Olathe City Council Meeting – August 19, 2025
Olathe City Council Meeting – August 19, 2025
The Olathe City Council met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included special recognitions, approval of routine consent items with separate discussions on waste management contracts and deer hunting, new business approvals including a major industrial rezoning and a homeless shelter expansion, a planning session on the 2026 budgets and capital improvement plan, and executive sessions for real property acquisition and city manager personnel matters.
Special Business
- Reappointment of Citizens Police Advisory Council (Resolution 25-1071): Mayor Bacon introduced Board Chair Kyle Kneale, who introduced reappointed members Eric Arazo and Cameron Cadir. The resolution passed 7-0.
- Mayor's Cup Presentation: The Mayor's Cup was presented to Garmin for their fourth consecutive win in the Kansas City Corporate Challenge. Peyton Sellon accepted the trophy.
Consent Calendar
Items F, G, and L were pulled for separate discussion; all other consent items were approved 7-0.
- Item F – Recycled Materials Processing Contract with Waste Management: Darin Gilbert, Solid Waste Manager, reported a $300,000 annual savings from the transfer station agreement and noted that recycling diverts 9,000 tons annually from landfills. A 5-year term with three 5-year renewal options. Discussion included plastic recycling challenges (plastics #1 and #2), a contamination rate of ~10% (versus ~20% in other communities). Councilmember Vakas praised Olathe as "best in the entire Kansas City Metro." The motion carried 7-0.
- Item G – Transfer Station Operation, Hauling, and Disposal Contract with Waste Management: Three proposals were received; staff recommended Waste Management. Councilmember Felter noted her questions were answered. Approved 7-0.
- Item L – Urban Deer Management Bow Hunting Resolution (25-1073): Paul Kruger, Parks Superintendent, explained the 20+ year program allows hunting on private property; only one property (65 acres within city limits) applied for the 2025-2026 season. Hunters must use bow and arrow and take more antlerless deer than antlered. Councilmember Vogt expressed concerns about hunting within city limits and low harvest numbers (only one deer in 2024). Motion carried 6-1 (Vogt voting no).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heather McCain (Olathe resident, 11830 S. Pine St.): Reported that Woodland Road construction has caused two-way traffic through her neighborhood without streetlights or sidewalks. She noted no detour signs on Iowa Street, drivers ignoring road-closed signs, a destroyed brick mailbox (hit-and-run), and dump trucks near school bus stops. She requested proper detour signage directing traffic west on 119th Street.
New Business
- Item A – Hedge Industrial Park Rezoning (Ordinance 25-26, RZ25-0005): Rezone 98.09 acres from County Rural to M-2 General Industrial with a preliminary development plan. Senior Planner Nathan Jurey presented; the site is southeast of 167th and Hedge Lane. Proposed six speculative warehouse/distribution buildings totaling over 1 million sq ft. Stream corridors and woodlands (29 acres) preserved. Planning Commission recommended 8-0. Councilmember Schoonover asked about CIP for Hedge Lane; Beth Wright noted recent improvements for the Coca-Cola project. Approved 7-0.
- Item B & C – Salvation Army Family Lodge Expansion (Ordinance 25-27 and Resolution 25-1074): Rezone 0.21 acres from CP-2 to R-4 and approve special use permit for a homeless shelter expansion from 14 to 18 units. Nathan Jurey presented. Major Nate Woodard described wraparound services, a 6-month to 1-year transitional program, a 96% success rate (no return to homelessness), and that 90% of red kettle funds stay in Johnson County. Council praised the program and noted it is the only freestanding shelter in Johnson County, providing over 90% of homeless beds in the county. Fundraising for the project is complete (including $467,000 from Johnson County). Both items approved 7-0.
- Item D & E – Annexation and Fire District Detachment (167th Street Properties, LLC): Annex 37.56+/- acres at southwest corner of 167th and Lone Elm Road. City Attorney Ron Shaver explained the fire district detachment (enabled by legislation carried by Councilmember Essex) allows tax savings by removing property from Fire District 2. This is the first detachment under the new statute. Both items approved 7-0.
- Item F – Water and Sewer Fees (Ordinance 25-29): Amend Title 13 of the Olathe Municipal Code. Approved 7-0.
Planning Session
- Report on Animal Code Amendments (Titles 8 and 9): Councilmember Vogt thanked staff for changes.
- 2026 Budget Overview and Capital Improvement Plan: Interim Budget Manager Clara Bernauer presented:
- Recreation Fund: 79% cost recovery; $1.5 million General Fund transfer anticipated; Community Center revenues at ~$2.1–2.2 million. Fee changes include a new 3-in-1 summer pass, social services membership, one-month memberships, and Kids Club membership.
- Park Sales Tax Fund: Proposed 2026 budget ~$8 million; 87% goes to capital projects; 48% of 5-year CIP funding for enhancing community/regional parks.
- Street Maintenance Sales Tax Fund: Proposed 2026 budget ~$16 million; 5-year street preservation program ~$98 million.
- Tourism and Development Fund: Transient guest tax rate increasing from 6% to 9% effective Jan 1, 2026; additional funds earmarked for FIFA World Cup 2026 events.
- Chamber of Commerce Update: CEO Tim McKee reported a 3.5% budget increase for 2026, highlighted Heartland Coca-Cola and Walmart beef processing facility openings (combined ~$1 billion investment, ~800 jobs), downtown redevelopment, and plans for World Cup watch parties.
Key Outcomes
- All votes on new business items passed unanimously 7-0.
- Item L (deer hunting) passed 6-1.
- The council recessed into two executive sessions: (A) 10 minutes for preliminary discussion of real property acquisition in downtown Olathe; (B) 15 minutes for personnel matters regarding the City Manager. After reconvening, the council authorized the City Attorney to finalize a real estate and lease agreement with Bradley Zimmerman for properties at 234 N. Chestnut St. and 211 E. Poplar St., and authorized staff to proceed with strategies discussed in executive session.
Additional Items
- Councilmember Vakas requested traffic analysis and detour improvements for the 119th Street construction area (expected to reopen end of October).
- Councilmember Felter congratulated Chief DeGraffenreid on completing the Naval Postgraduate School's Executive Leaders Program and recognized the Olathe Fire Department for receiving the American Heart Association's 2025 Mission Lifeline EMS Gold Achievement Award.
- Mayor Bacon expressed interest in researching potential licensing or regulation of e-bikes, particularly those capable of high speeds without pedals.
- Mayor Bacon also noted pools closing after Labor Day, spray ground open until Oct 1, cemetery tours (Sept 25–27, tickets at mahaffee.org), and City closure on Labor Day.
Meeting Transcript
Well you just need my trees. What is it? Oh, you do this. Alright, perfect. So if you want to help us change the passwords, that's more fun, so I think that's what we're gonna do. But it was real cool. Good evening. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Olatha City Council for Tuesday, August 19th, 2025. The first item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance. Would you please stand with me for the pledge? Liberty and Justice for all. Most of you are probably aware that my son passed away recently. And I just want to, on the behalf of my family, thank everybody, the whole community for your support. Meals, encouraging words, text messages, phone calls, thoughts and prayers. And it helps us get through this difficult time. So thank you so much. Yes, Mayor, I move to approve resolution number twenty-five dash ten one. Reappointing members to be citizen, uh to be on the Citizens Police Advisory Council. Second. Yes. Motion passes seven zero. With us tonight to introduce our reappointed members is Board Chair Kyle Neal. Um for the opportunity to um to be here tonight and thank you once again for your continued support of CPAC and its mission. With that, the Citizens Police Advisory Council mission statement reads to serve as an advisory board to the City Council, City Manager, and the Chief of Police, and to improve the understanding and communication between the police and Olatha community. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Olatha Police Department. Um while the the council is diverse in their various backgrounds and how they came to be members of the council, we share a common goal to support the collaboration between the city council, the community, and the police department. We have two members being reappointed this evening. Eric Arazo. And Cameron Cadir. One once again, thank you for the opportunity to recognize some of our members' continued service. Thank you. So I want to thank each of you for being here tonight and for your volunteer services. Appreciate that. We'll now move to item B. Item B is presentation of the Cup. Uh each year we present the Mayor's Cup in recognition of the Olatha Company who performed best at the Kansas City Corporate Challenge. For the fourth year in a row, Garmin not only won this trophy, but also their division. So Garmin Associate Peyton is here to accept the trophy, Pete. And I just heard that this is 11 out of 16 years. Fantastic. So if you come next year, it will be five in a row. Um this is a great time uh in the spring to just have our employees who work so hard at uh Garmin to be able to have a little fun and play some sports. Um so we want to thank you, Mayor, and then the City of Olatha for recognizing us. Congratulations. One of our goals in Olatha is to keep our citizens healthy and happy, and you're a great example of that. We appreciate your hard work. It's not easy, I know. We'll now uh move to the consent agenda. The items listed below are considered to be routine by the city council, may be approved in one motion. These may include items that have been reviewed by the city council in a prior planning session.
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