Sep 03, 2024 City Council Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER ]

[00:00:12]

ALLEGIANCE].

JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

. THANK YOU.

BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE THE AUGUST 20TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.

[APPROVE MINUTES ]

MOTION BY CRAIG.

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

JENNIFER. ANY MODIFICATIONS THIS EVENING? NONE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU.

UP FIRST, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS.

[PROCLAMATIONS]

ONE OF WHICH IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, WHICH WE WILL HAVE A STAFF REPORT, AND THE OTHER IS CONSTITUTION WEEK.

YOU CAN READ THOSE IN THE PACKET IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, BUT I WILL COME DOWN TO READ THE REST.

UP FIRST WE ARE JOINED BY RYAN JOLLY FOR FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH.

THIS IS RYAN HERE. OKAY.

WHEREAS FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS IS AN UMBRELLA TERM DESCRIBING A RANGE OF DISABILITIES THAT CAN OCCUR IN BABIES WHO ARE EXPOSED TO ALCOHOL BEFORE BIRTH, AND WHEREAS THESE DISORDERS MAY AFFECT AS MANY AS 5% OF SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN WITHIN THE US WITH COMPLEX LIFELONG CHALLENGES INCLUDING VERBAL AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL INTERACTION, GROWTH, COGNITION, AND ADAPTIVE FUNCTION, AND ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND WHEREAS A COMPREHENSIVE, COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WILL HELP TO ADVANCE RESEARCH WHILE STRENGTHENING ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND ENSURING ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES.

AND WHEREAS THESE DISORDERS MAY BE PREVENTED BY SUPPORTING PREGNANCIES FREE OF ALCOHOL, PREVENTION EFFORTS SHOULD BE BALANCED WITH SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH THEM. AND WHEREAS EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION CAN HAVE LIFELONG BENEFITS, EASING THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD AND FOSTERING GREATER INDEPENDENCE.

AND WHEREAS EACH PERSON AND FAMILY AFFECTED BY THESE DISORDERS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO RELIABLE INFORMATION, SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE UP TO THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 2024 IN LENEXA TO BE FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH. RYAN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK MAYOR SAYERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

I THINK THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR OF HAVING LENEXA MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH.

I'M HERE WITH SEVERAL FAMILIES FROM LENEXA, AND WE REPRESENT ABOUT 2900 MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN LENEXA THAT ARE AFFECTED BY FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS.

AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING WITH THAT DISEASE, NOT INCLUDING THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR PARENTS, THEIR SIBLINGS, THEIR COWORKERS, THEIR FRIENDS.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER AFFECTS UP TO 1 IN 20 PEOPLE, SO ABOUT 5% OF OUR POPULATION.

WE'RE NOT THE ONLY FAMILIES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN YOUR TOWN, IN YOUR SCHOOLS, WITH SOMEONE WITH FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER.

SO I APPRECIATE OUR CITY TAKING THE LEAD IN RECOGNIZING THAT.

OF COURSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OF COURSE. OKAY.

I RECOGNIZE SUSAN BELGER ANGELO WITH HAPPY BOTTOMS FOR OUR NATIONAL DIAPER NEED AWARENESS MONTH, WHEREAS DIAPER NEED THE CONDITION OF NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF CLEAN DIAPERS.

KEEP BABIES AND TODDLERS CLEAN, DRY, AND HEALTHY CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.

AND WHEREAS NATIONAL SURVEYS AND RESEARCH STUDIES REPORT THAT 47% OF FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN STRUGGLE TO AFFORD DIAPERS, AND 48% OF FAMILIES DELAY CHANGING A DIAPER TO EXTEND THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY.

AND WHEREAS PURCHASING ENOUGH DIAPERS CAN CONSUME 14% OF A LOW WAGE FAMILY'S INCOME, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPLY, AND WHEREAS A DAILY OR WEEKLY SUPPLY OF DIAPERS IS GENERALLY A REQUIREMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN CHILDCARE PROGRAMS AND EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ENABLE CHILDREN TO THRIVE AND PARENTS TO WORK,

[00:05:03]

AND WHEREAS THE DIAPER NEED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND ADDRESSING IT CAN LEAD TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND IMPROVED HEALTH FOR CHILDREN, THUS ENSURING ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO THE BASIC NECESSITIES REQUIRED TO THRIVE AND TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

NOW I, THEREFORE, JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 23RD, 29TH, 2024 AS NATIONAL DIAPER NEED AWARENESS WEEK. OKAY, THERE YOU GO.

SWITCHING PHONES.

THANK YOU. JULIE. I JUST HAVE JUST A FEW THINGS AND SORRY, I'M USING MY NOTES, BUT THESE ARE NEW STATISTICS.

DIAPER NEED AWARENESS WEEK IS ACTUALLY A NATIONAL EVENT THAT HAPPENS.

THERE ARE OVER 200 DIAPER BANKS IN THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE THE ONLY DIAPER BANK IN KANSAS CITY, AND THERE ARE NO DIAPER BANKS IN THE STATE OF KANSAS, SO WE TRY TO SERVE BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE.

THE NEW STATISTIC IS WE USED TO SAY 1 IN 3 FAMILIES NEEDED OUR HELP.

NOW, 1 IN 2 FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO AFFORD DIAPERS AND THE NEED FOR OUR SERVICE IS EVEN GREATER.

THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY WE ARE SERVING NOW A LITTLE OVER 6000 CHILDREN A MONTH, AND WE'RE DISTRIBUTING OVER FIVE POINT OR 580,000 DIAPERS EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO OUR FAMILIES.

OUR STRETCH GOAL THIS YEAR WAS TO DISTRIBUTE 4.3 MILLION DIAPERS.

AND WE KNEW THAT THAT WE WERE GOING TO REACH THAT BECAUSE WE ARE GIVING NOW 75 DIAPERS PER FAMILY PER MONTH.

WE KNEW THAT NUMBER WAS GOING TO RISE.

WHAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT WAS THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY WAS EVEN GREATER.

BY THE END OF DECEMBER OF 31, WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE PROJECTED TO GIVE OUT 5.8 MILLION DIAPERS THIS YEAR TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE SERVING, LIKE I'VE SAID, BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE JACKSON, CASS, CLAY, PLATTE AND MISSOURI, JOHNSON AND WYANDOTTE COUNTIES IN KANSAS.

WE JUST DID TWO NEW PARTNERSHIPS, ONE IN LEAVENWORTH COUNTY AND ONE IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, TO TRY TO SERVE THOSE AREAS AS WELL AS WELL AS NORTHERN NORTHWEST MISSOURI.

THE NEED IS GREAT.

ALL WE NEED IS MORE TIME AND MORE MONEY.

BUT WE SAY, GIVE A DIAPER, CHANGE A LIFE.

THANK YOU.

ALL IS WALTER WAY WITH CASEY.

SUICIDE PREVENTION.

HELLO AND WELCOME BACK.

WHEREAS SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND IN JOHNSON COUNTY, WHICH HELPS PROMOTE RESOURCES AND AWARENESS AROUND SUICIDE PREVENTION.

AND WHEREAS IN KANSAS, SUICIDE HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN IN THE TOP TEN LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG ALL AGES AND THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR KANSANS AGED 10 TO 34 YEARS. AND WHEREAS SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE, WE WILL LIVE STRONG AND THE WILL TO LIVE IS STRONG AND DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE TO OVERCOME.

MANY PEOPLE WHO CONSIDER THIS CONSIDER SUICIDE DO NOT ACTUALLY WANT TO DIE.

THEY ARE IN DEEP EMOTIONAL PAIN AND ANGUISH.

SUICIDE, FOR MANY, IS THE ONLY WAY THEY KNOW HOW TO END THAT PAIN THROUGH COMPASSION MEANS RESTRICTION AND PROFESSIONAL INTERVENTION.

SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE.

AND WHEREAS THE US SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED THE 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE IN 2022.

THE EASY TO REMEMBER NUMBER READS.

TRAINED CRISIS COUNSELORS FOR HELP WITH SUICIDE, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE RELATED CRISES, ANSWERING NEARLY 5 MILLION CONTACTS ITS FIRST YEAR.

AND WHEREAS KANSAS SUICIDE PREVENTION HQ IS DEDICATED TO REDUCING THE FREQUENCY OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND DEATHS THROUGH TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, KANSAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2024 TO BE SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY OF LENEXA ACKNOWLEDGING THIS CRITICAL NEED THAT'S EXISTING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF KANSAS.

AND THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, WE ANSWERED OVER 15,000 CALLS FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE CONSIDERING SUICIDE OR EXPERIENCING AN ALCOHOL OR DRUG RELATED CRISIS.

WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ANSWERING THESE CALLS THAT ARE TRAINED TO BE COUNSELORS, TO WALK THEM THROUGH IT.

AND WE ALSO PARTNER WITH MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF KANSAS TO REFER THEM AS NEEDED, GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO COPE.

SO AGAIN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CREATE THE AWARENESS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT 988.

AND SO THIS REALLY HELPS US IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC.

[00:10:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.

TIM DEWEESE AND NANCY STROUD BUSH OR BOTH OF YOU HERE.

GREAT NATIONAL CO-RESPONDER AND CRISIS RESPONDER WEEK.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF LENEXA IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THESE THOSE FACING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE RISING DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES.

AND WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CHALLENGES CAN LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS, INCARCERATION AND EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, WHICH ARE MORE INTRUSIVE AND COSTLY FOR COMMUNITIES THAN EARLIER INTERVENTIONS AND CONNECTIONS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.

AND WHEREAS, LENEXA HAS RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND IDENTIFIED CO-RESPONDERS AND MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS AS AN EMERGING EFFECTIVE PRACTICE.

AND WHEREAS, LENEXA PARTNERED WITH JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS CO-RESPONDER PROGRAM IN 2016 TO PAIR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS WITH POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND COLLABORATIVELY TO INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS, PROVIDE THE RIGHT INTERVENTION AT THE TIME TO AVOID ARRESTS, EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, AND REPEAT.

REPEAT 911 CALLS BY CONNECTING TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES.

AND WHEREAS JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER'S MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS AND CRISIS CASE MANAGERS THAT PROVIDE SCREENINGS, ASSESSMENTS, AND CONNECTIONS TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES LIKE COUNSELING, MEDICATION, HOUSING AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES, FURTHER REDUCING THE NEED FOR UNNECESSARY FIRST RESPONDER INTERACTIONS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS.

NOW, NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 18TH THROUGH 24TH, 2024 AS NATIONAL CO-RESPONDER AND CRISIS RESPONDER WEEK.

OF COURSE. THANK YOU. DO PICTURES FIRST AND THEN.

THAT'LL WORK. COME ON UP, GUYS.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. OKAY.

THANKS. SO FIRST OF ALL, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL, FOR RECOGNIZING CO-RESPONDERS AND CRISIS RESPONDERS.

WE REALLY HAVE IN LENEXA, KANSAS, ALONG WITH JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, HAVE BLAZED A TRAIL IN PROVIDING A NEW ALTERNATIVE SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND COLLECTIVELY TO SITUATIONS.

I THINK WHAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGH THE DATA IS THAT IF YOU PROVIDE ACCESS, WHICH ACCESS, YOU PROVIDE IT IN A QUALITY WAY, WHAT YOU SEE IS CONTAINED COSTS ACROSS SYSTEMS, NOT ONLY THE CITY SYSTEM, THE POLICE SYSTEM, THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM AND THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM.

AND SO THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP BOTH WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AT THE JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER TO COME TOGETHER AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE TEAM.

ALL RIGHT. LAST ONE WILL BE BEN HARBOR WITH LENEXA ROTARY.

WHEREAS PEACE EMBRACES THE DEEPEST HOPES OF ALL PEOPLE AND IS NOT ONLY HUMANKIND'S GUIDING INSPIRATION, BUT A BASE NECESSITY FOR HUMAN HEALTH, EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AND WHEREAS, A PEACE POLE IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SYMBOL OF THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN FAMILY.

STANDING VIGIL AND SILENT.

PRAYER FOR PEACE ON EARTH.

WHEREAS THE ROTARY CLUB OF LENEXA, THE LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL, AND THE CITY OF LENEXA HAVE PARTNERED TO CREATE THE LENEXA PEACE POLES COMMUNITY ART PROJECT.

AND WHEREAS, THE PEACE POLES COMMUNITY ART PROJECT IS A SERIES OF 36 POLES DESIGNED BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ADORNED WITH ORIGINAL ART AND MESSAGES OF PEACE.

AND WHEREAS THE PEACE POLES ARE DISPLAYED IN BLACKHOOF PARK THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024 TO SERVE AS A DAILY REMINDER THAT GOODNESS COMES FROM ACTS OF KINDNESS AND THAT PEACE COMES FROM GOODNESS.

AND WHEREAS THE SUPPORT WITHIN OUR CITY OF THE OBSERVANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE, WHICH AFFIRMS A VISION OF OUR WORLD AT PEACE AND FOSTERS COOPERATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE SAYERS, MAYOR OF LENEXA, KANSAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2024, IN THE CITY OF LENEXA TO BE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE. BEN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. SAYERS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE LENEXA ROTARY CLUB IS SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITH CITY OF LENEXA PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL TO BRING THE PEACE POLES BACK

[00:15:03]

SO OUR LOCAL ARTISTS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB, EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS AND ALL THOSE THAT HAVE SEEN IT, AND WE'RE SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT.

I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S ONE THAT YOU NEED 3D GLASSES TO VIEW.

YEAH, WE HAVE ONE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT NEEDS 3D GLASSES.

YES. SO YOU SAID SEPTEMBER THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH.

PAY THEM A VISIT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. UP NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THE MATTERS LISTED IN THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND APPROVED COLLECTIVELY, WITH NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION ON INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MAY BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION BY A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY.

CITY MANAGER OR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

IN THE EVENT THE ITEM IS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.

ANY ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA.

SECOND. MOTION BY BILL.

SECOND BY MELANIE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.

[7. Consideration of a resolution levying a property tax rate exceeding the revenue-neutral property tax rate of 25.872 mills for the FY 2025 budget]

CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION LEVYING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 25.872 MILLS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET. ITEM SEVEN B IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.

ITEM SEVEN B IS A RESOLUTION LEVYING PROPERTY TAX RATE AND EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 25.82 25.872 MILLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.

NATE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

BEFORE WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST KIND OF A RECAP OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET AND JUST TOUCH ON SOME HIGHLIGHTS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE TOPICS I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS.

AND THEN WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH THE ACTION ITEMS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.

IT WOULDN'T BE A BUDGET PRESENTATION WITHOUT THE BUDGET PRINCIPLES.

SO I WANT TO GO OVER THOSE BRIEFLY.

THE BUDGET PRINCIPLES ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET.

THEY ARE.

WE FUND ONGOING OPERATING EXPENDITURES WITH ONGOING REVENUE SOURCES.

AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE PERSONNEL COSTS AS AN ONGOING EXPENSE.

WE WOULD USE SALES TAX OR PROPERTY TAX TO FUND THAT.

WE WOULD USE ONE TIME REVENUES FOR ONE TIME EXPENDITURES.

AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE THE ARPA FUNDING THE CITY RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING COVID, WHICH WE'VE USED TO RECONSTRUCT LENEXA OLD TOWN ACTIVITY CENTER, SO ONE TIME CAPITAL PROJECT AND THEN MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT RESERVE BALANCES TO ADDRESS UNFORESEEN EVENTS.

THE CITY MUST MAINTAIN RESERVES SO THAT WE CAN NAVIGATE AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, SUCH AS THE GREAT RECESSION, AND STILL FUND NECESSARY FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY.

ADDITIONALLY, WE MUST MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT RESERVES SO THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR TRIPLE-A BOND RATING, WHICH SAVES TAXPAYERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS, EACH TIME THE CITY ISSUES DEBT FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT.

WE'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THAT AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND THEN WE USE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE ESTIMATION.

YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT SALES AND USE TAX MAKE UP A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR REVENUE BUDGET.

IT'S A VERY VOLATILE REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE CITY.

LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, POST COVID, WE'VE SEEN 15 TO 20% INCREASES IN REVENUE YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND THEN THIS YEAR, FIRST HALF OF FISCAL YEAR 24, IT'S ACTUALLY DOWN 1%.

SO ALMOST A 21% SWING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO. AND THEN FINALLY THE CITY PREPARES AND FUNDS EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES TO PREDICT FUTURE EXPENSES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT FALL BEHIND ON MAINTENANCE.

I BELIEVE I'VE CARRIED THIS SLIDE OVER FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, BUT WE ARE EXPERIENCING MANY OF THE SAME BUDGET PRESSURES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.

OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU WALK OUTSIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, A LOT OF GROWTH IN LENEXA.

WITH THAT COMES A DEMAND FOR SERVICES FROM THE CITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER SERVICES.

[00:20:06]

AS YOU KNOW, INFLATION HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HIGH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS NOW DOWN TO ABOUT 3%.

BUT THE COMPOUNDING INFLATION HAS GREATLY INCREASED THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY.

AND THEN EMPLOYEE RETENTION WAS ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

VERY HOT LABOR MARKET POST COVID, ESPECIALLY IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA.

WE'VE RAPIDLY INCREASED COMPENSATION WHICH DOES PUT PRESSURE ON OUR BUDGET.

SOME OF THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.

OUR TOTAL ESTIMATED 2025 ASSESSED VALUATION IS 1.82 BILLION.

ASSESSED VALUATION GREW BY APPROXIMATELY 100 MILLION, OR 5.86%.

OF THAT, NEARLY 20% IS ATTRIBUTED TO NEW CONSTRUCTION OR NEW GROWTH.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING A HALF MILL ROLLBACK.

AND THE MILL LEVY FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

AND RECOMMENDING A 970 MILL LEVY FOR THE BUDGET.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING NO CHANGES TO THE STORM WATER SERVICE CHARGE, USER FEES OR FRANCHISE FEES, AND ALSO OUR SALES TAX RATE REMAINS UNCHANGED.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE ADDITION OF FIVE FTES TWO IN POLICE, A COURT SECURITY OFFICER AND ONE POLICE OFFICER, ONE POSITION IN MUNICIPAL SERVICES, A FACILITIES TECHNICIAN, ONE POSITION IN STORM WATER, A MAINTENANCE WORKER, AND ONE POSITION IN PARKS AND RECREATION SPECIALIST.

YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP THERE, OUR FISCAL YEAR 2024 ADOPTED BUDGET WAS 224.8 MILLION.

YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKOUT BETWEEN EXPENDITURES AND RESERVES.

OUR RECOMMENDED 25 BUDGET IS 246.8 MILLION.

THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 14 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS, FOR A TOTAL EXPENDITURE BUDGET OF 168.3 MILLION.

OF THE $14 MILLION INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES, 7.7 MILLION IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL FUND THAT MAINLY THAT IS, COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS PLUS BENEFITS, COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE, AS WELL AS A COUPLE MILLION FOR TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.

APPROXIMATELY 5.5 MILLION, OR 40% OF THIS INCREASE IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE CITY'S SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST IN THE CASE OF TIF AND CITY FUNDS, THEY'RE NOT REVENUE TO THE CITY.

WE HAVE TO BUDGET THEM PER STATE LAW, BUT THEY ARE NOT REVENUE TO THE CITY.

THEY ARE PASS THROUGH TO DEVELOPERS FOR ELIGIBLE TIF AND SED EXPENDITURES.

AND WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN OUR RESERVES TO 78.5 MILLION.

SOME OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR 35% MAX TARGET AND OUR FUND BALANCE, AS WELL AS THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND ANTICIPATION OF DEBT ISSUANCES FOR 83RD STREET, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE PROJECT, WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 PHASES.

WE ALSO HAVE POTENTIAL FIRE STATION SIX AND THE LONE ELM INTERCHANGE PROJECT AS WELL.

OUR REVENUE BUDGET 169.3 MILLION.

PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP APPROXIMATELY 43.3% OF OVERALL REVENUE AND JUST OVER 73 MILLION AND NON PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH INCLUDE YOUR SALES TAX AND USE TAX AND FRANCHISE FEES ARE JUST BELOW 72 MILLION.

ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE YOU CAN SEE PUBLIC SAFETY AT JUST OVER 39 MILLION IS OUR LARGEST CATEGORY AT 23%, FOLLOWED BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT JUST OVER 29 MILLION TOTAL AND THEN COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE AT 23.5 MILLION.

THIS CHART SHOWS OUR RECOMMENDED BUDGET BY CATEGORY.

THE FIRST COLUMN IN THE CHART IS THE CITY'S TOTAL RECOMMENDED BUDGET OF 246.8 MILLION.

THIS INCLUDES THE CITY'S RESERVES, WHICH ARE NOT PLANNED TO BE SPENT IN 2025, AND THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS, WHICH AGAIN ARE PASS THROUGH AND NOT REVENUE TO THE CITY. SINCE WE DO NOT INTEND TO SPEND THE CITY'S RESERVE FUNDS IN 2025, THE SECOND COLUMN TAKES OUT OUR 78.5 MILLION IN RESERVES, FOR A TOTAL OF 168.3 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.

AND THEN FURTHERMORE, SINCE THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS ARE PASSED THROUGH TO REIMBURSE DEVELOPERS FOR ELIGIBLE TIF AND SED EXPENDITURES WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND ARE NOT REVENUE TO THE CITY, WE TAKE THESE FUNDS OUT TO SHOW THE ACTUAL OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF 145.3 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

[00:25:12]

THIS PIE CHART BREAKS OUT THE CITY'S TOTAL BUDGET, INCLUDING RESERVES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS BY CATEGORY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CITY'S SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH ARE THE GRAY PIECE OF THE PIE THERE, MAKE UP APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET.

AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THESE ARE EITHER RESTRICTED OR NOT REVENUE TO THE CITY.

THIS CHART DETAILS THE CITY'S MILL LEVY FROM 2018 TO OUR ESTIMATED LEVY OF 26.970 MILLS IN 2025.

THIS IS THE CITY'S SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE MILL LEVY DECREASE SINCE 2018.

STAFF ARE ALWAYS EVALUATING OUR MILL LEVY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY IN A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY, WHEN IT IS POSSIBLE TO LOWER THE MILL LEVY AND STILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.

WE HAVE NOT HESITATED TO DO SO AND THE SAME WILL BE TRUE GOING FORWARD.

THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS ALL OF THE TAXING JURISDICTIONS AND THE CITY'S PORTION OF YOUR OVERALL TAX BILL.

AND THIS IS IF YOU LIVE IN THE OLATHE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF YOUR TAX BILL, FOLLOWED BY THE CITY OF LENEXA AT 22.3%, AND THEN JOHNSON COUNTY.

ALL THREE TAXING DISTRICTS ARE ROUGHLY 20%.

IF YOU LIVE IN DESOTO OR SHAWNEE MISSION.

THE CITY OF LENEXA PORTION IS BETWEEN 23 TO 25%.

SO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF YOUR OVERALL BUDGET OR, SORRY, YOUR TAX BILL.

AND WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.

THE KANSAS STATE LEGISLATURE REQUIRES THE CITY TO CALCULATE ITS REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.

AND IF THE CITY PLANS TO EXCEED THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE, IT MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE ARE DOING TONIGHT.

THE DEFINITION OF THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE IS THE MILL LEVY REQUIRED TO RAISE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AS A PRIOR YEAR.

YOU'RE USING CURRENT YEAR ASSESSED VALUATION AMOUNTS, SO THE FORMULA IS MILL LEVY TIMES.

ASSESSED VALUATION EQUALS YOUR REVENUE.

SO AS YOUR ASSESSED VALUATION GOES UP, YOUR REVENUE NEUTRAL MILL LEVY WOULD GO DOWN.

AND IF YOUR ASSESSED VALUATION WENT DOWN, YOUR REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE WOULD GO UP.

THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE DOES NOT ALLOW THE CITY TO UTILIZE THE ADDITIONAL VALUATION ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEW GROWTH.

AS I MENTIONED, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 20% FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

SO AGAIN, AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR SERVICES FROM THE CITY.

BUT THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE WOULD KEEP US AT THE SAME REVENUE.

SO NOT ABLE TO GENERATE REVENUE TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

NOR DOES IT PROVIDE ANY ALLOWANCE FOR INFLATION.

SO, BASED ON THE CITY'S ASSESSED VALUATION OF 1.82 BILLION, THE CITY'S REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE IS 25.872MM, AS CALCULATED BY JOHNSON COUNTY.

THIS WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF 1.598MM FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 24 TAX RATE, AND A FURTHER REDUCTION OF JUST OVER A MIL FROM THE 2025 RECOMMENDED TAX RATE OF 26.970 MILLS.

SO THE DOLLAR VALUE OF THAT REDUCTION OR EACH OF THOSE REDUCTIONS.

SO FROM THE CURRENT 24 TAX RATE, THE DOLLAR VALUE OF A REDUCTION TO THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE WOULD BE $2.82 MILLION.

AND THAT'S AN ONGOING REVENUE REDUCTION FROM THE PROPOSED 25 RECOMMENDED TAX RATE.

THE REDUCTION WOULD BE 1.93 MILLION.

AND AGAIN, THAT IS AN ONGOING REVENUE REDUCTION.

THIS CHART IS INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET DOCUMENT ON OUR WEBSITE AND SHOWS YOU HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR CITY PROPERTY TAX BILL.

I WILL NOTE THAT THE INCREASE IN THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THE AVERAGE LENEXA HOME FROM APPROXIMATELY 439,000 LAST YEAR TO 467,000 THIS YEAR, INCLUDES NEW AND EXISTING HOMES.

THE AVERAGE MONTHLY EXPENSE FOR CITY SERVICES IS ESTIMATED TO BE $120.92 A MONTH, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $5.59 OVER LAST YEAR, OR 4.46% INCREASE.

THIS IS A REPRESENTATION IT'S NOT ALL INCLUSIVE OF THE LIST OF CITY SERVICES OUR RESIDENTS RECEIVE FOR THE $120.92 A MONTH.

THIS INCLUDES CARE, MAINTENANCE, SWEEPING, SNOW PLOWING OF OVER 858 LANE MILES OF ROADS, OVER 175 MILES OF STORM PIPE, 34 DEVELOPED PARKS TOTALING OVER 850 ACRES.

[00:30:01]

SORRY. 45 MILES OF TRAIL AND THREE OUTDOOR POOLS.

NOT TO MENTION POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION AND THE NUMEROUS OTHER CITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES REQUIRED TO HOUSE ALL OF THESE SERVICES.

AS YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS GIVE US VERY HIGH MARKS IN CITIZEN SATISFACTION SURVEYS FOR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, AND IT WAS NO DIFFERENT IN 2023.

AS YOU KNOW, WE ISSUE A CITIZEN SURVEY EVERY TWO YEARS.

IN 2023.

WE ARE RANKED ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL 43 AREAS ASSESSED IN THE SURVEY.

AND THERE'S TWO SURVEY QUESTIONS I PULLED OUT THAT ARE FAIRLY RELEVANT TO OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

AND 71% OF RESIDENTS ARE EITHER SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THE VALUE THEY RECEIVE FOR THEIR TAX DOLLAR AND FEES.

AND THAT IS COMPARED TO THE KC METRO RATING OF 54% AND 33% NATIONALLY, AS WELL AS 92% OF RESIDENTS ARE EITHER SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY.

THIS IS ACTUALLY UP 1% FROM 2021, AND COMPARES TO 74% ELSEWHERE IN THE KC METRO, AND 49% NATIONALLY.

THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE PUBLIC FACING STEPS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT STAFF BEGINS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET EACH YEAR IN JANUARY THROUGH THE WORK OF THE FINANCE TEAM AND THE 11 CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT A PROPOSED BUDGET.

WE'VE HAD A WEBPAGE, SORRY, EXCUSE ME WEB PAGE DEDICATED TO THE BUDGET, RECORDED A VIDEO OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET.

AND AS OF THIS MORNING, THE VIDEO RECEIVED 98 VIEWS, WHICH FOR A BUDGET VIDEO IS PRETTY GOOD, I WOULD SAY.

WE ALSO POSTED ABOUT THE OPEN HOUSE, THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE AND BUDGET, PUBLIC HEARINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AS WELL AS A NEWS STORY ON OUR WEBSITE AND OUR E-NEWSLETTERS AND TOWN TALK. ADDITIONALLY, WE PUBLISHED NOTICE OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING, THE KANSAS CITY STAR, ON AUGUST 20TH, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, AND ALSO TO OUR WEBSITE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. IN TERMS OF RESIDENT FEEDBACK, WE RECEIVED SEVERAL EMAILS FROM ONE RESIDENT RELATED TO THE BUDGET AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS.

WE HAD FOUR RESIDENTS ATTEND THE CITY'S BUDGET OPEN HOUSE ON AUGUST 15TH.

OVERALL, THEY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

SEVERAL RESIDENTS PRAISED THE CITY'S EFFORTS, STATING THAT THE THAT LENEXA DOES A GREAT JOB AND THAT THEY APPRECIATE THE WORK THE CITY DOES ON BEHALF OF ITS CITIZENS.

MOST OF THE QUESTIONS WERE GENERAL IN NATURE.

BASICALLY HOW TO READ ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX NOTICES, QUESTIONS ABOUT CITY PROJECTS.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ABOUT ANTICIPATED REVENUE SPLIT BETWEEN SALES AND PROPERTY TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

A FEW RESIDENTS PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE BUDGET.

SOME EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE CITY'S LARGE RESERVE BALANCES, OPPOSED THE CITY'S USE OF A LOT OF DEBT TO FUND FINANCE CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND SUGGESTED REDUCING THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL REVENUE GENERATED FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO OUR ACTION ITEMS FOR TONIGHT.

I WILL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? ANY QUESTIONS? SORRY, CHELSEA TOLD YOU I WAS GOING TO DO IT SOMEDAY.

HI, NATE. I MISSED WHERE OUR RECOMMENDED FIVE FTES ARE GOING.

COULD YOU BREAK DOWN THE DEPARTMENTS AGAIN FOR ME? YES. WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS IN POLICE.

THERE ARE COURT SECURITY OFFICER AND A POLICE OFFICER.

WE HAVE ONE POSITION ADDED TO MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND THAT IS A FACILITIES TECHNICIAN.

WE HAVE ONE POSITION ADDED TO OUR STORM WATER DEPARTMENT AND IT'S A MAINTENANCE WORKER.

AND THEN WE HAVE ONE POSITION IN PARKS AND RECREATION AND THAT IS A RECREATION SPECIALIST.

OKAY. AND ONE OTHER QUESTION.

HOW MUCH REVENUE WOULD WE LOSE IF WE DIDN'T APPROVE TO EXCEED THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE? I THINK YOU WENT THROUGH SOME.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 2.82 MILLION AND REVENUE REDUCTION IF WE WENT FROM CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE TO REVENUE NEUTRAL.

OKAY. THANK YOU, BILL.

NATE? OF THAT 2.82 THAT WE WOULD LOSE.

HOW MUCH OF THAT I THINK YOU TRIED TO TOUCH ON IT EARLIER.

HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS INFLATION AND NEW GROWTH?

[00:35:02]

YOU SAID 20%.

YEAH, 20% IS NEW GROWTH.

SO ROUGHLY ONE FIFTH OF THAT IS DUE TO NEW GROWTH.

OKAY. YOU MENTIONED ALL THE PASSTHROUGHS.

YES. WHERE DOES THAT SHOW UP? SO, IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP QUITE A FEW PLACES.

IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP IN PROPERTY TAXES.

THAT 73.2 MILLION APPROXIMATELY I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 22 MILLION OF THAT IS PASS THROUGH. AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO SHOW UP IN OUR SED NON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OF 71.9 MILLION AND APPROXIMATELY.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY I WANT TO SAY 20 SOMETHING MILLION.

YOU HAD A SLIDE A FEW MORE ON THAT.

YOU CALLED THEM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IS THAT ALL THOSE PASS THROUGH? YES. IT'S ALL OF OUR TIF AND OUR SED REVENUES.

YEP. OKAY, GOOD.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IF ANYONE PRESENT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM SIGN IN.

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO THE COUNCIL AND WE WILL GATHER ALL OF THOSE AND ANSWER THEM ALL TOWARDS THE END OF HEARING.

ONCE STAFF HAS HAD A CHANCE TO GET ORGANIZED ON THOSE.

ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL BE HAVING TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT RELATED TO THE 2025 BUDGET, WHICH IS A STATE LAW REQUIREMENT.

HOWEVER, FOR THE SAKE OF EFFICIENCY, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE PROVIDE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS DURING THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING AND NOT STAND UP A SECOND TIME TONIGHT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO AS THE CONTENT WILL BE MOSTLY THE SAME.

FINALLY, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT GOING TO USE A TIMER TO ENFORCE THE TIME LIMITS TONIGHT, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR REMARKS TO 3 TO 5 MINUTES.

ANY ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC? HELLO, GAYLENE.

I'M GOING TO TURN THIS AROUND.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR DILIGENT AND THOROUGH REVIEW REGARDING THE HOMELESS SHELTER. THANK YOU FOR CHANGING THIS MEETING FROM AUGUST 20TH TO TODAY SO I COULD ATTEND.

HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR THE COUNTY WILL COMMUNICATE THEIR BUDGET HEARING DATE IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION.

GALEN, CAN WE HAVE YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD FIRST, PLEASE? THANK YOU. I'VE ASKED THEM TO KNOW CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? GALEN VAN HORN, 8131 ROSE HILL ROAD IN EAST LENEXA.

THANK YOU. THIS WAS ADVERTISED AS A PUBLIC HEARING.

HOPEFULLY IT IS ALSO A PUBLIC LISTENING MEETING.

WHAT MANY OF US ARE SAYING TONIGHT LIKELY WILL NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE 2025 BUDGET, BUT YOU MUST START MAKING CHANGES TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

GRANTED, YOU ARE A PIECE OF THE TAX DOLLAR PIE, YET IT IS A BIG PIECE.

MANY OF YOU OWN OR HAVE OWNED A PRIVATE BUSINESS, OR WORKED IN A PRIVATE BUSINESS WHERE YOU'VE HAD TO OPERATE WITHIN A BUDGET.

I'M HOPING THAT'S CORRECT.

WHEN YOU BUDGET FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR YOUR HOME, DO YOU JUST INCREASE YOUR BUDGET OR AS PRICES KEEP INCREASING GROCERIES, ENERGY, VARIOUS INSURANCES, AND AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, DIAPER NEEDS YOU MUST REFLECT.

MUST YOU REFLECT AND BE TOLD TO CUT YOUR BUDGET? WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CITY BUDGET, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT YOU BELIEVE THERE'S MAGIC MONEY GROWING IN MY BACKYARD OR MULTIPLYING IN MY BASEMENT.

AND THAT CUT THE BUDGET DOESN'T COME UP IN YOUR CONVERSATION WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHART THAT I'VE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH THE DOCUMENT ATTACHED TO THAT.

IT SHOWS THE TAX, TAX, POPULATION AND INFLATION AND MILL RATE.

[00:40:01]

A QUICK LOOK AT THE CHART IS SHOCKING.

TAXES INCREASED BY NEARLY 21% IN 2023, 22% IN 2022, AND 18% IN 2021 AND 2020. LENEXA POPULATION HAS NOT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THIS PERIOD.

YES, INFLATION HAS SKYROCKETED.

THIS DATA IS FROM THE KANSAS OPEN GOV.

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, US CENSUS, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, AND MIDWEST URBAN CITIES.

I DO KNOW THAT YOUR ENERGY AND INSURANCE COSTS HAVE INCREASED BECAUSE MINE HAVE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED AS WELL.

BUT THE VISION FOR THIS CITY MUST BE CUT BACK WHEREVER POSSIBLE, AT LEAST UNTIL OUR GENERAL ECONOMY HOPEFULLY REVIVES.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT AS TAXES INCREASE, PARTICULARLY FOR LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES, DISABLED INDIVIDUALS AND SENIORS, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS DOLLARS TO PURCHASE ITEMS? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU INCREASE OUR TAXES? THESE TAXES ARE INCREASED ALONG TO THE CONSUMER RENTER.

EVERY PURCHASE BECOMES MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.

PLUS, MANY BUSINESSES AT ALL LEVELS HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME SURVIVING.

WHY? BECAUSE CONSUMERS CAN BARELY AFFORD TO PURCHASE NECESSITIES BUT BUY EXTRAS RARELY, IF EVER.

THAT'S AT LEAST MY CASE.

AND IN CERTAIN CASES, I DO KNOW OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SPENDING ONE FOURTH OF HIS ANNUAL INCOME TO PAY FOR HIS PROPERTY TAXES.

IN MY SITUATION, OWNING MY HOME FOR 26 YEARS, MY ASSESSED VALUE HAS INCREASED 67% FROM 2015 TO 2024.

THIS IS GREAT IF I'D BE SELLING MY HOME, BUT I'M NOT.

I'M PAYING TAXES ON WHAT VARIOUS TAXING ENTITIES BELIEVE IS MY ASSESSED VALUE OR NOT UNREALIZED GAIN FOR THE PROPERTY OF MY HOME.

THE CITY HAS ANNOUNCED A PILOT PROPERTY TAX REBATE PROGRAM FOR SENIORS AGED 65 OR OLDER, OR DISABLED VETERANS WHO OWN AND OCCUPY THEIR OWN HOMES, AND THE APPRAISED VALUE MUST BE A MAXIMUM OF 390,000, WITH AN INCOME AT VERY LOW LIMITS.

REBATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 550 TO $924.

THE TOTAL CITY PAYOUT IS 100,000.

HOW MANY RESIDENTS ARE IN THIS CATEGORY? IS THIS CONSIDERED TAXABLE INCOME? INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS.

SO HOW WILL THE CITY DECIDE WHO THE ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE? PLEASE RECONSIDER WHAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CUT FOR THE 2025 BUDGET.

EVERYONE IN THIS CITY NEEDS TAX RELIEF.

I NEED TAX RELIEF.

THANK YOU. GAYLENE GAYLEEN.

COULD YOU CLARIFY FOR ME ON THE SECOND ATTACHMENT HERE? IT SAYS LENEXA COUNTY TAX IS THAT CAN YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR SECOND ATTACHMENT? IT SAYS LENEXA COUNTY TAX.

IS THIS ALL OF JOHNSON COUNTY OR THIS IS JUST LENEXA.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I HEARD YOUR QUESTION THERE ABOUT ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS FOR THE REBATE PROGRAM.

RIGHT. IF WE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT THE END.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. FELLER. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

MR. FELLER, SIGN IN.

PLEASE SIGN.

GREAT. AND THEN NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

FOR THE FORMALITIES.

GOOD EVENING, MIKE FELLER.

8355. HALLETT.

I'M A 27 YEAR RESIDENT OF LENEXA.

LENEXA IS HOME.

IT'S WHERE I RAISED MY KIDS AND PROBABLY WHERE I'LL BE BURIED SOMEDAY.

I'M NOT HERE JUST TO SAVE A FEW BUCKS ON MY TAXES.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DECIDE, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE FINE.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I SINCERELY CARE ABOUT LENEXA AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE IT THRIVE.

IN FACT, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE GOT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT.

YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS IF YOU STICK AROUND.

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT HAS REALLY LONG TERM REPERCUSSIONS.

BEFORE I GET GOING, LET ME FIRST START, THOUGH, BY SAYING HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STAFF IN OUR CITY.

I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE 40 PLUS YEAR CAREER IN THE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING FIELD, INCLUDING MANY YEARS IN BUDGET ROLES.

SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, AT LEAST FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES.

DOING BUDGETS ISN'T NEARLY AS FUN AND GLAMOROUS AS NATE MAKES IT OUT TO BE.

NATE, PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING I SAY TONIGHT AS CRITICISM AS I THINK YOU DO A GREAT JOB, I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE A CITIZEN'S PERSPECTIVE.

MEANWHILE, THE RECENT RESEARCH, ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT LED BY SCOTT REGARDING THE RESTART SUP WITH

[00:45:04]

WHILE LENEXA IS A GREAT PLACE, WE SHOULDN'T PUT ON BLINDERS THOUGH, THERE'S A REAL PERCEPTION THAT LENEXA IS AN EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE, BOTH IN GENERAL AND RELATIVE TO SURROUNDING CITIES.

I'D LOVE FOR MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TO LIVE HERE, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY JUST REALLY CAN'T AFFORD IT.

MEANWHILE, THE CITY JUST COMPLETED ITS COMPREHENSIVE LONG TERM PLAN BASED ON POPULATION GROWTH OF 50 TO 100%.

THESE PROJECTIONS ARE VERY QUESTIONABLE BASED ON THE CURRENT LOCAL COST OF HOUSING AND LIVING, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF THE ENTIRE PLAN.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOCUMENT HIGHLIGHTS THE FOLLOWING.

AS THE REASONS TO RAISE TAXES AND INCREASE SPENDING BY 22 MILLION.

A FEW OF THE MAIN ALREADY COVERED, BUT LET ME GO THROUGH SOME OF THEM AGAIN.

ONE WAS MAINTAINING THE CITY'S TRIPLE-A CREDIT RATING.

NEXT IS SIZABLE INCREASES IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, SUPPORTING A GROWING COMMUNITY $78.5 MILLION IN SPECIAL REVENUE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

EXTENDING A 3/8 CENT SALES TAX IN A SPRING ELECTION AND USING A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE ESTIMATES.

HOPEFULLY YOU RECEIVED EARLIER TODAY THE COMPARISON TABLE OF VARIOUS BENCHMARKS VERSUS OUR NEIGHBORS IN OVERLAND PARK, OLATHE AND SHAWNEE.

EVERYONE GET THAT? I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH IT.

BUT BY JUST ABOUT EVERY METRIC, INCLUDING MILL RATE, PROPERTY TAX PER RESIDENT, CITY EXPENSE PER RESIDENT, NET POSITION, AND CASH INVESTMENTS, LENEXA FIGURES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN OUR NEIGHBORS.

THE ONE THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME IS THE AVERAGE LENEXA.

LENEXA PAYS DOUBLE THE PROPERTY TAXES OF A SHAWNEE CITIZEN.

THE GOOD NEWS IS IT CERTAINLY REINFORCES THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF OUR CITY.

THAT'S A GOOD THING.

BUT IT ALSO BEGS SOME QUESTIONS WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.

FIRST, I EMAILED ALL OF YOU LAST WEEK ABOUT SOME SPECIFICS OF OUR CREDIT RATING.

MAYBE I DON'T. MAYBE NATE'S GOING TO ADDRESS THIS LATER, AT LEAST ON THE SURFACE.

EVEN THOUGH OUR FINANCES APPEAR MUCH STRONGER THAN THESE OTHER CITIES, ALL ARE ALSO AAA RATED, EXCEPT APPARENTLY OLATHE IS DOUBLE A+, SO A DOWNGRADE, AT LEAST BY COMPARISON TO THESE OTHER CITIES, SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY ANY TIME SOON.

NEXT IS THE INCREASE IN COMPENSATION CAN WE TRUST NOT ONLY WILL HIGH END SERVICE CONTINUE, BUT THAT YOU'RE COMMITTED TO FINDING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING TURNOVER. FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST SPENT $73 MILLION ON THE NEW JUSTICE CENTER.

SURELY THERE IS EFFICIENCIES THERE AND A NEW STATE OF THE ART FACILITY.

ISN'T THERE ALSO, AT SOME POINT THIS EVENING, MAYBE YOU COULD CLARIFY HOW YOU DEFINE SUPPORTING A GROWING COMMUNITY, IF IT'S POPULATION OR GROWTH HAS REALLY SLOWED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WITH SHAWNEE AND OLATHE ACTUALLY GROWING FASTER THAN LENEXA.

OR IS IT THE GROWTH, THE TIF AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE THE ADVENT HOSPITAL, THE NEW AC MARRIOTT HOTEL GOING IN ACROSS THE STREET, AND ALL THESE NEW APARTMENTS? AND IF SO, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THE IMPACT OF ALL THESE IS ON OUR TAXES? MEANWHILE, AS OUR PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO CLIMB, THE TIMING OF THE UPCOMING SALES TAX EXTENSION IS NOT IDEAL.

YOU MAY GET SOME SURPRISING OPPOSITION, AND THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING REALLY TIRED OF CONSTANT TAX INCREASES.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY BE AWARE JACKSON COUNTY JUST VOTED DOWN A SIMILAR TAX EXTENSION A FEW MONTHS AGO.

IF MY MATH IS CORRECT, THIS EXTENSION IS WORTH ABOUT OVER $14 MILLION PER YEAR.

YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SOME PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WOULD MAKE A YES VOTE MUCH MORE LIKELY.

IN FACT, IF I HAD A VOTE TODAY, IT WOULD BE NO.

AND I'D TELL MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO VOTE THE SAME.

BUT IF YOU CAN HOLD OUR PROPERTY TAXES AT THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE, YOU WILL HAVE OUR TOTAL SUPPORT.

IS IT REALLY WORTH PUTTING OVER $14 MILLION AT RISK? OVER. I'M NOT SURE IF THE NUMBER IS 1.9 MILLION OR 2.8 MILLION, BUT STILL IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY RISKY BET.

LASTLY IS THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING DATE, CONFIRMED VIA VARIOUS EMAILS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US, THAT THE ACTUAL 23 RESULTS WERE 9.8 MILLION BETTER THAN THE BUDGET THAT ONLY ONCE IN RECENT HISTORY HAS THE BUDGET NOT BEEN BEAT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS AN EARLY COVID YEAR THAT WAS MORE THAN MADE UP WITH MANY MILLIONS OF FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDS.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO BE CONSERVATIVE, BUT IN REALITY, MUCH OF THE EXCESS THAT WE EXPERIENCE EVERY YEAR IS BECAUSE TAXPAYERS HAVE

[00:50:01]

I WILL GIVE YOU CREDIT THAT THE TAX INCREASE THIS YEAR ISN'T AS BIG AS RECENT YEARS.

THE QUESTION ISN'T REALLY HOW BIG IS IT? BUT INSTEAD IS AN INCREASE NEEDED AT ALL? I HOPE I'M WRONG, BUT I'M AFRAID THIS HEARING IS JUST A FORMALITY AND THAT YOU'VE ALREADY MADE UP YOUR MINDS.

HOWEVER, FOR ALL THE REASONS I MENTIONED, PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.

I REALLY THINK 6 TO 9 MONTHS FROM NOW, YOU'LL BE GLAD THAT YOU DID.

IF IT REALLY IS TOO LATE AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT, I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER SOMETHING FOR NEXT YEAR.

IT'S AN IDEA THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM JOE KARLIN LAST FALL.

I'M REAL SORRY THAT JOE CAN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE HE COULD EXPLAIN IT MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN.

BUT HIS IDEA WAS TO TAKE HALF OF ANY EXCESSES ABOVE THE BUDGET AND REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES THE FOLLOWING YEAR BY THAT AMOUNT.

FOR INSTANCE, OF THE $9.8 MILLION EXCESS IN 2023, HALF OF THAT, OR 4.9 MILLION OF IT, WOULD HAVE GONE TO REDUCE 2025 TAXES, INSTEAD OF IT JUST GOING INTO SOME SECRET HIDDEN VAULT AS YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, TWO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TOLD ME IN COMPLETE, SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS THEY WEREN'T SURE THEY COULD SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE THE TAX REDUCTION SETS A BAD PRECEDENT.

REPEAT THAT.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL STATED A TAX REDUCTION SETS A BAD PRECEDENT.

THAT'S NOT GOOD.

I HOPE THESE TWO OPINIONS DON'T REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, BUT IF THIS IS TRUE, I THINK YOU OWE IT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO SHARE THIS POLICY WITH THEM.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. MIKE BOEHNER SAID THE TWO QUESTIONS WE CAN ADDRESS FOR YOU, IT'S THE IMPACT OF THE CREDIT RATING AND THE IMPACT OF RESIDENTIAL VERSUS COMMERCIAL GROWTH.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE WILL NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

LEVYING A PROPERTY TAX.

I'M SORRY. NO.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

LEVYING A PROPERTY TAX RATE EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 25.872 MILLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.

SO, MOTION BY BILL.

SECOND BY CHELSEA.

JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL CALL? VOTE. OKAY.

CALL].

OKAY. MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MOTION BY COURTNEY. SECOND BY BILL.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

DO YOU WANT TO DO QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT OR AFTER THE SECOND ONE? WE CAN DO THEM NOW IF YOU WANT.

OKAY. AS IT RELATES TO THE PROPERTY TAX REBATE PROGRAM WE'VE ASKED KYLE GLASER, WHO'S ADMINISTERS THAT PROGRAM, FOR US TO TOUCH BASE WITH MISS VAN HORN AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

BUT FOR THE QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED AROUND THE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED, THAT IS NOT THE WAY THE PROGRAM WORKS.

WE WILL WE HAVE AN OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD.

WE'LL RECEIVE ALL THE APPLICATIONS.

ANYONE WHO MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE SET OUT IN THE PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE SOME REBATE.

THE AMOUNT OF THE REBATE WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WE HAVE, AS COMPARED TO THE POOL OF MONEY WHICH MISS VAN HORN PROPERLY IDENTIFIED AT $100,000.

SO I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED.

AND MR. GLASER WILL TOUCH BASE WITH MISS VAN HORN AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND GIVE HIM HER HIS CONTACT INFORMATION IF SHE HAS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

REMIND ME THE DATES OF THAT WE'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW, RIGHT? YES. THROUGH OCTOBER.

THANK YOU. AND THEN I'LL ASK NATE TO COME UP AND TAKE THE MR. FELLER'S TWO QUESTIONS.

IMPACT OF A DOWNGRADE TO THE CREDIT RATING, PLEASE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE, SO BEAR WITH ME.

I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH IT AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF FRAME IT BASED ON MR. FELLER'S QUESTIONS IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

SO HE WANTED ME TO GIVE KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CREDIT RATING AND THE PROCESS AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN INTEREST EXPENSE SAVINGS AND TAX INCREASES.

SO, I'LL JUST FIRST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS.

SO EACH YEAR, THE CITY ISSUES BONDS TO FINANCE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS APPROVED IN ITS ANNUAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

[00:55:03]

AND AS PART OF THE PROCESS FOR ISSUING DEBT CITY REQUESTS, MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICES AND STANDARD AND POOR'S GLOBAL TO ISSUE A CREDIT RATING ON THE CITY'S BONDS.

THE RATING THE CITY RECEIVES A SIMILAR TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONAL CREDIT SCORE.

THE HIGHER THE CREDIT SCORE, THE LOWER THE COST TO BORROW FUNDS TO PAY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO IF IT WAS A PERSON OR MY PERSONAL CREDIT SCORE, BUYING A HOUSE, BUYING A CAR.

BOTH MOODY'S AND STANDARD AND POOR'S HAVE RATED THE CITY AS A AAA STABLE RATING, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING POSSIBLE, SIMILAR TO AN 850 PERSONAL CREDIT SCORE, AND ALLOWS THE CITY TO BORROW MONEY TO FINANCE CAPITAL PROJECTS AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATE.

EACH OF THE RATING AGENCIES HAVE THEIR OWN CRITERIA ON HOW TO GAUGE THE CITY'S CREDIT WORTHINESS, AND THEY LOOK AT NUMEROUS FACTORS TO DETERMINE THE CITY'S CREDIT RATING, SUCH AS THE ECONOMY, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, OUR DEBT LEVERAGE, FIXED COSTS, BUDGETARY FLEXIBILITY, LIQUIDITY, DEBT, AND LONG TERM LIABILITIES.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS THE STRENGTH AND STABILITY OF THE CITY'S MANAGEMENT TEAM AND ELECTED OFFICIALS COUNCIL SOME OF THE CREDIT STRENGTHS THAT THE RATING AGENCIES HAVE MENTIONED IN THEIR REPORTS REGARDING LENEXA HEALTHY RESIDENT INCOME AND FULL VALUE PER CAPITA RATIOS, STRONG FUND RESERVE BALANCES AND LIQUIDITY RATIOS, AN ECONOMY THAT IS ROBUST AND GROWING, AND I WILL MENTION A TRIPLE A RATED CITY HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS BUSINESSES KNOW THAT THE CITY IS INSTANTLY VIABLE.

AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS THAT IT DOES BRING JOBS TO THE CITY AS WELL TO ITS CITIZENS.

BUDGETARY PERFORMANCE IS HEALTHY, AND THE CITY HAS A HISTORY OF MAINTAINING VERY STRONG RESERVES AND LIQUIDITY.

FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES ARE STRONG.

STRONG INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK SCORE AND DEBT PROFILE IS ADEQUATE.

THE DEBT PROFILE INCLUDES THINGS LIKE DEBT SERVICE, TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS PER CAPITA AS COMPARED TO TOTAL VALUE, ET CETERA.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE RATING AGENCIES SAY THAT THE CITY OF LENEXA FACES RELIANCE ON ECONOMICALLY SENSITIVE SALES TAX REVENUES.

SO IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THOSE LARGE FLUCTUATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THEN A TAX BASE, WHICH HAS HEAVY EXPOSURE TO OFFICE SPACE IN THE SECTOR, AND THAT SECTOR IS FACING HEADWINDS.

SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE.

SUSTAINED TREND OF TAX BASE CONTRACTION OR A WEAKENED ECONOMY.

A TREND OF STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE THAT LEADS TO MATERIAL DECLINE IN RESERVES.

MATERIAL INCREASE IN THE LONG TERM LIABILITIES OR COST RATIOS.

LENEXA BUDGETARY PERFORMANCE MATERIALLY DETERIORATES AND RESERVES DROP BELOW LEVELS THAT WE NO LONGER CONSIDER COMPARABLE WITH THOSE OF SIMILARLY RATED PEERS. THE BELOW AND ALSO BELOW THE CITY'S POLICY REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN DEBT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING, RESULTING IN BUDGETARY PRESSURES. I WILL SAY ONE NOTE OF IMPORTANCE.

MOODY'S DOES NOT ASSIGN LENEXA TRIPLE-A STABLE CREDIT RATING BASED ON THEIR SCORECARD.

SO THOSE RATIOS, THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS THAT IT DOES ON THE CITY, THEY HAVE A SET OF A1, WHICH IS ONE NOTCH BELOW THE TOP CREDIT RATING.

BUT THE RATINGS COMMITTEE HAS ADJUSTED OUR RATING UP TO A AAA STABLE RATING.

AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO OTHER CITIES IN JOHNSON COUNTY AND THE COUNTY ITSELF.

WHILE THIS IS A POSITIVE INDICATION THAT THEY SEE STRENGTH IN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POSITION BEYOND WHAT THE SCORECARD CAN MEASURE, IT ALSO INDICATES THAT IF THERE WAS A MATERIAL DETERIORATION FROM OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL POSITION, THE CITY COULD BE DOWNGRADED.

SO ESSENTIALLY, IT'S BASED ON THEIR OPINION, NOT NECESSARILY THE FACTS FROM THEIR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS.

ONE OF MR. FELLER'S QUESTIONS ACKNOWLEDGING THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN A RATING OF HOW GREAT IS THE RISK OF A DOWNGRADE IF PROPERTY TAXES WERE MAINTAINED AT THE 2024 REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE, RESULTING IN A BUDGET REVENUE REDUCTION OF 1.8 MILLION? I THINK HE MEANS THE 1.8 MILLION OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE WERE ALREADY REDUCING OUR PROPERTY TAX MILL LEVY, THE TOTAL MILL LEVY TO GO TO REDUCTION, TO GO DOWN TO REVENUE NEUTRAL WOULD BE 1.6 MILLS, ROUGHLY $2.82 MILLION.

AND THEN CAN I HAVE YOU PAUSE THERE, SINCE I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED TWO QUESTIONS SO FAR.

YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO RESTATE THE IMPACT OF THE CREDIT RATING BASICALLY IS AN ASSIGNMENT OF RISK, WHICH THEN MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO ISSUE DEBT.

YES. OKAY.

AND THEN THE $2 MILLION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT FROM THE BUDGET.

SO SINCE THAT IS AN ONGOING REVENUE REDUCTION.

[01:00:02]

ASSUMING YOU DON'T RAISE IT UP NEXT YEAR, IT'S AN ONGOING REDUCTION.

AND AS ASSESSED VALUATION INCREASES EVERY YEAR.

SO IN OUR FORECAST WE HAVE A 4% VALUATION GROWTH FOR OUR FORECAST.

OKAY. THAT VALUE OF THE 1.6 MILLS INCREASES ANNUALLY.

SO TEN YEARS FROM NOW, THE VALUE OF THAT MILL LEVY REDUCTION THAT WE DID TODAY WOULD BE 4.2 MILLION.

OKAY. AND THEN THERE WAS A QUESTION ON WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF A TRIPLE OR SORRY, TRIPLE A BOND RATING COMPARED TO A AA-1 BOND RATING? AND MR. FELLER INDICATED THAT HIS RESEARCH SAID 5 TO 10 BASIS POINTS.

THE MARKET CHANGES ON A DAILY BASIS, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO GIVE YOU AN EXACT IMPACT OF A AAA BOND RATING COMPARED TO A AA.

HOWEVER, I WENT BACK AND REVIEWED SOME OF OUR HISTORICAL MARKET DATA AND SPOKE WITH OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISOR, BAKER TILLY, AND WE DETERMINED THAT 20 TO 50 POINT BASIS SAVINGS.

SO ANYWHERE BETWEEN ALMOST A QUARTER PERCENT TO A HALF PERCENT SAVINGS ON EACH DEBT ISSUANCE.

SO IF YOU WERE, IF YOU WERE TO.

IF YOU TAKE IT AT $50 MILLION IN BONDS THAT WE ISSUED FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER, AND YOU SAID THAT WE SAVED 20 BASIS POINTS BY HAVING THE AAA BOND RATING.

THAT WOULD BE A $1.4 MILLION SAVINGS FOR THE PROJECT.

IF YOU WERE TO SAY THAT WE HAD A 50 BASIS POINT SPREAD, THAT WOULD BE $3.3 MILLION SAVINGS ON THE PROJECT.

AND THEN IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT TO OUR TOTAL $150 MILLION OUTSTANDING DEBT, A 20 BASIS POINT SPREAD WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT $3.8 MILLION IN SAVINGS.

AND A 50 BASIS POINT SPREAD WOULD EQUATE TO $9.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS.

SO THERE'S KIND OF THE DOLLAR VALUE OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE RATINGS.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE MORE THAT I WROTE DOWN.

HE SAYS THE IMPACT OF RESIDENTIAL VERSUS COMMERCIAL GROWTH.

SO I'LL REFER TO THE COMPARISON, I GUESS, THAT MR. FELLER HANDED OUT TO THE GOVERNING BODY.

AND THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE PER CITY DIVIDED BY POPULATION.

I WILL NOTE THAT SHAWNEE AND OLATHE ARE HEAVILY, HEAVILY RESIDENTIAL AS FAR AS THE MIX BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AND THEIR TAX BASE. LENEXA COMMERCIAL IS ABOUT 44% OF OUR TAX BASE, WHEREAS SHAWNEE IS ROUGHLY 23.

OP IS 30 AND OLATHE IS 27.

SO DRASTIC DIFFERENCES IN THE MAKEUP OF OUR TAX BASE.

SO LENEXA SORRY.

SHAWNEE AND OLATHE ARE HEAVILY RELIANT ON THEIR SALES TAX.

THEY HAVE A LARGE POPULATION, AS HE NOTED IN HIS HANDOUT.

OUR SALES TAX IS EQUAL TO OPS BUT BELOW OLATHE AND SHAWNEE.

SO THEY'RE VERY RELIANT ON SALES TAX.

AND AS WE KNOW, THAT IS A VERY VOLATILE REVENUE SOURCE WITH OUR MIX.

A REALLY GOOD COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL MIX.

WE CAN KIND OF RELY BOTH ON PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX.

SO IF WE COULD GO BACK TO YOUR PIE CHART FROM THE MIX OF SALES TAX TO PROPERTY TAX.

YEP. SO THAT 43% OF PROPERTY TAXES, ROUGHLY HALF OF THAT IS RESIDENTIAL AND HALF OF THAT IS COMMERCIAL.

YEAH. ROUGHLY.

YES. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BILL.

HEY, NATE. WHILE WE GOT YOU.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND.

AND JOE'S IDEA LAST YEAR.

YES. DON'T LET ME PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH OR JOE'S MOUTH OR MR. FELLER'S MOUTH, BUT I THINK IT WAS IF WE HAVE AN APPROVED BUDGET AND NOT ALL OF ITS SPENT, WE TAKE THAT.

AND JOE'S IDEA WAS TO TAKE HALF OF IT FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND THE OTHER HALF TO PUT INTO CAPITAL. YEP.

RIGHT NOW WE PUT ALL OF IT INTO CAPITAL.

CORRECT. AND THAT HELPS US THAT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BORROW AS MUCH.

CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.

AND WE DO THAT AT A MEETING.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S LIKE IT'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

CORRECT. I MENTIONED IT IN OUR BUDGET OVERVIEW PRESENTATION.

[01:05:02]

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS A RESOLUTION, ITS OWN AGENDA ITEM AT A FUTURE DATE.

WE APPROVE THE TRANSFER.

YEAH. IT'S A TRANSFER.

CORRECT. AND SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU AND BECKY DO.

IT'S SOMETHING WE DO.

CORRECT IN AN OPEN MEETING.

CORRECT. OKAY.

RESERVES, WHEN WILL WE SHOOT FOR 35%? 30 TO 35%.

35 IS OUR MAX.

YES. AND WHEN THEY GET HIGHER THAN THAT, DO WE? I THINK MY SENSE IS THAT WE TAKE THAT AND TRANSFER IT ONCE AGAIN TO CAPITAL.

CORRECT. AND THAT'S A LINE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.

CORRECT. AS A TRANSFER THAT WE DECIDE.

CORRECT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. IT'S USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC PROJECT.

LIKE I REMEMBER IT FOR COMMUNITY CENTER.

WE MAY SUGGEST IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WOULD JUST BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CIF, BUT THEN IT WOULD BE ALLOCATED WITH APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNING BODY APPROVING OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AT THAT TIME.

SO THANK YOU, MARK.

NATE, YOU HAD MENTIONED ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS A WEAKENED ECONOMY.

AND THEN ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, 1% SALES TAX ARE DOWN.

BUT THEN YOU ALSO MENTIONED LIKE IT WAS BASED ON 21% REDUCTION FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR.

YEAH. SO I GUESS YEAH I JUST WANT TO, I WAS TRYING TO NOTE THE VOLATILITY.

SO IN 22 AND 23 WE HAD PRETTY ACTUALLY 2122 AND 23.

WE HAD PRETTY STRONG YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH IN SOME CASES 15 TO 20% AND SALES TAX REVENUE.

AND I WAS JUST STATING THE HIGH GROWTH RATE IS DRASTICALLY SWUNG DOWN TO NOW WE'RE DOWN FOR THE YEAR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO WE WERE UP AT 20% INCREASES.

NOW WE'RE DOWN 1%.

SO THAT'S KIND OF I JUST WAS TRYING TO SHOW THE VOLATILITY OF THE REVENUE SOURCE.

AND THEN YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT OFFICE.

YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S STUFF GOING DOWN IN YOUR ESTIMATION OF REVENUES POTENTIALLY IN REGARD TO OFFICE LEASES OR WHAT WAS THAT.

SO THE CREDIT RATING AGENCY AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS STANDARD AND POOR'S AND MOODY'S, BUT THEY ONE OF THEIR CREDIT CHALLENGES, AND OUR REPORT WAS THAT OUR TAX BASE HAS HEAVY EXPOSURE TO OFFICE SPACE.

AND THEY SAY THAT THAT SECTOR IS FACING HEADWINDS.

AND THAT'S THEIR WORDS, NOT MINE.

AND THAT'S EXISTING OFFICE SPACE NOT ANYTHING PLANNED IN THE FUTURE.

FUTURE GROWTH. YEP.

AND SO ONE THING THAT DAWNED ON ME OR I LEARNED TODAY, IS I WAS TALKING WITH A MASON CONTRACTOR AND GETTING BUDGETARY PRICES FOR A POTENTIAL FUTURE PROJECT.

AND HE MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO REASSESS OUR KIND OF NUMBERS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING OUT THERE BECAUSE THINGS ARE SLOWING.

AND I'M HEARING THAT FROM THE INDUSTRY.

AND SO HOW DOES THAT SORT OF PLAY IN AND KIND OF GET INTO A POTENTIAL WEAKENED ECONOMY? SO THAT IS A VERY GOOD INDICATOR OF A POTENTIAL WEAKENED ECONOMY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OR WILL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IT AFFECTS BOTH PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BUILDING NEW HOMES, NEW COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.

AND THEN ALSO IT AFFECTS OUR SALES TAX BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PURCHASING THE MATERIALS AND DOING ALL THAT AS WELL.

SO IT DOES HAVE A PRETTY BIG IMPACT ON OUR FINANCES.

I WILL SAY THAT YOU KNOW, THE GOING DOWN TO THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE AS FAR AS FROM A RATINGS PERSPECTIVE MAY NOT IN ITSELF CAUSE A DOWNGRADE, BUT THAT COMBINED WITH A WEAKENED ECONOMY LIKE THEY MENTIONED HERE AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WE MAY FACE, LIKE SALES TAX DROP IN REVENUE THERE, THEN THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE CHANCE OR PROBABILITY THAT WE COULD SEE A DOWNGRADE.

THAT ALSO IS WHY WE CARRY THE RESERVE POLICY THAT WE DO TO PLAN FOR ANY UNFORESEEN ECONOMIC EVENTS.

REALLY? YEAH. AND REALLY THE 35% IS I WAS SPEAKING TO OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISOR THIS MORNING, AND 35% IS REALLY THE MINIMUM RESERVES FOR THAT.

AND WE'RE NOT COMPARED TO OURSELVES.

WE'RE COMPARED TO OTHER AAA RATED CITIES.

SO AS THEIR RESERVE AVERAGE RESERVES GO UP, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.

SO THEY DO LOOK AT OUR POLICY AND WHERE WE END THE YEAR, BUT THEY DO MENTION THAT 35% IS KIND OF THE MINIMUM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE AT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM? OKAY. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A CONSIDERATION OF THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.

[8. Consideration of a resolution approving the FY 2025 budget]

ITEM B, 8.B IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.

[01:10:03]

ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE? OKAY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE PRESENT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM.

SIGN IN AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE ADDRESS THEM TO THE COUNCIL.

WE'LL GATHER THEM AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYTHING ADDITIONAL? DON'T. YEAH.

OKAY. SEEING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MOTION BY CRAIG.

SECOND BY BILL. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

ANYTHING ELSE ON BUDGET? OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.

SECOND. MOTION BY CHELSEA.

SECOND BY MELANIE.

JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL CALL? VOTE. OKAY.

SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER EITERICH WENT FIRST LAST TIME, WE WILL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLTON.

. OKAY.

MOTION IS APPROVED.

OKAY. WE HAVE NO NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT.

ANY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS? I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING OF ANNA BETH SURBAUGH, WHICH WAS OVER THE WEEKEND.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE WATER ONE BOARD, THE FIRST CHAIR OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

LENEXA RESIDENT.

CERTAINLY HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, ON OUR COUNTY, AND WE APPRECIATE HER SERVICE AND CERTAINLY OUR CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO HER FAMILY AND THOSE CLOSEST TO HER.

STAFF REPORTS THIS EVENING WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS UPDATE.

[STAFF REPORTS]

AND FOR HER TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE OF THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN UP TO SINCE SHE JOINED US THREE MONTHS AGO.

FOUR. TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN.

THERE'S A BUTTON ON THAT PODIUM THAT YOU CAN LOWER IT DOWN IF YOU'D LIKE.

OKAY. THERE YOU GO.

PERFECT. THANK YOU.

GREAT. I AM HERE.

WHICH ONE WAS IT? THE FULL VIEW.

OKAY, THERE WE GO.

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

YES, I'M YOUR NEW EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MANAGER, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

IT HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN AND ENCOURAGING.

FOR YOUR WHOLE UPPER MANAGEMENT.

AND YOUR STAFF HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY ENGAGING AND HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH.

OOPS. GO BACK.

IT'S NOT GOOD. THERE WE GO.

THAT ONE'S NOT GOING.

OKAY. SO WE'LL DO THIS.

SO FOR THE JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHY I'M HERE STANDING BEFORE YOU, IT WAS TODAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS MONTH IS THE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH.

SO FOR US, IT IS OVER.

EVERY SEPTEMBER FEMA, THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THIS IS OUR MONTH TO TEACH OUR RESIDENTS HOW TO PREPARE AND HOW TO GET READY.

AND JUST IN CASE WE DO EXPERIENCE THOSE KINDS OF DISASTERS THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

AND WITH THAT, THIS YEAR'S THEMES ARE WEEKLY THEMES.

AND THE FIRST ONE FOR WEEK ONE IS MAKE A PLAN.

SO HOW DO YOU CREATE THOSE PLANS? AND WITH READY.GOV WE ARE GOING TO AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE STARTING THIS WEEK, PUSHING OUT THAT FIRST WEEK MESSAGE ACROSS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOW TO ENCOURAGE ALL THOSE TO MAKE THOSE PLANS TO BE READY, JUST IN CASE OF ANY TYPE OF DISASTER THAT HAPPENS IN OUR AREA AND IN OUR COUNTY.

THE SECOND WEEK IS BUILD A KIT SO AS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT GO KIT LOOKS LIKE, WHERE YOU NEED TO HAVE THOSE GO KITS, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR HOME, IN YOUR CARS, IN YOUR PLACE OF

[01:15:02]

SO THAT WILL BE FOR WEEK TWO.

WEEK THREE IS PREPARE FOR DISASTERS.

SO WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND IF YOU HAVE LOOKED AT THE TOWN TALK, WE WORKED ON THAT.

I WORKED ON THAT WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES, AND WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT OUT THAT PRODUCT IN THAT TOWN, TALK OF HOW TO GET READY FOR DISASTERS.

SO THAT IS OUT THERE. BUT WE WILL ALSO DO THAT WITHIN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TOO.

AND THE LAST, WHICH IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME, IS TO GET THAT NEXT GENERATION TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY, AND THAT IS TO GET TO TEACH OUR YOUTH ABOUT PREPAREDNESS AND GET WITH OUR PREVENTION DEPARTMENT AND, AND GO AND INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO GET PREPARED AND HOW TO HANDLE THOSE CRISES THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE OF DISASTERS.

SO THAT IS WHAT THAT PROCLAMATION IS FOR AND WHAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, HERE TONIGHT.

BUT I'M ALSO WAS ASKED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON MY FIRST FOUR MONTHS WITH YOU.

AND IT HAS BEEN, LIKE I SAID, AMAZING.

SO WITH THAT WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHAT IS IT EXACTLY? FOR ME, I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 16 YEARS, VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

I'VE WORKED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, AND THEN AT THE STATE LEVEL.

I WORKED FOR TWO DIFFERENT STATE AGENCIES, AND THEN I WAS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AGAIN AS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR.

AND THEN I HAVE COME TO YOU AS YOUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MANAGER AT THE CITY LEVEL.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME BEING AT THAT CITY LEVEL.

AND IT'S NO DIFFERENT THROUGH THE QUESTIONING, THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE FROM THE COUNTY TO THE CITY.

WE HAVE TO CREATE THE SAME PLANS.

WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME WORK, WE HAVE TO MEET THE SAME STANDARDS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO IT'S GETTING OUR CITY READY FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO US.

SO THAT IS PARTICULARLY THAT MANAGERIAL FUNCTION.

IT'S LIKE MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS PLAYING IN THE SANDBOX TOGETHER, MOTIVATED TOWARDS THE SAME GOALS FOR THE SAME OUTCOME, NO MATTER WHAT THAT HAZARD IS THAT WE EXPERIENCE.

IT'S LIKE EVERY OTHER ONE IS NOT SHOWING.

OKAY. I'LL GO BACK TO MY PHONE.

THIS IS ADAPTATION.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OFF FULL SCREEN AND SEE IF.

LET'S SEE. YEAH.

THERE IT IS. YEAH. THAT'LL WORK.

SO THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR US HERE IS BASICALLY IT'S EVERYTHING THAT ENCOMPASSES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

IT'S ABOUT THAT MITIGATING AGAINST THOSE ISSUES THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BUILDING THE THE PIECES AND THE PARTS THAT WE NEED FOR OUR PLANS TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THOSE MITIGATION FACTORS, WHICH WE HAVE DONE THAT RIGHT NOW, THAT REGIONAL, WHICH I'LL GO INTO PLANNING LATER ON IN THIS.

WE HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD BEFORE WHEN WE WENT INTO THE MITIGATION PROCESS.

LENEXA ONLY HAD FOUR ACTIONS WITHIN THAT REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.

AND WITH WORKING EVERYONE AND WE HAVE COME UP WITH 18 THIS NEXT TIME.

SO IT'S REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT OUR GAPS ARE BEING PREPARED FOR THAT.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS PIECE, BEING ABLE TO TEACH OUR COMMUNITY HOW TO PREPARE AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL AFTER A DISASTER, WHAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS NEED TO DO AND THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED AND THE COURSES WE NEED TO BRING IN AND THE EXERCISES THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESPONDERS ARE READY, NO MATTER WHAT CONDITIONS THEY ARE WORKING IN.

AND THEN THAT RECOVERY PIECE, THIS IS THE BIGGEST PIECE RESPONSE LASTS 72 HOURS TO A WEEK DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF DISASTER THAT WE HAVE.

RESPONSE RECOVERY LASTS FOR YEARS.

SO IF YOU THINK BACK TO GREENSBURG, IT TOOK THEM NINE YEARS TO BE RECOVERED.

JOPLIN, THEY'RE IN YEAR NUMBER AT LEAST 13, AND THEY ARE STILL NOT DEEMED RECOVERED BY FEMA STANDARDS.

SO THAT RECOVERY PIECE IS A HUGE PIECE WE ARE TAKING ON AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL IN THE KC METRO AREA.

AND I SIT ON ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND I AM THE KANSAS RECOVERY SECTION CHIEF FOR THE REGION.

AND SO THOSE PIECES ARE CRITICAL ON TRYING TO GET YOUR COMMUNITY BACK AND GETTING THEM UP AND RUNNING AGAIN AFTER A DISASTER AND THEN THE ACTS OF TERRORISM.

SO THAT'S THE HUMAN CAUSE.

SO ANYTHING TERRORISTIC RELATED? I'M A PART OF THAT PLANNING.

ANYTHING HUMAN CAUSED MANMADE.

IT CAN BE GOOD OR BAD.

[01:20:02]

AND NOW WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY PIECES THAT ARE COMING IN.

THEY ARE CAUSING GIGANTIC DISASTERS.

SINCE JANUARY 1ST TO JUNE 10TH, THE UNITED STATES HAS HAD OVER $11 BILLION DISASTERS, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD AT LEAST FOUR MORE, WITH A HURRICANE SEASON STARTING EARLY THIS YEAR.

SO THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE IN NUMBERS.

AND I CAN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN ZERO EIGHT, $1 MILLION DISASTER WAS SIGNIFICANT.

NOW WE'RE BILLIONS.

SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND GETTING READY AND BEING ABLE TO MITIGATE EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE UP AGAINST DURING A DISASTER.

I HOPE THAT GOES AWAY.

SO THAT'S PART OF IT.

SO WE DO ALL HAZARDS PLANNING.

SO THE NATURAL PIECE OF THAT, EVERYBODY THINKS IT'S JUST WEATHER AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO THAT'S NATURAL.

SO IT IS OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM.

IT'S THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE SOIL EROSION AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT CREATES PROBLEMS INTO OUR LIVING SPACE.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF VIOLENT WEATHER HERE IN THE MIDWEST, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO PLAN FOR SPACE WEATHER.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND IS WHAT HAPPENS AT THE SUN DOESN'T JUST STAY WITH THE SUN, IT AFFECTS THE EARTH.

WHEN WE HAVE A PLASMA RELEASE.

AND IT'S THAT PART OF THE SUN IS FACING THE EARTH.

WHEN THAT RELEASE HAPPENS, WE HAVE 12 TO 14 DAYS TO GET READY FOR THE IMPACTS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE, WE'VE HAD THE AURORA BOREALIS HERE IN NORTHERN KANSAS AND MISSOURI AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE IT USED TO ONLY HAPPEN UP AROUND ALASKA AND CANADA, BUT NOW IT'S SINKING LOWER, AND THAT'S A MAGNETIC STORM CAUSED BY THE SUN.

AND IT IMPACTS OUR CRITICAL FACILITIES LIKE OUR ELECTRIC COMPANIES, OUR RADIO SYSTEMS THAT WE USE TO TALK, TO DISPATCH DIFFERENT THINGS THAT AFFECT, YOU KNOW, THE WAVELENGTHS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE USE TO COMMUNICATE ARE AFFECTED BY THOSE KIND OF STORMS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE SUN IS CAUSING.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUN GOES IN PHASES.

SO IN 2025 WILL BE THE END OF THIS 11 YEAR PHASE.

AND SO WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THE HYPERACTIVITY OF THE SUN BEFORE IT CLOSES ITS PHASE.

SO THESE MORE MAGNETIC STORMS ARE GOING TO BE COMING.

AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO HARDEN OUR FACILITIES AND TO BE READY FOR WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY WHEN IT COMES FROM THE SUN AND SPACE.

THEN THERE'S A HUMAN CAUSED THING.

SO INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL.

INTENTIONAL IS THAT TERRORISM PIECE UNINTENTIONAL? IS A TRAIN DERAILMENT OR A HAZMAT SPILL OR SOMEBODY ACCIDENTALLY CUT A CABLE WHILE THEY WERE BUILDING SOMETHING.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE THE THINGS THAT WE PLAN FOR.

BASICALLY MORE AT THAT REGIONAL LEVEL.

AND TO GET US ALL READY, JUST ESPECIALLY FOR THAT INTENTIONAL PIECE.

AND THEN THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE.

SO THE HUMAN SIDE OF THAT TECHNOLOGY PIECE ARE THE HACKERS THAT ARE DOING ALL THE RANSOMWARE AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO TO TAKE DOWN OUR OUR TECHNOLOGY EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY.

AND THEN HAVING BEEN IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS EXPERIENCED A CYBER ATTACK JUST ON AVERAGE, WE DID NOT HAVE RANSOMWARE.

WE HAD SOMETHING ELSE.

THEY DID NOT SEIZE OUR FILES, BUT IT TOOK US 6 TO 8 WEEKS TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING.

WHEREAS YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THE RECENT CAR COMPANIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, IT IS TAKING THEM LONGER TO GET BACK ONLINE. AND THESE EVEN IN THAT JANUARY 1ST TO JUNE 10TH NUMBERS, THEY DON'T INCLUDE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY DISASTERS THAT WE HAVE INCURRED THIS YEAR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

SO WE FUNCTION UNDER A LOT OF LAWS AND AUTHORITIES.

SO HERE ARE THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT THE MOST OF THEM THAT WE DO A LOT OF OUR WORK UNDERNEATH THE STAFFORD ACT IS THE HUGEST ONE THAT WE DO THAT FORMED FEMA AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND WHAT FEMA CAN AND CANNOT DO FOR A COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS THEMSELVES.

AT THE STATE LEVEL, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS.

[01:25:04]

THE SECOND ONE, THE 929 TO THE 939, ARE ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT WE, AS EMERGENCY MANAGERS, HAVE TO LIVE BY AND HAVE TO DO.

OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE TO BE A PART OF.

AND THEN OUR LOCAL ONE.

YOU HAVE A AN ORDINANCE ABOUT CREATING THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POSITION AND GIVING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER SAID POSITION.

SO IN FOUR MONTHS SINCE APRIL, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.

SO I WAS REQUESTED TO HAVE ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS, WHICH I HAVE DONE, GATHERED THEIR DATA ON HOW I, YOU KNOW, WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS TO THEM VERSUS WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU.

IT'S AN EXTREME SUPPORT POSITION THAT WE ARE DOING, AND IT HAS BEEN SUPER HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING, WHAT THEIR PROJECTS ARE, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE PLANNING THAT I AM CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH.

WE ARE NOW HAVING MONTHLY MEETINGS.

I AM HAVING MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S HOW WE DID THAT SEPTEMBER TOWN.

TALK ABOUT PREPAREDNESS AND YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

THAT'S ONE PIECE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH IS EVERYBODY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE THEIR PROPERTY PREPARED AND TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

WHEN A DISASTER HAPPENS, TO BE ABLE TO BE A SUPPORT SYSTEM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

I'VE UPDATED THE EVENT ACTION PLAN.

SO YOU ARE THE CITY OF FESTIVALS? WE DO A LOT OF ACTION PLANNING ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH INCLUDES PARKS AND REC, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MUNICIPAL SERVICES, AND SOME OTHERS ON OCCASION. SO WE CREATE THESE PLANS THAT ARE TACTICAL IN NATURE THAT GIVE US A SAFETY OVERVIEW FOR SAID WHATEVER FESTIVAL WE ARE WORKING ON AND GIVES US A GAME PLAN TO GO FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A FABULOUS TIME DURING THOSE FESTIVALS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY BECAUSE WE ARE ALL BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BLUE SKY DAY, A GOOD DAY WHILE EVERYBODY IS ENJOYING OUR CITY AND THE EVENT THAT IS GOING ON.

AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED WITH JOHNSON COUNTY.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET TO THIS.

MIKE NOLAN WENT WITH ME, ALONG WITH JULIE FROM COMMUNICATIONS.

WE WENT TO EMMITSBURG, MARYLAND, TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, AND THIS COURSE WAS A WEEK LONG COURSE THAT WE WERE THERE.

AND IT WAS HOW AS CITIES WITHIN JOHNSON COUNTY AND JOHNSON COUNTY THEMSELVES, HOW WE WILL COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER DURING A DISASTER.

AND WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE, AND GETTING THOSE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS AND THE BUSINESS CARDS EXCHANGED AHEAD OF ANYTHING THAT WE MIGHT ENDURE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.

AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO GO THROUGH THAT TOGETHER.

THE CURRENT PROJECTS I AM WORKING ON IS STILL THOSE EVENT ACTION PLANS, ALL THE FESTIVALS AND THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING.

IF A FESTIVAL, WE CAN POSSIBLY THINK THAT IF IT'S OVER 5000 PEOPLE, WE DO A COMPLETE GIGANTIC PLAN FOR THAT.

ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, I WORK STRICTLY WITH FIRE AND PD AND THE PARKS, AND WE CREATE AN ACTION PLAN SPECIFIC FOR WHAT THAT TYPE IS GOING TO BE, WHETHER IT'S A SMALL ONE OR WHETHER IT'S ONE THAT'S JUST MAYBE A COUPLE THOUSAND.

THE SAFETY MEASURES ARE ALL THE SAME, BUT THE RESOURCES AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO CHANGE JUST A TAD BIT.

LIKE I WAS MENTIONING THAT REGIONAL MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AS THE CITY OF LENEXA.

WE HAVE A PIECE IN THAT.

AND LIKE I SAID, FROM THE TIME YOU DID IT BEFORE, WE WENT FROM FOUR ACTIONS OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MITIGATE AS A CITY TO 18 THIS LAST TIME. RIGHT NOW, THAT PLAN IS AT FEMA FOR APPROVAL.

AND WHEN THAT PLAN COMES BACK, WE WILL BE BACK BEFORE YOU EXPLAINING WHAT THAT IS, BECAUSE ONCE THE COUNTY ACCEPTS THAT PLAN, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT TIME PERIOD TO ADOPT THAT PLAN OURSELVES.

THAT IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.

IT OPENS UP AVENUES FOR DIFFERENT GRANTS, FEDERAL GRANT MONIES, AND TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE GRANT MONIES, WE HAVE TO ADOPT THAT

[01:30:03]

YOUR BASIC PLAN.

WE ARE UPDATING AND WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM THROUGHOUT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.

WORKING ON THAT. WE ARE CREATING OR REVIEWING THE EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THAT PLAN.

THERE ARE 15 SEPARATE FUNCTIONS THAT WE ARE CREATING THAT YOU'VE HAD.

YOU HAD THE MAJORITY OF THEM.

WE'RE JUST CREATING A FEW OF THEM AND THEN UPDATING THE REST.

AND THEN I HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE CITY OF LENEXA CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANNING.

SO THAT IS A PIECE WHERE WE ARE DOING THE STATE HAS A SYSTEM THAT WE USE TO CREATE THOSE PLANS, AND WE'RE DOING AN OVERARCHING CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THE CITY OF LENEXA INCORPORATING YOUR CITY ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

WHATEVER HAPPENS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE SUCCESSION PLANS THAT FOLLOW, DEPENDING ON WHO IS AVAILABLE AFTER A DISASTER.

WHO IS STILL HERE AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUNCTION IF ALL OF OUR PIECES AND PARTS AREN'T TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME? I WAS ASKED IN THOSE ONE ON ONES TO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BRING IN AN EXERCISE THAT WE COULD DO THAT WOULD CHALLENGE US, THAT WOULD STRETCH US IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO I HAVE WORKED WITH THE JOHNSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, AND WE HAVE CREATED A TABLETOP EXERCISE THAT WE WILL BE GIVING IN OCTOBER. IT'S THE 29TH, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A TABLETOP EXERCISE FOR MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, NOT JUST THE CITY, BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE THE INCIDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, WE HAVE TO REACH OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND ASK FOR ASSISTANCE AND ASK FOR RESOURCES. SO THAT KIND OF TABLETOP, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME GET WITH ME IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BE INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THAT.

AND LIKE I SAID, WORKING WITH ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT CHIEFS WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT OUR NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH WEEKLY THEMES THAT WE ARE DOING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS KNOW THAT WE ARE PREPARING AND WE WANT THEM TO PREPARE AS WELL.

AND THEN ON OCTOBER 1ST, I WILL BE HOSTING A STATE TRAINING HERE, LENEXA.

IT'S AT FIRE STATION THREE.

AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WE ARE OPENING UP STATION THREE, THAT THEATER ROOM A LOT.

I'VE BEEN REQUESTED BY THE STATE TO HOLD IT FOR 2025 FOR A TRAINING.

AND SO WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO US NOW THAT WE, I'VE REALLY STARTED USING THAT TRAINING FACILITY FOR ALL OF MY MEETINGS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE A GREAT ASSET WITHIN THE CITY TO HOLD REGIONAL TRAINING AND TO HAVE PEOPLE COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE AND LET OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SHINE.

SO RIGHT NOW, THESE ARE THE EXERCISES THAT I HAVE ON THE CALENDAR WITH IF YOU READ THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN OR THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER PLAN, IT ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE USING THE TRAINING ROOM AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

WELL, WITH THEM MOVING AND IN IN LIEU OF, YOU KNOW, THEM TRANSITIONING, WE ARE GOING TO TURN FIRE STATION THREE INTO THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

SO IT AND I AND SOME OF MY FELLOW CHIEFS IN THE FIRE.

WE ARE GOING TO SET UP THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WITH IT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS ON SEPTEMBER 20TH.

SO THAT EXERCISE IS CONSIDERED A FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY DOING SOMETHING AND CHECKING ALL THE CONNECTIONS, MAKING SURE ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT WORKS WHILE WE ARE THERE, AND THEN THE TABLETOP EXERCISE THAT WILL BE FOR THE WHOLE CITY OF LENEXA AND OUR JURISDICTIONS THAT WOULD RESPOND DURING THE SPECIFIC DISASTER THAT WE HAVE CREATED.

AND THEN FOR OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TEAM MEMBERS, WE HAVE 24 TEAM MEMBERS.

THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS OF 12.

THEY COME FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY.

THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE ASSIGNED TWO PEOPLE FROM EACH DEPARTMENT TO BE ON THIS TEAM.

AND SO WE ARE GOING IN AND WE JUST FINISHED THE WEB EOC TRAINING THIS MORNING WITH THEM.

AND HOW TO USE THAT PLATFORM.

IT'S A COMMUNICATION PLATFORM THAT WE WILL USE DURING DISASTERS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE USING OUR EVERBRIDGE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND DOING QUARTERLY DRILLS WITH OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TEAM.

OUR FUTURE EXERCISE TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN 2025.

[01:35:02]

WE DO IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

WE DO IT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, THEN WE DO IT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, AND THEN WE DO IT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SO IT IS LINING UP ALL OF OUR TRAINING, ALL OF OUR REQUESTS GOING THROUGH THESE EXERCISES.

AND AFTER EACH EXERCISE, WE DO AN AFTER ACTION REPORT AND FINDING THOSE GAPS, THAT IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.

THAT IMPROVEMENT PLAN ALSO GUIDES WHAT TRAINING WE BRING INTO THE REGION, OR WHAT TRAINING WE BRING INTO LENEXA, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WHAT KIND OF EXERCISES WE NEED TO DO NEXT.

AND IT'S GETTING ALL OF US TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME, EXPRESSING WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE SPOT ON. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TRAINING.

THEY HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.

NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE.

AND THEN WE'LL DO A FULL SCALE EXERCISE.

PROBABLY SECOND QUARTER WHERE WE WILL DO WHERE WE SET UP THE FULL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER BETWEEN FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER.

AND THOSE TEAM MEMBERS WILL ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME OUT TO STATION THREE, SET UP THEIR WORKSTATION, SET UP THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF WHAT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN FUNCTION FROM THERE FOR THE DAY.

SO THOSE ARE THE EXERCISES THAT I HAVE PLANNED OUT TO THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 TRAINING SO FAR THAT I HAVE DELIVERED WHILE I HAVE BEEN HERE THESE FOUR MONTHS, IS THE M 101 AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FUNDAMENTALS.

SO BASICALLY, I WAS IN THIS ROOM WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SOME OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS TEACHING WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS AND ALSO GOING INTO WHAT IS EXPECTED. AND WHEN WE DO STAND UP, AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS.

WEB EOC WORKSHOPS.

LIKE I SAID, WE DID THE LAST ONE THIS MORNING.

THAT IS THE PLATFORM THAT THE COUNTY AND THE STATE USES.

IT IS A COMMUNICATION TOOL BETWEEN ALL OF US TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

IF I'M MONITORING THE WEATHER ON A REALLY BAD DAY, THE COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER KNOWS THAT LENEXA IS WATCHING, AND WE'VE GOT OUR HEADS UP AND WE'RE READY TO ROLL. IT ALSO IS A PLACE WHERE IF WE ARE OUT OF RESOURCES, THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO ORDER OUR RESOURCES THROUGH THE COUNTY, IF THE COUNTY HAS TO SUPPLY US, IF WE'RE PAST USING OUR DISPATCH CENTER AND ITS EQUIPMENT THAT USUALLY WE DON'T ASK THEM TO FIND, WE WILL ORDER THAT THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.

AND THEN IF THE COUNTY CAN'T GET THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR US.

IT GOES UP TO THE STATE, AND THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WILL FIND THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED.

AND THEN WE'RE GETTING READY TO START, AND I THINK TWO WEEKS OUR CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANNING.

I HAVE MET MOSTLY WITH FIRE DIVISION HEADS AND SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS AND CREATING THAT CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN FROM ALL ASPECTS, ALL VIEWS.

AND NO MATTER WHAT SOMEBODY DOES WITHIN THE CITY OF LENEXA, THEY WILL BE REPRESENTED IN THAT PLAN.

AND THEN BRINGING THAT G 191 THAT STATE TRAINING INTO FIRE STATION THREE IN OCTOBER, THE ONE THE FUTURISTIC ONE IS FOR YOU AS THE GOVERNING BODY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.

THIS TRAINING IS GREAT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR ROLE AND YOUR POSITION IS.

WHAT YOUR LIABILITY, THE CITY'S LIABILITY IS.

WHEN WE GO INTO A DISASTER DECLARATION, WHEN WE HAVE A DISASTER, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND IT GIVES YOU A GOOD OVERARCHING PICTURE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO IT'S ABOUT WE CAN GET IT DOWN.

I TALKED TO OUR STATE REP.

WE CAN GET IT DOWN TO ABOUT TWO HOURS.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE FIRST QUARTER ISH 2025.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP GETS THAT KIND OF TRAINING THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT YOUR ROLE IS AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE EVER HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DISASTER.

AND ON THAT, LAST JULY 2023, YOU DID HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION OF DISASTER.

SO THAT DISASTER, THAT WINDSTORM HAPPENED IN JULY OF 23.

THREE AND YOU DECLARED A DISASTER.

THE COUNTY DECLARED A DISASTER.

YOUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES DECLARED ALONG WITH US.

AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, WE DECLARE AND THE COUNTY DECLARES, THE COUNTY HAS TO MEET A

[01:40:01]

SO I THINK FOR JOHNSON COUNTY, IT'S LIKE 2.4 MILLION IN LOSSES.

AND THEN WE CAN DECLARE TO THE STATE THAT WE HAVE WE NEED HELP.

AND WHEN WE DO THAT, THE STATE HAS TO REACH $5.4 MILLION IN OVERALL LOSSES FROM THE SAME STORM SYSTEM.

SO WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM, HOW WE GOT THIS ONE WAS FOR OTHER COUNTIES BESIDES JOHNSON COUNTY HAD DAMAGE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THAT $5.4 MILLION IN DAMAGE.

AND SO THE GOVERNOR COULD ASK THE PRESIDENT FOR A PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION.

THAT TAKES TIME.

SO WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE GETTING THIS PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION ALMOST TILL THE END OF OCTOBER.

AND THEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS STARTS OF FIGURING OUT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE UP THERE OF WHAT WE HAD IN LOSSES, WHAT WE HAD IN DAMAGE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THIS WAS THE CITYWIDE DEBRIS REMOVAL.

AND IF YOU LOOK AND THEN WE ADDED LIGHTS AND POLES LATER.

SO JUST RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE MONIES FOR THE LIGHTS AND POLES PIECE OF THAT DISASTER DECLARATION.

AND THE OTHER PIECE OF IT, THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OF THE 431,000.

SORRY, NOT MILLION, BUT 431,000.

AND SOME CHANGE IS PENDING WITH FEMA RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT SHOULD BE COMING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO REIMBURSE US TO THAT PIECE OF WHAT WE SPENT TO CLEAN UP OUR CITY AFTER THAT DISASTER. THERE IS ALSO A 10% STATE PIECE THAT THEY HAVE.

ONCE THE STATE GETS THEIR PIECE OF THE MONEY, THEY GIVE US 10% OF IT BACK.

SO THAT'S THAT. $57,000 WILL ALSO COME.

SO UP THERE IN THE LIGHTS AND POLES, WE RECEIVE THE 19,000 AND CHANGE AND THE 2000 AND CHANGE ALREADY.

AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEPOSITED IN INTO THE FUNDS.

SO I STAND FOR QUESTIONS.

ANYTHING FOR SUSAN CRAIG? YES, MA'AM. WELL, THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS I'M AWFULLY GLAD YOU'RE WITH LENEXA.

THANK YOU. I'M ASTONISHED AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN FOUR MONTHS.

WHAT I.

TWO QUESTIONS. ONE OF THEM, IT SOUNDED LIKE A LOT OF THE COORDINATION IS ON THIS SIDE OF THE STATE LINE.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IN MISSOURI YOU'RE COORDINATING.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THERE'S WORLD CUP COMING, WHICH LOOKS LIKE A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN FOR UNKNOWNS. SO HOW ARE YOU WORKING ACROSS THE STATE LINE.

IS THAT TO BE DONE OR IS IT.

NO, WE ARE THERE.

SO PART OF IT I SIT ON TWO KC METRO COMMITTEES.

THEY BOTH ARE DEALING WITH FIFA.

I SIT ON ONE FEMA REGION SEVEN COMMITTEE AND ONE NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

SO WITH THAT KNOW THE KANSAS CITY METRO IS FULL ON BOTH SIDES.

WE'RE GEARING UP FOR FIFA ON BOTH SIDES.

THE MAYOR AND BECKY AND I ATTENDED A MEETING LAST FRIDAY.

YEAH. WHAT IS THE 20 CASE 2026 MEETING, AND THE THREE OF US WENT TO THAT MEETING.

YES, ALL ASPECTS OF FIRE, EMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, CITY MANAGEMENT, DOESN'T MATTER.

NON-PROFITS, WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND DOING EVERYTHING, ALL OF OUR PLANNING TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHY I'M, LIKE, REALLY ENCOURAGING.

ALL THESE PLANS OF OURS ARE DONE, SO WE'RE READY FOR ANY DISASTER THAT HAPPENS.

BUT WE ARE READY FOR FIFA, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT A STRONG, YOU KNOW, PIECE OF IT.

WE DON'T HAVE A BASE CAMP.

WE YOU KNOW, THE GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED AT ARROWHEAD.

WE ARE STILL AS LENEXA PART OF THE KC METRO AREA, AND WE STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE READY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR BUSINESSES.

SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE READY AND WE GOT TO BE READY WAY AHEAD OF TIME.

OKAY. MY SECOND QUESTION AND AND I DON'T ASK THIS LIGHTLY BECAUSE YOUR DAY JOB IS WORRYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SUNSPOTS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.

BUT THE QUESTION, I GUESS, IS KNOWING WHAT EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING DURING THE DAY, WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?

[01:45:03]

MY BIGGEST THING IS NOT BEING PREPARED.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PIECE FOR ALL OF US.

BECAUSE IF WE ALL PLANNED, THEN WE WOULD ALL BE SOLID AND WE'RE NOT.

AND SO THAT'S ACROSS EVERY AVENUE.

IT'S THE ICE STORMS OR, YOU KNOW, THE POWER OUTAGES.

THE POWER IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE, OUR MOST FRAGILE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE WHOLE UNITED STATES.

IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 22, WHERE WE HAD THE ROLLING BROWNOUTS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE HAD BECAUSE OF TEXAS FROZE.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

AND THAT'S WHERE I ABSOLUTELY LEARNED ABOUT HOW OUR WHOLE UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL GRID WORKS AND HOW IT DOESN'T WORK AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO I WOULD SAY MOSTLY IT'S POWER BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO RUNS ON POWER.

OKAY. WELL THANK YOU.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

THANK YOU.

IT HAS BEEN, I HAVE TO SAY, IT HAS BEEN A MASSIVE TEAM EFFORT.

ALL THE DIRECTORS AND EVERYTHING HAVE BEEN OUT OF THIS WORLD.

GOOD TO WORK WITH, SO THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD.

YES, MA'AM. COURTNEY.

OKAY, GREAT. WELL, WELCOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT YOU ARE VERY EXPERIENCED AND SUPER PASSIONATE ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE THING THAT'S COME BEFORE US IN THIS ASPECT.

WHICH IS AWESOME.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THAT CAME ACROSS ME.

YOU HAVE REITERATED ABOUT WHAT PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS LOOKS LIKE.

AND IF YOU HAD TO LIST OUT THREE THINGS THAT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE OR THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO BE PREPARED.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? GREAT QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A TORNADO OR ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO TAKE ANY OF YOUR PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION AWAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DIGITAL.

SOMEWHERE, SOMEPLACE SAFE WITHIN YOUR HOME, YOUR OFFICE, WHATEVER YOU HAVE.

I'VE ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT IF IT IS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT, YOU PUT YOUR ID IN YOUR BACK POCKET AND YOUR BEST SOLID SHOES ON, NOT YOUR HIGH HEELS.

BUT YOU KNOW, YOUR GOOD SOLED SHOES AND JACKETS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED.

BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME, THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GOING TO WALK OUT OF.

WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HIT BY HIGH WINDS OR A TORNADO.

I'VE ALSO BEEN IN A CAT THREE HURRICANE ON A DEPLOYMENT AND YOU LOSE EVERYTHING, SO BEING ABLE TO PROVE WHO YOU ARE IS CRITICAL WHEN IT COMES TO STANDING UP THAT THEY'RE CALLED MASS ASSISTANCE CENTERS AND, AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE STATE COMES AND TRIES TO HELP YOU GET YOUR IDENTITY BACK, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING PROVING WHO YOU ARE.

AND THAT'S A HUGE PIECE.

THE OTHER PIECE IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT TAKES.

IT'S NOT JUST HAVING A KIT, BUT IT'S LIKE ROTATING THAT KIT.

IT JUST DOESN'T SIT IN YOUR BASEMENT FOREVER.

YOU NEED YOUR MEDICINE.

WHATEVER YOUR MEDICINE IS, YOU NEED WHATEVER YOU NEED FOR YOUR FAMILY TO SURVIVE.

WE TELL YOU THAT IF IT'S SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT, YOUR FIRST 72 HOURS ARE YOU? THAT'S ON YOU.

AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE FOOD.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE WATER.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE BATTERIES, THE FLASHLIGHTS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BE YOU IN THAT TUB OR WHEREVER THAT SAFE ROOM IS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

AND THEN UNDERSTANDING THE TIME IT TAKES TO RESCUE PEOPLE AND DIG THROUGH DEBRIS AND ALL THAT THINGS, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FAST.

IT'S WE DON'T DO IT MINDLESSLY.

IT IS VERY A HARD PROCEDURE TO GO THROUGH, TO SEARCH THROUGH PROPERTY AND DEBRIS TO FIND PEOPLE.

IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE WORLDWIDE VIEW OF WHEN EARTHQUAKES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN.

OKAY, I LOVE THAT.

WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING, IT REMINDED ME OF DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR US? YOU KNOW, LIKE, ARE WE NOT ALL SUPPOSED TO GO TO EVERYTHING? DO WE HAVE SOME RISK MANAGEMENT AROUND THAT? DO WE NOT ALL GET ON THE SAME PLANE? DO WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND KNOW YOUR UPPER LEVEL MANAGEMENT SHOULD NEVER BE ON THE SAME PLANE.

[01:50:02]

IT WOULD BE. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? RIGHT. AND SO JUST THINGS THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY THE PEOPLE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AREN'T THINKING ABOUT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU BET.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LIKE THE OTHERS SAID A LOT THERE THAT NO ONE WANTS TO THINK ABOUT.

BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY GLAD THAT YOU ARE.

AND THANK YOU. GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE, I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. BECKY.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM STAFF TONIGHT? I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUPLE OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE HUNG TOUGH THROUGH THIS.

YOU GUYS CHOSE A DOOZY THIS EVENING.

YEP. TALKING TO YOU TWO IN THE BACK.

I CAN'T SEE YOU WITH YOUR HAT ON.

WOULD YOU DO US THE PLEASURE OF TELLING US YOUR NAME, WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL, AND WHY YOU'RE HERE THIS EVENING? I'M GILLIAN SHOCKLEY, AND I GO TO SCHOOL AT MISSION NORTHWEST, AND I'M HERE FOR MY AP GOVERNMENT CLASS.

PICKED THE PICKED THE BUDGET MEETING.

SO CONGRATS TO YOU AND THANKS FOR HANGING IN, LADIES.

WHAT BRINGS YOU OUT THIS EVENING? WE'RE GOING TO DO BUSINESS.

OH OKAY. YEAH. NOT STUDENTS.

NO. NO. OKAY.

OKAY. THIS DOES END THE RECORDED PORTION OF THE MEETING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.