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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Shawnee City Commission Regular Meeting - October 20, 2025

Board of City Commissioners — Monday, October 20, 2025

BodyShawnee, Oklahoma

SessionBoard of City Commissioners

DateMonday, October 20, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

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Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:17

Thank you, ma'am.

Unassigned speaker

0:18

I'd

Speaker 1

0:18

like to call Commissioner Matthews to give the invitation, please.

0:21

We'd all stand.

Speaker 2

0:25

Thank you for bringing us here safely to consider the business of our city, where we ask for wisdom as we consider each issue.

0:31

Let me pray for those in our community that may need uh special help or assistance tonight, Lord, be with them.

0:37

We thank you for uh everyone here, Lord.

0:40

Pray for our first responders tonight, be with them as the one was leaving just as we came in, Lord.

0:45

Uh we asked for blessings on our city and she's taken.

0:48

Amen.

Speaker 1

0:49

Join me in the Pledge of Living.

0:50

Pledge of Allegiance.

0:55

Congratulations.

1:09

All right.

1:11

Good evening, everybody.

1:14

Start off.

1:15

Item number one, citizen participation.

1:17

As you always three-minute limit per person, 12-minute limit per topic.

1:25

And we will get started with Mr.

1:27

John Bob Simple.

Unassigned speaker

1:33

Good

Speaker 3

1:33

evening, Mayor.

1:35

Commissioners.

1:36

Uh wanting to come before you today to talk to you about something special that happened on October the 8th.

1:42

Uh, our community joined thousands across the nation to celebrate National Walk Bike and World of School Day.

1:49

A day that highlights the importance of safe routes and active lifestyles for our youngest residents here in Shawnee.

1:56

Here in Shawnee is a really great picture of collaboration as three school districts, Showney Public Schools, Pleasant Grove, and Grove, all participated and came together on a single morning, full of movement, connection, and I would say community pride.

2:12

Across districts, we have about 1,400 students, families, staff, and volunteers that participated.

2:19

Last year was about 850.

2:21

So a lot more came out and joined.

2:23

We were walking and biking and rolling to school in neighborhoods all across the city.

2:28

I want to thank you, say thank you to the commissioners that were able to join us.

Unassigned speaker

2:32

Part of what we go was crowd to serve as just one of several partners who are supporting these efforts alongside Shawnee Public Schools, the city of Shawnee, Shawnee Police and Fire Department, and the dozens of local volunteers who ensure that students were able to get to school safely that day.

Speaker 3

2:52

Another great highlight was the celebration was uh joint fifth grade exercise where we walked from Sequoia Elementary to Kids Space Park, where students from all three districts gathered for games led by PE teachers.

3:06

Uh laughter and friendships were made.

3:09

It was really a fun event.

3:11

Uh it was a living example of what can happen when schools and our city departments and our community partners align around the shared goal.

3:20

Helping kids get to school safely and arrive ready to learn.

3:25

The day also reminded us, in me in particular, I would say uh the reality that many families face.

3:32

Elementary students living within three-quarters of a mile of Showney schools, and the middle and high school students, a mile or mile and a half, well, they have to walk uh or ride, or they rely upon their parent driving them to school.

3:47

For families without access to a vehicle, walking and biking to school is an option.

3:53

Uh it's actually essential to education.

3:55

That's why our safe route, sidewalks, and crossings uh and safe crossings matter so deeply.

4:01

This event wasn't just a celebration of movement, it's a snapshot of what a connected, healthy, and caring Shawnee looks like.

4:28

Thank you,

Speaker 1

4:29

John.

Unassigned speaker

4:30

And

Speaker 1

4:30

next up we have Mrs.

4:31

Stacey Kramer Moore.

Speaker 4

4:37

Hi, Mayors, Commissioners, and friends here and on YouTube.

4:40

Thank you for letting me speak tonight.

4:42

I am with the Department of Tourism, and we are hosting an empty buildings tour this week.

4:48

Uh think of what's your open house only for commercial property.

4:51

That's really how this will work.

4:53

You don't need a ticket, there's not particularly a start or stopping point.

4:56

It's self-guided.

Unassigned speaker

4:57

So if you have just a few minutes, you want to just look at one property, you can.

Speaker 4

5:00

If you want to spend all afternoon or all evening downtown, you're sure welcome to do that as well.

5:05

So the buildings will be open Wednesday, October 22 from 2 to 5.

5:09

And then it will be open again Thursday evening from 5 to 8.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Engagement██████████████████18%

Homelessness███████████11%

Public Works█████████9%

Zoning████████8%

Capital Improvement Planning████████8%

Budget Equity Analysis████████8%

Active Transportation███████7%

Animal Welfare██████6%

Economic Development█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Shawnee Board of City Commissioners Meeting - October 20, 2025

The Shawnee Board of City Commissioners met in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 20, 2025, in Commission Chambers at City Hall, 16 West 9th Street, Shawnee, Oklahoma. Mayor Eric Stephens presided; all seven commissioners were present, and a quorum was declared. The meeting covered a consent calendar, citizen comments, the Pet of the Month, three resolutions, a public hearing and conditional use permit, two bid items, and the monthly sales tax report. The meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m.

Consent Calendar

Approved the minutes of the September 15, 2025 regular meeting.
Acknowledged Planning Commission minutes from August 6 and September 3, 2025; Shawnee Beautification, Parks, and Recreation Committee minutes from August 21, 2025; and the License Payment and Project Payment reports for September 2025.
Approved Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget amendments for the General Fund (Fire), Grant Fund (Emergency Management, 2023 tornado), Capital Improvement Fund (Fire, Police, Street, American Rescue Plan), and Insurance Recovery Fund (Police).
Acknowledged the immediate resignation of Jamie Hembree from the Shawnee Planning Commission and the City of Shawnee Holiday Schedule for 2026.
Accepted Georg Fischer Central Plastics public infrastructure and placed maintenance bonds into effect.
Accepted Right-of-Way Utility Easement Agreements for the Southwest Loop Waterline project in Sections 24 and 25, Township 10 North, Range 3 East.
Approved a Honeywell agreement for the alerting system at Fire Station No. 3.
Approved purchases of an E-One Rescue Pumper (Sourcewell), a 2026 Ram 2500 for the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center, a 2026 Freightliner 108SD PLUS and two Chevrolet Silverado 3500s for Street/Building Maintenance, a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 for Building Maintenance, and a Chevrolet Silverado 5500 for Traffic, all through state bidding under the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan.
Acknowledged Change Order No. 1 for the Lowe's Water Line project.
Consent Agenda Items 2(a-p) were approved unanimously, 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

John Bob-Semple highlighted the October 8 National Walk Bike and Roll to School Day, reporting about 1,400 students, families, staff, and volunteers across three school districts participated, up from about 850 the prior year. He described safe routes, sidewalks, and crossings as essential for students and thanked city departments and partners.
Stacy Cramer-Moore, with the Department of Tourism, announced a self-guided downtown empty buildings tour on Wednesday, October 22 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., showcasing both vacant and occupied commercial spaces.
Kenneth Crawford expressed concerns about the Shawnee airport, stating that two of seven airport advisory board members reside outside Pottawatomie County and a third member's residency could not be verified. He criticized the 55-year YMCA lease on airport land as being advanced in executive session and asked the Commission to restore transparency, codify residency/voter requirements, require quorum verification in minutes, and review executive session processes.
Glenn Peck promoted the 42nd annual Salvation Army spaghetti dinner on Thursday, October 23, describing the Salvation Army's five-county service area, Angel Trees, clothing closet, food pantry, and disaster relief work, and praising Shawnee's current leadership.

Discussion Items

Pet of the Month: Animal Control Officer Trel Meyers introduced the Pet of the Month, identified as 'Little Red' in the minutes and 'Little Rose' in the transcript, an approximately seven-month-old canine available for adoption. For September, Animal Control started with 20 dogs and 6 cats, took in 20 more dogs and 6 cats, sent out 34 dogs and 7 cats, and ended with 15 dogs and 1 cat.
CDBG Closeout: Interim Community Development Director Petya Stefanoff explained that the City received a COVID-19 Community Development Block Grant from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for mental health services, mortgage/rental assistance, nutrition assistance, utility assistance, and program administration. The resolution authorized the Mayor and staff to sign closeout documents and return unused funds; Resolution No. 6778 was approved 7-0.
Bridge Inspectors: Director of Engineering Seth Barkhimer stated the City is required to inspect NBI bridges every other year and recommended using Circuit Engineering District No. 4 for the 2026 cycle, which has handled inspections since 2016. Resolution No. 6779, selecting the bridge inspectors, was approved 7-0.
Wallace Street Sidewalk TAP Application: Seth Barkhimer presented a resubmission for an ODOT Transportation Alternatives Program grant to construct ADA-compliant sidewalks on Wallace Street from Kickapoo to Harrison. The grant would cover up to 80% of the cost, with the City committed to the remaining 20%. Resolution No. 6780 was approved 7-0.
Short-Term Rental Conditional Use Permit: Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval of a CUP for a short-term rental at 730 North Pennsylvania Avenue (Case No. CUP02-25, applicant Penny Schultz). Mayor Stephens opened the public hearing; the applicant appeared in favor and no one spoke against it. The hearing was closed, and the Commission approved the CUP 7-0.
Southwest Loop Watermain Bid: Sixteen bids were received for Project No. 25-1040-01. Staff recommended awarding the base bid to Sooner Site Utility & Construction, LLC, of Oklahoma City, in the amount of $1,436,364.00. The award was approved 7-0.
Sewer Bursting FY26 Bid: Two bids were received for Project No. 25-119. The engineer's estimate was $1,418,002.50 for the base bid and $838,487.50 for the add alternate, but the bids significantly exceeded the available budget. Staff explained costs were driven up by required trenching and replacement due to DEQ permit conditions and the depth of the line (about 25 feet). The Commission approved the recommendation to reject all bids and have staff revise the project scope and priorities before re-advertising, with the goal of returning by the end of the year.
Monthly Sales Tax Report: The Finance Director reported October sales tax collections of $2,432,333.31, including $3,321.17 in interest, a 5.23% increase over October 2024. October collections were 5.53% below budget projections but 0.47% above year-to-date; year-to-date sales tax was $48,869 (2.40%) above projections. Use tax for October totaled $391,792.97, down 1.60% for the month; year-to-date use tax was $21,223 (1.37%) below projections. The General Fund was $3,211 above budget.

Key Outcomes

All formal motions carried 7-0: consent calendar, Resolutions No. 6778, 6779, and 6780, the Conditional Use Permit, and the Southwest Loop Watermain bid award.
All bids for the Shawnee Sewer Bursting FY26 project were rejected; staff will revise, reprioritize, and repackage the project scope and re-advertise within the fiscal year budget.
The monthly sales tax report was acknowledged.
No new business was brought forward.
During commissioner comments, members highlighted ribbon cuttings for Georg Fischer Central Plastics, the Shawnee Animal Shelter, Fire Station No. 3, and Shawnee Hall at Oklahoma Baptist University, as well as the downtown empty buildings tour. Upcoming events announced included the Salvation Army spaghetti dinner on October 23, Fall Fest on November 1, the United Way GALA on November 8, and the Christmas parade on December 12, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you, ma'am. I'd like to call Commissioner Matthews to give the invitation, please. We'd all stand. Thank you for bringing us here safely to consider the business of our city, where we ask for wisdom as we consider each issue. Let me pray for those in our community that may need uh special help or assistance tonight, Lord, be with them. We thank you for uh everyone here, Lord. Pray for our first responders tonight, be with them as the one was leaving just as we came in, Lord. Uh we asked for blessings on our city and she's taken. Amen. Join me in the Pledge of Living. Pledge of Allegiance. Congratulations. All right. Good evening, everybody. Start off. Item number one, citizen participation. As you always three-minute limit per person, 12-minute limit per topic. And we will get started with Mr. John Bob Simple. Good evening, Mayor. Commissioners. Uh wanting to come before you today to talk to you about something special that happened on October the 8th. Uh, our community joined thousands across the nation to celebrate National Walk Bike and World of School Day. A day that highlights the importance of safe routes and active lifestyles for our youngest residents here in Shawnee. Here in Shawnee is a really great picture of collaboration as three school districts, Showney Public Schools, Pleasant Grove, and Grove, all participated and came together on a single morning, full of movement, connection, and I would say community pride. Across districts, we have about 1,400 students, families, staff, and volunteers that participated. Last year was about 850. So a lot more came out and joined. We were walking and biking and rolling to school in neighborhoods all across the city. I want to thank you, say thank you to the commissioners that were able to join us. Part of what we go was crowd to serve as just one of several partners who are supporting these efforts alongside Shawnee Public Schools, the city of Shawnee, Shawnee Police and Fire Department, and the dozens of local volunteers who ensure that students were able to get to school safely that day. Another great highlight was the celebration was uh joint fifth grade exercise where we walked from Sequoia Elementary to Kids Space Park, where students from all three districts gathered for games led by PE teachers. Uh laughter and friendships were made. It was really a fun event. Uh it was a living example of what can happen when schools and our city departments and our community partners align around the shared goal. Helping kids get to school safely and arrive ready to learn. The day also reminded us, in me in particular, I would say uh the reality that many families face. Elementary students living within three-quarters of a mile of Showney schools, and the middle and high school students, a mile or mile and a half, well, they have to walk uh or ride, or they rely upon their parent driving them to school. For families without access to a vehicle, walking and biking to school is an option. Uh it's actually essential to education. That's why our safe route, sidewalks, and crossings uh and safe crossings matter so deeply. This event wasn't just a celebration of movement, it's a snapshot of what a connected, healthy, and caring Shawnee looks like. Thank you, John. And next up we have Mrs. Stacey Kramer Moore. Hi, Mayors, Commissioners, and friends here and on YouTube.

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Shawnee Board of City Commissioners Meeting - October 20, 2025

Consent Calendar

Approved the minutes of the September 15, 2025 regular meeting.

Acknowledged Planning Commission minutes from August 6 and September 3, 2025; Shawnee Beautification, Parks, and Recreation Committee minutes from August 21, 2025; and the License Payment and Project Payment reports for September 2025.

Approved Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget amendments for the General Fund (Fire), Grant Fund (Emergency Management, 2023 tornado), Capital Improvement Fund (Fire, Police, Street, American Rescue Plan), and Insurance Recovery Fund (Police).

Acknowledged the immediate resignation of Jamie Hembree from the Shawnee Planning Commission and the City of Shawnee Holiday Schedule for 2026.

Accepted Georg Fischer Central Plastics public infrastructure and placed maintenance bonds into effect.

Accepted Right-of-Way Utility Easement Agreements for the Southwest Loop Waterline project in Sections 24 and 25, Township 10 North, Range 3 East.

Approved a Honeywell agreement for the alerting system at Fire Station No. 3.

Approved purchases of an E-One Rescue Pumper (Sourcewell), a 2026 Ram 2500 for the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center, a 2026 Freightliner 108SD PLUS and two Chevrolet Silverado 3500s for Street/Building Maintenance, a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 for Building Maintenance, and a Chevrolet Silverado 5500 for Traffic, all through state bidding under the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan.

Acknowledged Change Order No. 1 for the Lowe's Water Line project.

Consent Agenda Items 2(a-p) were approved unanimously, 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

John Bob-Semple highlighted the October 8 National Walk Bike and Roll to School Day, reporting about 1,400 students, families, staff, and volunteers across three school districts participated, up from about 850 the prior year. He described safe routes, sidewalks, and crossings as essential for students and thanked city departments and partners.

Stacy Cramer-Moore, with the Department of Tourism, announced a self-guided downtown empty buildings tour on Wednesday, October 22 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., showcasing both vacant and occupied commercial spaces.

Kenneth Crawford expressed concerns about the Shawnee airport, stating that two of seven airport advisory board members reside outside Pottawatomie County and a third member's residency could not be verified. He criticized the 55-year YMCA lease on airport land as being advanced in executive session and asked the Commission to restore transparency, codify residency/voter requirements, require quorum verification in minutes, and review executive session processes.

Glenn Peck promoted the 42nd annual Salvation Army spaghetti dinner on Thursday, October 23, describing the Salvation Army's five-county service area, Angel Trees, clothing closet, food pantry, and disaster relief work, and praising Shawnee's current leadership.

Discussion Items

Pet of the Month: Animal Control Officer Trel Meyers introduced the Pet of the Month, identified as 'Little Red' in the minutes and 'Little Rose' in the transcript, an approximately seven-month-old canine available for adoption. For September, Animal Control started with 20 dogs and 6 cats, took in 20 more dogs and 6 cats, sent out 34 dogs and 7 cats, and ended with 15 dogs and 1 cat.

CDBG Closeout: Interim Community Development Director Petya Stefanoff explained that the City received a COVID-19 Community Development Block Grant from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for mental health services, mortgage/rental assistance, nutrition assistance, utility assistance, and program administration. The resolution authorized the Mayor and staff to sign closeout documents and return unused funds; Resolution No. 6778 was approved 7-0.

Bridge Inspectors: Director of Engineering Seth Barkhimer stated the City is required to inspect NBI bridges every other year and recommended using Circuit Engineering District No. 4 for the 2026 cycle, which has handled inspections since 2016. Resolution No. 6779, selecting the bridge inspectors, was approved 7-0.

Wallace Street Sidewalk TAP Application: Seth Barkhimer presented a resubmission for an ODOT Transportation Alternatives Program grant to construct ADA-compliant sidewalks on Wallace Street from Kickapoo to Harrison. The grant would cover up to 80% of the cost, with the City committed to the remaining 20%. Resolution No. 6780 was approved 7-0.

Short-Term Rental Conditional Use Permit: Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval of a CUP for a short-term rental at 730 North Pennsylvania Avenue (Case No. CUP02-25, applicant Penny Schultz). Mayor Stephens opened the public hearing; the applicant appeared in favor and no one spoke against it. The hearing was closed, and the Commission approved the CUP 7-0.

Southwest Loop Watermain Bid: Sixteen bids were received for Project No. 25-1040-01. Staff recommended awarding the base bid to Sooner Site Utility & Construction, LLC, of Oklahoma City, in the amount of $1,436,364.00. The award was approved 7-0.

Sewer Bursting FY26 Bid: Two bids were received for Project No. 25-119. The engineer's estimate was $1,418,002.50 for the base bid and $838,487.50 for the add alternate, but the bids significantly exceeded the available budget. Staff explained costs were driven up by required trenching and replacement due to DEQ permit conditions and the depth of the line (about 25 feet). The Commission approved the recommendation to reject all bids and have staff revise the project scope and priorities before re-advertising, with the goal of returning by the end of the year.

Monthly Sales Tax Report: The Finance Director reported October sales tax collections of $2,432,333.31, including $3,321.17 in interest, a 5.23% increase over October 2024. October collections were 5.53% below budget projections but 0.47% above year-to-date; year-to-date sales tax was $48,869 (2.40%) above projections. Use tax for October totaled $391,792.97, down 1.60% for the month; year-to-date use tax was $21,223 (1.37%) below projections. The General Fund was $3,211 above budget.

Key Outcomes

All formal motions carried 7-0: consent calendar, Resolutions No. 6778, 6779, and 6780, the Conditional Use Permit, and the Southwest Loop Watermain bid award.

All bids for the Shawnee Sewer Bursting FY26 project were rejected; staff will revise, reprioritize, and repackage the project scope and re-advertise within the fiscal year budget.

The monthly sales tax report was acknowledged.

No new business was brought forward.

During commissioner comments, members highlighted ribbon cuttings for Georg Fischer Central Plastics, the Shawnee Animal Shelter, Fire Station No. 3, and Shawnee Hall at Oklahoma Baptist University, as well as the downtown empty buildings tour. Upcoming events announced included the Salvation Army spaghetti dinner on October 23, Fall Fest on November 1, the United Way GALA on November 8, and the Christmas parade on December 12, 2025.

Meeting Transcript