Olathe City Council Meeting - February 4, 2025

The Olathe City Council met on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 6:45 PM in the Council Chamber. The live-streamed session began at 7:00 PM after an executive session (6:45–6:56 PM) to discuss the search for a new City Auditor. Present were Mayor Bacon and Councilmembers Vogt, Gilmore, Felter, Vakas, and Essex; Councilmember Schoonover was absent. The council handled several routine items, approved a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan, awarded contracts for park improvements and wastewater treatment upgrades, and passed ordinances on tort liability and eminent domain.

Special Business

• Reappointment to Planning Commission (Resolution No. 25-1017): Council unanimously (6-0) reappointed Jeff Creighton to the Planning Commission. Planning Commission Chair Wayne Janner introduced Mr. Creighton, noting his service since 1999 and his business management background.

Consent Calendar

The council approved the Consent Agenda (minus items E, I, and N, which were pulled for separate discussion) by a 6-0 vote. Items approved without separate discussion included:

• Meeting minutes of January 21, 2025
• Renewal of license(s) as recommended by the City Clerk
• Travel authorization for councilmembers and the City Manager to attend the NLC conference
• Real Estate Agreement with Enterprise Bank & Trust
• Resolution No. 25-1019 authorizing a KDHE loan application for the Super Critical Water Oxidation Project
• Engineer’s estimate and award of contract to McAnany Construction, Inc. for the 2025 Local and Collector Street Mill and Overlay Project – Group A
• Agreement with Johnson County for funding the 143rd Street/Lakeshore Drive Arterial Mill and Overlay Project
• Agreement with Johnson County for funding the Anne Shirley Drive Pipe Lining Project
• Agreement with Johnson County for funding the Public Safety Drive Reconstruction Project
• Professional Services Agreement with HNTB Corporation for contract project management services

Discussion Items

• Item E – Adoption of 2024 Region L Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (Resolution No. 25-1018): Fire Chief DeGraffenreid explained that the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires all political jurisdictions to have a plan to be eligible for non-emergency funding. Region L includes Wyandotte, Johnson, and Leavenworth counties. The plan identifies 11 projects totaling nearly $5 million, including dam safety at Lake Olathe, power generation for water lift stations, tornado shelters, and hospital backup power. Councilmember Vogt noted four projects with a one-year timeline amount to approximately $4 million, and asked about funding if federal grants are not approved. Chief DeGraffenreid said staff would first seek other grants before turning to the budget process. Mayor Bacon asked about traffic signal battery backups; City Engineer Nate Baldwin confirmed only eight signals lack battery backup, and those batteries last about 12 hours. The resolution passed 6-0.
• Item I – Prairie Center Park Improvements Phase 1 (Project PN 4-C-016-22): The council approved an Engineer’s Estimate and award of contract to Sands Construction, LLC. Nate Baldwin presented improvements funded by the Park Sales Tax, including a new 186-stall parking lot west of the northernmost lot, two new pickleball courts, and reconstruction of concrete concourses on the south fields (separate contract for backstops and safety netting approved in October 2024). The motion passed 6-0.
• Item N – Upgrade UV Modules at Harold Street Wastewater Treatment Plant: Council approved a single-source contract award to Trojan Technologies. Environmental Services Manager Michelle Probasco explained that sole-sourcing was necessary because the upstream control equipment is also Trojan; using a different vendor would void the warranty on existing equipment. The motion passed 6-0.
• New Business A – Ordinance No. 25-05 (Tort Liability Claims): Council unanimously approved an amendment to Section 3.60.140 of the Olathe Municipal Code regarding general policy on tort liability claims. The vote was 6-0.
• New Business B – Ordinance No. 25-06 (Eminent Domain for Animal Shelter): The council authorized payment of an eminent domain award and court-appointed appraisers’ fees in the case of City of Olathe v. Sutherland Lumber Company of Kansas City, LLC, for the Animal Shelter Project (PN 6-C-007-23). Councilmember Gilmore opposed, stating that a shelter could be built elsewhere and he did not see the need to take private property for a purpose other than highways, bridges, or railroads. The ordinance passed 5-1, with Gilmore voting no.

New City Council Business

Councilmembers made brief announcements: Vogt thanked participants in the Chill Chasers walk (fundraiser for Health Partnership Clinic, raising $37,000–$38,000 with about 300 attendees) and staff for after-hours communication; Felter praised the Police and Fire Departments’ social media content and noted a discussion with KU social work students; Mayor Bacon recognized February as Black History Month (proclamation at the February 18 meeting) and announced the second annual Neighborhood Leadership Summit on March 1 in partnership with Overland Park.

Key Outcomes

• Reappointment to Planning Commission: Approved 6-0.
• Consent Agenda (excluding E, I, N): Approved 6-0.
• Resolution No. 25-1018 (Hazard Mitigation Plan): Approved 6-0.
• Prairie Center Park Improvements Contract: Approved 6-0.
• UV Module Upgrade Contract: Approved 6-0.
• Ordinance No. 25-05 (Tort Liability): Approved 6-0.
• Ordinance No. 25-06 (Eminent Domain): Approved 5-1 (Gilmore dissenting).

The live-streamed session concluded at 7:26 PM; no public comments were heard.