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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Overland Park City Council Meeting - May 18, 2026

City Council — Monday, May 18, 2026

BodyOverland Park, Kansas

SessionCity Council

DateMonday, May 18, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:20:00

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

First, I want to thank everybody for their patience in uh uh in uh giving us time for a restroom break between our solid waste task force report our and our uh report and uh and our council meeting.

0:17

So thank you very much.

0:18

Uh called this uh the uh council meeting for Monday, May 18th, 2026 to order.

0:25

Kirk, please clerk, please call the roll.

0:27

My tongue is not working.

0:28

Mayor Kurt Scoog?

0:30

Here, Council President Cheatham here.

0:32

Council members Healy here.

0:34

Grummert.

0:34

Here, letrician here or Laza?

0:37

Here.

0:37

Scrivener, Antrim here, Reese.

0:41

Tame here.

0:42

Eunice here, Beck.

0:44

Here.

0:44

Newland.

0:45

Over here.

0:46

Ms.

0:46

Scrivener has an excused absence, and we welcome Ms.

0:49

Grummert back from eighth grade graduation.

0:51

So uh please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:55

I graduated once to the fund of the United States of America.

1:06

One nation under God.

1:09

Liberty and justice for all.

1:18

Needs obviously need to provide more detail.

1:22

With that, we go to item number one, which is uh oh, I'm sorry, the open public comment period.

1:28

We've had nine people uh sign up for open public comment period.

1:34

Uh just so if you haven't looked at the agenda, we also have a public hearing on the operating budget.

1:41

Um so it'll work the same way either way, where if you want to do it when I call you or wait till we do that.

1:48

Uh, but um either way, what I do is I'll call your name.

1:52

Uh you'll come up to the podium over here.

1:54

There's a little three different colored three lights green, yellow, red on the corner.

1:59

You have three minutes to share your thoughts with us.

2:03

Um so when uh uh you can see the countdown, but when the light turns red, if you're still speaking, if you could wrap up your comments, we would appreciate it very much.

2:14

And so what I'll do is I'll call the first three if you would line up, uh, or if you're gonna wait, just wave your hand.

2:21

Uh so first we have Parker Heinz, Jeff Lee, and Paul Young.

2:29

If you could line up in that order, that would be great.

2:37

And if you could give your name and address when you start.

2:41

So uh Parker, welcome.

2:43

Yes, Parker Heinsey, uh 9016 Lowell Avenue.

2:47

Last month I received an email from KC Disposal about Overland Park moving to a citywide single trash service.

2:54

I also received a survey about this last November, and I am in favor of the switch to a contract or city service.

3:00

As I believe the city can negotiate a better rate for its collective citizens.

3:04

The current rate that I pay for Casey disposal is $43 per month or $516 a year for trash recycling yard waste pickup from April to October and one large item pickup each July.

3:18

This large item pickup has been has so many exclusions that I have not been able to utilize the service that they must provide as an Overland Park licensed waste management company.

3:28

In addition, for the past three years, I have received in the mail each March a letter saying in big terms that Casey Disposal will be raising the price of the service for me.

3:38

When I have called them each year to ask how much specifically the price would be raised, they said that they will cancel the price increase on my account.

3:46

I appreciate that.

3:47

However, for a lot of my neighbors, I worry that they would just accept this vague price hike year after year.

3:53

I am deeply in support of the switch to city operated or city contracted trash service.

3:58

Even at $26 a month, that'd be about half of what I pay now.

4:02

I do believe that the city operation would be a better long-term solution despite the larger upfront cost, and it helped to isolate against inflation and add an additional 29 to 41 jobs to the local community.

4:20

That my trash service would drastically increase the price during this time.

4:28

Thank you very much.

4:36

Jeff, you're up next.

4:54

Well, first off, I'm on the environmental council NEC both.

5:00

I've been active and known a lot of you for a long time.

5:05

Get to know the rest of you coming along.

5:08

I'm in favor of the multi-zone idea.

5:11

My reason for that is that at the end of a contract period, you still have multiple people who have the equipment and manpower to bid.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Zoning And Development█████████████████████████████29%

Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████14%

Procedural█████████████13%

Waste Management██████████10%

Active Transportation█████████9%

Affordable Housing████████8%

Public Engagement██████6%

Environmental Protection████4%

Mental Health Awareness███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Overland Park City Council Meeting - May 18, 2026

The Overland Park City Council met on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 7:00 PM (with a recess at 8:30 PM) to discuss a range of topics including solid waste services, the 2027 operating budget, the Unified Development Ordinance update, and public safety. The meeting included a public comment period, a public hearing on the budget, proclamations, and a report from the committee of the whole on solid waste.

Consent Calendar

Approved the consent agenda by a vote of 11-0.
Appointments: New appointment to the Legacy of Greenery Committee and reappointment to the Independent Advisory Board on Racial Profiling and Other Non-Biased Policing were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Parker Heinz (9016 Lowell Avenue) expressed strong support for switching to citywide single trash service, citing current high rates ($43/month) and difficulty using large-item pickup. He stated a city contract could save money and add local jobs.
Jeff Lee (address not given, identified as member of Environmental Advisory Council) expressed support for a multi-zone contract system to maintain competition and avoid monopoly. He also favored city contract option and criticized inefficiency of multiple trash trucks on one street.
Paul Young (5405 West 79th Street, Prairie Village) spoke against the bike lane and parking configuration on Lamar Avenue. He argued the design does not meet National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) guidelines, creating a dangerous "dooring" risk for cyclists and unsafe exit for drivers. He provided handouts and photos.
Jamie Kleester (9901 El Monte Street, Chair of Environmental Advisory Council) urged the council to fund composting programs, evaluate e-bike share expansion, plan for solid waste study implementation, maintain funding for the recycling center, and support the urban forest plan.
Sarah Prem (8721 West 81st Street, Chair of CDBG Citizen Advisory Committee) urged the council to annually allocate $425,000 from contingency funds to support essential public service agencies vetted by the CAC, replacing lost CDBG funds due to federal changes. She emphasized housing stabilization for low- and moderate-income residents.
Greg Gehrig (5609 West 97 Terrace, member of CAC) echoed Sarah Prem's request, emphasizing that $425,000 is less than 0.17% of the city's budget and essential for fair housing. He warned that staff has suggested disbanding the CAC, but HUD requires citizen participation.
Craig Wilson (9854 Rosewood Drive, President of Apple Valley Estates Homes Association) opposed mandatory city trash service, arguing his HOA's current provider offers better amenities (95-gallon containers, year-round yard waste, monthly bulky pickup) at a lower price than proposed city options. He requested an opt-out option for HOAs.
Doug Stone (address not given, avid cyclist, board member of Cycling Kansas City, MARC Transportation Committee) agreed with Paul Young, stating the Lamar bike lane design does not meet NACTO standards and is dangerous. He warned that sovereign immunity might not protect the city if someone is injured.

Public Hearing on 2027 Operating Budget

No additional speakers came forward. The public hearing was closed.

Proclamations & Reports

National Public Works Week (May 17-23, 2026) proclaimed. Council member Healy read the proclamation; Public Works staff recognized.
Mental Health Awareness Month (May 2026) proclaimed. Council member Newland read the proclamation; Dr. [name not given] from the Mental Health Advisory Council thanked the council.
City Manager Lori Curtis Luther announced the opening of the city's first brand store on Wednesday, coinciding with the city's 66th anniversary.

Discussion Items

Comprehensive Solid Waste Study (Committee of the Whole report): Council President Cheatham reported that the council voted to move forward with plans to improve trash and recycling services. This is the beginning of a process to establish city service, with a timeline requiring public hearings, a plan, and an ordinance. A new program would begin no earlier than January 2029. The council unanimously approved the recommendation.
Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Update: Danielle Holler and staff presented a schedule leading to a discussion draft by end of 2026 and adoption in Q1 2027. Key policy discussion topics identified: housing (accessory dwelling units, duplexes, lot sizes), commercial areas (design standards, drive-throughs, walkability), standards and procedures (by-right vs discretionary approvals), and code adoption. Council members raised questions about data centers, preferred vs supported uses, and the downtown form-based code. Staff noted that some topics may be addressed in the draft or in future annual updates. Council was asked to focus on policy consensus to keep the project on schedule.

Key Outcomes

Solid Waste: The council adopted the recommendation from the committee of the whole to proceed with establishing city-operated or contracted solid waste services, with a target start of January 2029. (Vote: unanimous aye)
UDO Update: Staff will proceed with the outlined schedule. Council members will receive pre-meeting materials for upcoming policy discussions. The next meeting on UDO is expected at the second council meeting in June (housing topics).
Appointments: Approved as presented.
Consent Agenda: Approved 11-0.

Meeting Transcript

First, I want to thank everybody for their patience in uh uh in uh giving us time for a restroom break between our solid waste task force report our and our uh report and uh and our council meeting. So thank you very much. Uh called this uh the uh council meeting for Monday, May 18th, 2026 to order. Kirk, please clerk, please call the roll. My tongue is not working. Mayor Kurt Scoog? Here, Council President Cheatham here. Council members Healy here. Grummert. Here, letrician here or Laza? Here. Scrivener, Antrim here, Reese. Tame here. Eunice here, Beck. Here. Newland. Over here. Ms. Scrivener has an excused absence, and we welcome Ms. Grummert back from eighth grade graduation. So uh please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I graduated once to the fund of the United States of America. One nation under God. Liberty and justice for all. Needs obviously need to provide more detail. With that, we go to item number one, which is uh oh, I'm sorry, the open public comment period. We've had nine people uh sign up for open public comment period. Uh just so if you haven't looked at the agenda, we also have a public hearing on the operating budget. Um so it'll work the same way either way, where if you want to do it when I call you or wait till we do that. Uh, but um either way, what I do is I'll call your name. Uh you'll come up to the podium over here. There's a little three different colored three lights green, yellow, red on the corner. You have three minutes to share your thoughts with us. Um so when uh uh you can see the countdown, but when the light turns red, if you're still speaking, if you could wrap up your comments, we would appreciate it very much. And so what I'll do is I'll call the first three if you would line up, uh, or if you're gonna wait, just wave your hand. Uh so first we have Parker Heinz, Jeff Lee, and Paul Young. If you could line up in that order, that would be great. And if you could give your name and address when you start. So uh Parker, welcome. Yes, Parker Heinsey, uh 9016 Lowell Avenue. Last month I received an email from KC Disposal about Overland Park moving to a citywide single trash service. I also received a survey about this last November, and I am in favor of the switch to a contract or city service. As I believe the city can negotiate a better rate for its collective citizens. The current rate that I pay for Casey disposal is $43 per month or $516 a year for trash recycling yard waste pickup from April to October and one large item pickup each July. This large item pickup has been has so many exclusions that I have not been able to utilize the service that they must provide as an Overland Park licensed waste management company. In addition, for the past three years, I have received in the mail each March a letter saying in big terms that Casey Disposal will be raising the price of the service for me. When I have called them each year to ask how much specifically the price would be raised, they said that they will cancel the price increase on my account. I appreciate that. However, for a lot of my neighbors, I worry that they would just accept this vague price hike year after year. I am deeply in support of the switch to city operated or city contracted trash service.

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