At six o'clock.

So I'm going to call to order this regular meeting of the Alatha City Council for Tuesday, February third, twenty twenty six.

The first item on our agenda is an executive session.

Do I hear a motion?

Yes.

On item A, I move that the Alitha City Council recess into an executive session to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of a corporation pursuant to the exception provided in KSA seventy-five dash four three one nine B four for thirty minutes.

The open meeting will resume here in City Council Chambers at six thirty PM.

Second.

We have a motion and a second with the city clerk please call the roll.

Mr.

Bacon.

Yes.

Mr.

Skinover?

Yes.

Dr.

Felter?

Yes.

Mr.

Vacus?

Yes.

Miss Essex?

Yes.

Mr.

Craight.

Yes.

Mr.

Dinal?

Yes.

Motion passes.

Seven zero.

We are reconvening from executive session a motion to be in order.

I move to authorize staff to proceed with the strategies discussed with and directed by the governing body.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

With the city clerk, please call the roll.

Mr.

Sconover.

Yes.

Dr.

Felter?

Yes.

Mr.

Bacchus?

Yes.

Ms.

Essex?

Yes.

Mr.

Creighton.

Yes.

Mr.

Denal.

Yes.

Mr.

Bacon.

Yes.

Motion passes seven zero.

So we're going to start our uh televised portion or um webcast portion of our meeting at seven o'clock.

But right now, for the next twenty-five minutes or so, we're going to go into the lobby and have a reception to recognize our new city manager, Susan Sherman.

So you're all welcome to join us in the lobby for cookies and water or punch, whatever.

So we're going to take a quick break for a few minutes.

Good evening.

Welcome to our regular meeting of the Olatha City Council for Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026.

The next item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance.

Tonight I've invited members of Troop 487 and 315 to lead us in the pledge.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Let's thank our scouts for helping us out tonight.

They literally just learned about it about five minutes ago.

I saw them here and asked them if they'd be willing to help us out.

So before we um go any farther, I'd like to take a minute to recognize our new city manager, Susan Sherman.

And if you uh were here a little earlier, we had a little reception for her in the lobby, so thanks for joining us if you were out there.

So Susan, of course, isn't new to any of us.

We've been fortunate to have her at the city for almost 37 years.

Most recently, as deputy city manager, and actually Susan's been deputy city manager for most of her career here.

So Susan, we look forward to working with you more closely in your new role.

We know you'll do a great, you'll do great.

We've seen you just uh would do just that already.

Susan leads with integrity.

She's easy to approach, personable.

She leads with thoughtfulness and an unparalleled knowledge of our organization and this community.

We're excited to keep up the momentum and move forward on some really exciting projects that are already underway, and there's more on the horizon.

So congratulations, Susan.

And yeah, welcome.

And if you'd like to say something, that was a good time to do that.

All right.

Well, thank you so much to the mayor and city council.

I'm honored to serve as the city manager along with uh so many great a thousand twelve hundred public servants that work day to day to make uh this city great.

Um I know that we're gonna continue to do exceptional services for you and for the rest of the community, and we're gonna build upon the past, and we are going to look to the future to make sure the community businesses, families, and the next generations thrive here.

Thank you.

Great.

Well, we're welcome, we're glad to have you and welcome in this room.

Well, we'll now move to special business.

Item A is a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month.

Black History Month gives us an opportunity to reflect on countless contributions of our Black residents and business community members.

We're grateful to live in a city so diverse that it allows us to celebrate different backgrounds, voices, and perspectives.

Here today to accept the proclamation is Central Elementary School Principal, Brandy Lack Laggett.

I'm not sure, Brandy, you'll have to correct me.

But Brandy is an Olatha North graduate.

This past year she was named Kansas Elementary Principal of the Year for Area One.

And she's been at Central for seven years.

And so, Brandy, would you like to meet me up front here?

So I'll read the proclamation to give you a chance to talk about kids, Rachel.

She's awesome.

So yeah.

So the proclamation reads, you can stay right here.

Each February, Black History Month allows us to reflect on the proud and important history of Black Americans in our city and our country.

And whereas this month also represent or presents us with the opportunity to educate our young people and celebrate with our neighbors and in the invaluable accomplishments and contributions of black Americans.

And whereas the City of Latha and the state of Kansas are better because of the influence of black Americans in education, science, art, culture, public service, and economic development.

And whereas our community, our community is dedicated to fostering an environment appreciative and inclusive of all our neighbors who have helped shape the history and direction of our nation.

Now, therefore I, John Bacon, mayor of the City of Olatha do hereby proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month in Olatha calling upon all residents to study and celebrate the history, heritage, and impact of black Americans in our community.

Thanks for the honor.

Over 40 years ago, my parents moved to the Kansas City area and ended up residing in Olatha and never knew that this would be the place that they would end up staying at.

And it was a great place for my brother and I, where we went through the Olatha Public Schools, K through 12.

And then when I was getting married, my husband, who was born and raised Philadelphia, wanted to come to Olatha, and has really, you know, been a great place for us to be able to raise our daughters, Aaliyah, Skyler, and this is my um mom and my husband, Jamel.

And this summer he actually started working for the city of Olatha, and it's been a great work-life balance.

So want to just thank everything for all the opportunities that have been available here in Olatha.

We'll now move to item B.

Thanks, Brandy, and everything you do at Central Elementary.

Item B is a proclamation recognizing February 16th through the 20th, 2026's random acts of kindness week.

The City of Olatha is proud to partner with Olatha Public Schools and the Olatha Chamber of Commerce to celebrate random acts of kindness week.

During the week of February 16th, our community is encouraged to look for ways to bring a little extra joy to someone's life.

Tonight we have some Olatha students with us to accept the proclamation.

So would all the students please come up and then I'll let you introduce yourselves.

I was gonna I was gonna try to pronounce all your names.

I thought this is easier.

So just say tell us what school you go to too.

Hi, everybody.

Oh sorry.

My name is Lila Moreta, and I am from Olatha Northwest.

Hi, my name is Caden Smigory, and I go to Aletha East.

Hi, my name is Mom Saidrame, and I'm from Olatha North.

Hello, I'm Susanna Castro Perez, and I go to Olatha West.

Hello, I'm uh Theo Jackson and I go to Ponetro Middle School.

Thank you all for being here.

So I'll read the proclamation, and then if you've got something you'd like to share with us, that's great.

So whereas the proclamation reads, whereas the City of Olatha is committed to creating a city where people feel welcome and valued because a healthy and engaged community is key to our quality of life and to our future growth and success.

And whereas the city is proud to partner with Olatha Public Schools and the Olatha Chamber of Commerce for Random Acts of Kindness Week, February 16th through 20th, 2026.

And whereas kindness helps us see the best in one another is sometimes referred to as a social superpower and helps us be the best version of ourselves.

And whereas random acts of kindness week is recognized as an international celebration intended to encourage all of us to practice acts of kindness in our homes, schools, businesses, and communities, both to bring joy to those around us, but also to help teach our young people the importance of being kind.

Now, therefore, I, John Bacon, mayor of the City of Olatha do hereby proclaim Bractam Random Acts of Kindness Week in Olatha encourage all residents to take a moment to be extra kind to spread the joy of kindness and to make kindness the norm, not just for a week, but for all year long.

Random Acts of Kindness Week is almost here.

And we invite you to be part of something meaningful for our entire community.

From February 16th to the 20th, Olatha Public Schools, the City of Olatha, and the Olatha Chamber of Commerce are coming together under the theme Kindness Ties Us All Together.

Every single school in the district will participate in a kindness activity, and community members are encouraged to join in as well.

Science tells us that kindness boosts oxytocin and dopamine, chemicals that strengthen connection and well-being.

In other words, kindness is not just good for the world, it is good for us.

Whether you have experienced kindness, witnessed it, or created it yourself, your actions can inspire others.

Here's how you can help.

Do a random act of kindness, share it on social media and tag Olatha Public Schools, the City of Olatha, or the Chamber of Commerce.

Help make kindness the norm, not just for a week, but all year long.

On Wednesday, February 18th, we are participating in a citywide spirit day.

Wear a tie day or a necktie to celebrate random act of kindness week.

T-shirts were sold earlier this month, where half of the proceeds went to support the Braden Roberts Student Mental Health Fund at the Olatha Public Schools Foundation.

The Braden Robertson Student Mental Health Fund provides access to mental professionals for Olatha students in crisis.

It ensures students can receive one-on-one or small group therapy during the school day while protecting privacy and minimizing disruption to learning.

I'd like to open a public hearing in consideration of ordinance number 26-06 election to participate in a star bond project by specifying a pledge of local sales and use taxes as a source of repayment of star bonds to be issued by the Kansas Department of Finance Authority and setting the base year of revenue for local sales and use taxes, all pursuant to KSA 12-17160 at SEC as amended.

The Chiefs are moving to Kansas.

Yeah.

And looking to build their headquarters and training facility at College and Ridgevie here in Olatha.

The state star bond district pledges a portion of the state sales tax to this and the stadium project.

What we are considering tonight is whether to contribute a portion of Olatha future sales and use taxes.

This would be from only within the Olatha base revenue area, and would just go to the headquarters and training facility.

To start us off tonight, City Attorney Ron Shaver joins us with a presentation.

Ron.

Thank you, Mayor.

Members of the City Council, Ron Shaver, City Attorney.

I'm pleased to be before you tonight to give you an overview of the action that will the governing body will be taking.

So as mentioned on December 22nd, 2025, the Kansas Department of Commerce requested the legislative coordinating council approve a Starbond agreement to bring the Kansas City Chiefs of Kansas pursuant to the Kansas Starbond Act.

Part of this action requires some action that is before the City Council tonight.

The purpose of this public hearing is to receive public input prior to the Council's consideration of an ordinance to participate in that star bond project by pledging local sales and use taxes generated from the development to help repay those star bonds.

So Starbond is a state tool.

It's authorized to support tourism entertainment projects that are a significant draw of new visitors to the State of Kansas.

The only revenues used to pay the debt service on those bonds will be generated by the project.

They are not debt that is issued by a city or backed by the full faith and credit of the city.

Those bonds are repaid only using those new sales taxes generated within the district.

They must be generated by that new development.

If that new development doesn't perform, the bonds are not paid.

It's up to those bondholders to make a wise fiscal choice.

SAR bonds will not take away resources from any existing city sales or use taxes, property taxes, or other general fund revenues used for essential city services.

The map on the screen, Mayor and Council members, is the proposed base revenue area.

This is the area in which the City Council is choosing whether to pledge revenues that would be dedicated toward payment of debt service of those bonds that would be issued by the Kansas Development Finance Authority.

This area is approximately 165 acres, and is located at the northwest corner of College and Ridgeview.

The project would see an investment of approximately $300 million by the Kansas City Chiefs and their new practice facility and corporate headquarters.

In addition, 100 million dollars or more would be invested in ancillary development, including hotels, restaurants, retail, entertainment, and other mixed-use developments that will be determined at a later date.

I should also mention that that project area currently generates none of the taxes that are anticipated to be generated by the future development.

It has zero uh tax revenue at this time from those sources.

The pledge ordinance before you after the public hearing uh within the base revenue area only would pledge the revenues that are on the screen.

This includes the city's one percent general purpose city sales and use tax, our portion of the half percent Johnson County general purpose sales tax, and seven percent of the nine percent transient guest tax, again, only levied within the base revenue area in that 165 acres at the northwest corner of College and Ridgeview.

It does not include what is on the screen right now.

Any of our voter-approved 38 cent street maintenance sales tax, any of our voter-approved one-eighth cent park sales tax, and 2 percent of the transient gas tax, 2 percent of the 9 percent transient gas tax levied within the base revenue area or any transient gas tax or any other revenue generated outside of the base revenue area, nor is the city issuing any general obligation debt, and the bonds will not be considered a debt or liability of the city in any way whatsoever.

For this pledge to occur, the Chiefs must locate their headquarters and practice facility on the site.

The Kansas Development Finance Authority must also issue bonds to the project by December 31st of 2030.

This is not the first this is not the last step.

This is the first of many steps and many touches that the governing body will have in this project.

The letter that the city has received from the Kansas Secretary of Commerce and Lieutenant Governor David Tolan outlines uh everything that is before you tonight, formally makes the request that we make the pledge, that you make the pledge, excuse me.

And it also outlines that additional discussions will happen between the city and the Kansas City Chiefs, including land use, uh zoning, a formal development agreement, additional local incentives, and there will be additional public meetings, input, and multiple uh touches that they will have before the city council.

With that, Mayor, I am glad to answer questions, or I will be glad to answer any questions after you conduct the public hearing at your prerogative.

Okay.

Thank you, Ron.

Council, do you have questions or clarification questions for staff at this time?

None.

Must have done a good job, Ron.

So we have received hundreds of emails from residents about this proposal, both for and obviously some are against.

We also have a number of people signed up to speak tonight.

And I just like to ask that the speakers try to keep their information new and different and concise as possible.

So and I think we have 20 or so that have 24 that have signed up to speak.

So instead of five minutes apiece, I'm going to go with three minutes apiece.

Now, you can always take less time than that if you'd like, and it won't hurt our feelings.

But we we have taken all of the information that you have given us seriously and part of our deliberation for consideration of this ordinance that's before us.

So with that, I'm going to ask the city clerk to uh introduce uh the process and then the speakers.

And we have uh some of the uh addresses for the speakers, but um it might be helpful if you would just give us your name and address before you start your conversation with us.

So City Clerk.

A public hearing provides an opportunity for members of the public to present comments to the City Council regarding a specific item.

Speakers should address their remarks to the council, and council members are not required to respond.

Please treat others with kindness and respect.

Unruly and disrupted behavior may result in removal from the council chamber.

Each speaker is allocated three minutes.

Um this evening, due to the number of speakers who have signed up, I'm going to call a group of five, ask you to go to the chairs along the side of the wall, um, and then that way we'll kind of be in queue.

Um our first five speakers, Jeremy Thurston, Sean Griesheimer, Dustin Morris, Jacob Swisher, Peter Marsh.

Our first speaker, of course, is Jeremy Thurston.

You may go to the podium and state your name and address for the record.

Welcome.

Thank you.

I'm Jeremy Thurston, 19252 in Olatha.

Um I'm here mostly to express some displeasure at the lack of transparency this process has had.

It feels like a lot of this information is not yet out in terms of what else are is the city going to commit to for this project.

If you look at this proposal in a vacuum by itself, it seems logical, it seems reasonable.

But what's next?

What kind of property tax incentives are we going to be offering?

What kind of other sales taxes or sale tax increases are we going to see?

Who's going to be paying for the infrastructure that's required to presumably service this new development that's going to have increased traffic?

I feel like it's a little insulting to the city, to the citizens of the city, that all of this is not already out in the open.

And I realize that some of it is not finalized.

But these discussions have surely been going on for quite some time.

And why don't we know more about this?

I know a lot of people are sp are probably going to talk about increase in taxes.

I'll give a different perspective.

I don't mind increases in taxes.

But they need to go towards something that I would consider the public good.

Increased housing for residents.

Increased services for residents.

Those are the things that I think the city should be focused on, not providing incentives to, frankly, somebody who should be paying his own way for his little toys, such as stadiums and practice facilities.

I could probably go on for another 10 minutes, but I'll stop it right there.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our next speaker.

Our next speaker is Sean Griesheimer, please.

Go to the podium, state your name.

So no new taxes sounds great.

I mean $300 million is what I actually thought, and that looks like it's more like $400 million.

But there's no way to fund to make up that money.

Those bonds will get issued, and we will have to pay those back with sales tax coming from this district.

So let's just talk numbers, right?

$300 million paid back over 30 years looks like $22 to $25 million a year.

That is in comparison to a general fund in Olathe of only $227 million.

That means 10% of our general fund is going to go to fund this project.

And ultimately, will it work?

The idea here is well, it's gonna work because it's gonna generate all this new money, except and all these new taxes, except it won't.

We know that because we have districts like this around the country, such as the Star in Frisco, Texas.

The Dallas Cowboys move their headquarters and training facility to Frisco, Texas with a 1.5 billion dollar investment, five times what this will be.

Or again, based on the earlier numbers, maybe it's gonna be only three times as much.

And an economic study published in 2023, seven years after that establishment noted that there was essentially a rounding errors difference in tax revenue.

All the tax revenue just comes from other areas around this district.

People who might have gone to Linuxa might have gone to other areas of Olatha.

They might go to the brand new restaurant that's in this area that's in this development district.

But the actual training facility, the headquarters, they don't generate anything.

They're a whole lot of money for nothing.

So we don't understand.

Everyone in here needs to understand this.

We've proven with much larger investments, these do not generate additional tax revenue.

They now do the Chiefs need it.

The Chiefs as a team are worth $6 billion.

The Forbes says they make $66 million a year in operating profits.

And as an NFL team, they have access to G5 loans, which is a special program the NFL gives to their owners to fund projects like this.

So they get access to even better rates than we will get through the Starbon process, and they could pay this back on their own with lower rates.

So they don't need our help.

And in 30 years, ultimately, what's going to happen?

Will they just thank us for all the money that we gave?

All of the additional, by the way, taxes that they're going that someone will have to raise here, whether it be mill levies, will it be whether it be additional sales taxes?

That money has to come from somewhere.

And they we know from what happened in St.

Louis.

Twenty years after giving that team a brand new stadium, they left.

And the only reason the Clark Hunt family voted against it was because they thought that LA should get a second team.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Dustin Morris.

Dustin Morris, please go to the podium.

State your name and address for the record.

All right, we'll move on to the case.

Dustin Morris.

We'll move on to Jacob Swisher.

Please state your name and address for the record.

Thank you, Jacob Swisher, 4407 South Aqualtree.

Thank you, Mayor, Council, and staff for the opportunity for the community to engage in the process of this proposal this evening.

And this evening we're talking about the next opportunity to add to this elite list.

The news that the Chiefs organizations decided to dedicate Kansas City metro area while looking to stay competitive with other NFL organizations is great news.

The fact that they have chosen Olatha for the headquarters and training facility is outstanding news, and I'm excited that Olatha will be able to be proud to say home in the Kansas City Chiefs.

When other issues may pull us apart, the Chiefs provide a point for all in the Midwest to unite around.

I can't remember a game that I attended that there was not someone visiting from another part of the region or even other part of the country.

The proposal this evening will include the hotels and stuff, which allow the extra revenue along with all of the income tax revenue that comes with this as well and economic dollars from all of the activity generated.

Should um also want to not miss a key point in this conversation.

The city of Olatha competed with several Johnson County cities.

And one, this is due to our quality staff and leadership with the EDC.

Congratulations.

Thanks for your dedication to thoroughly evaluate all the aspects of the project.

And when you go to vote this evening, please give your wholehearted support to leading uh adding this to our elite list of organizations in the city.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

The next speaker is Peter Marsh.

Please state your name and address for the record.

My name is Pete Marsh.

Uh I live at 11271 South Montclair Drive.

Uh my family has lived in uh Olatha for 25 years.

Um I'm most concerned.

Uh well, thank you.

I thank you for the opportunity to speak at this public hearing.

I'm most concerned about the process.

Uh I'm very disappointed in the way this process is unfolding.

You have given the taxpayers of Olaitha only days to read, question, and understand the proposal, the proposed Starbond project, that is a 30-year commitment.

The Kansas Department of Commerce fact sheet concerning the Chiefs project states local local officials will be engaging the public in these communities to showcase the exciting benefits of this project.

This engagement has not been done.

We and now we're at our first vote.

This is not there's not much information on the Olatha City's website.

Nothing published in our city's wonderful newsletter, the Olatha Link.

This current process does not match Olatha's past profile of full civic engagement.

This process requires time, transparency, and community feedback.

All is what all have been lacking to this to this point.

Tonight's meeting I don't feel fulfills the full civic engagement.

This is a 30-year commitment that includes billions of tax dollars that you have decided to commit without true f without true without full true input from your citizens.

This I feel this is not a public hearing.

This is a presentation of what has already been decided.

Olatha citizens have had zero will have had zero time to evaluate the items presented tonight, zero time to ask questions, zero time to offer feedback or suggestions before this council votes tonight.

I've reached out to my council members several times, and I truly appreciate his patience and his commitment in answering my questions.

But after watching and reading all the propaganda from our officials, I am left with one stark observation.

Our elected officials seem to be working harder at representing the Chiefs than your own residents, the taxpayers.

You might not feel that you've offered you might not you might not feel that you you might not feel that you uh excuse me, you might not feel that way.

You might feel offended with that comment, and I'm sorry.

But that is how the process has been rolled out.

This is how it's going.

We've decided what's best.

Here's all the information.

It's great, we're doing it, trust it.

We need to vote now.

When I when I excuse me, when I uh when asked, I have always advised our children to be very wary of salespeople, politicians that use rushed crisis type uh type tactics to forks to force quick decisions.

Olathe taxpayers have had just have had had just one have had just days and one public meeting for a 30-year project with the magnitude to change the direction of Olatha forever.

We were never asked for input.

This has been decided behind closed doors by a small group of people.

The only right answer tonight is to postpone this vote and to give the people you actually represent, the ones you have left behind in this process more than just days to decide the direction of our community for the decades to come.

I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

The next group of speakers, David Frank, Jib Velter, Deanne Killian, Larry Tucker, and Charlotte O'Hare.

Please go to the chairs on along the wall.

And our next speaker will be David Frank.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Hello.

My name is David Frank.

I live at 18860 West 153rd Court.

Um I will be honest in saying that I had a number of things written down to say tonight.

Um, but I am humble enough to say that I have learned of my own ignorance.

Um the scope of this is a little bit less than I thought.

My concern is primarily with the larger project for the stadium and the Starbonds district that is going to pay for that, not just this small area.

But in relation to that, I would underscore what I heard from Jeremy and some others.

It it is really valuable to me, I think, to have transparency on this.

With it being related to the larger project with the stadium.

I I really don't feel like we're getting a clear channel of communication on all the ways that relates to Olatha.

Um course there is this portion of the project, but there's again those other portions as well that I think a lot of people are here to maybe they thought they were going to talk about today the way that I did.

Um, but really that's all I can say.

Um I'm not gonna read any of these other notes, I'll concede the rest of my time.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Jib Felcher.

Hello, Jib Felter, 1420 South Copper Creek, Olatha, Kansas.

I am a developer, realtor, home builder, and commercial business owner here in Olatha.

I asked to speak in favor this evening of the adoption of the star bonds to be used for the chiefs' relocations to Olatha.

I believe that often time we only hear the voice of people who regularly stand up against development and growth.

So I'd like to share a few ideas and ask you to consider these points.

Opportunity for economic growth events like the Chiefs relocating to Olatha, Kansas, only happen rarely.

These are often the type of events that occur.

Businesses need to have incentive tools to make them a reality.

Take, for example, a Target or a Costco.

If we don't give them incentives to build the buildings, the rents that they would have would be so high that the price goods that they have to sell would be affecting our daily purchases as regular citizens.

Yes, we are helping billionaires, but these are the type of events that provide opportunities for the rest of us.

You say how?

Local businesses will have more opportunity for growth.

Jobs will be created, businesses will be started, tourism will come to Olatha.

Retail shopping dollars will stay in Olatha, all while benefiting the area financially for decades to come.

And yes, your home values may keep going up in value.

It is the fuel for the American dream, a chance for regular people to get ahead.

That's what makes America such a special place.

And that's exactly what will happen if the Chiefs relocate to Aletha.

This is a great opportunity economically for all of us.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Many people asking you not to approve these economic tools are the same people who despise change.

Oftentimes they were able to get what they wanted out of life, but they resist all change at all cost.

They want their standard to be the only standard.

They will resist and talk down to anyone about the opportunities that come along to help others achieve their goals.

Out of fear or ignorance, they use language like my taxes will go up, my streets will be more busy, crime will go up.

Here are the facts.

Regardless of whether or not we use economic incentives, your taxes will have to be paid, and they will be over higher over time.

The naysayers will never provide a catalyst to create any economic growth or expansion opportunities for the next generation of Lathians.

There is no magic that will allow the city to operate, or the county or the state for less money going forward.

The question for less taxes or lower taxes should be what am I prepared to give up?

There is a place where a generation ago, good people said, I don't want my taxes to go up.

I don't want this in my backyard.

It's just across the border in Kansas City, Missouri.

Houses are less expensive.

Taxes are lower.

Infrastructure is in disrepair.

Snow removal and roads are bad.

Schools are subject at best.

Crime is higher.

First responders are barely staying above water.

Jib, if that's what you want, please don't force that on the rest of us.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Sorry, Jim.

That's right.

Our next speaker is Dean Killian.

Dean Killian 2018 West 122nd Terrace, Olatha, Kansas.

We moved here about 26 years ago after I'd been I'd served in military career and retired from that.

We moved because it was a nice community.

When we moved, there were cows across from where the kids were going to go into grade school, and that was exciting.

They're no longer there, but you know, that's progress.

My concern is with uh the folks who have spoken against this so far have had some really good statistical facts.

I don't have those.

I do worry that with my value of my property going up, which it will, and I think it'll go up faster with uh the headquarters nearby.

I think that my concern is that the property taxes will increase so much that a retired person can't keep their house or pay for their house, which they've chosen a long time ago.

I really don't want to divert the resources from the citizens of Olatha into the pockets of billionaires, which you've already discussed.

And bragging rights don't feed people and they don't put rips over people's head.

The area at College and Ridgeview is a really nice piece of land that you looks pretty.

You know, you can actually think you're in Kansas.

There's a little more hills in western Kansas where I'm from.

But it's a nice way to get around and get to places going on college.

And currently I perceived, looking at it today when we drove by that this is going to be so busy.

There's gonna be so much congestion, so much traffic.

It's not going to be the pleasant lovely place that I started out here with.

And my husband is more um descriptive than I am sometimes, but he said, you know, it feels like uh someone's dropping a giant turd on the neighborhood and making the citizens pay to pop keep it polished over the years.

And it just stinks.

So that's all I have to say.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Larry Tucker.

Larry Tucker, please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Good evening, City Council, Mayor.

My name is Larry Tucker.

I live in Olatha, Kansas, 824 South Sheridan Circle.

Um I am a tax accountant by profession.

So obviously my comments will be referring to what will this impact our city over the next 30 years.

If you look at the information that was provided that I've seen so far over the uh website, it looks like the City of Olatha will have to commit one percent of its sales tax towards this project.

If you look at the project overall, 300 million dollars roughly, star bonds would pay for about 210 million of that amount in order to satisfy that debt over the next 30 years on the average, it would uh take about let's see, excuse me, it would take about seven million dollars a year in overall revenue for the things that it would be required.

Sales tax, hotel tax, and gaming revenue the state would provide.

How much is the Olathe obligation of that seven million dollars per year, one million dollars and 100,000 per year, 1.1 million dollars a year.

That's for 30 years.

My concern is is that what you want to spend as a city for over the next 30 years?

Entertainment or other needs.

If you make this commitment, you're gonna be losing that 30 million dollars over the next 30 years that could go into some other effort, such as housing.

I have three ch three children who live here in the Kansas City area, and I have several grandchildren.

I'm a senior citizen, obviously.

I'm concerned about their future here.

I'm concerned about their cost of living.

I'm concerned about the cost of living and finding a house.

Right now, housing is just too much expensive for them to purchase a house even here in Olatha.

They need less cost for housing.

There are a lot of people here that rents here in Olatha.

They also need relief from wanting or having to pay with their high rent.

I appreciate all the developers and workers here in the city that do provide that housing.

But the city should be a partner with those people.

And I think that entertainment is not the area is the way to go over the next 30 years.

I think there are other needs such as housing andor other needs such as infrastructure that you could commit your money to.

Thank you for your time.

The next speaker is Charlotte O'Hara.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Good evening, Charlotte O'Hara, 15712 Windsor.

I own industrial property here in Olatha, so that is why I am allowed to speak.

It's a second Tweras.

Whereas movement of existing businesses and jobs across the state line does not result in tangible economic growth within the region.

Oops.

How does that fit in with all of these?

Oh, we're going to have a billion dollars of increased revenue.

This is all pie in the sky.

We all know that.

I mean, look at look at economic development since 1986 when we passed the economic development constitutional amendment.

Where has our taxes been lowered?

Because that is the theory on all these tax incentives is that you broaden the tax base and therefore everyone's taxes is going to be lower.

Hasn't happened at all.

Not at all.

And here you are promising 300 million dollars of tax revenues within this development to pay off these star bonds.

I mean, we know what happened at Prairie Fire.

They've defaulted not only on their star bonds, but on their community improvement uh bonds.

And the ownership of this, I I am rather confused about the ownership because I know that the stadium, it's been very clear that Kansas is going to own the stadium.

But this appears that the chiefs themselves are going to own this facility, or is this also or is this going to be owned by the state of Kansas?

I would like clarity on that.

And also.

Both of them are abominable to the Lord.

And we do not have equal protection in Kansas.

It's the ones that are well connected, they get the sweetheart deals.

And then to be in such a secretive manner, because we have the Kansas Open Meetings Act, which the reason that it was adopted in 1972 was to have a well-informed electorate.

You've done this all behind closed doors.

This is not the way that Olatha works.

I've been in this community for at least four decades.

Not nearly five.

This is not the way to do business.

Thank you.

The next five speakers are Jerry Bowerley, Derry Christensen, Terrence McIff, Roxanne Gellis, and Aaron Bishop.

If you would go um to the chairs by the wall and Jerry Bowerly, you can go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Okay, Mr.

Barley has said that he's not going to speak.

So, Derry Christensen, you're next at the podium.

Hi, I'm Derek Christianson, address 13075, South Windmar Street, Olatha.

Don't let my chief skier fool you.

I am strongly opposed to this ordinance in using taxpayer funds for this development.

Uh no matter where you stand on the political aisle, the idea of sales tax going to pay for this project should bore you.

If you're progressive, you gotta ask yourself why is the middle class taxpayer funding a stadium and a practice field for an NFL owner worth 24 billion dollars.

If you're conservative, you have to ask yourself, why are government handouts going to a successful business?

Anyone that truly wants to put money towards paying for the stadium or playing field, feel free to start a GoFundMe for Mr.

Hunt.

The city has been successful and grown over time.

Let's not pretend that this training facility area under discussion won't be developed in the next 30 years without requiring taxpayer money.

So to portray that this is something that, oh, there's no money generated now.

Well, that's maybe true, but what in five years, 10 years?

What if something else is built there?

It will generate money in the next 30 years.

Regular economic growth over time will generate this tax revenue.

So voting for this ordinance means you are foregoing future tax revenue.

Some have said that this economic growth opportunity is rare and we have to pay for the Chief Stadium with our tax money.

That's a false premise.

As if businesses would sit on their hands at home and not do anything if they weren't given taxpayer funds.

Some have portrayed us as NIMBEs.

That's another false premise.

People can support them building here, but be against using taxpayer funds to fund it.

Besides, the Chiefs have already shown they want to build here.

They want to be in our city, but want us to pay for the pleasure.

That's like asking someone on the date and then being like, oh, by the way, uh, can you pay for my meal?

Let me be clear.

They can build here if they want.

I don't care, but I'm against using taxpayer funds to be on the hook for this training facility.

Please reject this ordinance.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Terrence McIff.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Hello, I'm Terrence McGiff, uh 12070 South Iowa Street in Olatha.

Um I have to admit, in preparing for this or considering what I would say.

I went to the internet, searched a few things, and I couldn't find much.

And that is my primary concern.

I'm not necessarily against this project or for it, but I'm really, really against us voting on it and considering it without it being publicly without the public being informed properly, and without uh as far as I can tell the city council having enough information themselves to make a wise decision.

Um, which, as far as I can tell, they do not have any more information than we do.

Uh this ordinance as it stands is just not enough information, and there is nothing else to supplement it.

I would really, really suggest, as I said, I'm not against it or for it per se, but I think we need to know what this would actually cost.

Where's the cost-benefit analysis that I would expect to see before a vote is taken, not after.

Um the the next up on the plan there was to uh do a fiscal analysis.

So we're gonna vote on it first, then do the fiscal analysis.

Something seems to be wrong there.

We should be doing the fiscal analysis first.

And I really urge you in the end, and this is what I came to say is please do not vote on this until you do some more study, until there is an analysis, until there is some basis for making this decision.

We need to know what the costs are.

We need to know what the benefits are.

Maybe there are great benefits for having that there.

I have no place that I can see.

All I read and all that's been given in the information from the city is that this will be great for our city.

That's not good enough.

I'm sorry.

It's just not good enough.

The next speaker is Roxanne Gellis.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Hi, good evening, Roxanne Gellis 12209 South Solomon Road.

Mayor Bacon and Council members, my name's well, there you go.

I'm gonna read this straight out, otherwise I'll mess it all up.

But uh so this is not whether about someone supports the Chiefs or not.

It's about whether this council is prepared to commit Olatha to a long-term financial structure before the full facts are known, and whether residents will feel that decisions reflect real due diligence rather than momentum and pressure.

Tonight's vote is being described as procedural, but it's anything but.

The city's own materials state that detailed financial analysis and independent revenue studies will occur after tonight's election or action.

This means Olatha is being asked to participate in a star bond structure before the public has seen the proof that the model works as promised.

Bottom line, participation should follow proof, not precede it.

That concern is reinforced by what we already know about star bonds.

In December 21, 2021, the Kansas legislative division of post-audit evaluated the star bonds program statewide and found that only three out of 16 star bond districts met the state's own tourism goals, which is the primary justification for using this financing tool.

This audit also noted many products relied on multiple incentives, making it difficult to determine whether star bonds actually created new economic activity or simply shifted it.

This distinction matters.

If spending is shifted rather than created, star bonds are not paying for themselves through growth.

They are being repeat repaired, repaid by existing consumer spending redirected into a specific district.

In January 26th, a Kansas economist economist interviewed by KMBC News warned that star bond districts often have to be drawn so broadly that everyday spending, including retail and dining, ends up being counted as new revenue, even though residents would have spent that money elsewhere in the region.

Another point that deserves clarity is that star bonds are limited to up to 30 years.

That language does not mean the obligation disappears if the bonds are not paid off.

If revenue falls short, repayment periods can be extended, districts expanded, or bonds restructured, all of which keep public revenue tied up longer than originally projected.

Thirty years is not a sunset, it's a projection.

And this brings me to a local issue.

Olathe is actively investing in the revitalization of downtown.

In August 24, partnered with retail strategies, a planning effort to strengthen downtown retail, dining, walkability, vitality, private investments already incurring.

Um the County Square Commons, which announced new restaurant entertainment concepts in 25.

These efforts depend on consumer spending choosing downtown Olatha.

When spending is captured in Styta Star Bond district, those sales tax are diverted to bond repayment instead of supporting the rest of the city.

That means dollars residents might otherwise spend downtown may instead be pulled into the star bond area.

That's not citywide growth.

That's internal competition creating by financing structure.

We're also being told no new taxes.

Even if that's technically true, it does not mean there's no cost.

Starbonds pledge future local sales and sales tax revenue.

Revenue that would otherwise support city services infrastructure and future priorities, including continued downtown investment.

I just want to take one moment.

There was a slide.

I just want correction on it.

The slide said 2% of the 9% tourism tax.

Um your own website state 7% of the 9%, which is correct.

And then also the Chiefs are investing on their own.

Again, I think it's just the Chiefs are investing their own money to go towards operation and maintenance of the facility.

So they're paying rent to pay for operations and maintenance of the facility.

Let's be clear on that.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Aaron Bishop.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Hi there, I'm uh Aaron Bishop, 259-30 West 149th Street here in Olatha.

And I I am rising today just to provide a little bit different perspective.

Uh I think boy, from day one when they announced that the Chiefs were coming to Kansas.

I think there was excitement, there was exuberance on the Kansas side.

Uh and then you started hearing the noise.

Um I think the noise a lot of times doesn't come.

It comes oftentimes from well-meaning folks with with good research.

Uh but I I just I really wanted to point to the fact that that this has been well thought out.

Um the that the path forward is is a clear one.

Um I think there's we we are in competition or we are in a friendly competition with other cities in our region.

Um we were we were in that competition from kind of day one at the get-go, not from the announcement.

Um I think it's important to notice that.

Uh I think it's important to realize that this this isn't shackling the city of Olatha with long-term debt.

Uh this isn't a line item on our sales side.

Like we are not going to see Chief Stadium on uh, you know, on our sales receipts.

Uh this this is an opportunity for our area.

Um, it's a unique opportunity, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Uh I just get the feeling that if this was another business not attached to the chief's name, there may not be as much noise associated with this.

Um, but I think from from kind of a general sentiment, those that I've talked to overly optimistic.

Uh, where we have positive thoughts, uh, we're excited uh about seeing the Chiefs in our backyard.

Um I think I think overall it's a really positive um positive aspect of our community and um yeah, long term this will be a good thing, but I stand in support of it.

Thank you.

The next five speakers, um, please um go over to the chairs along the wall.

Brandon Eastman, Wade Kiefer, Lara Johnson, Kelly Howard, and Mary Blake.

And the first speaker is Brandon Eastman.

You can go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Brandon Eastman.

Brandon Eastman.

Is he here?

I don't see him.

All right.

Then Wade Kiefer.

Please state your name and address for the record.

Wade Kiefer, 12518, South Clinton Street, Latha, Kansas.

Again, my name is Wade Kiefer.

I'm here as a constituent.

I'm here as a excuse me, a representative of IBW 124, which represents 4,000 union electricians in the Kansas City Metro.

I'm also here as the Secretary Treasurer of the Tri-County Labor Council, AFL CIO.

And I am in support of the Starbond ordinance because of this project will create careers, not just temporary jobs.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to keep the Chiefs and hundreds of family supporting union careers right here in Kansas.

These are union careers with strong wages, benefits, and workforce training standards.

The economic impact also supports local contractors, small businesses, and strengthens the tax base.

A stronger tax base means more long-term funding for schools, infrastructure, and public services without putting the burden on local working families.

Olatha has worked hard to attract major investments, and now is the moment to keep the opportunity at home.

The thousands of union families I represent are counting on you to stand with the working people and trust you to make this happen.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

The next speaker is Laura Johnson.

Please state your name and address for the record.

Good evening.

My name is Laura Johnson, 16305 South Hunter Street, Olatha.

I moved here a few years ago in 2023 because I was marrying an Olatha man.

So in April 2024, I learned that I was marrying into the Chiefs kingdom.

Specifically, everything I have learned about the NFL has been in this community Olatha Chiefs fans.

And it is with them in mind that I wanted to come tonight and present my opposition to this tonight.

There has not been an overabundance of transparency.

It seems like there's a lack of information.

I don't want to echo too much of what people have said before, but we need more information before we commit to this.

People who are starting a small business wouldn't go to the bank without all the information and all the projections.

Obviously, things can change in the future, but it is unfair of the city council to ask this of our tax dollars and of the Chiefs organization to ask us this without more information.

It's an investment.

And if they want our money, they need to give us a little more information, and I hope you would give us more information as well.

That being said, I think that's all I have to say tonight.

The next speaker is Kelly Howard.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Kelly Howard.

Don't see her.

All right.

Then up next is Mary Blake.

My name is Mary Blake.

I live at 12743 South Sycamore Street in Olatha.

I would like to support all the people who mentioned the lack of transparency and the rushed rush to make a decision.

If Olatha sales taxes are used to help pay off star bonds, that will rob our police, libraries, and other infrastructure of the necessary funds to continue operating.

I believe this will cause Olatha to increase sales taxes to cover this type of operating expense.

Every time we buy something, we pay sales tax to the state, Johnson County, Olatha, and if we happen to buy something in a shopping center that is in a TIF or CID district, we pay an additional sales tax that is basically straight up corporate welfare for real estate developers who cut sweetheart deals with the cities.

Right now, our sales taxes can account for up to 10% of the cost of what we buy.

And this Chief Starbond district, the largest ever in the state, 290 square miles, will probably increase our sales taxes to over 10%.

That's unsustainable for seniors who are on a fixed income, who face being taxed out of our homes due to escalating property taxes, and now with the added insult of high sales taxes.

All of this to give a tax break to the Hunt family worth 23 billion dollars.

This entire Chiefs coming to Kansas Deal was enacted without transparency, was not brought before the voters, and the legislative committee signed NDAs.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg about what's wrong with this whole deal.

We the people who are already paying exorbitant taxes have been stabbed in the back by our state legislators, and now it's getting ready to happen at the city level.

To me, this looks like government of the rich by the rich and for the rich.

And there's another word for that.

It's called taxation without representation.

Thank you for your time.

The next group of speakers, Ian Pierce, Leslie Lorenz, Alison Banikowski, and John North.

Please go over by the podium and Ian Pierce.

Um you go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Uh Ian Pierce, 24 uh 21447 West 120th Street.

Um I'm not a long-term resident of Olatha or even Kansas.

I only moved here last year.

Um, but I I love my new city, right?

Um that's why I'm here tonight.

Uh because this is important, okay.

We are talking about directing additional taxes towards star uh star bonds.

And I've heard a lot of people come here tonight and talk about how you know this will bring great high-quality jobs, this will bring economic development, and unfortunately, that's just not true.

I'm a former high school teacher.

I taught AP macroeconomics.

I've taken training courses on public finance stadiums and other projects.

I kind of know a couple of things about it.

And like I tell my students, where's your data?

Show your work.

The work here does not exist to support a new stadium or new development for the Chiefs.

Uh a 2023 study by Coates, Humphreys, and Bradbury did a meta uh study of 130 different stadium public finance stadiums and found no economic benefit, and definitely not the ones that were claimed by these economic uh stadium proposals.

Uh 2022, a 2022 study found that a 1.4% increase in uh in overall incomes, as well as 1.5% economic uh local activity increased.

That is, as was said earlier, a round year.

Um I do have unique position that most people in this room here don't have.

See, before I lived in Olatha, I lived in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Now don't worry, I'm not a Cowboys fan, and I've adopted the Chiefs as my team.

Uh but that means I have actually been through three large publicly financed stadiums and seen three large publicly financed stadiums fail to deliver on their promises.

What makes this deal so special?

What makes this deal counteract all the other evidence we have that somehow, for some reason, it's going to work this time, trust us.

Okay.

What I did see was lots of local residents being priced out of Arlington and lots of local businesses being priced out in favor of big chains because of increased property taxes and increased property values.

Now look, I can sit here and say I want the Chiefs to be in Aletha.

I do, right?

I love this city, I love the Chiefs.

But let's be smart about it.

All right.

I'm not opposed to economic investment when it makes sense, but this doesn't make sense.

Uh you know, when I was thinking about what to say up here, I think about what your position is on the city council.

You're supposed to be good stewards, competent stewards of public funds.

That's part of your job, right?

That's why we're here to ask you to be good stewards of that.

And I just don't see how this plays into it.

So what I'm asking for you, call Clark Hunt's bluff, right?

The only thing that we have been told that might happen if we don't accept this is that the move the state of the uh facility elsewhere.

Call us bluff.

Tell them we will not pay your extortion fee because we have value just on our own.

Thank you.

The next speech speaker is Leslie Lorenz.

Please state your name and address for the record.

Leslie Lorenz, 13980 South Gallery.

I don't think I could say anything better when it comes to economics, besides the economics teacher.

I mean, if you can't believe him, then I think you need to go take an economics class at KU.

So I I had a lot to say about economics, but um I would suggest you go do some research.

I've done that.

I want to actually say some of the things that you said earlier.

You said that you want to provide exceptional services for the families, which I don't think this tax will do.

Also, Mr.

Mayor, you said in the random acts of kindness.

You said growth and success.

I don't see how this helps with growth and success for Olatha.

I'm a huge Chiefs fan.

I've been to many games.

I paid over a thousand dollars a ticket to go to a Chiefs game.

I'll do it again, even if it's in Kansas.

But I don't see how paying any more of our funds are tax funds that we all work so hard for, including my mother who's 80 years old, she can't afford.

I know everybody's gonna say, oh, she hates change.

I love progress.

But if it increases and continues to increase her taxes on her house, she's gonna have to sell her house.

And I can't have that happen when she's 80 years old.

This is not something that we can continue to do.

So when it comes to competition, you guys, I keep on hearing this, you know, we fought with Overland Park or whatever cities.

It's not necessarily good to win.

I don't know if it's a good thing that we won.

I always like winning, but after hearing all this, I don't know if it was necessarily good that we won.

And I know it may feel good to you, may feel like a feather in your cap.

You can pat yourself on the back and be like, I did all this work with the Hunt family.

You know, it's I worked with all the legislators in Kansas, but what about us, the taxpayers?

And when we heard all of this stuff, and you're supposed to represent us.

And we're up here telling you, hey guys, what about us?

I know that you're feeling good, but it's not making us feel good.

So there's no proof, no proof that this will help us.

Just as the economist said.

So please stand.

Please stand for the working family.

Please stand for the retired families.

And make us proud as Olathians, and be kind to us, the taxpayer.

Alison Banikowski is our next speaker.

Please state your name and address for the record.

Thank you, Alison Vanikoski, 122-12 South Solomon Road.

Uh good evening, Mayor Bacon and esteemed members of the City Council.

As indicated, my name is Dr.

Alison Manikowski.

I had the privilege of serving in the Olatha School District for 34 years.

I am also been very fortunate to be a resident of the Olatha community since 1981.

Not quite an old settler, but getting close.

I am here this evening to speak on behalf of the Kansas City Chiefs Project to build uh their training and administrative facilities here in Olatha.

I would like to highlight three reasons why I am positive about this project.

The project brings economic benefits, jobs, and innovation to our community.

Also, the proposed uh relies on a user-based funding approach within a very defined area.

So that if I want to eat, dine, stay overnight, why I would do that, I don't know.

But uh in that area, then I recognize that that's where uh the funding will come from.

As a former educator in the Old Asa School District, I've reviewed the positive impact on these facilities for the students of the Olatha School District.

I believe it is positive any time you can provide additional opportunities and additional facilities for our students.

Third, in addition to being a major supporter of the school district and the community, I am also an avid sports fan.

I am thrilled the Kansas City Chiefs decided to stay in the Kansas City metro area.

Uh while there are many feelings about them moving from Missouri to Kansas, I'm not going to deal with that.

Uh, but the fact that I'm glad they're here in the metro area, and that they are going to make Olatha or want to make Olatha one of their homes.

I believe we are fortunate to have an NFL team in the area, and kudos to the city staff, just Olatha School District staff and city officials who helped to make this possible to this point.

Olathe has an outstanding school district, a vibrant community, and we could also have an NFL partner to add to the mix.

So thank you.

Best wishes as you deliberate on this very important matter for our community.

Thank you.

The last speaker who has signed up is John North.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Yeah, my name is John North.

I live at uh 14710 South Chalet Drive.

My wife and I have been residents of Olatha for uh over 30 years.

And uh I just want to uh speak about this from a little bit different perspective.

Um I think about the ways we try and uh recruit partners to our community.

I think about years ago when we asked Boys and Girls Club to come to Olatha to help us uh accomplish some objectives.

I think about the way we try and recruit businesses to come to to the community uh in a variety of different ways.

I think about this this idea of partnership, and who do we want to walk this journey with us in partnership?

Uh for 17 years um I worked in social service here in the Kansas City Metro area and was CEO of Heart to Heart International for for many, many years.

And so I come at this conversation and this thought in partnership with a history of of seeing how generous the Chiefs are.

So uh for years and years and years, uh the Chiefs, the Hunt family, the Chiefs organization, and the Chiefs players would stand beside us in solidarity to solve community needs to help address problems.

And so I've seen this over and over again.

And um now in my role at the university, I didn't think, you know, maybe I wouldn't see this as much.

Well, lo and behold, uh just uh a couple days ago we posted a story, had no idea that uh this would be uh aligning this way, but I want to tell you about uh Brenda Thompson.

So Brenda is a single mom of two.

I brought a picture for you.

You probably can't see it, but you can go to our website and read about her.

Uh she had a dream to become a nurse, and uh she couldn't fulfill that dream, but uh a generous uh contribution from the Worthy Foundation from Xavier Worthy made that dream possible.

She's gonna graduate this May.

She's already has a job right here at the University of Kansas Health System.

I can tell you from over 30 years of experience, the Chiefs players, the organization, and the family are extremely generous when they walk with you in partnership.

I have high hopes and feel like they would be incredible partners for our school district, for the mayor's children fund, for uh Boys and Girls Club, for lots of social service agencies, the players do it, the family does it, and uh and the chiefs as an organization do it.

I hope you vote in uh in favor of this motion.

Thank you.

Okay.

So uh the city clerk said that that is the end of the folks that signed up ahead of time.

But if you've got something to you like to say share with the city council, you can do that now.

So if you'd like to speak to the city council and have an opportunity to participate in this public hearing, would you please raise your hand over here?

Anyone?

Please come up to the podium and state your name and address for the record, and you've got three minutes.

I'll do the same over here.

If you'd like to just go to the chairs, if you'd like to have an opportunity to address the council.

Yeah, right up here to the podium, sir.

Thank you for being here.

Apologize, I wasn't really prepared for this.

So thank you.

My name is Keith Lawrence, and I live at 13734 West, 121st Terrace, have a small business here in town, pay taxes and kids going to school.

I would like to give you an uh an economic uh reality check.

So they've really crunched some numbers on this on the other side of the border.

And they've come up with the loss.

It doesn't match the numbers I'm hearing tonight.

Um just some things out of this out of Missouri.

Uh when the Chiefs move right now, they're expected uh Missouri stands to lose 28.8 million in annual sales tax revenue, and nearly one billion in yearly economic activity.

That's churn.

That's people coming over, buying gas, going to the stores.

That's that cash that rotates underneath all that tax revenue.

All the other stuff that flows through their cities and everybody, everything gone.

So, what else happens?

Nothing good, I can tell you when they did the numbers.

Um annual economic loss.

The team currently generates an estimated 993 million in yearly economic activity.

Gone.

Tax revenue, Missouri faces a loss of, as I said, 28.8 million.

Job impact supports 5,800 jobs.

A big chunk of that will come here to Aletha and they pay taxes, they spend money, they go to restaurants, they go to our grocery stores, they come to small businesses like me, they spend their money, they don't come here.

Gone.

So I think there's a multiplier effect when you stack adding when you start adding all that up.

And Missouri's coming to the reality.

You know, so if we want to be Jackson County, if we want to be Raytown, then let's do it.

But if we want to progress, I think smart people, the people in this room will come up with ways to figure that out.

I'm hopeful.

I have confidence.

And I'm not discounting any things that people have said.

I do get it.

That is some scary thought.

And you know, property taxes could go up, but I think there's ways to mitigate that.

There's talent here, and they'll figure that out.

I think there's ways to move that money around to where it's not a big impact to us.

I think that's the way it is.

Missouri is certainly counting all their losses right now.

And they're finally waking up to the reality that holy crap.

We should have kept them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Yes, sir.

You spoke earlier.

Yes, I did.

I'll make you, I'll let you take a minute or 30 seconds.

Anybody else would like to speak?

Yes, sir.

I'm not just going to criticize anybody.

This is just about Can you state your name and address against the state?

I I did want to point out that the majority of people are against this, at least the voting for it at this point.

I would suggest that in two weeks' time you still meet the deadline if you vote on it then.

Maybe within that period of time, more information can come out and you could provide more information to the public that would help this if you postpone the vote.

Okay.

Thanks, Derek.

That's all.

Yes, sir.

Please give us your name and address for the record.

Sure.

My name is Clinton, uh 15141 South Symphony, Aletha veteran.

Moved here after an active duty, several deployments from Hawaii.

So why would they move here after going to so many different other places in the world?

Well, because I found a family here, made a family, settled.

I don't settle at too many places because of things like this.

I get uneasy.

My husband is.

He's also a rural physician.

And I make good money as a consultant in human resources.

And if a couple years ago, the taxes kept going up.

We had a place over on this side of Olatha and on that side of Aletha.

And I don't know directions too well because my husband has to tell me where we live most of the time.

And he said, he goes, we can't afford this anymore.

We've got both homes that we're paying for because his promise to his western small town school teachers of Kansas who retired.

He goes, When I become a doctor through KU, I'm gonna buy you a home, Mom.

And instead of us affording our home, because of the taxes going up so much in COVID and everything happening, we decided to multi-gen in with my in-laws.

And we're noticing in our community, not a lot of other people have those resources to be able to pay for those taxes.

And it is a retirement community.

And trust me, my husband and I stick out like a sore thumb.

But I have a couple of questions for mindset for everyone.

What will happen when your star quarterback can no longer perform?

What are you gonna do when Travis Kelsey is holding Taylor Swift's Birken bag full time?

You're thinking about as far as the end of your nose, I feel and working with commanders, top brass all over the world, they would not go for this.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Raja.

I live at 679 West Cedar Street, Aletha, and I'm speaking in opposition to this bill, mostly uh because a few things.

I know we've heard people speak on how generous the family or the owners of the Chiefs and NFL team are.

My question becomes if they are so generous, why are they leaving Missouri and trying to find a new place to create a facility?

I also, when looking at this, question the revenues of how much are we making and how much are we spending and how much are we getting back?

At the end of the day, they this is a private facility that only belongs to one NFL team.

I would rather have this money that I'm making and paying in those sales taxes, be spent towards services that we all in the public can't utilize.

I just moved to Aletha with my wife, and we bought our first home, which has been a learning process, and I wish people told me all that it took to run a house, because I find myself on top of my rooftop.

Instead of having money to go hire somebody to fix things, I'm the one doing it.

And at the end of the day, right, we're not going to see direct result of things increasing, but we do know when people can no longer afford to live in Aletha, all the prices would would go higher.

The last thing I would want to say and make sure it is heard.

Millionaires should not be taking money from the public that is already struggling.

If they have the million dollars to pay their players, they should pay for the facility they alone will be using.

Again, they're welcome to be here.

But I'm I don't want to pay for this.

I don't want my wife to pay for this.

We want to spend money on actually creating a life where we can have children that go to good schools and all of the above.

But at the end of the day.

Thank you.

Yes.

Yes, sir.

Please come up.

Anyone else that would like to speak?

Would you please come up so it doesn't take so long to get to the mic?

This will be the last speaker then.

My name is Bill Nash.

I live at 15214 West 14th Street in Olatha.

And one of the things that came to mind while listening, all the speakers tonight was I know a lot of times uh the city will put out uh a flyer to all the citizens through the mail.

How are we doing?

Streets, police force, fire, et cetera.

Um would it make sense to uh sharpen your pencil, provide a little more details in the plan, make it more transparent to the uh citizens of this community, and um possibly put it out to the citizens through a vote through the mail uh after giving them complete uh transparency into the details of the project, uh and let the let the citizens uh at least provide input into what they think.

Uh I agree with a lot of people that you know uh there's a lot of citizens in Aletha that are on fixed income, Social Security, and we're fighting inflation and all sorts of other things.

Not to mention housing.

Housing has gone crazy, as we all know.

Um my taxes have just gone through the roof, eight to ten percent two out of the last three years.

So keep us in mind.

Uh it don't price us out of Aletha, don't price us out of Johnson County.

Uh give us more transparency under the project, and allow us to uh give us a yay or nay vote.

Thank you.

A motion to close the public hearing would be in order.

Thank you.

I move to close the public hearing.

Second.

We have a motion and a second with the city clerk please call a roll.

Dr.

Felter, yes.

Mr.

Bacchus?

Yes.

Ms.

Essex?

Yes.

Mr.

Creighton?

Yes.

Mr.

Denall?

Sorry.

Is that Creighton or Bacon?

I said Creighton.

I'm sorry.

Sorry, Burr.

I'll try to I'll try to be.

Mr.

Denult.

Yes.

Mr.

Bacon?

Yes.

Okay.

Mr.

Skinovert.

Yes.

Motion passes 7-0.

It is sometimes.

I heard Aiken and I Hollard, yes.

Okay.

All right.

So at this time, I'm going to allow opportunities for the Council to ask questions of staff, clarifications.

If you want to talk about the comments that were made and have staff respond, now would be a good time to do that.

Does anyone have any questions of staff?

Yes.

Councilmember Essex or Vaucus, I'm sorry, was first.

Okay.

Good.

Quick draw, right?

So could I have um Ron, could you step back up?

We uh our city attorney.

Hey, I want to say I appreciate everyone's comments tonight.

I really do, and the sincerity of the comments.

You know, and I, you know, clearly there is a level of frustration for the lack of information, and this has rolled out pretty fast and furious, there's no doubt about that.

And a lot of people have been trying to figure out what's going on, and as much as I appreciate uh our media, our press, in some cases the press have have inadvertently misreported also.

And that is, I think to a large extent, because this is such a complex project rolling out so quickly, it's just easy to be overwhelmed by the whole thing.

And I would tell you that the City Council has devoted an awful lot of time over the last three weeks really pouring into the details to make sure that we are taking this in incremental steps and making the right decisions.

And I think perhaps we could revisit some of this by way of the City Attorney to help clarify some things.

One thing, Ron, could you talk to again the overarching large star bond districts and what the state is committing for that?

Certainly.

Ron Shaber, City Attorney.

So the Olatha project is part of a larger project.

That's a multi-billion dollar investment.

The project consists of, per the letter that the city received from the Kansas Secretary of Commerce and Lieutenant Governor David Tolin.

The letter says that the project consists of two unique travel destinations that will attract visitors from throughout the country.

The Chiefs New Practice Stadium New Stadium Practice Facility Team CAD Quarters and Associated Development is expected to draw over 3.7 million visitors annually, and of those visitors, approximately 28.3 percent originating from outside Kansas.

Project is expected to draw over 32 percent of visitors who originate from a community more than 100 miles away.

The economic impact of the project on the area economy is substantial.

There's information in here about economic estimates that I won't go into.

It's all very preliminary, but it's substantial uh information.

Uh the letter also outlines what is in the the requested pledge that is being requested of the city.

I'll move to that slide, Mr.

Mayor Pro Tem.

Um this is outlined in the letter.

The request that is being made of the city again is only within the pledge area, the 165 acres at the northwest corner of College and Ridgefield.

It is part of a larger project that involves Olatha, uh Wyndock County and uh other jurisdictions in between that would be part of the proposed Starbond district pursuant to the agreement that was approved between the Secretary and the Chiefs that was ratified by the legislative coordinating council.

Okay.

Good.

Thank you.

And I'd emphasize again that the broad large star bond district, that is most of Wyandotte County, and pretty much the western part of Johnson County.

That's a state, a state deal where the state is committing to divert only their share of the sales taxes.

The State's share of the total sales taxes is 6 percent.

So the State is sending their 6 percent to pay the large Starbonds district, period.

That's a state deal.

Here in Olatha, tonight, we're talking about the creation of a subdistrict specific to the project in Olatha.

So we're only talking about the 165 acres, and as we talk about the things that we pledge tonight, it's just our piece of what we could pledge within the 165 acres.

It's not we're not giving away the farm at this stage.

And that's where we see specifics.

You know?

We would expect to see a development application from the Chiefs, specific to our subdistrict.

We would expect to see plans, a preliminary site development plan that shows locations within that 165 acres.

We would expect to see a specific application for the headquarters or the training facility or the hotel tied to the transient guest tax.

And we will take each one of those as an individual event to examine through our normal city process.

And that's where the analysis of the ROI becomes.

So tonight's step is pretty simple at this stage, I think.

The um the lack of information is aggravating.

I mean, it really is.

I don't have an answer for that.

We don't have a tremendous option to just stop this thing.

But we certainly have to continue to discuss this with everybody as people strive to get more information.

I will tell you something right here.

There are a couple of salient points that came out tonight.

One was the issue that in this country too few have too much.

We get it.

And it's a difficult thing.

If you look at the the uh hollowing out of the middle class, that's a real issue.

We can't solve that tonight.

That's an issue in Washington, D.C.

that needs to be addressed, but it doesn't have an impact on what we're doing here tonight.

And here tonight, as far as the criticism of the large state, the State Superbond district.

I mean, I get that too.

Based on what I have reviewed, I'm comfortable with the numbers.

But again, we're not talking about that tonight.

We're only talking about our subdistrict.

And I think what we lay out for the sub-district is pretty pretty clear and pretty straightforward.

Somebody tonight mentioned that the it was obvious that the majority of folks are against it.

Well, the majority of people that showed up tonight to speak are against it.

But you know, I've gotten several hundred emails over the past two weeks, and well over 90 percent of those are supportive emails.

So I would suggest to you, if I look at the numbers that I have seen, residents as a whole are supportive, but every resident who's got a mind wonders about the details and has concerns as these details sort sort themselves out.

I yield to the next uh speaker.

Councilmember Essex.

Thank you, Mayor.

And Ron, if you'll um take another question.

I I wanted to add um something that you had just mentioned.

Um as far as the State's portion of sales taxes, that is on new growth.

So when you hear the word incremental, that means the new growth that came because the stadium is there or because the headquarters are there.

It's not they take a snapshot of the sales taxes that we're collecting now, and that is not affected at all.

Sales taxes don't go up.

Um it is something that is frozen in place and will continue to get those revenues.

So when we have the headquarters or we have the stadium, incremental sales tax is not adding to the tax that you are paying, it is that growth pays for itself by the new growth that comes that would have never been there without this project.

So I just want to make sure and clarify that.

Um I also wanted to ask Ron.

Um there are a couple people that have mentioned concerns about we we haven't done they say we haven't done our due diligence with the future fiscal analysis that we say lies ahead.

Um would you share what we're voting on tonight and how many things in the future that do require that fiscal analysis that comes later, like what we're doing tonight versus when you refer to the future fiscal analysis.

So we definitely know the numbers tonight.

It is what's in the future.

Do you understand my question?

I believe so, Councilmember.

So the action the governing body has before it tonight is an outgrowth of Kansas law.

It's an outgrowth of the Kansas Starbond Act as it was amended in 2024.

Your action to pledge local revenues within a pledge area is required within 60 days of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council taking action on December 22nd, 2025.

So we have a very limited window of time in which to take that action inherent in that becomes information that will come out that will be uh analyzed, studied thoroughly, not just at the local level, but at the state level.

The people who will be looking to purchase the bonds issued by the Kansas Development Finance Authority are very sophisticated investors who will not just look at this on a whim, and uh they will need to see true development commitments ready to go happening.

And they have to deliver this project.

And bonds have to be issued by the end of 2030.

If not, our pledge goes away.

That's the commitments that we're asking the governing body to make tonight by adoption of that ordinance.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Councilmember Felter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, everybody, for being here tonight.

What a great community we live in with great diversity of thought.

And you guys all brought your A game.

You were prepared with comments.

And I love hearing the different perspectives.

So thank you for coming and telling us what's on your heart and mind.

And for all the emails that we got, thank you for taking the time to communicate with us your concerns or your excitement or all the various thoughts.

We had a lot of communication.

A couple of points I wanted to ask you, Ron.

There was something mentioned that the 30 years star bond could be changed and extended.

Is it is it fluid or is it finite?

The bonds could be uh outstanding for up to 30 years.

For up to up to 30 years.

It's they could be paid off sooner.

There would not be prepayment penalties.

So initial revenue estimates were extremely aggressive to compared to that timeline, a much, much shorter time frame for repayment of all those debt obligations.

It's part of what needs to be explored at the state level.

We will do our due diligence once we begin negotiations on local incentives and whatever projections of revenues to be paid off for that.

Um but that is the maximum term that those bonds could be outstanding under Kansas Law.

Okay.

And um those that have said this is not typical of Olathe, we haven't been transparent in this process.

Would you characterize it as though we aren't the ones driving this bus necessarily?

The part that I had uh started to mention earlier, Councilmember, was about the economic impact of the project.

Uh the Secretary's letter outlines how uh the total economic impact, including construction and once operational, is expected to result in about $5.3 billion of investment.

So we're talking about $400 million of a $5.3 billion investment in Olatha.

We're part of a much, much larger project here.

That project is estimated to generate $24,000 jobs, $2.5 billion in annual labor income.

And that build-outs project is forecast to generate annual retail sales over $702 million.

It's all that's the entirety of the project.

It's the largest economic impact, economic investment, private investment in Kansas history.

It's greater than the Panasonic project.

It's greater than any single project Kansas has ever seen.

And we are a part of it, but a small part of it.

Say that again, greater than the Panasonic project.

The Panasonic Project was approximately $4 billion.

Okay.

And that's here in Olathe, here in Olathe.

So and for those of you that surmised and said that it looks like you guys just got the information on Friday when we did.

Yeah, that's right.

Staff put it together, and that's how it works.

The council then gets to review it.

That is transparency and government.

You guys got the information.

We can't caucus together.

We're not meeting behind closed doors except for when we have executive sessions, which statute provides provides narrowly defined conditions for that.

We had a short 30-minute session together before, but we can't coordinate votes or anything.

All of this work is done transparently in front of you guys.

So you're going to hear all of our conversations about the Chiefs vote tonight.

I will say I am thrilled.

I am excited for this moonshot moment.

I said out loud in a planning commission meeting where we had our um uh Elevate Olatha, the comp plan um coordinator that was facilitating us.

He's like, name your moonshot uh for Olatha.

And several people were like, oh, I'd like a SAMS or Costco, which yeah, I would love that.

Love abuckies.

Yeah, that'd be cool.

And I said out loud, I would love the Kansas City Chiefs because I could see the writing on the wall that Jackson County was gonna flop on a vote.

And sure enough, what happened?

And so sure, I'm I'm thrilled to see this happen here.

And you guys know that old proverb um about planting trees that under which uh the shade you will never get to rest.

Guess what?

We're gonna plant a tree and we get to rest under the shade.

Celebrate this.

This is not us spending tax dollars that is yours.

This is us taking a project that's gonna fund itself and a narrowly defined map.

Ron, will you put that map up there?

So if you don't plant a tree for the shade today, you plant it so that years for now, the whole community benefits from the shade, the roots and the ecosystems grow around it.

Um we're getting because of this district, the shade, the ecosystem, we're getting a forest, guys, because of this project is going to fund itself.

It makes sense.

We should be celebrating it.

So I will be voting for this.

Tonight we're planting a tree, a one-of-a-kind tree that is for our future.

Um jobs, activity, economic growth, it is going to just be the um spark that ignites the campfire.

And for those of you that don't want this, I hope in five years' time that we will have a conversation and you guys can say, hey, Lietta, you were right.

And I will say, I I know, and I'm so glad that you came around to see the point.

Because this is a great partnership ahead of us.

And I it's an honor to work with a council that's going to have a lively discussion tonight.

Thanks, Mayor, for the moment to talk about it.

Councilmember Scootover.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, and thank you, everybody, for your for your comments tonight.

Ron, um, I think the the question has been asked, and I just want to make sure I understand.

Let's let's assume we issue these uh uh or we approve this tonight.

We've got bonds that last for 30 years.

What happens if if uh we're not paying those bonds back.

But what happens if that obligation on the bonds is not paid paid back within the 30 years?

Bondholders take that at their risk.

Special revenue bonds that can paid only from project revenues.

If they don't come in, that's the risk that the bondholders choose to chose to take.

So we're not uh the the i it's not as if the city is going to have to to square up that money and and and meet that delta that those are out.

It's just somebody made at the end of the day a bad investment and they're gonna take that loss.

Correct.

And that's why they're gonna scrutinize this thing very, very closely in the slide that I put up.

Uh I want to bring it back up here to clarify that they're not debt that we are issuing, nor that we are backing with our full faith and credit.

Okay.

And it's it just to make sure it is only when it comes to the city's portion, what we are talking about tonight.

The city is talking about pledging um uh our our portion of the sales tax revenue within that very small district.

And I know we've we've seen the map on the screen, and just in case people can't can't see the borders, it is about a half mile square area from from what is that, Woodland Road and Ridgeview Road, um that area that is currently empty.

No, is that called College?

College.

College and Northwest Corner of College in Richview.

I knew this.

I grew up there.

So I should that's okay, Councilmember.

Um but it's it's just that that empty spot of land that we are currently not generating any sales tax on right now.

It is only the sales tax portion that will be paid from purchases in this area that is going towards these bonds.

That's correct.

So the ordinance provides the we have to set say what the base revenue is within the area and the rate base revenue of the revenues being requested to be pledged to zero.

No sales tax generated, no transient gas tax, no tax a minimal amount of property taxes are generated today.

Okay.

I appreciate that.

And I it I have I have heard all of the concerns and listen, I share them.

Uh you know, I I will say there's there's nobody up here that is more sympathetic to the idea of eating the rich than me.

Um the notion that we would pledge um any type of public financing to support a stadium uh or or those deals, I am very skeptical of.

I do think that this project is a little bit unique compared to some of the other stadium deals uh that we've seen nationwide, mostly because we're pulling quite a bit of money from Missouri, let's be honest.

If it weren't for us getting Missouri's tax revenue of people coming from Missouri over into Kansas, uh this probably wouldn't be successful.

But since we're getting that incremental sales tax portion, I I look at this and I particularly because we're only for this ordinance talking about our incremental sales tax revenue in this very defined piece of of real estate.

I support this ordinance that's before us.

Now, if there are future incentives on this development that that are going to to come before council, CID, TIFF, all of that type of stuff, then I think absolutely that's something that we need to take a little bit more of a fine-tooth comb, and that I'll be much more uh circumspect on.

But this deal as I see it, because we're not currently generating any sales tax on this otherwise empty spot of land, there's really nothing to lose here.

That's all I have.

Councilmember Creighton.

Thank you, Mayor.

I have uh several comments and really no questions for our staff.

I just want to get right to my comments.

And I'd like to thank uh Mr.

Bacchus and Ms.

S.

Essex because they prove at the very beginning clarified a a number of points, and I'm not going to rehash those.

As a newly elected official, I learned about this on December the 22nd, just like the rest of you.

I immediately began to study star bonds.

I've read and I have reread the State's agreement, and now as local information is coming out, I'm delving into it.

As has been indicated by several people, literally there have been hundreds of emails in different contacts that I have received.

The majority of the speakers this evening were in opposition.

Clearly you were in opposition.

Those emails that I got were quite the reverse and were very much in favor.

But I that was just part of what I am looking at.

One of the best emails that I received was from someone who was noncommittal about it.

They indicated they understood the potential, but they also had some concerns and they laid out several concerns, and they were concerns that I had.

This is money that's coming from new taxes only.

We are not diverting current taxes.

One of the concerns I had w uh raised with me was would we be losing some of our revenue as a city from like our uh automobile dealers?

We are not losing those.

This agreement that we have tonight, the ordinance that we're considering has limits.

It protects a very it protects us from giving up specific sales taxes that we already generate that were approved by the voters, the parks, and street maintenance.

So we are not losing those.

We are not giving those up.

And finally, and something that was very important to me, is that this will not be a debt of the city.

This will not impact our bond rating, and I confirm that with staff earlier tonight.

I understand the concerns, but I believe that the guardrails that that citizen asked us to put in place are there, and I will support this ordinance.

Councilmember Vacas.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

You know, I I'd come back to this is the beginning.

This isn't a one-and-done deal.

This is the first of many actions to come.

As we look at the uh the proposal, it's for the Chiefs to be able to be to be to play in the 2031 season here in Kansas.

And we backward plan from that, what construction has to be completed between now and in 2030.

It's not very long.

It's a lot of construction that has to be completed.

And specifically within our subdistrict, there's significant development that has to occur.

So we backward plan and we look at what we expect from the Chiefs in terms of bringing in the details.

You're going to be hearing details for the next two years, I guarantee you.

There'll be many more City Council meetings where we're looking at specific development proposals within this subdistrict, and we'll treat every one of those consistent with our our policies and how we do economic development here in Olatha.

I'll return back one more time.

Everyone's touched on it, but I want to bring it home again.

It's that this is uh the star bonds are sold on the market to sophisticated institutional investors who assume the risk.

They do the math before they buy the star bonds.

They won't buy the star bonds if the math doesn't come together.

So we'll find out in a couple of years when the star bonds go to market.

If they're not selling quick, there's a problem.

I don't think there'll be a problem.

I think they'll be snapped up.

But that is a safety mechanism that is very comforting, quite frankly, that keeps Kansas in the clear not liable and certainly keeps Elifa in the clear.

We're not liable.

It's the institutional investors who assume that liability.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Denul.

Thank you.

I just want to say thank you to everyone for the feedback like uh Councilmember Creighton.

Um I'm new to council as well, and December 22nd is when I learned uh about the Chiefs deal.

Uh since then I've been pouring myself into understanding uh exactly what that means for Kansas and for the entire map uh uh that was in the news showing the Starbonds district and then also for uh for Olatha.

Um thank you for the feedback, though, most of all, because that is how I have been able to understand exactly point by point what we need to be concerned about when we look at Olatha's pledge.

Um I've asked a lot of questions of staff in terms of how are we uh accounting for these concerns.

Um it's taken a lot of thinking and putting this together to be able to um put this pledge together and know that as they've mentioned, the guardrails uh can be in place.

I feel this looks better than probably what I would have expected.

I think it is a good representation of um how responsible we want to be as a community.

Um I know there have been some great questions, um, good answers given about how uh this you know the bonds will not be paid back by our own uh city funds.

Um your property taxes will not go up to our say we're not gonna increase sales tax rates on everybody, things like that.

Um it just looks like to me a really good uh deal at this point to say, hey, we're in with these guardrails, let's now move to the next step and see what is next and scrutinize that one as well, and the next one after that.

So I am in favor of this.

I understand the frustration for those who haven't had the uh time that I put in to this, but I felt the obligation to make sure I had everything and understood as best I could to make that choice for you all.

Um that is all I've got for now.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Essex.

Thank you.

I I thought we were focusing on questions at first, but I'll throw in comments too.

Yeah, I kind of got mixed up, but that's the same.

That's okay.

That's great.

Um these conversations are absolutely necessary.

We want to hear your concerns.

I've read every email, um, every text, those conversations that we've had.

I so appreciate you participating.

I know that's been mentioned already, but I love that you care enough to be here and represent your city and share your concerns.

So the reason that we are hashing this out in public is to make sure you understand um all the things that we know so you know them as well.

Um I will also share with you that, well, first of all, being nervous when you see those numbers.

Oh my word, I get it.

Um those can be scary numbers.

Um, but understanding how that deal works.

Uh I'll do my best to get information to you.

I know all of us here have been pouring ourselves into this deal.

Um the responses that I have received collectively as well have been overwhelmingly for the project.

So I know we are listening to everyone.

We want to hear what you have to say.

Um I would say it's been more than 10 to 1 in favor from what I've heard from the community so far.

But that doesn't mean the the one doesn't mean just as much to us with your concerns and your thoughts as well.

Um I just want to reiterate just a few points real quick to make sure um we've driven these points home, but um star bonds are investor risk.

They are investor risk.

They're not taxpayer risk.

They just simply aren't.

And I know a lot of people have compared other NFL cities to this one.

So the Starbond tool is unique to Kansas, is something that allowed us to lure the chiefs here without having the three eight cents sales tax that Missouri voted down because they didn't want an increase in sales tax.

This is something that if if the bonds don't get paid off or something goes sideways, um, it is investor risk.

We are not on the hook.

I'm gonna say that a couple more times.

So this is not I know other star bond deals that we've done in Kansas were something as small as a dinosaur museum at Prairie Fire, right?

But when we're comparing the success of a star bond for a prairie fire museum versus a six billion dollar NFL team, these are the deals that star bonds were created for.

These are the things that have brought the NFL to us that nothing else could have.

So it's really not comparing apples to apples.

Apples to oranges is what it is.

When we're looking at the unique situation, the unique tool that we have in Kansas.

And I'm going to reiterate jobs, tens of thousands of jobs.

Those are jobs.

Sir, you don't have the floor.

Councilmember Essex has the floor.

I need you to be I need you to be quiet, please.

And I would say that.

We heard you before, sir.

You had your chance.

Go ahead.

It doesn't hurt have money flowing into Olatha.

You have met you've heard many revenue sources tonight that are coming in on this deal.

The great thing about the sales tax piece of this is visitors outside of Kansas, we heard 28%, uh, 32% of visitors who are originating from communities over 100 miles away.

Um they're helping pay those bonds.

So when visitors come in, uh they will be assisting us with that.

It's not just Olatha's responsibility.

Um I will tell you there was a comment on the area will probably be developed at some point anyway.

Um I will share with you that 20 25 years now, I talked to our latha chamber.

They've been trying to talk to various developers, and it's just nothing has happened in the area.

It's it's developing around it, but that area has laid dormant.

So we receive no revenues, it has not been developed.

It's not a piece of property that people have jumped on.

So that's the great news for us is that um it's coming to this development that we have not been able to develop in a very long time.

Um infrastructure right now over there, we're right by K-10.

Our roads are solid, and and remember, this is not the stadium traffic.

This is um the Chiefs training facility.

So there's a little bit of difference there as well.

So just wanted to uh point out a couple of those things.

Thank you for being here for the duration of the meeting and and sitting through this and listening.

Uh again, I appreciate you being a part of the process.

Thank you.

Councilmember Felter.

Thank you, Mayor Bacon.

I want to reiterate that for me, this vote is not about the Chiefs.

It's about you.

It's about keeping Olatha's mill levy, the second lowest mill levy in the state of Kansas.

It's an affordability.

I know it's expensive for families.

Groceries cost more, everything.

Buying jeans for your kids.

Everything is expensive.

We are very sensitive to that.

So I believe in in attracting high quality development is a way to broaden our tax base, and then spreading the cost across that tax base is how you lower tax for the tax burden for everyone.

So it's about you.

And I know Mr.

Pierce is probably a phenomenal teacher.

When I hear you speak, I want to be in your class.

But Mr.

Pierce, you're comparing economic studies of a stadium.

This is not a stadium.

This is a stadium district in Wyndock County, and this is a headquarters district.

It's markedly different than the economic studies that you're you're telling us to look at.

You've got to compare apples and apples.

So with all due respect, I I would love to have a substantive conversation, but you've got to compare apples and apples in order for us to be able to do that, okay?

And I hope you teach here in Kansas.

We need great teachers.

Um we're glad to have you in Olatha, and you will love it even more a year from now.

So guys, this is a vote on my half for thoughtful growth, fiscal stewardship for Olatha's future.

Thank you.

Councilmember Vacus.

Ma'am, ma'am, you do not have the floor.

Please be quiet.

Councilmember Vacus has the floor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

So I come back to uh first of all, thanks.

Councilmember uh Felter for your comments, very germane.

And uh Councilmember Essex comments about the parcel of land, the 165 acres.

So that's owned by one family.

Oh, they are descendants of the original settlers.

It's homestead land.

It's been in the family for over a hundred years.

They've been trying to sell that land for over 20 years.

The right opportunity hasn't come up.

This is the right opportunity for them.

I think it's very important.

Look, I um I do not want for the moment to somehow come across as preaching to you, setting up here on the dais.

I'm telling you how things should be.

You know.

That's not what this is about.

And I appreciate again the number of people who are frustrated and have tried to latch on to the right information.

And it hasn't all come quite together, ideally.

I'm available one-on-one with anybody in this room.

If you want to meet in the next few weeks, email me.

I'm more than happy to meet, spend time with you, have coffee, give you my perspective, give you how this all came together in my mind, and share some details that maybe you haven't been able to frame up.

If that's helpful, I'm more than happy to do that.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Um I'll make a few comments.

Um at the end of the day, I'm excited that the Chiefs have decided to stay in our metropolitan area.

I think if if we want our property values to go down, uh the Chiefs leaving our metropolitan area would do just that.

There wouldn't be a reason to come to Olatha or Kansas City Metropolitan Area on weekends in the fall, like there is today.

Umfortunately, or fortunately, I've I've seen a lot of benefits that Olatha has reaped over the years from tax incentives.

Um we've built a lot of uh libraries, streets, um, community centers, parks.

A lot of benefits have come from Olatha, the time I've served on the council from tax incentives to try to bring businesses and jobs to our community.

So as far as this particular project, I I kind of agree with Councilmember Schoonover that this is a fairly easy uh decision tonight.

This is money that uh has going to be coming from a piece of property that has been sitting there for a lot of a lot of years.

And I've been told that it's difficult to develop on.

Um the Chiefs feel like this is a place where they can build a training facility and a headquarters and have success.

And uh from what I know about the Chiefs organization, they're very class organization.

I'm glad that we're they've invited us to be a part of it.

Um with that, I would uh like to see if anyone would like to make a motion on this particular ordinance 26-06.

Mayor, I'll make a motion.

Uh I move that we approve ordinance uh number 26-06.

Second.

We have a motion and a second with the city clerk, please call the roll.

Ms.

Essex.

Yes.

Mr.

Creighton.

Yes.

Mr.

Denult?

Yes.

Mr.

Bacon?

Yes.

Mr.

Skinover?

Yes.

Dr.

Felter?

Yes.

Mr.

Bacchus.

Yes.

Motion passes 7-0.

I would like to thank everybody that came and participated in our public hearing tonight for taking the time.

Your comments are very important to our uh process of of decision making.

I'm I'm personally excited about this particular opportunity for Olathe and the Chiefs, and not just the immediate project, but the site that's all around it that's not even in this area that we're pledging the revenue from.

So what's next?

This project will move forward as any other development would going through the standard city planning process, including a formal development agreement.

We obviously don't know uh exactly when that will be coming forward, but uh we will see this project again here as a city council.

The public will have opportunities to learn more about it.

And uh and as we move through the process, and you're welcome to come and to our meetings and give us your input.

So much more to come.

Thank you all for being here tonight as being part of this public hearing, and uh stay tuned.

We'll now move.

We'll we'll now move to um the consent agenda.

The items 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.

There will be no separate discussion unless a council member requests that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately.

Council, are there any such items tonight?

Seeing none, a motion to approve the consent agenda would be in order.

Yes, sir.

Seeing none, I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented, items A through L.

Second.

We have a motion and second with the city clerk, please call the roll.

Mr.

Creighton.

Yes.

Mr.

Denult?

Yes.

Mr.

Bacon?

Yes.

Mr.

Skinover?

Yes.

Dr.

Felter.

Yes.

Mr.

Bacchus?

Yes.

Ms.

Essex?

Yes.

Motion passes 70.

We'll now move to new business.

Item A is consideration ordinance number 26-07, which is RZ25-0017 requesting approval of a rezoning from the CTYRUR county rule to CT or C2 Community Center, R1 residential single family and RP1 Plan Single Family Districts to the CC, which is Cedar Creek District located southwest of College Boulevard and Cedar Creek Parkway.

Planning Commission recommended approval 7 to 1.

This zoning aligns with the Cedar Creek Area Plan and the plan a lay the comprehensive plan as the preferred zoning district in Cedar Creek.

Thank you, Mayor.

Ms.

Hollingsworth, if you were here just very briefly.

It's always stands out when there is a vote that is not unanimous by our planning commission.

We have a seven to one vote.

I read the minutes.

I watched the tape.

And I know that uh Mr.

Bergito was the one that dissented.

Um he didn't really uh at the wrap-up specifically say why he was not supportive.

I did read his comments and his line of questioning.

Um just very briefly.

Yeah, thank you.

Kim Hollingsworth, Planning and Development Manager.

So during the Planning Commission discussion, right?

So after our staff presentation, talked about a couple different things, and Commissioner Bergita did ask about the existing zoning that's on the property, and would it be more appropriate to leave that zoning in place and leave the R1 that is there to the South to have a transition?

Um but this zoning is intended to align with the Cedar Creek plan.

It was adopted back in 2012 and gives that ability to rezone to the Cedar Creek District.

Uses have already been pre-vetted and determined as part of that plan.

Um but there was really no further line of questioning that I can share.

Thank you.

I just wanted to make sure we weren't missing anything.

Thank you.

Any other questions on this item?

Seeing that a motion be in order.

Mayor, I move to approve ordinance number 26-07, RZ 25-0017.

Second.

We have a motion and a second with the city clerk, please call the roll.

Mr.

Denult.

Yes.

Mr.

Bacon?

Yes.

Mr.

Schoonover?

Yes.

Dr.

Felter?

Yes.

Mr.

Vacus.

Yes.

Ms.

Essex?

Yes.

Mr.

Creighton?

Yes.

Motion passes 70.

Item B is consideration boardin' number 26-08, which is annexation 26-001 requesting approval to annex approximately 4.70 acres located northeast of West 175th Street and Lone Elm Road.

This item was a report at our January 20th City Council meeting.

Is there a need for presentation or questions on this item?

Seeing that a motion be in order.

I move to approve.

Ordinance number 26-08.

That's ANX 26-3001.

Second.

We have a motion and a second with the city clerk, please call the roll.

Mr.

Bacon.

Yes.

Mr.

Schoonover?

Yes.

Dr.

Felter?

Yes.

Mr.

Vaucus?

Yes.

Ms.

Essex?

Yes.

Mr.

Creighton?

Yes.

Mr.

Denult?

Yes.

Motion passes 7-0.

Next on our agenda is general issues and concerns of citizens.

We have a speaker that has signed up to address the council tonight.

So would the city clerk please invite the individual up and give them the guidelines to address the council.

The city council has provided this opportunity for people to address the city council.

We ask that speakers are should address their remarks to the council, and council members are not required to respond.

Please treat others with kindness and respect.

Each speaker is allocated three minutes.

Tonight we have two speakers.

Please go to the podium, say your um name and address for the record.

Welcome.

Hi, good evening, Major, and good evening, City Concil.

Thank you so much for the support to Unity.

I appreciate it.

OEITA is spending 25 million dollars on a new animal shelter, and this is great.

We want this shelter to be a success.

But right now or laws are old.

They will force the city to take in every cat.

These this will make the new shelter too full and too expensive.

So we need trap neutral and return law to keep the shelter open for pets that can be adopted.

I also found a problem in the chapter 8.08.

The law says that we cannot feed wildlife.

This is too broad.

It means a person who will be fine for giving water to a bird during a drought.

Or loss, she'll not punish people for being kind to nature.

We need to fix these language.

Lastly, we need to change the pet limit.

If a good neighbor fixes five to eight cats to stop them from breeding, the city counts them as a personal pet.

This is not fair.

These cats are a service to the city.

They shall not count against the four pet limit.

And I haven't given you papers.

I'm sorry, I give you papers with all of these points.

And I want to help Olatha have better love.

I love Olatha.

We also have a trap and other return expert here tonight to explain how these works.

Her name is Carl Davis.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And we have your paper in front of us.

Thank you.

The next speaker.

Our second speaker is Carol Davis.

Please go to the podium, state your name and address for the record.

Welcome.

Thank you.

I'm Carol Davis and I'm uh 11816 Oakmont Street in Overland Park, but also in the Olatha School District, because I'm over here on the border.

Um so I'm a 32-year uh volunteer with local humane societies, a 22-year practitioner of trap needle return, and also cat adoption events.

Um I have personally done trap needle return in my own neighborhood of 41 cats in 2011 and then 27 cats in 2019.

Um this week uh was that uh Herbita understood that the changing of the ordinance may be under consideration this week, so we wanted to get it in front of you guys.

Um the current city ordinance discourages residents who want to help controlations by stopping uncontrolled breeding and births.

Fear of citations and fines for ownership of community cats makes residents less likely to voluntarily trap neuter return, TNR, community cats.

Briefly, community cats are a combination typically of stray abandoned cats, people who had cats move off and leave them or just put them out or whatever.

Um sometimes also feral cats.

If kittens are born to those um stray cats and they are not associating with humans, then they are never uh social, so they just become quote unquote then feral at that point.

Um the next point is that uh the ordinance uh as it is prohibits feeding to entice animals to trap them, and feeding to entice cats is necessary for them to be um trapped for sterilization.

Feeding a managed population provides free of charge rodent control and keeps cats out of resident and business trash cans, thereby reducing complaints to animal control.

These feedings are beneficial.

It would benefit the city to encourage residents to practice TNR to control cat populations.

I was copied on a Facebook post just today about a colony of a hundred and eighty cats on the east side of the metro area.

Um I will be sending you council members um a c two educational articles.

Um I didn't have time, I knew tonight.

Um and I hope they will only take 15 minutes to read, and I hope that you will take time to read them because this is a topic unfamiliar to most lay people.

Um I hope you'll watch for that in your mailbox and um read it and feel free to address to me any questions that you may have.

Um and I might also mention that an overlord park animal control supervisor told me just last week that they now support TNR in Overland Park due to lack of financial and staff resources for this issue.

So I hope that will encourage Olatha also to support TNR.

It's a win-win for the city and for your residents.

Nobody wants 41 cats in the neighborhood.

Trust me, I've been there.

I'll take your word for it.

Don't worry.

Okay.

That's all the speakers that we have signed up for general issues and concerns.

I'm going to move to additional items.

I'm going to start on my left tonight.

Councilmember Creighton.

Thank you, Mayor.

Two items.

First of all, I'd just like to take a moment to welcome Susan Sherman as our new city manager.

Looking forward to working with you.

It's been my pleasure to have uh known you for well over 25 years, and I know how much you love the city and uh the way you give them back, not only did in your role with the city, but the way you have given back to the community.

So thank you for that.

Second thing that I would like to do, and and I want to recognize something that took place on Saturday, and we're in random acts of kindness.

And uh I was uh able to be a part of a uh fun, except I don't run, I walk in two-degree temperature at the health partnership clinic walk on Saturday.

Um I was uh there with Mayor Bacon, Mayor Pro Tambakis, uh Councilmember Denul, and uh enjoyed that opportunity.

Health Partnership Clinic is available to help those who have uh financial needs, and they do not have the uh health insurance or the they may have high deductibles, and Health Partnership Clinic has a facility here in Olatha.

They also serve besides Johnson County, Franklin and Miami County, they do the great work.

There were scores of walkers, and to show how much this community cares in this tri-county area, that event alone raised at least sixty thousand dollars.

And so that needs to be celebrated as it because there's a lot of kindness in the community.

Thank you.

Very good.

Councilmember Scudover.

Thank you, Mayor.

And yes, welcome, Susan, officially.

It's great to have you sitting in that chair, excited for all of the wonderful things that uh uh that you'll do in that role and and certainly look forward to working with you.

Um I would say um, you know, nationally, I I know it's obviously been uh a difficult time since since uh we last met.

Um I would say that Olatha has a wonderful um Hispanic community.

Um we have uh many neighbors uh um uh who I know are are feeling insecure, who are feeling um well, at risk.

And and I just want to say uh to our neighbors, to to everybody that lives here, you are welcome here.

Um and we are glad that you are here.

Councilmember Felter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um tonight was such a great example of civil discourse at its highest order, if you ask me.

Um I think it showed off that Olatha's strength is long-term planning for growth and um acting responsibly and how much we care so deeply for each other and for the wild life.

Who knew?

I have so many questions about the neutering part.

Like, is it at at home kit?

And I so I'll I'll talk to you later.

I mean, those numbers are astronomical.

And then we have a coyote situation going on.

Can't can they work together?

I don't know.

We'll strategically talk about this.

I'm a big wildlife fan, but we do not want uh packs of cats and coyotes going on.

Umgratulations, Susan.

We are so excited to have you at the helm.

Um it's um you can feel the anticipation almost like static in the air.

My mom has static-y hair, and it's like her hair standing up.

That's how I feel it in the air right here.

The executive teams thrilled, and it's so neat to just feel that kind of fire in the belly, and I can't wait to see what you're gonna do.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Vacus.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, again, my congratulations to our new city manager.

So 37 years in the making.

Now we can stop holding back and really turn on the pressure.

So that's good.

Hey, I want to take a moment and talk about two things.

First, thanks very much to the two ladies that stepped up to talk about uh animal and uh wildlife ordinances.

We do need to modernize our ordinance.

There's no doubt about it.

And we're beginning to look at that now.

You know, the uh the approval of our new animal shelter is key, long overdue.

And finally we'll build a facility befitting for Olatha and big enough to actually establish a TNR program.

We haven't had it before.

We haven't had the space.

We now will have the space.

In TRAP, neuter, spay and relays, it works well.

Now there's a funding issue.

It's not free, so we have to work our way through how we're going to fund the TNR program, but there's no doubt we need it.

And there's no doubt we have feral cat populations in Olathe that deserves some special attention.

Period.

Second, I want to uh uh thank Wade Kiefer who stepped up to talk with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Um as we look at the volume of state investment coming to Olatha over the next three years.

It's time that we examine what's called an RBO, a responsible uh bidder's ordinance.

So I'd offer that to the uh city attorney to begin to take a look at later in the year.

He can bring that up for our consideration.

It's a common sense thing.

We're moving into the big time.

We need an RBO.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Essex.

Thank you, Mayor.

I also want to welcome Susan Sherman.

How was that for your first council meeting?

Um you were we just poured you right in.

So anyway, so glad to have you.

And also I just wanted to make a comment about my favorite part of our council meetings is when we hear from our high school students when we're celebrating their successes, and they were up here with each having a part to play on how to have random acts of kindness week and how to celebrate that.

So I just love that they're involved, and I want to invite them back anytime.

Thanks so much.

Councilmember Denult.

Yeah.

Um Susan, thank you for welcoming me.

Welcoming uh me.

I know this uh has been uh busy uh with with you transitioning and then bringing Jeff and I on board and big projects.

It's it's been busy, but I appreciate it.

I'm very excited for for the next years.

Um I want to mention Starfish Project real quick.

Um if anybody isn't aware of who they are and what they do, they're an organization in Olatha that helps underserved uh people in our community.

I volunteer there.

They do great work.

Uh they're bursting at the seams, and I've heard they need to move.

Um but my my uh comment is if you have time to volunteer, um, love to join you out there.

Um they can always use the help.

Um and then, hey, if you know of a place they could move, uh they might be looking to find out.

So thank you.

City manager Susan Sherman.

Thank you.

Thank you all city council members.

I uh you know how excited I am to uh be in this chair and get to uh lead a great um organization with you and in the community.

Um so thank you.

Thank you so much for the opportunity.

Um I also want to take a minute to say thank you for the work that all every single one of you put in toward what you just voted on.

That was a lot of work, a lot of questions.

We threw a lot of information to you, whether um it was in person or um on email.

And I I just want to thank you.

I know it took a lot of your time away from your families to read all that and study it.

And um our staff appreciates um you engaging in that and asking so many great questions of us over the really the last week.

It's just been a lot.

So thank you uh for for that as well.

Thank you.

And then uh I would just remind everybody that we have a work session on Thursday to talk about the 2040 uh strategic plan.

So but before that event, I've got to join the Olatha Mayor's Children's Fund to thank the Olatha Public Schools for their support of our pennies for shoes campaign.

So I might just be a few minutes late.

But anyway, every year Olatha students and teachers are the biggest donors to the Olatha Mayor's Children's Fund.

This year, they alone raised over $36,000.

It's the second highest total that they've ever raised.

So congratulations to the students and the teachers and the parents.

I know they were probably asked to empty their pockets once in a while uh for support that so for supporting this fundraiser.

Two weeks from tonight, we get to do one of my favorite things, and that is to hand out the checks and to grants to all of these charity partners that we have that do wonderful work in our community.

So we'll announce at that time how much money the entire campaign raised this year.

I can tell you right now, it's the highest we've ever raised in a single year for the mayor's children's fund, and it's over 200,000.

So uh that's good news for all these charity partners too.

So with that, I'll thank everyone for coming tonight, listening in, paying attention, uh, listen to our deliberation, and we are adjourned.