ACT score has gone up um in the last couple of  years um we've tested 40% more kids in the ACT   work keys and maintained the percentage level  of kids that are earning certifications in the   work keys and so our our data at the high school  level um is trending in the correct direction okay   thank you um let's go sorry just a couple we also  had a robust summer school programming as well as   every school has interventions so if a student  is falling behind they will get extra support   and intervention for reading and for math as well  thank you um and then there's two groups here that   really kind of tug at your heart screen or your  heartstrings um you have homeless on here and   Foster uh could you talk about those two areas  um anything extra that you are doing for these   kids to help catch them up and then also um maybe  some hard numbers how many how many identified   homeless children do we have in the school  district and foster kids if if you have those   yeah so we have some programs that are  specifically for um Foster or homeless students   one of those is our transitions program um that  is run out of Chester Lewis Alternative High   School um and the transitions program is meant  for students who just aren't ready for that big   large comprehensive setting um you know our foster  students Bounce from school to school to school um   and family to family to family um and trying to  give them some sense of stability um transitions   is also meant for you're here but we know you're  not going to be here for very long so instead of   bouncing you from school to school we're going  to stay here um our mckenny vento program through   Title One serves all of our homeless students um  and homeless could mean I'm couch surfing homeless   could mean um I'm living out of my car homeless  could mean right there's lots of different things   um but those services are available for every  single one of our students and homeless students   also don't have to tr transition schools so if  you're a mckenny vento student that's a homeless   student and you were at Heights let's say um and  then we find out a the house you're living in is   really in Northwest attendance area you don't  have to switch schools because that's even more   disruptive to what you're already doing you get  to stay at Heights and we will get you to Heights   every day so that that way there's there's so much  disruption in the rest of your life what can we do   to minimize the disruption so that you get to stay  um I don't have the number of uh Hess students in   front of me um but we can certainly look that  up and and get that to you um and then Foster   students um just in the Heights attendance area  alone there are 130 plus um group home beds for   foster students just in the Heights attendance  area Alone um and so there it's it's more than   we ever think um that it could be and providing  as much stability as possible for those students   is is key okay thank you vice mayor John Sten  thank you mayor I'd like to congratulate you on   the tremendous work you're doing and how important  it really is and uh it's not easy it's not easy   work and uh congratulations to you for doing a  great job I I'm fortunate I get to hear some uh   more good things from my son works in your system  and uh he's appreciative of your leadership and I council member Ballard thank you mayor I also  just wanted to say thank you for kind of meeting   kids where they are everybody has such a unique  situation and just appreciate going above and beyond just a quick question this handout that  was given to us is that also available online   so that the community can see these really great  numbers yes it is on our district website um and   we update it every year um so when the class of  2025 rolls around um you'll get to see it again   hopefully with some even higher numbers and just  remind us what's the student body uh at usd259   um and also how many of those uh young people are  part of the free and reduced lunches so over 80%   of our students qualify for free and reduced  lunch um so and then for high school we have   just over uh 13,000 students um and overall  um we're sitting right around 47,000 students   fantastic thank you very much I see no further  questions I simply wanted to say um thank you uh   to all of the staff um all the Educators that are  part of usd259 I'm a product of usd259 proud blue   a and just again want to say that everyone who  is watching is an interested uh individual who is   helping invest in the lives of young people and  I'm just very grateful that we have a community   that's engaged and we're going to get more mentors  hopefully um with mentoring month um but again we   can all play our part and helping with these uh  numbers but congratulations again on these amazing   numbers and almost hitting the 85% mark thank  you Madame clerk can you please call the next item okay we have the public agenda  and the public agenda allows for   up to five speakers to have 5 minutes each  to address the council no action will be   taken relative to items on the public agenda  other than referral to the city manager for   information as necessary speakers will  please State their name and address for   the record a Time clock will display the  speakers remaining time to speak order and   rules of decorum will be observed and the  first speaker is James Barfield reparations morning mayor and council members I'm going to get   right into this uh excuse me  on February the 13th 2024 a taxpaying American citizen voter in wiah approached the council with a request that  request was for the city council to look at   reparations for black residents who have faced  Injustice and discrimination the request was   presented during Tuesday city council meeting  by local activist Mary Dean I'm going to skip   to the end to conclusion of that and  at the at the conclusion of the request   council member Brandon Johnson said the request  would be submitted to the city's legal department   for review then it will be presented to the  city council for discussion after waiting for   90 days with no response from the council with no  information being provided that the request was unlawful in violation of any city state or federal laws Mary Dean again approached the Council  on June the 11th of 2024 at that meeting she   stated she was here to address the matter  that has been pending for more than 60 days   when actuality it was more than 90 days and  I'm going to skip through some of this and   I going to go right to the point here uh at  that meeting meeting council member Johnson   stated that there were some complexities  and that there is something that is truly   important uh stated this is councilman  Johnson that we have been working on it   and have most of the ordinance proposal done  stated is not complete yet Mary Dean left   that meeting with a understanding that her  request was being honored by the commission and there were some other discussions  and at one point Mary Dean's Council   representative M councilman hoel stated  that he would forward to the rest of the   Commissioners information that had been  provided him by Mary Dean Mary Dean uh   stated that that was fine with her now  I'm going to skip to January the 2nd of 2025 Mary Dean received a  letter from the mayor Lily wo this letter was showing that mayor ladyo was breaking ranks  with the D elected council members for the city   of whicho this was Mary Lou I'm sorry excuse  forgive me Mary I'm sorry Lily Woo's second   attempt at disassociating herself from the council  now in politics there's a name for that and that's   called going rogue Leu stated that she's come  out against creating a commission to study   reparations for the city's black residents State  something that a city activist had been pushing   since 2023 now in mayor L mayor Woo's letter  which is filled with opinions but lacking any   substance or any factual information she stated  as a I'm sorry she stated she didn't support   local reparations ordinance and the reparations  should be hand at the federal level now I have   here a list of cities in the United States  that have already uh appointed commissions   to study reparations in the United States and  none of them are with the federal government   and this this this list of cities ring from  our second largest city in the country Los   Angeles California to one of the smallest cities  Asheville now North Carolina and now in addition   to this list the City of tuls Oklahoma has been  added Miss lyu in addition to going rogue in her   letter proceeded to insult the intelligence of  every African-American in this city also that   letter offended most most of the people that I  know in this city now this was also mayor Woo's second uh attempt well not attempt she succeeded  uh in disrespecting African-American citizens to   stand at this very Podium to make requests these  are tax payers in the city of wio and these are   voting people and they they are entitled to  respect of this entire Commission Now how   much time do I have left your time has expired  Mr James can I have an additional two minutes   finish out your thought okay my thoughts  are ma'am that you not only in my opinion   you not only violated the ethical concerns  which caused Miss Dean to to file an ethical   complaint against you you also succeeded ma'am  in violating the federal laws of the the uh of   the United States and in explicitly the Fourth  Amendment to the United States Constitution of   America which deals with due process of law  that is afforded to every American citizen   okay also you violated the Fifth Amendment which  also deals with due process of all so I'm going   to make my own request mayor lilyo and that is  that you immediately extend a public apology to   every African-American in the city of wiah and  my second one is that you send a letter to the   city manager tendering your resignation thank you  thank you Mr James do I have any council members   who would like to speak I see none Madame  clerk can you please uh explain the next process for the public comment okay um  next up we have the consent AEM consent   agenda items 1 through 22 or 1 through  12 sorry and for public comment as a   reminder to those who wish to speak to an  item please state your name and address   for the record you'll have 5 minutes for  your comments there is a countdown clock   on the monitor at the podium that will change  color from green to red when your 5 minutes is   about to expire order and rules of decorum  will be observed thank you madam clerk that   means that there are four spots left for public  agenda if anyone in the audience would like to   speak you may come to the podium state your name  and your address and you can address the entire Council vice mayor Johnston proceed thank you my name is Stephanie  Pitman I live at 2828 North Wild Rose   Court wi 67205 I am here to speak about  the proposed golf cart ordinance that   I feel severely diminishes my ability  and my neighbor ability to utilize our   neighborhoods in District 5 in district 6 in  Crest View in all of the areas around town um specifically specifically um I believe that the golf cart ordinance  that's being proposed and I understand the   intention to provide some sort of safety uh  for the community but it is as it's written   the most most restrictive regulation on golf cart  usage in the United States there is absolutely no   other golf cart ordinance that is as restrictive  um creating unnecessary limitations for residents   and neighborhoods and our enjoyment I and many  others do not support more importantly there's   a transparency issue in that this ordinance was  never brought to anyone on a district Advisory   Board it was brought during the middle of winter  uh it was rammed through unlike the ordinance   that we just heard about there was no dragging  of feet there was no other type of uh comment   or public comment afforded it was drug through it  was written in December it was brought up during   a snowstorm on January 7th it was brought up  for the first reading on uh January 14th and   it's set for the second reading and a approval  today none of the golf communities have been   notified we all have Facebook pages we all have  uh homeowners associations there was absolutely   nothing that let anybody know this was coming  why this is more important that you would know   is just like those high schoolers that you  just heard about just like other people in   our community there's those of them like  me I heard reg Booth give his testimony   22 years ago I decided from that testimony of  reflection Rich that I would get my undergrad   degree which I did go to law school I financed  myself for one purpose only and that is so I   could live freely in reflection Ridge and drive my  golf cart I do not golf I just want the freedom to   enjoy my neighborhood like I deem fit it's funny  because this weekend this is our reflection Ridge   uh area magazine stroll there's a picture of a  single mother here with her child who is working   three jobs just to live in reflection Ridge  it's really interesting because the very first   paragraph that she has here is that her favorite  thing in enjoying her new home is being embraced   in her neighborhood and nightly golf cart drives  to make connections with the neighbors this is   why we live in our communities this is why we're  here it's very emotional because it's something   that we enjoy I also allow when my children are  home my licensed drivers when I am working which   I work constantly so does my husband I allow them  to take the golf cart to our house to the pool or   they also meet up at reflection Ridge Community  and they study for finals as a community I I see   no problem with that they're licensed drivers  there are ways to restrict this ordinance so   that it makes sense so it protects Public Safety  so it restricts uh underage drivers and so if it's   equipped with the correct equipment like all  the other United States ordinances allow it's   able to drive at night so it this smacks  like there's an appearance of impropriety   because of the way it was shoved through I'm  not quite sure what it is I would guess it's   trying to get um hooligan golf cart drivers out of  neighborhoods from other neighborhoods but that I   I just don't know because there was absolutely  nothing that I can find that would lead to this   sort of draconian ordinance so please council  members I've contacted most of you I was told   it was still going to be pushed through I would  ask you to pull this do the correct transparent   thing send this to District advisory boards  notify homeowners associations and allow public comment thank you Stephanie council member  Glascock thank you mayor uh Stephanie I know   that we've communicated um I agree uh that the  current ordinance or the proposed ordinance is   overburdensome um however I want to confirm with  City legal too as it stands right now without   an ordinance there's a complete prohibition and  all golf cart usage in the city on city streets   correct C remember that that's correct based on  state law so the first read last week allowed   some permissible use that was not permitted prior  to that that is also correct so you know I have   talked about this um I agree with you on that from  this bench I tried to make changes to allow uh   more permissible uses allowed in the downtown core  allow driver um individuals with a driver license   not just 18 to be able to use it I tried to allow  them to be able to cross artillery streets and   so I agree I think we should make changes however  I also feel this ordinance moves is in the right   direction because currently any use of it on city  streets prior to today if it would get ped was not   a permissible use and was operating illegally in  the city already so I think we should move in that   right direction and hopefully in the future we can  bring back amendments to be able to make it more   flexible uh so IND individuals but I don't have  four votes to do that right now and so I wanted to   move in the right direction may I comment so you  and I did talk about this and and as I explained   to you prior when we first moved into the  community it was part of the law so we have been   acting driving as we we're in a Street Legal golf  cart we all have lights there's nobody that drives   in the dead of night with no lights I would also  point out that at 22 this this law did not change   and and I I looking at the state statute between  2015 and 2018 there was no notification we didn't   know and so we have been operating as we were  still under state law so I think you know while I   understand ignorance is not an excuse uh but it is  we nobody understood that we were driving without   a a state law that being said I'm not saying  that it's not in the public interest to have an   ordinance what I am saying is you're in the debt  of winter right now I gu guarantee you there's   not very many people right now that are driving  around on their golf cart we have some time we   have some time to do this the right way to follow  the process to go get public uh uh commentary and   to be able to amend the ordinance so we don't have  to try to revisit it thank you I just want to be   very clear that if we do pull it today driving a  golf cart is still legal in the community and not   be a permissible use if we pull it today so I just  want to be very clear on the record that anybody   driving a golf cart if we pull it is in violation  of city and state law I will do a followup to   law I actually asked a direct question to law  regarding this very ordinance um so state law   actually says operation of golf golf carts where  and when a it shall be unlawful for any person   to operate a golf cart number two on any public  highway or Street within the corporate limits of   any City unless authorized by by such City so my  question to city law is um is it currently illegal   to operate a golf cart without this proposed new  ordinance can someone read the email that was sent   to us on January 15th mayor that is correct it's  the state law so I will further read that email   um because it was very clear it said unless the  city passes an ordinance the operation of a golf   cart on any public Street within the corporate  City Limits currently is illegal the proposed   ordinance would allow the operation of golf  carts on city streets with a postage speed limit   of 30 m hour or less outside the downtown core  area as defined by the ordinance so as of this   current moment in time it is illegal to operate  a golf cart is that correct law that is correct   vice mayor Johnston thank you mayor Stephanie  thanks for coming to speak we spoke on the phone   um shortly here I'm going to I'm going to uh ask  to pull that for a couple months so we can take   it back to the dab so we can have input on it and  uh just get more input on it and see where where   people want it to be so I don't think that's a  bad idea um some other council members here that   uh recommended that to me and uh going take that  advice and uh and and do that so we've got time   um the golf cart season really doesn't start till  April so uh I I think we can do that so thank you   thank you thank you Stephanie I would ask though  once again the uh transparency so when are these   District Advisory board meetings I would expect  that those would be uh transparent I would also   expect that all golf cart communities the HOAs  are contacted and told that there is a district   advisory committee this is being uh suggested and  that their input uh needs to be heard because as   far I I stumbled across this I stumbled across it  and I notified as many people I I could there was   absolutely not one person who knew anything about  this ordinance and if we've learned anything from   this last election it's that transparency matters  being able to trust your elected officials matter   so I would entreat you to make sure that that  is definitely gotten out to the community and   that voices are able to be heard vice mayor  Johnston thank you um we stand on our heads to   try to get people to come to District Advisory  board meetings and we have the same three four   people that come uh every Monday at 600 p.m. p.m  at witw Waterworks is District 5 Advisory board   meeting first starting in April we'll move  that to the West link Library when it's it's   available but right now it's the witto Waterworks  administration building 6 pm on Monday invite you   all the neighbors to come uh we love to have  input we have a great board and glad to glad to   listen to your concerns so that covers District  Five what about district 6 District 4 District   3 2 1 how are those District advisory boards  going to be publicized thank you Stephanie um   as a matter um for the record wi.gov city council  has all the information regarding all six council   members and their District advisory boards  they're also live streamed uh their District   advisory boards held once a month you could look  for all of that information you can also sign up   to the city's um list serve which then would get  you all those alerts every single time that these   council members meet um so again there's a lot of  information at wi.gov city council Council M BR   glasscock vice mayor Johnston okay I'm G to Quick  correct myself uh council member Johnson pointed   out that said every Monday and I don't want to  be there every Monday it's the first Monday of   the month so just the first Monday of the month  and and by the way we we buy Facebook ads to   promote them I do videos to promote them I I do  everything I can to get the word out about those   District Advisory board meetings so hopefully  people learn about them get on the newsletter   try to build that newsletter list it's it's in  our newsletter it's been in our newsletter um   and we just we just want to be as transparent as  you possibly can we need help on the other side   too we need people to come and be engaged so thank  you for coming and being engaged today thank you   for your time council member Glascock thank you  may I would like to reiterate WIA has a host of   information you can find every single meeting  in the city council I will also say all seven   of us have made this Council the most transparent  possible up until this year you were not you would   not have been able to speak from this Podium uh  because we opened up four items um if somebody   didn't sign up in public comment prior this  Council also voted allow uh public comment on   consent agenda items this is open to the public  every single week on Tuesday um we have our   District advisory boards we also I know most of us  have monthly Town Halls um that are also engaging   citizens we all have email newsletters we all try  to actively engage you can follow each one of us   have U A District page so district one through  six has a Facebook page that post about these   details as well so I can speak on behalf of all  seven of us of this council is working to be the   most transparent Council and allow opportunities  like this for you to come before the council as   well can you please tell me how many times this  particular ular ordinance was brought before   a district Advisory board or any public comments  prior to uh the original reading which was January   7th was brought up yeah so right now we have  about 25 agenda items on the council agenda today   and often um only one to two of those that are  seemingly controversial come before the dab not   every item comes before District advisory boards  zoning cases in the particular District come   before District advisory Boards of zoning case was  heard in district one that doesn't come before my   district Advisory Board only goes before theirs  and so not every ordinance that comes before this   body goes before District advisory boards uh to  get feedback but we're always trying to actively   engage citizens in this process so just to be  clear this one the golf cart ordinance was never   brought to any District Advisory board so even  I can't speak for every District but not even   had I gone to the district Advisory Board it would  not have been brought up during that time is that right council member Johnson thanks mayor um  since you're here I'll just tell you district one   Advisory Board is the first Monday of the month  at 6:00 over at Atwater neighborhood Resource   Center uh I don't rotate the location and I also  have a District breakfast that's always the first   Saturday at 9:30 over at Atwater I do rotate that  from time to time so if you go online you'll see   that uh to council member glasscock's point  on Facebook if you type in Witchita District   and then one and two like down through six you'll  see all of our Pages you can add those and see   what's going on in those districts but also love  to have you at district one our breakfast we have   the best food much better than District 3 so  always have some good food there thank you I   just want to make sure though that you have  all your upcoming ordinances that are up at   your District advisory boards because then that  would be you know a a a good use of time other   you're still at a got stage is you've gone to  the district advisory boards and then this is   brought up in the newspaper it it is up to the  council to send that to District Advisory Board   like council member glass Cox said um there are  a lot of things that don't go to dab we've had   things in the past the um ndo I can't remember  if ethics did but some of those things that   get more um public engagement will go back to  dab for feedback to see uh one is it going in   the right direction can we add to it should we  take away our um climate plans things like that   tree policy went a lot of that is to inform and  also engage so this one did not but we can from   the bench say hey we want this to go out to the  district Advisory Board and it would sure council   member hoisel thank you mayor uh thank you for  coming up and speaking today um if you once you   sit through a district Advisory Board you might  see why um we don't have every ordinance that   comes up some of them can last until midnight  um I'm a lucky one I have mine on a Wednesday   days but a lot of the my fellow council members  have them the day before Council so sitting up   until midnight and then sitting through an 8 to  10 hour council meeting can be kind of tedious um   mine is the first Wednesday of every month at the  Water Center um District breakfast is the second   Saturday every other month and I think if you look  at the council members up here you can decide who   has the best breakfast in the city of Witchita  um also I I think maybe as punishment uh Vice May   Johnston should be having a district Advisory  board meeting every Monday for a little while   just to all right but I do appreciate you coming  up and expressing some of your issues with this   and I do hope to get more feedback um I do  have concerns about safety um so I I was   one of the four who did approve this because  I do believe having some Freedom within your   own Community is important um but I I also have  concerns with safety so maybe that'll get worked   out a little more um with uh some feedback  from our district District Advisory board   thank you thank you again Stephanie we now have  room for three more individuals to address the council if you do just come forward my name is Amy patoski hi JV how are  you good I live at 5205 West 26 Court North in   sand Crest and that golf cart ordinance that was  just pushed through with that none of us knowing   um is going to upset a lot of the people um sand  Crest is a lake neighborhood you drive around it   um I don't really have much else to say except to  invite you all to come to my house on July 4th and   see the community involvement with these kids  safety is not an issue Life 360 and to see how   fast my kids are going um that is how I monitor it  there's never been any safety concerns everybody's   responsible we all we all pull together and  parent all the other kids together um but like   I said come to July 4th come to my house attend  the 4th of July parade golf cart parade there's   um decorating contests with the golf carts the  kids are involved it's dunk the HOA members into   the pool um which we all love to do um so I'm here  here to um voice my opinion on this I very much   disagree with it it's why I moved into sand Crest  thank you Amy thank you council member hoisel uh   thank you mayor uh thank you Amy um just one one  quick question and then one issue when I say talk   about safety uh my concerns are more driving on  arterial roads on which which which roads arterial   so like you know if you're driving on Central if  you're driving on sure disagree with but right   in a lake neighborhood when it's just there you  know on the side streets there's no issues there   has not been any safety concerns in sandest at  all I follow the board meeting minutes there's   never been anything addressed with safety and in  talking to your neighbors is that the impression   that most people get is that we are currently  allowing golf carts to be in residential and   now we're cracking down on it yeah it's it's not  it's a City issue it's not anything to do with   sand Crest at all it's just all left up to the  city from what I understand but it's it's still   going to happen right see up until this point  I think council member glass talked about it   earlier um we haven't been catching anybody but  it has been restricted up until this point so   this ordinance actually allows Golf Cars to be  driven in the neighborhoods whereas previously   we did not so if a police officer saw you driving  your golf cart in your own neighborhood you would   have been ticketed for that whereas this ordinance  allows that over 18 um and there's some concerns   there it sounds like you guys have some issues  with that but um so I I just maybe it wasn't   our our it's not our Our intention to really  crack down it's more opening it up to a point   um but to to your point we could have done a lot  better job communicating absolutely that's I'm   glad Stephanie pointed that out that was another  huge um issue I had with this being pushed through   with no communication at all I I can assure you  that there's not a lot of people in San Crest   that even know about this or Emerald Bay all right  thank you council member Ballard thank you mayor   Amy I just wanted to say thank you for coming not  very many people uh take me up on the opportunity   to come hang out with us on Tuesday so um I  appreciate you coming um I know we spoke over the   weekend about this and I did reach out to Emerald  Bay um yeah not a lot of people know about it so   um I'll be doing some um Community engagement  through district 6 because I do have a lot of   the HOA communities um that this would affect so  um appreciate you coming and Stephanie thanks for coming we have room now for two  more individuals to address the council I see none I will bring it back to the  bench I will have just one comment to council   uh to city manager Lon um can you please just  address um the very first uh comment uh that   was made through public agenda uh can you please  explain the city council city manager type of   government system that we [Music] have yes it's  a representative democracy the mayor is elected   at Large uh and the council members are elected  from districts uh they set policy direction for   the council or for the city and then the the  higher city manager to uh then uh Implement   those policies and uh to coordinate staff in  that regard can you also remind how many votes   there are and how many votes are needed for  any ordinance to pass or any um law to uh go   into effect generally speaking it Tak a majority  of the council for votes in some cases there's   a super majority that's required by uh code but  that's uh fairly rare thank you very much so in   other words one vote per each of the council  members and mayor no veto Power by the mayor   and also it takes four votes u a majority of the  four uh indiv sorry the four individuals uh to   pass any ordinance or um any proposed ordinance  that would come before the council so so each of   us is entitled to our opinion and it's just one  person's opinion at the end of the day it's uh   the vote uh here from the bench that gets recorded  um so again the letter sent uh to the group that   um first came uh during public agenda basically is  just one opinion my opinion only uh does not mean   that that means it's the council's opinion unless  it is voted on from this Council so again again I   just wanted that for the record um that I'm only  one opinion and only one vote with no veto power   thank you City uh clerk Madam clerk can you please  call the next item cons agenda items 1 through 12 are there items to be pulled or further  discussed vice mayor Johnston thank you mayor   as I said previously I'd like to pull item 10 in  a part regarding the uh golf court cart ordinance   and I'd like to be able to have a couple months  worth of opportunity to discuss at our district   advisory boards so if maybe be okay with the  mayor and city manager maybe we can look at   March 18th which is a night meeting put it on the  schedule might be a good opportunity for people   to be able to come who are working uh to a night  meeting too I I would have strongly encouraged   people a to come to the district Advisory Board  they don't all go to midnight either District 5   we're a little more efficient council member  tutle thank you did vice mayor did you make a   motion made a motion okay and to do okay and and  I'll second it if that's okay but I would also oh   I'm sorry I I believe the motion is to take it  off the consent agenda approve the rest of the   consent agenda and then make that motion okay may  I just address this topic though um I know it was   sorry we're making a little sausage today um I  know it was mentioned to go to District advisory   boards which I appreciate but I would also just  like to check the temperature of my colleagues   of having a workshop on this I think it's  complicated I don't just from what I'm hearing   from constituents um I don't think there's going  to be a super easy solution I know that police   don't recommend it um that's going to be a factor  Public Works has major concerns I think that if   ever there was a topic that um warranted some  some robust discussion this would be it based   on the feedback that I'm getting so um I would  just recommend that we also have a workshop so   if that needs to extend it and maybe not be in  March because we can't fit it in in February   that to be considered thank you council member  Ballard thank you mayor um this is a question   for a city manager is there um I know we can't  take maybe every single ordinance but how do you   decide or is that just up to the council what  goes to um District Advisory board or workshop   and so on mayor uh council member it it's really  up to the coun individual council member what they   want to bring forward we bring planning items  forward which in some council districts takes   a significant part of the agenda and then um there  are certain items that are directed From the Bench   to go to the dabs because they are somewhat um  complex and require more public input and then   after that it's really up to the will of the  council member what they want to get uh advice   on I I think it would be somewhat impractical to  to try to predict what could be a controversial   ordinance um and what council members would want  to to bring to their dabs we'll always support   a council member who wants to bring any item  that we have upcoming um and and we'll provide   a staff presentation if necessary I know it's  a shocker that I'm an over communicator but um   I think that um you know I think we all hate the  idea of working backwards and you know maybe or   excuse me vice mayor Johnson didn't know that  this would be as contentious as it is obviously   I don't think he did this intentionally but  I think you know we all work really hard um   um to build or rebuild trust with the community  and um this is just kind of a an accidental black   eye that we're going to have to try to clean up  so um I'll be doing lots of Outreach um within my   district um and pass it along to any of you if it  happens to work for anybody in your District that   might not be able to make it but I think this  is something that we need to work really hard   on we're not going to make everybody happy but  um at least give people the opportunity for for   input to make the best this is impossible vice  mayor Johnston thank you thank you councilor   Balor too I I agree with you I had no idea this  would be this controversial I thought making golf   carts legal when they're illegal now would be  a good thing um it's just that people have some   concerns about the I think mainly about the age  limit so 18 so I'd be glad to kick it back to the   uh District advisory boards get more input and uh  it where the most residents are comfortable with it so I have one agenda item to be pulled from the  consent that would be consent agenda item 10A any   other items to be pulled from the consent agenda  I see none I move to approve the consent agenda   without item number 10A second motion and a second  any further discussion I see none Madame clerk   please open the rooll motion passes 70 now we're  on consent agenda item 10A vice mayor Johnston   thank you mayor again I'd like to pull this item  which we did and uh send it back to recommend to   the district advisory boards and possible Workshop  if being that necessary and uh get more input from   the community and then bring it back uh hopefully  if it works on our night meeting on March 18th   council member Glascock thank you mayor I likely  will not be supportive of the deferral because   we'd be going back to full prohibition um I  believe that we should have a less restrictive   ordinance when it comes to golf carts that's what  I try to do from this bench and that's what I   believe we should do I would like a um plan where  we could still give Community feedback however   this comes back before the council and we amend it  later that we don't go back to a full prohibition   or continue the full prohibition again I believe  that people should be able to cross artillery   streets I believe that people should drive in  the core of the city I believe that anybody with   a valid driver's license not just 18 should be  able to do it I think it's um when we're looking   at different modes of transportation everybody  has different modes of transportation I think we   should encourage different modes of transportation  and I think that we're having so much discussion   of allowing the people freedom of movement is  not something that we should be doing so I will   not support deferral just because I don't want  to take us backwards I want to move us forwards   in a forward in a direction um but I appreciate  the willingness to try to get to four votes on   making it less prohibitive council member Johnson  thanks mayor um just for district one I would like   to set my March dab I have six zoning cases in  February so kick that to March for [Music] me I   will ask city manager um if there could be a plan  if this moves forward um could we compromise and   also have part of our Workshop in January have  this discussion since a draft has already been   created regarding an ordinance to make it legal  because again right now it is illegal to operate   a golf cart within city streets how we can have  that in our January Workshop as council members   to discuss and then a plan to take it to the six  council members District Advisory board meetings   in february/march before the March 18th nighttime  meeting mayor it's your prerogative how you'd like   to handle it I was hoping for a February workshop  with preliminary input from the dabs that we could   bring back to you and try to reconcile any  differences between the dabs now that won't   work as if district one can't uh handle it until  March how however we could have all the other dabs   weigh in and then when he has his March meeting  you could be testing what you talked about at the workshop okay so the plan now would be to bring  this uh to all the district advisory boards   minus District 1 between now and the uh February  workshop and during the February Workshop City   staff will have gathered all the feedback from  this District advisory boards and help craft a   different or a adjusted ordinance um so that again  we would discuss it further as a council in front   of the entire public at the evening meeting on  March 18th now we have a plan would you like to   uh so because we now open it up for public comment  uh I see no further questions from the bench we   will now open it up for the public if anyone would  like to speak you can come up to the podium state   your name and then you can address the council for  5 minutes and mayor if I could clarify this motion   is only to defer it's not on the discussion of  the merits of the golf cart ordinance this is only   discussion on the motion this motion is simply to  discuss deferring it until the March 18th meeting   but it does allow for public comment anyone  from the public who would like to address this Stephanie Pitman 2828 North wild rad Court which  talk Kansas 67205 I would just encourage the   council to utilize the template ordinances  that are already utilized uh OA it's very   good uh ordinance you have a Valley Center you  have Gard um Park City I believe I believe even   Derby uh Andover so there is precedence to what  sort of ordinance is allowable to the public I   believe if you would have something that allows  as uh councilman Glascock stated uh Crossing of   arterial streets that is only important if you  live in Fox Ridge and you're driving your golf   cart across the street to go to your golf cart  course which um in my I I'm just using my very   own uh specific experiences uh second is nighttime  golfing so long as you have a street legal cart uh   so long as it's registered so long as it has slow  moving and so long as it has a motorcycle uh type   rated light it should be approved just as it is  everywhere else um as well as a a licensed driver   I think these are all restrictions that keep in  mind on one hand Public Safety and on the other   hand allow for freedom of uh movement freedom to  enjoy your neighborhoods and Community I think   think you would have a lot of support with those  sorts of uh limited uh non Draconian ordinances   thank you Stephanie uh vice mayor John Sten thank  you Stephanie we did look at all those um legal   looked at those Captain Captain Stevens at the  talk Police Department looked at all those and   been working on it since the end of summer a  long time a lot of meetings with with police   Public Works parks and recck um and we did  look at at all of those came up with this   so we'll kick it back and uh please come to our  district rise your board meeting and let us know   your thoughts bring your neighbors and uh we'll  see where we go from here and I would ask uh any   workshops um I know that it's I'm not sure what  uh the way of working with the workshop is but   I think that it would be prudent to allow some  uh community members as part of that Workshop   um I will address that workshops are actually for  council members to massage ordinances or policy so   it's really staff giving a full presentation  and then council members um discussing it in   a free and open format uh when it comes back  to the council that's another opportunity for   public but really encourage District Advisory  board meetings where you provide that feedback   um and I will direct the city manager during  those District Advisory board meetings please   address the fact um that there's concern  regarding nighttime golfing uh please   address the concern regarding valid license  so the age the current proposed ordinance is   18 um I hear that people want it at a reduced  age of those who have a valid driver's license   the third is uh addressing the ability to have  golf carts in the core of downtown witch that   is a restriction in the proposed ordinance so  we'd like to hear from dab um members and the   public and then last but not least the passing  of arterial roads uh whether it's in a protected   sidewalk or a um protected uh traffic light um  just addressing how you could possibly um move   from a neighborhood street to an arterial road  back to a neighborhood uh so those are the four   key areas we'd like to hear feedback thank you I  see no further comments we'll bring it back to the bench I guess I need to pick a formal motion the  motion has already been made I believe if you   wanted to clarify anything this is an opportunity  but you have a motion in a second second just   need to vote so we have a motion to defer and a  second to defer I see no further uh comments from   the council so Madame clerk please open the role  assist yes deferred to March 18th motion passes   6 to1 Madame clerk please call the next [Music]  item k96 Improvement project di Minimus impact [Music] finding good morning mayor City Council Members  Paul gunzelman Public Works and utilities for the   record um this morning I'm providing um report  on the k96 Improvement project Minimus impact finding as you know the Kansas Department of  Transportation is designing improvements to   k96 between i135 and East Kellogg the proposed  footprint of the Improvement project will affect   three parks in one Trail k96 Lake Park  Chism Creek Park North Chism Creek Park   South and the k96 bike trail as  indicated in light green on the map the F Highway Administration conducted a  study of the four affected Park Properties the   fhw report finds that unavoidable impacts would  would be considered di Minimus impacts under   section 4f of the Department of Transportation Act  a section 4f the Minimus impact involves a monor   use of protected resource and after taking  into account avoidance minimization mitigation   and enhancement measures results in  no adverse effect to the activities   features or attributes qualifying a park  recreation area or refuge for protection   under Section 4f K do is seeking concurrence  on this finding from the city of Witchita on September 24th 2024 the city council pulled the  item from the consent agenda for discussion city   council approved theay and taking action on the DI  Minimus impact finding until the October 15 2024   city council meeting on October 15th 2024 the city  council approved delay and taking action on the   Domino's impact finding indefinitely pending  receiving an additional information from kot   kot has now provided a preliminary path forward  which requires approval of the DI Minimus finding   prior to taking next steps if approved today the  dominous finding will allow kot to move forward   and complete the environmental clearance and  the preliminary path forward is to construct the   project in phases with phase one being woodlon and  rock interchanges followed by Phase 2 from i135   including interchanges at Hillside and Oliver and  then phase three would be the web road interchange   and then phase four would be south of the web road  Interchange to East Kellogg in addition RightWay   acquisition for phase one and two including webro  interchange will be first the on January 13 2025   an update was provided to the park board and  the board is in support of the dominous findings a little bit a closer look at these uh  locations the k96 lake park8 Acres out   of 46 will be affected by new interchange ramps  between k96 and i135 these areas are currently   unused portions of the park with no amenities or  other features taking a little bit closer look   at this the red line indicates the current  uh currently where the fence is the purple   line indicates where the fence would be moved  to um this still allows uh we wanted to make   sure that this would still allow mowers to be  able to mow the area between the fence and the water Chism Creek Park um both of these so  the north side 1.3 Acres will be affected by   construction of the new enchange to the South  1.8 Acres of the out of 282 will be affected   by the new interchange and part of the  k96 uh bike trail will be affected as well taking a closer look at the South Park uh  the North Park it it will affect a a parking   lot up there and we we are working with that  and we have other improvements to the park as   well that we're working through coordinating  that regarding the Chism Creek Park to the   South it's a little bit difficult to see see  however the current pathway is in the light gray with the new pathway showing in blue  that will be reconstructed to make that hole again and then the k96 bike trail east of web  road um out of8 miles with the trail length   approximately 1/3 of a mile will be affected on  the display the uh current Loop ramp in kernel   um that would be the eastbound offramp to web  road and then to the just south of that is the   eastbound on-ramp 2K 96 The Interchange will be  made larger um and let me back up the existing   pathway is it it travel it is on the west side  of web road from 29th Street it crosses at the   existing signalized intersection where the  ramp terminals are existing ramp terminals   and then follows along the north side of the  patched area in green the new eastbound offramp   to Northbound k96 will be made larger as well as  moving the eastbound ramp on ramp 2 k96 has moved   to the South to line up with the residential  street and will be signalized so those folks   utilizing the path will travel a little further  south on on web road on the west side of web road   and cross at the new location of the eastbound  onramp um the Blue Line shows uh where the New   Path will be and then also that um as you can  see goes through fire station 18 um regarding   the next phases uh rideway acquisition will  be on phase one and two and will include uh   away acquisition at the web road interchange it's  a little bit another uh display of shown where   the path is will be moved the Gray Line and then  the new new Pathway to make that hole again as well financial and legal considerations Financial  considerations concurrence with the Dom Minimus   finding will not have an impact on the city kot  will continue to coordinate with the city of witto   as the project progresses which will include a  negotiation and acquisition process compensation   negotiated through K Do's acquisition process  for Park and trail property is not impacted by   a DI Minimus finding by fhwa any proceeds from  the acquisition of the park land may be used   to improve trails and boardwalks within the  Chism Creek South Park and the Law Department   has reviewed and approved the letter as to  form and it is recommended that the city   council approve the Dom Minimus findings and  I will stand for any questions questions for   staff beginning with council member Johnson  thanks mayor thanks Paul um my only question   I'm supportive of this is around um k96  Lake where you mentioned they would move   the fence line and still be able to mow is  this an opportunity to talk with kot about   more native grasses or flowers that don't need  to be maintained so they wouldn't have to mow   anything we we can ask that yes okay council  member hoisel thank you mayor uh thank you   Paul for the presentation and the work so  it seems like the the impacts that we'll   have is um some of the lake will be taken just  a little bit um the gravel parking lot will be   shortened and then possibly have to be expanded  because it takes out part of the gravel lot   and then um the bike trail having to move the  bike trail is that sum it up that is correct   yes the uh the fence will be moved towards the  water edge um around the k96 lake um the parking   lot there North in the chisen Creek Park north um  will be impacted so that we will um and we do have   improvements to that Park so we're coordinating  those efforts but yes um so it will have to be   shifted a little bit and then the the trail itself  yes okay and this would also allow us to move   forward with uh discussions about fire station 18  that is correct yes okay and be able to possibly   find some funding for that yes okay that's all  I have thanks Paul council member Ballard thank   you mayor um council member hois will ask a  couple of my questions and I know initially   there were some concerns from great ples I assume  that we've answered whatever questions that they   had yes I see no further questions for Paul thank  you very much we will now open it up for public comment see none I'll bring it back to  the bench council member tutle thank you   um I just wanted to state that I attended  the original Park board meeting when this   was first presented by the consultant for  kod in the not significant discussion and   it was passed I have attended every community  meeting that we've had regarding this project   including presenting twice at my district  advisory boards um a couple times at the   Hughes multi Complex Center I'm looking up Paul  because we've been to so many I think I could do   the PowerPoint for k out by now and no one has  ever expressed any concern regarding this I've   also spoken with Folks at bwalk Witchita and the  health and wellness Coalition and they don't see   significant concerns with this so I will be  supportive today and thank you Paul for all   your work on this council member Tuttle would  you like to do the honors thank you appreciate it I would move that the city council  approve the diminus findings and I think   that's probably all we need to do thank  you second motion and a second any further   discussion I see none Madam clerk please open  the rooll motion passes 70 Madam Clerk please   call the next item funding for multiple  water utility infrastructure Improvement projects good morning mayor members of city  council for the record Don Henry Public Works   and utilities excuse me the item before you um  would approve funding for seven critical water   infrastructure Improvement projects uh the uh  current adopted Capital Improvement program   includes funding for these projects these  funding amounts have been accounted for in   the cost of service analysis and the current  rate model and their approval will not impact   current water rates the projects to include  um replacement of the H vacuum priming system   um Rehabilitation replacement of um Air Relief  equipment for the uh um cheni Reservoir ozone   treatment system improvements to the uh City's  two Water Tower hours related to maintenance   inspections um additional um automatic flushers  on the uh City's distribution system and in   Fringe areas of the distribution system to  improve water quality uh com uh funding to   complete construction of the maple booster  Pump Station and then funding for two um   supervisory controlling data acquisition upgrades  related to ongoing operations of existing um   uh assets and and their um how they fold into  the new water treatment plant uh vacuum priming   systems are important for these large pumps that  run in in h Pump Station because trapped air in   the pump can cause cavitation um premature wear on  the pumps in some cases if enough air builds up it   could cause catastrophic damage the um old system  that's in place now is Antiquated um no longer   functions and so a new system is needed this also  allows for better control of um the water levels   and H Reservoir at um chinii Reservoir the city  owns a ozone treatment facility ozone is generated   it's injected into the um raw water this takes  care of compounds that can cause tast and water   issues um other toxins associated with har harmful  algae blooms things like that um the existing   system is um in need of replacement because it  has been repaired multiple times it operates in   a highly corrosive environment and it's necessary  to gas off any um access ozone within the system   because ozone is a highly corrosive gas the city  owns and operates two elevated water storage tanks   uh one is located near 21st in woodlon the  other is on the witw State University campus   near 17th Street um they're inspected annually  to identify maintenance needs repairs to the   tanks will include things like patch the exterior  coating to um protect the tank um replacement of   safety equipment safety cabling um as well as  replace a vent on one of the reservoirs that's   deteriorated no longer compliant with regulations  the distribution Main and quality pressure support   project will provide for automatic flushing  devices and select areas in the distribution   system this is typical in Fringe areas where  development hasn't caught up at the expansion   yet and we may have um not enough turnover within  the water pipes and so um the automated flushers   allow us to dial in on the amounts and the times  when that needs to occur rather than um pulling   people off of other projects or other work to go  out and manually flush the system um the pilot   project for one of these was carried out in 2024  and it proved to be very effective design of the   maple booster pump station has been completed  and we need to move forward with construction   on that facility the pump station is located on  Maple Street on the north side of maple west of   135th uh the project will ex uh provide for um  an expanded improved building additional pumping   capacity and backup power for the facility the SK  upgrades and virtual virtualization projects will   integrate and upgrade multiple water treatment  sites to provide further reliability and increased   security uh this will allow remote sites to be  operated or or off outside the fence sites to   be operated remotely from the new water treatment  plant um and it will also um provide new servers   that replace age servers with the best available  technology this will increase um security as well   as functionality and operability as I mentioned  before the adopted 2025 through 2034 CIP includes   funding for these projects um the budgets have  been established or estimated in the amounts   of $500,000 for the h vacuum priming system  $500,000 for rehab and replace placement of Air   Relief equipment for the chi ozone system um one  M uh $1.2 million is available for the elevated   tower repair staff recommends initiating $200,000  for the needed work at this time there distrib   distribution main pressure and qual quality  support project allows for $500,000 um $8,750   th000 is provided for the distribution Maple  booster Pump Station project um $900,000 for the   uh scada upgrades and $300,000 for the replacement  of the uh servers the virtualization servers uh   staff recommends initiating funding at the the  full funding as stated in the list at this time   for an aggregant to toal of $1,650,000 therefore  staff recommends the city council approve the   projects adopt the resolutions and notices of  intent and authorize the necessary signatures   thank you and I'll stand for any questions  that you have thank you Don questions for Don   beginning with Mike uh council member hoisel Mike  is fine thank you mayor um thank you Don for the   presentation um just one quick question earlier  today on the consent agenda we took a million   dollars from the 1.2 for the elevated tower  repair um to put it into the cheny um Pump Station   upgrades um do we feel like 200,000 will be  enough to address any of the maintenance issues or   repairs for the elevated U elevated tower repair  yes sir it will be sufficient the the work that   this will fund has been accumulated over the past  few inspections and so we're confident that this   will be enough we'll take a look when we um while  we're developing the next um CIP and program the   proper amount based upon what we expect to see in  the future but we're in really good shape we had   some major upgrades to the water towers um within  the last 10 years and it it got us in really good   shape on those okay thank you I see no further  questions for staff thank you Don we'll begin   with public comment for this item I see none we'll  bring it back to the bench I will move to approve   the projects adopt the resolutions and notice  of intent as well as authorize the necessary   signatures second motion and a second any further  discussion I see none Madame clerk please open the roll motion passes 70 Madam  clerk please call the next   item Sim Golf Course irrigation vendor selection good morning mayor and Council uh here to  before you to talk about the Sim Golf Course   uh irrigation selection process so the department  of parks and wreck operates for municipal golf   courses uh thir condition that golf courses are  critical for the quality of play for patrons   enhancing the customer experiences increases  the golf systems uh Financial viability and   the irrigation system at SIMS Golf Course was  last renovated in in 1988 on August the 13th of   last year staff presented a capital expending plan  for the city council for the golf system on August   20th the plan was approved by the city council and  incorporated into the 2025 to 2034 adapted Capital   Improvement program and includes $8 million  over four years to fund improvements at the four   courses includes 1.45 1.5 million in 2024 for golf  irri irrigation improvements on December the 3rd   of 2024 the city authorized the initiation of  the irrigation project for Sim and MacDonald's   golf course so a little analysis on this uh the  request for proposals for solicit for vendors for   Golf Course went out on November 8th and they  were due on that particular date and on the   22nd and 25th the uh staff CL training committee  reviewed proposals conducted interviews for four   vendors following the interviews uh they selected  uh Landscapes Unlimited LLC as a preferred vendor   based on the experience to propose work plan  schedule the cost the comprehensive proposal and   the design team involved throughout the process  so they had significant experience in the golf   irrigation process uh Crews were regularly trained  and tested they come with a 25e warranty ability   to upgrade the sprinkler heads included in the  base uh bid commitment to an aggressive 60 to   90day time frame of getting the projects completed  and one of the key things that with that they were   willing to leave the existing uh irrigation  system in place while they were installing   the new one and will also uh committed to fixing  any things that may break during that process so   we can continue to uh have that system on place  to irrigate the course while they're doing the   transition uh the design team will review the  original specification and staff ensure that the   best fit for the city's need as they move forward  so the financial consideration for this the   Landscaping limited proposed a a 1.45 $ 1,450,000  total package uh contract has been prepared with   an added negotiating items for an amount to not  to exceed 1.46 n870 uh funding for the contract   is available within the project budget previously  approved by the city council so the law department   has reviewed and approved the contract as to  form it is recommended that the city council   approve the vendor selection and approve the  contract and authorized the necessary signatures   and I'll stand for any questions thank you Reggie  we'll begin with council member Glascock thank   you mayor uh Reggie thank you for the Pres  presentation um so I noticed our Green Sheet   had two different things say the proposal  includes a 25-year warranty and then it   also says there's a commitment completing the  project with an aggressive to 60 to 90 days so   I went to go look at the contract and the actual  contract states that they have 120 days from the   notice not 60 to 90 days and then and that's in  subsection two subsection 4 says that regarding   maintenance the contractor agrees to Warrant the  work and set Improvement for a period of one year   from the date of completion and acceptance from  the city not 25 years so is there somewhere in   the contract that I'm missing that or that's on  page one item number two and item number four and   this my understanding that the contract it comes  with and I can get clarification on that as well   as we move forward but it comes with the 25-year  warranty on the actual the first year may be on   the workmanship but I would have to look at it  to see to but the actual system itself has a 25   year warranty that comes with okay would legal  be able to check that out before we vote on this   um before we vote on it yeah before today because  I don't feel if if it's one year versus 25 years   and 25 years isn't stipulated in the contract  then we'll need a few moments then sounds good any further questions for staff I see none thank you Reggie  we'll now take it to public comment   individuals from the public who would like  to address this item regarding Golf Course irrigation I see none we'll bring it back  to the bench but we're waiting for law to   review that contract so we could take a quick  break mayor if you like I'm more than willing   to take the next item and then we can bring  this back if if you so motion to table this   until next will it be table till the next item  since we already opened comment on table just   move it to a later move it we have to have a  motion or can we just do that you should have a motion how about I will motion I  will motion to move this item um   to the end of um our agenda for  new business perect thank you   Motion in a second any further discussion  I see none Madame clerk please open the roll motion to delay passes 70  Madam clerk please call the next item First Amendment to the ballpark facility  maintenance and use agreement mayor members of   the council Bob Leon city manager I have the  actually have the next two items the first   one uh represents an amendment to the ballpark  facility management and use agreement uh for   what's now known as Riverfront stadium in  2018 the city um did a significant amount   of work to bring Affiliated baseball back to  the community and at that time landed a AAA   team that was to um Locate in a new stadium uh  on the S of the old Lawrence Dumont uh Stadium   and also uh provided for the construction of  a baseball Museum uh star bonds and Tiff uh   District uh approvals were necessary in  order for us to be able to move forward   with that project uh the project has been  successful to date the stadium has been   constructed and we've had Affiliated  Baseball playing uh full-time since uh 2022 however um since the agreements were  signed uh specifically the uh lease and   use agreement was signed in uh 2018 uh there have  been significant changes first of all um there's   been a change in terms of affiliation Major  League Baseball took over Minor League Baseball   eliminated minor league and also eliminated a  number of affiliations around the country we   were fortunate that that did not happen to us  however they did create what was known as the   Major League Baseball professional development  league uh as I said several cities actually lost   their teams and and had their uh stadiums  go empty some backfilled with independent baseball uh we were not unscathed however uh  minor league b or Major League Baseball excuse   me uh mov the wind uh surge affiliation from  triaa to double a during the restructuring um   however they also um uh by doing that did a a  favor because they reduced the travel burdens   placed on teams and we had a financial  uh uh liability associated with that travel with the unfortunate death of uh the  prime owner of the baseball team uh during   covid uh there was a change in ownership uh back  uh in dating back to 2022 new ownership uh Group   dbh witchta LLC uh took over the franchise  and December 5 uh 2020 uh that group took   on all of the obligations and has successfully  operated uh this team and the stadium since that time one of the provisions in the original  agreement had to do with the naming rights   for the baseball stadium the revenue from naming  rights uh uh Revenue uhum me the naming rights   Revenue was to be split between the team and the  city um it was under a pretty complicated formula   which um allowed the team to First recover its  expenses associated with the naming rights the   city then was entitled to a certain amount of  money capped um a after that and then the team   was to retain anything above that amount um  this process would have required auditing on   the part of the city and uh discussions and  negotiations with the team every year uh to   determine what the acceptable expenses were  and what the final uh Revenue would be to   the city uh recent negotiations with the team  have uh resulted in a much simpler approach to   sharing uh naming rights Revenue in a way  that actually will benefit the city going   forward give us a predictable Revenue Source um  it will also allow us uh to escape uh a important   provision that required the city to contribute  $200,000 a year towards U travel expenses so what you have in front of you today is a  an amendment that would address the change   in franchise ownership the realignment  of minor league baseball under Major   League Baseball's uh guidance and uh their  regulations and also the new naming rights uh revisions as I mentioned the first part of um  the financial benefit for the city is that we   will no longer be responsible for up to $200,000  in liability for uh air travel associated with uh   teams visiting to visiting Witchita additionally  we in the first year we'll receive $117,500   in naming rights revenue from the team that  amount will increase by 3% every year uh over a   15-year period uh during that 15-year period it's  estimated that the city will receive just slightly   less than $2.2 million from the Nami rights if we  combine that Revenue with the management privilege   fee which is basically the rent that we receive  from the team for the use of the stadium uh will   be able to contribute uh fully to the capital  reserve fund our agreement with the team indicates   that starting in 20 uh 27 we'll put $250,000  a year into a maintenance fund and again the   whole idea of having a healthy maintenance fund  is to keep uh from uh dipping into property tax   dollars to finance any improvements to the stadium  it's estimated that under the current agreement uh   as proposed with on naming rights along combined  with we'll be able to accumulate a little over $4   million through the life the remaining life of  the lease agreement uh for Capital uh expenses   in addition to that this naming rights agreement  allows us to create a reserve fund and we believe   that by the end of the lease will have a little  over $3.5 million in the reserve fund that can   be used for additional Capital expenses if  there's a need to go beyond the 4 million but   it also allows us to have flexibility to put some  money into uh Debt Service uh obligations going forward the uh proposed agreement uh has been   reviewed by the law department  and by MLB and approved by both so it's recommended that the council approve the  First Amendment to the ballpark facility use and   maintenance agreement the subsequent contractual  contractual restatement and authorization of the   necessary signatures mayor with that I'd be glad  to answer any questions thank you city manager   we'll begin with council member ho Heisel thank  you uh mayor uh thank you Bob I appreciate all   your work on this one um the $200,000 air travel  contingency fund have we used any of that in the   past no we haven't because we never operated  as a AAA team um so with double a the travel   requirements are not as um restrictive or as  honorous and so we' have not had to dip into   that fund okay so that $200,000 is essentially  a fund that we've just maintained we haven't put   $200,000 in every year we've just had a that that  is correct we've had a contractual obligation to   pay towards travel expenses if there is an issue  but at this time to this point there has not been   and we benefit by removing that Clause from the  agreement so that that could not be used as a a   contingent liability in the future okay so is  that is that 200,000 going are we moving that   to the go or are we moving that into ballpark  maintenance that 200,000 actually would have   come out of the management privilege fee so that  money now will go into the capital reserve fund   as well as the additional Reserve fund so that's  what allows us to put four million aside and then   uh have three and a half million in reserve  on top of that okay um now the the $250,000   we said that it was capped at 250,000 in the  old agreement right is that how we interpret   the the contract here I'm not sure I understand  the question um if you look at the old contract   it says the next 250,000 in naming rights  uh received by the team um for the city yeah   yes now um now I this is a different day and age  now that was supposed to be with the triaa team so   I recognize the need to renegotiate that because  right daa is better baseball in my opinion but as   far as sponsorship abilities it's less than what  a AAA team would be so right so I I I'm just a   little curious about that but again I I support  uh the renegotiations here so sure that's what   it was interpreted as as cap at 250,000 was yes  and that's after expenses were taken out by the   team and that's where the complicated formula  took came into play because it every year would   determine how the team would um provide benefit  for the sponsorship and there are a number of   ways that a sponsor receives benefit which includ  can in include you know SE seats and signage and   other um factors uh that that come into play  and every year it can be different for the na   right sponsor yeah and the Hope was for a million  dollars in naming right well I I believe that the   owner at the time that we um approved the original  agreement had hoped for naming rights of a million   dollars for a triaa team but not only have we  dropped a double A which has hurt us in that   regard but we've also gone through covid and a  difficult economic uh period so it's not realistic   to think that type of Revenue could come back to  the city but again I we're in a I think a better   financial position because we will not have the  $200,000 that we would be required to have plus   we'll have 1175 growing every year so we'll be  Beyond $250,000 that will come to us in that   regard so it's or that will bet that'll benefit us  in that regard so the the plan with the original   agreement was about 25% of the revenue um for the  naming rights and now we're sitting 31% well it'll   depend on the final deal that's negotiated by the  team but we will be better than the 25% okay um   and you feel we're better off or uh protecting  ourselves uh as far as um I guess the Tiff the   C using this um being able to protect ourselves  and not dip into the go funding going forward   Council that's a great question that that the  creation of the 350 $3.5 million Reserve fund   actually does provide us some cushion uh should  we need that money for C or Tiff uh debt okay   thank you thank you a followup question to that  what is the city's responsibility regarding our   and Tiff um where we would not want to dip into  Reserve fund but there's not enough development   right now around that area right go good question  mayor the starbond uh funding as well as Tiff uh   will operate as a tiff District normally does  and that is that you probably will not be able   to meet all your debt in the initial years with  the understanding that you'll exceed your debt   requirements in uh the latter years so that by the  end of the debt period that you will have paid off   all of your thatt and hopefully even had more  uh we do have Again by getting the $3.5 million   Reserve we provide ourselves a cushion so that we  could help with that uh that backstopping of those   first uh uh years if that's NE what we want to do  and what's the predicted or estimated in the first   few years um I'm sorry mayor I don't have the debt  service schedule for the starbond CID and Tiff   those are all the moving pieces um on the project  that be provided to the council member yes we have that I was looking uh you did send during the  agenda review the October 16 2018 meeting um   agenda item and I think that's what uh council  member hoisel was referring to I have a couple   of questions regarding uh that agreement  from back in 2018 one of them is spend up   to an additional $6 million on a pedestrian  bridge Riverfront improvements and other   critical infrastructure NE necessary for the  ballpark development can you just give us a   status update on that sure there were actually  there's uh I can't remember mayor which that   is referencing there are actually two the term  bridge is used twice or in two different ways   first of all there was an A A Skywalk which was  referred to as a bridge between the hotel and the   office development I don't believe that's what's  included here though I believe the $6 million   was anticipated for the bridge that would connect  the East and West Banks and the decision was made   I'm going to say in 2020 or 2021 that that would  become part of the East Bank Redevelopment project   at the time that it would be constructed so in  other words the team and the city agreed that we   would not go ahead with the bridge mostly because  we don't know where the Terminus should be on the   East bank and we don't know what Redevelopment  will occur and so didn't make sense to put a   bridge across a river to a certain location  when that may not fit into Redevelopment plan   so that's that's where that stands and again the  question I really was most interested in is not   even that it's um the responsibility of the city  regarding the starbond and the Tiff District so if   that can be provided to the council so that we  are aware um of not just the current situation   in terms of our shortfall budget shortfall but  how that would play into future years and the   shortfall yes um so if that can be provided to  council members so we again have all the data   and then lastly I know that this was agreed  upon back in 2018 so two councils um before   me um and so I just I want this project to  be successful as it needs to be successful   so we can pay off our debt um but can you give  us a status update regarding the development   around that area yes mayor um the uh West Bank  development which was uh We've contracted with   EPC for the uh that work they have filed all  of their plans for their development they have   they're in final review by staff and they've  actually mobilized on the site as of last week so construction should begin soon this  spring very good thank you very much city   manager I see no further questions from this  bench we will now open it up for public comment good morning Council my name is Twila purty I  live in District 1 I live in the Polo Club um   I'm a big proponent of contract compliance and I  think you've heard me say that before uh contract   compliance I think is critical to uh or as a as a  a good business practice that can't be ignored so   if these changes from AAA to double a I guess I  get this sense that some of this stuff happened   a long time ago so you might want to start  thinking if these changes that were material   to the contract happened a long time ago why  is it just now coming up right you just want   to stay on top of your contract compliance the  other thing I heard was um a $250,000 a year   maintenance fund how do you protect that money  so that it's not used for something else in the   future you know you all know that deferred  maintenance has been a big issue for certain   things like parking structures and it's not the  first time it's come up so is there a way that   you as a council or maybe it's in the agreement  but you can protect this 250,000 so that you have   it when you need it and then several years down  the road to prevent oh we need to maintain this   or there's deferred maintenance of x millions  of dollars and we don't have the money my only   comments I appreciate your time thank you  thank you Twilight we continue with public comment I see none I will bring it back to  the bench this resides in council member   glock's district thank you mayor um I did  is there a comment okay thank you mayor I   did drive by uh the stadium two days ago and  it's really exciting to see fencing around some   of the potential development areas and I'm  excited to see what's to come um I Rec or I   motion that we approve the First Amendment to the  ballpark facility use and maintenance agreement   the subsequent contract reinstatement and the  authorization of the necessary signatures second   motion and a second any further discussion  I see none Madame clerk please open the roll motion passes 70 Madame clerk please call  the next item ordinance authorizing use of   Hyatt proceeds and resolution amending resolution  number 16- 478 mayor members of the council bobon   again uh today's action is going to involve  the reallocation of about $157,000 in Hyatt   proceeds funding uh that has been previously  allocated by the city council back in 2016 the   council authorized the use of $10 million from  the sale of the Hyatt hotel for the Improvement   of approximately 222 uh Lane miles or about  40% 40 uh% of the city's poorest conditioned   residential asphalt streets over two-year period  by 2019 all that work had been completed and there   was a surplus of about $157,000 that resided in  that account uh fast forward until to last year   and the uh session of the Kansas legislature  and during that session uh the legislature   appropriated $2.5 million for environmentally  at risk testing related to contamination sites   in Sedwick County of that amount1 million  dollar was only available for testing if   there was a local match uh in the same amount  U the funding was primarily targeted for the   29th and Grove area but was also to be available  for other contamination sites that have already   been identified in the county the testing is  include a number is not to be limited to but   include a number of uh specific test those are  outlined in the first bullet point um for the   last at least six months Cedric County the city  of wiah and the Kansas uh Health Foundation have   been working on developing a comprehensive  program for testing uh which would allow for   immediate as well as long-term cancer screenings  for residents in the affected contamination areas   to leverage the full State allocation uh the  community will need to come up with a million   dollars in match uh it is recommended that  $125,000 be allocated by the council uh that   Cedric County uh commission allocate another  125,000 and that the community provide uh the   remaining uh funding of um uh $750,000 in order  to fully leverage the uh uh grp Grant possibility   $125,000 would be moved from the Hyatt Street  Maintenance account to an environmentally at risks   testing account no additional as I mentioned no  additional Street Maintenance work is anticipated   so we can close that account in order to fully  close it we would move the remaining funds of   32,44 to an account that you created um again uh  at the time of the sale of the hayatt for Transit   so that was other city-wide benefited um an  account that benefited Citywide um and that money   would be used to help with the implementation of  the new service plan that not only do you need   an ordinance to allocate the money uh for testing  but you also need a resolution to recognize that   you're closing out the Street Maintenance account  law departments reviewed and approve both the   ordinance and the resolution as to form so we're  asking the city council to place this ordinance   on first reading adopt the amending resolution  and authorize the necessary signatures i' be   glad to answer any questions you city manager  thank you questions for staff I see none okay um   I actually have just one comment though um prior  to public comment uh this is really to help with   uh alleviating the 29th and Grove contamination  but it is to address the health aspects of it um   can you just give us a quick quick update on the  collaborative efforts that have gotten us to this   point um under the leadership of council member  Johnson there have been uh numerous parties that   have been involved in in this uh program uh  we've had uh probably should start with the   uh health clinics that uh are in are in the front  line in terms of providing testing uh they have   helped us understand the nature of the require  ments going forward as a result of them of that   we put together I think the outline for a plan  that deals with immediate testing as requested   or required by the legislature but also recognizes  that one test one year doesn't necessarily provide   the kind of benefit that uh impacted residents  could have and so that's why we're looking at   doing something that is both immediate as well  as longterm uh the county uh representative   the chair of the County Commission the county  manager have been actively involved council   member Johnson has been involved um and uh  Kansas he Health Foundation has helped provide   uh very useful guidance as we have looked at  a more comprehensive approach to benefiting   uh residents specifically in the 29th and Grove  area or those who have been impacted by the the   contamination in that area over a long period of  time so those are folks who probably many of them   don't even reside in our community anymore or in  the plume area but we'll still have the benefit   of testing should they decide to take advantage  of it under the the plan you city manager thank   you I see no further uh questions we  will now open it up for public comment good morning mayor and city council my name is  Levant Williams P box 8695 first of all I do want   to say thank you to the mayor and uh city council  member Johnson for attending MLK celebrations over   the weekend so it was a long weekend I can hear  my husband saying what are you doing now uh and   I'm just going to say Bill I'm getting in good  trouble so um I I have some questions about how   we're looking at this um I live in the area that  was affected uh by this contamination and so it   is something going on that is very near and dear  and close to my heart it's kind of like the plane   crash that we just uh celebrated for 60 years and  having a brother who was on his way to the store   and that affected our family as far as the plane  crash and we keep talking about these things and   we talk about them 50 or 60 years later and so for  me that's what we're doing here is talking about a   contamination that happened over 50 years ago but  you have a community right now that is paying for   that now and that is because many of them as well  as myself had no idea about a contaminated water   issue in that particular part of the community  it ranges very much further than 29th in Grove   does it go on the east side of Grove I'm told no  it goes all the way down to 9th Street so this   affects quite a few people and the thing that  I'm hearing here which bothered me was that we   had money left over we had money left over and so  that's what the city is going to put towards this   health issue and we're not even going to take  all of what was left over we're only going to   take 125 and we'll put it over there the rest  is going to uh transportation for me and I'm   I'm going to try not to get upset but for me  this is saying those lives don't matter you're   saying they don't matter but they do they deserve  more we deserve more we have to look at that from   another standpoint we deserve more than what you  is saying we deserve a sit at the table I gave up   a doctor's appointment because I felt I had to be  at this table to hear what was being said and how   it was being said and how money is being applied  I'm not blaming one particular person I'm saying   that it's our position as a city to understand and  to see what's going on and to fix it as well as   we can and to say those City members that those  community members that want to come in and have   seat at the table and let's discuss and let's look  and let's talk I don't remember that happening   except for being at the boys and girls club and  even there there was so much disrespect because   you had at least one kdh member who disrespected  that Community tremendously and then when I asked   him and and grilled him on that it was oh I didn't  say that but the community said yes you did those   things things are important then you have kdhe  who says um that oh some type of cancer could   come from this we have had so many deaths and we  don't know how many have died from this particular   issue and then we know that infant mortality was  the highest in that zip code area along with 67214   infant morality however KH says low birth weight  babies were affected my first thing to think about   is low birth weight babies also goes along with  infant mortality and so I'm just asking us to   to look a little bit more into what we're doing  and what we're allocating and how the community   can help and when I hear Community involvement  in money are you saying that we have to pay for   it that we have to help find money in order to  take care of this situation please I know that   we can do better I know that we can do better and  I just had to come and and help you to understand   how they are feeling how we are feeling oh we had  a little money left over we'll do that but how   many people have we lost how many people have  we lost we can't put a finger on it I I lost   I lost I'm the oldest of nine and only four  are living because we played in the water we   drank the water we had no idea of the severity of  the case so I'm just asking us to make sure we're   looking in every unturn place turn over every rock  that we can make sure that we hear this make sure   that EPA understands that that we need to look at  everything before we do it did we has EPA look at   the health that could come from those large poles  I don't think we did did EPA give us a Health   Report on the 100 trucks that are right across  the highway I didn't hear about it those are the   health issues I'd like to know I'd like to know  if EPA is saying it's okay we've checked and this   doesn't affect their health and there are so many  others there are so many other things that are   going on that we need to find out is this going  to affect someone's health so I I think that's   all I'm asking is that we just make sure that  we're all sitting down together that we're all   at the same table that we're all working on the  same issues and it's not just one particular area   because we swore to the city first we swore  to the city before we swore to one particular   district and so for me it's all of us it's all  of us looking at the same issue I thank you very   much and I'll just stop from there I know my time  is over than thank you very much former council   member lantto Williams I do have a question for  city manager um Miss Levant mentioned uh the   federal Partners EPA State Partners kdhe what are  they bringing in terms of financial contributions   to the table that's good question mayor uh We've  not had active discussions with EPA uh recently   on the funding however um the funding that the  state is providing was granted by the legislature   so they have $2.5 million dollars that they've  brought forward to help us with the testing uh and   if we're successful and having a total local match  then there'll be$ three and A5 million dollar that   will be available and I do want to mention that  the uh there have the public meetings that have   transpired over the last two years those voices  have been heard and that's why we are at this   point I think that's what led to the legislative  initiative that is what's driving all of those at   local level who have been working on this I  don't know that I think the most productive   thing is to look forward how do we address the  issues that have come up from the community over   a period of time to make sure that they have uh  acceptable Health outcomes and um that's why I   think this idea of funding a long-term solution  takes into account what former council member   Williams talked about and that is recognizing  there are a lot of folks who were impacted by   this over a long period of time and now they will  have a low or no barrier way of being tested going forward we'll continue with public comment I  see none I'll bring it back to the bench council   member hoisel thank you mayor um and thank you  Levant council member Williams for coming up this   is just one step I I agree with you wholeheartedly  what comes next that's going to have to be part   of the discussion as well uh making sure that  members of our community are involved in that   discussion as well so I do want to acknowledge  that um and you're not lying because uh I think   according to the county there's 208 sites um  around the county that might have uh similar   results here so I I think this is providing  a template for how do we start to get the   initial testing aside um I I think there's going  to be some litigation coming forward with various   parties I'm not in tune of anything special there  I can just kind of foresee that happening as well   um so again this is this is a template I know  I have sites down south and sites out east and   west and all over the county that we're going to  have to address um but we also want to recognize   the particular disparity that goes on within  this particular neighborhood as well so this   is just again the first step um a lot of great  Partnerships to get to where we are now with   Grace Med Hunter Health commissioner batty um some  from the governor's office and some of our state   representatives as well um a lot of work that's  been going on and council member Johnson as well   so I just want to acknowledge all the the work  that's gone on so far and then the work that's   going to have to continue again in the future from  this point forward so uh that's all I have to say   thank you council member johnon thanks mayor  uh thank you lant um just to address some of   that and the steps were taking today um I would  say that the community voice has definitely been   heard uh in each of those meetings whether uh some  of those meetings were productive or not the voice   has been heard the frustration has been heard  we've heard the stories of people who are dealing   with cancer now have dealt with cancer before I  haven't publicly said it my great uncle actually   had kidney disease when he died he lived a block  across from the um pollution area so I believe   that's been heard and that's what's been spurring  action whether it was me or commissioner Cruz now   chairman batty um our city staff the county staff  we've all been talking about that because not only   did we hear Community voice but we also knew that  it was important to address this I am grateful for   everyone who has been at the table or qc's who are  task with doing this work those who just started   doing it at Grace Med immediately seder County the  medical Society Kansas Health Foundation kued um   project access at one point I mean all of these  folks have been at the table talking about this   in meeting Community will be at the table as well  going forward as this plan that we have continued   to work on progresses there will be much more  engagement intentionally with the neighborhoods   who've been impacted those who represent those  areas and making sure that they understand um   the plan going forward but we have to get to that  point and today is just a small step forward to   that when you hear about Community raising money  that does not mean you need to write a check   although we wouldn't turn down anything um we are  working with the Kansas Health Foundation to not   only uh hopefully receive some funds with them but  they'll also help us look for other philanthropic   opportunities to raise money so that's not asking  the people who've been impacted to give anything   but it's looking for other ways to address  this issue together because of the mandate   um that we have to have a local match so we're  working through all of that and again working   with cedri County um we were looking at 125,000  as indicated in the presentation they would be   looking at 125,000 that gives us a quarter million  of the million doll match uh I'm fairly confident   we'll get to that full million and again with  the funding that the state allocated through   kdh uh towards this I believe that we are uh on  the right path with a plan that addresses some   immediate testing needs as well as long-term the  biggest challenge with the longterm is as you talk   about this has been a 50-year issue uh the main  thing we looked at is how do we address everything   without begging the legislature for assistance  every year uh money was allocated that had to   be spent by June 30th of this year that's not fair  to anyone once we realize that people have to give   more than one test so if we gave them one test and  said hey it looks uh like you might have something   but we don't have enough money to test you again  that would be a problem so looking at longterm is   the most important thing for anyone who's still  here moved away or might learn about it later so   we are again taking the voice of the community to  Heart working on the plan to address those things   long term and we will definitely welcome community  members into um going forward but a lot of what   I had explained to a few of the community members  I know that talk to you is that internally we had   to work with our different levels of government  we had to figure out how things worked we had to   make sure all our questions were answered and then  we didn't do anything we we couldn't do or weren't   supposed to do and then also working with fqhcs a  lot of sensitive information was being shared and   that was why it was just us but going forward  with the plan Community will be able to be at   that table as well so I wanted to address all of  that again I'm supportive of taking this step it   wasn't a um this is all we have left to give we've  been planning towards this for quite some time and   this just happened to be a pot of funds that  we could use to make that work council member   glassock thank you mayor councilman Williams uh  thank you for your comments I believe this is a   priority of government to address this and I know  that councilman Johnson and the manager have been   very integral in this and working with Partners  at kdhe um and the EPA um I support These funds   because I see it as an addition to what we're  trying to um focus on in that area but I think   you offered a really good reminder um that we  need to hear from the bench as well is not just   answering the sins of the past but also mitigating  this and future consequences and making sure that   a lot of the decisions we have appear that we're  taking those things into consideration for future   generations to make sure we don't have this  happen again and either that Community or a   different part of the community so thank you  for that reminder today and appreciate uh you coming I will just add one more  comment um the remaining funds   from the high at sale will now get us to zero  on that fund and this will again uh 125,000   will go towards if approved uh towards this uh  local match and then $ 32,44 will go towards   Transit city manager can you just address that  um how that money is going to be used in terms   of transit public transit uh mayor the U there  was a public hearing as you know last week on   the new Transit plan that will be coming back to  you this spring after all the public comments have   been received and incorporated into the plan um  the there are multiple phases for implementation   and uh there uh depending on the council's  final action and Direction uh we have about   $1.5 million already available um possibly a  little bit more plus this money that will be   added for implementation how how that will be  used will again be determined by your actions   on the plan it's possible that you may want to do  something in terms of expanded hours uh which is   not in the first phase uh it may be that there  are is equipment that we want to uh to purchase   and we'll need a local match so again you'll  have some control over how that money is spent   that's we wanted flexibility in that regard  and as you know mayor PA of Transit has been   an issue that has come up a number of times and  maybe some of that money could be used to um uh   benefit our parat transit system the reminder is  it wiah Transit plan.com so folks can go to that   as it was presented just last week on Thursday to  the public can you correct me if I am wrong wiatr   Transit plan.com that is correct I just looked  it up so um for those interested this is another   piece this is separate from the 29th and Grove  contamination site but we are talking about these   Hiatt funds and a portion of that will go towards  uh public transit so public buses uh which Tod   Transit plan.com council member Johnson thanks  mayor I also forgot to address another future   thing um as we know the groundw still contaminated  some of the soil is still contaminated uh the city   is working with um arcadis and Union Pacific on  getting those devices in the ground here at some   point as well so we know until those get into  the ground there're still contam amination and   that 10-year clock does not start so it is a  goal of mine as well as I know the council to   get that done this year um our Public Works and  utilities team is being very diligent on trying   to get through the last couple hurdles to get that  to happen so expect some news on that too at some   point once we get through that but they did hold  a uh open house in June of last year to talk more   about that with all of the designs and potential  locations of where those devices would be   council member Johnson would you like to do the  honors I would thank you mayor I move that the   city council place the ordinance on first reading  adopt the amending resolution and authorize the   necessary signatures second motion and a second  any further discussion I see none Madame clerk   please open the role motion passes 70 Madame clerk  please call the next item a 2413 TCS LLC requests   the annexation of land generally located on the  northeast corner of West MacArthur Road in Highway k42 good morning Scott wle from the planning  department so as you heard uh this item is   being presented today because one this is an  island indexation and the state statutes require   resolution to be sent from the city to the county  requesting that the board of County Commissioners   find that the annexation will not hinder or  prevent proper growth and development and the   second reason is because this is generally the  opportunity for public comment on the process in   terms of the requests the applicant is requesting  annexation for three Parcels the requested   annexation would be an island annexation because  it does not touch the city of witchta although   it is very close the subject site is located  approximately 245 ft Southwest of the witcha city   limits in terms of the property it's generally  located near the intersection of MacArthur and   k42 the site is approximately 4.37 AC acres in  size and it is undeveloped and in agricultural   use the applicant has indicated that they intend  to submit an application reone the property and   has already submitted an application to replat the  property into 15 Lots there's a mention of context   and that's identified what's surrounding it as you  can see here on the area is further identified in   detail in the staff report in terms of services  the staff report also includes uh a review of   services and the ability of the city to provide  them at the subject site that includes a review   of water service Sewer Service streets police  fire and parks in terms of community plans the   subject site is within the witto 2035 Urban growth  area as shown in the comprehensive plan in terms   of financial considerations staff estimate that  the property as currently developed would result   in just under $10 in annual city tax revenues  now Future Property Tax is unknown at this time   because the applicant did not submit specific  development plans however we do know that they   uh have indicated they intend to develop it as  duplexes future Capital maintenance and operation   cost for City infrastructure and services are  unknown at this time in terms of council action   it's recommended the city initiate the annexation  process and adopt the resolution and just a note   on process that this is an annexation case and  not a zoning item so it's recommended the city   council take public comment on this item with that  I'll take you through just a few more slides here   so here's the aerial now on this one uh you  notice the blue lines those are water lines   and the green lines those represent sewer Lines  by the city of witchdom um in terms of related   cases there's a couple of plats one that took  Place previously and one uh that is just going   through the process right now in terms of the  annexation process again uh the purpose uh the   reason why we're here is to follow State statutes  which requires city council would request the city   count uh the County Commission to make a finding  so again the recommended action and with that   I'll stand for any questions questions for staff  see none we'll now open it up for public comment I see none I'll bring it back to the bench this  resides in council member Glascock District   thank you mayor um I make a motion that the city  council initiate the annexation process adopt the   resolution and authorize the necessary signatures  second motion and a second any further discussion   I see none Madame clerk please open the RO motion  passes 70 Madame clerk please call the next item selection of appeal panel to hear appeal  of suspension of an off- permit retailer license will there be a presentation or do we just  assign mayor I'll jump in there is no presentation   this is just a procedural requirement for the  council to hold a public hear but not a public   hear an administrative hearing that's not part  of council meeting what is needed today is just   a motion to appoint three members to serve on  this panel wait can we appoint them from this   bench or this is an off this is um From the  Bench three of you serve on this very good I   I believe that we heard about this during agenda  and two individuals were or two districts were   also identified this happens to be in District  number one which is council member Johnson   district and then it was going to go according  to numerical order uh districts one and two   have already served so now it's three and four so  that would be council member um Mike hoheisel and   council member Dalton Glascock along with council  member Brandon Johnson uh council member Johnson   I withdrew my name you explained everything so  yes I volunteer myself council member hoisel   thank you mayor uh withdraw names is that is that  we able to do that on another level here or am I   kind of stuck in this we can't go newbies no no  no no appetite for that okay I'll remember this   thank you guys M glot I'll also accept thank  you very much council members Johnson hoisel   and Glascock who will be the three council members  to attend um this appeal panel process so I move   to to uh select the three council members  Johnson hoisel and Glascock to preside over   administrative appeal of a license suspension  second motion and a second we also have council   member tutle now thank you and I'm not sure what  director of law was going to say but if I can   offer some unsolicited advice which I'm famous  for when council member Johnson and I did this   within council member blueb we didn't really  um go into it knowing exactly what that what   was going to happen so if you get a chance and  if it's appropriate um the three might want to   meet with legal just so they have a a full  expectation of what was going to happen it   would have gone smoother I think if we would have  known what to expect and how to prepare so just my   thoughts thank you good luck Leal will be happy  to meet with the three of you and we do need to   get it scheduled um shortly after so we'll be in  touch council member hoisel thank you mayor I did   have one quick question it says the suspension is  January 15th to February 1 um is that suspension   it's state the appeal been St so will it be like  a 30-day suspension from if we make that decision   or is the end date still February 3 you know it  stayed through your decision um see what happens   at the hearing it stay as my understanding  until that time okay thank you we have a   motion and a second any further discussion  I see none Madame clerk please open the role motion passes 70 Madame clerk  please recall item number two SIM Golf Course irrigation vendor selection council member um Glock you had  questions we um are in in terms of the term   of the completion date of the agreement um  that is 120 days the vendor has um committed   to an earlier completion date of 60 to 90 um  for the warranty we have a one-year warranty   on uh workmanship assip associated with and uh  confirming five years as the warranty required   by the RFP um as the minimum manufacturer warranty  of 5 years we are not um determined not not able   to determine the 25-year warranty that's  referenced in in the solicitation documents   at this time it looks like more a fiveyear  at this time for the pipe product and work   okay one year on installation so will the Green  Sheet be updated so that the public knows those changes we can reflect that on a note the Sheet's   been issued um that can be  an add-on I think maybe to probably the best way to do it we are confirming  that warranty just to clarify but we believe it   is a maximum of five years council member  Glascock thank you mayor um this may be   a question for Jesse or for Reggie but is it  industry standard to have the 25 years listed   on the Green Sheet versus the five years I felt  very comfortable the 25-year warranty given the   replacement every 25 years the 5year warranty  worries me some so could you maybe speak to that why the 25 years reference  on there because majority of the   products that's been purchased of from  Toro and the manufacturer has a 25-year   warranty on their products so that's  why it's referencing there with the 25 years council member Ballard never mind council member hoisel thank you mayor  so it's 25 years warranty on the parts 5year   warranty on the contractor coming back in and  replacing any of the parts and then a one-year   warranty on the workmanship and that's what we'll  have to get clarification on it I know that Toro   itself has a 25y year warranty on the actual  product itself we have to get clarification on   the vendor's installation and the cost with that  time frame okay so if it breaks six years down   the road um we don't have to replace the parts  but we do have to pay somebody to come in and   dig it up that's my understanding but we'll get  clarification on that okay and then the five years   we have a warranty on both the company coming in  and then also the parts jump in that we know that   we've required the five years warranty on there  may be a higher longer warranty that the parts   manufacturer provides that's the only thing we can  to as a requirement for the the product okay so   then it's a one-year warranty on having warranty  on installation okay so the contract will come   back in within a year free essentially correct  okay thank you any further questions for staff I   see none we'll now open it up for public comment  if anyone would like to speak on the Sim Golf   Course irrigation I see none I'll bring it back to  the bench council member Glascock thank you mayor   um I'm supportive of the irrigation implementation  I am concerned about maybe the discrepancy I have   a few questions um so this actually might be  a follow-up question for Reggie because I know   that we're trying to get this um up and running  before the season so I think this completion would   be what 60 days would be in beginning of April or  the 90day period beginning of April was our goal   would a delay to February 6 while we attempt  to get these [Music] answers disrupt that   process if they said what the guarantee in the  contract is 120 days they said they could get   it done within 60 to 90 days so theoretically  it shouldn't be but what would be your take on that they gave a 90day not to exceed once the  actual contract they've gotten approval to   move forward uh the existing system will stay in  place during that time frame so we will still have irrigation council member Ballard thank you  mayor um just wanted to comment congratulations   to Jesse that's why he's not here he just had  a sweet baby boy so congratulations to him um   you just ask if a delay would interfere  with the work and you said no Reggie they're not moving forward with the work until  we give them authorization then have 90 days   not to exceed to complete the project okay okay  thank you council member hoisel thank you mayor   so would it be appropriate to maybe delay  it one week and then just put it on consent   since we have brought it up to the public or is  there appetite for that or do we want to wait   until beginning of February if we delay I guess  that's more or it's it's your decision but that   would be an option to till next okay next week  is consent only yeah I mean it would be consent   so we wouldn't be able to have it on a public  agenda but um If all we're seeking right now   is just clarification of this I don't want to  delay any of the improvements but it would be   nice to have some clarification vice mayor  John ston thank you I think the point is to   getting things ordered to get it going going  it's always a supply chain challenge so the   sooner we get ordered the better off it is so I  I would say we proceed we know what the guarant   there is a guarantee it's maybe unclear what  it is but but there is a guarantee you know   Torah offers 25 years on the parts there's  no way anybody's going to offer a 25 year of installation my house they done out in my  house because lots of repairs on my house   so I would say we go ahead and approve council  member Glock thank you I would feel probably a   little bit more comfortable with councilman hoel's  um suggestion I'm just trying to do the quick math   or if unfortunately we have consent agenda uh next  week but so February 4th would be the first day   could be heard here that would put us at March  4th April 4th May 4th with a 90-day period um   it doesn't seem like that would be prohibitive  especially if they said 60 days that puts us at   April 4th instead of May 4th so those are just  some of my thoughts but I'm still interested in   discussion I just have some concerns with the  Green Sheet saying that the proposal included   a 25-year warranty not that I believe staff is Mis  leading at all um I just believe that that is not   what is necessarily inside of this right now and  we still have questions about what are the actual   terms of the contract vice mayor John Sten I mean  I don't know I'm not don't have a turf management   degree but if you're going to plant grass you're  probably going to do it in the spring want to make   sure you have your irrigation not disturbing the  planting of grass so you're going to plant grass   you're going to do it in the spring and you need  the irrigation to do that and honestly May is too late that's that's the only thing I  would say I don't know can't speak   for Jesse I guess he's having a baby  wife's having a baby but that may be a consideration are there other council  members who would like to chime in on   either delaying this or moving  forward with it knowing that the   Green Sheet is incorrect or has  not been verified at this time is there a motion from I move to take  the recommended action approve the   vendor selection approve the contract and  authorize the necessary signatures second   motion and a second any further discussion  I see none Madam clerk please open the rooll motion passes 5 to2 Madame  clerk please call the next item approved to exceed the gift limit as established  by the ethics ordinance for council member tutle   to accept travel to attend the Early Childhood  advocacy day in Topeka on February 5th 2025 for   the purpose of networking with Early Childhood  Advocates and meeting with lawmakers the estimated   gift amount from child start for travel is $100  I move council member tle I I just wanted to let   everyone know that I'll be traveling with Tanya  and and with Adrien lad who's our supervisor for   child care licensing um and so there will be  no cost incurred to the city thank you thank   you council member Tuttle I move to approve  this travel second motion and a second any   further discussion I see none Madame clerk please  open the role motion passes 70 Madam clerk please   call the next item approve to exceed the gift  amount as established by the ethics ordinance for   council member Tuttle to accept travel to attend  a child care site visit in Hutchinson on February   3rd 2025 for the purpose of an opportunity  for early learning advocates in witchta to   meet with Early Learning Advocates and elected  officials in Reno County and Hutchinson to share   success and Lessons Learned the estimated  gift amount from child start for travel is $40 council member Tuttle thank you um just to  give a little bit of background um Tanya bulock   who's the CEO of child start Inc which I'm a  board member um we gave a presentation at a   Statewide conference about the economic impact of  child care some folks from Reno County Hutchinson   saw us including an elected official so back in  the fall they came to see us um and wanted to   learn about what we're doing and so now we are  going to reciprocate that and we're going to go   to Henson in Reno County and meet with a few of  their elected officials but then learn all the   great things they're doing and the will be no cost  to the city and I will come back with information   learned so that I can share it with my colleagues  and community members thank you thank you council   member Tuttle I move to approve that gift travel  second motion and a second any further discussion   I see none Madam clerk please open the rooll  motion passes 70 Madame clerk please call the next   item council member appointments and comments are  there any appointments by council members we'll   begin with vice mayor Johnston thank you mayor I'd  like to appoint Randy timsh to the sustainability board r n any other appointments I see none  I move to approve the appointment made by   vice mayor Johnston second motion and a  second any further discussion I see none   Madame clerk please open the role motion  passes 70 we will now have council member common we'll begin with council member Johnson  thanks mayor um just wanted to highlight publicly   I had an opportunity to tour the emergency  winter shelter yesterday um I think they are   seeing numbers that they did not expect um almost  hitting 300 and um there's a lot needs there for   anyone wanting to help out there are a lot of  volunteer needs severely needed um just from the   time I was there they need help with um serving  food they need help with cleaning um so anyone who   has any interest in that or wants to help um this  would be a great time to reach out and sign out to   volunteer if you have any additional food again um  they were expecting numbers higher than the food   that they had yesterday so if you have um items  that have not expired there have been some folks   who brought expired items please do not do that  our unhoused people deserve to not eat expired   items just like us but if you have unexpired food  or want to donate food there they definitely could   use that so again uh anybody who can help out who  wants to help out they need your help down at the shelter council member Ballard thank you mayor uh  I just wanted to say last week I was at the State   of the State and kudos to council member tutle  for all of her work on child care that seemed   to be a big topic that she shared about and um so  appreciate the hard work that that you're doing   here for um which johon SRI County because  it's spreading throughout the state and also   on Saturday I'm having my district 6 coffee at  Evergreen at 9:00 if anyone wants to come hang out   council member Glascock thank you mayor I'm  going to be the cheerleader for the city for   a quick second uh just a reminder to everybody in  the community of the US national figure skating   competition which is going to be in witchta  this weekend previous communities have seen   an $8 million economic impact from this and so  I'm planning on going three or four nights uh   this week to enjoy the competition and tickets  are available online I would highly recommend   individuals to go it's really exciting driving  by um the Arena and seeing signs again driving by   the stadium and seeing fencing up driving by the  arena and seeing signs up and then knowing that we   also have the basketball tournament coming up as  well it's super exciting and then because the city   manager uh left his position at the art museum  I had the chance to uh be the city's appointee   to the art museum and this upcoming Friday  there's a new exhibit that's being presented   I do not want to uh butcher the title of uh the  exhibit but it's it's also called interwoven um   it's going to be opening up on Friday I think  it opens to the general public on Saturday um   it has to do with Pakistani art um they'll be uh  it's an incredible facility I toured the museum   again this week and to seeing how they rotate the  permanent exhibit even differently from when I was   there four months ago um I want to give a shout  out to the curator the entire team at the Museum   and would encourage everybody to attend it is free  except the rotating Exhibit cost but the permanent   exhibit is free to all witch ends whenever the  museum is open council member hoisel thank you   mayor I'd just like to thank Jamie Buster for  coming back today um apparently she's a glutton   for punishment so she agreed to step in today um  it's always a pleasure to see your your smiling   face up here uh and also to our Comm staff why am  I always getting stuck on the wings it's almost   like you guys don't want me in the middle in the  shot um I I see what they really think of me but I   I think if I'm in the middle our viewership goes  up so I'm just putting that out there in case we   want to switch again before them but three out  of the four times I've been uh had a seat up   here it's been on the very end so noted that's  all I'll say I actually I think Johnson council   member Johnson just said he'd be willing to trade  if you'd like to trade his seat symbolically I'm   like at the end of my term and that's the end  of the bench I can bring you over here everybody   has all the the beard and all of that I'll just  sit on the anend I can look directly at so from   this bench I know that everything has to be voted  on so is there an actual formal move that you'd   like to make council member hoisel no ma'am I was  just having a little bit of fun we have to have a   little bit of fun From the Bench from time to time  thank you um I do have just a couple of comments   before we go into executive session sorry to uh  burst the bubble sorry council members um but I   do want to say that there's some good news about  wichon so I always like to share that um just last   week on Friday witto was named one of the most  affordable places to retire by go banking rates   so this is cause for celebration and as we have  um shared on social media last week also uh witcha   was named one of the top 50 best performing cities  according to the milen in Institute that measures   economic Vitality of 403 US cities uh that report  again great way to celebrate our community and it   is a culmination of CommunityWide efforts to  diversify and grow witch's economy that report   is one that past and present councils other  elected bodies like Cedric County the private   sector like greater witcha partnership and the  witcha Chamber of Commerce the education community   like witto State University and everyone who  lives works and plays in witto can truly be   proud of and it's an inspiration to continue  to work to expand and diversify our city for   continued growth with that um I will now move to  the executive session so right now it's 1208 I   move that the city council recess into executive  session for 20 minutes to receive information on   lawsuit pursuant to KSA 75- 4319 B2 for legal  consultation with the city attorney which would be   deemed privileged in the attorney client priv uh  relationship pending litigation as well as legal   advice um this is due in part to protect attorney  client privilege and the public interest now this   executive session is 20 minutes in length so  um we also need a quick little break so so I   propose that we get a 5 minute break so 12:15 will  begin this executive session and come back from   executive session at 12:35 p.m. second motion and  a second any further discussion I see none Madame   clerk please open the rle motion passes 70 we'll  go into executive session after a quick [Music] break e