Mar 05, 2024 City Council Meeting

[00:00:03]

THE MEETING TO ORDER. COULD I HAVE OUR SCOUTS DOWN, PLEASE TO LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE?

[CALL TO ORDER]

THAT'S GOOD. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

GENTLEMEN, COULD YOU TELL US YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL? JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER KARLIN IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.

COUNCIL MEMBER EITERICH.

COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLTON.

COUNCIL MEMBER NICKS, HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ARROYO HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMSON IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.

COUNCIL MEMBER DENNY IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.

COUNCIL MEMBER HERRON.

PRESENT. MAYOR SAYERS IS PRESENT AND PRESIDING.

THANK YOU JENNIFER. ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE DRAFT MINUTES FOR THE FEBRUARY 20TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING?

[APPROVE MINUTES]

SECOND. MOTION BY COURTNEY.

SECOND BY MELANIE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

JENNIFER, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? NONE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING.

[PROCLAMATIONS]

I WILL DO WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, AND COUNCIL MEMBER EITERICH WILL DO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS MONTH.

WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, CLASS, AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND HAVE MADE HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH AND STRENGTH OF OUR NATION IN COUNTLESS RECORDED AND UNRECORDED WAYS.

AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE PLAYED AND CONTINUE TO PLAY A CRITICAL ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ROLE IN EVERY SPHERE OF THE LIFE OF THE NATION BY CONSTITUTING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE LABOR FORCE WORKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME.

AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE NATION BY PROVIDING A MAJORITY OF THE VOLUNTEER LABOR FORCE.

AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN WERE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EARLY CHARITABLE, PHILANTHROPIC AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR NATION.

AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, CLASS, AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS SERVED AS EARLY LEADERS IN THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY MAJOR PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL CHANGE MOVEMENT.

AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY COURAGEOUSLY IN THE MILITARY, AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE BEEN LEADERS NOT ONLY IN SECURING THEIR OWN RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO IN THE ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT, THE EMANCIPATION MOVEMENT, THE INDUSTRIAL LABOR MOVEMENT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND ALL AND OTHER MOVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE PEACE MOVEMENT, WHICH CREATE A MORE FAIR AND JUST SOCIETY FOR ALL.

AND WHEREAS, DESPITE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, THE ROLE OF AMERICAN WOMEN IN HISTORY HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY OVERLOOKED AND UNDERVALUED IN LITERATURE, TEACHING AND STUDY OF THE AMERICAN HISTORY. I NOW, THEREFORE I JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, KANSAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 2024, IN THE CITY OF LENEXA TO BE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. THANK YOU.

COURTNEY. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

OKAY. SECOND PROCLAMATION TONIGHT IS WHEREAS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, MS, IS A CHRONIC, OFTEN DISABLING, UNPREDICTABLE DISEASE THAT ATTACKS THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

AND WHEREAS MS AFFECTS ABOUT 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE AND NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH ABOUT 200 NEW CASES DIAGNOSED EACH WEEK.

AND WHEREAS THE DISEASE GENERALLY STRIKES PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 AND 50, THE CAUSE OF MS SYMPTOMS REMAIN UNKNOWN AND THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE.

AND WHEREAS COMMON SYMPTOMS OF THIS DISEASE INCLUDE FATIGUE, WEAKNESS, TREMORS, BALANCE AND VISION PROBLEMS, DEPRESSION, NUMBNESS, AND DIFFICULTY WALKING.

ALTHOUGH THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE VARIES GREATLY FROM ONE PERSON TO PERSON, AND WHEREAS MARCH IS NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS MONTH AND COMMUNITIES LEARNING ABOUT AND BECOMING AWARE OF THE DISEASE CAN HELP THOSE WHO SUFFER LEAD MORE PRODUCTIVE AND SATISFYING LIVES.

AND WHEREAS ADVANCES IN THE RESEARCH AND TREATMENT ARE ONGOING AND PROVIDE HOPE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DISEASE THROUGH RESEARCH DONATIONS.

[00:05:06]

THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].

NEXT WE HAVE SEVEN ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

IF A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY OR AUDIENCE DESIRES TO SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON AN ITEM THAT, THAT ITEM MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND PLACED ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.

ANY ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.

HEARING NONE. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SECOND BY BILL.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

ITEM EIGHT IS APPROVAL OF THE OLD TOWN LENEXA OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION OF A MURAL ARTIST, AND PROPOSED DESIGN AND AUTHORIZATION OF

[8. Approval of the Lenexa Old Town Activity Center Public Art Committee's recommendation of a mural artist and proposed design, and authorize staff to contract with the muralist to complete the project]

LOGAN WAGLER, PARKS RECREATION DIRECTOR.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

IT'S BEEN A LOT OF A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY.

AND WANT TO POINT OUT AND INTRODUCE A FEW PEOPLE WITH US TONIGHT.

FIRST OF ALL, TO MY RIGHT OVER HERE IS STEVEN BOODY WITH PUBLIC ART AND PRACTICE.

STEVE HAS BEEN OUR CONSULTANT ON THE EFFORT.

YOU MAY RECOGNIZE HIM.

HE WAS A PART OF SOME SOME PREVIOUS EFFORTS AS WELL.

THE TWO PIECES IN PARTICULAR HERE ON THE CIVIC CAMPUS, JUST DOES A FANTASTIC JOB, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN KIND OF HELPING US THROUGH THIS EFFORT.

SO THANKS, STEVEN.

SO I AM GOING TO PRESENT STEVEN IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.

I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT I GOT WE GOT A WHOLE CREW OF LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL HERE TONIGHT.

AND I ACTUALLY TOOK ROLE AS YOU WALKED IN.

SO YOU KNOW, JUST TO GO DOWN THE LIST REAL QUICK AND DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHO'S WHO.

BUT WE'VE GOT DALE TROTT, JUDY TUCKNESS, EMILY BEHRMANN, CHERYL KIMMI, WAYNE DOTHAGE AND THEN BACK THERE, JENNIFER WAMPLER AND ANNE LAWRENCE-CHERRY.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AS WELL.

SO ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED HERE.

SO FOR THE NEW COUNCIL FOLKS, WE THOUGHT WE'D JUST KIND OF REWIND THE TAPE AND GET A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

BECKY ACTUALLY ASKED, I THINK, LOGAN, I THINK YOUR DATES ARE WRONG.

IT SHOULD BE 2023.

AND I SAID NO. WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING ON THE MURAL SINCE 2022.

SO YOU MAY REMEMBER, EVERY YEAR IN APRIL, WE TALK WITH THE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, THE LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL, AND THE CITY COUNCIL TALKS ABOUT THE PUBLIC ART PRIORITY LIST.

WE IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCATIONS FOR ART.

AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATION, OBVIOUSLY GOT A LOT OF SUPPORT BEHIND DOING A MURAL ALONG WITH THE LENEXA OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER PROJECT.

AND SO A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, WE CONTRACTED WITH STEVEN BOODY, DEVELOPED WHAT I CONSIDER A VERY ROBUST PROCESS THAT WILL KIND OF HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.

REAL QUICK I POINTED OUT A LOT OF THEM BEFORE, BUT THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE WAS REALLY BIG.

WE PUT A BIG GROUP TOGETHER.

I WANT TO THANK, OF COURSE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ARROYO MAYOR SAYERS AND THEN ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE LOTAC.

WE ALSO HAD TWO OF OUR ARCHITECTS, THE PRINCIPAL AND LEAD ARCHITECT FOR THE DESIGN, THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL PROJECT AS WELL COME ALONG WITH THAT.

AND THEN SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE STAFF BEN CLARK, WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER ON LOTAC, MYSELF, MANDY AND OF COURSE, SUZANNE NEELY OUR LIAISONS.

SO AND THEN STEVEN KIND OF LED US THROUGH THAT.

SO JUST LIKE ANY ART PIECE, THIS GOAL IS KIND OF IN LINE.

WHAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE WHEN YOU TRY TO PUT A PIECE OF ART ANYWHERE.

BUT WE KIND OF DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR A MURAL HERE IN OLD TOWN.

AND OF COURSE, THE GOAL WE ENDED UP WITH WAS TO ADD VIBRANCY, EXPRESS CIVIC PRIDE, COMMUNITY IDENTITY, AND ATTRACT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.

FELT VERY IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO DOWN THERE WITH THE OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER.

SO TO DRILL THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, THE STEERING COMMITTEE WENT TO WORK AND REALLY TRIED TO DRILL DOWN ON WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE AND HOW WE'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS WE ASKED OURSELVES EARLY ON WAS RESIDENCY OF THE ARTIST.

WE ULTIMATELY DETERMINED, HEY, WE'VE GOT A GREAT STABLE OF ARTISTS HERE LOCALLY.

LET'S STAY WITHIN THE KANSAS CITY REGIONAL AREA AND RECRUIT ARTISTS FROM THERE.

WE ULTIMATELY ENDED UP WITH 14 THAT WE LOOKED AT.

WE DEVELOPED WHAT WE CONSIDER THE MOTIF OR STYLE FOR THE MURAL, AND THAT IS TO BE CONTEMPORARY OR ABSTRACT ART THAT EMBRACES THE CITY'S IDENTITY.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LOCATION CONSIDERATIONS.

WE JUST WANTED TO MAXIMIZE THIS MURAL, MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC CAN INTERACT WITH IT COME UP CLOSE TO IT, SEE IT, FEEL IT, TAKE PICTURES AND FROM IT, YOU NAME IT.

SO THAT LED TO KIND OF WRAPPING UP PHASE ONE THAT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WERE AROUND AT THAT TIME DID APPROVE.

AND THAT WAS KIND OF APPROVING A SHORT LIST OF ARTISTS.

WE WE INITIALLY STARTED OFF TRYING TO GET THREE ARTISTS, INCLUDING THIS PROCESS.

WE HAD THREE. WE HAD ONE THAT DID NOT, THEY OPTED OUT OF THE PROCESS.

WE BROUGHT IN ANOTHER THIRD AND WE LOST ONE ALONG THE WAY.

[00:10:01]

THEY DO A LOT OF WORK.

SOME OF THIS ISN'T WORTH THEIR TIME AND ENERGY OR THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS GOING ON.

SO ULTIMATELY WE ENDED UP WITH TWO ARTISTS AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THEM HERE A LITTLE BIT.

WE OBVIOUSLY AGREED ON A RECOMMENDED LOCATION FOR THE MURAL.

I'LL POINT THAT OUT TO YOU IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE AGREED UPON KIND OF THIS PROCESS FOR THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'LL KIND OF WALK THROUGH AS WELL.

SO THE LOCATION.

I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE MANY, MANY TIMES IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND FOR THE LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S ON THAT SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BUILDING.

ONE THING THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE REALLY COOL AND A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SEE OUT THERE, IS TO KIND OF TURN THE CORNER AND HAVE THIS BE KIND OF A TWO SIDED MURAL.

YOU COULD INTERACT AND HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WITH IT, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE STANDING OR WHICH SIDE OF THE BUILDING YOU CAME UP TO.

IT WAS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF BE NEAR THE GROUND LEVEL, WHERE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY STAND IN FRONT OF IT AND TAKE PICTURES GET EXCITED ABOUT IT, COME UP AND SEE IT UP CLOSE. SO WE HAD, LIKE I SAID, TWO SUBMISSIONS.

WE'RE VERY LUCKY. WE THINK WE GOT TWO REALLY GOOD ARTISTS.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WE GAVE THEM A STIPEND, WE GAVE THEM A STIPEND OF $1,000 TO KIND OF CREATE SORT OF SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT THAT'S SPECIFIC TO LENEXA.

I'M VERY EXCITED. I THINK THAT BOTH ARTISTS DID A FANTASTIC JOB, WORKED REALLY HARD, DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND CAME UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD OPTIONS.

SO THE FIRST ONE I'M SHOWING IS BY EVAN BROWN, KNOWN AS DOODLE DUDE.

EASY TO KNOW WHY HE GOES BY DOODLE DUDE.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A BUNCH OF DOODLES.

BUT A VERY COLORFUL.

I WON'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE ART HERE BECAUSE I WON'T DO IT JUSTICE, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST SUBMISSION.

AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS FROM A COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO MURAL ARTISTS, ITRA, AND THOSE ARTIST NAMES ARE ISAAC TAPIA AND RODRIGO ALVAREZ.

AGAIN, BOTH ARTISTS CAME IN, THEY PRESENTED TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND KIND OF A CLOSED MEETING THEIR CONCEPTS.

AND MAN, WE WERE ALL BLOWN AWAY.

WE WERE OBVIOUSLY VERY EXCITED, THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BECAUSE BOTH ARTISTS, BOTH GROUPS JUST DID A FANTASTIC JOB.

LIKE I SAID, PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE THINK IS SOME REALLY GOOD PROPOSAL HERE.

SO I SEE A LOT OF LOT OF YOU LOOKING REALLY CLOSELY AT THIS.

SO IF YOU UNDERSTAND, THE VERY TOP VERSION ON THIS PAGE IS THE FULL MURAL AT FULL LENGTH.

IF IT WAS FLAT THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE IS WHAT WOULD BE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THE ONE ON VERY BOTTOM WOULD BE WOULD BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE NEAREST THE ENTRANCE TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE SHOWED THEM.

WE GOT BOARDS FROM THEM PHYSICAL BOARDS.

WE ALSO PUT THESE ONLINE.

WE WENT THROUGH A VOTING PROCESS, TRIED TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AS BEST WE CAN.

THE VOTING WENT ONLINE.

WE SORT OF DID A TOUR WITH THE BOARDS.

THEY SPENT ABOUT THREE WEEKS AT THE PUBLIC MARKET DOWN HERE IN CITY HALL.

THEY SPENT THREE WEEKS OVER THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

SENIOR CENTER. AND THEN THEY SPENT ABOUT THREE WEEKS OVER THE LENEXA REC CENTER.

WE'RE EXCITED. WE GOT CLOSE TO A COUPLE THOUSAND VOTES.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THESE MURALS.

WE THINK IT BUILT A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM, A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY.

SO ULTIMATELY WE RECEIVED CLOSE, LIKE I SAID, CLOSE TO 2000 VOTES.

WE HAD 831 VOTES FOR THE ITRA PROPOSAL, AND WE HAD OVER 1,000 FOR DOODLE DUDE'S PROPOSAL "MEET ME IN LENEXA" THAT BEING THE LEAD VOTE GETTER, THAT IS GOING TO BE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE TONIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, WE LOVED BOTH PROPOSALS.

WE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH AND I DID WANT TO POINT OUT JUST KIND OF THIS ITEMS OF NOTE YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THIS, IN THIS SLIDE OR IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IN OUR FINAL COMMITTEE MEETING TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THESE RESULTS AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL, THE QUESTION WAS RAISED JUST ABOUT IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN DWELLINGS HERE IN DOODLE, DUDES PROPOSAL.

SO IF YOU LOOK, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MOUSE IS GOING TO WORK.

YES IT WILL.

SO IF YOU LOOK ON THIS BOTTOM LEFT HAND CORNER, YOU SEE THESE WHAT I WOULD CALL WIGWAMS. THAT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY, BUT WIGWAMS HERE, A FEW HERE AND A FEW IN THIS AREA.

SO SOMEONE PICKED UP THE QUESTION WAS KIND OF RAISED, ARE THESE APPROPRIATE? THESE ARE ACTUALLY IN LENEXA.

AND SO WE THINK AS THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT WARRANTED SOME INVESTIGATION.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW SUZANNE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD.

WE'VE REACHED OUT TO WHAT WE THINK ARE THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AND LOOK FOR SOME FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE FROM THEM ON THAT.

THE GREAT NEWS, THE ACE IN THE HOLE IS STEVEN KIND OF MENTIONED TO ME EARLIER IS WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE ARTIST EVAN BROWN, AND HE IS ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY HERE AND TAKE ANY FEEDBACK, MODIFY THE MURAL, UPDATE IT, AND WHATEVER WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT YOU KNOW, IF AND WHEN WE RECEIVE THE FEEDBACK WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO BUT EITHER WAY, WE'RE WE'RE READY TO GO FORWARD AND RECOMMEND THIS MURAL.

I WANT TO POINT OUT, OF COURSE, WE'RE IN GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE FROM A PUBLIC ART FUNDING.

OUR INTENTION HERE, IT'S ABOUT A MAX OF $35,000 FOR THIS MURAL.

WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE SOME CLOSE TO $10,000 IN GRANT FUNDING FOR THE MURAL, SO WE WOULD USE THAT $10,000.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE WOULD USE ZONE ONE MONEY THAT'S DEDICATED, RESTRICTED FUNDING THAT'S USED FOR PUBLIC ART IN THAT ZONE.

AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT ZONE LATER TONIGHT, MY OTHER PRESENTATION.

SO I WON'T BOG YOU DOWN ON THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT PLENTY OF MONEY TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES.

AND THEN SO TO WRAP UP REALLY, THE ACTION ITEMS TONIGHT, STEERING COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING THE SELECTION OF DOODLE DUDE AND HIS HIS PROPOSAL OF "MEET ME IN

[00:15:09]

I TALKED REALLY FAST AND COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I'LL START WITH ONE LOGAN.

WHEN THE ARTISTS WERE PRESENTING THEIR CONCEPTS, THEY TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT FINISHES THAT WOULD BE EITHER ANTI-GRAFFITI OR ANTI-UV OR WHATEVER. IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE COST THAT YOU JUST PRESENTED? IT IS. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A DO NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT.

OKAY. I THINK ORIGINALLY THEY WERE LIKE AROUND $32-33.

AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPLAINING AND TALKING WITH THE ARTIST IS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO WE'LL BUY UP, WE'LL SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO GET THE RIGHT PAINT, TO GET THE RIGHT PREPARATION, OR GET THE RIGHT SEALER ON TOP.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE.

WE WANT TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WITH THE ARTIST.

WE JUST DIDN'T DO ALL THAT LEGWORK UNTIL WE KIND OF GOT TO THIS END.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO GO UP TO $35,000.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU LOGAN.

YOU KNOW WHEN WE WERE DOING THE LENEXA STATUE, WE GOT HELP WITH MR. PITCHER WITH THE SHAWNEE INDIANS IN OKLAHOMA.

AND PHIL HAMMOND HAS GOOD CONTACTS WITH THE SHAWNEE INDIANS ALSO TO HELP YOU WITH THOSE DWELLINGS.

THANK YOU. WE'LL, YEAH, WE'LL REACH OUT.

YEAH, SURE.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PICTURE OF IT? THIS ONE. SO WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DRAWN TO, LIKE, ALL THE BRIGHT COLORS AND STUFF, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE THAT IT SAID LENEXA IN IT.

AND SO I AND MAYBE I WAS JUST LIKE IT WAS POPPING OUT MY FACE.

SO I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE DID.

BUT I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE IT ALL LIKE THIS, LIKE, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO NOTICE.

BUT WHEN I FIRST SAW IT ONLINE, I WAS GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE PHONE VERSION OF IT.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT SAID UNTIL JULIE TOLD ME, SO I LOVE IT.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE IN THAT. I THINK IT WAS SUBTLE AND YET MEANINGFUL.

AND I LOVE THE CHOICE.

SO GOOD JOB.

GREAT FEEDBACK. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LENEXA OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION OF MURAL ARTIST AND PROPOSED DESIGN AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO CONTRACT WITH THE MURAL ARTIST TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

MOTION BY COURTNEY.

SECOND. [INAUDIBLE] SECOND BY CHRIS.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. OKAY.

MOTION PASSES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU GOT IT.

NUMBER NINE IS APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S 2024 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, MIKE.

[9. Resolution approving the City Council's 2024 Legislative Priorities]

LET ME FIRST START BY APOLOGIZING.

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON YOUR AGENDA FOR APPROVAL EARLIER THIS YEAR.

BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN OUR ORGANIZATION, IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO BEFORE MANY OF US TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

NEXT WEEK, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO BRIEF YOU ON SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT I'M PROPOSING FOR 2024 BEFORE WE MEET WITH SENATORS MORAN AND MARSHALL, AS WELL AS CONGRESSWOMAN DAVIDS.

SO AS A BRIEF OVERVIEW YOU KNOW, WE ADOPTED A LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM ANNUALLY TO HELP STAFF GUIDE OUR POLICY DIRECTION IN TOPEKA AND WASHINGTON, D.C., AS WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT POTENTIAL BILLS THAT COULD IMPACT THE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCES OF THE CITY.

THE VERY PARAMOUNT THING IS THE PROTECTION OF THE CITY'S CONSTITUTIONAL HOME RULE AUTHORITY, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT UNDERPINS EVERYTHING.

YOU'LL NOTICE IN YOUR DOCUMENT THAT YOU'VE GOT ATTACHED TO YOUR PACKET THIS EVENING THAT, MUCH LIKE YEARS PRIOR, THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM IS GUIDED BY YOUR PRINCIPLES THAT YOU'VE ESTABLISHED. AND SO THOSE EIGHT ARE HOW THE DOCUMENT IS ORGANIZED.

AND I'D LIKE TO SUMMARIZE EXACTLY WHAT THE CHANGES ARE FOR YOU AND STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS AT ANY POINT IN TIME TONIGHT.

OKAY. SO IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, THOSE ARE THE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT WE THINK WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF ACTIVITY DURING THE YEAR.

AND THE FIRST THING THAT I'D LIKE TO TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WE ARE REMOVING THE POSITION THAT THE CITY DESIRES TO SEPARATELY DETAIL THE STATE GENERAL FUND TAX LEVY AND TRUTH AND TAXATION STATEMENTS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN ORIGINAL LEGISLATION, BUT SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNTY TAKES CARE OF NOW AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE.

AND SO WE DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A POSITION ON THAT ANYMORE.

ANOTHER CHANGE IN THE PRIORITIES LIST.

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO EXEMPT RESTAURANTS AND HEALTH CLUBS AND RECREATION CENTERS AND WORKOUT FACILITIES FROM TAXATION, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTERS AND PLACES LIKE THE PUBLIC MARKET UNDULY COMPETE WITH PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS.

[00:20:04]

JUST FOR A BIT OF REFERENCE THERE.

THE REC CENTER ACROSS THE WAY HERE WAS SUPPORTED BY VOTERS IN 2008 BY A SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED SALES TAX.

AND OUR PUBLIC MARKET DOWNSTAIRS DOES PAY PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES.

SO THEY ARE NOT UNDULY COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THAT RESPECT.

WE ARE BEING VERY MUCH MORE SUCCINCT THIS YEAR IN OUR ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING.

AND ONE OF THOSE PLANKS FOR THIS YEAR IS OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO TRY TO GET A CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER FUNDED IN JOHNSON COUNTY.

YOU MAY RECALL OR HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS THAT THE COUNTY ACTUALLY ACCEPTED SOME FUNDING FROM THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO FUND SOME MENTAL HEALTH POSITIONS THAT WOULD START UP A YOUTH CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER IN THE COUNTY.

WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE NEED IN OUR COUNTY IS ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN ADULT CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER.

AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME STATE FUNDING HERE.

THEY'VE DONE SO IN LEAVENWORTH COUNTY.

THEY'VE DONE SO IN LAWRENCE AND SEDGWICK COUNTY.

AND SO I THINK THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTY IN THE STATE COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.

THE FINAL KIND OF CHANGE ON THE PRIORITIES LIST HERE, THAT THAT IS, THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, IS ADDING A PLANK SUPPORTING THE KPERS INTERIM COMMITTEE FINDINGS THAT KPERS TIER THREE MEMBERSHIP, WHICH MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HERE AT THE CITY ARE BENEFICIARIES OF, TO REVERT THEM TO A HYBRID TIER TWO VERSION OF THEIR PENSION SYSTEM.

CURRENTLY, KPERS TIER THREE MEMBERS ARE IN A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN, WHICH IS A QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT THAN KPERS TIER ONE AND TIER TWO, WHICH ARE DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS IF THEY WERE TO RETIRE WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

AND DOING SO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR HOLDING THE CITY HARMLESS FOR OUR ACTUARIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THAT SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE REQUIRE OUR EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT SYSTEM.

BUT ALSO THE CITY AS A BENEFIT, CONTRIBUTES TO THAT SYSTEM ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL.

AND SO THAT DOES HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE CITY.

SO THAT IS IT FOR KIND OF THAT ONE PAGE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, THINGS WE THINK WILL HAVE ACTION THIS YEAR.

I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PART BEFORE I MOVE ON.

BILL. HEY, MIKE.

YES. THAT TIER THREE.

CORRECT. BECAUSE EMPLOYEES ARE THAT DEFINED CONTRIBUTION.

ARE THEY ABLE TO GET MORE RETIREMENT BENEFITS AT THE END OF THEIR SERVICE, OR IS IT, YOU KNOW, FIGURED ON A FORMULA LIKE THE OTHER TIERS? IT WOULD RIGHT NOW IT IS DEFINED CONTRIBUTION ONLY.

SO IT OPERATES MORE LIKE A 401 K THAN IT DOES A PENSION PLAN.

SO KPERS TIER ONE AND TIER TWO MEMBERS ARE MORE AKIN TO A TRUE PENSION PLAN.

KPERS TIER THREE MEMBERS ARE IN THE KPERS SYSTEM, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE TIER THREE MEMBERS ARE ESSENTIALLY RUNNING ON A 401 K, AND THAT'S THEIRS? AND THAT'S THE TIER THREE MEMBERS.

YES. THAT'S THE EMPLOYEES.

YES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? SINCE WE'RE ESSENTIALLY A WEEK OR TWO PAST TURNAROUND, WERE THERE ANY BILLS RELATED TO ANY OF THESE PLANKS THAT WE'RE STILL WATCHING? WE'RE WATCHING A LOT. THE THE KPERS BILLS ARE STILL OUT THERE.

AND SINCE IT AFFECTS FINANCES AND BUDGET, THOSE TYPES OF BILLS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE TURNAROUND DEADLINES.

IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY APPRAISALS THAT YOU SEE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THERE, THAT IS ACTUALLY CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE VOTED ON BY VOTERS IN KANSAS.

AND SO THAT HASN'T PASSED THE HUMP, BUT THAT STAYS ALIVE.

IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.

BUT THAT CONTINUES TO BE ALIVE AND HAS BEEN FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.

THE CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTERS BILL, THERE IS SOME MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUCKETS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, SOME OF THAT BEING A $40 MILLION BUCKET, WHICH IS INTENDED FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.

BUT AT ANY POINT IN TIME, THE CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER FUNDING THAT RUNS THROUGH KDADS COULD COME UP AT THAT POINT.

AND IN TERMS OF TRUTH AND TAXATION, THERE IS A WHOLE WHOLE HOST OF BILLS DEALING WITH PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

AND SO THE ACTUAL REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ITSELF, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY BILLS ON THAT YET, BUT THINGS THAT CAP PROPERTY VALUATIONS AS WELL AS PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE.

THANK YOU. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL'S 2024 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

MOTION BY BILL, SECOND BY MELANIE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

MOTION PASSES.

ANY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS THIS EVENING.

NO. STAFF REPORTS.

[STAFF REPORTS]

[00:25:01]

WE'LL HAVE LOGAN BACK UP TO.

OH, YES. THANK YOU. TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BLACK HOOF PARK DISCUSSION.

YES, I GUESS WE SHOULD DO STUDENTS AT THIS POINT TOO.

YEAH, SURE. FOLKS, WE WE ALREADY HAD THE BOY SCOUTS INTRODUCED THEMSELVES.

IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND WHY YOU'RE JOINING US TONIGHT.

GO AHEAD.

MIC] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HELLO, JUDY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, LOGAN WAGLER AGAIN PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.

I'M SERVING AS THE CO-CHAIR FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL THIS YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF TAG TEAM THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

I WAS GOING TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT AROUND PUBLIC ART.

SOME PARAMETERS HERE. AND THEN JUDY IS REALLY GOING TO TALK ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS COUNCIL AND KIND OF SOME OF THE PROPOSAL AROUND WHAT THEY'RE THINKING FOR BLACK HOOF PARK.

SO REAL QUICK, BACKGROUND WISE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER 20 PIECES OF PUBLIC ART.

VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD WIDE RANGE OF PIECES THROUGHOUT LENEXA I POINTED OUT, KIND OF LISTED SEVEN HERE.

THESE ARE KIND OF THE LAST SEVEN THINGS WE'VE DONE WITH PUBLIC ART.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY. GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO FRENZIED FLIGHT IN 2015, FRENZIED FLIGHT IS LOCATED OVER HERE AT CENTRAL GREEN.

A REALLY COOL PIECE.

AMUSING BREEZE IS ACTUALLY LOCATED ALONG 87TH STREET NEAR SAR-KO-PAR TRAILS PARK.

AND THEN WE RELOCATED NA-NEX-SE [INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL MEMBER NICK'S POINTED OUT EARLIER OVER TO THIS CAMPUS IN 2017.

ALSO, AROUND THE TIME WE BUILT THIS CAMPUS, WE WENT THROUGH A VERY ROBUST PROCESS AND SELECTED TWO REALLY GREAT PIECES, BODY POLITIC AND SPLASH, LOCATED ON THE WEST END AND WITHIN THE REC CENTER HERE ON ON THE CIVIC CAMPUS.

BUT THAT WAS REALLY THE LAST TWO PIECES THAT WE'VE PURCHASED S AFAR AS PUBLIC ART GOES.

SO GO MURAL, THAT'LL BE OUR NEXT PIECE.

BUT WE DID RELOCATION OF TEAM ILLUSION.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH TEAM ILLUSION, IT'S SOME BICYCLES THAT WERE LOCATED WITHIN ROSE POND.

SOME MAJOR RENOVATIONS IN THAT PARK.

WE DECIDED TO MOVE THOSE ULTIMATELY FOUND A NEW HOME PORT IN 21 ALONG 95TH STREET.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, LENEXA OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER.

WE GOT A MURAL GOING IN 2024.

SO REAL QUICK, JUST A COUPLE THINGS TO POINT OUT IN THE POLICY.

I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL FINAL DECISIONS ON PUBLIC ART REST WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE TAKE THAT TO HEART AS THE LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL AND AS STAFF, BECAUSE FOR US, WE WANT TO TRY TO BE ALWAYS BE IN LINE WITH WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO WHEN WE GET TO THE FINISH LINE, WE'RE ALL FEELING REALLY GOOD VERSUS COME UP HERE AND DO A LOT OF SURPRISES AT THE VERY END, IF THAT MAKES SENSE AT ALL.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT, TRYING TO AS WE'RE EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, WE WANT TO FURTHER ALONG THE CONVERSATION AROUND A POTENTIAL PIECE OF BLACK HOOF PARK.

I POINT OUT HERE THE PUBLIC ART PRIORITY LIST, THAT IS AN ANNUAL CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL HAVE IN APRIL NEXT MONTH, AGAIN FOR 24.

THAT JUST DISCUSSES LOCATIONS FOR POTENTIAL PUBLIC ART GOING FORWARD.

SO LOOKING REAL QUICK AT THE 2023 PUBLIC ART PRIORITY LIST WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR.

IF YOU MAY RECALL BLACK HOOF PARK CAME UP RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE MURAL.

IT WAS KIND OF BEEN OUR BEEN IN OUR TARGET BEEN IN OUR EYESIGHT'S FOR ABOUT CLOSE TO A YEAR NOW.

AND I KNOW THE ARTS COUNCIL HAS HAD A TON OF CONVERSATIONS, DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND REALLY GIVES US A LOT OF THOUGHT.

THAT'S WHAT BRINGS US TO TONIGHT.

SO REAL QUICK TO LOOK AT THAT FROM A MAP STANDPOINT OF JUST PUBLIC ART.

THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT COLORED STARS ON THIS MAP.

THE BLUE STARS ARE LOCATIONS OF OUR EXISTING PUBLIC ART.

AND THEN THE YELLOW STARS ARE LOCATIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITIES THAT WE'LL BE TARGETING GOING FORWARD.

WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF THINGS.

WE TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT ARTS COUNCIL AND STAFF, AND THAT IS WE TRY TO PICK TO GO ALONG WITH PROJECTS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID AT LOTAC.

BUT WE ALSO JUST TRY TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF THE CITY THAT JUST DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ART AS OTHERS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF YELLOW STARS IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S NOT BLUE STARS.

KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING BUILT UP FOR PUBLIC ART.

WE TALK ABOUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE, I SHORTENED TO THE PARIF.

SO THAT'S A DEVELOPMENT FEE THAT'S PAID INTO AND IN TURN THAT MONEY IS USED FOR PARKS RECREATION RELATED DEVELOPMENTS.

BUT A SMALL PORTION OF THAT IS SET ASIDE FOR ART THAT IS ZONED SPECIFIC.

IT HAS TO STAY WITHIN THAT ZONE.

AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BASICALLY GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE THAT DEVELOP IN THAT AREA AND PAYING FOR THAT, THAT, TO THAT FEE.

THE CIF IS JUST A NON RESTRICTIVE PUBLIC DEDICATED PUBLIC ART FUND.

SO ESSENTIALLY WE SET ASIDE ABOUT A DOLLAR PER RESIDENT EVERY YEAR AND PUT IT INTO THIS UNALLOCATED CIF.

[00:30:05]

SO WE HAVE, AS YOU CAN SEE, ALMOST $250,000.

ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE THE LENEXA FOUNDATION.

THERE'S A SUB FUND WITHIN THE FOUNDATION FOR ARTS.

IT'S PRETTY UNRESTRICTED ON HOW WE CAN USE THAT.

WE'VE STARTED TO BUILD UP QUITE A BIT OF MONEY THERE.

WE GET ANONYMOUS DONATIONS, WE GET SOME SPECIFIC DONATIONS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT STUFF.

BUT THAT MONEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC ART AS WELL.

AND THEN I PUT DOWN HERE FUNDRAISING, JUST LIKE WITH THE MURAL, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE DO ART, WE'LL GO OUT AND LOOK FOR GRANTS, LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, OR MAYBE DO A LITTLE FUNDRAISING. SO THAT'S ALWAYS A POTENTIAL.

I JUST WANT TO POINT THOSE THINGS OUT TO, TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE DO HAVE ADEQUATE MONEY TO DO SOMETHING REALLY NICE OUT OF BLACK HOOF PARK.

MY LAST SLIDE REALLY IS JUST ON PURCHASING.

SO THE PURCHASING POLICY FOR THE CITY ARE VERY THEY GIVE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ART, I THINK, JUST WHICH I LOVE, BECAUSE IT AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PICK THE RIGHT, RIGHT PLACE, THE RIGHT TIME, RIGHT LOCATION, AND DO THE RIGHT ART FOR THAT.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR METHODS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

A STANDARD PURCHASE IS ESSENTIALLY AN ALREADY COMPLETED PIECE OF ART THAT WE WOULD JUST GO PURCHASE AND FIND A HOME FOR AN OPEN COMPETITION IS WE WOULD PUT OUT JUST A CALL TO ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY TO SUBMIT ON A PROJECT.

WE DON'T DO A LOT OF OPEN COMPETITIONS.

WE DO MAINLY DO WHAT'S WHAT'S LISTED ON NUMBER THREE AND THAT'S A LIMITED COMPETITION.

THE MURAL WAS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF A LIMITED COMPETITION.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS BECAUSE IT WAS A MURAL, WE WOULDN'T INVITE JUST ANYBODY.

WE WOULDN'T WANT A SCULPTURE, YOU KNOW, TO COME AND DO A PRESENTATION.

SO WE LIMITED THAT TO JUST MURALIST, AND THEN WE NARROWED IT DOWN EVEN FURTHER FROM THERE.

THEN LASTLY, THE DIRECT SELECTION, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING PRESENT TONIGHT.

AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHEN YOU SELECT AN ARTIST, WORK WITH THEM TO DESIGN A PIECE FOR A LOCATION SO.

ALL YOURS. ALL RIGHT.

THE LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN PURSUING THE DIRECT SELECTION APPROACH TO SELECT AN EXISTING PIECE OF ART THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD FIT AT BLACK HOOF PARK.

THE ARTIST IS LYMAN WHITAKER AND IS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN KINETIC ARTIST.

THE PIECE WOULD BE PURCHASED THROUGH LEOPOLD GALLERY, LOCATED IN KANSAS CITY, THE BROOKSIDE AREA.

PAUL DURRELL IS THE OWNER OF THAT AND REPS.

THE REPRESENTS THE ARTISTS IN THIS CASE.

LYMAN WHITAKER HAS BEEN SCULPTING SINCE 1971, AND HE'S VERY WELL KNOWN FOR HIS KINETIC SCULPTURE.

THE INTENT OF HIS WIND SCULPTURE IS TO ENCOURAGE CIVILIZATION TO CREATE A MORE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EARTH.

THE SCULPTURES ARE MADE OF DURABLE COPPER AND STAINLESS STEEL.

THE SCULPTURES ARE DESIGNED TO MOVE IN WIND SPEEDS OF THREE MILES PER HOUR AND HIGHER.

THEY ARE TESTED TO WITHSTAND AT LEAST 90 MILE PER HOUR WINDS.

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE VERY MINIMAL.

THE WORKS ARE SOOTHING AND MESMERIZING, AND WE BELIEVE A LYMAN WHITAKER SCULPTURE WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR THIS PEACEFUL NATURE OF BLACK HOOF PARK.

PAUL DURRELL WALKED THE SITE WITH US AND LOOKED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

HE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE CURRENT LINE OF SITE, AS WELL AS THE FUTURE WITH THE GROWTH OF THE LANDSCAPING THAT'S ALREADY THERE AND WHAT AND HOW THE TREES WOULD GROW. THAT MIGHT OBSCURE ANYTHING, ANY OF THE SITING OF THE SCULPTURE.

SO HE HAD A VERY STRONG RECOMMENDATION THAT WE BELIEVE THE BEST LOCATION WOULD BE JUST SOUTH OF THE BOAT RAMP, THAT WOULD BE NORTH OF THE SIDEWALK AND WEST OF THE PARKING LOT.

THERE'S KIND OF A LITTLE ISLAND RIGHT THERE, CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STREET TO BE VIEWED BY THE MOTORISTS ON MONTICELLO ROAD, PEDESTRIANS AND ALL THAT PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITY IN THE PARK, BOTH DRIVING BY AND WALKING AND BOATING.

PAUL PREPARED A FEW IMAGES TO SHOW WHAT A LYMAN WHITAKER KINETIC SCULPTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THIS LOCATION.

[INAUDIBLE] COST FOR ONE LARGE SCULPTURE WOULD BE UNDER $40,000.

AND IF THE GOVERNING BODY IS INTERESTED IN CONSIDERING THIS APPROACH, WE WOULD WORK WITH THE LEOPOLD GALLERY TO PUT TOGETHER A FORMAL PROPOSAL.

WE CAN USE.

THE ARTIST IS VERY CREATIVE.

QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU JUDY.

THANK YOU LOGAN.

YOU KNOW THAT THOSE PIECES, THEY REMIND ME OF THE AMUSING BREEZE THAT THEY'RE SAR-KO-PAR TRAILS,

[00:35:07]

I THIS SEEMS SIMILAR AND IT'S OUT ON A BUSY STREET WHERE A LOT OF US CAN ENJOY IT.

I I THINK BLACK HOOF AND MAYBE YOU DISCUSSED IT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PIECES IN SAR-KO-PAR THAT THE KIDS CLIMB ON AND THEY TOUCH GRANDPA AND THE SERPENT, AND THEY.

AND THEY JUST TOUCH THE ART.

DID DID YOU TALK ABOUT BLACK HOOF HAVING SOME SCULPTURES OR BRONZES LIKE GRANDPA THAT THE KIDS COULD TOUCH AND CLIMB ON AND INTERACT WITH? WE HAVE. WELL, AND THIS IS ALL THAT CONVERSATION WE CAME UP WITH. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THOUGHTS ON THAT? ON THE INTERACTIVE PIECES FOR CHILDREN? YEAH. OH WELL, THERE IS A NICE PLAYGROUND THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO BE INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PHYSICAL BIKE RIDING AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WE FELT LIKE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE, THE ACTION AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE PIECE THAT WOULD CATCH SOMEONE'S EYE AS THEY WERE DRIVING BY, RATHER THAN TO PUT IN SOMETHING THAT THAT WOULD LOOK MORE LIKE A PLAYGROUND FOR CHILDREN.

SO HOWEVER, THAT COULD BE PART OF THE FUTURE TOO, THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT, BECAUSE WE DO LIKE THAT CONCEPT, AND WE'RE VERY FOND OF THAT INTERACTIVE THAT CHILDREN CAN GO AND ACTUALLY TOUCH.

THIS ONE WOULD JUST BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WATCH BECAUSE IT WOULD MOVE CONSTANTLY MOST OF THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK GRANDPA AND THE SERPENT WERE THOUGHT OF AS INTERACTIVE WITH KIDS.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A HAPPY ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY GRANDPA.

WELL, ESPECIALLY. BUT THE SERPENT WAS ALWAYS ONE TO BE INTERACTIVE WITH.

IF YOU REMEMBER, THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM INTERACTING THAT WAY PHYSICALLY WITH IT, AND SO PLANNINGS WERE MADE AROUND IT TO TRY TO DISCOURAGE PRICKLY BUSHES, TO BE EXACT.

THEY DIDN'T LAST LONG BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED TO INTERACT.

AND THAT'S PART OF OF WHAT OUTDOOR PUBLIC ART IS, IS HOW PEOPLE INTERACT WITH IT.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE TONIGHT? YEAH. I'M SORRY.

I SHOULD HAVE SET THAT UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

SO WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FROM FROM THE COUNCIL TONIGHT ON ANY OF THIS.

REALLY WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DIALOG WITH YOU TO GET THIS KIND OF FEEDBACK.

COUNCIL MEMBER NICKS, I JUST WOULD LOVE THE FEEDBACK.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM AS MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE, JUST TO SEE IF WE'RE HEADING THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR IF WE NEED TO SORT OF RESET AND HAVE SOME FURTHER CONVERSATION.

SO THAT FEEDBACKS, I THINK, GREAT.

IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD MARK.

I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.

YOU HAD THE ONE SINGLE PIECE UP THERE, BUT THEN THERE WAS THE OTHER PHOTOS WITH 2 OR 3 OF THEM KIND OF TOGETHER.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A COST DIFFERENCE OF OF HAVING THREE PIECES VERSUS VERSUS THE ONE.

WHAT WAS THE WHAT WAS THE GOAL OF THAT IS IT IS IS THE ONE PIECE MORE IN THE BUDGET VERSUS THE OTHER THREE COULD BE POTENTIALLY A LOT MORE.

THE ONE PIECE IS SIZE.

IT'S MUCH BIGGER.

THE THREE ARE SMALLER.

THEY'RE KIND OF COMPARABLE IN COST OKAY.

SO YOU THE COST WOULDN'T BE THAT MUCH DIFFERENT.

SO THREE SMALL PIECES OR ONE LARGE PIECE.

AND I BELIEVE PAUL RECOMMENDED ONE LARGE PIECE.

BUT AGAIN THAT'S UP TO WHAT WE WE DECIDE IN OUR CITY.

YEAH. COST IS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS LOCATION.

AGAIN, LIKE I POINTED OUT EARLIER IN THE FINANCIALS, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY TO DO.

THIS IS NOT A HIGH COST FOR A PIECE OF PUBLIC ART THAT WE COULD WE COULD DO MUCH MORE.

SO. BUT YEAH, THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GOT FROM THE GALLERY.

YEAH, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME THE ONE, THE ONE SINGLE ONE JUST IT WAS LARGER AND IMPRESSIVE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MISSED.

THAT PARTICULAR IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SAY MEAN THOSE ARE THE EXACT CONCEPTS WE'RE GOING TO GO WE WOULD RECOMMEND.

THAT'S JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE WERE GOING WITH IT, NOT NECESSARILY THOSE PARTICULAR PIECES.

THAT'S STILL OPEN TO DECIDE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SO I SHARED WITH LOGAN WHEN WE KIND OF FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE ARTS COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION, YOUR EXCITEMENT AROUND MR.

[00:40:04]

BUT BECAUSE THIS STYLE OF ART HAS BECOME SO COMMON IN TODAY'S SORT OF VERNACULAR I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MORE. SO IN THE DESIGN PROCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU COME UP WITH A FIRST OPTION AND YOU LOVE IT AND YOU THINK IT'S GREAT AND YOU SORT OF HOLD ON TO IT, BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL YOU ITERATE THROUGH A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT YOU EITHER DETERMINE, YES, THAT WAS THE RIGHT OPTION OR NO, WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL ITERATION JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING MORE EITHER THAT MR. WHITAKER CAN COME UP WITH THAT LOOKS A LITTLE LESS COMMON OR TO POTENTIALLY MAKE IT LOOK MORE LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD SEE THAT REALLY MAKES A STATEMENT ABOUT LENEXA.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PUTS YOU OUT OF THE REALM OF MAKING A DIRECT SELECTION.

BUT IF IT MEANS IT PUTS YOU INTO A COMPETITION, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT, JUST SO THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'VE SORT OF EXPLORED ALL THE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S OUT THERE IN TERMS OF KINETICS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS POTENTIAL GROWTH IN EXPLORING THOSE OPTIONS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, SOLD ON ON WHAT WE HAVE AS THE ONE OPTION.

ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH. CHRIS.

WELL, A LITTLE BIT OFF TOPIC.

THERE WAS A PIECE OF ART THAT WAS DAMAGED, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.

DO YOU HAVE A STATUS UPDATE ON THAT? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.

IT WAS AMUSING BREEZE.

THE HOUSE DIVIDED PIECE LOCATED OFF 87TH STREET NEAR SAR-KO-PAR TRAILS PARK.

SO WE DID HAVE SOME VANDALISM AND MOSAIC GLASS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT EXHAUSTIVELY WITH THE ARTIST.

I THINK WE'RE STILL EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR A MOSAIC TILE PERSON TO COME IN.

THE ARTIST ACTUALLY DIDN'T DO THE MOSAIC TILE ON THERE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS BROKEN.

AND THE ARTIST AND THE PERSON HE USED FOR THAT COMES IN FROM OUT OF STATE AND HAS A VERY NARROW WINDOW OF AVAILABILITY AND WEATHER DEPENDENT.

AND SO I THINK WE'RE BASICALLY WE'RE WE'RE SCRAMBLING FOR A PLAN B RIGHT NOW.

SO YEAH, WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT RESOLVED FAIRLY SOON BEFORE THE POOL OPENS SO.

ANYTHING FROM OUR ART EXPERT? NO. OKAY.

YES. I THINK THAT I TEND TO AGREE WITH JULIE A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK WHEN I WHOLEHEARTEDLY TRUST THE ARTS COUNCIL'S OPINIONS, YOU ALL KNOW ART WAY BETTER THAN I DO.

I THINK THE STRUGGLE THAT I'M HAVING SITTING ON THIS SIDE IS NOT HAVING A COMPARISON OF SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO NOT UNDERSTANDING THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF HOW WE GOT HERE, YOU KNOW, WITH SOMETHING ELSE OR WHERE THIS CAME FROM AND WHERE IT'S DERIVED FROM.

AND I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP US GO, OKAY, THIS IS THE THIS IS THIS OR THAT.

RIGHT? SO WE WENT THROUGH THE MURAL.

IT'S LIKE HERE, CHOOSE RIGHT OR HAVE THE PUBLIC CHOOSE WHEN WITH THESE, I THINK I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND, WELL, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN.

AND SO MAYBE IF YOU HAD A SECOND CHOICE THAT WE COULD GO, OH, CLEARLY WE KNOW THIS IS WHY YOU CHOSE IT.

OR, YOU KNOW JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE MORE GROUNDING OF WHY THE ARTS COUNCIL IS RECOMMENDING THIS TYPE OF PIECE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY.

OKAY, MARK. AND ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO BRING UP FROM EARLIER.

THE BLUE, THE BLUE STARS AND VERSUS THE YELLOW STARS, THERE WAS THE PRIORITY ONE AT THE I T LOOKS LIKE THE JUSTICE CENTER.

IS THAT GOING TO BE THE ONE OF THE EAGLE MOVING FROM THE ORIGINAL LOCATION? IS THAT A BLUE IS GOING TO BE MOVING TO THERE, OR IS IT GOING TO BE ANOTHER PIECE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE EAGLE IS MOVING.

AND ANOTHER PIECE NAMED KUROS IS GOING TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY SPACE IN THERE.

SO IT'LL BE ACTUALLY TWO PIECES RELOCATING FROM THE OLD CITY HALL.

THAT MAY SATISFY THAT STAR BUT THE ARTS COUNCIL I KNOW ORIGINALLY WAS THINKING, [INAUDIBLE].

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M GETTING SOME HEAD NODS HERE, BUT I THINK THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT A NEW PIECE AS WELL, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'LL FULLY DROP OFF THE MAP OR NOT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL DISCUSS. AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK NEXT MONTH AND TALK AGAIN ABOUT THE PUBLIC ART PRIORITY LIST.

AND WE'D LOVE THE FEEDBACK IF WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ADDITIONAL THERE OR NOT.

SO THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK.

NEXT IS THE 2023 PUBLIC MARKET ANNUAL REPORT, TESSA.

LET ME SEE HERE.

PUT ON THE SPOT.

POWERPOINT. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING. I AM TESSA ADCOCK, THE MANAGER AT THE LENEXA PUBLIC MARKET DOWNSTAIRS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU 2023 AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

[00:45:05]

I WANTED TO START FIRST, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT AND SEE IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK THE TOP TWO QUESTIONS ARE THAT ARE ASKED OF US PUBLIC MARKET STAFF DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

CUSTOMERS, PUBLIC COMMUNITY MERCHANT QUESTIONS.

WHAT? WHAT DO YOU THINK? BE THINKING OF THAT THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.

BY THE END OF IT, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THE TOP TWO QUESTIONS ARE.

PART OF THAT REASON BEING IS 2023 DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET, WE FOCUS ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

WE FOCUS ON ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS OR BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED OF US FROM MERCHANTS, FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FROM CUSTOMERS WHO COME DOWN TO THE PUBLIC MARKET.

SO ALL OF THIS TONIGHT WILL ANSWER, SHOULD ANSWER ALL THOSE BURNING QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE ASKED ON EMAIL, PHONE CALLS, SOCIAL MEDIA, EVERYWHERE, IN PERSON.

WE'LL START OFF FIRST WITH THE SALES IN 2023, AND I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT PUBLIC MARKET MERCHANTS HAD OVER $3.6 MILLION IN SALES, REPORTED GROSS SALES IN 2023.

AND I'M AS I LOOK AT THIS GRAPH, I CALL THIS THE THE STAIR STEP OF SUCCESS.

YOU SEE, WITH THE LITTLE BLIP IN 2022, BESIDES THAT LITTLE BLIP, WE'VE SEEN CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH IN OUR MERCHANTS, IN THEIR IN THEIR OUTPUT IN IN THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE VISITING THE PUBLIC MARKET AND ALSO COMING BACK TO VISIT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND VISITING OUR MERCHANTS. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT AND WE DO DIFFERENTIATE IN THIS MODEL HERE BETWEEN AN ANCHOR AND A STALL.

SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT COLORS THERE.

AND I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU ONCE AGAIN WHAT THAT IS AND WHY WE DIFFERENTIATE THEM.

AN ANCHOR STALL IS OUR ANCHOR MERCHANTS, OUR LARGE MERCHANTS THAT HAVE FULL COMMERCIAL KITCHENS IN THEIR ACTUAL STALL AREA, FUNCTIONING AS A FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT. THE STALLS, WE HAVE THREE OF THOSE THEY ARE 100FT², PUMPING OUT A LOT OF FOOD, INTERACTING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH AND DOING THAT IN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF SPACE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM BECAUSE AS YOU LOOK AT WAYS TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC MARKET, WHERE WE CAN DO BETTER, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE BUILDING OUT THAT STALL SPACE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE STARTED IN 2023 AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE MOVING FORWARD.

SO OVERALL LOOKING AT THIS, WE WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE OVER 30% INCREASE OVER 2022 IN TOTAL SALES.

WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE MONTH BY MONTH VIEW YEAR OVER YEAR SALES, THE GOLD LINE AT THE VERY TOP IS 2023. OVERALL, WE HAD VERY, VERY STRONG PERFORMANCE OVER THE MONTHS UNTIL YOU GET TO AND YOU'LL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER WE DID HAVE A DROP INTO OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.

SEPTEMBER AT THE END OF THAT COINCIDES WITH THE CLOSING OF ONE OF OUR ANCHOR MERCHANTS.

SO BUTTERFIELD'S LEFT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT BY NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, DESPITE THE LOSS OF AN ANCHOR TENANT, THOSE MERCHANTS DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET WERE ABLE TO PERFORM ABOVE THE LEVEL OF 2022 AND SUPPORT CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THOSE LAST TWO MONTHS.

SO IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT FEAT FOR THEM.

THEY WERE ABLE TO MANAGE THE ADDITIONAL FOOT TRAFFIC TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT LOSS OF AN ANCHOR MERCHANT.

AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT ON THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO SHARE JUST INDIVIDUALLY, OUR MERCHANTS DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET ALL HAD GROWTH YEARS IN 2022 OR 2023, THEY ALL OUTPERFORMED THEIR THEIR SALES AND THEIR FOOT TRAFFIC YEAR OVER YEAR AS WELL.

WE DON'T REFLECT THAT ON HERE, BUT THERE WASN'T A SINGLE ONE THAT DIDN'T DO BETTER OVER TIME.

NEXT UP, I JUST WANT TO SHARE AGAIN THE FACES OF OUR PUBLIC MARKET STAFF THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE.

SO YOU RECOGNIZE THEM AND SAY HELLO WHEN YOU DO COME DOWN.

AS I SAID, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT DOING TRAINING ON HOW TO BE PROACTIVE, HOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS SO THAT WE'RE GIVING CORRECT INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY DO ASK.

[00:50:02]

SO BILL HARRISON WORKS MANY HOURS, TALKS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

HE'S SO GREAT AND ALSO DOES SO MUCH VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHY AT MANY, MANY EVENTS.

ANDREA LOPEZ WORKS FULL TIME AND IS OUR LIAISON ACTUALLY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND WORKS A COUPLE OF SHIFTS A MONTH.

AND AT EVENTS, LEARNING ABOUT THE PUBLIC MARKET, LEARNING ABOUT HOW WE OPERATE.

AND IT HAS JUST REALLY IMPROVED EVEN HER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MIGHT BE A GOOD DIRECTION FOR OUR COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS AND THE WAY THAT WE WORK WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.

AND FINALLY, TOM ROBIN, HE ALSO WORKS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, SO WE HAVE TO SHARE HIM.

BUT HE IS A GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO LOVES TO TALK TO PEOPLE, IS VERY HELPFUL AND AND IS A GREAT WAY TO JUST BUILD THAT COMMUNITY AND THAT NETWORKING BETWEEN A VARIETY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.

IN 2023 FOR TENANT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.

AS YOU KNOW, THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE PUBLIC MARKET IS THAT CONSISTENT CHANGE.

WE WANT TO ALWAYS BE DEVELOPING, GROWING AND SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF DIFFERENT MERCHANTS AT DIFFERENT PHASES OF THEIR BUSINESS LIFE CYCLE.

IN MARCH, WE DID SEE FLOWER MARKET CLOSED THEIR LOCATION.

THEY HAD A SMALL BOOTH.

IT WAS THE LAST REMAINING NON-FOOD VENDOR THAT WE HAD AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

SHE ENDED UP EXPANDING HER SHOP IN OLD TOWN AND AND LEFT THE PUBLIC MARKET HERE.

IN APRIL, MR. D'S COFFEE RENEWED THEIR LEASE FOR ANOTHER 36 MONTHS, I BELIEVE.

IN AUGUST, KIMCHI AND BAP OPENED FOR BUSINESS IN ONE OF THOSE SMALL STALLS.

AND THIS IS A POINT TO NOTE, TOO, THAT I THINK HAS WORKED OUT REALLY WELL.

AND IT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FOR THE OTHER TWO INCUBATOR STALLS IS THAT KIMCHI AND BAP IS THE FIRST INCUBATOR STORE WITH A HOOD, THE ABILITY TO COOK IN HER STALL, AND ALSO HAS THE THREE COMPARTMENT SINK.

SO SHE'S A FULLY LICENSED RESTAURANT WITHIN THAT 100FT² AND DOESN'T DOESN'T RELY ON SOME OF THE OTHER KITCHEN RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE UP IN THE KITCHEN AREA ON THE MEZZANINE LEVEL.

THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE SHE'S ABLE TO DO HER ENTIRE BUSINESS IN THAT, IN THAT SPACE AND NOT BE RELIANT ON OTHER AREAS IN THE MARKET.

ALSO IN AUGUST, AFRICAN DREAM RENEWED THEIR LEASE FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS.

AND THEN SEPTEMBER BUTTERFIELDS BAKERY AND MARKET CHOSE TO NOT RENEW HER LEASE AGREEMENT.

SO WE OUR SEARCH FOR A NEW ANCHOR MERCHANT DID BEGIN THEN IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THEN UNEXPECTEDLY EARLIER THAN ANTICIPATED, ALEJANDRA OF RED KITCHEN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN HER OWN BRICK AND MORTAR EARLIER THAN WHAT THE END OF HER AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ALREADY IN SEARCH FOR ANOTHER ANCHOR MERCHANT AND WERE ABLE TO SIGN WITH CARDBOARD CORNER CAFÉ AND ANNOUNCE THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR TO HAVE A PLAN FOR FILLING THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO ANCHOR MERCHANTS THEN THAT WERE GOING TO BE VACANT.

IN THIS TIME OF TRANSITION, AND AS I HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC MARKET AND THE MERCHANTS AND THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO WHERE WE'VE BEEN, I HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OUR LEASING STRUCTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

INDUSTRY STANDARDS NOW, AND ALSO WHERE THE PUBLIC MARKET IS IN OUR LIFE CYCLE.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH NEW AGREEMENTS.

ONE OF THE BIG FOCUSES WE HAD AND CAMPAIGNS THAT WE COLLABORATED WITH, COMMUNICATIONS WAS TO DO STORYTELLING ABOUT OUR MERCHANTS AND TO REALLY PUT A FACE TO THE BRAND AND THE NAME AND THE FLAVORS THAT WE DO HAVE DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

WE HAD SOME OVERARCHING CAMPAIGNS THAT WE RAN WITH TRAVEL WITH YOUR TASTE BUDS, FUN AND FLAVOR, SECRET INGREDIENTS.

AND THROUGH ALL OF THESE, WE SPENT TIME INTERVIEWING, DOING PHOTO SHOOTS TALKING WITH WRITING FEATURE STORIES FOR EACH OF OUR

[00:55:07]

HOW I CAN BETTER HELP THEM GET THERE BY KNOWING THAT.

AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER ON ON OUR WEBSITE, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IN A VARIETY OF PLACES.

I WANT TO GO THROUGH EACH EACH SINGLE ONE AND TELL YOU ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED ABOUT THEM THAT I THINK IS SO SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO PICK THREE.

AFRICAN DREAM CUISINE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TRUE AMERICAN DREAM.

IT'S A COUPLE FROM CAMEROON WHO CAME TO AMERICA, WHO OWNED A BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN LENEXA, SHARING THEIR CULTURE, THEIR FLAVORS, AND THEIR EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA.

IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.

KIMCHI AND BAP, OUR NEWEST MERCH.

WELL, NOT OUR NEWEST ANYMORE, BEFORE CARDBOARD CORNER.

KIMCHI AND BAP LAST YEAR IN 2023.

OUR NEWEST MERCHANT.

SECOND CHANCES, NEW BEGINNINGS, REALLY DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

LISA WAS WORKING IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

LOVED TO LOVED TO COOK, COOK FOR HER FRIENDS.

AND COVID CAME AROUND AND WAS LIKE, WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING? I NEED TO I NEED TO HAVE A RESTAURANT.

I NEED TO SHARE MY KOREAN CULTURE.

I NEED TO EXPLORE THAT MORE.

AND I HAVE TO DO IT AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

AND IT WAS SO COOL TO HEAR THE STORY AND TO BE APART OF THAT BEGINNING AND CONTINUATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF OF LISA AND AND KIMCHI AND BAP AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

AND THEN FINALLY TOPP'D PIZZA AND SALADS.

THE OG, THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET FOR THE LONGEST.

CHAD'S COMMITMENT TO AND LIKE COMING AROUND AND UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY AND HOW IMPORTANT THE COMMUNITY OF THE PUBLIC MARKET IS, HOW MUCH THAT BUILDS UP HIS BUSINESS AND HOW MUCH HE ADDS AND CONTRIBUTES TO WHAT THAT COMMUNITY IS AND WHAT'S BEING MADE AT THE PUBLIC MARKET REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME.

IT WAS HIS TIME TO SHINE AND TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE.

SO WE REALLY SUCCEEDED COMMUNICATIONS AND THEIR STORYTELLING AND THEIR ABILITY TO DRAW THAT OUT OF THEM, IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. ALL OF THAT WILL BE TRANSFERRED ONTO OUR NEW WEBSITE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW TO GET THAT UP AND GOING.

THE IMAGES, THE PHOTO SHOOTS, THE QUOTES, THE STORIES THAT WILL ALL COME WITH IT.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANT AS PART OF OUR PUBLIC MARKET STORY.

SO I WON'T TELL YOU EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, READ THEIR STORY FIRST OR I'LL TELL YOU WHAT MY TAKEAWAY WAS.

SO NOW ON TO SOME SNEAK PEAKS IN 2024.

THIS IS OUR SPECIAL EVENTS LIST.

A COUPLE BIG THINGS.

SO LAST YEAR WE DEBUTED THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION AND OUR GLOBAL NEIGHBORS AND FLAVORS FEST.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND TWEAK THOSE EVENTS THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE ALSO ADDED A WEEKLY EVENT.

LEARN TO PLAY BOARD GAMES.

THAT WILL BE HOSTED AND BOARD GAMES WILL BE DEMOED BY CARDBOARD CORNER CAFE.

STAFF MEMBERS WILL HAPPEN WEEKLY.

SO WE'LL HAVE LEARN TO PLAY ON MONDAYS, FAMILY NIGHT ON WEDNESDAYS.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUND BITES REGULARLY ON ON FRIDAYS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, HOLD THE WINTER FARMERS MARKETS REGULARLY.

AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO MERCHANT COOKING CLASSES.

AS THEY COME UP AND WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN OUR MERCHANTS ARE WANTING TO DO THOSE.

I INVITE YOU TO COME TO OUR FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT SOUND BITES OF THE SEASON THIS YEAR IT WILL BE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH.

IT IS OUR UTEPILS CHEERS TO THE SPRING TIME, SO PLEASE COME OUT.

WE HAVE A COUNTRY ACT FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE PUBLIC MARKET, SO COME BY AND AND SHARE IN THE IN THE CELEBRATION OF SPRINGTIME AND FRIDAY NIGHT SOUNDBITE SEASON REALLY IS WHAT IT IS.

ANOTHER POEM THAT EVENING TOO, WE STARTING THAT AS TRADITION.

OKAY HAVE TO.

YEP. WE'VE ACTUALLY ASKED.

SO WE WORK WITH THE ETHNIC ENRICHMENT COMMISSION OF KANSAS CITY, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A SCANDINAVIAN COMMISSIONER OF SOME KIND TO COME IN AND GIVE US THE TRUE, AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THAT UTEPILS TOAST SHOULD BE AND SOUND LIKE AND ALL THAT.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING EVEN MORE AUTHENTIC AND FUN THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE HAD OUR FIRST EVENT OF THE YEAR, FEBRUARY 11TH.

WE HAD THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION BIGGER AND BETTER, HONESTLY, THAN EVEN IT WAS LAST YEAR.

[01:00:04]

THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE PERFORMERS PERFORM OUTSIDE IN THE LOWER COMMONS AREA.

THE WEATHER WAS NICE ENOUGH, WHICH WAS A LITTLE CRAZY.

BUT LOTS OF COLORS, LOTS OF SMILES, LOTS OF FOOD SPECIALS.

AND OUR MERCHANTS HAD ENOUGH FOOD THIS YEAR.

THEY DID NOT SELL OUT AND THEY WERE PREPARED.

AND IT'S SO COOL TO SEE THEM GROW AND BE EXCITED ABOUT THESE EVENTS.

OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE ETHNIC ENRICHMENT COMMISSION OF KANSAS CITY IS GOING STRONG.

WE DID COLLABORATE WITH THEM FOR A LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT.

GLOBAL NEIGHBORS AND FLAVORS WILL BE OUR NEXT EVENT.

LAST YEAR WE HAD 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, I THINK AT LEAST 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES DOING PERFORMANCES, FOOD SPECIALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE HOPE TO EXPAND AND AT LEAST HAVE THAT AGAIN.

THIS YEAR WE HAVE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH THE EEC FOR A GLOBAL FLAVORS POP UP RESTAURANT.

AND ACTUALLY THEY'LL BE HERE THIS WEEKEND.

SO PLEASE COME BY AND CHECK IT OUT FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

THIS THE COMMISSION PUTS TOGETHER COUNTRIES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE AUTHENTIC FOOD FROM THEIR COUNTRY AT A POP AT THE POP UP RESTAURANT.

SO THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE ISRAEL, KENYA, BOLIVIA AND MALAYSIA ARE REPRESENTED AT THE VERY VARIOUS MEALS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.

SO GLOBAL FLAVORS POP UP RESTAURANT.

FINALLY, OUR NEWEST ADDITION WAS CARDBOARD CORNER CAFE.

GRAND OPENING WAS IN FEBRUARY.

IT WAS A QUICK TURNAROUND.

THEY WERE VERY ORGANIZED, VERY EXCITED.

THEY'RE ALREADY HOSTING GAME NIGHTS ON MONDAY NIGHTS.

AND THEY BRING THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THAT CAMARADERIE THAT THAT I THINK IS PERFECT FOR THE PUBLIC MARKET IN ADDITION TO DELICIOUS FOOD.

RIGHT. BECAUSE WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE FOOD AT THE PUBLIC MARKET EVER.

THAT'S ALL WE DO IS EAT.

WE'RE COMING FULL CIRCLE.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE COMING BACK TO WHAT ARE THOSE TOP TWO QUESTIONS THAT WE GET ASKED DOWN AT THE PUBLIC MARKET? THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHAT'S GOING INTO BUTTERFIELD'S STALL? EVERYBODY'S WONDERING THAT.

RIGHT. THERE'S KIND OF A SNEAK PEEK.

I CAN'T ANNOUNCE IT QUITE YET, BUT THAT IS WHAT IT WILL BE.

IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

WE'RE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF REVIEWING THE AGREEMENT AND GETTING THAT SIGNED AND HAVING A PLAN FOR THAT STALL.

I WILL SAY THERE HAS BEEN EXTRA TIME TAKEN IN PLANNING FOR IT, BECAUSE WE WILL BE DOING SOME STALL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ALIGN WITH ADD MORE SEATING OF COURSE, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, MAKE IT A VERY RESTAURANT BAR FEEL SITTING AT A BAR.

NOT NOT ALCOHOL BAR BUT LIKE FOOD BAR, BUT SITTING UP THERE TALKING, EATING AND ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO STAY, COME AND STAY AND EAT AT THE PUBLIC MARKET.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.

THE SECOND QUESTION WE GET ASKED ALL THE TIME IS HOW CAN I BE A VENDOR AT THE PUBLIC MARKET? HOW CAN I BE A POP UP RESTAURANT? I HAVE THIS CRAZY IDEA TO DO WHATEVER I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS.

I'M REALLY GOOD AT COOKING THIS.

I WANT TO GET INVOLVED SOMEHOW.

AND WE LOVE CRAZY IDEAS.

WE ENTERTAIN ALL OF THEM.

I TALK WITH EVERYBODY AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN AND TRY AND HELP THEM WITH THEIR VISION IN THAT WAY.

THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC MARKET IS.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BE.

NOT EVERYBODY WILL BE ABLE TO BE A MERCHANT AT THE PUBLIC MARKET, BUT WE SURE WANT TO FIND A WAY TO TO HELP THEM REALIZE THAT IN THEIR OWN WAY.

SO IF THOSE WERE NOT YOUR TWO BURNING QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK ME.

I WILL TRY, TRY AND HELP ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.

OTHERWISE, YES.

THANK YOU. BURNING QUESTIONS FOR TESSA.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

CONGRATULATIONS ON GREAT WORK.

YOU BET. THANK YOU. THIS NOW ENDS THE RECORDED PORTION OF THE MEETING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.