Shawnee Board of City Commissioners Meeting – December 15, 2025

The Shawnee Board of City Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at Shawnee City Hall, 16 West 9th Street. The Commission approved a consent agenda, heard presentations on the annual audit, economic development, and the Safe Streets for All plan, acted on three rezoning requests, awarded a sewer construction contract, and took no action on a litigation-related executive session item. The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 6-0: minutes from the November 17, 2025 regular meeting; Planning Commission minutes from October 1 and November 5, 2025; Shawnee Beautification, Parks, and Recreation Committee minutes from October 16, 2025; Shawnee Senior Citizens Advisory Board minutes from August 12 and October 3, 2025; and License and Project Payment Reports for November 2025.
• Accepted the resignations of Kerri Keck and Ann Dowdy and approved mayor appointments: Nathan Ferguson to the Beautification, Parks, and Recreation Committee; Joe Ward to the Senior Citizens Advisory Board; James Wilder to a full term on the Oklahoma Baptist University Authority; and Sam Garlow to replace Marty Lewis on the Oklahoma Baptist University Authority, with terms as listed in the agenda.
• Approved FY2025-26 budget amendments appropriating donated revenues for Fire Department equipment, maintenance, and contracts; Parks & Recreation materials, supplies, and contingency; FY26 OK Safe Grant overtime for Police; federal grant equipment, parts, and supplies for Emergency Management; OMAG capital outlay equipment for the Fire Department; and Aquatic Center donations for other contractual services.
• Acknowledged the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund lump-sum payment from the Defined Benefit Plan for Vicki Files; accepted Bison Curve public infrastructure and placed maintenance bonds into effect; and ratified the agreement with Total Demolition Services, LLC for demolition of the structure at 6 and 8 West Main Street.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Bobb-Semple spoke during Citizens Participation. He praised the fall festival, downtown built environment, and the Christmas parade as community strengths worthy of honor. He also raised a pedestrian-safety concern, describing a young swim team member who must walk to the YMCA and navigate traffic, and urged the Commission to embrace both celebration and hard truths.

Presentations

Pet of the Month

• Animal Control Officer Trel Meyers introduced Lisa, a seven-to-eight-month-old female lab. Lisa was vaccinated and spayed, is available for adoption, and has two sisters at the shelter, Sally and Cassie.

FY2023-2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Single Audit

• Kency Duarte, CPA with Arledge & Associates, presented the FY2023-2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Single Audit Report. The audit included an adverse opinion related to the omission of the Shawnee Civic and Cultural Development Authority (SECDA) balances; the Oklahoma Baptist University Authority was newly included as a component unit with a prior-period adjustment, and modified opinions were issued for the remaining opinion units.
• Single-audit findings covered the omitted SECDA balances, the prior-period adjustment related to OBU Authority inclusion, and the timing of filings with the state and federal clearinghouse. In response to a commissioner’s concern that the city cannot compel SECDA to provide audited data, Duarte said the adverse opinion reflects the required treatment.

Shawnee Forward Presentation

• Crystal Romanyszyn, Shawnee Forward President & CEO, reported nine active economic development projects representing nearly 700 potential jobs, an average wage of about $87,000, and potential capital investment exceeding $550 million.
• She described a retail recruitment strategy using trade-area data showing about 150,000 shoppers for a city of roughly 33,000 residents, with target sectors including grocery, home improvement, health and wellness, and home accessories.
• She also reported that after the Gindal Films closure announcement on September 26 and closing on November 26, about 80% of affected employees had been re-employed or were using training grants. She highlighted facade improvement grants, a child care grant that assisted dozens of families, and an 18-month effort supporting Home Depot’s anticipated arrival.

Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Project

• Interim Community Development Director Petya Stefanoff introduced a video presentation by Halley Reeves of the University of Oklahoma. The Safe Streets for All Action Plan is supported by a U.S. DOT grant; the city applied in June 2024, received notice of award in fall 2024, and funding began in July 2025.
• Community engagement included multiple events, with about 96 surveys completed and 260 locations identified so far. The website and survey were presented as safestreetsshawnee.org. Once the plan is complete and adopted, Shawnee becomes eligible for federal implementation funding.
• Commissioner Richter encouraged residents to complete the survey, noting the response count was low.

Zoning Requests

316 North Kimberly Avenue – RZ05-25

• Public hearing was held; no one appeared in favor or against the request to rezone from R-1 to R-3.
• Staff and the Planning Commission recommended denial. Staff said the applicant, Ethan Acock of Acock Properties LLC, wanted multifamily housing, but the surrounding area is R-1 and the request conflicted with the comprehensive plan. Staff also noted that some multi-unit uses are already possible in R-1, with a conditional use permit (CUP) for certain categories.
• During discussion, a commissioner asked whether a CUP application would have been handled differently; staff said yes and that the applicant had been informed. A deferral was not offered because a new application would require a new fee and fresh neighbor notification. No motion was made, and no action was taken.

3901 North Kickapoo Street – RZ06-25

• Public hearing was held; applicant Paul Bass appeared in favor, and no one appeared against the request to rezone a portion of the property from R-3 to C-2.
• Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval. The 0.99-acre portion is in Northcreek Manor, adjacent to commercial zoning and fronting North Kickapoo, a major commercial corridor. Staff reported no written protests from property owners within the required notification area.
• The Commission approved Ordinance No. 2822NS by a 6-0 vote.

1301 East Independence Street – RZ07-25

• Public hearing was held; Kenneth Gober and Sam Ehtisham of Aspire Equity Holdings LLC appeared in favor, and no one appeared against the request to rezone from R-1 to C-1.
• The applicants proposed converting a former church building into a virtual golf/gaming studio. Staff recommended denial, calling the request spot zoning and inconsistent with the comprehensive plan and surrounding low-density residential zoning. The Planning Commission recommended approval.
• Commissioners discussed parking requirements, future use controls, the building’s difficulty to convert back to residential use, and whether Independence Street’s arterial nature supported commercial zoning. The Commission approved Ordinance No. 2823NS by a 6-0 vote.

Bids and Contracts

• Director of Engineering Seth Barkhimer reported three bids were received for Shawnee Sewer Bursting FY 26, Project No. 25-119, with bids opened December 8, 2025. Staff recommended awarding the Base Bid and Add Alternate No. 2 to Jordan Contractors, LLC of Tecumseh, Oklahoma for $2,094,060.00. The Commission approved the award 6-0. The project is partially funded through ARPA and the capital improvement program.

Financial Reports

• City Manager Mark Simpson presented the monthly sales tax report. December sales tax receipts totaled $2,565,462.75, including $4,099.72 in interest, distributed across eight funds. December 2025 collections were 8.11% above December 2024. Use tax totaled $475,733.
• The combined general fund position was $74,812 above budget projections. Note: The minutes and transcript differ on some variance comparisons: the minutes state that sales tax was $3,242.00 (0.13%) below projected budget year-to-date and use tax was $45,716.00 (10.63%) above projected budget year-to-date, while the transcript describes the 0.13% sales-tax variance as below projections for the month and reports collections 0.72% above budget year-to-date.

Other Business and Commissioner Comments

• No new business was introduced.
• Commissioners wished everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season, encouraged residents to shop local, and commented on Shop with a Cop, the Christmas parade, Winter Wonderland, Shawnee Forward, economic development, and the Safe Streets for All survey.

Executive Session and Litigation Item

• City Attorney Joe Vorndran reported on agenda items 17-18 regarding Pottawatomie County Case No. CJ-2023-468, related to the Fairview Mausoleum. He said the anticipated information was not yet available, Staff recommended no action, and the Commission took no action. No executive session was held.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda 6-0.
• Approved Ordinance No. 2822NS (RZ06-25, 3901 North Kickapoo Street) 6-0.
• Approved Ordinance No. 2823NS (RZ07-25, 1301 East Independence Street) 6-0.
• Took no action on RZ05-25 (316 North Kimberly Avenue).
• Awarded Shawnee Sewer Bursting FY 26, Project No. 25-119 to Jordan Contractors, LLC for $2,094,060.00, 6-0.
• Heard and acknowledged the audit, Shawnee Forward, Safe Streets for All, and sales tax reports.
• Took no action on the Fairview Mausoleum litigation item and adjourned at 7:25 p.m.