[0:00] Learn more at downtownLS.org. If you see a pot hole reported on L.S. Connect, it's a quick and easy way for residents to report common non-emergency concerns, such as pot holes and streetlights, simply snap the photo, mark the location and submit the report.

[0:16] The L.S. Connect app is free to download on any Apple or Android device. L.S. Connect is also available online at CityVLS.net.

[0:24] Thanks for listening and have a great week.

[0:26] Every time you turn on a tap, high quality water is ready, but where does it come from?

[0:32] In lease summit, water flows from two trusted sources, the Missouri River, and its surrounding aquifer.

[0:38] This water is collected and treated in the cities of independence and Kansas City.

[0:44] In independence, the Courtney Bend Water Treatment Plant operates 42 water wells.

[0:48] These wells reach 85 to 125 feet underground, drawing water up from the Missouri River aquifer.

[0:55] and underground water source that naturally filters water through layers of soil and rock.

[1:00] The facility filters, cleans, and softens the water before pumping up to 7.5 million gallons a day to lease summit.

[1:08] In Kansas City, the KC Water Treatment Plant draws water from the aquifer and the surface of the Missouri River.

[1:14] It then filters, cleans, and softens the water before pumping up to 25 million gallons per day to lease summit.

[1:21] In least summer, water utilities controls the flow of these sources into the local system, advanced software monitors the entire system, including three pumping stations, and eight water storage tanks, which maintain the water's pressure as it moves through 639 miles of water mains, carrying it to your home and the homes of more than 100,000 citizens.

[1:43] Water Utilities staff collects samples from throughout the system and send them for extensive laboratory testing,

[1:50] ensuring your water is safe, meeting, or exceeding state and federal standards.

[1:56] When you turn on a tap, you're accessing a vast system spanning hundreds of miles,

[2:01] each foot carefully planned and strategically maintained, a system that leverages innovation to harness nature,

[2:07] Turning a vital life source into an ordinary convenience, bringing you safe, reliable, high-quality

[2:14] water, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To learn more about lease summit water, visit

[2:22] lswater.net.

[4:26] What's coming to lease summit? The development minute is here to help.

[4:30] Costco is being built at the southeast corner of 50 and 291. Costco is a membership-based warehouse

[4:36] retailer offering bulk goods, groceries, services, and discounted products.

[4:41] Costco marks phase one of the East Village Development and is projected to open in late August.

[4:46] Seven brewery drive through coffee is coming to the corner of 291 in southeast fifth street.

[4:50] Seven brewery was a drive through beverage destination serving coffee,

[4:54] teas, energy drinks, and smoothies. Seven brewery was in final development plan and building permit review.

[5:00] And a mixed use development is in the early stages of construction at 150 and 291. Ovation is a master plan community, featuring housing, commercial development and neighborhood amenities. Phase 1 of Ovation is targeted for completion this fall.

[5:13] Five-four draft houses under construction and the new old and village development. The next generation of 54 Street, five-four offers updated spaces, drafts, and dining. Five-four is slated to open this fall.

[5:25] All

[5:29] of the city's storm system end up either in a creek or a lake.

[5:34] We have five or six lakes in the city.

[5:37] We have numerous creeks in the city.

[5:40] All of that is open conveyance, which means there is no treatment.

[5:45] If it goes into the curb inlet, it will end up in a creek or a stream or a lake with zero

[5:52] treatment.

[5:52] Things that people don't know, they should not put down the storm sewer system.

[5:56] grass clippings. We cannot be blowing grass clippings off of your lawn into the street from the street

[6:03] into the storm in life. Your waist leaves, trash, washing your car. If you have a commercial vehicle,

[6:12] the city by code requires that you wash your commercial vehicle at a commercial car wash.

[6:17] If you're washing your car in your driveway, your personal vehicle, you can wash your car in your driveway

[6:22] by code. Keep in mind though that all of the soaps, the detergents, everything you use,

[6:28] the waxes on your car, will discharge down into the storm sewer so we would recommend

[6:34] that you use an actual car wash to just get all of that captured properly and it will

[6:41] be then be discharged and managed properly as opposed to potentially impacting the streams

[6:46] that are nearby. Or the July comes along, people should off their fireworks, they leave

[6:50] at the edge of their driveway, which is a good place temporarily. Let's

[6:54] cool down. But at the end of that, they do not belong in the street to get

[6:59] washed down the street, swept down the street into the storm system. If you

[7:02] don't want to swim in a lake full of trash, we don't recommend you discard

[7:07] your trash that way.

[7:12] The city of Lee Summit has hundreds of traffic lights across

[7:14] it's more than 1,000 lane miles, all managed by the city's public works traffic

[7:19] technicians.

[7:21] The work happens inside those metal boxes on the side of each intersection.

[7:26] Inside, technicians program a device called the controller.

[7:28] The controller communicates directly with each signal head via underground wires, telling

[7:33] each light when it turns on and off, based on a program cycle.

[7:37] City traffic engineers design this cycle to allow traffic to flow as efficiently as possible

[7:41] for that particular intersection.

[7:43] In order to best match current traffic patterns, they install something called a detection

[7:48] system.

[7:48] Detection systems have taken many forms over the years from sensors in the pavement to radar boxes,

[7:54] but in least some it, they primarily consist of cameras, which workers mount above the traffic signals.

[7:59] These cameras don't record video or your speed. Instead, they monitor the spaces at the front of the intersection

[8:05] and identify when a vehicle's present in a specific spot. Once a vehicle is identified,

[8:09] the detection system sends a message to the controller, which then adapts its standard cycle to best serve the cars

[8:14] that a present. The pedestrian button works in a similar way. When the button is pressed,

[8:19] the controller receives a signal, requesting that it allow that section of the pedestrian

[8:23] walkway to go. Which then inserts into the signal pattern. Technicians also install something

[8:29] called a conflict monitor. The conflict monitor is a device in which they program all the potential

[8:34] patterns of lights that would lead to a collision. If the other systems mistakenly trigger

[8:38] those patterns, the conflict monitor sends the intersection into flash, causing all lights

[8:43] flash, red, and directing drivers to treat it like an always-stop.

[8:49] City traffic technicians implement and maintain these systems so effectively, we rarely consider

[8:53] them.

[8:54] But every time we safely pass through a signal-controlled intersection, it's all thanks to

[8:58] their work.

[8:59] So the next time you're waiting on a red light, remember the delicate coordination of super

[9:03] smart systems that move you through that space safely and efficiently every day.

[9:07] We're

[9:11] out of night 14 on the road.

[15:47] Everyone please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance.

[15:58] Let's take a moment to reflect on the work before us tonight. May we approach our decisions with open

[16:05] minds, engage in respectful dialogue and work together for the betterment of our city. May all

[16:11] of our decisions be guided by what is best for all of our residents in a spirit of community.

[16:40] Welcome, everyone. I'd like to call to order the City Council regular session number 8.

[16:47] Could I please have roll call?

[16:49] Council Member Frazier, President, Council Member Raider, Council Member Cravens,

[16:56] Council Member Funk, Council Member Carlisle, Council Member Prior, Council Member

[17:05] Mayer-Protem Shields.

[17:08] Mayor Lopez.

[17:11] Just for information purposes.

[17:13] We have two Council people not here tonight.

[17:15] And we have one that is with the virtually.

[17:18] So if you hear her voice, she will be casting her vote verbally.

[17:23] So thank you.

[17:24] All right.

[17:25] So we move on with the agenda.

[17:27] We need to approve the agenda.

[17:30] We have a motion made by Mayor Pretem Shields.

[17:32] the second by Council Member Cravens. Any discussion? If not, please cast your vote

[17:46] and a computer

[17:47] stuck.

[17:53] What does this mean?

[17:53] Wait till she.

[17:56] Is the vote cast up?

[17:58] It's not up.

[18:10] We can be verbal until you get it going. Is that all right?

[18:14] Reboot.

[18:17] Okay, is it up now? Is there a motion showing?

[18:19] No.

[18:20] Yes. Well, the motion showing, but not. There you go.

[18:23] The

[18:35] agenda is approved, 7-0, please record that vote.

[18:39] Thank you.

[18:41] It takes us to the consent agenda.

[18:48] We have a motion by Mayor pretend sheels in a second by Councilmember Carlisle.

[18:51] Any discussion?

[18:52] If not, please cast your vote.

[19:00] One, there we go.

[19:01] consent agenda is approved, 7-0.

[19:03] Please record that.

[19:04] Thank you.

[19:05] All right.

[19:06] It takes us to Council Roundtable.

[19:11] Anything you want to bring up in this past week?

[19:14] Yes, Mayor pretend shields down town Main Street will be having their sidewalk sell 26

[19:19] weekends. So Saturday from 10 to 5. Great, thank you. Can't remember fun.

[19:25] Thank you, Mayor. Today, I attended the ribbon cutting to the new store, bricks, and

[19:30] many figs, which is a logo store, Lego store, and they have all kinds of extra parts and

[19:37] pieces for Legos, as well as new Legos and things like that. So all of us adults who stepped

[19:42] on our kids' Lego pieces and through them somewhere we could never find, they have all the added

[19:46] pieces for them over there.

[19:48] Thank you.

[19:49] Very good.

[19:50] Thank you.

[19:50] Appreciate you.

[19:51] All right.

[19:52] So that takes us to a proclamation.

[19:54] And we have a really cool proclamation tonight.

[19:57] You all want to meet me at front.

[19:59] Everyone with blue spring.

[20:27] This proclamation recognizes the blue spring south high school varsity baseball team for their hard work, strong team work, and successful 2026 season. The team earned a 28 and 10 record advanced to the playoffs, and won their second consecutive Missouri class six state championship on June 6, 2026.

[20:45] So, now I

[20:50] get a few applause this tonight. So, now I bet the low peasant, virtue of the authority vested in me is mayor for the city of the summer Missouri.

[20:58] Do here by present this proclamation to the Blue Spring South Jaguars baseball team in honor of their triumphant win as a

[21:06] 2026 Missouri State Champions Class 6 Division and congratulate each team member the coaches and the parents of the Jaguar baseball team on their well-earned and outstanding victory.

[21:17] All right. One more clap. Come on.

[21:23] Before I have coach introduce himself.

[21:25] I have to give a little personal tidbit three Jaguars a graduated in my house, and so

[21:32] last time we stood up here celebrating Jaguars victory with my daughter.

[21:36] So, on the softball team, and they won their second back-to-back title, so, so, congratulations.

[21:41] I know that's a lot of hard work, I know the coaches, you all put a lot of time into this as well,

[21:46] and you guys deserve it.

[21:49] I know in the off-season, it's not just shown up to practice, it's y'all work on your own,

[21:54] hitting defense, I code scroll softball, but I played baseball as well and it's not easy to do it two years in a row. It was pretty impressive.

[22:03] Very proud of that.

[22:04] So let's go ahead and introduce each other.

[22:07] I'm Clint Longwell, assistant coach.

[22:09] Sean Kellyanne, assistant coach.

[22:12] Been bare on the head coach.

[22:13] I would like to say one thing about COVID, this group of guys.

[22:17] These group of young men, they showed up every day to work.

[22:22] They play for each other.

[22:23] It's something in our society more that you don't really see a whole lot of it more and more

[22:26] it's about the individual.

[22:28] These guys showed every day and they worked for each other and it's a great group of guys.

[22:34] Jamie Phillips Parker Ward, Lucas Annlon, our chief butram, Zaden Ham, Wyatt Taylor,

[22:43] D.A.J. Robertson, Griffin Robertson,

[22:48] Mile and Bristo,

[22:50] Bennett Collins,

[22:52] Cooper Callahan,

[22:54] Nathan Hickman,

[22:55] Isaac Rosh,

[22:57] Blake Morgan.

[23:00] Thanks, guys.

[23:01] How many of you live in the summit?

[23:04] There you go.

[23:06] That's why they're here.

[23:07] They're at least some of the residents.

[23:09] So, we're just congratulating you again

[23:11] and how about let's take a photo.

[23:12] What do you think?

[23:13] It's good,

[23:16] bunch up,

[23:26] guys.

[23:35] I'm

[23:48] sorry, could we stop then just a bit more

[23:54] trying to get everybody's heads?

[23:59] Thank you.

[24:22] You all are welcome to stay for the whole meeting.

[24:28] Now they are in it.

[24:30] You know, Councilmember Funksons went to police

[24:32] makes that to you, right?

[24:33] So that's kind of cool.

[24:35] All right, so we're going to proceed with the agenda.

[24:38] That takes us to the public comments part of the agenda.

[24:43] And we have a number of people that want to speak.

[24:46] And it would just go in the order that I got the packet.

[24:49] So we have Thomas PAR.

[25:00] Yes, right there sir.

[25:03] You are from the New Mary neighborhood.

[25:06] Your address please.

[25:08] You can see your address as well.

[25:10] Your address as well.

[25:11] 1613 southeast Dalton Drive.

[25:13] Wait.

[25:15] Great, thank you.

[25:16] Speaking of baseball,

[25:18] you guys are great,

[25:20] but there's a practice baseball field

[25:22] by the New Middle School behind our neighborhood.

[25:27] There are 20 years.

[25:28] The baseball field has been there for the last three, I think.

[25:31] I haven't seen anybody use it yet, I'm getting there getting here.

[25:36] I'm going to raise the mic up a little.

[25:38] I haven't seen anybody use it yet, but

[25:44] I've been told that I was quiet.

[25:49] Thank you.

[25:55] Three nice neighborhoods around there, no kids out playing baseball,

[25:58] on that practice field.

[26:00] I was just curious as to what it would take to open that up

[26:03] to give some of the kids and at least some of the place to go play.

[26:08] Like with the new developments that are coming around, maybe we could put a tennis quarter of

[26:15] baseball field in there where the kids could go play, have something to do besides take

[26:21] care of the problem and down town lease.

[26:23] I'm at where they seem to go on these rampages, which brings me to my second point, used

[26:30] to live in Redland, California right across the highway, interstate 10 from San Bernardino,

[26:35] the highest for elite population in the state of California was in San Bernardino.

[26:41] We had lots of outdoor fares, downtown activities, a lot of cool things going on.

[26:47] One thing we did have was about 10 Belgian malwares on the police force out there.

[26:52] Kept, they did some interesting things, brought the news cameras out about twice a year to

[26:58] show what they were capable of and whenever we had a big gathering in town, we pulled

[27:04] with them, and son of a gun. We didn't have that much problem with people running rampant.

[27:11] I'm really disappointed that we collapsed after the downtown day's incident, which brings

[27:19] me to, I would like to know if we can find out what I understand seven juveniles have been

[27:25] charged. I'd like to know how that's progressing. I'd also like to know about the shooting over

[27:31] at the fitness center that they built next to our neighborhood in Newbury that convicted

[27:35] felon that showed up to play basketball with a pistol in his pocket. I'm kind of

[27:40] curious I haven't heard much about that, but other than my neighbors, all of us talking

[27:47] about, you know, what's going on at Lee Summit, that's what we hear about. And that's really

[27:58] we're going to pay for all of the expansion for all of the apartment buildings because if they're

[28:05] going to hire their own private security and fire department and water service, that's fine,

[28:11] if they're not and they need to bear their fair share. That's all I got to say. Thank you, Sarah.

[28:17] Appreciate that. We'll go with Mr. Alshowish.

[28:28] You know, Mr. Par as a great

[28:30] comment he made there because I thought about that a lot myself so I coach you athletes

[28:36] and I called the city not too long ago and I said hey I want to do some sprint training

[28:41] with some kids. Is there a field that you guys have that isn't under lock and key where we can

[28:45] just go sprint or maybe on Thanksgiving schools that we can play soccer or Tulsa football around

[28:51] and they said no they referred me to private organizations so a city is big it's 110,000 people

[28:57] We've got no place where kids can just go out and run on a flat field, where they're not going to roll their ankles, and that's something that needs to be addressed.

[29:04] But that's not what I'm here to talk about today.

[29:06] I want to talk about the court audit of this on the agenda tonight.

[29:09] So back in November, our judges came before the last council and described a problem.

[29:14] They said, we have the same court structure as we did in 1980s when our population was 33,000.

[29:20] It only offers two days per week.

[29:23] And now, you know, our population is not 32,000, so 110,000, but we still have that same

[29:28] two-day per week.

[29:29] They wanted to move it up to four days a week, which would match neighboring municipalities,

[29:34] probably be a little less than some of our neighboring municipalities.

[29:38] And they said, in order to do that, you know, we just need a pay bump, right?

[29:42] We can't work four days a week for 38,000 a year, we'll start, which, you know, I think

[29:48] that's perfectly sensible, perfectly logical thing to do.

[29:52] You guys said, no, no, we're not going to pay you.

[29:54] Instead, we're going to pay a third party to do a study.

[29:57] And the study took around eight months.

[30:00] And we're back here now. And so we basically kicked the can down the road, and we've arrived

[30:05] to the day where we have as a presentation, but I guess there's nothing you can vote on tonight.

[30:10] Maybe you'll call the vote on something to increase these court days for week. But you know,

[30:15] they shared the data. You know, the day they're asking for is not outrageous. The court days for

[30:19] week are needed. You know, we have folks that are waiting a long time for courts, and they're just

[30:24] not being processed efficiently, and it's probably very frustrating to them. So, but I find really

[30:29] interesting about this is it's kind of a microcosm of what's happening in the entire city, right?

[30:34] We want growth and we've pushed her growth aggressively with all these big subsidies and we give

[30:39] so much a way that we can't pay for the infrastructure to support it, right?

[30:43] We can't pay for stormwater, you got to come to us again for stormwater, we can't pay for the

[30:47] courts, you know, the 70,000 year they're asking for us too much.

[30:50] We have to have the same court system as when we had 80,000 less people.

[30:54] And so, you know, this is what we're seeing everywhere.

[30:56] we're seeing with public services. We can't mow this year. We're going to mow half as much this year.

[31:01] And so I think you guys really have to think about this. We know growth can be a good thing.

[31:06] We know that financially, it could be a benefit. But when you stack 40 of these on top of each

[31:10] other in a few years with over a billion dollars, all that money does go into the developer,

[31:15] lining their pockets should be paying for these public services. It should be a no-brainer

[31:19] to expand court operations to be on par with cities that are also 110,000 people.

[31:24] It should be no problem to pay for the storm water, which by the way, how do you think we have this storm water problem?

[31:30] You think maybe when we remove trees and grass and replace them with concrete, the water has nowhere to go

[31:34] And so you guys have to figure out what you're going to do to keep up with the infrastructure and services because it's not working. Thank you.

[31:41] Thank you.

[31:44] Ms. Carol Lewis.

[31:58] Thank you.

[32:02] Just saw a post office book this afternoon about the hotel.

[32:07] It's supposed to go in here sometimes soon.

[32:11] So I should have a couple questions.

[32:15] Is a view of red wax, the dream of a client

[32:19] and a posh hotel,

[32:24] is a Wednesday or Saturday

[32:25] and morning view of trucks emptying out

[32:28] of crates of produce for sale, the dream of a posh hotel,

[32:34] If not, why are we putting that hotel there?

[32:40] Had downtown days not been canceled, would the clients of this posh hotel

[32:46] looked forward to the sounds of carnival barkers and carnival rides on several nights during their stay?

[32:57] And as I looked at the rendering of the hotel this afternoon,

[33:00] And I was really flabbergasted.

[33:02] That's the best word that I can use to describe my feelings, that a nice hotel would

[33:07] be crammed in just such a space.

[33:10] The farmers market area is very pretty, although it seems somewhat pricey.

[33:17] So why?

[33:18] Why would we want to cram this nice hotel into that space, taking up most of the green space,

[33:26] or maybe the two buildings that are there?

[33:28] But I just don't understand at all. Where are people going to park?

[33:35] It just seems ill advised, my opinion. Thanks.

[33:40] Thank you.

[33:43] Shit, Floyd.

[33:48] Hello.

[33:49] I don't know any of you personally at all.

[33:52] Except for maybe send a little because we can't paint together.

[33:56] But I've heard some things about some of you,

[33:58] but I don't know that that's true until I see it or hear it for myself.

[34:01] The things that you say and the things that you do in form my judgment about you as a mayor and a council.

[34:09] You earn your reputation with me. Recently, I asked a council this question, quote,

[34:16] Do you believe that accepting a $500 campaign donation constitutes a conflict of interest

[34:22] when that same applicant comes to you asking for a vote?

[34:26] The answer I got paraphrased is, this land was purchased 40 years ago.

[34:32] They spent the last seven years making plans for our city.

[34:34] There's going to be parks and trails and commercial and single family and missing middle

[34:38] and oh my, there's going to be lots of jobs and revenue and salaries.

[34:42] We hope this developed for build sewers.

[34:44] We used economic tools to get this past and buy gum that was a unanimous vote by the council.

[34:49] So what's your problem?

[34:50] Thank you for your interest.

[34:54] You just sent me 169 words of a non-answer.

[34:58] You dodged the question.

[35:00] I have my answer now, okay? I understand the dodge. The dodge is disappointing. The dodge is not corrupt. The dodge is disappointing. And by the way, the citizens united decision has nothing at all to do with individual donations in local elections.

[35:17] It's behavior like this that informs my judgment of you as a council.

[35:23] Whatever place you occupy on the continuum of saint or villain is yours to earn with me.

[35:30] Every comment, every opinion, every vote you cast shows me little by little who you are or who you are going to be as a public official.

[35:39] I don't have to rely on somebody else to tell me what to think.

[35:43] About 17,000 people voted in the last election, I am just one little bit evoter.

[35:48] You are accountable to us to me.

[35:51] The lack of any real accountability, not accountability, printed on a fire or a sign, not accountability spoken into a microphone.

[36:01] But the lack of real accountability continues to be a problem here.

[36:06] Be accountable.

[36:09] The re-enation of transparency was bad enough and was not a good start.

[36:12] Let's get that back.

[36:14] I criticize the Council for that what I believe would be conflict of interest vote.

[36:18] I criticize hard, but we still have dialogue myself in that Council.

[36:24] You can have dissent and criticism and dialogue.

[36:27] I intend to maintain dialogue with all of you.

[36:32] That's it.

[36:33] Thank you.

[36:35] Mr. Ease of Volunteer.

[36:53] Theresa Volonwider 52-01, North East Maybrook Road.

[36:59] I'm going to start off by asking about this Breedon

[37:03] Platt again with the people in the district of North East

[37:08] Tudor Road, which I think is where this was.

[37:11] 1615 Northeast Tudor Road.

[37:14] Would you all check on this and find out?

[37:16] Is there now a platt?

[37:19] Or was this all for no reason at all?

[37:35] November 4, 2022, when I walked down from my barn, I noticed this work being done.

[37:53] It started at about nine, so I figured the guys probably started earlier than that, maybe eight, or even as early as seven.

[38:04] It appeared to be that they were working on a water line.

[38:14] Here, they're setting up lights, so they're going to work late.

[38:20] This was the city of Lee Summit, water utilities.

[38:24] This was not a private contractor.

[38:26] This was the city.

[38:27] This was taxpayer dollars at work.

[38:34] And it didn't stop on November 4th.

[38:36] It continued to November 15th.

[38:39] And then I think even after that.

[38:41] I did ask a fellow on November 15th.

[38:44] Did you all move those two things into that other deal over there?

[38:49] And he said, well, we moved one of them.

[38:51] He said the water meter went over there.

[38:53] And we got rid of the air release, the blow-off valve.

[38:59] So I guess what I want to ask or yes,

[39:02] what I want to ask is would some of you ask for a work order

[39:09] and see what that was all about.

[39:14] Was it for public or was it for private?

[39:20] How was our money being used?

[39:22] Because as you know, we have a 1% increase

[39:28] in sales tax coming up for stormwater.

[39:36] And so the people would like to know

[39:38] how their money's being spent.

[39:48] Thank you.

[39:50] We have Mr. Daniel Harden.

[40:00] Thank you. Daniel Harden, 35, 14 southwest, wind song drive. I am here about the public hearings

[40:10] and how long they go on for. I've watched on YouTube quite a bit, and I was here last week to

[40:18] see how long that went on for. We were all here and tell about 11 o'clock at night. Right here

[40:24] on your procedure's page and website.

[40:29] It says applicants are allowed 15 minutes to show their proposal

[40:34] for applicants for rezoning special use permits

[40:40] and development plans and things like that.

[40:43] And individuals are given three minutes,

[40:46] which you could see a counter over there

[40:47] for everybody, all the individuals anyway.

[40:50] But everybody else that comes up here

[40:52] to do their presentations.

[40:55] There is no timer going on.

[40:57] And then after all the individuals,

[40:59] get their three minutes,

[41:03] the presentations,

[41:04] they get five more minutes, or they're supposed

[41:06] to be allowed five more minutes, but those keep going on.

[41:08] And that's why we were here for so long.

[41:10] Last week, and on the YouTube videos that I watch,

[41:15] I've never seen anything get cut off at the 15 minute mark.

[41:18] And I really don't have anything else to say at this point.

[41:22] I just give somebody else my extra minute and a half here.

[41:26] All right.

[41:26] Thank you.

[41:30] All right.

[41:30] We're going to proceed.

[41:31] A few more comments.

[41:34] Vanessa Maxwell Lopez.

[41:49] Good evening.

[41:50] My name is Vanessa Maxwell Lopez.

[41:52] I'm 10 Northeast Tutor.

[41:53] I'm one of the least summit municipal court judges.

[41:56] I've worked in the least summit municipal court for over 19 years.

[41:59] So I have lots of institutional knowledge of the city of least summit municipal court.

[42:03] It's functions.

[42:04] It's described though the last 19 years, how other courts function and how similar cities

[42:08] structure the municipal courts.

[42:10] The lease on municipal court judge position is a part-time position.

[42:14] I also work in the City of Kansas City Municipal Court as a pro-tim judge and I have contracts

[42:18] and two other municipal cities to provide legal work for their municipal courts.

[42:22] Lease on its current structure of two court dates a week is woefully inadequate.

[42:26] We've had two court dates for weeks since 1981.

[42:29] We've had no organizational changes to the court for over 45 years since we only had

[42:34] about 33,000 citizens, now we're at a 108,000, over 108.

[42:39] Since 1981, the number of tickets being written has skyrocketed.

[42:42] People are waiting over three hours to be seen.

[42:45] We do not have enough staff to handle the case load.

[42:47] We don't have enough probation officers to handle the case load.

[42:50] Officers and employees are working countless over time hours to keep up.

[42:54] As judges, we're having to rush through documents.

[42:57] We often can't get to schedule trials due to the number of

[43:00] defense waiting to be seen.

[43:01] Our courtroom often fills up to the point

[43:03] where we have to have defendants waiting in the lobby and tell space clear.

[43:07] Our parking lots are also full.

[43:09] For the last two plus years, we have asked for help.

[43:13] We have talked to the City multiple times.

[43:15] We have appeared twice in front of the Budget and Finance Committee.

[43:18] We have then on November 4th, we made a presentation to you all, showing you our numbers and

[43:22] asking for you to give us additional court dates so we can better serve the people of Lee

[43:26] Summit.

[43:26] All of you, but one, Miss Craven's, were present when the City Council was, when we

[43:32] the City Council on November 4th. Some of you were present as City Council people in some of

[43:37] you were in the audience. A couple of you were not convinced by our presentation and you stated

[43:42] that you wanted to see an independent audit confirmed the numbers and the information that we

[43:47] had presented to you. This city hired an outside auditor there her tonight and they're going

[43:52] to present their findings to you. This audit, which is labeled an operational overview, confirmed

[44:01] And as accurate everything we stated to you on the number 4.

[44:05] The audit shows the court needs to be restructured.

[44:08] The audit shows we need more court dates and more staff.

[44:11] The audit shows least some is behind all of the cities, our size and smaller.

[44:15] The audit shows for the number of ticketing written we need 16 clerks.

[44:19] We have six.

[44:20] The audit shows for the number of ticketing written we need 5.4 court dates per week.

[44:24] We have two.

[44:25] For the number of people we are putting a probation, the audit showed our probation officers

[44:28] need help and additional staff members.

[44:30] The audit confirmed that the numbers we presented to you on November 4 were accurate.

[44:36] Our court is surrounding and we need to figure this out now. We can't wait another two years

[44:40] because we are under water now. The city likes to plan ahead for the public safety needs

[44:45] of our community by building new fire stations, hiring more police and firemen, and making

[44:51] sure they have the tools to protect us all. Thank you.

[44:58] Thank you.

[45:09] Mr. Mayor, council members, Mr. Dining. My name is William Marshall. I live here. I reside here in

[45:15] Lee Summit and prior to working for the court. I spent over 27 years working in corrections,

[45:20] 13 of which I was a supervisor and chief administrative officer for a state probation and

[45:25] parole office. What I have observed in my brief tenure working, Lee Summit, is that the criminal

[45:29] justice system is administered primarily at the municipal level and quality of life and property

[45:35] defenses, such as domestic violence, DWI, stealing and shoplifting, assault and trespassing,

[45:41] resisting arrest, drug offenses, driving well revoked and no insurance are all, are

[45:46] buying large adjudicated through the city court.

[45:49] At the court, we want the roles we've played to be impactful and to serve as a positive change

[45:54] in the individuals we work with, so that there are fewer victims created by the same offenders.

[45:59] We also want to simultaneously serve as a deterrent in the community in an effort to redirect

[46:03] the behavior of potential future offenders. Currently we operate under constant pressure,

[46:10] 60 percent of the work we consist of court duty, and a weekly client report day, and with

[46:14] no support staff, we are responsible for all the data entry and maintaining all the legal

[46:19] records involving the probation cases. There is little time left in the work week to

[46:24] meaningfully supervise clients or return calls or emails. Our case loads are regulatory between

[46:30] 6,700, and far exceeding even the most liberal interpretation of the workload standards

[46:35] that are recognized by the American Probation Improhly Association, or the Officer

[46:40] to Client Guidelines utilized by the State Division of Probation Improhly.

[46:44] The municipal court operational review being presented this evening should clearly demonstrate

[46:49] the need for additional resources.

[46:52] The current workload placed on our part-time judges in very small number of court and probation

[46:56] staff is unsustainable and is becoming increasingly difficult to effectively address our clients

[47:01] needs and to swiftly intervene and provide the deterrent role or administer sanctions

[47:06] that are the cornerstone of impactful community supervision. Based on the population growth,

[47:12] the volume of daily travelers to the city and the increases in staffing to other departments

[47:17] that impact our workload. Additional court resources is a positive investment in public safety

[47:23] for our city. It is my hope that you will find the court operational review presentation and

[47:27] other speakers that are here this evening helpful in your decision making. Thank you for your

[47:32] time and attention.

[47:33] Thank you, sir.

[47:36] Mr. Brett Morris.

[47:47] Mayor and Council members, thank you for allowing me to speak

[47:49] tonight. My name is Brett Morris, I'm one of three probation officers for the city. I've

[47:53] had the opportunity to serve the city, the city is in the summer for 11 years and as a

[47:57] probation officer for the last three. As a probation officer serving this community, I'm proud

[48:02] work our team does every single day. We help people rebuild their lives. We hold the

[48:06] finish accountable and contribute to the safety and well-being of the summit. I

[48:09] care deeply about this job and about the people we supervise.

[48:13] Brief description of my duties as a probation officer, including meeting with

[48:16] probation professionals on a weekly basis, signed up new clients for

[48:19] probation, checking to ensure that offenders are complying with their court

[48:22] assigned programs, writing probation violations, setting court dates, updating and

[48:27] maintaining important court paperwork, such as warrants and

[48:29] and preparing for court. Most days I'm in the office by 7 a.m. though my shift doesn't start until 8.

[48:36] I work through lunch in my days at 5 p.m. on court dates, 2 days and Thursdays,

[48:41] I normally stay until 7 p.m. or later due to the size of the court packet.

[48:46] It's not uncommon that most weeks I work 50 plus hours, not because I want to,

[48:50] but because I have to in order to maintain my caseload.

[48:53] I have missed our bid light to many family functions, including my child's football practices,

[48:56] student award ceremonies, sometimes I've even worked from home in order to try to maintain my case load.

[49:04] To better understand my case load, I have about 600 clients under supervision.

[49:07] I signed up on average 25 to 40 new clients every week.

[49:11] At any given time there is 20 to 30 new probation sitting on my desk to enter into the court database.

[49:17] With the rising case load is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure the completion of other important tasks such as

[49:22] field report letters, following up on probation completions, writing, and probation violations

[49:28] and coordinating with mental health and substance use treatment professionals.

[49:32] Combined our case loads are approaching 1,800 clients.

[49:35] My colleagues and I are constantly brainstorming how to become more efficient at our job

[49:38] and how to better serve our clients.

[49:41] But the reality is we do not hire more probation officers, we won't be able to provide

[49:46] the best service that's expected for most, and that we hold ourselves accountable too.

[49:49] I remain optimistic that with additional resources and adjustments to our case, those are dedicated team with some help from you can deliver the quality of supervision, at least some expects and...

[50:00] I'm confident that by working together we can strengthen our probation services and make our community even safer. Thank you for your time. Thank you.

[50:10] Linda Marshall.

[50:24] Good evening. My name is Linda Marshall. I live at 2431 Northwest Valley View Drive. And I am here to talk about my clients. I'm the public, I'm functioning as a public defender for least some of it.

[50:37] And my clients are many times, I have approximately 200 clients.

[50:45] And about a third of those clients are immunocompromised,

[50:48] or they are disabled in some way.

[50:51] They come in in wheelchairs, they come in in walkers,

[50:54] they come in in chains, and they come into a crowded courtroom

[50:59] with people standing along the walls.

[51:02] And there was no place for them to sit.

[51:05] And they often wait for two to three hours to be seen by the court as not the fault of the judges, the judges furiously work through their case load.

[51:17] As best they can, they often work through lunch as do many of the court staff.

[51:25] And we're at a pace where it's unsustainable.

[51:31] The working through lunch, the same to late, is affecting everyone.

[51:36] And it's getting to the point where it's just simply unsustainable.

[51:43] I was a prosecutor with Jackson County for seven years.

[51:46] I was a special prosecutor for the Attorney General's Office for three years.

[51:50] So I traveled all over the state trying cases.

[51:55] I have never seen such crowded courtroom before in my life.

[52:00] I practice law for 25 years.

[52:04] I've been to all the courtrooms,

[52:07] Kansas City, to Independence, nothing compares to our courtrooms.

[52:13] Our courtrooms are jam packed all of the time.

[52:17] And it's time to do something about it.

[52:21] I'm imploring you on behalf of my clients.

[52:26] I often times I have an immunocompromised client that comes in,

[52:31] you know, for one court date, but can't make it to the next one,

[52:35] because they're either in the hospital or they're sick.

[52:39] So, on behalf of my clients, I implore you to do something about this.

[52:43] Thank you.

[52:44] Thank you.

[52:48] Do you have the data out here?

[53:01] My name is Dana Altairi.

[53:02] My address is 10 northeast to root in lease summit.

[53:06] Over the last two years, we have brought it to the Rothese issues up at least 52 times

[53:12] to the city between Judge Lopez and I.

[53:14] The city includes the city council law department and the city manager's office and nothing

[53:19] has changed.

[53:20] We spent months on the research for our November 4th presentation.

[53:24] Not only did we feel unheard.

[53:26] We thought outright this respected by two of the members of this council, and that was lost on me,

[53:32] considering we have a combined years of experience of over 60 years between the two of us.

[53:39] And just in Lisa McCourt, I've sat on the bench for 17 years and Judge Lopez has worked at the court in different capacities for 19.

[53:47] On December 15th, the same audit that you have was given to the city, which confirmed exactly what we told you the month before.

[53:56] And page one of their reports says, and I quote, current staffing levels have not kept up, kept pace with cities gross, growth, analysis indicates an immediate need for additional judicial capacity and increased personnel.

[54:11] Now, after hearing our presentation in November, in the city receiving that draft in December, I would think that wording would put someone on high alert and things would get moving.

[54:21] That reports the same one that you were given again in February.

[54:25] Now I don't know what your definition of immediate is, but we've been begging for two years

[54:29] in the citizens paid $80 or $90,000 that audit and nothing's been done to it.

[54:35] Now with presented to the judges just fine in a Zoom call.

[54:37] I have no idea why we had to delay this thing for months and pay these people in addition

[54:43] to that 80 or 90 to pay for their hotel and their airfare and probably their food.

[54:48] I don't know to bring them in here for it to wait several months.

[54:53] Now what has gone on in the meantime is animal control set on the floor last time

[54:57] so we didn't have enough seats. Judge Lopez had to-

[55:00] Call me at home, so I could run up and help her with her docket. So I sat in the bailiff seat, and we called

[55:05] cases in tandem, like a couple of tag team wrestlers, because that's, look, Lee Summit is

[55:09] giving people weight like everyone has said three hours. The line zigzag starts at security,

[55:15] and then it goes down to the police department. It goes down to the men's restroom. It cuts

[55:20] over the front of the building to the women's restroom, where then it hooks outside. So you'll stand in

[55:25] before you get inside the way you're two to three hours.

[55:28] We break the fire code on a constant basis.

[55:30] I mentioned that in November, I believe.

[55:33] The citizens are turning on us, and I don't blame them,

[55:35] because I think we were in charge too,

[55:37] because they elected us to run the judiciary.

[55:39] But nobody's helping us on these issues,

[55:41] but something the city has done recently,

[55:43] is approved $389,000 for a welcome

[55:46] to the lease summit monument to go over there.

[55:49] Now, we hear about fire and police constantly.

[55:51] They're great, but what they do rolls downhill to us

[55:55] And we have absolutely no resources.

[55:58] So something needs to be done.

[55:59] I don't know if you got to ring a bell or what needs to happen

[56:01] because I can't seem to effectuate any change.

[56:04] But I hope someone up there will step up

[56:05] and give us the change that we need.

[56:08] Thanks.

[56:11] That's a tricky thing.

[56:21] Good evening.

[56:21] I'm Judge Shreysie-Fan.

[56:22] I'm actually the municipal judge in the savory town

[56:25] where I've served there for 26 years.

[56:27] I've practiced law for 36 years.

[56:29] I fill in, at least, someone as the conflict judge

[56:32] when needed as part of ten judge. I also represent clients in the summer court, usually

[56:39] one or two times a week, I'm there every week. I went to court last week with a client

[56:46] and he ended up waiting like two hours to be seen. He was not a happy camper. So these situations,

[56:54] the judges are telling you about, this is reality, this is what's happening every week in the

[57:02] six that have been thrown out is that the Lisa McCourt has six clerks. I am the judge in

[57:08] Ray time. We have a population 28,000. We have three clerks. Clearly you can see the numbers

[57:14] don't add up. You need way more clerks than staffing if you're going to continue with this

[57:18] numbers with the population. Your population is continuing to grow. You're building a

[57:23] partnership, building a subdivision, and theory you're going to get more tickets and more

[57:27] citations for the people that are moving in and out of the area. So therefore, the dockets

[57:31] will continue to grow and because of that, that added documents need to occur.

[57:38] I understand that, you know, there's a, there's some talk going on about, you know,

[57:43] well, you know, you can't raise the judges salary during election term.

[57:47] Well, that is true, you cannot raise the salary.

[57:49] However, the state statute does allow you to provide payment for additional duties.

[57:54] And that's what these judges are asking for.

[57:56] I've had to ask for it in Ray Town. I was lucky. I was fortunate.

[58:00] My council granted them immediately when I had to add dockets for my additional duties, and I would

[58:05] implore you to do the same for these ladies.

[58:07] And if you all don't believe that this is what's going on, you need to show up on these

[58:11] court days.

[58:12] You need to try to park in the parking lot where you can't even find a parking spot.

[58:16] People are parking illegally.

[58:18] Cars are getting hurt, you know, damage because of the way people are parking all crazy

[58:22] because there's not enough parking spots.

[58:23] And if you go in there and you have to wait in that security line as Judge Altieri stated,

[58:29] is going out the door. I took pictures of it when I was there one day. It's not acceptable by any search the imagination.

[58:37] Your litigants should not be having to weigh three hours plus to see the judge.

[58:42] It's absolutely not acceptable.

[58:44] Thank you.

[58:45] Thank you.

[58:51] That ends the public comments part of the agenda and takes us to agenda item number six, which is the actual presentations that we have for tonight.

[58:58] The first one is the Municipal Court Operations Review and for this one I will re-cuse myself and Mayor pretend we can be in the meeting.

[59:07] So thank you.

[59:09] Thank you, Mayor.

[59:10] So that takes us to item 6A-2026-7642 presentation regarding the Municipal Court Operational Review.

[59:17] I believe Mr. Dunning will be presenting that in conjunction with the consultant who prepared their report.

[59:24] I do just want to say, first of all, thank you to the people who came to speak during public comment.

[59:31] We all take this really seriously and I appreciate the work that you do for the city

[59:34] and taking time out of your evening to be here.

[59:36] And I understand that you're, excuse me, the judges and the municipal court staff are on hand

[59:40] as subject matter experts, answering questions from council as we go through

[59:44] this presentation so I appreciate them all taking time out of their evening.

[59:49] I also want to say that I appreciate the work of the municipal court judges, the city staff and the consultants preparing this audit and the operational review.

[1:00:00] I know I really do believe that we all want to see the court succeed, and that this will help give us some tools to make that happen.

[1:00:10] Understanding that the judges are independent elected officials, that they have their judicial independence, and so I hope tonight that we'll kind of get an idea of how we as the city can support them in running their courts independently since there are things that we can do in terms of providing resources.

[1:00:28] And then there are things that the judges have kind of discretion over.

[1:00:32] So I hope this audit will help us to understand that and kind of have a path forward

[1:00:36] on some additional resources we can provide and some ways to help that court function

[1:00:41] better.

[1:00:41] So with that, I will turn to over to Mr. Dunning.

[1:00:44] Thank you, Mayor.

[1:00:45] Prutam Shields.

[1:00:45] Mark Dunning.

[1:00:46] City Manager.

[1:00:47] So here to present the municipal court operational review, I'll just tee this up for our consultants

[1:00:53] who worked diligently on this.

[1:00:55] So this comes from the city manager's recommended audit from the fiscal year 26 budget, so this was conducted over the course of the last fiscal year.

[1:01:06] In the scope and the purpose of this review was to look at the operations, the processes, and get a general review of our current practices and procedures, including docket structures, the overall management, and also look at internal and external measurable outcomes, and so data tells us a lot.

[1:01:24] So, that was one of the goals of this work.

[1:01:29] We also looked at organizational structures staffing for the municipal court, the court practices, procedures,

[1:01:37] and making sure that we're compliant with Missouri Supreme Court rules and court operating rules,

[1:01:42] which guide the municipal court functions.

[1:01:47] There's also component looking at, we call them interdependencies.

[1:01:50] right, the police department, the prosecutors office, our finance department, many different

[1:01:55] stakeholders interact with the municipal court, so we wanted to be mindful of that.

[1:02:00] And then as well we looked at just the overall facilities and technology that support the

[1:02:04] municipal court functions.

[1:02:07] I want to be very clear what this scope does not entail is judge compensation that has

[1:02:12] been a discussion, but the scope of this municipal court operational review does not, that's

[1:02:18] component of this presentation line. That's a separate consideration. I wanted to acknowledge that

[1:02:24] Judge Maxwell Lopez and Judge Altairi are both here and of course you heard from the various

[1:02:31] municipal court staff as well. I will also note that as a scope of this work, there are portions

[1:02:39] of this work that are considered protected under closed record because they involve things such as

[1:02:46] financial controls, safety and security, and so through the Missouri State Statutes, there's

[1:02:51] provisions that allow for that kind of information to be protected and considered closed

[1:02:57] record.

[1:02:58] So that's a component that's not out there in the public record, but I wanted to ensure that

[1:03:03] all of you had that information.

[1:03:04] So I sent that to you under attorney client privilege, closed record for your awareness

[1:03:09] too.

[1:03:10] So I wanted to make mention of that.

[1:03:12] I will also share that since having received the final report from Rath Tellis that there have been efforts underway to make improvements based on the recommendations that you'll hear shortly, so be happy to chime in on some of those things that we've done along the way.

[1:03:30] So with that, I would like to introduce Jonathan Ingram with Rath Tellis, he's Vice President over organizational assessment, and he also has with him Rebecca Hoskin, who's a senior manager with Rath Tellis,

[1:03:41] and Andrea Miller, a senior advisor for Reft Tellis, and so I'll turn it over for them

[1:03:46] to provide their review.

[1:03:53] Good evening Mayor and Council.

[1:03:55] It's good to be with you this evening.

[1:03:56] As the city manager indicated, my name is Jonathan Ingram.

[1:03:58] I'm a Vice President with Reft Tellis.

[1:04:00] I lead our local government organizational assessment practice.

[1:04:04] So what does that mean in non-consultant speak?

[1:04:07] Essentially, we are a local government focus consulting firm.

[1:04:10] We work exclusively for city and county governments across the United States.

[1:04:13] States, everything from accounting to zoos. My role is to lead the efforts on staffing,

[1:04:18] process and proven assessments, those kinds of things. So, in other words, the work

[1:04:21] that integrates very specifically with the scope and the task that you all outlined for

[1:04:26] study for your municipal court. I'll ask my colleagues to introduce themselves as well, and

[1:04:30] then we'll move into the presentation.

[1:04:35] I'm Andrea Miller. I'm also a consultant with

[1:04:37] her, I've tell us, but I may be a little different than your average consultants. I actually

[1:04:41] have about 28 or so years of municipal government experience and also in attorney license

[1:04:45] and state of California.

[1:04:47] So, my role in the project really was to look at the court rules, the various state statutes,

[1:04:51] your constitution, your charters, and they said ensure that the operational practices of

[1:04:56] the court were consistent with those operating standards.

[1:05:00] Hello, my name is Rebecca Hoskin. I was the project manager on this engagement. I've got about 25 years of experiencing local government, about half and direct service in finance and budget in southern California and also in the city managers office and other venues. And about half in local government consulting like Jonathan doing reviews around the country for a wide variety of departments and operations.

[1:05:25] So just to start I want to set the context for what we want to tackle this evening and what we want to share and give you a sense of the flow.

[1:05:32] So the first piece is we want to give you just some sense of the context of the court.

[1:05:37] So it can it can feel a little bit like inside baseball.

[1:05:40] So we want to make sure that you all and your members of your community understand kind of the specific task of the court.

[1:05:46] We also want to highlight what we believe are areas of risk.

[1:05:48] So when you deal in public safety.

[1:05:50] There is essentially a risk matrix that you use to evaluate issues and evaluate the urgency of issues.

[1:05:56] We want to give you a sense as a governing body of some of those things that elevated for focus detention,

[1:06:02] that informs some of the recommendations that we've offered.

[1:06:05] We'll spend some time reviewing our specific analysis and recommendations, and of course provide a couple concluding points.

[1:06:12] One of the things that I really want to outline here is the report and the recommendations ultimately recommend

[1:06:18] a number of adjustments in staffing, process, procedure, and organizational structure.

[1:06:24] What we have not done is made a wholesale recommendation to add every conceptual number

[1:06:30] of staff that you could add, because fundamentally there are a number of process improvements

[1:06:34] that we've identified that can be implemented to generate efficiencies within the court,

[1:06:38] to generate efficiencies within the document management process, and there is also a clear

[1:06:42] need to add capacity and to have a rolling and a lot of a process where you all are making

[1:06:47] improvements as a community making improvements as a court, and evaluating where additional

[1:06:52] resources could be added in the future.

[1:06:54] So really it's an integrated plan that tackles both capacity sort of labor hours that you

[1:06:58] need to get the work done, but also process improvements and very specifically targeting areas

[1:07:04] of risk with respect to the judicial process that we believe are important for the organization

[1:07:08] to address.

[1:07:09] We've also identified a number of areas where we can generate contracted capacity or support

[1:07:14] to be able to add additional resources to help deal with backlog, deal with peak periods without necessarily adding full-time folks.

[1:07:21] So, that's some of the context that I want to offer.

[1:07:25] It'll primarily be Rebecca and Andrea, my colleagues here with me this evening, who will be rolling through those risk areas and recommendations.

[1:07:31] But of course, if there are questions that will come up, I'm certainly happy to add any context that may be appropriate.

[1:07:47] The context is really important, because the court has kind of a diva animal, good with my text. Is it up or down?

[1:07:55] So the court operates within the framework of the various court rules, the state statute,

[1:08:00] your constitution.

[1:08:01] Can you bring them, I could find a little bit closer so we can hear you a little better?

[1:08:05] So we started with the context that the court operated within.

[1:08:08] And the court does is guided by various state statutes, the constitution, various local rules,

[1:08:16] but it's kind of a divided oversight and it creates kind of a complexity within

[1:08:19] situation, which is I think part of the fundamental issue here that you're hearing, especially

[1:08:23] in the public speaker's comments.

[1:08:25] The circuit court maintains administrative authority over your court's office of state courts

[1:08:29] to provide some technology and support services to your courts.

[1:08:33] Those are state agencies that your court can rely upon.

[1:08:36] At the end of the day, though, the city of Lee Summit oversees your appointment management

[1:08:40] and compensation of your court employees, but they still have that connection with the presiding

[1:08:45] judge who ultimately supervises the court officers.

[1:08:50] The municipal judges themselves are responsible for compliance with the various statutes.

[1:08:54] The supervisor court administrator, but that's really kind of a shared supervision.

[1:08:57] And so we'll get into some of that in greater detail, but I think that's part of what is

[1:09:01] generating kind of the lack of clarity of function and also some lack of accountability.

[1:09:17] There's some trends.

[1:09:18] We concur with the judges.

[1:09:19] There's some trends that are impacting the municipal court.

[1:09:21] Your community is growing.

[1:09:23] You've seen a tremendous population growth from 1985 to 2025.

[1:09:28] We confirm that in some of the earlier studies.

[1:09:31] Their core workload is growing.

[1:09:33] The structure is not changed.

[1:09:34] And you've had a tremendous amount of staff turnover,

[1:09:36] which has created some additional issues in terms of the processing of cases.

[1:09:43] It's important to kind of understand where they are today, though,

[1:09:46] as we begin to analyze what we've projected and software them in terms of the future.

[1:09:51] There are some key functions that we looked at the judicial functions.

[1:09:54] And you have to speak up. They can't hear in the back. Maybe throw that mic off here.

[1:10:06] So we looked at the key functions.

[1:10:14] Okay. How about I stand really, really close to it? Second. I'll be really close to it. In fact, I'll move this in a little bit. Is that a little bit better?

[1:10:22] Okay. So we looked at the various functions, the judicial functions, which is really the courtroom staff officers doing their work, the court administration, which is kind of the processing of cases, making sure that the data entry is appropriate, that the rules and items are being adhered to, and then probation monitoring.

[1:10:40] Over

[1:10:45] all we looked at your clearance rates and the typical goal for current traces about a hundred percent

[1:10:50] During the pandemic there were some changes obviously there were changes to the way the court operated

[1:10:55] That the same time they were growing caseload and turn over in technology challenges

[1:10:59] But overall you're quite seeing the function well and seeing the work through the pandemic really the issues and so your clearance rates actually are fairly good

[1:11:12] So one of the things we always look at as John reference earlier is areas of risk right when we're looking at these kinds of things

[1:11:17] And there were really two areas of potential risk related to the court in terms of the audit results.

[1:11:22] And we, you know, we just always want to make you aware as part of the basis in the framework for decision making.

[1:11:28] And those two areas really revolve around compliance with the revised statutes.

[1:11:33] Basically we call it rule 37 that governs the court essentially.

[1:11:37] Telling us that the back.

[1:11:39] Thank you.

[1:11:39] Okay.

[1:11:40] If you can like hold it all the way up to mouth.

[1:11:41] Yeah.

[1:11:42] I think this one is actually better.

[1:11:45] I'll do both. Can you hear me now?

[1:11:48] There we go. All right. We will do better.

[1:11:52] So there are two areas of potential risk that are being compliance with the state's

[1:11:56] vatutes. The rule 37 that oversees municipal courts and

[1:11:59] secret court rules and the second being some financial management and

[1:12:03] controls issues. Those are the areas where we felt that the city is

[1:12:06] exposed in the court to the most risk.

[1:12:09] In terms of compliance with state rules, it's that rule 37.

[1:12:12] And it's important to know, it's important to know that there have been two audits by

[1:12:17] Asuka, the Office of State Court Administration since 2022, 1 in 2022 and 1 in 2025.

[1:12:25] Both of which had findings that were related to compliance with different various pieces

[1:12:29] of those laws.

[1:12:31] And so, you know, it's just important to know that there's a lot of findings just like you'd

[1:12:33] have a audit finding and a financial operation.

[1:12:36] We've had court audits findings from Asuka and staff as aware of those.

[1:12:40] Thank you.

[1:12:41] The second piece being finance management controls as well, both Oscar and the city finance department have done some reviews of those as well and also identified some internal controls weaknesses as do we.

[1:12:55] This simple things is this is not unusual to find minor things in terms of cash handling those kinds of things internal controls and cross tracks essentially those checks and balances that you would want in your your financial system.

[1:13:08] There were some weaknesses there and so that's just another area of risk certainly always

[1:13:12] something you want to be aware of in order to address.

[1:13:17] So with that context we're going to go into our recommendations from our report and talk

[1:13:20] through those and Andrea is going to start with discussion of court supervision and

[1:13:24] management.

[1:13:35] And first I'm going to note something really important.

[1:13:38] There's a little flyer here on the screen that shows you how not to hold the microphone

[1:13:42] and how to hold the microphone so I'll follow that guidance right there and it says

[1:13:46] that I can't hold it like this, I need to hold it like this, and up to my mouth.

[1:13:53] So we came up with various recommendations.

[1:13:56] We did try to organize them by a function.

[1:13:58] The first one is staffing.

[1:14:00] Prioritized implementing a formal management system.

[1:14:02] It's really important because of the complexity of the relationships that we talked about.

[1:14:06] There are functions that are within the responsibility of the presiding judge at the circuit court.

[1:14:11] Your judges themselves have some various responsibilities.

[1:14:13] the city also plays a role with respect to the operation of municipal court.

[1:14:17] Prioritized implementing a relationship and a formal management system connecting the city's

[1:14:22] court lays on someone within the city manager's office to the judges and court administrator

[1:14:26] that close link will help to ensure that as the court is dealing with issues and identifying

[1:14:30] issues they have someone within the city organization that consists in addressing them.

[1:14:35] The second one was engaged in experience outside assistance to drive some changes.

[1:14:39] There's a lot of work that needs to be completed there.

[1:14:41] There's a tremendous backlog, Rebecca talked about some of the risks that we've seen.

[1:14:46] Some of that risk is pretty significant and needs to be addressed quickly.

[1:14:50] Having outsiders assistance from someone that really has been in that position is really critical

[1:14:55] to help drive those needed changes.

[1:14:57] And then established an internal policy that any reviews of the court.

[1:15:00] Our done by Oska in particular are shared with the city council, with the city manager's office, so you can assist the court in addressing those concerns.

[1:15:14] Policy mangos are really important. And one of the challenges that we faced in evaluating your staffing and structure issues was that there were no really real written procedures mangos that guided through work.

[1:15:26] And certainly there were men that were reflective

[1:15:28] of the state Missouri state law, the Supreme Court rules,

[1:15:31] and various court rules.

[1:15:32] They're out there.

[1:15:33] We don't recommend that you spend a lifetime

[1:15:35] creating something new.

[1:15:37] They're plenty of examples out there.

[1:15:38] But that would be a critical step to make sure

[1:15:41] that as you onboard new staff members,

[1:15:43] that you have people, that you're cross-training,

[1:15:45] that they have some kind of a policy manual,

[1:15:47] or something that they can look to to make sure

[1:15:49] that their work is guided.

[1:15:50] And they're working consistently

[1:15:51] with what the expectations are.

[1:15:53] Training was an issue, training and specific roles and responsibilities is certainly important,

[1:15:59] but there needs to be cross-training so that if that person is not available that day,

[1:16:03] the functions continue to be done.

[1:16:05] And then Manitory Supervisor and Leadership Training for all employees.

[1:16:10] There needs to be a ongoing process to create self-reflection, to help do things better

[1:16:15] and that training for supervisors to have to motivate and train and develop staff is really important.

[1:16:23] annual performance evaluations. We talked to not about specific evaluations, but really we

[1:16:29] wanted to see whether those were being completed. That's an important opportunity for supervisors

[1:16:32] to talk to staff about what the expectations are. Close the court on specific days because of the

[1:16:38] tremendous backlog that exists and the training needs that are there. But close them on a specific day,

[1:16:44] maybe each month to allow them to focus on implementation of needed changes and to help

[1:16:48] guide those improvement processes. There were a lot of great ideas that came from your staff.

[1:16:52] they were willing to share ideas and comments, but they need time to actually vet those and

[1:16:57] then help move those forward and drive that change.

[1:17:00] And then develop a prioritized plan to address the court backlogs, not all things are created

[1:17:04] equally.

[1:17:05] And some of the areas are more critical to address first and so develop a plan to address those

[1:17:10] backlogs.

[1:17:19] Okay, so then we're going to move on to financial management controls, which is another area

[1:17:23] of recommendations in our report,

[1:17:26] and one of these recommendations was to improve the

[1:17:29] We talked about simply requiring the court to comply with the city's finance department procedures for

[1:17:35] County and cash handling.

[1:17:36] This is an area where that complex relationship we might want a little more centralized

[1:17:40] controller, input at least on how the court operates in that way.

[1:17:43] So there's a consistency across the city.

[1:17:45] And you also have a great resource there in your finance department that they can draw upon and

[1:17:49] use to help with that to ensure that control is there.

[1:17:53] And they can provide guidance on best practices.

[1:17:56] Another recommendation was to make daily secured cash deposits to the bank.

[1:18:01] At the time of our review, and this may have changed in the interim, but there was some

[1:18:05] lag in between the times we were taking in revenues versus the times that we were hitting

[1:18:08] the banks, and daily cash flow is best practice.

[1:18:12] There's always going to be occasional days and busy days where you have outliers, but the

[1:18:15] general best practice is to be as close to the time the money comes in as it gets deposited

[1:18:20] as possible for cash flow purposes and also security.

[1:18:25] Finally, another one is to provide city finance with access to the Courts Bank accounts at the time of our review.

[1:18:31] There was some concern by finance that we're able to see everything and access to those bank accounts.

[1:18:37] There was some issues in terms of oscus oversight and

[1:18:49] controls as well.

[1:18:50] So that was something that we, you know, as part of the work, we did a lot of work at peer benchmarking with other area and regional courts to see what they did and to compare and contrast,

[1:19:00] at least some of its courts with those others.

[1:19:04] And this chart is just one simple example of that that's

[1:19:07] in our report about the court dates.

[1:19:09] You can see on the left there, in the dark screen,

[1:19:12] is sort of the number of judges each of those communities

[1:19:13] has, and then across the top of the number of weekly court

[1:19:16] dates they have.

[1:19:17] And as you can see, at least some of this toward the bottom right,

[1:19:20] which means that you have two judges with only two court dates,

[1:19:24] which is toward the lower end of the spectrum.

[1:19:26] Only Ophalan and St. Charles were less.

[1:19:28] They both have one judge and, you know,

[1:19:30] on Fallon offers two days a week and St. Charles has won.

[1:19:33] So, this was just one way to kind of look

[1:19:35] at where you will lie amongst your regional competitors

[1:19:39] or peers, if you want.

[1:19:43] One of the key pieces of work we did was to analyze

[1:19:45] and try to estimate what the capacity needs are.

[1:19:49] This was difficult.

[1:19:49] We'll tell you because there was a lack of data

[1:19:52] from the systems from the court.

[1:19:54] So, one of the methods we use was a national center

[1:19:56] for state courts.

[1:19:57] They have some time studies, if you will,

[1:19:59] for how long.

[1:20:00] We have to take a specific courteouse take. It's not exactly apples, it's more circuit court level, but we tried to apply that just to get a sense of what it would show and the result is essentially that on the right there you can see, as was mentioned earlier, the leigh some at base on your court load workload, your court workload would be 5.4 days of court time per week, and that's contrasted to two days right now.

[1:20:26] So, one of our recommendations in regard to capacity is really to increase that judge on

[1:20:31] site time by one court date per judge for a total of four days per week.

[1:20:36] So we're doubling from two days to four days per week and to then supplement with an

[1:20:40] on-call pro-tum judge as some of the other communities do.

[1:20:44] That's essentially an on-call position.

[1:20:46] There's a couple of reasons for that.

[1:20:47] That's a good best practice, A, it's an awful time employee that kind of on-call, but

[1:20:51] Secondly, it's great for succession and backfill

[1:20:54] if one of your judges is out.

[1:20:56] They can come in and help pitch in while some is out.

[1:20:59] And only, you know, a few of those communities

[1:21:02] had less court days while the volume.

[1:21:06] And you are definitely seeing volume growing over time

[1:21:08] as Andrea showed in the charts.

[1:21:10] So we definitely know capacity is required.

[1:21:13] How much is ideal is yet to be determined

[1:21:15] but in our estimate and we'll discuss this more.

[1:21:19] Again, as John mentioned, there's some process improvements

[1:21:21] that we would like to see before we go to full staffing capacity.

[1:21:25] We think there's some incremental steps to occur, but we think doubling it immediately would

[1:21:28] be a certainly a step in the right direction for sure.

[1:21:33] Another recommendation was to promote a probation compliance officer to a supervisory

[1:21:37] position to provide some form of oversight for the probation program.

[1:21:42] Probation is one of your shining stars with court here, that's something that differentiates

[1:21:46] at least some of it from many of your peers who have a probation program and it's very

[1:21:49] and well-used, right now you essentially have three peer

[1:21:54] probation officers in that program, and we really think

[1:21:56] there'd be useful to have one elevated position to kind of

[1:21:59] provide oversight and technical expertise to ensure

[1:22:02] there's consistency across those positions.

[1:22:08] As I was mentioned earlier, as well, case loaded for the

[1:22:10] probation officers is pretty high.

[1:22:12] We did see that as well.

[1:22:13] This was self-reported by your staff, but you know, we

[1:22:16] cross-validated across the different probation officers and

[1:22:19] is pretty consistent, six to 800 cases per officer.

[1:22:24] As I was mentioned earlier, you know, ranges in best practice really run from 175, you know,

[1:22:30] to down to 45, depending on the case type, obviously the more complex cases like domestic

[1:22:34] violence, they take much more manpower time per case and so the numbers are much smaller.

[1:22:41] So your probation officers are definitely dealing with a high case load and that needs

[1:22:45] to be addressed.

[1:22:48] One of the issues with that is that we noticed, in talking to them, there is a lot of administrative

[1:22:54] work being done by your probation officers and that's one thing we think we could help

[1:22:58] to increase their capacity by moving that elsewhere.

[1:23:01] And so we've recommended that you get one new court clerk position that would support solely

[1:23:05] the probation program right now.

[1:23:07] They have no administrative, no direct administrative support.

[1:23:10] And so we really hope that that would help to increase some of their capacity in the short

[1:23:13] term.

[1:23:14] and then you'd obviously continue to monitor going forward.

[1:23:18] Another recommendation is to increase overall court clerk capacity by making one current part time clerk full time.

[1:23:25] And that would assist in providing additional capacity right away as well.

[1:23:28] Currently there is another clerk that has provided kind of informal support to probation.

[1:23:34] That if you get the position I just spoke about directly for probation that frees out up to.

[1:23:38] So essentially you're adding over one additional court clerk to their capacity to assist with all the general backlogs and needs for the court as discussed.

[1:23:49] And finally another recommendation was to request funding for temporary help.

[1:23:53] They really do need some help in the short term.

[1:23:55] A quick dive.

[1:23:56] We think at higher extent temporary help to clear some backlogs, perform special projects and really dig out of some of these holes would be extremely useful.

[1:24:03] and those resources would be a valuable use for the budget process.

[1:24:10] With that, I'm going to turn it back to Andrea for process improvements.

[1:24:18] I think one of the really important things that Jonathan mentioned in his comments that

[1:24:22] can't be reiterated enough is, thank you, Jonathan.

[1:24:27] Thank you, Jonathan.

[1:24:29] But I think one of the most important things that Jonathan said was not only were we trying

[1:24:32] to define the issues for today, but also set up a process for how you can evaluate

[1:24:37] make those recommendations into the future, because this is going to be a constant issue as the

[1:24:41] community evolves and changes. But in the interim, there are some process improvements that

[1:24:45] should free up some time and would help them with the volume of work that's being handled.

[1:24:51] Re-evaluate the darker assignments. In our analysis of some of the other courts, they have

[1:24:59] Thanks for watching!

[1:25:00] We did lack some of the data to be able to make some specific recommendations in this area, but they should be working to create

[1:25:07] docket sizes that are appropriate and fit more closely with what the needs are within the allocated time slots.

[1:25:14] Also, things, simple things like taking some of the administrative functions and doing those at the end of the day could help alleviate the time and then reduce the people waiting in your court rooms.

[1:25:22] implement cutoff times for court check-in and if you're peers as we mentioned and looking

[1:25:27] at them had cutoff times for court check-in, sometimes within 15 to 30 minutes the last

[1:25:31] docket slot. They can limit cases on the docket and establish fixed walk-in periods. There

[1:25:36] are policies and procedures in 19 and 20 kind of go and hand in hand because the circuit

[1:25:41] court does provide some rules that include deadlines for actions like filing cases and request

[1:25:45] for a continuous. They could help manage the court flow.

[1:25:53] We said a moment ago that your probation

[1:25:55] program is really a shining star. It is one of the premier programs in least summit, not many

[1:26:00] other organizations offered such an important component, helping bring offenders in giving

[1:26:05] them the resources and tools to ensure that they don't reoffend. But there should be some shared

[1:26:10] expectations related to the assignment of cases to those two individuals to make sure that

[1:26:16] you're not over burning them and over burning the system. We want to make sure that they can

[1:26:19] remain effective and that the volume isn't overwhelming the system. Provide alternative resources

[1:26:24] to provide information assistance.

[1:26:27] There are some great resources within the least summit community and even beyond that.

[1:26:31] Judges we watched them, Rebecca and I had the opportunity to observe a couple of days.

[1:26:37] And we saw judges actually trying to find drug rehab programs and other supportive services

[1:26:42] for individuals.

[1:26:44] We know your probation officers are doing that, but create a central list of that information

[1:26:48] is immediately available.

[1:26:50] And then maybe adding some capacity in the future to manage this resource.

[1:26:53] And then develop an online request option for payment plans.

[1:26:58] There's an awful lot of work through the relationship with your OSCA, where you could

[1:27:04] do some online payment plans and things that nature should reduce the actual volume of offenders

[1:27:08] in your courtroom.

[1:27:16] Another area we reviewed was the technology in the court.

[1:27:20] The court, as all of them in the state, were required by the State Circuit Court several

[1:27:26] years back to adopt the ShowMe Quartz software system.

[1:27:30] It's a consistent system used statewide.

[1:27:33] And we really think that it could be maximized and made

[1:27:37] to better use.

[1:27:38] Unfortunately, that implementation kind of occurred

[1:27:40] at a time when you guys were suffering a lot of turnover

[1:27:42] and change in the court.

[1:27:45] And so we really think that there's some pieces

[1:27:47] that aren't being maximized.

[1:27:48] Some of your staff now came from other courts

[1:27:50] and they recognized that there are pieces of things

[1:27:52] that could be improved or done differently.

[1:27:54] So we really think, again, be a good use of resources and it's a short term, so bring in

[1:27:59] an IT professional or someone from OSCA ideally to ensure that the court is really maximizing

[1:28:03] the use of the software to the greatest potential possible.

[1:28:07] There are several specific things in the report that could be done to improve workflows

[1:28:11] and accountability through the system that aren't being done right now.

[1:28:15] Also in terms of technology, we really want to focus the court to become a data-driven decision-making

[1:28:21] unit.

[1:28:21] One of the things that struck us when we requested data, there really wasn't much.

[1:28:26] I think that there's a lack of the reporting in the system, but also just maybe the use of it to that point.

[1:28:32] Again, people are working as hard as they can every day, and so there's just hasn't been that ability to do that.

[1:28:38] And so we want to encourage the court and the city to push move in that direction to run reports and track metrics,

[1:28:45] so that we can really start managing through that data to really see where those improvements can work and be implemented for

[1:28:51] benefit of everyone.

[1:28:56] The last grouping of recommendations has to do with the security and

[1:29:01] physical environment at the court. We had three recommendations here. One was to reinstate

[1:29:07] the use of the podium or lectern at a reasonable distance from the judge. One of the things

[1:29:10] that honestly surprised us and some of our folks who worked in course was the proximity of

[1:29:14] your folks at the right up at the judge and the potential security concerns while probably not a

[1:29:22] issue. It's there. And the best practice is to really have some distance between the judges

[1:29:27] and the folks appearing at court. So we would just, apparently, that was done during COVID,

[1:29:32] and then removed, you know, and that's a preference of operations. We personally feel

[1:29:36] you should reinstate the use of the lecture. Another physical workspace issue was to provide

[1:29:43] additional equipment at the checking counter. Right now, you have a checking counter. It's a lovely

[1:29:47] facility. Folks can come in and check in for the court. And clerk staff have to be up there

[1:29:51] in court dates to perform that work.

[1:29:54] Unfortunately, they don't have their normal daily work machines,

[1:29:57] scanners, and computers up there.

[1:29:59] So they either have to...

[1:30:00] They're run between their dusk in the front counter or sit at the counter and not do their work. It's inefficient, essentially, is what it boils down to.

[1:30:07] And so we think that there can be some low cost investments so that when they're up at the counter for court, they can continue on with their daily work, while still serving the customers that come in for court.

[1:30:15] The last recommendation is to ensure some secured office space or lockers for the court security officer and the contracted security officer's the court.

[1:30:24] You have folks that are play a really important role in the physical security of the court,

[1:30:28] But they don't have any space right now for their needs.

[1:30:32] They don't have lockers.

[1:30:33] There's not secured office space.

[1:30:35] In particular, in the past, when we were there, the court security officer was working

[1:30:38] on things like fingerprinting and background checks on behalf of some city departments,

[1:30:44] and they didn't have a way to lock that up.

[1:30:45] So those are important privacy concerns and it's just a minor fix that some lockers

[1:30:50] could resolve.

[1:30:53] With that, I'm going to turn it back to John.

[1:31:01] So, as you've no doubt noticed, we've made a number of recommendations across a series

[1:31:07] of courierious staffing projections.

[1:31:10] We do want to note that staffing projections are conservative at this point.

[1:31:13] So, we've ultimately offered a number of immediate staffing recommendations, contracted

[1:31:17] staffing recommendations to generate additional capacity.

[1:31:20] But we also see a priority to implement those process improvements that we've identified

[1:31:24] and to generate that capacity to understand and evaluate the impact of those process improvements

[1:31:29] on case flow, on workload, and ultimately the ability to work through the

[1:31:33] docket with some of those adjustments to be articulated to really evaluate at that point.

[1:31:38] What is really the trigger point to start to add additional resources?

[1:31:41] So we view this as a starting point, but there's some work to be done within the municipal

[1:31:46] court to achieve some of these process and proven outcomes to set up that really next phase

[1:31:51] of analysis relative to additional staffing.

[1:31:54] So, our initial recommendations, just high-level summary from what we've articulated, kind of the proposed new municipal organization, our municipal court or chart, is, so we've recommended essentially moving to four court days for the judges.

[1:32:09] We recommended an overlap day where they're both in the building. In other words, this creates an opportunity for a really close coordination for a administrative time for staff direction that may be required and create some consistency there.

[1:32:21] So that's an efficiency they can be gained from that process.

[1:32:25] We've also, it's not articulated here, but we've recommended some strength and connections

[1:32:29] between the municipal court and the city's operating departments and the city manager's office.

[1:32:34] It really just a great, a greater liaison connection there.

[1:32:38] We've made some recommendations in terms of adding a part-time court clerk to a full-time court clerk

[1:32:44] and adding a court clerk to a probation as well as creating that probation compliance officer

[1:32:50] permission as a promotion.

[1:32:52] So we made some, obviously some initial significant capacity

[1:32:54] increase recommendations.

[1:32:57] The other piece that I just want to highlight,

[1:32:58] we've also recommended bringing in a subject matter expert

[1:33:01] on a temporary basis.

[1:33:02] This could be a former municipal court judge,

[1:33:04] could be an attorney, could be someone

[1:33:05] with a connection to the Circuit Court,

[1:33:07] who can help address some of the backlog

[1:33:09] and in a more time-effective way

[1:33:11] given the limited staffing resources

[1:33:13] that you all have is a relatively small organization

[1:33:15] to be able to execute some of those process improvements

[1:33:17] and a timely fashion and give it essentially

[1:33:20] dedicated energy.

[1:33:21] But I do want to manage expectations a little bit

[1:33:23] with respect to process improvements.

[1:33:25] So we'll be do this kind of work.

[1:33:26] It's easy to say, hey, there's 23 recommendations.

[1:33:28] Let me know how they go in the next year.

[1:33:31] But in reality, when we think about implementation,

[1:33:34] you all, as a community, as a governing body,

[1:33:36] are balancing resource challenges

[1:33:37] and resource constraints across multiple departments.

[1:33:40] There's always more investments than money.

[1:33:42] That's a consistent trend in your community.

[1:33:44] It's a consistent trend in every community.

[1:33:45] We really think about this as really a five-year implementation plan in terms of rollout, but what we want to see as a sustained effort toward the process improvements, sort of adding that additional capacity.

[1:33:55] There's clearly opportunities, there's clearly needs, right?

[1:33:58] The question is, how can you absorb that in an effective way and in a manageable way?

[1:34:03] But in one that reflects the urgency associated with some of the risks that we highlighted in the opportunities for the organization.

[1:34:10] So with that, we will pause for any questions you all may have.

[1:34:14] Thank you very much.

[1:34:15] Before we turn it over to council questions, I wanted to Mr. Dunning if you could speak briefly to what has been implemented so far.

[1:34:22] I believe we've voted as a council to move an FTE over to the court of things like that.

[1:34:28] Can you just kind of recap a few of those things just to give us kind of a baseline of where we are right now?

[1:34:32] Sure. So through our budget process for this fiscal year, there were two FTEs within administration that were reallocated to municipal court.

[1:34:42] again having knowledge of this report coming just being mindful of that so that's a step

[1:34:46] that's been taken.

[1:34:49] I can tell you that there has been a lot of work on the financial controls side of things

[1:34:54] that deposits.

[1:34:56] I know there's been a lot of work done in that area.

[1:35:00] I'm trying to think what else. There has been, I think there's been some work on just policies and procedures with the court administrator diving into that as well. So those are some that come to mind that we've put efforts behind.

[1:35:14] Okay. Thank you. Do we have questions from the committee as to the content of the court operational review at this time?

[1:35:22] or it's high from the council, Councilmember Carla.

[1:35:26] Thank you.

[1:35:29] So reading through this, I saw

[1:35:33] what you were recommending for additional FTEs.

[1:35:37] And then you just told us

[1:35:40] what kind of what your recommendation is thus far.

[1:35:45] But I felt it odd that with the workload

[1:35:49] for the probation officers that you want to promote

[1:35:52] one, but not add another.

[1:35:55] Does it not look like they needed for?

[1:35:58] I mean, you say that our probation program

[1:36:04] is the shining star.

[1:36:06] So I'm assuming they are going to continue

[1:36:08] to have the workload that they do,

[1:36:11] I mean, unless people just stop doing what they do.

[1:36:14] So I think my first thought to that was, if we promote one

[1:36:20] given supervisory duties, they're going to be able to handle less cases, right?

[1:36:25] So then it's going to make the other two even heavier, so should we not do both of those

[1:36:30] things?

[1:36:32] I understand the question.

[1:36:33] When we did interviews, we heard repeatedly, we need a fourth probation officer, and we

[1:36:38] definitely considered that, and we're not saying it's off the table again, this is part

[1:36:41] of the progressive kind of conservative approach to start somewhere.

[1:36:45] Again, part of that was adding that specific administrative support.

[1:36:49] We heard it consistently, from your probation officers,

[1:36:51] spending a significant amount of time on this administrative stuff.

[1:36:55] And we're really hopeful that if you get that administrative support dedicated,

[1:36:58] who knows it and are not and can take that off their plate,

[1:37:00] that that's going to build some capacity.

[1:37:02] Is it enough?

[1:37:03] We'll have to see it.

[1:37:03] I mean, again, that's part of our wait and see.

[1:37:06] Do this, see how they're going to impact things.

[1:37:08] With your growth of cases, unless there's a change in the way the referrals are made,

[1:37:12] it's very likely you're going to need more.

[1:37:13] But we didn't want to throw them all at you right away.

[1:37:16] And we think the administrative piece is obviously a less cost

[1:37:20] than the probationary officer.

[1:37:22] Right.

[1:37:23] So I'll also just add a little bit to the additional context there.

[1:37:28] So in addition, the promotion of the probation officer

[1:37:31] to a supervisor reposition, you would think

[1:37:33] of that as a position that would still carry a lower case load,

[1:37:37] but have supervisor responsibility.

[1:37:38] So there is an increase in capacity there as well,

[1:37:41] not a full FTE in terms of an additional officer.

[1:37:44] But when you look at, again, you look at that administrative support, you look at being able to generate capacity within the existing resources you have with a modest where they're relatively modest investment.

[1:37:54] That's the conservative path forward generated media capacity.

[1:37:57] Okay, so and you did say that there is currently a clerk that does help them and so knows that process, but it's only part time helps. So really just make that go full time help.

[1:38:09] Yeah, it's a full-time position clerk right now that was dedicating it was hard to know 40 to 60% of her time when she could and it was available to assist probation with their administrative duties

[1:38:20] Okay, so that wouldn't be that would be immediate help because she's already knows what she's doing or he he said she right. Yeah

[1:38:28] That's right. Okay, part of this also helps with the technology piece because of big portion of the

[1:38:33] functions that they have is data entry and so if we're going to truly make that show me

[1:38:37] court system more effective and make sure the judges have the information that they need

[1:38:40] on the bench that information needs to be input into the system. So we couldn't tell again how

[1:38:46] much time was needed for that but it was a significant portion of their time each day as we

[1:38:49] things went on a simple task like data entry. And that's for the probation officers? Yes.

[1:38:55] Okay. If we can correct something, the probation officers and they could come down here to

[1:39:00] themselves. They do not have any help. We have three probation officers and probation

[1:39:03] that's it. So I think maybe that was what you had suggested, but that is never

[1:39:09] happened.

[1:39:11] We don't have anybody helping them at all right now. That's correct. That's my

[1:39:15] understanding, correct? Mr. Morris, do you want to come on down?

[1:39:19] We're going to.

[1:39:20] Just a little bit.

[1:39:22] And I would just note that our analysis was done based our comments are based on what we observed

[1:39:28] with the comments we received from your probation staff. It may have changed, but they said

[1:39:32] that they were receiving some support, at least at that time. That was about nine months ago.

[1:39:37] Okay. And if I could just interject for a second time. So, our Ms. Port Judges and a couple of our...

[1:40:03] But one clerk full time with the probation officers and then see what relief you get there and then if we need more add another.

[1:40:15] Is what you're thinking?

[1:40:16] That's correct.

[1:40:18] Okay, can you back that up one slide?

[1:40:24] Okay, and then so Mr. Dunning just told us that two FTEs were moved over from admin to the courts, but you wouldn't have seen that change.

[1:40:36] that happened when you didn't get up. Okay.

[1:40:44] I have a bunch of notes and I'm so sorry.

[1:40:57] I was walking through

[1:40:58] the recommendations and I was trying to figure out who does what, but I think you guys actually

[1:41:05] did that partially on something that we just received so I haven't had. So I'll skip over that

[1:41:10] I think that information's already been had.

[1:41:21] And then, where you're recommending that we get help for the courts, people that

[1:41:28] already know what they're doing, does that like, are all of those people you're talking

[1:41:32] about coming from OSCA, or are you saying maybe we should engage a retired court administrator

[1:41:41] or, yes, there's a significant support available through OSCA, but they're also retired

[1:41:46] court clerks, even potentially municipal court judges, they might be willing to come in assist you.

[1:41:52] You need someone who has really been in that system, understands how an effective court system works.

[1:41:56] You can develop those who has the best policies out there that they can bring those into your

[1:42:01] organization and get those implemented as quickly as possible. So we see that being a short term fix

[1:42:05] and that connection with OSCA or even the circuit court would be of benefit to your court system.

[1:42:11] And I think my next question was going to be so do you think the circuit court court court

[1:42:17] could help or is municipal that much different than circuit that they cannot?

[1:42:22] And I apologize because I was having microphone issues at first.

[1:42:25] I think the chart that will really help you is that one of the first charts that I was in my presentation

[1:42:30] talked about the divided responsibilities.

[1:42:32] Ultimately, your municipal court judges do report to the presiding judge of the circuit court.

[1:42:37] So that's a natural place if they're struggling with something if they need help with an issue that they should go

[1:42:43] but they can also provide tremendous support and resources to your court.

[1:42:49] Thank you.

[1:42:51] I need to read just my notes and then I'll come back.

[1:42:53] Thank you.

[1:42:55] Councilmember Carlisle, do you want to yield your time to Councilmember Adkins?

[1:42:58] Who's next?

[1:42:59] Yes, please.

[1:43:00] Yeah.

[1:43:01] Thank you.

[1:43:02] Councilmember Adkins?

[1:43:03] Go ahead.

[1:43:05] Hi, thank you. Thank you, my work, Mayor Prism. I had a few different questions, and as I was reading through the online report, you know, the full report, a reference to a lot of procedural differences between the staffing, the court administrator and our assistant city manager.

[1:43:25] And it seemed to reference a breakdown of communication, or a breakdown of who was in charge of what internally, and I'm curious about the status of this, are these.

[1:43:38] Is that, do we have effective leadership in there currently?

[1:43:44] Employee wise staff wise, is this something that's currently functional, or is it recommended that we make changes to to staff?

[1:43:52] What was that portion of the report?

[1:43:55] I think it's a big question for the first.

[1:43:56] Yeah.

[1:43:58] Councilmember Mackins, Mark Netting.

[1:44:00] So that's kind of been.

[1:44:04] It's coming.

[1:44:04] It's coming gone.

[1:44:06] I would say.

[1:44:08] So that's something we haven't implemented.

[1:44:11] And we need to work on.

[1:44:13] I would say that over the last couple of years,

[1:44:16] that that liaison and those regular meetings have not been occurring.

[1:44:20] And so we need to get back into that space.

[1:44:24] For two years, there hasn't been a liaison.

[1:44:27] Well, it's been since I've been, well, it's been longer than that.

[1:44:32] Well, I would say this.

[1:44:34] Have we had somebody that's available for a liaison?

[1:44:37] Yes.

[1:44:37] But has it been fully implemented to the extent that we need to be?

[1:44:43] We need to work on that.

[1:44:44] What's the role of a liaison?

[1:44:46] Like frequency?

[1:44:47] what is. Yeah, we'll think of think of what we're working on here as multi-faceted, right?

[1:44:55] Judges oversee the court functions. The court administrator oversees the court staff.

[1:45:00] But the city supports those operations. So if we're not coordinated on what the needs are to make that overall operation run, then things can get out of whack. And so the more that we're coordinated and synced up, the better the operation runs.

[1:45:16] So as we move forward and accepting any of the recommendations that are in the report, is this staffing mechanism,

[1:45:26] something that is, I mean, this report came out in February, is this handled yet, like what, this seems like an internal process that is that needs supervision, what can, what is what is happening with this, like what it, this seems more problematic than the rest of it.

[1:45:44] they all of it seems problematic, but this the slack of lays on or coordination or a staff person

[1:45:51] fulfilling their role like what it this seems like a larger problem than the rest of the problems.

[1:45:57] Yep, and as we've heard from the judges too, more time for them to have that capacity to have

[1:46:03] those types of meetings as well, right? So it's a lot a lot of us coming together to make commitments

[1:46:10] to do this work together.

[1:46:15] Because the judges need to have time to meet with the liaison or because the liaison isn't

[1:46:18] available or what's happening.

[1:46:21] Both the judges are spending their time on those court days per week, numerous hours if

[1:46:27] you've heard.

[1:46:28] And so they don't have that ability to step out of the courtroom and do more of some of

[1:46:33] these administrative supervisory oversight functions.

[1:46:37] And that's what you're hearing from the RAF tell us folks is breaking that workload up more and having more administrative time with the staff, the court staff and with the liaison.

[1:46:49] Okay, and then do the judges need to be present in order for the court administrator to supervise the staff?

[1:46:55] No. The court administrator oversees the court staff, the judges in the municipal court functions oversee the court administrator in the staff.

[1:47:09] Okay, so that are the court administrators able to continue to meet with the staff, even if the judges haven't doubled their days yet, or.

[1:47:18] Yes, those functions can take place.

[1:47:23] But I think generally what we noticed was there was a lack of strategic thinking and part of that, a big part of it was no one had the time to actually do that.

[1:47:32] But people recognize that there are needs for policies, better procedures, cross-training,

[1:47:38] but there really had never been the time to actually sit down and have those discussions.

[1:47:42] I think the linkage between the city liaison and the courts and important one, because

[1:47:47] it can help provide that leadership to drive changes.

[1:47:50] That person can make sure that the court has the resources that needs if it's a technology

[1:47:54] need that they have.

[1:47:55] They're going to be more capable of driving that through the city organization and helping

[1:47:59] to ensure that that's in the next budget.

[1:48:01] I'm processed, they can help them with some of the personal management issues.

[1:48:05] So having that time for people to really talk and strategize and develop systems, better

[1:48:09] systems is really important.

[1:48:12] Councillor Member, it seems like you were maybe asking sort of two separate questions.

[1:48:16] One about the liaison role, which I believe would be something like the Assistant City Manager

[1:48:21] or City Manager level, and the second one about the on-the-ground court staffs that are

[1:48:26] supervised by the Court Administrator, which they are city employees, but it's a separate

[1:48:32] role from the liaison role that's kind of someone that's more in leadership.

[1:48:36] Did you want to ask questions about both of those, or it just seemed like maybe you were

[1:48:40] kind of getting into both areas?

[1:48:42] Yeah, I'm just looking for clarity that both of those things are being handled before we even

[1:48:50] resources to hire other people and wondering what would keep us from activating those,

[1:48:56] from making sure that those staff people are optimized and doing what their roles call for,

[1:49:04] and if Mr. Gandhi is saying that part of it is time from the judges to be able to have time

[1:49:11] during the week to do those things, then that's one thing. But if there's inefficiencies in the way that

[1:49:15] staff is currently overseeing the or the Administrator or Assistant City Manager if there's

[1:49:24] inefficiencies in the way that they are working with staff that is not have to do with the

[1:49:27] judges. I just want to make sure that that's happening as quickly as possible. Is it okay if I

[1:49:36] ask for Judge Lopez to come and to the podium? Certainly.

[1:49:45] Yes. Good evening. Hi. Judge Lopez would you

[1:49:51] Would you mind giving feedback about the report in terms of, you know, it's broken down into five major sections?

[1:49:58] I mean, is this the report that you,

[1:50:00] We expected to see you to come up with more things that you hadn't even thought of or can you give your feedback in terms of if you agree or disagree with each portion of the report.

[1:50:11] Well, one thing I wanted to correct is Mr. Donut, you mentioned that we had gotten two additional full-time employees.

[1:50:20] That was kind of surprising to Judal Terranai.

[1:50:23] We have, we just have six people I don't.

[1:50:26] Where are the two full time employees that we have now?

[1:50:30] I mean, we hired a bailiff, but we already had that bail of position on that bail

[1:50:33] of left.

[1:50:33] Is that what you're counting a new full time employer?

[1:50:36] I'm just asking.

[1:50:37] I don't know what.

[1:50:40] All right.

[1:50:40] No.

[1:50:42] So, FTE's allocated, not that the employees are over there right now, but through this budget,

[1:50:47] which just started July 1st.

[1:50:49] the ability to bring on more clerks and to make the halftime clerk a full-time clerk.

[1:50:57] Things of that nature. So two FTEs allocated to the courts to help with these recommendations.

[1:51:03] Okay. Well, we just, we were really surprised. We didn't know that nobody had communicated with us.

[1:51:08] And that kind of goes back to that whole conversation.

[1:51:12] We don't really, I know this isn't really answering your question, but I don't really know who our liaison is with the court.

[1:51:18] Um, we don't have one, we don't have anyone we really can call.

[1:51:22] There's no meetings that we've, I've never had one meeting with anybody who's

[1:51:25] old liaison for the court about anything other than we were trying to work on getting the

[1:51:31] additional court days and things like that.

[1:51:35] Um, but as far as the report, um, I think does all Terry and I don't agree with a lot of

[1:51:43] some of it. We feel like if the numbers show we need 5.4

[1:51:48] current days per week, we shouldn't be conservative and start at 4.

[1:51:53] The city is continuing to grow. Our numbers are not going to go down.

[1:51:57] We're continuing to increase our population. People, we're in the middle of three

[1:52:02] different highways. People are coming here from all over the city to use our

[1:52:07] resources, but they're all also coming here and getting tickets and stealing from

[1:52:10] stores and things like that. So our numbers are going to continue to go up. So in the fact

[1:52:16] that it's taken us two years to get to this point, I don't think we are able to keep coming

[1:52:22] back and redoing this and the amount of time that it's taken us to get this part. I don't want

[1:52:28] to start conservative. I would like to go with what the numbers say. I don't know that there

[1:52:35] are there are any retired judges out there that know the current system, everything's been updated

[1:52:40] than last few years that could come in and help us out.

[1:52:45] Oskah doesn't have any clerks that can just come out and start working with our court

[1:52:49] to help us.

[1:52:50] We have work with Oskah, a lot of the things that are on this report.

[1:52:54] As Mr. Dining said, we have corrected.

[1:52:57] We have a new court administrator in place and she's been working very diligently with this

[1:53:02] report since December to try to correct some of the deficiencies, a lot of the things that

[1:53:07] we're on here. We've corrected the cash handling. We have we have we've got this we

[1:53:13] had somebody from city budget has been sitting over there with us trying to get all of these reports.

[1:53:18] So our financial management system is in line more with what the city is doing our cash handling

[1:53:25] is more in line with the city is doing and I think the you know all of our reports are now going

[1:53:30] to the city which they weren't before we didn't know they weren't before because no one had told

[1:53:35] We were completely unaware that there were some financial irregularities because nobody had told us.

[1:53:43] And so we were unaware of that and as soon as a jettles here and I were informed of that,

[1:53:47] we did get additional support from the city to come over and help us to get all that straightened out.

[1:53:53] I think they have access to our bank records and all that.

[1:53:56] You have to release also.

[1:53:57] There is a, we are part of the judiciary and so we are not,

[1:54:01] not we don't answer to the city finance department, the city finance department doesn't answer to us.

[1:54:08] Our funds go into the city budget, but they don't have access to all the reports that we generate.

[1:54:15] And Oscar will not provide them because there are some confidentiality things in there.

[1:54:21] So anyway, we are making all of the documents necessary that they need.

[1:54:25] available to them and we've given them all the documentation they need and we're trying to

[1:54:30] accommodate all of the requests and I think we have. But the internal process,

[1:54:35] it is, I don't think the issues with the liaison have anything to do with Judge Altarian

[1:54:41] either because we don't even know who are liaison is. And I think if she was up here and if she was

[1:54:46] to come up here, we have really not ever had meetings with anyone at the city to even inform us.

[1:54:54] I've only been in the judge role for two years now, and we've never set down a met with anyone who's explained.

[1:55:00] How any of the processes work for them to ask us to provide any documents and tell, you know, and here recently.

[1:55:09] And so it seems your question, you know, we don't really have a liaison. I think somebody was assigned and nothing was happening.

[1:55:16] I think Mark has Mr. Dining has kind of taken over that role, maybe.

[1:55:22] But certainly I don't think it should be his responsibility as city manager to be the one coming over to the court and making sure that we have access to the resources we need and access that they are getting access to what they need.

[1:55:37] I think we should have somebody assigned to us directly that can work with our staff and work with the judges.

[1:55:43] I don't know if that answered our question.

[1:55:45] Yeah, that does help a lot, and so I, Mr. Dunny, I assume that we'll, we'll be talking about

[1:55:54] this about who, who, who was the liaison? Who was the liaison? Like, why, why would they not know

[1:56:01] who their liaison is? Yeah, right now there is liaison, but it's, it's not working.

[1:56:08] Okay, so this

[1:56:09] is a change that's happening soon quickly in the next month, or what is the action plan for addressing

[1:56:15] now. I need to develop that plan.

[1:56:21] And one other thing, the circuit court, their functions are so different from what we do.

[1:56:27] I don't know that they're going to be a really great resource for us to come in and help us

[1:56:31] manage our documents. We just managing our documents better requires more court dates and more

[1:56:36] staff and more probation officers. And I agree with what Miss Carlisle said, you know, if we are

[1:56:44] running 7 or 800 probationers per probation officer and the standard is, and I didn't

[1:56:54] write the number down, I think, because they said 45 to 100 or something, we do need more

[1:56:59] probation officers.

[1:57:00] And I think that would really alleviate their overtime and all the things that they're having

[1:57:06] to do on their off days and working over the weekends and all that.

[1:57:11] Thank you, Judge. If you can hang on and like to ask Ms. Carlisle again to give feedback on what you to send Ms.

[1:57:22] Carlisle.

[1:57:23] Are you all right?

[1:57:24] Would you be able to remember Carlisle?

[1:57:27] We don't.

[1:57:28] No, I'm sorry.

[1:57:29] I'm sorry.

[1:57:31] I'm sorry.

[1:57:32] The presentation.

[1:57:34] I'm sorry.

[1:57:34] I don't mean Ms. Carlisle.

[1:57:39] The consent.

[1:57:41] If the presenter could please clarify or please respond to what Judge said about

[1:57:47] in having clerks available or having judges in the area who would know how to manage the system.

[1:57:53] What do you think about finding resources of humans that can come?

[1:57:57] Under the Missouri State statutes, your municipal court officers report to the presiding judge of the circuit court.

[1:58:04] I certainly think the circuit court can provide some assistance with documents.

[1:58:08] They also have a variety of policies, if they were to implement those, they might help with reducing some of the

[1:58:17] which is developed in most courts, he could probably receive a copy of that, and I would not

[1:58:21] suggest that you start from scratch. There's no reason to do that. There are plenty of

[1:58:24] examples. But setting reasonable deadlines, those are all things that other court rooms

[1:58:29] have implemented to help move the case load further.

[1:58:35] Sure. But in terms of, yeah, because that is definitely, you know, I did read that report that

[1:58:39] creating the procedures is one thing and so who does that? Is that the court administrator? Is that

[1:58:45] lays on who is, well, ideally doing it on a regular basis of the court administrator would be assigning

[1:58:51] various staff members who had particular expertise, but because there's such a void of policies

[1:58:57] and procedures, we're suggesting that you bring someone in that can do that for you very quickly.

[1:59:02] If there's someone on staff that could do that, that would be ideal, but our sense was that there was

[1:59:07] no one that had the time right now to do it because of the backlog, and that's why we recommended

[1:59:11] bringing someone in with that expertise to do it and get it done fast. Now that's the

[1:59:15] living document. So as things change, someone needs to be looking at those documents and

[1:59:19] revising them, making sure the policies are still meeting the current needs. But I think

[1:59:23] you need something to start with pretty quickly sooner than later.

[1:59:29] Yeah, I agree.

[1:59:31] The other thing is, oh, go ahead. You're a little bit delayed, I think. And with respect to the

[1:59:38] system. We don't disagree that there is, you know, a horizon for some of these recommendations,

[1:59:46] but the probation program also needs to have some suggestions or some policies about

[1:59:51] when cases are referred to a probation. You know, we asked, is there a procedure for what kinds

[1:59:56] of cases specifically good approvations versus those that are not?

[2:00:02] So, even having a policy that guides that could help with some of their case loads?

[2:00:08] Okay, and is this the type of thing that you have created a timeline for a reasonable expectation

[2:00:14] for how long this timeline could be implemented or just when you communicate with Mr. Dunning about this?

[2:00:20] Yes, so as I illustrated when we think about this kind of organizational change and it is significant.

[2:00:27] We think in terms of five-year blocks, really, to implement the totality of the recommendations.

[2:00:33] What we would prioritize immediately are the additional capacity as the organization has already

[2:00:39] started moving on, that the multiple conversations and meetings that we've been involved

[2:00:43] in through the course of this project, between both the city manager's office and folks and the municipal

[2:00:49] court folks, that there's perceptible movement on those recommendations.

[2:00:54] Now, whether there's an individual, we don't know what your recruitment market is in terms

[2:00:59] of bringing in that extra help, so could be a firm, could be a municipal court judge,

[2:01:03] could be support from the circuit court. There are multiple avenues that need to be pursued.

[2:01:07] Ultimately, that needs to be pursued by the municipal court staff, by the court administrator.

[2:01:13] So, you know, those are critical first pieces. It takes time to fill positions.

[2:01:18] It takes time to bring those positions up to speed to be fully effective. So, recognizing that,

[2:01:23] just think it's important to understand that there'll be a sequence in timeline to get this done.

[2:01:28] You can't really flip a switch in all of its time tomorrow.

[2:01:31] You can't remember, I'd can't say I believe Mr. Dunning sort of references earlier.

[2:01:34] There is an implementation action plan, I believe it's called.

[2:01:37] It contains some recommendations that are considered a close record since they deal with certain

[2:01:42] sensitive matters, so that's been emailed to you to review and that does have some kind

[2:01:48] of timelines like we recommend this within X number of months, this within a year, that kind

[2:01:53] that might be something to look at later. They give some more specific recommendations.

[2:01:59] And I think we'll probably have a chance to discuss that in a close session at some point.

[2:02:02] So it does contain some more sensitive.

[2:02:05] And one of the things that I would just emphasize about that action plan, which we provided,

[2:02:09] it's our initial cut, but it has to be integrated with all the other work that you're accomplishing as a city.

[2:02:14] Right? So what we would expect, we would characterize that as a draft implementation plan.

[2:02:18] It would be a living document that you're a city manager, that your judges would work on together to develop.

[2:02:24] All right, when are we going to execute what resources do we need to commit, what's our core kind of critical path to getting some of these things done?

[2:02:31] And it's a tool for accountability.

[2:02:33] How are we really doing in a year, in two years?

[2:02:36] In six months a year, two years toward the implementation of those recommendations.

[2:02:41] Thank you.

[2:02:41] So you've laid out a strategic plan for the court improvements.

[2:02:45] and I did receive the email, but it was about an hour and a half before the meeting started

[2:02:49] so I haven't had a chance to read through all of it, and so that plan lays out the next two

[2:02:56] years worth of implementation. So at this point, do you stay involved as we go forward or is it a

[2:03:02] staff issue now? This is a hand-off point for us. So we provided you a path forward. We're certainly

[2:03:09] available to provide support down the road. I mean, we're not kind of contract municipal attorney,

[2:03:14] so we wouldn't fill that role.

[2:03:16] But in terms of answering questions, clarification,

[2:03:19] we don't charge for phone calls as a,

[2:03:21] maybe a badly time joke.

[2:03:27] All right, well, thank you all so far.

[2:03:29] I have a ton more questions,

[2:03:31] but I'll be all wait my turn

[2:03:32] and let everyone else continue speaking.

[2:03:35] So thank you all for your time and thank you more part,

[2:03:38] more, thank you Mayor Pro Tem.

[2:03:40] Thank you, Councilmember.

[2:03:42] Councilmember Carlisle, you had yielded your time

[2:03:44] earlier, do you want to, okay, keep going on.

[2:03:46] Councilmember Funk, you're next on the list.

[2:03:50] Thank you.

[2:03:50] Two of them, sheels, um, so did you, you guys

[2:03:55] did not communicate with city staff at all through this process?

[2:03:59] You just simply reviewed the courts.

[2:04:02] We had a number of conversations with city staff

[2:04:04] and stakeholders and key voices and roles who provide support

[2:04:08] for the courts, yes.

[2:04:09] But our focus of our analysis was not on the other departments

[2:04:12] that provides support, it was on the municipal court.

[2:04:16] When you say key stakeholders, or are you talking about,

[2:04:20] like Mr. Dunning, the finance department,

[2:04:24] those folks where you're key stakeholders

[2:04:25] with city staff?

[2:04:27] Yes.

[2:04:29] OK.

[2:04:33] When you say, I mean, I'm kind of, Judge Lopez mentioned,

[2:04:41] why do four days when you're telling us to do five?

[2:04:43] That makes zero sense, let me give you the context of why.

[2:04:49] So the 5.4 days, that's based off of peer benchmark, it's based off of benchmarking data.

[2:04:57] We are always extremely cautious about utilizing...

[2:05:00] Bence marking data to support a firm staffing recommendation, because we don't review the operation of those other departments. We don't have

[2:05:06] a sense of what their workload is, how well they're doing it. It's a starting point, and it's a comparator. Our fundamental need to define, all right,

[2:05:13] what is the specific staffing need that you all have is data from your all's workload, which was lacking. OK, so when we look at Bence Morcanda data, and we look at, and we have conversations around what the overall case load is, we can't really answer the question,

[2:05:27] are we seeing individual cases or individual cases coming for the court far more often than

[2:05:33] maybe they are in another courts, right?

[2:05:35] First, we can't answer those specific questions, which means we're not going to go out on

[2:05:39] a limb and say implement a benchmark number of 5.4 because that may be excessive for what

[2:05:44] your workload drivers are.

[2:05:46] So that's partly why we think there is capacity based on all sorts of factors, all sorts

[2:05:52] of corresponding indicators, okay?

[2:05:54] The benchmarking indicator is one of many that we look at, and we've made, we believe there's a capacity need, but we would not at this point, believe we have sufficient data to say that you need 5.4 court days.

[2:06:09] I hope that answers the very correct.

[2:06:13] Somewhat, I'm sure you looked at the whole ramification of the courts.

[2:06:20] the finances, what the cases are turned in over all that.

[2:06:23] Do you think this court system is self-fundable?

[2:06:27] We saw generally the yes to your fine revenue, it was sufficient to cover the court

[2:06:31] operation.

[2:06:32] So generally speaking yes, but I would just echo what Jonathan said, but there were some

[2:06:39] data gaps, you know, we were also aware of some findings about funds being held.

[2:06:45] And so again, we were conservatively saying yes, we think that the court can't be self-sustaining.

[2:06:51] And then some of your studies, this is probably an opinion thing from you, all of the

[2:07:00] competitors that you used, I don't ever like to compare us to Kansas City but some of

[2:07:06] the municipalities that have generally the same population, none of those have elected judges.

[2:07:14] How often, I mean, is this a rare case, I think there was only two in your study that I don't know about it.

[2:07:19] There were two in our study.

[2:07:21] I have experienced in California courts where I'm licensed to practice,

[2:07:26] rare that the municipal courts have elected judges anymore.

[2:07:29] I think more common years and years ago, but many organizations are moving to appointed positions.

[2:07:40] Mayor Prochum, I don't know if you are we going to travel down the road of

[2:07:45] We want to save for a close session, get through some other documents that we have and maybe have a little bit longer time to swallow.

[2:07:54] But talk about, I mean, I know one of the recommendations is we need to go to five court days and we've had this discussion with the judges openly.

[2:08:05] The we want to travel down the road of discussing, I know back in November, Mr. Dunning,

[2:08:12] when we had this conversation, we were supposed to be hiring a new attorney.

[2:08:17] I think Mayor Barrett at the time said we needed a new attorney on staff to understand the

[2:08:23] piece of the rules of where we can't compensate and where we can't compensate.

[2:08:31] So, my thought generally about where we're at with this right now is tonight is about

[2:08:37] understanding the core audit findings. Any discussion of additional compensation or additional

[2:08:45] FTEs, things that would affect our budget and probably be a discussion for the finance and budget

[2:08:48] committee.

[2:08:51] I am, I was planning to ask Mr. Dunning at the end of this I wanted to give everybody

[2:08:55] but to bring us back kind of a tracking chart more

[2:09:00] more formal status of what each of the recommendations are.

[2:09:03] And some more clarity about who is,

[2:09:06] who has the authority to implement each of them.

[2:09:08] I think some of the discussion that we've had is about what can we do

[2:09:12] as a city, what can we do as a city council versus,

[2:09:15] you know, where are we supporting the judges and decisions that they make?

[2:09:19] So trying to get some more clarity on that as we continue to

[2:09:22] to figure out how we can best be supportive without overstepping into what is the authority

[2:09:30] of an independently affected, elected branch of government.

[2:09:35] So I guess the short-answered question would be, we're probably not going to talk about

[2:09:38] compensation tonight, except the finance and budget discussion for later.

[2:09:45] I mean, I think council number icons hit on it, Mr. Dunning, I think one of the largest and fastest action items is we need to get a strong.

[2:10:00] Line of communication between city hall and the court system.

[2:10:08] I know what your plate looks like, that shouldn't be you.

[2:10:11] That's my recommendation.

[2:10:15] But I think that would help us get the feedback we need on a regular basis to get this, you know,

[2:10:24] Mayor Protim is the boss here that can get this on an agenda item in the committee to start talking about the compensation pieces, but I think it would be extremely important to give us a little more time to absorb their action items that we just got.

[2:10:43] But also, get somebody who's communicating on a regular basis with the court system and saying, hey, you know, this is where we are.

[2:10:51] And this is what's going on and kind of start talking about those FTEs that have been

[2:10:55] allotted to them and those kind of things.

[2:10:59] And I think most generally all of my questions would probably fall toward our conversation

[2:11:07] that would happen at Pline Answering Budget.

[2:11:09] So I would thank you Mayor Prudim.

[2:11:13] Thank you, Councillor member Craven.

[2:11:17] Thanks for the presentation, and all of the commentary tonight, I think it was helpful, especially

[2:11:23] for me, not hearing this for the first time, but kind of being present in this space.

[2:11:32] I agree, I think the biggest word for me is capacity, the lack of capacity.

[2:11:40] That is where our breakdown is.

[2:11:42] When you don't have the adequate capacity, we are not supporting our municipalities system and obviously our judges are screaming to the top of the roof that they need support, they need help.

[2:11:55] I think that there were a lot of, in my opinion, low hanging firm that we should be able to check off within a month or two.

[2:12:05] I get five year plans and that it's a progression of things, but we need to be clear on where

[2:12:12] the needle has already moved because I hear that progress and things have been taken place

[2:12:20] already, but I'm also a reading body language.

[2:12:22] So I'm looking at everybody in the audience in their expressions and it doesn't sound like

[2:12:28] it's been moved a lot.

[2:12:30] I do think that it is important that that city liaison because there's a disconnect, there just is like between the city and our judges in our court system.

[2:12:44] I think that's the first step, getting someone in place who can really understand what is going on,

[2:12:51] listen to the people who are involved in this process every single day,

[2:12:55] And have someone help with these processes, it is impossible to act overworked employees to be a part of making this process work.

[2:13:05] That's impossible to even think that that should have been happening.

[2:13:11] So let's get whatever we need to do.

[2:13:14] And first we need to know what are our roles, what can we help with, what is the city's role in helping fix this problem,

[2:13:22] And what should we be focused on as a council to move this needle because I'm embarrassed.

[2:13:29] I think that that was really painful to hear that, you know, the court times how we can't fit into the buildings we have lines wrapped around.

[2:13:41] Because if we expect our citizens to uphold their end of the law, we have to provide a space for them.

[2:13:50] You know, we have to uphold our responsibility too.

[2:13:53] So I say all this to say, because I have a lot of stuff.

[2:13:55] And I don't think that, you know, we have the time to discuss all of this stuff.

[2:13:59] But this is, thanks for the, you know, the research and what you've provided today and what you're

[2:14:09] handing off to us.

[2:14:10] But the next steps are, what do we do next with this information?

[2:14:15] And how do we ensure that the employees, the judges, are playing a big part in what this looks like moving forward?

[2:14:28] So, that's what I challenge us to do.

[2:14:31] And I think that that's our next step.

[2:14:33] So, just to see this through.

[2:14:35] And Mr. Dunning, hopefully you've been wrapping your head around how do we fix this liaison problem?

[2:14:44] And when can we, you know, get somebody in that space, like yesterday, because I think

[2:14:50] that if we don't have that and we don't start there, this is going to be slipped down the

[2:14:55] cracks again and then we're going to be having another meeting saying how this is a bit

[2:15:00] We've been pushed out even further. So that's where I want to see things move here in the next month.

[2:15:13] Just kind of more conversation about around that piece. That's all I have.

[2:15:18] Thank you.

[2:15:18] Thank you, council member. Next is Ms. Frazier.

[2:15:23] Thank you, Mayor Poetem.

[2:15:24] I echo everything that's been said up here and something that stood out is what you said.

[2:15:31] First of all, we don't have five years, we just don't.

[2:15:34] And I was one of the folks that was sitting in the audience, was an October, November, wasn't

[2:15:40] on the Council yet when this was discussed.

[2:15:44] And I remember saying, oh my goodness, so here's my input.

[2:15:49] What I've heard is that there are recommendations, some of those recommendations have been

[2:15:55] implemented, no one knows what those are.

[2:15:58] So we need to see that list and in order to move forward.

[2:16:03] Strategically, as we've said, we need to be in a strategic role.

[2:16:07] We need to look forward as to what's going on

[2:16:09] or what we want our courts to look like.

[2:16:12] I also heard that the typical case for the probation,

[2:16:18] your folks are is 45, and you guys are doing 600.

[2:16:21] Am I missing something here?

[2:16:23] I'm not asking questions, that's what I heard.

[2:16:25] If that's not correct let me know that is not sustainable I heard that as well and to echo

[2:16:35] Councilmember Carlisle in that

[2:16:39] It's interesting to go from you know to move one up to a a supervisory position when you have a case low like that it is it's just not sustainable

[2:16:47] I have questions if if the show me court software is going to supplement

[2:16:54] our processes and streamline our processes, let's do it, let's figure out how we can work

[2:16:59] within those boundaries as well. But we need someone in that liaison position because

[2:17:04] the left doesn't know what the right is doing. And we need to be able to move forward. That

[2:17:10] being said, we also need to address the low hanging fruit. Whatever we can do now, whatever

[2:17:16] we can do in the next month or two or whatnot. And I'm going to say whatever we can do

[2:17:20] the next two months. For the time lying out there, let's do it for the low hanging group.

[2:17:26] We can do things concurrently as well, while we're looking for someone, while we're meeting

[2:17:30] with the budget and finance to address those particular issues regarding compensation and whatnot.

[2:17:35] And I know some of these things will be addressed in close session, but that's what we need to

[2:17:40] figure out where we can get the biggest bang for the buck. I am strong on suggestion planning,

[2:17:47] on keeping our staff happy and that's a general term.

[2:17:53] We also need to prepare for, you know, I say, you know, we talked about turnover earlier.

[2:17:58] If one of those folks in probation and if they leave, we're in trouble.

[2:18:03] And I don't know from an ordinance standpoint or from a statute standpoint how you can

[2:18:07] continue if we lose a judge, you know, someone wins the lottery, then, you know, they're

[2:18:13] gone.

[2:18:13] if we lose a probation and parole person, we can't, it'll shut down and that's not fair

[2:18:19] to our citizens.

[2:18:21] We are moving past 100 and what is it, 110, 115,000 members in our community.

[2:18:28] We know that.

[2:18:29] We are filling that all over.

[2:18:31] So I saw the data that was on there for, I think, in comparison for Olaitha, they have five

[2:18:37] days.

[2:18:38] We have two.

[2:18:38] Now, I think their population is about 150, but don't think we're going to be there too.

[2:18:46] So we need to address this now.

[2:18:48] I don't understand.

[2:18:49] Tell me what your ask is for us.

[2:18:51] And maybe that's something that you can share with us.

[2:18:53] Tell me what your ask is so that we can hit the ground running.

[2:19:01] Do you have any further questions?

[2:19:02] I don't.

[2:19:03] Just as a point of clarification on the probation case load,

[2:19:07] because there were a few different numbers thrown around.

[2:19:09] If I was understand correctly, it kind of depends on the complexity of the cases, what the recommend it does.

[2:19:14] Can you verify that just a little bit?

[2:19:17] It sounds like regardless of the complexity level.

[2:19:19] It is just a range of capacity, but...

[2:19:21] Yeah, there's a range for records going to find the exact range for you.

[2:19:24] But it's based on complexity.

[2:19:25] The 45 cases actually refers to cases involving domestic violence or physical...

[2:19:31] Again, those require a much more attention and she'll provide the high end number.

[2:19:35] Yeah, in the report it talks about this.

[2:19:37] the low risk case loads have recommended ratio of 200 cases for officer administrative or

[2:19:42] minimal risk case loads have ratio of 175 to 300, especially cases such as domestic violence

[2:19:47] is one, however, the 45 to 80 range. So what we had said in the report was almost of least

[2:19:53] some of its cases would be considered low risk and we had passed some of the probation officers

[2:19:57] for their assessment. It's hard to know of course.

[2:20:00] Some are higher summer than the mental illness and the domestic violence cases that have that lower range.

[2:20:05] So in all cases, it doesn't matter the case was higher than the thresholds, of course, even at the high end of 300, it's double.

[2:20:12] And what would you consider a low risk or an inward administrative, is that like a D-D-Y, or like just a supervising, supervising someone on drug, they're required to go through some kind of a drug treatment program, supervising that to make sure that that happens.

[2:20:29] So, do you driving under the influence or something of that nature?

[2:20:32] Okay. Okay, thank you.

[2:20:33] And we've talking adults, I'm sorry, just the...

[2:20:35] Yeah, adults.

[2:20:37] This is only an adult court, correct?

[2:20:38] We don't handle juvenile cases or no.

[2:20:41] It's adults.

[2:20:44] Hopefully that offers a little bit of clarity.

[2:20:47] But let's regard those, they're still well over that number.

[2:20:50] And I still think we want to revisit the idea of what actually is a case that should be referred to probation anyway.

[2:20:56] Okay.

[2:20:57] Because some of the other recommendations that we've made really making that support network

[2:21:03] system that you have available to you, the resource list, available some of that will also help.

[2:21:08] I think sometimes people are being placed on probation, some of the officers commented just so that I could find a resource.

[2:21:14] Well, we need to have those immediately available to people so that they're not having to find something unique to that individual.

[2:21:19] There are a lot of programs that are available within the region.

[2:21:21] Okay, thank you, I think everyone has had a chance to comment at least once so we can go back around Councilmember Carlisle.

[2:21:31] Did you have additional questions?

[2:21:32] Yes, thank you.

[2:21:34] And I'm sorry for not thanking you for all of this work earlier and just jumping into my questions.

[2:21:39] But thank you, I do understand this took a lot because there's a lot in here.

[2:21:46] So if what I'm hearing after this all went around and came back, if we fully use the technology,

[2:21:55] we have that are mandated by the courts for the court system to use, that's going to help us.

[2:22:01] And if we clarify the policies and procedures, so like those need to be our first two things,

[2:22:07] fully implement technology and get our policy and procedure book written so that everybody knows what's going on.

[2:22:13] Right? Yes, those are critical. Okay. And then after that, it will be easiest, easier for us to know

[2:22:23] what we really need. Like we might need two more probation officers. But we're not going to know that until we have the policies and procedures in place because

[2:22:33] Some people are getting recommended for probation and there's no probation for them. So then it's just like a circle. Right.

[2:22:42] I think Jonathan started the presentation by talking about hey we're also giving you the tools to forecast what your needs might be in the future.

[2:22:49] I think probation is a good example of that but it's also with the judicial bench officers.

[2:22:54] It's with your court clerk staffing.

[2:22:56] I think creating those data systems so that you have good information to be able to evaluate what those case loads truly are.

[2:23:03] Having policies in place that determine when something is referred for instance to probation.

[2:23:07] All that will help you then have the tools to forecast into the future what your true needs are.

[2:23:12] Okay, and that's why we try to be pretty conservative. Right, and those were like I think that was that very last of your

[2:23:21] Slides like recommendation

[2:23:24] 262728 was that what was worth and so those are really need to be one two and three not

[2:23:31] Number of recommendations isn't

[2:23:33] Isn't the order in which they're gonna go for your right and we grouped them so that they've kind of made sense because those yeah

[2:23:39] Yeah, I understand. Thank you. Thank you for that

[2:23:42] anything to help us make sense, this is well-needed.

[2:23:47] Okay, okay, so then I think really,

[2:23:52] you've answered anything that I could ask of you,

[2:23:55] the rest is really just for us and staff

[2:23:58] and everybody else to kind of figure out

[2:24:00] within what we do.

[2:24:03] So thank you so much to your time and all of your hard work

[2:24:06] on this and hopefully we won't see you again.

[2:24:11] I mean, that's horrible for me to say,

[2:24:13] But I mean, if we're doing good, right?

[2:24:15] We made it.

[2:24:16] All right.

[2:24:17] Thank you.

[2:24:19] Thank you.

[2:24:20] Councilmember.

[2:24:20] Councilmember, I'd consider you have additional questions.

[2:24:24] I just wanted to clarify in my Zoom cut out for a second.

[2:24:28] So I missed some of what Councilmember Carlisle said, but I think I was hearing this presentation

[2:24:34] differently.

[2:24:35] But yes, the policies of procedures are an extremely important part of moving ahead.

[2:24:41] But in terms of prioritizing and which things happen first, there would be zero reason to delay hiring those two positions that were funded.

[2:24:53] If Mr. Dines had there's two positions that got funded through the 2027 budget.

[2:25:00] Yes. We want to see those people hired immediately. And based on the numbers that you talked about with the provision officers, get that adjustment. I mean, these numbers that you laid out.

[2:25:15] I too was in the room November, November when these judges came the first time to talk about how dire the situation was.

[2:25:22] And I couldn't fathom then six months ago why you would wait a single day to hire new people, or to allow them to work longer.

[2:25:31] And I want to see my position on this is I want people to be hired as quickly as possible.

[2:25:37] I want relief in there as quickly as possible.

[2:25:40] And the way that you described the means of how you would write out policies and procedures is that no one has the time to write them.

[2:25:48] So that certainly means the existing staff that's in there now and doesn't have time to write them.

[2:25:52] So there will there will there will be no relief until new people are in there to help take the workload off.

[2:25:58] And so as this moves to finance and budget or wherever it goes next, I could not be more strongly in the opinion that we need to hire people as quickly as possible.

[2:26:10] So let's start implementing these procedures as quickly as possible and take seriously the requests by the judges to to have their own timeframe shifted to be allowed to be in there more often yes to increase their pay, which this is not today's presentation has not been about their pay, but it's certainly will need to be impacted.

[2:26:35] And I want this to take place quickly, especially since we said in November that we would

[2:26:41] wait to see the results of this.

[2:26:44] So here are the results, and I think that we should be moving to take them very seriously

[2:26:49] and to request a check-in for Mr. Dunning every month to the City Council to say what's

[2:26:56] happening and who's been hired or which seats have been filled or how many checkboxes have been

[2:27:03] done off the strategic plan because it's a, you know, a 10 page thing they got emailed earlier

[2:27:07] today. So whatever that is, I would like to see monthly updates on on this process.

[2:27:14] There's lots of other departments in the city that have been approved over the last few years and I'm

[2:27:20] I know that the city has so much to do and at least I have a lot of pride so many pieces of the government have been improved over the years and I think this is the next department in line to be renovated and I think it's right in front of us and so hopefully there's no barriers that keep us from implementing quickly.

[2:27:41] So thank you for the presentation.

[2:27:44] Thanks judges for your patience while this happens.

[2:27:48] And then thank you.

[2:27:49] Your program shields for helping us to.

[2:27:52] Implement quickly and helping it get to the right committee.

[2:27:55] So we can start taking action.

[2:27:58] Thank you council member.

[2:28:00] Just a purely procedural.

[2:28:02] Could all the council members clear themselves from the speaking orders.

[2:28:05] So that I can see if anybody still wants to speak.

[2:28:08] I don't have the mayor's controls up here.

[2:28:10] So I don't have the ability to declare you guys out.

[2:28:15] I'll hit the little withdrawal request button.

[2:28:19] Okay.

[2:28:19] I just wanted to make.

[2:28:21] So now if you want to make an additional comment, please go ahead and hit the request

[2:28:25] to speak button and I can get you to get to you in the order in which you chime in.

[2:28:28] So Council Member Frazier.

[2:28:29] I just wanted to say I also didn't have an opportunity.

[2:28:32] I know it's hard to be in the line of fire there and we're used to it.

[2:28:37] That doesn't make it any easier, but thank you.

[2:28:41] Council Member Funk.

[2:28:42] Thank you.

[2:28:44] Thank you.

[2:28:44] Thank you guys.

[2:28:45] I appreciate it.

[2:28:46] Thank you to the judges and all the court staff that came.

[2:28:52] Can we get this to finance and budget as soon as possible and strike up the conversation

[2:28:56] that we all know needs to be had?

[2:29:00] That's a chair, chair Carlisle.

[2:29:02] I believe has that on the agenda.

[2:29:04] Chair Carlisle, Councilor Carlisle.

[2:29:06] Would you like to?

[2:29:07] Yes.

[2:29:07] Thank you.

[2:29:08] Sorry, I had one question I forgot to ask and because I really haven't had a chance to look over the whole recommendation since because we just got it, but I saw them in the report.

[2:29:19] So, you went through the report with the judges and the staff.

[2:29:25] Did, did you have buy in from everybody on those recommendations?

[2:29:29] So our task as an independent reviewer is not to acquire by task is to bring our professional expertise to identify through our rigor through our analytical rigor.

[2:29:43] What we think the appropriate path forward is within the boundaries of constraints that you all face as a community we have offered that.

[2:29:49] Okay, so that, thank you.

[2:29:51] It is not, you're not your way to try and get by in.

[2:29:56] It's just, this is our professional opinion and do with it.

[2:30:01] Thank you. Thank you, Councillor member. Before I chime in with some of my comments, did any council members

[2:30:12] want to ask any additional questions from our subject matter experts since we do have the judges

[2:30:15] and probation officers. I think we've heard some from them, but is there anyone who has any follow-up questions

[2:30:21] for them at this point? I believe we've heard from them in prior meetings, but if you have any further

[2:30:26] questions, certainly welcome those,

[2:30:31] not, not seeing them.

[2:30:32] Oh, yeah, yeah, yes, Councilmember, I can't.

[2:30:35] Thank you, I'm sorry, camp on my button.

[2:30:37] Would it be okay to ask in general if anyone who had given comments earlier at the

[2:30:42] beginning of the night, now that the report has been given, is there anyone who was like

[2:30:45] to follow up with a, is that, is that appropriate just because I don't know what their

[2:30:52] names of the people.

[2:30:53] Is there a specific question you want to ask for?

[2:30:58] The people that spoke there was a probation officer.

[2:31:02] There are people representing different pieces of the court.

[2:31:06] And so to the extent that the report mentioned that there are roles.

[2:31:11] Isn't it relevant to find out if there's any additional information they'd like to add now that the report has been given?

[2:31:18] So we can lead off with judges if they have any additional comments and then see if the staff members have any additional comments.

[2:31:30] Can I just point a clarification?

[2:31:33] Yes.

[2:31:34] Thank you.

[2:31:35] Thank you.

[2:31:37] Thank you.

[2:31:44] I appreciate that question because I'm on my 17th year and no one had a question for me.

[2:31:55] no one seemed to want my opinion and I don't understand why that occurs because it's repeated

[2:32:06] and ongoing with regard to the court liaison.

[2:32:12] I have sent emails, I have requested someone get a sign, it all falls into a hole.

[2:32:19] I have complained about that. Please assign us someone. I've pointed out the deficiencies in the breakdown

[2:32:26] in the relationships and the problems. And so I do feel a breath of fresh air, which I felt in the past

[2:32:35] and it didn't work out. So I'm trying to be optimistic with some of the comments that I've heard tonight

[2:32:43] because I didn't really know one listens to me. But, um,

[2:32:51] and now I just like stupid standing here.

[2:32:55] I have repeatedly tried to get someone over there, so you can say that we need someone, but look at how everything is broken without one.

[2:33:04] We talk about our financial issues.

[2:33:08] Well, instead of saying, well, we've got one of the things is, you know, we're working on the financial processes and that kind of stuff.

[2:33:15] No break it down to brass tax.

[2:33:18] Armed court bailiff quit.

[2:33:20] We got no notice.

[2:33:21] Well, we have no backup because he was going to back it up

[2:33:23] because we have six employees.

[2:33:27] So we had then a court clerk unarmed,

[2:33:32] just taking the court deposits.

[2:33:35] I didn't think that was smart.

[2:33:37] So I asked for help.

[2:33:39] We didn't get any help.

[2:33:40] So then I said, well, so I just can't let her continue

[2:33:44] to take it every night so I would leave my house and drive over and try and get the deposit

[2:33:49] so we're switching it up so if you're going to you know put a gun to somebody's head you

[2:33:54] got to figure out who you're going to pick and who's got the deposit that night and then

[2:33:57] I would run them over to the bank. I asked several times if we could get on the brings rotation

[2:34:02] and couldn't get that accomplished so she goes over to the police department says can you

[2:34:06] guys take our deposits? I mean that's how we're spending our time and so yes that's not

[2:34:13] how we should be spending our time.

[2:34:16] So here are these general things about, well,

[2:34:18] we've got an implement financial process.

[2:34:21] It's bad, but we couldn't get any help

[2:34:26] no one would listen to me so eventually we hired a new court

[2:34:30] bailiff and he was taking it.

[2:34:33] The issues with the finances meetings went on behind our back.

[2:34:37] We had no idea that meetings about our budget,

[2:34:41] the problems, the judges were out of it. Office of Court State Administrator came in and said

[2:34:49] the judges are the first line period. Nothing goes on with the finances without the judges

[2:34:55] knowing it. And so we then have been able.

[2:35:00] So, to get involved after someone else pointed that out, talk about what I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, interrupt. Is there? Do you think that we'll be able to proceed with the instructions that have been given? Do you think that the instructions that have been given that you'll be able to run with quickly these are things that are within the scope that we can get handled? Council member, I can see the list of recommendations from the reporters that what you're referring to.

[2:35:27] Yep, yeah, exactly.

[2:35:30] I'll see.

[2:35:30] Well, we, that, that you, I think you hit on part

[2:35:35] of the crux of the problem.

[2:35:37] What you guys got an email an hour and a half before the meeting?

[2:35:41] Is that right?

[2:35:41] Or something?

[2:35:42] And it was protected for some kind of measures.

[2:35:45] We didn't get it.

[2:35:47] There's no collaboration.

[2:35:49] We have no idea what you're referring to.

[2:35:51] And so I don't know why we wouldn't get it.

[2:35:54] We're tasked by law with running the judiciary.

[2:35:58] So I can't just post session, so it's, you normally don't receive close session emails

[2:36:03] and so, so that is why I'm sure, but if Mr. Dung just for clarity, the, I'm trying to

[2:36:12] recall exactly the title of it, the implementation action plan is that was called the

[2:36:16] IAP, has that been shared with the judges?

[2:36:18] That was covered with raft tell us when I was at a meeting as the IAP and then we broke out

[2:36:23] a separate report regarding financial controls and security.

[2:36:30] So that was covered when Raff tell us and myself and the judges and the courted interim

[2:36:34] court administrator at the time reviewed this information.

[2:36:39] So I wanted to be mindful of it sharing for this discussion.

[2:36:44] Certainly, has that been provided to the electronic police that they have copies in their

[2:36:48] possession to review at a later date or was it just provided in person?

[2:36:52] I don't recall if that.

[2:36:55] I think one thing I've heard from many of my colleagues

[2:36:58] tonight on the judges is that more open, clear communication is a real real

[2:37:03] priority, so maybe that's something.

[2:37:06] If it hasn't been provided to them in a PDF or a printed version that could be provided to them

[2:37:11] so that everybody is working from the same set of recommendations.

[2:37:17] Sorry, please continue Councilmember Beckins or Judge Altieri.

[2:37:23] I'll go.

[2:37:25] The in Councilmember Funk asked a question about whether or not outside Council was hired

[2:37:35] after that November 4 presentation.

[2:37:38] And it was quickly shoved under the table.

[2:37:41] We were not talking about money tonight.

[2:37:43] That was not his question.

[2:37:44] And his question was, on November 4th, we said we were going to hire an outside council

[2:37:51] which we think is a waste of money.

[2:37:54] Judge Fan was in here, she gave her legal opinion, we have given our legal opinion, there

[2:38:00] was already money spent on another outside council, the city hired an attorney that does medical

[2:38:06] malpractice work and does not do municipal work and her opinion.

[2:38:12] And I guess was either unclear or something.

[2:38:16] We don't understand that, but that night, we were supposed to hire outside council.

[2:38:21] I asked in November, I think it was later that month or in December, I said, hey, are

[2:38:28] you hiring that outside council?

[2:38:29] Because I knew the answer?

[2:38:31] No.

[2:38:31] Nobody does anything.

[2:38:33] And no one was hired.

[2:38:34] So that was one of the things in November, so the question was not that he asked was not

[2:38:39] about compensation. It was a little more directed to, did we get that done? And no one did it.

[2:38:44] I don't even think it needs to be done. I think the question's been answered several times.

[2:38:49] And I don't think you even have to be in a turny really to answer it. But no, that wasn't done.

[2:38:55] And then talk about whether or not we are self-sustaining. We are. And we can bring in revenue.

[2:39:03] We still if we had more dockets. It's overlooked that I took stuff and worked at home

[2:39:08] and brought in $55,000 in a matter of three weeks

[2:39:12] that was for-fitted bond money that just sits there.

[2:39:16] It's not taxpayer money, it's not school money,

[2:39:20] it is money from defendants.

[2:39:22] If you don't come to court, we are going to take your money

[2:39:25] and you still get a warrant.

[2:39:26] And then you'll give us more money

[2:39:28] and then we might just take that too if you don't come.

[2:39:31] But we don't even have that docket.

[2:39:33] I mean, they all know, the defendants know.

[2:39:35] So it's not like I'm advertising something.

[2:39:37] they've figured out how we are now, but we can—we're not about bringing in revenue but

[2:39:43] we certainly can. I don't understand the process on how things go to probation. We determine

[2:39:50] what goes to probation and if we adopt the prosecutor's recommendation or if we send someone.

[2:39:57] And I don't know how it was understood. It might be about service.

[2:40:00] We do provide services because if the guy that shows up at your house at 3 a.m., with no pants on, asking for a sandwich, just needs to be

[2:40:10] medicated. Let's try to get him the medication. We can put him in jail, or we can just try to fix the issue and get him some resources and go. But that's a lot of what the probation department does.

[2:40:23] but they're not, we're not service oriented because we max out our jail capacity all the time.

[2:40:29] We max out both our providers, we max out the lease summit jail, but so that's a lot of,

[2:40:35] so the process on who goes to probation and we do have to have a ton of people on probation.

[2:40:40] There's a lot to talk about like, how come the parents aren't managing the children, you know?

[2:40:46] Well, you're looking at them right here because by the time you get to us and your own probation,

[2:40:50] And if you've got a kid and their mom and dad, you see them come in and they act ridiculous

[2:40:57] and you realize nobody's sitting at that table at dinner, so that's when we come in.

[2:41:02] And then I had like I had a dad say, well can you do that or something I said, yeah,

[2:41:07] because you don't do your job, so I sit down at the head of the table and I'm going to do it.

[2:41:11] So I went down and made a list of who have sung, could not be friends with, but I can't

[2:41:16] do that if we don't have the time.

[2:41:18] And I do appreciate everyone acknowledging that we have to have the time to have these meetings.

[2:41:25] So because we come over on our all-time all the time and I've started to throw bits about it

[2:41:31] because I have to work other places and it takes away from other income to run over here for stuff.

[2:41:38] But when I feel we should be paid to do it,

[2:41:44] but there's just, in one, another thing I heard was,

[2:41:49] well, we need to get people who like know what they're doing.

[2:41:56] Those six clerks are doing the work of 16 people,

[2:41:59] and those probation officers, those people know what they're doing.

[2:42:03] You guys have the best staff over at that courthouse.

[2:42:05] I mean, they are a machine and in turn, they get to work light and work through lunch and

[2:42:14] be stressed to the ninth.

[2:42:16] So we don't need people to come in and necessarily train them.

[2:42:20] They just need help.

[2:42:22] They need resources.

[2:42:26] And I appreciate the presiding judge, if there's just no resources there, I clerk for the

[2:42:32] presiding judge of Jackson County and they would love to provide resources.

[2:42:35] is it's a different area and it is, they provide administrative oversight.

[2:42:41] We've got a great one right now, but if we went asking for resources, he would try

[2:42:45] to help us, but he might have, he'd try to figure out what he could do, because it kind

[2:42:51] of be a weird ask.

[2:42:55] What could do?

[2:42:56] I've asked one point, we had something hideous going on at the courthouse, and I said, can

[2:43:00] you please just get us over there, give a judge out of duty pay.

[2:43:04] get I know that's a thing because other people have gotten it just give us if that doesn't

[2:43:09] mean it's permanent it doesn't mean this is what you're going to get for the next year

[2:43:13] it means can you please get over there and start working and so we can figure out what's

[2:43:19] going on and then that request I just I just got stared at and a lot of the report a lot of what

[2:43:26] concerns me is they're like you can get by with and that's our conservative estimate I don't

[2:43:31] I don't know, I feel like somebody has talked to them, or they've been influenced.

[2:43:37] I think they're good people, but I think there's something that's just weird to me.

[2:43:41] I don't know why we're trying to see what we can get by with.

[2:43:47] But a lot of the things that we have brought up, we have, I have asked repeatedly.

[2:43:56] So I like feel some sense of encouragement, I feel like there's a breath of fresh air but I also, I don't know, I just hope things come to fruition.

[2:44:10] So then I'll just stop.

[2:44:14] Thank you so much.

[2:44:16] Thanks.

[2:44:16] I need to get something out anyway.

[2:44:19] I know one of the things, Council Member Frazier, you ask what is your ask?

[2:44:24] And I know, nobody specifically, you know, had us come up to the podium.

[2:44:29] So I'll tell you what our ask is.

[2:44:30] It's the same thing it was two years ago,

[2:44:34] when they published their report on page 1 and Judge

[2:44:39] Alterry quoted it.

[2:44:40] It says, current staffing levels have not kept pace with the city's growth and Allison

[2:44:46] indicates an immediate need for additional judicial capacity and increased personnel.

[2:44:51] So I learned tonight that we have many budgeted for two new clerks. That's amazing. I would like to hide them right away.

[2:44:57] I don't remember who said it. Oh, that was miss out.

[2:45:01] I would, yes, that's great. That will help. It's still not, you know, it's not an additional 10, but two will very help us a lot.

[2:45:11] And additional judicial capacity, the problems all stem, not from whether or not we're using Oscar programs.

[2:45:19] And I will tell you, there are a lot of programs through Oscar that we could use if we have the time that morning when I had 720 defendants

[2:45:29] and Judge Altairi had to come and help me and we set their both of us from 830 and 1230 working

[2:45:36] on 720 people that would have been like 23 seconds per person. It's not enough time for them

[2:45:42] to even walk up and I have to move on. So all of this can be helped by having us there more days.

[2:45:49] We can spread all this out which will also help the rest of the staff if they're not having

[2:45:53] to do all of their probation violations that are assigned to me in one day.

[2:45:58] We're all the Tuesday probation violations and the domestic violence and all this that do take a lot of time for Judge Altieri.

[2:46:05] You also mix in there.

[2:46:06] We start our afternoon and custody documents.

[2:46:10] We might have 15 people on the in custody document.

[2:46:12] And that's with us also a reigning people every single day of the week.

[2:46:16] Even when we're not in court.

[2:46:17] We still might have 15 people on the in custody document.

[2:46:20] That might take us two hours to get done.

[2:46:22] There's a lot of times that all start my afternoon document at 3.30 or 4

[2:46:26] because we just don't have the capacity to start any quicker because you have to deal with the people in the jail.

[2:46:32] Our probation officers have to write up all the paperwork for them to get out of the jail or to be sent to another location if they're in our facility.

[2:46:39] So all of that can be alleviated if we will follow this recommendation they may to us back in December.

[2:46:46] We have an immediate need for additional Jesus capacity.

[2:46:49] You all can pass an ordinance that says we're going to have court five days a week, not five point four obviously because we don't have any other buildings five days a week and we're going to require each judge to do, you know, three days per week we can each have an overlap day if you want to go with the conservative number for we think it's a mistake because our tickets and our population are going to continue to climb.

[2:47:14] In fact, the numbers that they used today were numbers they used from fiscal to 24.

[2:47:19] So you know that two years ago, the numbers they used two years ago are already outdated.

[2:47:23] And the number of dockets that we have are skyrocketed even more and more.

[2:47:28] We have done, we have taken off days and tried to get a letter of staff to get caught up.

[2:47:33] And the programs that they're talking about ASCA, it's ways for us to go there in there and take notes and do things like that.

[2:47:41] but you cannot pull up at every single case

[2:47:44] when you have 700 cases a day or 500 cases a day.

[2:47:48] The people in the county,

[2:47:49] they are seeing maybe some of the judges

[2:47:51] see two people in an hour

[2:47:53] because of complexity of the case.

[2:47:55] I'm not saying our parking tickets,

[2:47:57] our speeding tickets, our super complex,

[2:47:59] but we do have a lot of complex cases

[2:48:01] like domestic assaults, DWIs,

[2:48:03] things that do require additional time.

[2:48:05] We have a lot of mentally ill people

[2:48:07] in the city of Lee Summit,

[2:48:08] which we have to deal with.

[2:48:09] We have to figure out resources for them.

[2:48:12] Yes, we have a lot of resources.

[2:48:14] They don't always take us.

[2:48:16] The place department does a great job of finding resources from people.

[2:48:20] Also, that it's not the same resources that are always available every time we need them.

[2:48:25] So we spend a lot of time on our own time trying to find additional resources for these people.

[2:48:31] We don't have the time to do that in the two court days.

[2:48:33] We're having things.

[2:48:34] They're not getting them.

[2:48:35] Things are slipping through the cracks where we just don't have time to use all of the

[2:48:39] programs, but we could use if we were like Kansas City and they may be see 30 people in an entire

[2:48:45] hour.

[2:48:46] And yes, they can use all the bells and whistles.

[2:48:49] We don't have time to do that.

[2:48:51] It just, it does work.

[2:48:52] We have a sheet of paper.

[2:48:53] We scribble some note time.

[2:48:55] We hand it to the clerk.

[2:48:56] She puts the notes in the computer.

[2:48:57] That's all the time that we have to do it.

[2:48:59] When you've got 700 other people sitting on the floor, waiting to get in the parking lot, waiting

[2:49:05] in the lobby to be go through security,

[2:49:07] we need to get checked in and then to set there for three hours.

[2:49:12] I know it sounds like it's a broken record

[2:49:15] and I know we do sound like a broken record,

[2:49:17] but that's what our ask would be,

[2:49:19] is sit down and figure out how you can get us in there.

[2:49:23] She can do four days a week or I can do one

[2:49:24] or just get more judges in there, get us in there,

[2:49:28] more often so we can spread this out

[2:49:30] and that will alleviate most of the burden.

[2:49:32] And then these policies and procedures, we have reached out to other municipalities.

[2:49:37] They don't have these books in place.

[2:49:40] They don't just have books that we can pull from.

[2:49:42] Our clerks are trained.

[2:49:43] They know what they're doing.

[2:49:45] They know, and you know, if they will email us,

[2:49:47] if they have a question about something.

[2:49:49] But again, if we're going to put a policy manual together,

[2:49:52] and we can do that, it will be going from scratch.

[2:49:55] Because we couldn't find any other of its municipalities

[2:49:57] that had one that they could loan us around town.

[2:50:00] So that to interquestion that would be our ask. And we do appreciate you guys taking the time to pay

[2:50:08] for an auditor and having them come and do this operational review of the court. But if we don't

[2:50:16] follow up on it, we've just wasted the taxpayers' money. And meanwhile, from the two years

[2:50:21] I've been there as a judge to now, things have just quadrupled. The number of cases, the number

[2:50:27] of tickets, and it's not that Lee Salman is a dangerous community, but there's just a lot of tickets

[2:50:32] being written because there's a lot of people driving through our city and a lot of people

[2:50:36] living in our city.

[2:50:37] So we just hope that you guys will take the time to look at the numbers.

[2:50:42] We are your best resources because we are there every single day.

[2:50:47] We, you know, that's what was kind of, I think she was saying, you know, like, why isn't

[2:50:50] anybody asking us questions?

[2:50:51] She's been there in their 1970s.

[2:50:53] So, we know how things function and we both have so much experience.

[2:50:57] We both, what do we say, over 60 years combined criminal law, legal experience between

[2:51:03] the two of us and the time we've been out of law school.

[2:51:05] So, I would like to think we know what we're doing and other, of course, we both work

[2:51:09] as judges and Kansas City helping them out and I'm still doing that and I would like to

[2:51:13] think that we know what we're doing and that you guys could come to us and ask us why

[2:51:19] some of this stuff, you know, does will work or won't work and we can, you know, like so we've implemented a lot of these changes already because again, when they were interviewing us, you know, nine or ten months ago, we've we've changed a lot.

[2:51:32] We've got an accorded administrator and things are a lot different and we have improved on a lot of things.

[2:51:36] What we haven't improved on and what we haven't changed at all are the number of parties that we have per week that would make a lot of these problems go away.

[2:51:43] Thank you.

[2:51:44] Thank you, Judge.

[2:51:47] Mayor President Shields, can I follow up with a question or did it rotate to some else?

[2:51:52] I would say you can.

[2:51:54] I do want to be conscious of everyone's time, and we have another presentation after this.

[2:52:00] So if you want to ask some follow-up questions or speak with another staff member, certainly,

[2:52:05] but just kind of being conscious of that.

[2:52:07] Thank you so much.

[2:52:08] I'll make it quick.

[2:52:09] Judge Lopez, I might ask that if you could, or between the two of you if you could look at the presentation that was given tonight and go back through and update a draft with notations on each line item that says whether you did or did not already achieve that line item that would help for one of the future meetings, I'm not sure which meeting but it would be a good document for all of us to have so that you could update each line item if you're saying some of those things have been implemented and then please be specific about which ones.

[2:52:38] in document as we move forward and also Councilmember Funk mentioned earlier on that maybe this

[2:52:45] the court system was self-funding so my question was going to be is it self-funding now

[2:52:50] or would it be self-funding with these extra several people hired and so and I'm hoping the answer

[2:52:57] was yes it would be self-funding after we hired all these recommended people and if so

[2:53:04] Please, let's please do this quickly and if we need to pass an ordinance to allow them to go to five days a week, I'm all on board for that.

[2:53:11] I'm ready to, I want us to move as quickly as possible in removing barriers to help us move forward.

[2:53:18] Whether we need to allocate funds, temporary funds, whether we need to allocate, you know, can we have a job description ready by Monday?

[2:53:25] can we like I want to remove barriers and move us forward so

[2:53:29] mere potentials I would defer to you on the quickest way for us to

[2:53:33] help activate these these recommendations

[2:53:37] would be wonderful but thank you everyone again for your time tonight and

[2:53:41] thanks mere potentials for the extra minute thank you yes and we can definitely get

[2:53:46] you we can definitely go through that and try to get something updated as far as

[2:53:51] you know what we have been able to accomplish

[2:53:55] and what things are still on the table.

[2:53:57] And then as far as the self-finding issue,

[2:54:02] and I don't know where it is in the report,

[2:54:05] they could probably tell me what page,

[2:54:08] but if you look at the financials of the report,

[2:54:12] the amount of money that we bring in,

[2:54:15] as far as fines, court costs, probation fees,

[2:54:19] bond forfeatures, things like that,

[2:54:22] there enough to pay our salaries,

[2:54:23] meaning this city is not having to expend additional money on the court. So we're kind of

[2:54:28] kind of a self-functioning. And I don't know what the exact numbers are. I'd have to go back and

[2:54:33] find that page and look. But certainly if we are there and we can start doing more regular bond

[2:54:41] forfeatures and things like that, that will even bring in additional funds. So I don't think it's

[2:54:47] maybe down the road, it might affect the budget. But I don't know what those numbers are. But as far

[2:54:52] the numbers that we had at the time, there was, and I know there's enough money allocated.

[2:54:58] I believe for those two new positions.

[2:55:00] The decision was what Mr. Dunning said. Those who are already allocated. So it would just be additional judge time at this point.

[2:55:06] And then any additional, you know, any additional expenses, if we had to hire additional probation officers and stuff like that.

[2:55:14] But I can't answer that specific question. I don't remember where it is on the slide and how much overage there was.

[2:55:20] But I think it was about even with what we bring in and what we would be took out of salaries.

[2:55:24] Thank you, Judge. Thank you, Councilmember. I think that's something we can dig into a little bit more in finance and budget committee. These act numbers, but I appreciate that.

[2:55:33] Okay. Thank you.

[2:55:39] So we're going to get through this one almost done.

[2:55:42] I have a question for, I think probably for the consultants.

[2:55:48] When it comes to the, I think I was one of the very first lines that you put up in terms of the court structure in terms of what the city's

[2:55:56] is the courts role is that kind of thing. Who sets the number of days that the judges

[2:56:02] are in chambers? I understand there are support resources that the city needs to

[2:56:07] provide. But like to what extent is there judicial independence, where they choose that

[2:56:13] schedule, but we provide the clerk's support or just can the city pass an ordinance to do that?

[2:56:17] Is that a question that's within the scope of your work?

[2:56:18] It generally is the court municipal courts are to be working in collaboration with the city so the city can provide the needed support to ensure the court runs effectively

[2:56:30] So it really needs to be a collaboration between the city and the court on what that court structure looks like court number of days looks like in order to meet the objective of

[2:56:39] I guess it's just because the judge said you could pass an ordinance to say that we're going to have five court days a week

[2:56:45] But my understanding from our prior discussions is that we can't do that, but I really want to understand

[2:56:50] what's within the scope of the conversation.

[2:56:52] You have some of that this written your charter.

[2:56:54] So your charter refers to kind of the two judges elected the tenure.

[2:57:00] And then you do, if I recall correctly, you have an ordinance that currently sets it at two days.

[2:57:05] So I do think there may need to be a change to your ordinance.

[2:57:07] Correct.

[2:57:07] I've not seen that anywhere.

[2:57:10] I'm not aware of an ordinance that I can think of that, I'm aware of the charter provision that we have two divisions that we run at minimum. We can increase the divisions, but.

[2:57:21] If that's something that that could be researched, like I would just really like to know if that's something that is set by ordinance or or how that is determined.

[2:57:30] It's either an ordinance or a policy, but we have we did receive something in writing that it was currently set it today.

[2:57:36] So it is in one of your written documents.

[2:57:38] And we can help him find that because I have all of our songs.

[2:57:40] If you can provide that, this doesn't have to be this minute.

[2:57:42] But I would just really like to understand that better.

[2:57:46] Most of my questions have been asked my count.

[2:57:48] My colleagues have been really thorough,

[2:57:49] so I'm not going to dig deep into a lot of the specifics of their report.

[2:57:54] As far as next steps, Mr. Dunning.

[2:57:57] I realize that it's within the scope of your authority

[2:58:00] to manage your employees and who you at a point as a liaison

[2:58:04] how that is going to function, so I don't want it over step here, but I would concur with my colleagues that I would really like to see that role filled very quickly.

[2:58:14] The most shocking thing that I heard tonight is that the judge didn't realize that two additional FDs had been allocated to the court.

[2:58:19] I don't understand how that, I don't, I don't want to make any assumptions, but like that

[2:58:28] seems like we are trying, this staff is city manager, you're trying to address these

[2:58:36] deficiencies by allocating those up, by recommending those FTE allocations, the council is

[2:58:40] trying to support that recommendation by passing that in the budget, and I was just really

[2:58:45] surprised that there was an any process in place yet to hire those folks. So it seems like

[2:58:52] getting that liaison position in place someone who can really get those lines of communication

[2:58:57] open is vital to making any of the rest of this work. So that's that was really important

[2:59:05] takeaway for me. What I would like to see next is to put together some kind of a tracking and

[2:59:12] status document that says, here are the set of recommendations.

[2:59:16] Here is who is, has the authority to implement each one?

[2:59:19] Because I want to understand what can we do?

[2:59:21] What can the city council do?

[2:59:23] What the city staff do?

[2:59:24] How can we support the judges?

[2:59:26] And what is within their purview?

[2:59:27] Like, for example, I assume that something like setting a cut-off time for court check-ins.

[2:59:33] I assume that that's purely at the discretion of the judges.

[2:59:35] I would feel that I was very much overstepping my authority.

[2:59:38] If I said, the Council hereby decrees that cut off time is set at 10.30 a.m., but something

[2:59:45] like funding an additional probation officer that is within our authority.

[2:59:49] So I want to kind of break down what can we do, what can you do administratively, what

[2:59:54] can the judges do, what do we need to collaborate on, and then kind of see how those are being

[2:59:58] prioritized, what the term.

[3:00:00] Get timing is, what's already been accomplished, because there is a lot of information tonight. And I want to understand where we're at. And then I think Councilmember Edkins would recommend, like, monthly check-ins. Like, if a tracking document like that was put together, I could easily see that being updated and sent out monthly. So we could see what's going on and just have awareness, situational awareness of what's happening there.

[3:00:23] I would like to have us come back in August to kind of give an initial review to that document.

[3:00:30] So we can coordinate on what meeting date would work for that in how quickly that can be put together.

[3:00:36] And then maybe that same meeting schedule closed session to discuss any of the matters that we kind of hinted at,

[3:00:42] but that we're not able to discuss and full open sessions that we all have full awareness of those.

[3:00:46] And then I would defer to Chair Carlisle on the Finance Committee on how she wants to

[3:00:52] structure those discussions as far as financial resources go, also keeping in mind

[3:00:58] that I know charter commission is meeting this year and I don't know if they'll have

[3:01:02] any way in on the portion of our charter related judges, but I'm sure we'll keep an eye

[3:01:07] on that as well.

[3:01:08] But that's kind of how I see things right now is getting things going and finance and

[3:01:13] to figure out what additional resources we can have in conjunction with putting together tracking

[3:01:18] charge figure out what can we do, how can we help make this work, looking into those finances

[3:01:23] in terms of what self funding or what we might need to find additional resources for if there's

[3:01:28] any temporary help that could be provided that was kind of discuss the sense and I'm sorry

[3:01:32] you guys can sit down like you're saying to me that I appreciate you, you don't have to keep saying

[3:01:37] If there's additional temporary resources that could be located, or maybe pretend judges that

[3:01:43] could be hired temporarily to help get through some backlog to figure out what would be considered

[3:01:49] one time expenses that might be able to use fund bales for what we need to find on going

[3:01:53] revenues for if you have the court can sell fund those more in debt the discussion for finance

[3:01:58] and budget but those are kind of the questions that I have is how can we get this fall rolling?

[3:02:03] how can we pay for it all and that's, I think, my full brain dumps.

[3:02:13] So, unless we have any last minute questions, Mr. Dunning, do you have any final comments?

[3:02:19] No, I just kind of on the heels of your thoughts.

[3:02:23] I can easily take that implementation action plan that, in carve out some of that closed record

[3:02:30] information and build that tracking sheet and responsibility and timelines and just what you are

[3:02:37] referencing.

[3:02:38] Okay.

[3:02:38] That would be really helpful.

[3:02:39] Thank you.

[3:02:40] Thank you again to the judges.

[3:02:41] Thank you to the court staff and everyone who came and commented tonight.

[3:02:45] We are going to go ahead and take, I think, a brief recess because we've all been sitting

[3:02:49] up here much longer than most of our bladders can take.

[3:02:52] And we will come back to discuss the downtown hotel of the mayor here in just a minute.

[3:02:56] Thank you.

[3:02:57] Thank you all so much.

[3:02:59] Ever wondered how the city budget works?

[3:03:02] The total 26 budget is over $380 million, which includes funding for daily operations, capital

[3:03:08] improvements, debt service, internal service, and enterprise operations.

[3:03:13] For example, the general fund is the foundation for the city's day-to-day services and

[3:03:17] investments like road maintenance, public safety, and fire protection.

[3:03:22] The general fund is supported by property taxes, sales taxes generated by local businesses,

[3:03:26] franchise taxes and other sources like licenses, permits, and fees.

[3:03:31] For every dollar citizen's paying property tax, the city receives 18 cents.

[3:03:35] This means the city receives $845 a year in property taxes for a median single-family house.

[3:03:41] These taxes provide public safety, park maintenance, infrastructure, and the best services to keep lease- Summit going and improving.

[3:03:48] One of the communities top priorities is infrastructure investment,

[3:03:52] which is reflected in the capital improvement plan.

[3:03:54] 113 million dollars of the 2026 budget is invested into the capital improvement land.

[3:03:59] The 2026 capital improvement budget includes investments like the 2 anyone in 50 highway interchange,

[3:04:04] third street, water and Brazil's intersection, and prior revenue.

[3:04:07] The budget process includes guidance from the city council, citizen input,

[3:04:11] and critical success factors from the city's Ignite strategic plan.

[3:04:16] To learn more about the city's budget, visit cityvls.net, backslash budget.

[3:04:24] When the person called on the phone, she said that there was a dinosaur walking down her road.

[3:04:33] Of course, we had to go out and check that out.

[3:04:37] We get out there and it was a big African tortoise.

[3:04:41] Probably 60 pounds walking down the road.

[3:04:45] When they walked, they really stand up tall.

[3:04:47] So I could see why she thought it was a dinosaur.

[3:04:52] I'm Rodney Wagner.

[3:04:53] I'm the manager of least some animal control.

[3:04:55] So as you can see, we get all sorts of animals here.

[3:04:57] You guys have some guinea pigs off to the side.

[3:05:00] All the windows up here are animals that are adoptable right now. Everyone of these dogs is ready to go and

[3:05:05] re-production and

[3:05:11] the same thing with our cats over here.

[3:05:19] A lot of cool cats in here now,

[3:05:22] so this

[3:05:23] is our three-acre lot we have back on. This is where we do all the walking and dogs exercise. We also

[3:05:28] have a side yard off the side over there so we can let them run loose, they can run together

[3:05:32] and we have what's called play groups. Kind of got a bunch of kids. Here's our vet room. We have

[3:05:39] comes out twice a week.

[3:05:41] This is our Sally Porter, where we bring the animals into.

[3:05:44] This is one of our animal control trucks.

[3:05:47] And we can hold up to six animals.

[3:05:49] We have a lift on the outside, but big animals in.

[3:05:51] We actually have temperature gauges in here,

[3:05:53] and in the truck to tell if I had this,

[3:05:55] once I get to a certain temperature,

[3:05:56] we're bringing all the animals back from the area.

[3:05:58] So this actually has traps in it,

[3:06:00] but we do a lot of wildlife traveling.

[3:06:04] I mean a lot.

[3:06:05] So that's how belly pings.

[3:06:08] Of course, it is housed. He moves a lot of reptiles.

[3:06:13] We had a system one time to head over 200 reptiles in his basement.

[3:06:20] Cames and oligators in here that are four or five feet long,

[3:06:22] you can't keep those. And people do, and they're surprised when they can't keep them.

[3:06:26] I'm like, really, you're surprised you can't have oligators in here.

[3:06:35] Our main goal here is public safety, and also the safety of the animals.

[3:06:40] And we have very dedicated people back there and they definitely stay here for love of the animals,

[3:06:45] which also includes getting them adopted out.

[3:06:48] We'll have about 4,000 impounded animals a year.

[3:06:51] Probably about close to $200,000 in cats.

[3:06:53] The cats and dogs are going to get impounded here.

[3:06:55] They go on a five-day hold and then after the five days of donor doesn't show up,

[3:06:59] then we can put them up for adoption.

[3:07:03] adopt the animal here is actually really simple.

[3:07:05] You just come in, look before ever, and we're looking for find the right pick.

[3:07:09] You have to go to the adoption room up there and see if you get along with them as soon as

[3:07:13] much time as you want to in there.

[3:07:16] From that point on, it's just a matter of making sure they're sparing neutered and all their

[3:07:20] vaccinations up far and they're good to go.

[3:07:23] We have a very high adoption rate because we try everything our power to get animals adopted

[3:07:28] out.

[3:07:29] We have Harve America, he main society that we do a lot of adoptions through.

[3:07:33] And then we also have other groups.

[3:07:34] We have some people that literally will just look all over the country for somewhere for

[3:07:37] a dog to go.

[3:07:38] And we sent dogs up into South Dakota, North Dakota, Washington State.

[3:07:43] So it's actually, it's a huge united effort to get all these animals home.

[3:07:46] Cars area, but lots of energy.

[3:07:49] Jesus, we've got up here now, Bill Bell.

[3:07:51] She was nothing to do with the other cats.

[3:07:53] She'll kind of get her property space going.

[3:07:54] And the good thing about the people here is that they get all their friends to get animals too.

[3:07:59] All of us have probably the limit of all the animals that we can have at home.

[3:08:03] You know, they are a huge animal lovers.

[3:08:05] If it was up to the people here, we'd have 15 cats run around in here.

[3:08:15] It says in one time out there, and he was baiting his two nine-foot-long bullet

[3:08:20] structures in the front yard.

[3:08:22] Apparently that was a gardening some attention.

[3:08:25] So we went out there and had to talk about that.

[3:08:30] What do I do, is Jeff?

[3:08:31] I do.

[3:08:32] I love this, Jeff.

[3:08:33] I grew up on a farm, and taking care of that many animals.

[3:08:36] You can't help but like animals.

[3:08:38] This is just like fancy farming.

[3:08:40] You know, you're just breaking down all the entertainment care of them and find them homes and yeah, absolutely I'm a leather.

[3:09:06] Traditionally we think as police officers those responding to law enforcement needs within the community.

[3:09:11] But honestly we are there to serve our citizens and our citizens do go into crisis.

[3:09:15] They do have mental health crises and we're being called with those scenes on a regular basis.

[3:09:20] In order to help serve those citizens better, we did initiate the crisis intervention team program.

[3:09:24] These are authors that are especially trained,

[3:09:27] he escalate crisis situations.

[3:09:29] Recently, we brought co-responders out of the scene,

[3:09:32] licensed qualified mental health professionals,

[3:09:34] howled within our police department,

[3:09:35] and they respond with those officers directly to those scenes,

[3:09:39] where crisis is occurring, so they can interact with that citizen

[3:09:42] and get them to help they need right there on that scene.

[3:09:45] The co-responders are either a bachelor or master level

[3:09:48] in a behavioral health-related field.

[3:09:50] They wear plain clothes, they don't carry weapons or anything like that.

[3:09:54] I have a police radio that I listen to all day,

[3:09:57] listen for, you know, those key words, mental help.

[3:10:15] So typically, I arrive after they've needed safe, I'll make contact and get kind of the rundown, and then I just kind of jump right in.

[3:10:22] Like, hey, you know, my name's Allison, I'm a mental health professional, and I'm here to help you. I'm not here to take you to jail or rest you.

[3:10:29] Sometimes all a person needs is a voice, someone neutral, someone outside that, you know,

[3:10:35] can listen. I do a lot of safety planning, including family, their support network, who's close to you.

[3:10:42] If they're home alone, who can come over and hang out with you today? Can we lock away your

[3:10:47] sharks? Can we put up your meds? Do you need meds? Can we get you over to the urgent care to get

[3:10:52] yes? That's for your medications. Some of them also are like, oh, I'm so glad you came. This may

[3:10:57] feel so much better. Our main goal is to cover sponges to one get people connected to the

[3:11:02] services that they need and also divert from emergency rooms and jails and they almost

[3:11:07] could a different view of the place in this Monday. That lets me know you care in the officer's care.

[3:11:16] In 2020 we had 722 mental health related calls for service.

[3:11:20] 22 at that time, 1,479. These mental health related calls for service are increasing.

[3:11:27] How we're responding to that is increasing the number of crisis that are

[3:11:29] mentioned. Officers we have available as well as the number of co-responders we have available

[3:11:34] to respond on these calls. So what I think is important for the community to know about the

[3:11:38] co-responder program is that we're here. We exist. All you have to do when you call them and

[3:11:44] one is ask for us. You know, they have one a co-responder to respond to this crisis and we'll go

[3:11:51] I was really struggling about eight years ago.

[3:11:54] My personal journey with mental health

[3:11:55] and I met some amazing social workers

[3:11:58] and amazing programs.

[3:11:59] I've helped me get to where I am today.

[3:12:02] I really couldn't see myself doing anything else.

[3:12:04] We want to help, and that's what we love to do.

[3:12:08] Because I had a client, we got a call shift

[3:12:09] to say side of ideations.

[3:12:11] That you really felt that she had no body.

[3:12:13] And you know, I'm getting to know her story

[3:12:15] and getting to know who comes around and sees you

[3:12:18] Well, then we found a support person and they responded immediately and we made a plan.

[3:12:23] I called back and checked on her an hour and then I checked on her on two hours.

[3:12:27] We were able to get her into the additional services to where she talks to someone every week

[3:12:32] or more.

[3:12:33] I just took a person that really just thought they had nobody and nobody would show up for them

[3:12:37] and show them you do.

[3:12:38] And you'll be amazed who is in your corner if you just simply say I need a little help.

[3:12:43] We're

[3:14:41] going to get back on the agenda with the agenda item 6B, which is a second presentation.

[3:14:46] And this one is a conceptual presentation for the Green Street UT hotel and restaurants.

[3:14:51] It's a proposal, an economic development and a center request, a leading for property group,

[3:14:56] Inc. and Thrasch group applicants.

[3:14:59] Mr. Bush, are you going to get...

[3:15:00] Yes, thank you. David Bushack, economic development legal counsel for the city. As you said, this is a conceptual presentation of the city's economic development and senate policy.

[3:15:11] A brief reminder of the economic development and senate policy and what the city council is doing with this presentation tonight.

[3:15:18] The policy was adopted in 2015. It's been amended numerous times since then. And the policy embodies the city council's preferences for economic development incentives.

[3:15:29] the city had about 15 years of history before the policy was first adopted, and

[3:15:34] the city, as I mentioned, the city's now been using this for 11 years.

[3:15:39] The economic development incentive policy is essentially the filter that city staff

[3:15:44] applies when incentive projects are incentive requests come forward,

[3:15:47] so there's a substantial filtering and discussion that happens before,

[3:15:52] and incentive request even gets to you.

[3:15:54] And my point is the economic development incentive policy is something that

[3:15:59] and informs all of these presentations that come forward.

[3:16:02] And we can talk about that later,

[3:16:05] depending on which direction the discussion goes.

[3:16:07] Last week, we discussed extensively,

[3:16:11] one of the primary reasons, arguably the primary reason,

[3:16:15] that landowners and developers request incentives,

[3:16:17] and that is public improvement.

[3:16:18] That's sort of the foundation.

[3:16:20] And I discussed that with you extensively last week.

[3:16:22] The other major reason you're going to hear about tonight

[3:16:24] and that's financial feasibility.

[3:16:26] There's not a question of public improvements.

[3:16:28] the property is right behind me, you can actually, if it were still light, you'd be able to see the property out the window.

[3:16:35] Public improvements are not the issue, it's financial feasibility and that's what the developers are going to be addressing tonight.

[3:16:41] And I would say that this forum, conceptual presentation, is unique to lease some it.

[3:16:47] There's no other city that I work with and I'm aware of that uses this format.

[3:16:52] They may, from time to time, occasionally, but at least some that is unique and that it provides

[3:16:57] this opportunity for developers to get your feedback, and so that's also a reminder.

[3:17:02] The economic development incentive policy says this about conceptual presentations.

[3:17:08] After review, the required submittals and application conferences, which has happened, conceptual

[3:17:13] presentations made to the city council to solicit feedback and direction on the proposal.

[3:17:18] The city council may provide direction to the applicant and staff directly after the conceptual

[3:17:22] presentation or may choose to request additional information or presentations to be scheduled

[3:17:26] at a future regular session meeting in the city council.

[3:17:29] So the point is this is a tool for you to use, it's a tool for the applicants to use,

[3:17:34] and it's an opportunity for you to give whatever feedback you have about the request tonight.

[3:17:39] So with that I will sit down and let the developer provide their initial presentation

[3:17:42] and then I will have comments after they're finished.

[3:17:45] Great.

[3:17:45] Thank you.

[3:17:55] Thank you, Mr. Busheck.

[3:17:56] My name is Brandon Buckley and with Lane 4 property group.

[3:17:59] joined here tonight by West Buckley, also with Lane 4, as you know, we were selected as the

[3:18:05] Master Developer for the Green Street Project, back in 2021. More importantly than us, we're here

[3:18:11] with Joe Thrash, of the Thrash Group, who will be the owner and operator of the hotel project

[3:18:16] we're here to discuss tonight. This is a huge moment for us, one we've been chasing after for years.

[3:18:23] We're here today to present an incredible exciting opportunity for least summit being an 84

[3:18:27] room hotel with a 4,500 square foot restaurant.

[3:18:32] That vision came from significant amount of community engagement to determine a very specific

[3:18:37] use being a boutique hotel for this particular site, but first I want to take a brief moment

[3:18:42] to trace how we got here.

[3:18:46] As you know, Green Street opened in the summer of 2025, we're proud to see it thriving but

[3:18:50] there's still more work to be done.

[3:18:52] Green Street will be a generational asset for the city of Lee Summit and its community and we

[3:18:57] see it reach its maximum potential through the addition of a hotel.

[3:19:01] From the beginning, attracting a hotel to be the cornerstone to pull the piece of the green

[3:19:05] street together because it wouldn't enhance the programming options of the market.

[3:19:10] However, not just setting a hotel would do, so one of our most important difficult challenges

[3:19:14] at MasterDouble as a MasterDouble developer was finding the right hotel concept.

[3:19:19] It was important that the hotel was unique in order to mesh with the existing downtown's

[3:19:23] vibrant and historic nature.

[3:19:25] And today, we're proud to present a hotel concept as well as a developer and operator that meets those lofty goals.

[3:19:35] During the course of our involvement in the Green Street Project, we worked with more than 40 hotel operators and developers to find the group who best fits the community's vision for the site.

[3:19:45] After speaking with a host of qualified groups and doing third party market study, we realized that this component of the Green Street Project would be a challenge to fulfill as it was envisioned in master plan.

[3:19:56] They looked at several aspects of the opportunity and here's the feedback.

[3:20:00] The demand for Thursday through Saturday night was sufficient, but there was low demand, Sunday through

[3:20:06] Wednesday night, and low-volume business traveler. This lack of highway access and no highway visibility

[3:20:12] was also disadvantaged to the site. The site is also a challenge due to the size and the fact that requires

[3:20:19] foresighted architecture, which is visible from all sides. The nightly rates and occupancies of the hotel stock,

[3:20:29] as

[3:20:29] particularly not for unique, unbranded concept.

[3:20:34] And many of their operators were hung up on this

[3:20:36] as their primary issue.

[3:20:38] Luckily, we have an operator here tonight

[3:20:40] who has the confidence in this product type,

[3:20:43] and has been successful in similar markets,

[3:20:45] and one that is willing to take the risk

[3:20:46] required to build a quality project.

[3:20:49] Furthermore, many saw operational challenges

[3:20:52] co-existing with the Green Street Farmers Market Building

[3:20:55] next door and without control that space.

[3:20:59] I want to note that the thrash group is not requiring complete control of this space, they plan

[3:21:03] to work collaboratively with the city to maximize programming opportunities.

[3:21:14] After having so many of these conversations with hotel developers, we had concerns about

[3:21:18] bringing this master plan's vision in the life.

[3:21:21] However, when we started talking to the thrash group, about their thoughts on this project,

[3:21:24] it was the insidly apparent we had found the group with the right vision.

[3:21:28] I'll be introducing Joe Thrash in a minute and think it will become apparent that Joe sees

[3:21:32] opportunity where other sea challenges.

[3:21:35] Where Joe is unique is that he wants to create a hotel that doesn't compete with other

[3:21:38] lease summit hotels, so much as it competes with downtown Kansas City, crossroads,

[3:21:43] oval and park, and the Metro's premier of hotel markets.

[3:21:47] When talking about the economic impact of this potential hotel, by competing with other markets,

[3:21:53] outside of the hotel stock and lease summit, it makes a huge difference and creates a

[3:21:58] you can't forget the amount of upside.

[3:22:00] Give her a daughter who tells within the market.

[3:22:03] What Joe envisions here is similar to what the city

[3:22:05] of Prairie Village accomplished with the in-it-metabruk.

[3:22:08] A hotel that doesn't just fit into the market,

[3:22:10] but actually creates the market itself by raising the bar.

[3:22:14] You may be aware that project was able to secure England

[3:22:16] for the World Cup, and would not have been possible

[3:22:19] if it weren't for a hotel developer who wanted to do

[3:22:21] something special in unique, which is something

[3:22:23] that Joe is planning for downtown lease summit.

[3:22:26] I also want to note that the thrash group secured a World Cup team of their own at the

[3:22:31] Origin Hotel in Kansas City by the Riverfront, which was at the home of Lionel Messi and

[3:22:37] the Argentinean soccer team, who picked their hotel out of many competing options, however

[3:22:42] just left yesterday.

[3:22:44] The thrash group is able to see what a true boutique hotel experience would mean for the area,

[3:22:48] and how it immediately established lease summit as a true destination for visitors who are

[3:22:55] that leverages walkability and vibrancy of downtown to become an economic engine for

[3:22:59] least some at downtown and beyond.

[3:23:02] With that, I'll introduce Cho to share his conviction for the hotel and restaurant.

[3:23:07] Thank you.

[3:23:16] All right.

[3:23:17] Mr. Mayor of City Council, thank you for having me.

[3:23:20] Brandon, thank you for the introduction.

[3:23:24] A little bit on me, my name is Cho Thrasch with a Thrasch group.

[3:23:28] Everyone keeps saying it's a Cho's hotel, but really my father started the company in 1986.

[3:23:34] We actually started out more in the multi-family sphere, and then saw an opportunity to branch out and do some more interesting, I would say, hotels in the boutique nature, at least that's the general term people usually use.

[3:23:50] Okay.

[3:23:51] We've been largely busy, so these are some of our completed projects. You can see I think they're in about 12 or 13 states.

[3:24:00] We're probably one of the more active developers you'll meet in a way I would consider

[3:24:05] us almost counter cyclical.

[3:24:09] Some of the hotel portfolio is listed below.

[3:24:13] You can see it's kind of, it's varied.

[3:24:16] Hotel 2 Below is one of the ones in the earlier images that I thought would be a good fit

[3:24:20] here.

[3:24:21] 2 Below Mississippi is about 50,000 people and in a way that hotels almost like the

[3:24:26] heartbeat of their downtown.

[3:24:28] That really, you know, it's a special point of pride for us at Project, and we've always been looking for somewhere else where we can do something similar.

[3:24:36] I said these are in Lexington, Kentucky, Kansas City, Brandon, Mississippi, Longmont, Colorado.

[3:24:43] You can see Austin, Texas, they're really, really all over the place.

[3:24:50] So, every one of our hotels is full service and it's boutique in nature.

[3:24:55] All of them also have their own restaurants that are completely designed from the ground up.

[3:25:00] So you can see some of these, I mean, every one of them went for pretty proud of looks totally different

[3:25:06] other small images, but they looked totally different and there was a ton of emphasis on what we were

[3:25:13] trying to be with each one. And that's why you can see their different concepts, their different types

[3:25:18] of food. And, you know, cyber and social club is actually sitting on there. That's our real pride

[3:25:24] because it actually went on the Michelin list this year. And I was on I think Esquire's top 30 new restaurants, so we're pretty proud of that.

[3:25:36] Really the first time I came to least some it was probably like three years ago.

[3:25:40] And I walked around the downtown and I think you'd maybe just announced, I'm terrible with time, maybe three years.

[3:25:45] But you just announced the green street project, but it hadn't happened yet.

[3:25:48] And I was just walking around the downtown and I loved it.

[3:25:54] You know the brick and the train tracks and then the on-signs and everything it's just it's just wonderful

[3:25:58] And I thought like if they ever wanted to do a hotel, this would be a fun one to do and

[3:26:04] The name is the novelist

[3:26:06] It's actually a name that I came up with years ago, and I just haven't been able to use it yet

[3:26:11] I just haven't been because really when you're saying a novelist

[3:26:15] One, I'm kind of a book nerd so it means a little something special, but also like you really do want to you want to give it to something that's like

[3:26:22] completely wowing somebody, you know, it's a completely groundbreaking kind of thing, it's

[3:26:27] written for that spot, no one's ever done it before, you couldn't see it come in kind

[3:26:31] of product. And I think, you know, if we, if we were able to do this hotel on that site,

[3:26:37] I think people would come in and say, I did not see this coming, you know, like, what an amazing

[3:26:42] project, this is, this is just over the top. Now to be fair, it's still approachable,

[3:26:46] It's not, you know, it's not designed to be five stars.

[3:26:50] What it's designed to do is we've considered every detail

[3:26:53] and picked it for that space as best we possibly can.

[3:26:59] I think the great thing about developing hotels is they really do add a lot.

[3:27:05] They're just an energy source.

[3:27:07] So if you were to put one there, they're just more people moving

[3:27:10] in and around.

[3:27:11] I think there could be more engagement with the event space.

[3:27:14] Like I said, there's just more people going into the restaurant, more people going around, walking around, more kids.

[3:27:21] To us, I always say like, you can see a great site by how many people walk in front of it.

[3:27:25] If you're standing there and you see a lot of action, a lot of people are moving back and forth, it's a place with a lot of energy where you can do some special.

[3:27:35] Okay, this is just a view, I think the, the, the, the wickets originally look different, but this is just kind of a sense of what it would be.

[3:27:42] To be fair, we don't know exactly what the exterior would look like if we were to do this.

[3:27:46] I would leave that to someone significantly better taste than myself.

[3:27:50] I feel like it would definitely be something that would fit into downtown so there's going to be some brick.

[3:27:57] Ever since I first saw the potential neon sign, that's been a point of excitement because I think if you

[3:28:02] If you put that out on the main street, it would be pretty amazing.

[3:28:06] It would be something that when you go to leave some of it, you might come across that sign.

[3:28:10] But this is just a look at it again.

[3:28:12] Nothing is set with the exterior of this building.

[3:28:16] The only thing we feel really confident about is the physical massing.

[3:28:20] The number of rooms, the height, where the restaurant would go.

[3:28:24] Outside of that, the look really could change significantly.

[3:28:30] Again, that's the sign I love so much.

[3:28:33] But this is a northward facing view.

[3:28:37] You kind of get a sense of it.

[3:28:39] It really, I believe adds a lot to that corner.

[3:28:42] It becomes a nice gateway into the green street development

[3:28:49] just another aerial view

[3:28:52] I mean, you know, once again, I think it kind of it kind of speaks for itself

[3:28:57] It's I believe a nice front door if nothing else and also when it's done

[3:29:03] Something that I believe would fit in really nicely with what is here especially if we design

[3:29:09] The building the correct way on the exterior

[3:29:12] Like Brandon said, it's a little tricky because it really is a four-sided facing building, which is an ideal,

[3:29:18] because you really want to be able to go really grand on a front, you know, entry, and then you can be a little more basic.

[3:29:25] This isn't really one of those things because it really is seen from everywhere.

[3:29:31] This would be the first floor layout.

[3:29:35] So this kind of gives you a sense of it.

[3:29:37] You put the restaurant right up in front.

[3:29:40] The restaurant, I think I'm going to get to, I think, is on another one of these slides,

[3:29:43] but we would have a lot of fun with that,

[3:29:44] like we did with all of our restaurants.

[3:29:46] You put the restaurant right up in front,

[3:29:48] lobbies in the middle, you can see it's kind of,

[3:29:50] it's designed to be kind of a setback,

[3:29:53] special lobby entry.

[3:29:56] You would actually drop off on the back, of course.

[3:30:00] There's no car on the front of this thing. And then there's also, I think, really nice, some outdoor space, off of the restaurant, and off of the meeting space.

[3:30:14] These are just some precedent images. This is what we would basically want it to look like.

[3:30:20] If you took some pictures of something you really liked, some images that you thought you could use when you were trying to design, what this would really look like, this is what they are.

[3:30:29] So we know brick, we know neon, we think kind of a grand entry.

[3:30:34] You can see some of these entries on here are interesting.

[3:30:36] I think a lot of landscaping.

[3:30:39] That's why you see a lot of plants just tie in to what it is,

[3:30:43] green street.

[3:30:47] These are some of our interiors,

[3:30:50] and like I said, interior precedent,

[3:30:52] which is this is kind of what we wanted to look like.

[3:30:56] We would really want the lobby,

[3:30:57] which has pretty much that image on the left or the one on the bottom.

[3:31:01] We really want to allow you to kind of overwhelm you a little bit.

[3:31:05] The truth is once you get to the floors, there's only so much you can do.

[3:31:09] So once you get to the floors, but you really want to grab people when they first come in

[3:31:12] the building.

[3:31:13] So it really like overwhelm them if you can.

[3:31:18] Again, this is just a restaurant exterior view.

[3:31:22] We would want to do something approachable, but very nice and completely custom, something

[3:31:29] that's only going to get.

[3:31:30] Just like we said, tell with the name novels, it would get done one time and never done

[3:31:33] Yeah, you wouldn't have a, it's a person actually think per se, it's like a very

[3:31:37] thing, it's restaurants, I don't know why they use that name, but if it was per

[3:31:41] se, there's not going to be a per se too, you know, it's like it's done one time,

[3:31:45] it's done the best we can do it, and then it stays there forever.

[3:31:51] These are kind of

[3:31:51] some present images, like I said, really beautiful restaurants, I think. A lot of

[3:31:57] ours kind of focus on a little bit over the top bar, which isn't really pictured

[3:32:02] here. I think at one point we were thinking Italian, that was a while ago. We would obviously,

[3:32:09] it's like a running joke coming up with a restaurant as much harder than figuring out

[3:32:12] the hotel. Because there's just so many options or so many things you can do, and then

[3:32:16] you have to be able to do it. You know, it's like a hotel room is a pretty, pretty simple thing.

[3:32:20] A restaurant we can go a lot of ways, but I think we've spent a lot of time in the market trying

[3:32:24] to find the best fit we could.

[3:32:30] This is my slide?

[3:32:31] No, I'll take that slide.

[3:32:33] Well, I'll just, yeah, I'll just, I'll finish up.

[3:32:37] You know, I think this kind of gives a general look at it.

[3:32:41] Like I said, the only thing I feel like would be really set for us would be about the massing,

[3:32:46] about the size of the building, you know, where we want to put the restaurant, how those kind of things would work.

[3:32:52] And I do believe it could be just a, you know, a signature hotel really.

[3:32:58] I would even say for the state.

[3:32:59] You know, you know, you don't, not a lot of these types of hotels get built, we're probably

[3:33:05] one of the few people that do it.

[3:33:06] And that's what we enjoy so much about it is that they can't really be replicated.

[3:33:11] So I do believe it would be, like I said, it would create even more gravity around downtown.

[3:33:18] And I do think our goal would be to not only do something that was just beautiful and

[3:33:23] kind of overwhelmed people that weren't really sitting at, but also like giving you a different

[3:33:27] option.

[3:33:28] Like we're people would say like I'm going into that area, but I think I'm going to stay in downtown Lisa

[3:33:32] You know, so that would really be our goal. I think that was my last. Yeah,

[3:33:42] who was it my last life?

[3:33:46] Sorry, yeah, thank you

[3:33:49] Actually like you on that one for a minute

[3:33:52] Appreciate it, yeah

[3:33:54] In addition to creating

[3:33:55] Charming accommodations for downtown Lisa, I'm at this hotel will function as an economic engine

[3:34:02] hotels while serving their hometown in a number of ways and uniquely, compared to other commercial projects,

[3:34:09] almost exclusively bring in outside tax dollars and high-volume visitors from the region.

[3:34:16] Additionally, this hotel will truly activate the Green Street Market building by attracted new uses for the space

[3:34:22] once that complement the existing programming.

[3:34:25] Green Street Market has already hosted many great events, but we'd all like to see it be

[3:34:30] busier, live-lear, creating more vibrancy, and also more revenue for the city and local

[3:34:36] businesses.

[3:34:38] Up to this point, I've painted a broad picture of this hotel's economic impact, but I like

[3:34:44] to get into some specifics that you see now on the screen.

[3:34:48] I like to start with the sales tax on room sales because that is very straightforward and easy

[3:34:53] to quantify.

[3:34:53] And estimated $7.2 million over 30 years will be generated for the BISC.

[3:35:00] Business in industry tax also known as the hotel tax. Additionally, over that time span, over $4 million

[3:35:06] for the city and $1.5 million for the CID on sales taxes on room rentals. I want to repeat,

[3:35:14] these figures only represent sales tax on room sales alone, do not consider and do not consider

[3:35:20] other direct and indirect benefits from this project. These income streams alone represent $12.7 million

[3:35:27] and direct economic benefits of the city, city services, and

[3:35:31] benefactors of the hotel tax in the downtown business interest.

[3:35:35] These tax revenues will not be touched by the incentive proposal.

[3:35:39] We commissioned the third party economic impact study to help

[3:35:42] quantify the ripple effects of this project and hear some of the findings.

[3:35:47] The hotel and restaurant are projected to produce $37.7 million

[3:35:51] in new tax revenue to the city alone over 30 years.

[3:35:56] The net benefit to the city should be confirmed upon finalizing in incentive structure if we're able to get to that point.

[3:36:03] 100,000 new visitors just in the first three years.

[3:36:06] These visitors will spend money on transportation, food, and beverage, entertainment, services, soft goods, etc.

[3:36:14] Which, once again, are not included in a $12.7 million figure noted previously.

[3:36:20] All those are indirect benefits, which will undoubtedly be spent.

[3:36:24] A hundred and six jobs supported annually between the hotel and restaurant bring in nearly

[3:36:28] forty-five million dollars in labor earnings over the first ten years, a hundred and twenty-one

[3:36:33] construction jobs during the project's construction phase and comprehensively the third party

[3:36:38] impact study projects at the project will create two hundred million dollars in total economic

[3:36:43] activity and that is merely over the first ten years. I think it's important to note

[3:36:48] that the impact study did not consider revenues to the city through events held in Green

[3:36:52] in the Green Street Marketplace building that the hotel is responsible for attracting, such as weddings, corporate events, and such.

[3:37:00] So, there's significant upside beyond what is being shared this evening.

[3:37:06] This slide boils down the incentive structure.

[3:37:09] The proposal presented tonight is a product of ongoing discussions with the city staff, downtown stakeholders, elected officials,

[3:37:17] to find a solution that is mutually beneficial.

[3:37:19] The thoracic group has less than a concerns and has made significant concessions in adjustments to this incentive request in order to reach an objective of finding a win-win for all parties involved.

[3:37:31] I'd like to note that there are proposals much more modest than the requirements of other hotel groups that also consider the site.

[3:37:37] One thing I'd like to emphasize before we get into specifics is that none of the proposed tax incentives on this proposal take a penny from any sales tax streams that exist today.

[3:37:48] relying only on new tax streams that the hotel itself creates, while still leaving tax sales

[3:37:55] tax on room sales to the taxing jurisdictions and other benefactors.

[3:38:00] The first component of the request is a municipal loan in the amount of 4 million, most

[3:38:05] importantly, this loan will be personally guaranteed by the thrash group.

[3:38:12] I want to pause on that, because this is hugely important.

[3:38:16] The developer is giving their own personal guarantee regardless of project performance.

[3:38:22] The loan will also generate interest at a rate of 4% which would equate to over 2.3 million

[3:38:28] dollars of revenue to the city in addition to the 4 million dollars in principle payments during

[3:38:34] the term of the loan. The interest rate is in keeping with the rate to return the city

[3:38:38] receives with other city investments under its current policy.

[3:38:41] But those investments do not come at the ad to benefit about the direct and indirect new tax

[3:38:47] streams.

[3:38:48] To bolster the true returns to the city, which allows for a balanced risk adjusted return,

[3:38:54] with significant upside.

[3:38:56] Some may ask by the developer or need a loan for this project, which is a great question.

[3:39:01] The reason is that this loan will be secondary in position to the primary bank loan,

[3:39:07] They're by allowing a reduction in equity and improved

[3:39:09] cash on cash returns.

[3:39:12] They're making the project more feasible.

[3:39:14] This creative structure is a win-win because it allows the city to

[3:39:17] receive the significant upside beyond their typical

[3:39:19] investment returns while shifting through new taxes generated

[3:39:23] solely by the project substantially all of the risk

[3:39:27] back onto the developer.

[3:39:29] Next up is the tip eats, which once again are limited to

[3:39:33] sales tax on food and beverage only since we're

[3:39:36] sales are excluded. The majority of the sales tax revenues will come for room rentals.

[3:39:42] However, there are some food and beverage, and that's what's being captured.

[3:39:45] The developers proposing that the tip will be put in place to recapture sales taxes.

[3:39:51] Up to 100% of the city and downtown CID taxes and 50% of county and zoo taxes.

[3:39:57] This was increased from a previous version.

[3:40:00] Now, the package that we share to allow the developer to remove the B&I, also known as the hotel tax.

[3:40:07] As a reminder, the hotel tax will not be redirected under this proposal, nor will the sales tax on room sales.

[3:40:15] Which is a huge and significant change based on conversation with city staff, council members, and downtown stakeholders.

[3:40:22] Next is chapter 353 property tax abatement. This structure has already been put in place to facilitate the development at Green Street.

[3:40:29] Currently there are no taxes being generated by the property since it's owned by the city.

[3:40:36] Under this plan the developer would starve by paying 50% of property taxes after 10 years in the full amount after 25, following the language of the existing 353 plan.

[3:40:46] Next is sales tax exemption on construction materials known as Stechem.

[3:40:51] And finally land donation. The developers were proposing a grant of the land use on this property.

[3:40:55] It avoids a need to grow the municipal loan, and they need to redirect any of the B and I, otherwise known as the Poetel Tax.

[3:41:04] One thing is for sure, building a hotel here, any hotel, it's not going to be possible without some level public private partnership.

[3:41:12] And we'll likely be comparable if that significantly more to what is being requested by this proposal if we were to go with another group.

[3:41:19] Additionally, in this case, you have a developer who is willing to sign a personal guarantee.

[3:41:30] This page sums up everything I just described in a financial sentence.

[3:41:33] This information is similar to what you will see from David Bushwick and the staff presentation,

[3:41:37] showing the incentive ask in relation to project size.

[3:41:41] In the first table, you will see that we have four components of our incentive request,

[3:41:44] each expressed in terms of net present value and total dollar amount over a given period of time.

[3:41:50] Over on the right side of the page, you will see the ratio of incentives to project costs is about 22% in line with previous incentive packages granted by the city.

[3:42:00] It's very important to note that we have separated out the $4 million loan from the rest of the requests in that calculation of the ratio because it functions differently than a typical incentive.

[3:42:11] I'm like a property tax abatement which reduces property taxes, but never be paid back.

[3:42:16] This is a true loan that will be paid back to the city, in full, with interest, along with

[3:42:22] additional upside to the city that will come from direct and indirect taxes generated by

[3:42:27] the project, which has mentioned before will be substantial.

[3:42:34] This side simply provides a greater detail of the calculation of the proposed sales tax

[3:42:38] reduction that I mentioned on previous slide if you have any questions we can cover those

[3:42:42] in the Q&A after the presentation.

[3:42:45] Moving to the Pro-Forma Summary page,

[3:42:49] this old straits the developers expected

[3:42:50] to return on investment.

[3:42:52] You can see here that the developers

[3:42:53] were directing an average daily rental rate

[3:42:55] to be $160 per room night in your two

[3:42:58] upon stabilization.

[3:42:59] That's an average across the week.

[3:43:01] This charge shows how income expenses

[3:43:05] and net income played together.

[3:43:08] Really, the main thing I want to show you here

[3:43:10] on this page is the developers expected and leverage return.

[3:43:14] This is a metric commonly used in the commercial real estate industry

[3:43:17] to measure project's viability.

[3:43:20] 6.14% in year one and 7.03 in year two upon stabilization.

[3:43:27] And I can tell you these are very slim returns for a project of this type

[3:43:31] that carries the associated risk.

[3:43:34] As you know, lane four develops properties of our own

[3:43:36] and we're familiar with market standards for return thresholds.

[3:43:39] We feel confident that the Kothrasch groups project the returns are lower than market standards for project of this nature.

[3:43:46] There's a lot of risk to take on associated with the new development, which can take years in significant amount of money and expense before the hotel is even open and generating revenue thereby necessitating risk adjusted returns.

[3:44:00] As I mentioned before, we spoke with many hotel operators nearly all of them are requiring a 9 or 10% return.

[3:44:06] some even more in order to consider hotel on that site.

[3:44:10] Not one of those groups propose a hotel as quality is the novelist.

[3:44:15] For those familiar with real estate finance,

[3:44:17] a difference between 7% return and 9% to 10% return is a huge difference

[3:44:21] and shows a thrash group's commitment to this project.

[3:44:24] It also shows a fairer imbalance in sound structure that provides for

[3:44:27] upside for the taxing jurisdictions and significant risk by the developer.

[3:44:35] Finally, as we wrap up this presentation, I'd like to recap a few highlights to this proposal.

[3:44:41] We believe that the thrash group has to report what the thrash group has to propose here tonight

[3:44:45] is a rare opportunity to compete the master plans vision for the hotel component of Green Street.

[3:44:53] They are uniquely positioned through their experience with boutique hotels, the counteracts of the market headwinds.

[3:44:57] We covered at the beginning of the presentation.

[3:44:59] Thank you very much for watching, and I'll see you in the next video, and I'll see you in the next video.

[3:45:00] And there are confident in taking on risks that come with a hope tell of this quality. Based on years

[3:45:05] of work on this project, we are also confident that another hotel developer with this vision

[3:45:09] at this level in Sen is, is not a likely scenario anytime soon. In short, we believe this

[3:45:15] opportunity represents the highest quality concept we could have envisioned for the site,

[3:45:20] with a much slimmer incentive package that most of the today's developers would find acceptable.

[3:45:26] Thank you to the community and the Council tonight for the ability to make this conceptual

[3:45:30] presentation.

[3:45:31] We welcome your questions and comments.

[3:45:33] Thank you.

[3:45:36] Thank you.

[3:45:37] Mr. Bushwick.

[3:45:51] All right.

[3:45:52] I'll start with the good news, which is I have one slide.

[3:45:56] But I will discuss each of these components separately, so you have a good understanding

[3:46:00] of what each of these are and I have some comments about certain of them.

[3:46:03] So we'll start at the top, and the first component of this request is sales tax exemption on construction materials.

[3:46:13] The city owns the property today.

[3:46:14] The technique that we usually use is either through chapter 100 or through the LCRA to achieve city ownership.

[3:46:21] So a discussion point, if you give positive feedback and we do move forward as we will investigate exactly how to structure that piece of it.

[3:46:28] But the benefit of that to the developer we were quantifying

[3:46:32] that reduced their project cost.

[3:46:34] It's sales tax exemption on the construction materials

[3:46:36] to build a facility in the estimated benefit

[3:46:39] to the developer is $717,000, which is 2.6% of the total

[3:46:44] project cost down here.

[3:46:45] And this is the metric that we typically use that I've

[3:46:48] analyzed before for you.

[3:46:50] Tax increment financing.

[3:46:51] This is a sales tax only tip that they're proposing.

[3:46:55] Tax increment financing allows the city to capture two

[3:46:58] types of revenue. The property tax increment, the increased property taxes, the resulting from

[3:47:03] the added value to the property and 50 percent of the sales taxes. I'll get to this

[3:47:08] in a moment, but one of their requests is property tax abatement. So there's no property

[3:47:11] tax increment to capture. As a result, the tip request is a sales tax only tip. The base tip for

[3:47:20] sales taxes is 50 percent capture, which means 50 percent of all the sales taxes that are

[3:47:26] by entities besides the state, local sales taxes, which means the county, the city, the

[3:47:30] zoo district, and the downtown CID. The tiff would operate to capture 50% of those sales

[3:47:36] tax revenues. Tiff does not capture sales tax revenues on hotel rooms. That's a specific

[3:47:42] exclusion. So that's one of the things that the developer pointed out to you. However,

[3:47:47] they are requesting that from the city and the CID's contribution for this, the other 50%

[3:47:53] not captured, as a matter of state law, would be contributed by the city from the food

[3:47:58] and beverage.

[3:47:59] So, the end result of this tip from the city's perspective is all of the city's sales

[3:48:04] tax revenues from the rooms would flow as normal, not captured by the tip.

[3:48:09] But this tip would capture 100%.

[3:48:12] This is their request.

[3:48:13] 100% of the food and beverage sales tax revenue that results.

[3:48:17] And that is also their request of the CID.

[3:48:19] So, the downtown CID would also need to consent to that additional 50% capture if you give positive feedback and that's something that would have to be negotiated.

[3:48:29] Next, the 353, through the 353, they're requesting a land contribution, essentially free land.

[3:48:35] Value of the land from the developers perspective, $576,000, which was the city's acquisition cost, that's 2.1% of the total project cost.

[3:48:46] and sorry, I didn't quantify the TIF, 1.8 million, which is 6.6% so that's a substantial amount

[3:48:51] of the incentive request.

[3:48:53] And then finally, as far as the incentive request goes, property tax abatement, 100% for

[3:48:59] 10 years and then 50% for the next 15 years.

[3:49:03] Under 353, the value of the land is actually taxable in that state.

[3:49:09] So what the county would do, if you ultimately approve a 353 plan for this tax abatement,

[3:49:14] The county would value the land as it sits today.

[3:49:17] Taxes would be paid just on the value of the land

[3:49:19] and the remaining increased land value and the value added

[3:49:23] to the property from the improvements that would all be abated.

[3:49:26] So the benefit to the developers about $2.9 million,

[3:49:30] that's 10% of total project costs.

[3:49:33] So to do the apples to apples type of comparison

[3:49:36] that we typically do when we analyze these incentive requests,

[3:49:40] they're incentive requests for all of these items here

[3:49:42] is 22% of total project costs, which is that slightly the higher end of the range that we

[3:49:47] talk about, which is typically between 5% and 25% for incentivized projects.

[3:49:52] Then we get to the next component of the request, the developers are requesting a loan from

[3:49:57] the city in the amount of $4 million.

[3:50:00] A few things that I can tell you about the loan. It would be one typo in my part. They have requested 25 years repayment

[3:50:09] not 20, so it would be amortized and repaid over a period of 25 years. It would be subordinate to their primary loan,

[3:50:16] meaning a mortgage, deed of trust on the property would take priority and the city's loan would be second to that primary loan.

[3:50:22] They are proposing to repay the loan at what their characterizing is a premium interest to the city.

[3:50:29] So this 4.25 percent is slightly more than what the city earns on its investments.

[3:50:37] The city's investments, the cities reserves are invested, pursuing to state law and city requirements.

[3:50:44] And the amount that's earned by the city at the moment is around 3.5% before percent.

[3:50:48] So their proposal is a premium interest for this loan, which would result in $2.3 million

[3:50:55] in interest paid to the city over a 25-year period.

[3:50:59] One of the debates that we had was how to characterize this loan.

[3:51:05] So I initially was thinking, I was preparing this table, that this loan would be included as part

[3:51:10] of the incentive request, but they pointed out what I just said to you, which is the plan

[3:51:16] to repay the loan and with a premium interest rate, which means the city would be fully compensated.

[3:51:21] So their point was, it's not really part of the incentive request, but it is something

[3:51:24] they're requesting, which is why it's listed separately here, and I'm talking about it separately.

[3:51:30] The purpose for the loan is the developers indicated is to enhance their equity contribution

[3:51:36] when they receive their private financing.

[3:51:37] So when they go receive a private loan, this can be counted as additional equity, and it reduces

[3:51:42] the developers risk because it would presumably be at a lower interest rate compared to their

[3:51:47] private financing.

[3:51:48] So those are the reasons that the developers making this request and you can certainly talk

[3:51:52] with them about those reasons when we get to the question and discussion.

[3:51:58] Another question you might have is there any precedent for the city doing this?

[3:52:02] We can think of one example and that is the long-view tax increment financing plan.

[3:52:06] The city made a $3.65 million loan to the developer in Longview several years ago to stabilize the historic buildings.

[3:52:18] And if you remember, there used to be a huge hole in one of the barns that was repaired, the farmhouses were stabilized, and that was $3.65 million that the city did loan to the developer to undertake that work.

[3:52:31] That loan has been fully repaid, and at the time the loan was made, we knew of many years

[3:52:37] of revenue that the tip had been generating.

[3:52:40] For the active businesses and the mansion, all of the projects that had previously been

[3:52:44] activated before the city provided that loan, we had at least a decade, over a decade

[3:52:49] of revenue history, and so at the time the city made the loan, we had a fairly high degree

[3:52:54] of certainty, then unless a tornado came through and took out the long-view area, it would continue

[3:52:59] to produce the revenue as it had them for many years,

[3:53:02] and the loan was successfully paid off.

[3:53:04] So there's some precedent for city loan,

[3:53:06] but that's really the only example that I can think of.

[3:53:10] Another point that I will mention is I explain to you

[3:53:15] that the incentive policy that city staff follows

[3:53:17] is a filtering mechanism when that comes forward.

[3:53:20] And one of the developers request that we discussed extensively

[3:53:24] was initially would the city consider

[3:53:27] diverting and contributing the hotel gross receipts tax, that's the business and industry

[3:53:31] tax.

[3:53:32] And just for clarity, it's not a sales tax.

[3:53:35] The way it works is the hotels in the city basically send 5% of all their revenues to

[3:53:40] the city every month.

[3:53:41] It's a gross receipts tax.

[3:53:42] So 5% of whatever they bring in, they send to the city, it's not a sales tax.

[3:53:47] The developer initially asked, is that something that the city would consider?

[3:53:51] Staff team had previously considered that request from other projects and the answer was

[3:53:55] know in those cases.

[3:53:56] And so the answer was we'd prefer not to do that in this case, so that came out of the

[3:54:00] request.

[3:54:01] And that's something that the developer just pointed out in their presentation that

[3:54:04] the business and industry tax and the city's host, the city's sales tax revenue, on

[3:54:10] the rooms, would continue to flow as normal in addition to all the other spin-off economic

[3:54:14] benefits that the developer has provided in their revenue study.

[3:54:18] So business and industry tax is not touched and would flow as normal for whatever purposes

[3:54:23] you appropriate that money for.

[3:54:24] I

[3:54:28] think that concludes all of my initial comments.

[3:54:31] I think that's a decent explanation of what each of these components are, and I'll stop there and be happy to answer questions or listen to your discussion with the developer.

[3:54:40] Thank you.

[3:54:42] All right.

[3:54:43] Anybody want to chime in?

[3:54:45] May we pretend shields.

[3:54:46] Thank you.

[3:54:48] Let's see.

[3:54:50] So I think it's said in there as far as like the CID abating their portion of the EATS, that would be a discussion with the CID board.

[3:54:57] have they been approached about this today?

[3:55:00] Court of Court do not know. I let the developer speak to that.

[3:55:08] We have approached them to discuss it with the removal of the B&I, otherwise known as the hotel

[3:55:14] tax. That was a change for that went from 50 to 100%. We also mistakenly assumed that there

[3:55:22] was no sales tax on the room nights when there was. We thought that was in lieu of what

[3:55:27] hotel tax so that was our mistake. So kind of ended up being an added benefit so I know

[3:55:34] I'm planning to attend the CID meeting tomorrow morning with Ryan. I don't know how much detail

[3:55:38] we'll get into it but they're obviously an important component to this project and we want to make sure

[3:55:43] we have their full support so that will be discussed an extensive detail with that group. Obviously

[3:55:48] there's lots of business owners. We're hopeful that and they see the value to hotel and we're

[3:55:53] we're hoping for their support. So that's something we'll be very transparent and open about as we

[3:55:58] progress forward if that's what's determined after the night. Okay, I definitely like to see

[3:56:03] those conversations happen. I know they're an important partner and everything that downtown does,

[3:56:08] so I appreciate that. Absolutely. Yeah, we look forward to that opportunity. Also, I'd say thank you

[3:56:13] for taking the B&I, Bateman out of the incentive request, as staff mentioned, that's something that

[3:56:19] we haven't done before and we're very nervous about setting that kind of precedent. So I appreciate

[3:56:23] the kind of creative looking at ways to make that make the numbers work without that, so thank

[3:56:30] you for following that. As far as the land contribution,

[3:56:38] if we did that, is there a possibility

[3:56:40] of having some kind of a revertor clause or something like that, so if the project wasn't built

[3:56:45] in a certain amount of time that the property would revert back to the city, or would it not

[3:56:49] be conveyed until after it was built or how would that work?

[3:56:52] As far as how that's put together, that's up for discussion.

[3:56:56] To me, that seems reasonable.

[3:56:57] That's not my ultimate decision here.

[3:57:00] Okay.

[3:57:00] Again, that thumbs up.

[3:57:01] But, you know, I think you'll see just from working

[3:57:03] with the show.

[3:57:03] I know we're a little bit of a third party perspective here,

[3:57:07] but you seem very agreeable.

[3:57:09] And, you know, we'll consider all this.

[3:57:11] It's always nice to look at everything as a whole package.

[3:57:13] You know, before you make final decisions,

[3:57:15] you're going to go shape things one by one,

[3:57:17] but it sounds like that's something he's open minded to considering.

[3:57:20] But that's definitely, I would want to see I think I've seen that one other cities have made land donation as part of a transaction that that's that's in there to protect the city so I would like that and then

[3:57:32] Would there be any kind of like a right of first refusal if if the property was sold within a certain amount of time just thinking in terms of like the term of the loan the term of the incentives with the city have any ability to

[3:57:43] I don't think I'm

[3:57:44] But I hope I tell that I'm, I just want to share again that we're going to do.

[3:57:47] It's been, I think it's, I'm sure there's precedent elsewhere for a discussion like that for sure.

[3:57:53] So once again, I think that's a great thing to kind of have.

[3:57:56] Obviously, the city's not only a benefactor of this project, but a partner to a certain degree,

[3:58:02] being that this is part of the master plan for the Green Street project,

[3:58:05] we're trying to bring the city's vision in the stakeholders that created the master plan.

[3:58:09] So we see the cities of hotel are as a partner to the hotel, whether it's director indirect.

[3:58:16] And so we want to work in mutually beneficial arrangement.

[3:58:19] Okay, appreciate that.

[3:58:21] You know, looking at the city alone, I know that's something that we don't do very often.

[3:58:26] I do appreciate the personal guarantee being added to that.

[3:58:31] I guess it seems like what we're sort of weighing and maybe Mr. Bush, this is a question for you.

[3:58:35] It seems like we get a little bit higher interest rate, so there's a little bit more income to the city, but obviously a higher risk than just putting money in a treasury for five years, ten years.

[3:58:50] But then, as kind of the developer had in their presentation, more potential upside for the city, that whereas if we just put it in treasuries, yeah, we get a guaranteed rate return, but we don't see that money invested in our community.

[3:58:59] Is that kind of the balancing act that we're weighing with that?

[3:59:03] Yes, and I think you would also naturally, in this situation, what you're doing is sort of putting on the scale, the cost, which are these items, and then the benefits, obviously, in the spin-off benefits and the sales tax benefits they would flow through.

[3:59:18] And then when you get to the city loan, the risk there is obviously interest is compensation

[3:59:25] to the lending party for the risk of not being repaid.

[3:59:29] So there's always the risk, however, slight given the personal guarantee that the loan wouldn't

[3:59:34] be repaid.

[3:59:35] That's the ultimate risk to the city and how does one of the parameters under which that would

[3:59:39] happen with the probability I don't know.

[3:59:41] We would have to go through some due diligence if you provide positive feedback to investigate

[3:59:45] the wherewithal of that personal guarantee to get comfortable with it.

[3:59:50] But back to your question,

[3:59:52] I think you're on the right track,

[3:59:54] which is you're weighing all of these different factors,

[3:59:56] both the financial and the non-financial

[3:59:58] and the benefits that this...

[4:00:00] Would provide if you want to pursue filling the space with a hotel or some other sort of private

[4:00:05] development. Put all of those items on the scale and kind of weigh it out in your decision.

[4:00:09] Calculus.

[4:00:10] And I was just doing quick calculations with like an amperceation calculator. It seems like the difference

[4:00:16] between our three and a half percent or so that we get our investment right now. Now, that

[4:00:20] 4.25 is roughly $500,000 over the course of the 25 years. I don't have to bear.

[4:00:27] I just thought it was just an actually lines up almost exactly with the value of the land contribution.

[4:00:33] So just a coincidence that it actually almost makes me more comfortable with that and that it brings a little bit more revenue

[4:00:39] into the city sort of maybe not directly in exchange for that property but helps make us us whole there as well.

[4:00:47] So I think this is a really interesting and creative package.

[4:00:51] I love the hotel just to be really clear and I've given that feedback when I've met with the developer prior to this.

[4:00:57] I think it's a great concept, I think it'd be a huge benefit

[4:01:00] in our set to our downtown.

[4:01:02] I wanted to see the numbers and I appreciate what's

[4:01:04] been brought to us.

[4:01:05] And I think that this is reasonable.

[4:01:08] The total incentive request and the estimated rate of return

[4:01:11] seems very reasonable.

[4:01:14] I understand breaking the loan out

[4:01:15] is not necessarily incentive, although it kind of benefits

[4:01:18] both that it's a lower interest rate than developer

[4:01:21] would be paying on the private market,

[4:01:23] but it's higher interest rate than we would get investing

[4:01:25] in treasuries, so it kind of seems like a win-win, assuming we get repaid, but I would support

[4:01:34] moving forward with this and continuing to sharpen those details, looking at things like

[4:01:39] making sure that we have a revertor clause for any property that's transferred and things

[4:01:44] like that, and doing more diligence on those guarantees, but overall is a concept.

[4:01:49] I love the project, and I would be comfortable with the incentive package.

[4:01:53] Thank you.

[4:01:54] Thank you.

[4:01:55] Catch me in the front.

[4:01:57] Thank you, Mayor.

[4:01:58] Council Member Shields.

[4:02:00] Mayor put some shields.

[4:02:01] Cot, most of my questions, just one for Mr. Buckley or Mr. Drasch.

[4:02:06] As the intentions to use, it was mentioned earlier in the night, the green, excuse me, the city garage for parking.

[4:02:21] Realistically, I mean, we're going to violate.

[4:02:24] You know, as I know, I'm sure we would intend some of that parking would go into the city garage.

[4:02:29] I know we can't have restricted spaces, but one of the great things about a hotel is one of the

[4:02:34] really positive things is we're pretty much always calendar flow on parking, so you know our

[4:02:38] people come in at night and they leave early in the morning, so when people are coming into

[4:02:42] city hall or whatever, we're really not using up a lot of spaces, but yes, I think it's like a

[4:02:48] long running job, we spend 90% of our time on parking in restaurants, but yeah, I think some of

[4:02:53] them would be expected to park inside the garage. Okay, I appreciate the answer.

[4:02:59] I'm not to repeat anything, Mayor Pritch from Schilsers.

[4:03:04] I think I'm good, Mayor.

[4:03:05] Thank you.

[4:03:07] Thanks.

[4:03:07] I can't remember Frazier.

[4:03:09] I like the 166 jobs post construction and I appreciate the

[4:03:17] abatement or lack thereof of the B&I text so that piece I'm definitely a fan of.

[4:03:23] I want to say I have been to the origin as part of

[4:03:29] Another project I was working on with World Cup.

[4:03:32] I've seen it and you are absolutely correct

[4:03:35] when you walk in, at least in that particular location

[4:03:39] and you've said, wow, I didn't see that coming.

[4:03:41] I totally unexpected.

[4:03:42] I actually got lost, but I was supposed to have an appointment

[4:03:45] down there, because it's right next to the CPC

[4:03:48] and what it is, the development that they're doing down there.

[4:03:53] So the vibe was great.

[4:03:55] The energy was great as you mentioned.

[4:03:57] The numbers aren't in yet, but I would venture

[4:03:59] to say because I know England was not England,

[4:04:02] excuse me, Argentina was saying there.

[4:04:03] So the numbers aren't in yet,

[4:04:05] but I know they're very significant to that area down there.

[4:04:09] I also had the opportunity to look at metal broke,

[4:04:12] where England was, and as you know,

[4:04:15] that sit right in the middle of Prairie Village.

[4:04:19] And the vibe there was also absolutely wonderful.

[4:04:22] Those numbers aren't in yet, either,

[4:04:23] but I'd venture to say, and that's actually in very near

[4:04:27] residential, multi-family, and single-family homes.

[4:04:32] So those numbers are significant as well.

[4:04:35] The property is very unique.

[4:04:37] I'm going to use the word eclectic.

[4:04:39] It's people who are just walking in, just walking for the restaurant

[4:04:44] and so forth.

[4:04:45] So I would definitely be in support of this opportunity

[4:04:49] and at least some of it because I think it could only

[4:04:52] complement what's happening down near Green Street.

[4:04:55] I think there was some comment there was commentary earlier today about

[4:05:00] You know, red rock and the, excuse me, red, the thank you red rock, red rock, um, that. And so I don't know if you can speak to your relationship or, or with that particular property there or, or.

[4:05:17] Are you sorry about the, sorry, the one we own in, uh, golden? Yeah.

[4:05:21] Is that something else?

[4:05:24] I've completely lost.

[4:05:26] Now, I think you're speaking about Red Rocks across the street.

[4:05:31] A separate entity unrelated to the Joe, obviously,

[4:05:33] owns that.

[4:05:35] Yeah.

[4:05:37] Yeah.

[4:05:39] How ever a lane four related entity does own that property.

[4:05:43] We enjoy a long term lease with that current tenant.

[4:05:47] We have no intention of breaking that lease.

[4:05:49] If the tenant worked to leave, we would also welcome the opportunity to redevelop it.

[4:05:55] That's why we initially purchased it.

[4:05:57] We can't go kick any tenants out.

[4:05:58] That's an our best interest.

[4:06:01] But it is a great piece of ground and we're hopeful that with everything going on

[4:06:05] and downtown Lee Summit that presents an opportunity in the future.

[4:06:08] Okay.

[4:06:09] Great. Great.

[4:06:11] And just one other quick question.

[4:06:12] I'm sorry for Mr. Music.

[4:06:14] Just one other question about the land contribution.

[4:06:17] And have we done anything like that before?

[4:06:21] And like, Simon, I'm just not aware.

[4:06:26] OK, not like nothing

[4:06:31] coming in.

[4:06:32] OK, that's fine.

[4:06:33] I just, if we think of it, we'll tell you.

[4:06:35] That would be great.

[4:06:36] I just wondered if there was any kind of person answer

[4:06:38] for that.

[4:06:38] But I would be definitely in support of this.

[4:06:40] I know that there are still some unanswered questions,

[4:06:42] and some things.

[4:06:43] Probably you'll have to discuss with development services

[4:06:47] and whatnot.

[4:06:49] But overall, I'm definitely in support of this.

[4:06:51] I think it's a great idea.

[4:06:52] have seen it work. So, very thank you. So we have Councilmember Edkins. Guess we'll just hear her voice.

[4:07:00] We can't see her.

[4:07:02] Oh, sorry. Thanks for putting up with me coming in and out. Um, would you mind Mr. Bushick

[4:07:09] one more time going over the or maybe it was Mr. Buckley? There was a page just on economic benefit

[4:07:17] because you review that one more time, economic impact.

[4:07:21] It was just one slide, it was a white slide

[4:07:24] that talked about the jobs and the different kinds

[4:07:26] of tax revenue.

[4:07:29] It was fuzzy on my screen at the time,

[4:07:31] but because you walk through it one more time.

[4:07:33] Yep, I can do that.

[4:07:34] And can the back room switch back to the podium

[4:07:37] so I can bring that up.

[4:07:40] There we go.

[4:07:45] And I think probably these two slides

[4:07:49] is what you're talking about, right?

[4:07:50] Yep. Okay. And is it question for me or are the applicant? I just wondered if you could go over it verbally one more time if you could because this is an addition to and I think the applicant has said it because this isn't it just this is to be clear for us and for anyone who's watching the

[4:08:14] incentives, these benefits are, in addition to the incentives, so we can, yes, okay, yes.

[4:08:23] I'm granting the incentives that have come before, but this is the economic impact that happens

[4:08:26] after the incentives, which only come after the project is built anyway.

[4:08:30] That's correct.

[4:08:31] I can walk through each of these just to clarify, I'll go ahead and explain what I think

[4:08:35] each of these means and then the developer can correct me or we're at anything they like.

[4:08:40] But in walking through these line by line, the first line business and industry tax,

[4:08:44] That's the hotel growth receipts tax that I discussed.

[4:08:48] That flows as normal, and there are estimate

[4:08:50] of $7.2 million over 30 years to the business

[4:08:53] industry tax.

[4:08:54] That's the 5% growth receipts tax.

[4:08:56] Then the next line, sales tax on room rentals,

[4:09:00] all the sales tax charged by the city

[4:09:02] and the other taxing districts on room rentals

[4:09:04] will flow as normal because that's not capture as tough.

[4:09:07] So in this case, separate room, sales tax from the rooms,

[4:09:12] versus sales tax from everything else.

[4:09:13] food beverage and anything, any other products that they might sell like a gift store or something

[4:09:18] like that.

[4:09:20] The room rentals will not be captured by TIF and so they are stating the benefit there on

[4:09:24] that bullet point.

[4:09:26] Then the next sales tax and room rentals for the CID will also remain untouched over 30 years,

[4:09:31] so that is a distinct benefit to the CID.

[4:09:34] Then the next line, economic activity, I think that is a summary of the benefit of the hotel

[4:09:40] operations and the visitors and what they spend in the community over a period of 10 years,

[4:09:45] so they spin off benefits.

[4:09:47] Then the next 44.8 million in labor earnings over 10 years, that is from the construction

[4:09:52] of the project and the jobs that are supported annually by the hotel and the restaurant.

[4:09:58] New Room 9th, that's self-explanatory.

[4:10:01] And there was actually a typo on that one. It's 16,000 new occupiers, reunites each year for the first three years. So multiply that by three, by three. So, okay.

[4:10:14] Then, number of new visitors, is there estimate from the revenue study, total economic activity, resulting from 121 jobs during construction.

[4:10:23] That's the economic benefit of those jobs and then they've stated these other benefits anchors the green street mixed use project and the developer will pay the city 3.2 million in interest on the loan in addition to repayment of the

[4:10:36] 2.3 million in interest in addition to the principle amount of the loan repay to the city so that that's kind of the summary of of this table that developer

[4:10:46] Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that. I want to say that earlier when I hadn't received

[4:10:54] yet a lot of details about the breakdown of how the incidents would work. I was skeptical

[4:10:59] about why we would choose to put a hotel there if it was hard to find other hotels to come

[4:11:07] because it was a difficult project. Why we would choose to do so. But the more and more that I hear

[4:11:13] from community leaders, especially downtown Main Street,

[4:11:17] and businesses that have been down there,

[4:11:19] the more that I hear from them about how passionate they are

[4:11:24] about bringing this.

[4:11:25] I had not realized before that this is something

[4:11:28] that they've all been envisioning for decades

[4:11:30] because they know what downtown there's supposed to be like,

[4:11:34] when you have old downtowns like we do.

[4:11:38] And that several of them have said

[4:11:39] that they believe it would be transformative,

[4:11:41] they believe it would drive all kinds of extra activity.

[4:11:46] It could be stay-cations or date nights,

[4:11:49] or people coming in for business there at sea hall

[4:11:53] or there with other clients coming in and out.

[4:11:56] They would just drive so much activity and energize it

[4:12:01] almost like Mr. Thrash has done this before.

[4:12:04] But he knows that it drives energy and creates

[4:12:07] an environment like that.

[4:12:08] I was really pleased to know that so many of the city people want one of this to happen.

[4:12:13] So many of the business owners down there, and that's who I look to for guidance on these types of

[4:12:21] transformative things. So I appreciate all the details and I appreciate the emphasis on

[4:12:27] how the city can benefit directly from it. So I would be, I would be in support of moving forward

[4:12:34] with this project. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Appreciate it.

[4:12:40] Thank you, Mayor.

[4:12:42] I think I have one question left that did not get hit.

[4:12:49] And that is to the developer.

[4:12:55] I'm not sure who said it or if I heard it correctly.

[4:12:59] But did somebody say they're going to need control,

[4:13:05] partial control over Green Street?

[4:13:15] Right, Elon Musk isn't city manager, no they're they're not going to need control.

[4:13:20] Okay.

[4:13:20] Keyboard is not in there.

[4:13:23] We've we've had brief conversations and and I was part of talking with a few of the finalists as far as the hotel groups.

[4:13:33] And I will say the conversations with the thrash group have been more about how to be supportive and helpful over control, which was not the same with some of the other groups

[4:13:48] So I'll just say, you know, the pictures you showed are definitely beautiful, there is the laugh actor, although I do know that's not really what it's going to look like, but I can see your vision, right?

[4:14:01] I can understand that.

[4:14:07] Parking concerns me, but you've said you're going to valet, and so, you know, I know we can't, you know, dig however many feet down into the ground to put parking down there.

[4:14:19] So, I get it. But that's a concern for me.

[4:14:25] I appreciate this economic benefit slide.

[4:14:30] I mean, I get it. I understand all of that. It is a very big ask for me.

[4:14:40] I'm probably a little bit more conservative than most of us up here. So, that is concerning for me that ask, and really, so my biggest concern would be David, you're going to have to protect us, right? So,

[4:14:57] um

[4:15:00] I know that you will do that, and I know that you will work through that, and you will protect us in the best way you can.

[4:15:12] And then, you know, it's, it's beautiful. It's a laugh factor. I just don't know if I can get over the ask, right?

[4:15:20] So, I do also know that on this sales tax slide you had where you're taking what from and where you have the public safety sales tax in there to be collected and I would be not for that.

[4:15:39] I mean, I understand that's one more per revenue but adding that many more people to downtown, we're going to need more feed on the ground down here to protect everything.

[4:15:50] And so I can't see taking that, but I'm also interested in what downtown and the CID have

[4:15:57] to say, and I know that this is a group effort and a collaboration.

[4:16:04] So that's where I am.

[4:16:06] Thank you for your comments.

[4:16:07] And I just want to hit on one item as far as the economic benefit, that's something we look

[4:16:12] forward to being very transparent on, one thing that I feel very confident about is just how

[4:16:18] hotels, especially one like this that's experiential. It's different than any hotel in least

[4:16:24] summit. It's going to bring in those new tax dollars and when you think about, you're

[4:16:28] not just adding something else at the community already has me just shifting the money around.

[4:16:34] You're bringing in that new revenue and so I find it, maybe I'm just a real estate nerd, but

[4:16:39] I find it very fascinating how these hotels are such economic generators. And so we'll have

[4:16:46] fun time diggin' into numbers and seeing what it provide me between ubers and food and beverage

[4:16:51] and services.

[4:16:52] And let's say somebody comes here for a wedding and they're maybe they're up there.

[4:16:56] Wedding party, you know, getting dresses, whatever it may be, there's a lot of anxiety

[4:17:01] revenue.

[4:17:01] And so we look forward to showing up these numbers and continuing to look at all the income

[4:17:06] streams.

[4:17:07] We also with a third party economic impact study that individual said he's willing to share

[4:17:14] his thoughts and whatnot on the hotel project, so I want to be fully transparent and make sure

[4:17:19] you guys have all the information you need.

[4:17:22] Thank you.

[4:17:22] I appreciate that.

[4:17:23] I have state and boutique hotels before and all over the country, so I do know that they really

[4:17:32] do provide what you're saying and another great restaurant is a great thing, yes, it's just

[4:17:39] a big ask for me and so I just want to be honest with everybody.

[4:17:44] I do just want to say one thing, I mean the way it's framed is really a true public private

[4:17:51] partnership and on your first statement, we really see ourselves just as a great support function

[4:17:58] to these things.

[4:18:00] I mean just an example, we're going to do a lot of wedding parties and so all I ever asked was

[4:18:04] like, hey, can we have like a great, if this ever happens, a great open line of communication

[4:18:09] to who runs that, because we could be like your best customer ever. But yes, just to be clear,

[4:18:14] in no way, where we say, oh, I should control that. You know, I want to be very clear. Yeah,

[4:18:20] that would probably be a bridge too far for me if I was sitting on, you know, on the other end

[4:18:25] of that. No, I just want to be clear on that. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right.

[4:18:39] how we shot this out. So I understand that the location is unique by itself because it's a smaller,

[4:18:46] smaller space. As a developer, how many hotels did you kind of look into before we came

[4:18:53] to this particular? A lot. I mean at least four me by my count. I do want to mention that

[4:19:02] for owns the company I'm with owns two hotels we were just not capable of or confident enough

[4:19:10] to do what the thrash group does. It was initially envisioned that we would come in and

[4:19:15] do the hotel component here but it does require a really specific set of experience and knowledge

[4:19:22] to operate something like this that's so operations heavy you're talking about running a restaurant

[4:19:28] and something unique, you know, I don't want to undersell our own hotel projects, but when

[4:19:36] you have a branded flag, they come, whether it's Marriott or Hilton or HG, they say,

[4:19:41] okay, here's three color palettes that choose from. Pick one. Here's your furniture you're

[4:19:46] getting. You know, and so they make it easy, which is great, but it's not unique. So it was

[4:19:52] really important for us to go out and find that group who has done this in a unique way in

[4:19:57] in terms of having ever project be unique.

[4:20:01] And thrash is really bubbled to the surface. I mean, it's pretty apparent we first talk with them. We're also lucky that he has a hotel here in Kansas City that really helped to get him in town to see the experience, the downtown.

[4:20:15] So it was an extensive search, but you know, you talk about the developer pool or operator pool of hotels. If there's, you know, out of a hundred percent there's probably only, I don't know, five percent.

[4:20:29] maybe not even that that even have the wear with all to do something this special

[4:20:33] unique so I guess that's where I have a lot of confidence personally in the

[4:20:37] thrash group and why we brought them forth tonight we did boil it down to three

[4:20:44] groups that we thought were all good good quality groups and you know it's pretty

[4:20:50] obvious that that thrash group was the best of the three we had them all come in

[4:20:56] presentations, give us details on how they would handle incentives, how they would handle

[4:21:02] coordination with Green Street, the marketplace, and so that's where we kind of settled on the

[4:21:08] thrash group. So it was an extensive search. Does that answer your question? Yeah, yeah, it does.

[4:21:14] So what was the biggest separator?

[4:21:18] Joe was the only group? The thrash group was the only group

[4:21:21] who was willing to do something truly unique.

[4:21:24] The other two groups were, what's the right term for it?

[4:21:28] Maybe more cookie cutter or common hotels.

[4:21:31] What I described earlier, we kind of pick your color package

[4:21:36] and things like that, which is fine.

[4:21:38] It would still be a good hotel experience.

[4:21:40] It would still bring value to the downtown.

[4:21:43] It's still bring vibrancy by creating all those new visitor bodies

[4:21:48] on the street and vibrancy.

[4:21:51] But, you know, I think you heard tonight Joe has a little bit of a unique perspective

[4:21:57] where their business models are almost kind of to go over the top and really submit

[4:22:00] yourself as a key or key place and be a sense of place.

[4:22:04] So I think there's a lot of untouched or untapped potential when you talk about the Amtrak line

[4:22:09] and how people take the Amtrak down the Herman and just we can nights days so, you know,

[4:22:15] We felt like he just best, also we were sitting in a lot of meetings, you know, community

[4:22:21] stakeholder meetings, as far as the different components of the project when we initially

[4:22:26] conceived the Green Street Market layout and master plan, and what a lot of people really

[4:22:31] wanted was that Churbutica talent and really trash group was only one to propose that.

[4:22:37] And then last question, so amongst the three, was the incentive as creative as this one?

[4:22:44] So was it kind of similar in a way?

[4:22:49] No, in fairness to the other group, we've had a lot more groups.

[4:22:52] We've had a lot more time to talk about this one.

[4:22:56] You know, if you're talking about other retail or commercial projects, there's more incentive

[4:23:05] streams to pull from.

[4:23:07] We couldn't pull from the sales tax revenue, obviously.

[4:23:10] That's a big benefit to the city, because we can't.

[4:23:13] But really, when you think about another important point is when you talk about the other hotel

[4:23:18] groups, they had very, I guess their restaurant services was an afterthought.

[4:23:28] It was maybe some pizzas that went in a convection oven and maybe that was 300 to 600,000

[4:23:32] dollars in the sales.

[4:23:34] The fact that Joe in the thrash group are putting a restaurant in there and they have the

[4:23:39] capability of having a high volume restaurant, it actually gives us something to pull

[4:23:43] from to create this incentive stream.

[4:23:46] So if we were sitting here tonight with a Spring Hill

[4:23:49] Sweets or a Tru, or some of the other hotels

[4:23:52] that were thrown out there, they didn't have that food

[4:23:54] and beverage.

[4:23:55] I don't know if we would have been able to make the numbers

[4:23:56] work without a large loan.

[4:23:59] That was what was discussed in some of the other groups.

[4:24:02] One group, I could say, just wanted

[4:24:04] a $7 million loan, no strings attached, no guarantee.

[4:24:09] And that was their incentive ask.

[4:24:11] And I mean, does that a fair characterization?

[4:24:12] Yeah, so once again in all fairness we had a little more time to whittle it down and try to figure out okay

[4:24:20] What's what is the true win win that both sides actually benefit from?

[4:24:26] And so that's how we came to the model we have today.

[4:24:33] So.

[4:24:33] Good.

[4:24:35] Oh, go ahead.

[4:24:35] Oh, please.

[4:24:36] I have this question.

[4:24:38] Okay, thank you.

[4:24:39] Katherine, may I pretend shields?

[4:24:43] I just had a couple of quick questions, one following up on the parking, which I understand

[4:24:48] if this moves forward, we'll go through full site review and all that, but I feel like

[4:24:53] when we had some kind of initial discussions you were talking about, that you might

[4:24:57] at least some off-site parking or have some kind of off-site agreement.

[4:25:09] We have some options in mind for off-site parking for the BLA, so that is something we look like to get more detail over as we will further along.

[4:25:18] Obviously we are sorely in the process right now. That is something we have thought about, absolutely, but something we would just need to drill down on this specific.

[4:25:27] But the idea isn't just to fill up the city parking

[4:25:30] restaurant to look at some other app.

[4:25:31] That's correct.

[4:25:33] I understand that's a kind of a later full design kind of question.

[4:25:37] We typically have to get creative with parking.

[4:25:40] As editor, it's like running jokes like restaurants and parking.

[4:25:44] But it's like the last hotel we did that was similar to this setup.

[4:25:48] I mean, we least 10 spaces over here,

[4:25:51] released 15, you know, 100 yards of that way.

[4:25:54] These are for employees like employee parking.

[4:25:56] Right.

[4:25:56] But we had to get creative. I mean, like, genuinely, we probably would try and see if we could

[4:26:00] at least five percent space as a red rax or, you know, depending on the time of day.

[4:26:04] I wouldn't be surprised if we had, you know, patches all over, and we just trained, particularly

[4:26:10] for employee parking, we kind of trained it in, or it made sense.

[4:26:15] But we always have to get creative, though.

[4:26:17] Okay. That's helpful. Thank you. And then, you know, there was just a clarifying question.

[4:26:21] And so I saw in different spots either 4% or 4.25% and 20 or 25 years for the loan term.

[4:26:27] So what is the current asker is that still being refined?

[4:26:32] That's still being refined.

[4:26:33] So I won't negotiate for Joe.

[4:26:36] But we've, we've, I think it's all been progressing.

[4:26:39] And you're flying in the city's lines.

[4:26:40] So I just want to show.

[4:26:41] So we'll, we'll rectify.

[4:26:42] Make sure that's all in the same page.

[4:26:43] Next time we come before you should.

[4:26:45] Next time.

[4:26:46] Yeah, but as you drill down those are kind of details, obviously, we want to verify.

[4:26:50] So that's all I have, thank you, Mayor.

[4:26:51] Thank you.

[4:26:52] Okay, before I give my comments, you all can sit down for a second.

[4:26:58] I know it's been a long night and I don't want to prolong this conversation.

[4:27:03] But I see some of our partners here in the room.

[4:27:08] And I know we have Mr. Perry with the EDC.

[4:27:12] We have, obviously, downtown Main Street, the directors here,

[4:27:16] and we have Explore LS representatives as well.

[4:27:18] I'm not going to ask all of you to come up and speak, but if we could get the, uh, the, uh,

[4:27:24] yeah, I'm trying to make sure he's director to come up, Mr. Donning, to come up and just, perhaps

[4:27:30] give us your perspective on where you might be. I know there is questions asked. I, you feel

[4:27:36] about kind of what's going on and we'd love to have your input.

[4:27:39] Yeah, thank you for the opportunity. I'll be honest, I'm talking from myself. We've not met

[4:27:45] a board yet since he's in sort of a request came on on Friday, but a boutique hotel down

[4:27:50] here has been something we've dreamed about for a long time, I think. I mean those

[4:27:53] part of the original plan for Green Street is that that was a missing component as well as

[4:27:59] the farmers market facility. And so I've talked a lot of my counterparts in other communities

[4:28:06] over the last few days, two communities in particular that are dear to my heart, my hometown of

[4:28:12] Gerardo, and then also downtown Springfield, I spent some time there as well.

[4:28:19] And both of them brought in similar products, taking a big risk, both of those products,

[4:28:26] the hotel vanivortence Springfield, usually successful, it led to two additional hotels

[4:28:31] on the downtown.

[4:28:32] It's Cape Gerardo's similar courtyard by Marriott project, that brought in an additional hotel

[4:28:39] on the river front area.

[4:28:41] So I mean, we see the success and both of those communities

[4:28:45] will tell you, they were huge benefits

[4:28:48] so they were downtown community and bringing new visitors

[4:28:50] and new money.

[4:28:52] I know as we talk about incentives like I also get heart burn

[4:28:55] about looking at, it was like, OK, we're giving all of this.

[4:28:58] But then the money money it's bringing at,

[4:29:00] like from their calculations of 16,000 room nights,

[4:29:04] based on that report, about $160

[4:29:07] spent locally on food, beverage, and entertainment.

[4:29:11] That's, I think, 2.5 million a year, just down here.

[4:29:15] Because I mean, when you go to a place like a boutique hotel

[4:29:18] like this, you're not just staying in your own.

[4:29:21] You're going out.

[4:29:21] You're getting drinks, you're shopping.

[4:29:23] And I mean, that's a great opportunity to support all

[4:29:27] of our small local businesses here.

[4:29:28] And so it's just that excitement.

[4:29:31] During COVID, I kind of learned to start since traveling

[4:29:35] was hard, like I started taking many state occasions. I've stayed at most of the boutique properties

[4:29:39] and Kansas State. I've done the crossroads, this avoid the Phillips. I mean those are all unique

[4:29:44] experiences and to have something like this here. I think even our residents would enjoy being able

[4:29:50] to, you know, be a tourist in their own backyard. And so from an economic standpoint, the instead of

[4:30:00] I think it's also one of those things where it has a much greater impact than anything else we could deal with that piece of land.

[4:30:08] Thank you.

[4:30:09] I appreciate that a whole lot.

[4:30:10] That's exactly the kind of feedback.

[4:30:12] Thank you.

[4:30:15] Again, I know it's been a long night.

[4:30:17] I won't repeat some of the same questions.

[4:30:19] My colleagues already asked, which were all very good questions.

[4:30:22] I like, I appreciate Mayor Pritem bringing up regarding the land contribution and Mr.

[4:30:30] Thrash.

[4:30:30] You being willing to have a revertor clause in there.

[4:30:34] I think that's something that, being that this is a unique ask and it is, it could

[4:30:42] be daunting for some people here in this community.

[4:30:46] It's not done many of these kind of incentive structures, but that helps.

[4:30:52] And also the things that I know from early conversations year and now

[4:30:58] willing to personally guarantee the loan, I think those are things that are very helpful for us as we make our decision permanently down the road.

[4:31:09] I think some of the other questions that were asked since that interest rates not clearly defined, maybe in a go see a little higher rate for the city for that loan.

[4:31:21] maybe that something that could be worked out.

[4:31:24] Just to, again, ease our concerns a little bit

[4:31:27] as far as what the city's exposure might be.

[4:31:30] Just kind of throwing that out there.

[4:31:31] But I think overall, I think what Mr. Rogers said,

[4:31:36] he's just nailed it exactly kind of where I was going

[4:31:39] with my thought process.

[4:31:41] And Mr. Buckley, thank you for seeing it up like you did.

[4:31:44] I think you brought up a perspective.

[4:31:46] You and your partners have been with us

[4:31:48] stay one when we began to dream and when that was just a concept everything the neon lights

[4:31:55] UC outside was just a concept and we had countless meetings that involved a lot of our

[4:32:01] stakeholders and partners and a lot of our residents and citizens that had we it was a dream

[4:32:09] right and that's what our art piece says outside everything everything begins with the dream

[4:32:14] I always get around.

[4:32:15] Everything changes with the drink, but you get the gist.

[4:32:18] But I think this type of concept, Mr. Thrasch,

[4:32:22] thank you for coming in town to personally be here

[4:32:25] to present and for us to get to know you.

[4:32:28] I think you've been very genuine and a very transparent

[4:32:30] and we appreciate that.

[4:32:31] Thank you for being patient with us.

[4:32:33] I know you've been wanting to come talk to us

[4:32:35] for some time now.

[4:32:37] But this fits well with the master plan that was envisioned

[4:32:42] And I think this completely complements, I know there's the risk and that's always scary.

[4:32:50] But when we had the dream and the vision of what we were going to do with that block across the street,

[4:32:56] this was a key component.

[4:32:58] And a boutique, the boutique, whatever that word means, the boutique thing was part of this whole process.

[4:33:04] And I think your concept would completely complement and enhance what's happening in that building already.

[4:33:09] And that's a good thing and creates more economic activity.

[4:33:14] I didn't ask Mr. Perry to speak or explore L.S. to speak.

[4:33:18] But I know what he's thinking. I know, I know,

[4:33:21] explore L.S. I mean, we created all those kind of avenues for a reason.

[4:33:28] And here we have new activity at our airport, for example.

[4:33:32] I know that's not in this geographic area here,

[4:33:35] but I'll talk in a Mr. Buckley recently.

[4:33:36] And with our new marketing efforts and new branding, I think that's something we're getting so

[4:33:43] much activity there at the airport with corporate, you know, business and visitors, that

[4:33:48] all needs to be tied in together. And could just potentially be, could potentially be that

[4:33:52] much more exponential for us. And so, for those reasons, I think we're heading down the

[4:33:59] right path. I think perhaps, I think you've gotten some feedback from many of us up here. I think

[4:34:04] you're getting for the most probably other concerns, but for the most part, you're getting

[4:34:09] a consensus that we do want to continue to move forward while you and our team kind of

[4:34:14] massage some of the data and the numbers a little bit, come back with the polished ask.

[4:34:22] But I think, again, this is what was dreamt when we thought about what to do with that property

[4:34:29] across the street, and this is the key piece for my perspective as well.

[4:34:36] So I think you're getting a lot of really good vibes and good feedback from our group.

[4:34:40] MSure Buckley, I hope that's enough for you to kind of continue to move forward with

[4:34:44] our team and our staff and let's move forward, Mr. Mr. Bushick.

[4:34:50] And Mr. Dunning in your team, Brian.

[4:34:53] So that's it.

[4:34:54] Thank you guys.

[4:34:55] Appreciate it.

[4:34:56] All right.

[4:34:59] All right.

[4:35:00] We have one more, yeah, I think so. We have one more presentation. This one is for midstates, personal property sales tax, exception for the non-manufacturing equipment request, Mr. Bush, I guess that you again.

[4:35:18] I will provide the introduction, but I think Mr. Peterson, I saw him on the Zoom call as he still with us.

[4:35:26] I'm here when you say to go, David.

[4:35:28] OK, and I'll go ahead and live time just

[4:35:31] ask this.

[4:35:33] Am I clicking through your slides while you talk?

[4:35:35] I was going to share them right now.

[4:35:37] OK, just talk when you say to talk.

[4:35:39] OK, so Mr. Peterson is going to present this item for you.

[4:35:45] It's an unusual request connected to a project that you

[4:35:49] previously approved.

[4:35:50] You've approved incentives for.

[4:35:52] And there is a very specific request that the company is making tonight.

[4:35:56] let him explain then I'll provide a few comments when he's fast.

[4:36:02] If we could pause one moment

[4:36:03] I'm just waiting for a sharing rights to be turned on otherwise we'll switch over to a backup

[4:36:07] plane David for you to flip through. Yeah, so I think somebody else. Yeah, it just did. It just turned

[4:36:12] on, give me one second. Okay.

[4:36:32] Okay, we can see the screen. Yep, we can see you. Good.

[4:36:41] Thank you,

[4:36:45] D also midstates has a one of their local executives in the audience I hope still you can

[4:36:52] know it's a long meeting Rick mess midstates project is a capital investment job creation project

[4:36:57] and softly summit earlier this year as David said the project received unanimously all

[4:37:03] that's approvals from land use the public part of partnership and tonight I really just have one

[4:37:08] discrete procedural item David said it right kind of unusual as you'll see related to the project

[4:37:14] but before I explain it, I am going to do with your permission mayor a lightning round because

[4:37:19] this was approved before the new council came on. So this will be a mini version, much

[4:37:24] mini version, then what the rest of the council that was here heard several times. But I think

[4:37:29] it's only fair if they can have the quick background. So unless you cut me off, I will do just that.

[4:37:35] You're right ahead. Thank you. In 2019, a 64 year old company bought the former Toys

[4:37:41] the rest distribution center on 291 South.

[4:37:44] Mr. Clear seems just briefly. Are you still on the first slide?

[4:37:47] Cause we only see the overall presentation with the first slider.

[4:37:51] Are you trying to click through?

[4:37:52] I don't know if we're seeing.

[4:37:53] I was trying to click through, which means I think I have to do a different sharing.

[4:37:56] I'm so sorry. Hold on. Let me try it again.

[4:37:59] I'll do a screen share.

[4:37:59] I think is what it wants me to do.

[4:38:01] It's done.

[4:38:02] We're going to do see what I'm in.

[4:38:06] Chambers IT experts help me now.

[4:38:08] I'm on my own.

[4:38:08] So we want share, then we want entire screen.

[4:38:16] We're not trying that again.

[4:38:18] And when I forward this, can you see, let's see, almost.

[4:38:22] I see the first slide now.

[4:38:24] Then if you click, yep, now we're seeing this whole thing.

[4:38:27] Thank you, Mayor for 10.

[4:38:30] So back to this company, the rebirth, the old toys are us building in 2018.

[4:38:34] I mean, that company, which is mid-states today, and is based in Fort Worth, Texas, they

[4:38:40] distribute farm, ranch, and home products to more than 700 retail stores across 32 states.

[4:38:45] This map gives you a sense of what they're distributing to from Lee Summit.

[4:38:50] For the last year, the big question was whether mid-states should yield some pressures they

[4:38:54] were getting to move their distribution facility, create a brand new when to move it

[4:38:59] past where they're having tons of growth with stores or double down and make really what I call

[4:39:04] a generational investment here in Lee Summit and thanks to Joe Perry and the EDC team and staff

[4:39:10] and all the work that went into it we can now say mid states has chosen Lee Summit for this

[4:39:15] huge investment and job creation and all that so we're thrilled about that. The current facility

[4:39:19] you can see on the screen is like I said, east side of 291 South just south of sheer which turns

[4:39:25] in Thompson Drive on the east side of the highway. It's approximately 650,000 square foot

[4:39:30] of distribution, 104 dock doors, approximately 165 employees, a formidable facility. The expansion

[4:39:39] you can see the building on the screen. That's the existing one today. The expansion is in the

[4:39:43] yellow area. It will be almost a 500,000 square foot addition, approximately 90 new jobs that would

[4:39:55] through a public private partnership that Council approved unanimously.

[4:40:00] It was a chapter 100, it had a real property, and then a personal property tax component. The real property

[4:40:05] site, as you can see on the screen, was a property tax advancement for 10 years, and a sales tax exemption

[4:40:11] on construction materials. On the personal property side, we had just the black text there, number one,

[4:40:18] which is a five-year partial property tax abatement on the significant amount of personal property

[4:40:23] equipment that will be at the new facility. I added the red because this is the procedure

[4:40:29] a little nuance that I wanted to share with you. As I just said, $25 million of new equipment

[4:40:35] will be purchased over 2026-2728 to outfit this new facility and the request that we've been working

[4:40:44] with DEED because it's a DEED approved item since last fall is a sales tax exemption

[4:40:54] on that $25 million requirement and again it's different than the other incentives

[4:41:00] that the city's already approved because it's DEED by statute that approves it.

[4:41:05] This summer we accepted a formal offer from DEED for that incentive.

[4:41:09] Joe Perry again, I need to call him out with his instrumental in assisting alongside me working with the E.D. and mid States appreciated mid States

[4:41:18] accepted formally that proposal from D.E.D. and then the formal paperwork came and the formal paperwork takes a signature from the city saying they acknowledge

[4:41:29] the application to the state for this, this incentive. And when we got to that point, Mr. Elam said that he'd be most comfortable

[4:41:39] and Mr. Bouchek. If this would come back in front of Council to give staff authority to be able

[4:41:45] to sign this application back to DED for this particular incentive, the overall incentive is

[4:41:51] affordable. It's, again, since last fall has been part of the company's overall financial

[4:41:57] package. It's been seeking. You can see it would provide an estimated $1.7 billion of Missouri

[4:42:03] sales and use tax savings there at the top. And then the estimate amount that would come from city use tax is the 687,000 there in the middle part of the screen.

[4:42:14] I will dispense with going into detail in the next few slides unless any of the new council members want me to, but these are the value proposition side with all of the benefits and jobs and substantial property tax sales tax.

[4:42:27] exercise tax park impact fees that would come out of this project moving forward and I would conclude

[4:42:33] with saying that this is an incredible success story of not only attracting mid states here

[4:42:39] a number of years ago, but now retaining it, causing it to grow in terms of jobs and make this

[4:42:44] generational investment in the city. The specific ask tonight of council is this. We'd ask that

[4:42:55] states to implement the incentive of sales tax exemption on this equipment, $25 million

[4:43:02] equipment so that we can move forward with that and then close on the land and start immediately

[4:43:08] on this project. I know it's late. Thank you for listening to all that and I'd like to use it.

[4:43:14] I'll be here for any questions anyone might have.

[4:43:24] I will be brief with my comments. I do have a few

[4:43:27] slides but they are just summary for you.

[4:43:32] So basically what I will provide in addition to

[4:43:35] Mr. Peterson just said, it's sort of bolstering what he said.

[4:43:38] This is a component of their incentive request that was processed after you made your initial approval.

[4:43:45] And so looking at this chart here, what we've done, there's two slides here.

[4:43:49] These slides are identical to the slides that we previously used when the council approved the chapter 100 plan.

[4:43:55] And the first line is the new item.

[4:43:58] So I'll dispense with going through the summary of what you've already approved just to get to the point here,

[4:44:02] unless you want me to go through the entire incentive package again.

[4:44:04] But, to be clear, you've already acted on these three line items here that line at the top is the new line item, sales tax exemption on equipment, it's non-manufacturing equipment, this is provided by the Department of Economic Development, this is the quantification of the benefit to the developer, it's in addition to what you've already approved, that's 2.2% of the total project cost, so this is, so you understand how this incentive component which they're requesting you to act on is in addition to what you've already approved.

[4:44:33] And then this is the more detailed summary slide that we previously provided to you and the boxes here and down here are quantification of this additional item.

[4:44:44] So again, I will dispense with describing all of these.

[4:44:46] You've already acted on all of these components that approve them.

[4:44:49] And this would, in addition from the state, be sales and use tax exemption on the new equipment only, three installments of new equipment.

[4:44:56] And the new equipment is 5 million.

[4:45:00] A million dollars is for material sorting. Ten million dollars of equipment for a material handling system and ten million dollars a fulfillment processing system. That's technically what the equipment is that they're purchasing.

[4:45:13] And then we quantify down here also the additional benefit to the developer. We're kind of a repeat of what I just said on the last slide. The additional benefit resulting in this total benefit to the developer as measured into the total project costs.

[4:45:29] and then we've quantified the impact of the city down here, and this basically scales out the

[4:45:33] same way.

[4:45:34] The city's portion of this incentive request is about the same as the city's portion of the

[4:45:38] sales tax exemption that you previously approved.

[4:45:41] So it all kind of scales out equally, and this is a benefit that's being provided by Department

[4:45:45] of Economic Development, and your specific action item, it's not an ordinance, there's just

[4:45:50] a motion that's in your packet.

[4:45:52] If you pass this motion, what you're technically doing is authorizing city staff to sign this

[4:45:56] application.

[4:45:57] That's the actual action that you're undertaking if you approve this is it's authorizing staff to sign this application

[4:46:04] When it's submitted to DED to benefit the property and the project in the way that Mr. Peterson described that I described so that's my summary

[4:46:12] I can go through anything else that you'd like but I thought I'd keep it short in the interest of time tonight

[4:46:16] So to keep it short, so DED is pretty much ready to move forward

[4:46:22] Correct. They just want our our authorization

[4:46:24] That's correct. The application to the state has to be signed by the developer and the city so the city has to sort of fight to and we thought

[4:46:31] simplest way to do it to be

[4:46:33] To be as thorough as possible as bring that request back to you. Okay. I think we have one question, and then I'll make a comment

[4:46:40] May I pretend to yield? Thank you, Mayor

[4:46:43] So this is a Missouri Department of Economic Development incentive tool, but it requires the city's sign-off. Yeah, right? And so typically when we do an incentive package

[4:46:56] Once we kind of approve it we don't we don't come back like we sort of say like

[4:47:01] You have to give us your full-ask up front right so so this is this is different because it was a Missouri DD program

[4:47:07] They didn't know what the ask would be until they went through that process or like why is this kind of something

[4:47:13] We don't usually see in terms of going back and modifying the package

[4:47:17] I'd like Mr. Peterson answer that in the, so he can explain the sequence of events that led to this to fully answer your question.

[4:47:28] Yes, and I'll start Mayor Protem with the somewhat short, but you always know, ask me three more questions if you wish to get into the weeds.

[4:47:34] But we, I personally reached out to DED back in the fall. This was before even formally pursuing the incentives of the city because that's what we do.

[4:47:43] we try to put together the full package,

[4:47:45] and one of those benefits was Missouri Works,

[4:47:48] and which is the different type of DED benefit,

[4:47:51] and the other was this sales tax exemption

[4:47:53] and all this equipment purchasing.

[4:47:55] And the part I'm dispensing with is why it took so long

[4:47:59] between the fall and into the spring,

[4:48:01] but it did, and I've talked to staff

[4:48:03] about those reasons.

[4:48:06] But by the time we actually got the offer from DED,

[4:48:09] and we accepted it, that wasn't until plus or minus 30 days,

[4:48:13] I want to say mayor June and says you can see we had already had the city side approved and then we ended up in this situation

[4:48:21] If I can do a mayor colpah I frankly I had I would Joe again play the huge role in this and I appreciate it all his help

[4:48:28] This quote in that sense the city was with me. I forgot that when it ultimately comes down to implementation even after you've accepted the DEES offer

[4:48:36] You have to get a city signature on the application. I don't know if Mr. Boucher I can remember that

[4:48:41] It's just, this is not something that's in that common.

[4:48:44] It's to a Natsun, that part was my mistake,

[4:48:46] but we did start this merit-protein back in the fall.

[4:48:49] It just took a long time to get to this point.

[4:48:52] OK, thank you.

[4:48:56] I guess going forward if we know that

[4:48:58] in application like this is in process,

[4:49:00] I would like to know that.

[4:49:02] At the beginning, I realized this is kind of unusual.

[4:49:05] It's not something that we see a lot,

[4:49:06] so I can understand why it kind of happened this way.

[4:49:09] And I feel like the overall thought process behind the incentive package we approved before

[4:49:16] which included the sales news tech exemption on construction materials kind of the same logic

[4:49:22] would apply here.

[4:49:23] Like if you'd asked me back when we looked at this is the equipment part of the construction

[4:49:28] materials I would have had to go back and ask someone with better text knowledge than I have

[4:49:34] to clarify that.

[4:49:36] So it's the kind of thing I might have thought was already included although obviously it

[4:49:38] larger line items. So

[4:49:44] I want this project to go forward. I think it's a really good project

[4:49:47] for all the reasons we've discussed before, but I do wish that I had known that this was a

[4:49:53] possibility of coming forward. I'm glad that we're using the state of Missouri Tools. I think

[4:49:56] that's great that they're being connected with Missouri Works and with these programs that we're making.

[4:50:01] I think it's probably safe to say that if we ever have a project like this where the personal property tax exemption

[4:50:12] might be pursued, we as the city team will say you need to include that in your initial presentation to the city council.

[4:50:20] Even if it's not going to happen until much later for all the reasons you just said.

[4:50:24] sales tax exemption, right? Yes. Because we already knew about the personal property tax.

[4:50:29] All right. Um, and I agree just to chime in, I agree to start in or update that.

[4:50:34] Sure. That's a learning lesson for me too, and on all this. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

[4:50:40] Good question. Thank you. Um, okay. That being said, is there an ordinance here that you want us to

[4:50:52] of the meeting packet.

[4:50:54] Mayor, pretend you're here to

[4:50:59] see it.

[4:51:11] Are you having trouble finding the motion in the packet?

[4:51:13] We are.

[4:51:15] You could read it.

[4:51:20] I moved to authorize staff to certify the application of chapter 100 sales tax exemption

[4:51:24] for non-manufacturing equipment related to the mid-States Warehouse Expansion Project.

[4:51:32] Thank you.

[4:51:32] We have a motion by Mayor Patent Shields and a second by Council Member Funk.

[4:51:37] Any further discussion?

[4:51:38] or comments. If not, please cast your vote

[4:51:46] of votes or in. Motion passes 7-0. Please

[4:51:49] record the vote. Thank you. Thank you. I'll appreciate that.

[4:51:55] All right. We will proceed on to item number 7. Proposed ordinances forwarded from committee.

[4:52:03] We go to 7-A, Mayor Potentials.

[4:52:07] Thank you. I'm a second reading of the number 26-1-2-8.

[4:52:09] And it's meeting chapter 13 fire prevention and protection of the code of ordinances of the city of Lisa was right by repealing article three fire code and adopting a new article three became to the same center at matter

[4:52:18] Great. Thank you. We have a motion to advance a second meeting if I may attempt to use in a second by council member cave Craven's any discussion

[4:52:25] not please cast your vote

[4:52:35] Melanie still on her her vote is on here. It was okay. So she's in there. We're right now. We're down to six. So motion passes six zero. Thank you

[4:52:49] All right, Mayor Patent.

[4:52:51] Move for adoption of bill number 26-128,

[4:52:53] or in the spending chapter 13 fire prevention

[4:52:54] and protection of the code of ordinances.

[4:52:56] It's obviously some, it was very by repealing article

[4:52:57] three fire code and adopting new article,

[4:52:59] three pertains, same subject matter.

[4:53:01] Thank you.

[4:53:02] We have motion to adopt bill number 26-128,

[4:53:04] by Mayor Patent Shield and a second by Council Member Funk.

[4:53:07] Any discussion?

[4:53:09] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:53:20] There she is.

[4:53:24] There we go.

[4:53:24] Motion passes 60.

[4:53:27] Please record the vote.

[4:53:28] Thank you.

[4:53:29] It takes us to item B, Labor time.

[4:53:32] Move second reading of bill number 26-199, or an in-smenning chapter 7 of the Code Wardens

[4:53:36] is at the city of Lee Summit Missouri relating to building regulations by adopting certain

[4:53:39] 20-24 international codes of the 20-23 national electrical code, and by revising certain

[4:53:44] provisions of the city's building electrical codes.

[4:53:46] Thank you.

[4:53:46] We have a motion to adopt bill number 26-199, I'm AmeriPotentials in a second by Council

[4:53:50] Member Funk.

[4:53:51] Any discussion?

[4:53:53] Not please cast your vote.

[4:54:00] Move it on this one.

[4:54:03] I'll vote through, I'll vote through, and motion passes 70, please record the vote, Mayor

[4:54:10] Patent.

[4:54:12] I'm for adoption of the number 26-1-29, ordinance spending chapter 7 of the Code Vornance

[4:54:16] is a the city of Lisa and I'm just very relating to building regulations by adopting

[4:54:19] certain 24 international codes of the 2023 National Electrical Code by and by revising certain

[4:54:23] provisions of the Cs Building Electrical Code.

[4:54:25] Thank you.

[4:54:26] We have a motion to adopt the number 26-1-29 by Mayor Patent Seals and a second by Council

[4:54:30] Number Funk any discussion?

[4:54:33] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:54:39] All votes are in.

[4:54:40] Motion passes 70.

[4:54:41] Your vote.

[4:54:41] Please record the vote.

[4:54:42] I move for.

[4:54:44] Second reading.

[4:54:45] Number 26.

[4:54:46] 1.30.

[4:54:47] And ordinance repealing.

[4:54:48] Chapter 16.

[4:54:49] We submit property maintenance.

[4:54:50] Code of the code of ordinance.

[4:54:51] This is the city.

[4:54:51] We submit.

[4:54:52] We submit.

[4:54:56] We submit.

[4:54:58] We submit.

[4:54:59] multiple times to use.

[4:55:00] Second, my council member, Frazier, any discussion? Not please cast your vote.

[4:55:08] Bill is adopted, 7-0.

[4:55:10] I think that was second reading, wasn't it?

[4:55:13] Oh, I think we got ahead.

[4:55:16] That was for second reading, I'm sorry. Bill number 1, 26-130.

[4:55:20] Move for adoption of Bill number 26-1-30, an ordinance repealing chapter 16,

[4:55:24] some of the property maintenance code of the code of order and says for the city,

[4:55:26] some of those are enacting a new chapter 16, pertain to the same subject matter for the city,

[4:55:30] some of those are. Thank you, we have motion to adopt. Bill number 26-6,

[4:55:33] 1-3-0 by Mayor Patent Seals in a second.

[4:55:36] By Councilmember Frazier, any discussion?

[4:55:39] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:55:44] Bill is adopted.

[4:55:45] 7-0.

[4:55:46] Please record the vote.

[4:55:47] Thank you.

[4:55:48] Mayor Patent.

[4:55:49] Move for second meeting.

[4:55:50] Bill number 26-1-3-1.

[4:55:51] An ordinance for being member number 8 to the budget for fiscal year and

[4:55:53] June 30, 2026 is adopted by ordinances 1-1-1-3-2-1-1-1-1-1-3-3-1-1-1-1-3-1-3-1-3-7-1-1-1-1-3-8.

[4:55:59] By remaining the authorized expenditures, this would be some misery.

[4:56:02] Thank you.

[4:56:02] We have the motion to advance the second meeting.

[4:56:04] bill number 26-131 by Mayor Patent Shields in a second by Councilmember Carlisle. Any discussion?

[4:56:11] Not please, Councillor vote.

[4:56:16] Motion advances 70 please record the vote, Mayor Patent.

[4:56:20] I move for the option of bill number 26-131 and ordinance for being amendment number 8 to the budget for fiscal year and

[4:56:24] in June 30, 2020, 26 is adopted by ordinances 1-1-321-1-1-1-1-1-3-3-1-1-1-3-6-1-1-1-3-7-1-1-1-3-8-8-by-mending-0-3-6-finatures for the city,

[4:56:32] at least some of them.

[4:56:33] Thank you.

[4:56:33] We have the motion to adopt November 26.

[4:56:35] 1-3-1 by Mayor Patemciles in a second by Councillor Carylyle any discussion?

[4:56:40] Not please, Councillor Vot.

[4:56:47] Bill is adopted.

[4:56:48] 7-0.

[4:56:48] Please record the vote.

[4:56:49] Thank you.

[4:56:50] May we have a second.

[4:56:52] We need to build number 261-3-2 in Orange, and it's a proving amendment.

[4:56:54] Number 1 is a budget for fiscal year in June 30, 2020, 27 is adopted by ordinances

[4:56:58] 1-0401-10402, and amending the authorized expenditures for the city.

[4:57:05] If most of them to advance the second meeting bill number 26-132 by Mayor Patentials

[4:57:09] in a second by Councillor Carlyow and any discussion, not please cast your vote.

[4:57:18] Motion passes 70, please record the vote, Mayor Patent.

[4:57:22] Move for adoption bill number 26-132 in order to be moving amendment number 1 to the budget

[4:57:25] for fiscal year in June 30, 27 is adopted by ordinances 1-0401-10402 by amending

[4:57:32] authorized expenditures for the city.

[4:57:35] Thank you.

[4:57:35] We have a motion to adopt a bill number 26-132 by Mayor Pertem Shields in a second by Council Member

[4:57:40] Carlyow.

[4:57:40] Any further discussion?

[4:57:42] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:57:46] All votes are in.

[4:57:47] Motion passes 7-0.

[4:57:49] Please report the vote.

[4:57:50] Mayor Pertem.

[4:57:52] Move for second.

[4:57:52] Reign of bill number 26-133 in Ordinance, authorizing the execution of a workday order agreement

[4:57:56] to purchase workday success plan and flex credits for ERP support, not to exceed 115,000,

[4:58:01] for $44. In accordance with contract number 2024-05-1 by

[4:58:06] between the city and work date, and authorizing the city manager or information

[4:58:09] technology director next to the same.

[4:58:11] We have most of them to advance the second reading bill number 26-133 by Mayor

[4:58:15] Patent Shields in a second by Councilmember Frazier. Any discussion?

[4:58:18] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:58:24] I'll vote through it in motion passes 70, Mayor Patent.

[4:58:27] We have for adoption of bill number 26-133 in order to authorize the execution of a

[4:58:30] workday order agreement to purchase workday success plan of flex credits for ERP support

[4:58:33] to exceed $115,044 in accordance with contract number 2024-5-1 by between the City and Work

[4:58:39] Daying, an authorized City Manager Information Technology Director at ex-heat the same.

[4:58:43] It wasn't said that.

[4:58:44] It's a adopt bill of number 26-133 of a mayor for 10 shields in a second by Council member

[4:58:47] Carlow and any discussion.

[4:58:49] If not, please cast your vote.

[4:58:56] I'll vote through in.

[4:58:57] Motion passes 7-0, bill is adopted.

[4:58:59] Please record the vote.

[4:59:00] Thank you.

[4:59:01] Dean of Break.

[4:59:02] You need to serve.

[4:59:03] Let's finish.

[4:59:03] Again.

[4:59:04] All right.

[4:59:05] Next item.

[4:59:06] for $1.261.34.

[4:59:08] Moving to the number of $1.261.34.

[4:59:10] In order to prevent change, we're going to

[4:59:11] go into the on-call agreement in 2024-572R

[4:59:14] for the construction of southeast,

[4:59:15] storm repair W-0-131527 with

[4:59:19] wheat-emitting for an increase in the contract price of $128,677.

[4:59:23] $977.99 for a rise of agreement amount of $416,929.

[4:59:27] $199.99.

[4:59:28] It's an authorized city manager for the same.

[4:59:30] We have a motion to advance the second rating.

[4:59:32] Build number of $261.34 by Mayor

[4:59:34] time shields in a second by Councilmember Karla, any discussion?

[4:59:38] Not please cast your vote.

[4:59:48] I vote, sir.

[4:59:48] Motion passes, 70.

[4:59:50] Mayor for 10.

[4:59:51] Move for the second meeting.

[4:59:52] Bill number.

[4:59:53] Or may not.

[4:59:54] On the top.

[4:59:54] The production of Bill number.

[4:59:56] 26-1-3-4.

[4:59:57] Orndon's.

[4:59:57] Proving change.

[4:59:57] Orndon's.

[4:59:58] Orndon's.

[5:00:00] Five, seven, two, are for the construction of Southeast, this street, storm repair, W-0-1-3-1-5-2-7 with

[5:00:05] we demanding for an increase in the contract price of $128,077.99, and a sense for a revised

[5:00:10] agreement amount of $4,699,28.99, and a sense not to rise the city manager checks agreement

[5:00:14] for the same.

[5:00:15] Thank you. We have a motion to adopt on the number 26-1-3-4 by Mayor Patent Shields in a second

[5:00:19] by Councilmember Carlisle. Any discussion? If not, please cast your vote.

[5:00:26] All votes are in. Motion passes

[5:00:28] 7-0, please record the vote. Thank you.

[5:00:30] Mayor Patent.

[5:00:31] The move for second meeting of number 26-1-35 in order to order to order for project

[5:00:35] number p-2-9-3 for the southeast taxi lane construction of pyramid contract.

[5:00:39] Just think in the amount of $3,745,809.

[5:00:43] Authorizing city manager, check seat room for the same.

[5:00:45] We have a motion to advance the second meeting.

[5:00:47] Bill number 26-1-35 by Mayor Patent.

[5:00:49] Seals in a second by Councilmember Frazier.

[5:00:51] Any discussion?

[5:00:52] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:01:02] I'll vote sir and motion passes 7-0, Mayor Patent.

[5:01:04] move for adoption build number 26-1-35 and ordinance wording a bit of a project number

[5:01:08] P-2-9-3 for this out these tax line construction impairment contractors ink in the

[5:01:12] amount of $3,745,899 not thriving city managed exchange agreement for the same.

[5:01:18] We have a motion to adopt build number 26-1-35 by Mayor Patem Shields in a second by

[5:01:22] Councilmember Carlow and any further discussion if not please cast your vote.

[5:01:29] Motion passes 7-0, Mayor Patem.

[5:01:33] We have a motion to advance the second reading bill number 26-366, in order to prevent

[5:01:34] a word of RFQ-2020-6-015 to HDR engineering for the tutor for Smean Condition Assessment

[5:01:39] Project in the amount of $1,8,523, not to rise in city management for the same.

[5:01:45] We have a motion to advance the second reading bill number 26-136 by Mayor Patent Seals

[5:01:50] and a second by Councilmember Cravens.

[5:01:52] Any discussion?

[5:01:53] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:01:58] All votes are in and motion passes.

[5:02:00] Thank you, Mayor Patent.

[5:02:01] Move for adoption bill number 26-136 in order to prevent the ward of RFQ-2026-155-HGR

[5:02:06] Engineering Inc.

[5:02:07] For the tutor for its main condition assessment project,

[5:02:09] the amount of $1,280,523.

[5:02:11] Authorizing the city manager for the same.

[5:02:13] Thank you.

[5:02:14] We have a motion to adopt bill number 26-136 by Mayor Patent.

[5:02:17] She deals in a second by Councilmember Carlisle.

[5:02:19] Any further discussion?

[5:02:20] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:02:26] All votes are in.

[5:02:27] Bill is adopted.

[5:02:28] 70, please record the vote.

[5:02:30] Thank you.

[5:02:30] Mayor Patent.

[5:02:31] We have a second read of the number 26-137 in order to bring the award of our

[5:02:34] FQ number 2026-065 in agreement for professional engineering design services for the

[5:02:39] big creek excess flow holding in pump station project to George Butler.

[5:02:42] So it's in the amount of 294,393 dollars in authorized and city management and agreement

[5:02:47] for the same.

[5:02:48] We have a motion to advance the second reading bill number 26-137 by Mayor

[5:02:52] for 10 years in a second.

[5:02:53] Mike Heldsman for Carlisle.

[5:02:55] Any further discussion?

[5:02:56] And if not, please cast your vote.

[5:03:01] All votes are in motion passes, 7-0.

[5:03:04] Mayor Patent.

[5:03:05] Move for adoption, bill number 26, session 137,

[5:03:07] an ordinance of moving the award of RFQ number 26,

[5:03:09] session 65, an agreement for professional engineering

[5:03:12] design services for the big creek excess flow

[5:03:14] holding and pump station project to George Butler.

[5:03:16] So see, it's in the amount of 294,393 dollars

[5:03:19] in authorized and city managed execute the same.

[5:03:21] We have a motion to adopt bill number 26,

[5:03:22] session 137 by Mayor Patent.

[5:03:24] Sealed in a second by Council Member Funk.

[5:03:26] Any discussion, if not, please cast your vote.

[5:03:32] All votes are in.

[5:03:34] Bill is adopted.

[5:03:35] 70.

[5:03:36] Will please record the vote.

[5:03:37] Thank you.

[5:03:37] May I pretend?

[5:03:38] We have for a second.

[5:03:39] We have bill number 26-138.

[5:03:40] Norton's moving modification number 1.

[5:03:41] The agreement dated March 3, 2026 are a few.

[5:03:44] Number 26-104.

[5:03:45] Between the city of Missouri and Britain's McDonald's.

[5:03:47] Engineering company for professional engineering services for the Cedar Creek

[5:03:50] Interceptor Phase 4.

[5:03:51] Improvement's project for an increase.

[5:03:52] Of $446,115.

[5:03:54] Total amended amount of $750,900.

[5:03:56] $1,920.

[5:03:57] Not the rise in the city managed to execute the same.

[5:03:59] Thank you.

[5:03:59] of motion to advance the second meeting bill number 26-138 by Mayor Patent Shields and a second by

[5:04:04] Council Member Fong. Any discussion? If not, please cast your vote.

[5:04:12] All votes are in motion passes 70. Thank you, Mayor Patent.

[5:04:15] Move for adoption of the number 26-138.

[5:04:17] Norton is proving modification number 1 to the agreement dated March 3, 2020, 26 RFQ

[5:04:20] number 26-0 and 4 between the safely. Some of those are members with knowledge in

[5:04:24] your company, Inc. for professional engineering services for the Cedar Creek Interceptor

[5:04:27] Phase 4 improvements project for an increase of 446,159 dollars for a total of

[5:04:31] of $751,912, not the rising city of managed rights heat.

[5:04:36] Thank you.

[5:04:36] We have motion to adopt the number 26-138 by Mayor Patem Shields.

[5:04:40] In a second by Councilmember Funk, any discussion?

[5:04:43] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:04:49] All votes are in motion, passes.

[5:04:51] 7-0 bill as adopted.

[5:04:52] Please record the vote.

[5:04:53] Thank you.

[5:04:54] Mayor Patem.

[5:04:55] Please present a range of money.

[5:04:56] We have a number 26-139.

[5:04:57] In order to ensure that we have a budget number P-26 for the next.

[5:05:07] We have a motion to adopt bill number 26-139 by Mayor Pertem Shields and a second by Council member Frazier. Any discussion? If not, please cast your vote.

[5:05:21] All votes are in motion past 7-0.

[5:05:23] Here puts in.

[5:05:24] Move for adoption bill number 26-139, in order to morning the bid for project number

[5:05:27] P-256 for the cathodic protection program FY-26CCP Systems International LLC in the amount

[5:05:32] of 893,925 dollars in authorizing the city manager to execute agreement for the same.

[5:05:37] Thank you.

[5:05:37] We have most in to adopt bill number 26-139 by Mayor Patent Shields and a second by Council

[5:05:41] Member Funk.

[5:05:42] Any discussion?

[5:05:43] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:05:49] All votes are in.

[5:05:49] Bill is adopted.

[5:05:50] 7-0.

[5:05:51] Please record the vote.

[5:05:52] Thank you.

[5:05:52] It takes us to agenda item number eight for post ordinance the second reading mayor for

[5:05:57] time.

[5:05:58] Move for adoption of bill number 26-1 to one in ordinance proving petition for establishment

[5:06:02] of the Arborside Community Improvement District and authorizing and directing for the

[5:06:05] actions in connection therewith.

[5:06:07] Thank you.

[5:06:07] We have most into that bill number 26-1-21 by Mayor Patent Shields and a second by Councillor

[5:06:11] Carlyow.

[5:06:12] Any discussion?

[5:06:13] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:06:20] I'll vote through in motion passes.

[5:06:22] 7-0.

[5:06:22] Please record the vote.

[5:06:23] Thank you.

[5:06:28] Mayor Patent?

[5:06:30] move for adoption of amended bill number 26-122 in ordinance for moving rezoning from district

[5:06:35] PI plan industrial RP for plant apartment residential and pale plant office to see P2 plan

[5:06:39] community commercial and preliminary development plan for buildings on approximately 15.7

[5:06:43] one acres of land located near the southwest corner of north east to the road north east

[5:06:47] Douglas Street on according to the provisions chapter 3 3 unified development ordinance

[5:06:50] of the code of ordinances for the city lease on this area.

[5:06:53] Thank you.

[5:06:53] We have a motion to adopt bill number 26-122 by Mayor Perthems.

[5:06:56] in a sake of my Council Member Carlisle. Any discussion? If not, please cast your vote.

[5:07:09] All votes are in. Motion passes 70 or bill is adopted. Please record the vote. Thank you.

[5:07:13] Mayor for 10. Move for adoption of bill number 26, 1, 2, 4, and ordinance,

[5:07:16] vacating. A portion of a certain easement. Located at 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,

[5:07:18] Parkway in the city of Lee some of this area.

[5:07:20] We have most of the adopt building in the 26S-124 by Mayor for

[5:07:23] 10 Shields and a second by Councilmember Frazier.

[5:07:26] Any discussion?

[5:07:28] If not, please cast your vote.

[5:07:36] Uh, votes are in.

[5:07:37] Motion passes 70.

[5:07:38] Bill is adopted.

[5:07:39] Thank you.

[5:07:39] Appreciate that.

[5:07:41] All right.

[5:07:42] It takes us to committee reports.

[5:07:44] Thank you.

[5:07:45] Committee reports.

[5:07:46] You guys have been busy.

[5:07:48] Councilmember Fung.

[5:07:50] Thank you, Mayor.

[5:07:52] We have public works meeting yesterday.

[5:07:56] We did a number of items tonight, tonight's agenda, that we just approved.

[5:08:01] A couple of things came up in our roundtable, we talked about maybe get it to a committee.

[5:08:09] Door hangers, we had an issue with some door hangers and residents getting notified of some work being done.

[5:08:16] And this one to make sure we can put some sort of claws claw back and those contracts that if they don't do this, there's some sort of punishment of some sort.

[5:08:27] For our residents and then also we talked about Michael Michael Park spoke a little bit on I470 and being able to move forward a study and I think at this body we have enough folks here tonight if we could just kind of.

[5:08:42] Maybe I know it's been a long night, but get a quick blessing to Michael to move forward with that.

[5:08:51] So this is related to the efforts that have been ongoing for a while regarding addressing the issue on 470.

[5:08:59] Just doing this study on, you know, what the scope of this is going to be, what their ramifications are going to be.

[5:09:06] Mr. Park has had some good conversation with MODOT, and they're supportive as well.

[5:09:11] Yeah, and this is something we've been talking for talking about for a long time, time is of the essence.

[5:09:19] So anyway, I'll take your comments. May I pretend?

[5:09:25] I as I'm still on to speak for next minute report, but I would be supportive of moving forward with the study.

[5:09:31] We had a good short discussion in public works about it.

[5:09:34] I think to continue our advocacy efforts for 470 would be helpful to have kind of a more clearly defined scope of what we're asking for.

[5:09:43] Thank you.

[5:09:44] That's from Carla, do you want to speak to this?

[5:09:46] Yes, please just real quick.

[5:09:48] Sure.

[5:09:48] For those of us who did not get to watch that yet, can I just have like a quick.

[5:09:54] Who's doing the study?

[5:09:55] Do we know how much is it going to cost?

[5:09:56] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[5:10:05] So, the public courts committee last night, we had a discussion of really doing a little more detail than our current $300 million swag for widening 947 from 50 highway to 40 highway, as well as some interchange design to actually getting into an actual study.

[5:10:22] The city would undertake that study, it would be coordinated with MODOT, but it would be at the city's expense that's why, before we would proceed, we kind of seek that direction from the full council.

[5:10:33] Breakdown a little more conceptually what the interchange might look like at 291 and I-470

[5:10:39] Colbert and Junction

[5:10:40] Identify any significant environmental issues that would be associated with both widening

[5:10:46] I-470 as well as the interchange

[5:10:49] Come up with more refined estimates based on that little little board detail and those conceptual designs

[5:10:58] Break it down into whether or not the project can be phased

[5:11:01] what the sequencing of those phases might be, people often refer to this as like a purpose

[5:11:07] and need study or general-scoping study, just to better inform you all as well as our lobbyist

[5:11:13] and anybody else that's going to be caring for this project and request for our federal funds.

[5:11:21] Thank you. Do we have any idea how much is in that cost?

[5:11:25] We would estimate that it's probably less than a half million dollars. I can't give you an exact amount,

[5:11:30] but in conversations with mode out, we've confident that it's less than a half million dollars

[5:11:35] in about a year timeframe to work on this study.

[5:11:39] We do believe it's within the scope of our capital improvement program already.

[5:11:44] We have capital project planning in there as a program and then we do believe that there's

[5:11:49] funds within the CIP sales tax, even some funds that have already been set aside for

[5:11:54] study of like the little blue watershed area that project as we talked about before we were

[5:12:01] well underway and had set up about a half million dollars and then for reasons beyond

[5:12:07] the city's control some of the partners in that project had backed out and that project

[5:12:12] died and we certainly didn't spend nearly the budget allocation that was the set aside

[5:12:16] for that study out of the same funding source.

[5:12:19] So I think in working with our city engineer we can identify the funds to make whole the study

[5:12:24] if it were to proceed.

[5:12:26] Thank you. So if I heard you correctly, it's going to cost us around 500,000.

[5:12:31] We already have the money. We do not have to go back to the budget for an amendment.

[5:12:36] I need to visit with Mr. Director whether or not it requires a budget amendment

[5:12:40] or not being that there was a budget allocation out of that fund.

[5:12:45] The CIP sales tax fund that would probably cover it,

[5:12:48] but it was also under a line item. I just need to have conversations with her whether or not it requires

[5:12:52] budget or not, it depends on the level of budget authorization, whether it was at a fund level

[5:13:00] or on a project level, but it certainly, and our assessment doesn't require a comprehensive

[5:13:05] plan on them at four revised CIP. We believe it's covered under the capital programming

[5:13:09] for transportation planning. Okay, so we're not going to have to find money from the general fund.

[5:13:17] Correct. Okay, nor are we going to have to take out reserves.

[5:13:20] correct.

[5:13:23] Correct. Under the 2017 CIP sales tax, it was very specific and our commitment to

[5:13:29] voters that some of the money would go for coordination with mode-off facilities. That's how we

[5:13:34] are paying for like $2.91 interchange, right? So it's in that body of money and it is an eligible

[5:13:41] expenditure for studies, generally studies that lead to eventually you would expect some sort of

[5:13:50] Thank you.

[5:13:51] Council Member Frazier.

[5:13:52] Just to clarify, so, how soon could you get started once, people to push forward?

[5:14:01] I mean, you said about, it would take about a year, correct?

[5:14:03] We're estimating about a year.

[5:14:05] I mean, we'll know more when we get a consultant selected to proceed.

[5:14:11] I would estimate, you know, if we get this direction, Council to move forward, we need to figure

[5:14:15] out if there is any kind of budget amendment required or not, perhaps not.

[5:14:19] But while we're working on that, we can also be working on the actual request for qualifications.

[5:14:25] To define the scope of services for a professional firm to come in and do this study.

[5:14:30] And so hopefully we can mash things up and we're only two, three months away from bringing forward a contract for your consideration.

[5:14:37] Okay.

[5:14:38] And did I understand you correctly?

[5:14:39] You said 50 to 40, 50 high weight of 40 high weight?

[5:14:43] That's right.

[5:14:43] I'm talking to mode out there. I haven't done really any relevant study over the last 15 plus years of that section south of 40 highway

[5:14:51] They have been doing more recent studies of that area of the I-70 for 70 junction 40 highway to 39. Okay. Thank you, Mayor

[5:15:00] So just to clarify, in lieu of having to go to public works for a discussion there, you're asking

[5:15:05] us as council, if we're okay with you just pursuing this and finding out the cost are and you'll

[5:15:12] come back to us later.

[5:15:13] Yeah, in the next step, we would come back to you with either be some sort of a budget amendment

[5:15:17] or it may just be the contract of a RFQ with a design firm.

[5:15:23] Okay. You just want like our thumbs up or just an idea. Is that good?

[5:15:29] There you go.

[5:15:29] Just always be able to clear. Here's a cave with it.

[5:15:31] All right. We know this is a priority. So thank you.

[5:15:34] All right. Thank you for bringing it up. Thank you.

[5:15:35] Council Member Funk. Okay.

[5:15:37] Any other committee reports?

[5:15:39] Council Member Shield or Mayor Patent Shields.

[5:15:41] Thank you. CDC met last week and we had a good discussion about our existing

[5:15:46] accessory dwelling unit, ordinance, and some barriers to folks actually constructing

[5:15:54] ADUs and I think we're the committee will be recommending some changes to minimum

[5:15:59] lot size that seems to be holding up a lot of projects, so that'll likely be coming

[5:16:03] through in the next couple of months. Thank you. Thank you.

[5:16:07] Thank you. Councillor McLACHLAN.

[5:16:16] Thank you, Mayor.

[5:16:16] Thank you. Any council comments?

[5:16:21] You guys all needed, oh, there you go.

[5:16:24] Council member Edkins from afar.

[5:16:30] You there?

[5:16:34] OK, yeah, thanks, sorry, last thing for me,

[5:16:39] but our five weeks of football Fridays ended last week.

[5:16:44] And I just am totally in awe of how amazing

[5:16:48] everyone did planning this for the last 18 months.

[5:16:51] all the partners came together.

[5:16:56] Main Street, downtown Main Street, Chamber, Rotary, and explore

[5:17:03] our loss, but the police and fire have been working so hard. They've been working for so

[5:17:09] long collaborating with the region and being tapped into Kansas City and no one knew what to

[5:17:14] expect. No one knew how many what the crowds would look like or who would come or what what it

[5:17:20] would be and I just, I just thought the handle it beautifully. I mean, they just worked so hard to prepare and never complain and stood by and gave so many extra hours and I'm just so grateful for everything that they did for our community and to keep us safe and to prepare for it and made it an amazing experience for the rest of us while they're at it. I'm just very, very grateful that the whole thing went well and I feel really proud of how our city represented.

[5:17:50] Well said. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I don't think I can add a whole lot more other than those of us that were able to participate last Friday at the last football event.

[5:18:03] We had the exchange of scarves with other peer mayors and council people from other cities around surrounding us and I think that's just kind of reaffirmed.

[5:18:16] Councilmember Atkins has just said it's just validated and kind of proved the point that

[5:18:23] this football, FIFA event was just a good camaraderie for all of us here locally within

[5:18:29] our own city across the region and then all the foreign visitors that came from all over the

[5:18:35] world in specifically our city here in Lee Summit. I think we showed up as well and was a very

[5:18:42] welcoming and very just heartwarming kind of event.

[5:18:47] So, proud of our all of our city officials,

[5:18:49] everyone that participated in this.

[5:18:51] So, Kudos to everyone.

[5:18:53] Anyway, thank you.

[5:18:54] I don't have anything else.

[5:18:55] No other comments, staff around table, Mr. Dunning.

[5:18:59] Thank you, Mayor.

[5:19:00] One topic I wanted to bring up.

[5:19:03] There were three ordinances that you all unanimously adopted.

[5:19:08] Those being the building codes, the fire codes,

[5:19:10] the electrical codes, the property maintenance codes, that's whole suite of codes.

[5:19:18] I would venture to say it's been over a year's work of numerous staff within fire department,

[5:19:24] development services, law department, and to do it in a fashion where the HBA is actually

[5:19:29] supportive, saying we took a very thoughtful and inclusive and balanced approach, knowing

[5:19:33] that housing attainability as a major concern, just speaks volumes about the approach that

[5:19:39] staff took so kudos to all the staff that facilitated a ton of stakeholder input in thoughtful

[5:19:45] approach to those coded options.

[5:19:48] It does have an impact on this community from our ISO ratings and numerous other things

[5:19:53] that we could dive deep into the weeds.

[5:19:55] But I just wanted to mention that's a huge body of work that was brought forward in the

[5:19:59] services.

[5:20:00] Just read twice, just wanted to give Kudos to the effort that was going behind that.

[5:20:05] Great. Thank you. Congrats, everyone. Good job.

[5:20:10] Yeah, I mean, it's been a long night and appreciate everyone's input and patience.

[5:20:17] We always have some tough discussions up here, and I know I skipped out for part of one.

[5:20:22] But thank you all for hanging in there.

[5:20:25] And all of you are administrative team members,

[5:20:28] all of us elected, like that word.

[5:20:32] That's from McCurler.

[5:20:34] Thank you all for everything you've done.

[5:20:37] And we are not going to have an executive session.

[5:20:40] The closed session is at correct.

[5:20:42] So Mayor, we can postpone just knowing that one of the topics

[5:20:46] we would need to wait until August 18th

[5:20:49] to make sure appropriate staff are available.

[5:20:51] But yeah, the topics we had tonight were able to postpone just knowing that one of those would need to move to that last meeting in August.

[5:20:59] And I'm sure you guys are okay with that.

[5:21:01] Or tonight.

[5:21:02] All right.

[5:21:03] All right.

[5:21:03] That being said, this meeting is adjourned at 10 after 11.

[5:21:06] Thank you.

City Council - Regular Session No. 8

Agenda

Transcript