The Olathe City Council met on July 16, 2024, at 6:00 PM (with the live streamed session beginning at 7:00 PM) in the Council Chamber at 100 E. Santa Fe. The meeting included proclamations, recognition of student champions, two public hearings, consent agenda approval, and new business. Councilmembers present: Bacon, Vogt, Gilmore, Schoonover, Felter, Vakas. Councilmember Essex was absent. The meeting also transitioned into a planning session after the live streamed portion.
Thank you. Good evening. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Latha City Council for Tuesday, July sixteenth, twenty twenty-four. The first item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance. Would you please stand with me for the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which the stands under individual with liberty of justice for all. Next on our agenda is special business. Item A, August 6th is national night out. Each year, this event gives both our police and our residents an opportunity to strengthen relationships throughout our community, which is key to building and maintaining a safe city. To accept today's proclamation, I'd like to welcome forward police Sergeant John Monkeo and resident Sandy Blake, a representative from the Boulder Creek Villas. John Sandy. So the proclamation reads whereas the National Association of Town Watch sponsors the 41st Annual National Night Out on August 6, 2024. And whereas the program provides an opportunity for the City of Aletha to join forces with thousands of other communities across the country. They're working on okay. Okay, now we're back on. I can hear. Okay. Sorry about that. Okay, to join uh forces with thousands of other communities across the country to promote community policing and to emphasize the importance of relationships in maintaining safe neighborhoods. And whereas this gathering strengthens the connections between officers and residents, allowing them for improved communication, understanding, and a more caring and safer Olatha. And whereas it is essential that all citizens of Olatha understand the importance of crime prevention programs and the impact their participation can have on reducing crime, drug abuse, and violence in our city. Now therefore, I John Bacon, mayor of the City of Aletha do hereby proclaim August 6th, 2024 as National Night Out in Olathe in conjunction with the Olatha Police Department, Alatha Fire Department, Johnson County Med Act, and the National Association of Town Watch. Behalf of uh all the people at Boulder Crick Villas, I accept this award and I'm appreciative of it. Uh it means a lot to us. Uh we've got a good working relationship with the police department, and uh, we want to keep it that way. So uh thank you very much, Your Honor. All right, that's it. Lower him a little shorter here. Hello, everyone. My name is Sergeant John Moncayo. I'm the public information officer for the police department, and I would like to reintroduce Mr. Sandy Blake and Mr. Dan Sullivan. They're with the Boulder Creek Villas uh neighborhood. Uh National Night Out is an annual community uh building uh program that promotes police and community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. This initiative began in the 1970s and quickly grew into a national network in 1984. Today the campaign stands on the motto that the best way to create a safer community is to know your neighbors and know your surroundings. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Council members, for your unwavering support in this effort. The men and women of the Olatha Police Department look forward to continuing meaningful and positive interactions with our citizens, and we look forward to seeing you all on August 6th from 6.30 to 8.30 p.m. Thank you. Okay. We'll move on to item B. That's why this we have this huge crowd here tonight. So we've got this crowd is from Olatha Public Schools with a lot. We have a lot to sell. So we'll work on it. I'll go over here. Okay. So tonight we are handing out City of Champion Awards to students who have earned state titles.