Jul 07, 2026 City Council Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

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.

JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER HANDLEY. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER.

EITERICH. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLTON. HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER NICKS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER BELL.

PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILLIAMSON. PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER DENNY. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HERRON.

PRESENT. MAYOR SAYERS IS PRESENT AND PRESIDING.

THANK YOU. JENNIFER. ANY MODIFICATIONS THIS EVENING? NONE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. UP FIRST IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA ]

ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MAY BE REMOVED BY FOR A SEPARATE CONSIDERATION 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. ANYONE WISH TO REMOVE AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 6 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MOTION BY CRAIG, SECOND BY MARK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

ITEM NUMBER 7 IS A CONSIDERATION OF ESTABLISHING THE WESTCHESTER SHOPPING CENTER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

[ 7. Consider establishing the Westchester Shopping Center Community Improvement District ]

ITEM 7.B IS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE CID AND ITEM 7.C IS AN APPROVAL OF A CID DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WESTCHESTER 87 INVESTORS AND CASE K-7KANSAS INVESTORS, LLC. HI SEAN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS IS THE WESTCHESTER SHOPPING CENTER. CITY CONSIDERATION.

I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

AND THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HERE. AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A BIT OF A PRESENTATION SPECIFIC TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR IMPROVEMENTS THEY PLAN ON MAKING.

SO I WILL START THIS IS A 15 ACRE DEVELOPMENT AT THE CORNER OF 87TH AND PLUM.

IT WAS BUILT IN THE MID 1980S AND IT INCLUDES YOUR TYPICAL RETAIL USES, GROCERIES, RESTAURANTS, PERSONAL SERVICES, AND OTHER TYPICAL USES. THE NEW DEVELOPERS WHO PURCHASED THE PROPERTY AND PLAN TO INVEST APPROXIMATELY $26 MILLION INTO THIS DEVELOPMENT.

SOME OF THOSE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE BUILDING FACADE AND INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS, PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS, STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS, SIDEWALKS AND LANDSCAPING, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATED IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL GO ALONGSIDE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS I JUST MENTIONED. THEY INTEND TO CONSTRUCT THOSE OVER ABOUT A TWO YEAR YOUR PERIOD BEGINNING MAYBE THE END OF THIS YEAR, EARLY NEXT YEAR. THE PROPOSED SID, WHICH WILL COVER THE AREA ON THE MAP OUTLINED IN RED AND NOT THOSE KIND OF THOSE SOME OF THOSE PAD SITES OUT THERE IS A 1% SALES TAX. SID, FOR 22 YEARS, THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 4.55 MILLION.

THIS SID WILL REINVEST IN OLDER INFILL DEVELOPMENT IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF LENEXA.

IT WILL REINVIGORATE AN OLDER RETAIL CENTER AND PROTECT AGAINST BLIGHT, AND THE CITY WILL HELP WITH THE SITE CONSTRAINTS THAT OCCUR WHEN YOU DO INFILL RECONSTRUCTION, WHEN YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE STORES AND MAKE SURE THE TENANTS CAN HAVE CUSTOMERS AND AS WELL AS DO THE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE SAME TIME. SO THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING AFTER THE APPLICANT SPEAKS, BUT STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE SID AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATED DA. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I'LL. OR I'LL HAPPY TO TURN IT OVER TO THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME.

QUESTIONS FOR SEAN. BILL. SEAN, YOU MENTIONED THOSE TWO PADS.

WHAT MCDONALD'S AND THE GAS STATION IS WHY AREN'T THEY IN IT? I DON'T BELIEVE THE DEVELOPER OWNS THAT MCDONALD'S.

JUST GENERALLY, WE DON'T SEE THEM ENTER INTO THESE KIDS.

THEY'RE SENSITIVE TO THAT. THE DEVELOPER MAY HAVE A BIT MORE IF THEY TRY TO OBTAIN THOSE PROPERTIES.

BUT THEY PURCHASED ALL THE SAME PROPERTIES FROM THE SAME OWNERSHIP GROUP, SO THEY JUST WEREN'T UNDER SALE POTENTIALLY.

SO ALL THE REST OF THAT'S ONE OWNER. YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AVERY. SEAN, COULD YOU CHARACTERIZE WHAT THE VALUE IS FROM THIS CITY TO THE CITY. I HEARD YOU SAY SOME OF THE BLIGHT PREVENTION, BUT COULD YOU EXPAND UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT? HAPPY TO. PART OF OUR POLICY IS THE REINVIGORATION OF INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

[00:05:04]

I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS. 1 OF THEM, ARE THERE ANY, IF YOU KNOW, EMPTY SPACES IN THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT DON'T HAVE TENANTS IN THEM RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

I'LL LET THE APPLICANT SPEAK TO THAT. OKAY. HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF THEIR VACANCY RATES.

AND THE 1% INCLUDES EVERYTHING PURCHASED WITHIN THAT, INCLUDING GROCERIES AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND EVERYTHING. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT? OKAY. THANK YOU. SEAN. GOOD.

GOOD EVENING. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. SURE.

AARON MESMER, BLOCK REAL ESTATE SERVICES, 4622, PENNSYLVANIA, SUITE 700, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

THANK YOU. WITH K-7 KANSAS INVESTORS. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT WEST CHESTER SQUARE.

WITH ME TONIGHT AS WELL. WE HAVE CASEY LEBER FROM BLOCK REAL ESTATE SERVICES AND CURTIS HOLLAND FROM POLSINELLI.

WE'RE ALSO PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT WITH SCORE DEVELOPMENT.

SCOTT COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING, BUT WE HAVE PARTNERED ON ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN OTHER SHOPPING CENTER REDEVELOPMENTS TOGETHER OVER THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS.

I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A TON OF TIME ON BLOCK REAL ESTATE SERVICES.

I THINK A LOT OF, YOU KNOW US AS OWNERS IN LENEXA, BUT ALSO AS A REGIONAL COMPANY THAT DOES PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I DID LOOK UP SOME STATS TODAY ABOUT BLOCK AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH LENEXA.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING. COUPLE STATS THAT YOU MIGHT, MIGHT TAKE NOTE OF.

WE OWN 55 PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES THAT ENCOMPASSES NEARLY 6,000,000FT² OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND OVER 2000 UNITS.

SO WE'VE GOT QUITE A, QUITE A PRESENCE HERE AND WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.

1 OF THOSE PROPERTIES IS ACTUALLY 1 THAT WE DON'T OWN ANYMORE AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT COUNT IS THE GREYSTONE SOUTH PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY 1 THAT IS IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE WESTCHESTER SHOPPING CENTER.

SO STEVE BLOCK AND I BOUGHT THIS, I THINK IT WAS 2012 OR 2013.

KIND OF COMING OUT OF THE RECESSION, THE PROPERTY HAD FALLEN BELOW 70% OCCUPANCY.

THIS BODY WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO WORK WITH US ON A CID FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THERE AT THAT CENTER AS WELL.

AND WE WERE GLAD TO COMPLETE THE RENOVATION AND COMPLETE THE RETAINING AND BRING THAT CENTER BACK TO LIFE.

SO JUST AN EXAMPLE WITHIN LENEXA AND AGAIN, RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PROPERTY SCORE AND BLOCK HAVE WORKED TOGETHER, LIKE I SAID, ON ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN DIFFERENT REDEVELOPMENTS.

ONE OF THESE ON THE TOP IS IN DES MOINES, IOWA.

AND ONE OF THESE IS IN PITTSBURG, KANSAS, HERE.

SO WE'RE DOING THIS NOT JUST HERE BUT IN OTHER PLACES, AND HAVE EXPERIENCE AND TRACK RECORD IN DOING THIS EXACT KIND OF THING.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS THE BOUNDARY OF THE PROPOSED CID COUNCILMAN NEXT TO YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES WERE NOT OWNED BY BRICKS.

MORE BRICKS, MORE IS WHO WE BOUGHT THE SHOPPING CENTER FROM IN DECEMBER OF 2025.

AND THEY DID NOT OWN THOSE PARCELS. AND SO WE CAN ONLY PUT INTO THE CID WHAT WE CONTROL.

THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE CURRENT TENANT LINEUP. I'M SURE MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WHO MIGHT BE THERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE HY-VEE IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR ANCHORS OUT ON THE PAD.

WE'VE GOT SUBWAY, SPORTS CLUBS, ACADEMY BANK, AND THEN IN THE BACK.

DOLLAR TREE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS IS KIND OF A CLEANER LOOK AT THE SHOPPING CENTER.

SO JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE APPEARANCE.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NOTE ON THIS, AND WE'LL KIND OF DIVE INTO THIS AS WE GO A LITTLE FURTHER, IS THAT THERE'S NO REAL CONSISTENT APPEARANCE BETWEEN ANY OF THE BUILDINGS HERE.

SO HY-VEE HAS ITS OWN LOOK. THE INLINE SPACE HAS ITS OWN LOOK.

THE PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE HAS A DIFFERENT LOOK.

[00:10:01]

SO CURRENTLY WE ARE UNDER 83% OCCUPIED. WE JUST LOST FITNESS ANYTIME.

THEY JUST DECIDED TO CLOSE THEIR SHOP HERE IN SUITE 300, WHICH YOU CAN SEE, AND YOU CAN TELL THAT THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY PARTICULARLY HAS SUFFERED, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, FEDEX GAVE BACK ABOUT HALF OF ITS SPACE.

THERE IN THAT, IN THAT CORNER PAD BUILDING. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE PROPERTY.

AND SOME OF THAT I THINK IS DUE TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION.

SOME OF THAT I THINK IS DUE TO THE LACK OF VISIBILITY.

IF YOU'RE ON 87TH STREET, THEY HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB OF PUTTING IN MORE MODERN LANDSCAPING.

THAT GIVES YOU THE VISIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY. AND FRANKLY, SOME OF IT I THINK WAS IN OUT OF TOWN LANDLORD NOT FOCUSED ON THE ASSET THE WAY THAT WE MIGHT BE AS A LOCAL PRESENCE HERE. SO I THINK REGARDLESS OF THE RATIONALE WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REVERSE THAT TREND NOW AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CONDITIONS AND THE WAY THAT THEY'VE LEFT IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACADES, NOT A LOT OF COHESION BETWEEN THE PROPERTY.

THERE IS OCCUPANCY CHALLENGES. WE HAVE SEEN A DOWNWARD TREND EVEN SINCE WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IMPORTANT LEASES THAT ROLL OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS.

AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW, THE RISK IS THAT THAT TREND CONTINUES AND THE PROPERTY CONTINUES TO LOSE SOME OF THOSE OTHER OTHER TENANTS.

THERE ARE LARGE CAPITAL NEEDS. AGAIN, I THINK THE PRIOR LANDLORD MAY NOT HAVE ADDRESSED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WITH THE PROPERTY, AND RIGHT NOW, THE PROPERTY IS PROBABLY NOT COMPETING AS WELL AS IT COULD AMONG OTHER SHOPPING CENTERS IN LENEXA AND EVEN IN ITS OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THE APPEARANCE IS LESS ATTRACTIVE THAN IT MIGHT BE.

AND FRANKLY, WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT REFLECTS THE QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IT'S IN. IT'S IN A GREAT SPOT.

YOU KNOW, 87TH AND PLUM IS A GREAT AREA. IT'S RIGHT WHERE I GREW UP, GOING BACK AND FORTH ON 87TH SHAWNEE MISSION WEST.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT DESERVES BETTER. THAT'S WHY WE THINK THERE'S A LOT OF UNTAPPED POTENTIAL THERE.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SURROUNDS THIS PROPERTY, WE'VE GOT GREAT POPULATION DENSITY.

WE'VE GOT GREAT COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE STRONG TRAFFIC COUNTS.

THE CENTER DOES HAVE GOOD TENANTS. I MEAN, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ARE BIG FANS OF HIVE OR ACADEMY BANK OR SUBWAY OR FEDEX, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD BRAND NAMES THAT WE WANT TO HANG ON TO.

WE'RE MAKING THE TRANSITION TO LOCAL MANAGEMENT.

SO IF YOU'RE A TENANT AND YOU HAVE A WATER LEAK, OR IF YOU'RE A TENANT AND YOU HAVE A POTHOLE IN THE PARKING LOT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE, YOUR BACK DOOR DOESN'T CLOSE. WE'VE HAD ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE NOW TO THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT AND JUST DO WHAT WE THINK OF AS BASIC BLOCKING AND TACKLING FROM A MANAGEMENT AND LEASING PERSPECTIVE.

AND FRANKLY, WE BELIEVE LONG TERM IN THE ASSET, AS EVIDENCED BY OUR PORTFOLIO IN THE CITY OF LENEXA.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A VERY VESTED STAKE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE WANT TO SEE LENEXA BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT INCLUDES EASTER.

LENEXA. AND WE JUST THINK THIS IS, THIS IS TOO GOOD OF A PROPERTY TO LET IT BE WHAT IT HAS BEEN.

SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED.

THERE'S A LIST HERE. I WON'T READ YOU THE WHOLE LIST, BUT THE MAIN THING THAT THAT YOU'LL SEE, I THINK FROM US IS A FACELIFT OF THE INLINE SPACE, A FACELIFT OF THE IV BOX, AND REALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE THE EXTERIOR MATCH THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY SPENT RENOVATING THE INTERIOR. IF YOU'VE BEEN INSIDE, IT LOOKS GREAT.

YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO KNOW IT FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A STORE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1984, 1985. AND SO KIND OF PULLING THAT TOGETHER WITH THAT EXTERIOR FACADE RENOVATION, BRINGING THE LANDSCAPING UP TO WHAT MODERN RETAILERS LIKE.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OVERGROWN TREES ALONG 87TH STREET.

THEY'VE GOT A TON OF BRANCHES THAT ARE LOW AND WIDE AND BLOCKING THE VISIBILITY OF THE RETAIL SIGNS.

SO UPDATING THAT, UPDATING LIGHTING, PUTTING SOME WAYFINDING IN.

SO IF YOU COME UP THE DRIVEWAY THERE ON HAUSER, YOU CAN DECIDE, YOU CAN SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS, HEY, GO OVER HERE FOR THIS, GO OVER THERE FOR THAT.

SO JUST SOME THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE THINK WILL BE MEANINGFULLY IMPORTANT AND MAKE IT A BETTER EXPERIENCE, BUT RATHER THAN KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'D LIKE TO AT LEAST SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE VISUALS.

AND WE'VE GOT THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE, OF THE SHOPPING CENTER HERE WITH JUST SOME BEFORE AND AFTER.

THAT WAY YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

THIS IS CONCEPTUAL. WE WOULD WORK WITH HY-VEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FITTING WITHIN THEIR BRAND STANDARDS ON THEIR BOX.

BUT WE HAVE MET WITH THEM IN DES MOINES, GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF FITTING WITHIN WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THEIR OTHER PROJECTS.

[00:15:05]

PLUS, YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LET YOUR DOG OFF LEASH AND LET THEM PLAY A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING. AND IT WAS KIND OF A DEAD CORNER WHERE THE HY-VEE WALL IS JUST SO MASSIVE THAT THAT KIND OF ACTIVATES THAT SPACE IN A WAY THAT JUST MAKES IT FEEL LIKE A BETTER CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HY-VEE AND THE OTHER INLINE SPACES.

AS YOU KIND OF WORK YOUR WAY DOWN FROM THAT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE FACADE WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE INLINE SPACE AS WE DO THE RENOVATION THERE. AGAIN, LOOKING TO MAKE IT A MORE CONSISTENT LOOK AND JUST SOMETHING THAT REFLECTS THE QUALITY OF THE CENTER OVERALL AND THEN MAINTAINING THESE GATHERING PLACES. SO AT THE END HERE, YOU KIND OF SEE THIS LITTLE NOOK WHERE WE'VE GOT THE BENCH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING AGAIN TO MAKE A MORE MODERN FACADE THAT MATCHES THE REST OF THE CENTER.

WE DO HAVE SOME DIFFERENT STORMWATER THINGS AND THAT THAT WILL ALSO BE ADDRESSING ON THAT PARTICULAR END OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE LANDSCAPING AND THE, THE SLOPE ACTUALLY COMES TOWARDS THE BUILDING. IT'S RUNNING WATER AT THE FOUNDATION WHICH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, IS PROBABLY A BAD IDEA. THIS IS TAKING A LOOK AT THAT OUTPARCEL BUILDING AND JUST SORT OF PEELING OFF THE THE OLD COPPER COLORED AWNINGS, PUTTING A MORE MODERN FACADE WITH THOSE MODERN EYEBROWS ON TOP.

I'M GOING TO SKIP BACK TO HYVEE REALLY QUICKLY, JUST FOR ONE SECOND. IF YOU LOOK AT THE METAL STANDING SEAM ROOFS ON HYVEE, YOU HAVE THREE GREEN ONES, 1 BROWN ONE AND ONE COPPER 1.

SO EVEN WITHIN NOT JUST THE CENTER, BUT WITHIN JUST THE HYVEE FACADE ITSELF, YOU'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON.

AND SO AGAIN, THE COPPER KIND OF PULLS DOWN INTO THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, TAKING A LOOK AT THAT WITH A GOOD EYE AND RELYING ON CLOVER, WHO'S A BETTER ARCHITECT THAN I AM, BUT DOING THINGS HERE THAT WOULD MAKE THIS APPEAR TO BE MORE OF A MODERN CENTER, MAKE IT MORE INVITING. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU CAN SEE.

AND THEN THIS BUILDING THAT HAS ACADEMY, BANK AND SPORTS CLIPS AND SUBWAY PROBABLY DOESN'T NEED AS MUCH.

IT'S BEEN TOUCHED BEFORE, BUT KIND OF COMING BACK IN WITH THOSE SAME TYPE OF EYEBROWS, MAYBE GIVING A LITTLE BIT OF A WOOD LOOK OVER THE TOP OF THAT ONE ENTRYWAY.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A LIGHTER TOUCH HERE WHERE THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY DONE SOME WORK TO KIND OF UPGRADE THAT FACADE.

SO OVERALL YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF THE DIFFERENT RENDERINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU, BUT THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SOMEWHERE THAT WE ALL WANT TO GO.

WE WANT TO GIVE THE TENANTS BETTER VISIBILITY. WE WANT TO GIVE THEM LARGER SIGN BANDS SO THAT FOLKS CAN SEE AND WE WANT THEIR SIGNAGE TO LOOK RIGHT.

WHEN THEY GET THERE. WITH THAT SAID WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT COUNCILMAN BELL ABOUT YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOING A CID AND HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR LENEXA.

AND SO I THINK THAT THE FIRST OBVIOUSLY IS JUST ADDRESSING THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE PROPERTY.

SO THE PROPERTY CLEARLY HAS YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL NEEDS THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AND SHOW THAT WE'RE REINVESTING IN EASTER LENEXA MODERNIZE THE FACADE, GIVING IT THAT FIRST CLASS APPEARANCE, I THINK IS A BENEFIT NOT JUST TO THE CENTER, BUT TO THE WHOLE AREA. BUT OVER TIME, WHAT YOU ALSO SEE IS THAT AS WE'RE ABLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TENANTS AS WE'RE ABLE TO ACTIVATE ALMOST AN ENTIRE BUILDING THAT'S VACANT TODAY. THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY IS GOING TO GO UP, WHICH MEANS JOHNSON COUNTY IS GOING TO FIND ME AND THEY'RE GOING TO ASSESS ME FOR MORE PROPERTY TAXES. AND AS FOLKS GO THERE MORE OFTEN AND SHOP AT THOSE BUSINESSES MORE OFTEN, WHAT YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE IS THAT THE SALES TAX REVENUES ARE GOING TO ALSO GO UP IN THE CENTER. AND SO BY VIRTUE OF MORE PEOPLE SHOPPING THERE, BY VIRTUE OF ALL OF THOSE POSITIVE THINGS, YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO END UP WITH HEALTHIER TENANTS, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO END UP WITH, WITH BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T STRUGGLING AS MUCH TO MAKE IT. YOU KNOW THAT FITNESS ANY TIME. MAYBE THEY SURVIVE.

IF WE HAD DONE THIS TWO YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING. AND SO AS YOU HAVE HEALTHIER BUSINESSES, MORE PEOPLE WANT TO BE THERE AND YOU END UP WITH THAT SORT OF POSITIVE CYCLE. I DO THINK THAT IT SHOWS AN INVESTMENT IN EASTER LENEXA IN ONE OF THE FIRST RING SUBURBS.

WE'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED OUR COMMITMENT TO THAT NEXT DOOR, LITERALLY IN THIS CASE.

AND SO WE LIKE THAT PART OF THE STORY AS WELL.

AND THEN YOU KNOW, OVER THE LONG TERM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETAIN HIGH QUALITY RETAILERS LIKE HY-VEE.

[00:20:03]

MAYBE IT DRIVES THEM TO THE COSTCO AT 95TH, MAYBE IT PUSHES THEM TO THE PRICE CHOPPER AT 87TH AND ANTIOCH, OR MAYBE THEY GO OUT WEST TO 435. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE IT'S REALLY HARD TO REPLICATE WHAT THAT GROCERY STORE MEANS.

ESPECIALLY AT COMMUNITY THAT'S RIGHT THERE. THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO REALLY PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD IN ATTEMPTING TO KEEP THEM WHEN THEIR LEASE DOES EXPIRE HERE IN A FEW YEARS, AND IT POSITIONS THE CENTER TO COMPETE LONG TERM. SO FOR US AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE ARE LONG TERM HOLDERS OF PROPERTIES.

WE, WE HAVE THESE THIS COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR US.

WE DO BELIEVE IN THE ASSET FROM A LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE.

I ALSO JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE VISION 2040.

I KNOW THIS IS PART OF THE GUIDEPOSTS THAT WE USE WHEN WE GO TO LENEXA.

AND I THINK IF YOU JUST READ THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE VISION ON ITS FACE YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY INHERENT THAT I THINK WE CHECK AT LEAST 3 OF THE 4 BOXES.

SO YOU TALK ABOUT INVITING PLACES. WE WILL MAKE WESTCHESTER MORE INVITING, RIGHT? WE WILL MAKE IT MORE VIBRANT BRINGING BACK VIBRANCY TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S JUST PRETTY APPARENT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED HERE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, FROM A THRIVING ECONOMY STANDPOINT, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES WE HAVE, THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DINING AND SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT AND SO FORTH THAT WE HAVE AT 87TH AND PLUM.

I THINK THE BETTER AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE GOES, WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING MUCH FOR THE CITY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FIX THE PARKING LOT. SO WE'LL TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THERE.

WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO STAND FOR QUESTIONS OR TALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ABOUT WHAT OUR VISION IS FOR THE SHOPPING CENTER.

OTHER QUESTIONS? CRAIG. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW THE AREA INTIMATELY BECAUSE WE DO SHOP THERE. AND I THINK THIS IS A CERTAINLY A WELCOME IMPROVEMENT.

2 OBSERVATIONS. THE OUTBUILDING THAT HAS THAT HOUSES THE BANK AND MASSAGE ENVY AND IN WHENEVER.

WELL, THAT USED TO BE A SINGLE TENANT STRUCTURE, AND I THINK IT HOUSED A KIND OF A WHITE LINEN RESTAURANT BACK IN THE 80S, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT RIGHT NOW.

DIDN'T DO WELL. SO THEY REPURPOSED IT INTO SHOPS.

AND I THINK AS A PART OF THAT, THEY DID SOME LANDSCAPING ON THE BACKSIDE NEXT TO THE THROUGH ROAD THAT GOES EAST AND WEST.

I HOPE YOUR PLAN INCLUDES TEARING SOME OF THAT OUT, BECAUSE I'M IN THAT PARKING LOT A LOT AND THE SIGHT DISTANCE IS TERRIBLE.

YOU CAN'T PULL OUT SAFELY. SO THAT'S ONE OBSERVATION.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S IT'S GOING TO REALLY IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO THANK YOU.

WE MET WITH MASSAGE ENVY. WE MET WITH ALL THE TENANTS BEFORE WE BOUGHT THE SHOPPING CENTER. PART OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE WOULD BE TO GO IN AND INTERVIEW EVERYBODY. AND THE FIRST THING THE MASSAGE ENVY OWNER DID WAS WALK US OUT THE BACK DOOR AND GO GET THIS TREE OUT OF MY DOORWAY.

SO WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. YEAH. OTHER QUESTIONS.

COURTNEY, YOU JUST MENTIONED. SORRY. YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT YOU SPOKE WITH ALL OF THE TENANTS.

HOW DOES HYVEE FEEL ABOUT ADDING 1% TO OR HOW DO THE TENANTS FEEL ABOUT RAISING THEIR PRICES, YOU KNOW, TO DO THIS? YEAH. I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, WE WENT AND MET WITH HY-VEE IN DES MOINES AND WE PRESENTED THEM WITH WHAT WE PLAN TO DO.

GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT. THEY ARE GENERALLY NOT GOING TO COME TO A PUBLIC MEETING AND MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT.

SO I'LL LET THEM SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. I THINK THAT IF YOU ASK THE MAJORITY OF THE TENANTS AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE PRESENT AT WESTCHESTER, I THINK THE OVERWHELMING SENTIMENT WOULD BE THAT THEY ARE READY FOR AN UPGRADE AND THAT I THINK THEY'RE GLAD FOR 2 THINGS.

01, THEY'RE GLAD FOR LOCAL MANAGEMENT THAT IS WILLING TO COME IN AND JUST GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY A LITTLE BIT WHEN THEY DO HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, WE HAD SEVERAL WHERE WATER WAS JUST COMING IN THE BACK DOORS, BY THE WAY, THE BACK OF THE PARKING LOT SLIPS IN THERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO GET IN THERE AND FIX THAT STUFF RIGHT AWAY. BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO, TO CAST THAT VISION, GET THEIR INPUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE THAT KIND OF THING.

I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF MOMENTUM THERE. AND OUR JOB IS TO DELIVER ON WHAT WE TOLD THEM WE'D TRY TO GO DO. HOW LONG WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE LOOK LIKE FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS? YEAH. I THINK THAT IF WE ARE APPROVED, WE WOULD BE IN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING DRAWINGS AND PULLING PERMITS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

SO SAY WE SWING HAMMERS IN SEPTEMBER. AND IN TERMS OF HOW LONG THAT TAKES WITH WINTER COMING UP AS WELL,

[00:25:06]

BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO IT IMMEDIATELY AND THEN PURSUE IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

IT DOESN'T DO US ANY GOOD TO WAIT ON IT. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU.

YOU DID THIS IN GREYSTONE WEST, RIGHT? LIKE YOU GUYS CAME IN AND DID THAT.

YOU NO LONGER OWN THAT, CORRECT? OKAY. IS THAT TYPICALLY NORMAL FOR YOU TO SELL OFF WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED? LIKE YOU'LL COME IN, DO THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SELL OFF THE PROPERTY AGAIN.

SO MOST OF THE THINGS I MEAN, AS EVIDENCED BY ACCUMULATING 55 PROPERTIES WE LIKE TO BUY AND HOLD, WE LIKE TO AGGREGATE REAL ESTATE. IN THAT CASE, WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INVESTOR WHO WAS MORE INTERESTED IN SELLING AND THEY OWNED A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT PROPERTY. IF I REMEMBER TO, THERE WAS PART OF IT WHERE THERE WAS THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE THAT ENDED UP GETTING TORN DOWN FOR THE ADVANCED AUTO DEAL. SO THERE WAS SOME OF THAT THAT WAS ALREADY GOING TO GET PEELED OUT ANYWAY.

AS PART OF THAT INITIAL BUSINESS PLAN, BUT THE, THE MAJORITY OWNER ELECTED TO SELL.

I GUESS THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING A CASE FOR THE LOCAL MANAGEMENT, THE YOU KNOW, AND IF THE PROCESS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IS TO COME IN AND DO THE THING AND, AND SELL IT OFF TO SOMEONE ELSE, THEN THAT KIND OF NEGATES THAT LOCAL CONTROL OR THAT LOCAL ENTITY OR LOCAL MANAGEMENT CONCEPT.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

YEAH. I THINK WE'VE DEMONSTRATED OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, IN TERMS OF OUR INTEREST IN OWNING ASSETS LONG TERM AND BEING A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY.

I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR IN ALL BLOCK DEALS, WE, WE RAISE MONEY FROM THIRD PARTY INVESTORS.

AND SO WE ARE SUBJECT TO THE, THE INTERESTS OF OUR INVESTORS.

AND IF THEY ELECT TO SELL OR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE INVESTORS ELECT TO SELL, YOU KNOW, IN THAT CASE WE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO DO THAT.

SO I, I'M NEVER GOING TO STAND UP HERE AND SAY, WE'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE SELL A PROPERTY.

BUT 87TH AND PLUM IS GREAT REAL ESTATE AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, I THINK, TO HAVE AN ASSET THAT WE'LL BE PROUD OF FOR A LONG TIME. OKAY.

THANK YOU. JOHN. MICHAEL. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND MAYBE A FEW MORE COMMENTS, ACTUALLY.

SINCE Y'ALL ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE PARKING SIDE OF THINGS.

I'M ASSUMING GETTING EVERYTHING UP TO ADA COMPLIANCE IS A PART OF THAT.

I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY IS ADA COMPLIANT OR WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET LIKE A ZONING LETTER FROM THE CITY AT THE TIME.

GOTCHA. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO JUST SIT THERE WITH NONCOMPLIANT ADA STUFF.

OKAY. YEAH. FANTASTIC. YEAH. WE WOULD CERTAINLY DO THAT IF THERE WERE ANYTHING THAT WAS MISSING.

AWESOME STUFF. OKAY. A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF TIMELINE AND EVERYTHING HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED.

I THINK ACTUALLY. SO MAYBE TYING ON TO COURTNEY'S QUESTIONS.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT BUSINESSES DISPLAY ADDITIONAL TAXING RATES.

IS THAT'S EITHER SOMETHING THAT I THINK PROBABLY WE AS A CITY SHOULD START TO EXAMINE.

BECAUSE I THINK WITH A LOT OF FOLKS, THEY MIGHT BE USED TO SEEING A CERTAIN PRICE IN THEIR HYVEE OR IN THEIR WHATEVER, AND THEY MIGHT GET A TINY BIT OF STICKER SHOCK.

JUST EVEN FROM THE 1%. I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE RAISED THE ISSUE WITH ME A COUPLE OF TIMES.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IN OTHER AREAS, LIKE STICKERS ON WINDOWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR IS THAT PRETTY ATYPICAL? I THINK THAT WOULD BE PRETTY ATYPICAL.

I ALSO THINK THAT MIGHT CREATE A STIGMA ON A PROPERTY.

I DO KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF KIDS IN LENEXA THERE'S A NUMBER.

YEAH. I THINK THAT THE NUMBER IS, IS FAIRLY HIGH.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A TOOL THAT'S ALSO USED IN OVERLAND PARK, SHAWNEE, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ON QUITE A FEW DEALS.

I ALSO THINK WHEN YOU HAVE A BI STATE, FIVE COUNTY, 150 METRO AREA COMMUNITY, AND THEN YOU LAYER IN THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE DIFFERENT TAXING DISTRICTS AND THE DIFFERENT OVERLAYS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR THE STREETCAR AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS. I HAVE A HARD TIME TELLING WHAT SALES TAX I'M GOING TO PAY JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE. SO I THINK FOR MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY IS REALLY LOOKING AT THAT RECEIPT AND SAYING, OKAY, WHAT WAS MY EXACT SALES TAX? BUT I DO THINK THAT IF YOU STARTED TO STICKER A PROPERTY WITH THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD CREATE A NEGATIVE PERCEPTION.

IT POSSIBLY COULD AND CERTAINLY THE INTENT WOULDN'T BE TO SINGLE OUT ANY SINGLE DEVELOPMENT FOR SURE.

[00:30:01]

YOU HAD THE VISION 2040 VALUES UP THERE. AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, THE FACT THAT ONE CAN CHOOSE NOT TO GO SOMEWHERE, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON.

IT'S NOT LIKE THERE ARE A SHORTAGE OF GROCERY STORES. IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY A FOOD DESERT.

THAT'S FINE. AND I THINK I'LL, I'LL ADD TO THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS MAYBE MORE PROACTIVE THAN SOME CIDS CAN BE.

THIS IS LESS REACTIVE EVEN IF THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

AND SO YEAH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PUT TO GOOD USE.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, MARK.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS MAYBE FOR BECKY OR SOMEBODY.

IS I RECALL THAT GROCERY STORES AT SOME POINT WERE NOT GOING TO BE PAYING TAXES ON GROCERIES.

DID THAT EVER PASS? I SHOULD KNOW THIS ANSWER.

BUT THE STATE TAX HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM GROCERIES.

OKAY. THE STATE TAX. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. THANKS.

THAT CLARIFIES. I WAS I WAS CONCERNED THAT ALL GROCERY SALES TAX WAS GONE.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ADD THIS 1% BACK ON. AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT THAT.

LIKE I WAS ALREADY CONFUSED. THANK YOU. CITY TAX STAYED RIGHT WHERE IT WAS.

CHELSEA. HI AARON. A COUPLE OF KIND OF KIND OF RANDOM QUESTIONS.

YOU INDICATED THAT YOU JUST SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN A BIT OF A DECLINE IN THE OCCUPANCY.

DO YOU HAVE A PERCENTAGE OR A RANGE OF SIMPLY WHAT YOU'VE SEEN JUST AS CURRENT OWNER.

AS CURRENT OWNER, THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE LOST SINCE WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN THE FITNESS ANYTIME.

SO THAT WOULD BE THIS SO BOTH OF THOSE. YEAH. OKAY. KIND OF LIKE CATCHING A FALLING KNIFE.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO STOP THE MOMENTUM. YOU INDICATED SEVERAL CONCERNS WITH WATER COMING IN. YEAH. WHAT YOU ALSO I SAW UP THERE ON THE SLIDE SOME ROOF AND GUTTER WORK.

WHAT OTHER SAFETY CONCERNS EXIST IN THE PROPERTY NOW EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THAT ARE AFFECTING THE TENANTS IN THE BUILDING. YEAH. I THINK THAT WATER IS PROBABLY NOT A SAFETY AS MUCH AS IT CAN BE, UNLESS IT EVENTUALLY CREATES MOLD OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE TENANTS DON'T WANT THEIR FLOORS TO BE WET.

YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY, THEY DON'T WANT WATER COMING IN FROM THE ROOFS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY WAS DEVELOPED IN THE MID 80S. YOU HAVE BETTER STORMWATER PLANS NOW THAN YOU DID THEN.

TRUST ME. WE, WE ABIDE BY THEM, WE PAY FOR THEM.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS SHEETS TO THE, TO THE SOUTH AND, AND THE SOUTHWEST.

THAT'S KIND OF JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY AND YOU KIND OF PUT IT ON TILT, THE LOWER PART OF THE PROPERTY MIGHT BE THE FEDEX TYPE DEAL.

AND WHAT THE PRIOR OWNER DID NOT DO IS I'M GOING TO PUT MY MOUSE RIGHT HERE.

SO LIKE, SEE THIS CORNER RIGHT HERE, FOR EXAMPLE.

THAT PARKING LOT SHEETS TO THE SOUTHWEST. AND A REALLY SIMPLE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO CUT A FOOT WIDE CURB CHANNEL BETWEEN THIS LITTLE CORNER SO THAT THE WATER CAN GET THROUGH, GET DOWN HAUSER, AND GET TO THE INLETS THAT ARE ALONG HAUSER AS YOU APPROACH 87TH STREET.

THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. AND SO WHEN WATER PONDS THERE, IT ENDS UP [INAUDIBLE] THE PARKING LOT, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATES OVER TIME MUCH FASTER THAN IT SHOULD.

AND THE FUNNY PART IS IF YOU LOOK AT STARBUCKS, THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME THING. THEY WHEN THEY BUILD A NEW STARBUCKS, THEY DID THAT, RIGHT. SO COMING BACK IN AND ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE THAT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS BUILDING, KIND OF THE SAME EFFECT WHERE WATER IS COMING FROM HERE DOWN.

SO JUST CREATING A FOUR INCH CURB THAT WOULD TAKE THE WATER AND GET IT TO THE SOUTHERN END OF THIS DRIVE AISLE, PUTS IT RIGHT DOWN HERE WHERE THERE'S AN INLET, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT FROM A WATER STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A SAFETY STANDPOINT. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE CENTER IS UNSAFE. ARE THERE ANY THINGS LIKE THAT.

MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE IN ANY OF THE ON THE PROPERTY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDO THE ROOF FROM HERE TO HERE.

AND FROM HERE TO HERE AND FROM THAT BUILDING THERE AS WELL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET 3 NEW ROOFS OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE INVESTMENT HY-VEE DOESN'T NEED IT.

ALTHOUGH IF WE DO, IF WE MESS WITH THE GREEN AND BROWN AND BRONZE STANDING SEAMS, THERE'LL BE SOME WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AS PART OF THAT AS WELL.

BUT IN TERMS OF REROOFING, THE MASSAGE ENVY BUILDING, THE MOSTLY VACANT EASTERN BUILDING AND BASICALLY EVERYTHING FROM DOLLAR TREE OVER TO.

[00:35:07]

THERE'S ONE ROOF SYSTEM THAT ENCOMPASSES THAT AREA THAT THOSE THREE GET REPLACED.

OKAY. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU AND YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED A NUMBER AND I, AND I MISSED IT. YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL LEASES THAT ARE GETTING READY TO ROLL OVER.

I THINK YOU SAID NEXT YEAR, WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WITHIN THE NEXT 3 YEARS.

YEAH. HOW MANY LEASES ARE GETTING READY TO ROLL OVER? THERE'S A, THERE'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT I'M NOT GOING TO CALL OUT THE TENANTS.

OH, NO, NO, I DON'T WANT THE I DON'T WANT THE NAMES.

I JUST WANTED THE NUMBER WISE ROLL HERE AND 01,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 OF 22.

ROLL BETWEEN NOW AND 2029. I WAS JUST CURIOUS THE NUMBER I DIDN'T NEED THE NAMES.

YEAH. SO 17 OUT OF 22. ROLE IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS.

POTENTIALLY AT RISK OF LOSING IF. OKAY. INCLUDING A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE.

RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. A CENTRAL QUESTION I HAVE IS IF THIS CID DOESN'T PASS TONIGHT, WHAT INVESTMENTS, IF ANY, ARE YOU? IS THE COMPANY STILL WILLING TO INVEST IN THIS THIS AREA? AND REALLY, IF IT. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

HAVE TO DO THE ROOFS, RIGHT? LIKE IT'S NOT OPTIONAL.

HAVE TO FIX SOME OF THE WATER THINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHAT YOU WON'T GET IS A NEW FACADE. WHAT YOU WON'T GET IS THE UPGRADED LANDSCAPING, THE, THE UPGRADED SIGNAGE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE MARGINAL DOLLARS THAT WE CAN SPEND. YOU HAVE TO SPEND MONEY, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU WHEN YOU COME IN, PEOPLE EXPECT THE AIR CONDITIONING TO WORK.

THEY EXPECT THE ROOF NOT TO LEAK. YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S JUST SOME BLOCKING AND TACKLING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. AND SO THOSE THINGS WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO REGARDLESS. WHAT WE GET WITH THE CI D IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE THAT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

AND THAT INCLUDES THE FACADE THAT INCLUDES THE SIGNAGE, IT INCLUDES THE LANDSCAPING, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO GIVE NEW TENANTS IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS THAT GO INTO THEIR SPACE.

THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THAT INTERIOR SPACE MORE ATTRACTIVE, MORE VIABLE AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OFFERING A TENANT 10 OR $15 A SQUARE FOOT FOR THEIR BUILD OUT AND 60 OR 65, ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE DONE WHAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS.

SO YOU'RE EVERYTHING THAT'S REALLY PRETTY IS THE THINGS THAT ARE OPTIONAL, AND EVERYTHING THAT IS BEHIND THE SCENES ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE USUALLY MANDATORY.

SO OF THE ROUGHLY 26 MILLION, YOU'RE SAYING THAT 4.5 MILLION OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FACADE AND AESTHETICS, OR. I BELIEVE 4.5 OF THAT IS WHAT IS ELIGIBLE WITHIN THE THE CID.

OKAY. I THINK THAT DOES INCLUDE THE ROOF. SO YOUR YOUR 26 MILLION WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER.

IF THE CID DOESN'T PASS, YOU WON'T BE INVESTING.

OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I THINK IT'S FAIR QUESTION.

YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND IT THOUGH. I THINK I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BETTER PROJECT IF WE DO.

SURE. AND YOU'VE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES THAT HE SUPPORTS THE CID.

HAVE THEY PROVIDED YOU ANY SAY LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION OR.

I DIDN'T SAY THEY SUPPORT IT. OH, I'M SORRY I SAID THEY DIDN'T GO ON RECORD EITHER WAY.

I SEE, I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR. YES WE HAVE WE DON'T HAVE SUPPORT.

WE DON'T HAVE THEIR THEIR OPPOSITION. THEY HAVEN'T THEY HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING.

WE WENT AND MET WITH THEM. WE GAVE THEM THE INFORMATION. THEY SAID, THANK YOU. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT INTERNALLY. AND SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM.

SO THEY HAVE BEEN POSITIVE OF THIS. HEARING OF THIS HAPPENING, OF THE CID GOING ON.

THEY KNOW THIS DATE. IT'S UP TO THEM WHETHER THEY WANT TO VOICE THEIR OPINION.

BUT I DO NOT WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM. I SEE, AND THEY MADE THEIR INVESTMENT ON THE INTERIOR.

SURE. AND THEN I SUPPOSE YOU KNOW, A FINAL COMMENT REALLY IS I MAY HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU WITH WHETHER OR NOT FOLKS ARE LOOKING AT THE RECEIPTS.

I KNOW I DO. AND I WOULD SAY A LOT OF AMERICANS IS TOUGH TIMES.

GROCERIES ARE A STAPLE TO HOUSEHOLDS. SO EVEN 1% DOES OFTEN STILL SEEM LIKE A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT OUR STATE HAS DECREASED SALES TAX ON FOOD.

SO I'LL SAY THIS IS A, I SEE THE VALUE IT BRINGS OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I ALSO CAN SEE WHY SOME FOLKS MAY SEE THIS, PARTICULARLY FOR HY-VEE AND GROCERIES AS SOMETHING THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL DRIVE NEW BUSINESS TO THE THE SHOPPING CENTER.

[00:40:02]

I THINK IT'S A GOOD POINT. OKAY. WE'LL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE OR TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM SIGN IN. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. SO MOVED. SECOND. WE DON'T NEED A MOTION. JUST OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

NOPE. I WAS READING THE WRONG THING. AND AS A REMINDER, EVERYONE WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS DAVID CROOM, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT REGARDING THIS PROPOSED 1% COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SALES TAX.

I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO. THIS PROPOSAL WOULD AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL 1% SALES TAX THAT COULD REMAIN IN PLACE FOR UP TO 22 YEARS, TAKING MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SHOP IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS NOT JUST THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT WHO WILL ULTIMATELY PAY IT.

JUST RECENTLY, THE STATE OF KANSAS ELIMINATED THE STATE SALES TAX ON GROCERIES BECAUSE LAWMAKERS RECOGNIZED THAT SALES TAXES FALL HARDEST ON THOSE THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD THEM. SENIORS LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES, YOUNG FAMILIES TRYING TO STRETCH EVERY PAYCHECK, AND WORKING PEOPLE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION ALL BENEFITED FROM THAT DECISION.

NOW WE ARE CONSIDERING MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THIS CID TAX WOULD APPLY TO PURCHASES MADE AT BUSINESSES LIKE HY-VEE AND DOLLAR TREE STORES THAT MANY SENIORS, WORKING FAMILIES AND BUDGET CONSCIOUS RESIDENTS RELY ON EVERY WEEK.

THESE AREN'T LUXURY PURCHASES. THEY'RE GROCERIES, HOUSEHOLD NECESSITIES, AND EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS.

THE AVERAGE SHOPPER WON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE PAYING THIS TAX. MANY WON'T REALIZE WHY THEIR RECEIPT IS HIGHER.

IT BECOMES ANOTHER HIDDEN COST THAT QUIETLY TAKES A LITTLE MORE FROM EVERY PURCHASE, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD ASK THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION ABOUT WHO SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF THIS PROJECT.

THIS IS A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. THE BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS WHO INVEST IN THESE IMPROVEMENTS STAND TO BENEFIT THROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, INCREASED CUSTOMER TRAFFIC AND ULTIMATELY, GREATER PROFITS.

THOSE WHO RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS SHOULD BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THEM.

NOT EVERY SHOPPER WHO WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR.

IMAGINE IF INSTEAD OF ADDING THIS TAX AUTOMATICALLY, EVERY CUSTOMER WAS ASKED AT THE REGISTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTARILY CONTRIBUTE AN ADDITIONAL 1% TODAY TO HELP IMPROVE THE SHOPPING CENTER? I SUSPECT THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE WOULD SAY YES.

YET UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, THEY WON'T BE ASKED.

THEY SIMPLY PAY IT. AND I HAVE TO ASK, WHERE DOES THIS END? WE'RE ALREADY APPROACHING A COMBINED SALES TAX RATE OF NEARLY 10%.

EVERY TIME ANOTHER SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT IS APPROVED, IT BECOMES A LITTLE EASIER TO JUSTIFY THE NEXT ONE.

WHAT HAPPENS THE NEXT TIME THE CITY NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OR THE NEXT DEVELOPER REQUESTS ANOTHER CID? AT WHAT POINT DO WE DECIDE THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? SALES TAXES ARE EASY TO APPROVE BECAUSE THEY'RE SPREAD ACROSS THOUSANDS OF TRANSACTIONS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM FREE. THEY ARE PAID BY REAL PEOPLE BUYING REAL NECESSITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT SHOULD BE BUILT ON SOUND ECONOMICS, NOT BY SHIFTING THE COST OF PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS ONTO UNSUSPECTING SHOPPERS FOR THE NEXT 22 YEARS. TONIGHT, I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER NOT ONLY THIS PROJECT, BUT THE PRECEDENT IT SETS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE CUMULATIVE TAX BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU.

THIS CID IS STATED AS VOLUNTARY AND HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.

VOLUNTARY REALLY DOES NOT MEAN VOLUNTARY. YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

GAYLENE VAN HORN LENEXA EAST. LENEXA. THIS IS MY SHOPPING CENTER.

[00:45:01]

IT SEEMS PECULIAR TO CALL IT VOLUNTARY WHEN THE SHOPPING AREA CONTAINS ONE OF THE ONLY REASONABLE PRICED MAINLINE GROCERY STORES IN EAST LENEXA, THE ONLY OTHER CHOICES WOULD BE FOR US TO GO OUT OF LENEXA OR COME TO ALDI'S WHERE.

OR FIND A CID. AN AREA WHERE CID IS NOT APPLICABLE.

SPROUTS IS EVEN IN A CID. I'VE BEEN CONFUSED BY THE MAP.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GAS STATION. WHAT ABOUT JUSTIN'S LIQUOR STORE? IS THAT INCLUDED? AND IF IT IS NOT, WHY NOT? HOW MANY TAX DOLLARS GOES TO LENEXA FROM THE WESTCHESTER SHOPPING CENTER TODAY WITHOUT A CID. HOW MUCH REMODELING WILL BE DONE TO HY-VEE? HY-VEE DID THEIR OWN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR REMODELING IN 2020.

EVEN REMODELING THE EXTERIOR. WHY IS HY-VEE INCLUDED IN THE CID.

AS A NOTED ABOVE, THE. THIS HY-VEE IS ONE OF THE ONLY REASONABLE PRICED GROCERY STORES IN THIS AREA.

ARE YOU AWARE THAT THE MEDIAN INCOME OF RESIDENTS IN EAST LENEXA IS APPROXIMATELY $20,000 LESS THAN IN WEST LENEXA? HOPEFULLY YOU ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THE AVERAGE WORKER EARNINGS IN EAST LENEXA ARE BETWEEN 15 AND $30,000 LESS THAN IN WEST LENEXA.

THE CITY OFFERS 2 PROGRAMS TO LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS PROPERTY TAX REBATE AND EXTERIOR GRANT PROGRAM.

HOW MANY OF HOUSEHOLDS IN EAST LENEXA HAVE RECEIVED THESE REBATES? THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY INTERESTING FOR ME TO KNOW.

THE COST OF GROCERIES FOR MAKING PURCHASES AT HY-VEE WILL INCREASE ABOUT 2% OVER THE NEXT OVER EACH YEAR FOR 22 YEARS.

WELL, CERTAINLY, I DO NOT PLAN TO BE HERE IN 22 YEARS, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE GOING ON.

ACCORDING TO THE ANNUAL 2027 BUDGET, LENEXA HAS 20, 20 ACTIVE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, THE SAME NUMBER AS OVERLAND PARK, DESPITE HAVING LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF THE POPULATION.

WE DO NEED TO PUT NOTICES WHERE THERE ARE THESE SPECIAL DISTRICTS SO WE KNOW THAT WE ARE PAYING EXTRA TAXES.

OUR PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO GO UP. YOU CONTINUE TO TAX US IN EVERY AREA POSSIBLE.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP DOING THIS, AND GROCERIES ARE SUPER IMPORTANT TO MOST OF US TO JUST CONTINUE TO LIVE.

ALSO, THE BUSINESS JOURNAL INDICATED THAT THIS WESTCHESTER SQUARE WAS BOUGHT BY BLOCK.

BUT I NOTICE IN THE APPROVAL OF THE CID, IT'S BETWEEN WESTCHESTER 87 INVESTORS IN CASE.

7 INVESTORS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING? MAYOR. COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DAVID HANKS. I LIVE AT 22635 WEST 89TH WATERCRESS LANDING SUBDIVISION, WARD 1. I'M NOT SPEAKING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THE CID, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED. I HAVE THE SAME CURIOSITY THAT ALL OF YOU MORE THAN LIKELY HAD.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS A PLOT X Y AXIS ABSCISSA X AXIS TIME.

THE VERTICAL AXIS B THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GENERATED BY THE SALES TAX VERSUS THE COST OF THE MONEY THAT'S BEING LOANED OR GIVEN FOR THIS PROJECT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THOSE 2 LINES CROSS.

IS THAT AT 22 YEARS OR THEREAFTER? SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME EXPECTATION WITH REGARDS TO HOW MUCH SALES TAX WOULD BE GENERATED BY BY THE PROJECT. AND REALLY, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE FOR THIS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. HAYNES.

FINAL COMMENTS. PUBLIC HEARING. SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MOTION BY COURTNEY, SECOND BY BILL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COURTNEY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE COOKING ON SOMETHING.

I AM. I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT I HAVE, AND I'M NOT CERTAIN WHO CAN ANSWER IT, IS IF THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION

[00:50:01]

THE PROCESS FOR A CID WITHOUT THE GROCERY STORE WOULD BE A PETITION FOR A CID THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE GROCERY STORE.

I IMAGINE THE ECONOMICS OF THAT WOULD BE WILDLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROPOSED ONE.

THANK YOU, JOHN. MICHAEL. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, AND I THINK THESE WILL BE FOR STAFF AS WELL.

JUST TO CONFIRM. SO THE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 22 YEAR CID. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT BEING MADE INTO THAT AREA OVER THE FIRST 2 YEARS, YEAR AND A HALF OF THAT CID THE 1% ADDITIONAL SALES TAX.

IS THAT IN PLACE 22 YEARS NO MATTER WHAT? OR IS IT ONLY UNTIL THAT 4.5 MILLION IS COLLECTED? IT WOULD ONLY BE UNTIL THE THE 4 POINT WHATEVER MILLION IS COLLECTED UNLESS THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THE CID TO TO CHANGE THAT.

BUT UNDER WHAT YOU'RE APPROVING TONIGHT, YOU'RE APPROVING THAT AMOUNT OF EXPENSES.

AND IF THAT PAID OFF IN 15 YEARS AND THERE WAS NO AMENDMENT TO THE CID.

IT WOULD SHUT OFF. THANK YOU. AND THEN THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK IS NOT IN THE EXCUSE ME, NOT IN THE PACKET ARE RENTS. DO RENTS GET SALES TAX? THAT MIGHT SOUND LIKE A CRAZY QUESTION, BUT NO.

OKAY. OKAY. SO 1% TO REACH 4.5 MILLION. AM I DOING THE MATH RIGHT? THAT THAT WOULD BE 455 MILLION IN SALES TO REACH 4.5 MILLION AND 1% SALES TAX ROUGHLY. KIND OF GOING OFF OF MR. HANKS QUESTION.

AARON, DO YOU ALL HAVE ENOUGH DATA FROM YOUR TENANTS TO HAVE AN IDEA FOR HOW LONG COLLECTING THAT WOULD TAKE? IS IT EVEN LEGAL FOR YOU TO SHARE THAT WITH US? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TOO. YEAH, I THINK IT IS LEGAL IN THAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS JUST MAKE ESTIMATES OF WHAT WE THINK A NORMAL GROCER MIGHT PRODUCE, OR A NORMAL PICK YOUR OTHER TYPE OF TENANT MIGHT PRODUCE.

AND WITHOUT BREAKING THAT APART WITH ANY SPECIFIC TENANTS BECKY'S RIGHT, THE GROCER IS THE DOMINANT ECONOMIC ENGINE IN THE CENTER.

I DO THINK THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT TENANTS AND YOU FILLED UP ALL THE VACANCY, AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER.

IF THERE IS NO GROCERY STORE THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT 1% DRIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO GET YOUR GROCERIES SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND THAT'S A POSSIBILITY IF THE CENTER DOESN'T HAVE GOOD REINVESTMENT.

BUT IF WE DO FILL UP THE REMAINING VACANCY. OUR PROJECTIONS SHOW ROUGHLY $48 MILLION OF SALES IN YEAR ONE, WITH THE IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE INFLATION OVER TIME.

AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF RAW DOLLARS, YOUR MATH IS PRETTY RIGHT.

THAT GETS YOU TO ABOUT A 10 YEAR PAYBACK. OBVIOUSLY, IF WE CAN CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE IS MORE SHOPPING HAPPENING, THEN THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ACCELERATE THAT PACE AND IT WOULD BURN OFF EARLIER.

THE OTHER THING I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT THERE ARE TENANTS THAT DON'T PAY SALES TAX.

SO, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY YOU'RE NOT PAYING SALES TAX ON A CHIROPRACTOR WHO'S, WHO'S IN THE EASTERN BUILDING THERE, RIGHT? SO IF YOU DO HAVE SERVICES THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO SALES TAX THEN YOU MAY HAVE TENANTS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE IN THERE THAT AREN'T GENERATING SALES TAX. YOU KNOW, A DAYCARE, FOR EXAMPLE, MIGHT NOT GENERATE SALES TAX, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE A GOOD TENANT MIX, AND THEIR PARKING HOURS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE PARKING HOURS THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE TENANTS NEXT DOOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF GOOD ROUND MATH TO GIVE YOU.

YEAH, THAT WAS HAPPY TO.

THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING THAT QUESTION. MAYBE JUST TO BUILD OFF THE QUESTION, I THINK A 10 YEAR RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR JUST THE GROCERY TENANT.

SO I KNOW THE IDEA THAT WAS THROWN OUT WAS, WHAT IF WE CARVED THAT OUT?

[00:55:05]

AND SO I THINK. DRAWING THAT ALL TOGETHER, PIECING THAT ALL TOGETHER, I STILL SUPPORTIVE OF THE CID WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE EXPECT A SHORTER RETURN PERIOD THAN 22 YEARS AND THAT TO THE POINTS MADE ALREADY. WE DO HAVE OPTIONS WITHIN THE SAME DISTANCE FOR MOST FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S EAST LENEXA OR CENTRAL LENEXA. BECAUSE I'M UNCLEAR ON WHERE THAT BOUNDARY IS.

I'M STILL SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BILL. YEAH. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS CID WILL IMPROVE THE LOOK OF LENEXA AND ESPECIALLY AT THAT REAL BUSY CORNER OF PFLUMM AND 87TH.

AND I'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF OTHER CIDS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS, PRIMARILY FOR THAT REASON THAT IT KEEPS THE THE APPEARANCE OF LENEXA AS A FIRST CLASS AND A CITY OF THE FIRST CLASS. TOWN. AND I THINK THIS THIS TONIGHT MOVES IT IN THAT DIRECTION.

I'M. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT. THANK YOU. BILL. MARK.

AARON, I HAVE A QUESTION. THE DEVELOPMENT. DID YOU EVERYTHING WEST OF HAUSER.

WAS THAT A SEPARATE OWNERSHIP AND AND EAST OF HAUSER WAS A A DIFFERENT OWNERSHIP.

DID YOU GUYS MERGE IT AND BUY THEM BOTH? I COULDN'T I DON'T RECALL WHAT I WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THAT.

YEAH. EVERYTHING IN THE ORANGE LINE WE BOUGHT AT ONE TIME AND WE BOUGHT IT IN 2 DIFFERENT INVESTMENT VEHICLES.

SO TO THE WOMAN'S QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT K SEVEN KANSAS AND WESTCHESTER 87.

I'M THE MANAGING MEMBER OF BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES. I'M SIGNED ON THE LOAN GUARANTEE FOR BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES.

BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES HAVE DIFFERENT INVESTORS IN THEM.

THE REASON THAT WE DID IT THAT WAY IS BECAUSE WE SUCCESSFULLY RE TENANTED A SHOPPING CENTER IN BONNER SPRINGS, AND WE SOLD THAT PROPERTY AND WE DID A 1031 INTO THIS PROPERTY.

WHEN YOU DO AN EXCHANGE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING OTHER INVESTORS INTO THAT ENTITY, RIGHT? SO WE HAD TO CREATE A SEPARATE ENTITY AND BASICALLY THEY OWN IT 7525 BETWEEN THE 2 ENTITIES.

BUT I'M THE GUY SIGNING FOR BOTH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND IT INCLUDES ALL THE PROPERTY IN ORANGE ALL AT ONE TIME.

BUT, BUT BEFORE YOU PURCHASED IT, WAS THERE ONE OWNERSHIP ON THE EAST SIDE AND ONE OWNERSHIP ON THE WEST SIDE, OR WAS IT ALL ONE OWNERSHIP OF THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY THAT'S IN THE ORANGE WAS OWNED BY BRIXMOR, WHICH IS A LARGE. THEY'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHOPPING CENTER OWNERS IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY'RE BASED IN NEW YORK CITY. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR SOME REASON, I THOUGHT THERE WAS 2 DIFFERENT ENTITIES IN THAT.

YOU'RE BRINGING IT TOGETHER FOR ONE DEVELOPMENT. OKAY, IT WAS ALREADY BOUGHT.

WE BOUGHT ONE DEAL JUST WITH 2 INVESTMENT VEHICLES, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE HAD TO DO IT, BY THE WAY, THAT OUR EXCHANGE WORKED. OKAY. YEAH. 1 OTHER OBSERVATION.

I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SHOPPING AT THE SHOPPING CENTER RECENTLY BECAUSE OF HIGH HENHOUSE CLOSED THEIR STARBUCKS AND I LIKE GOING TO STARBUCKS TO GET MY TEA, BUT I LIKE THE ASPECT OF GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE AS WELL.

YEAH. BUT THEN I ALSO, YOU KNOW, FREQUENTED KEBABS AND THE COUPLE 2 OR 3 TIMES IN RECENT LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO WENT IN THERE AND I'M LIKE, HOW'S THIS PLACE SURVIVING? AND, AND, AND LO AND BEHOLD, I DID NOT KNOW THEY HAD CLOSED SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE.

AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO REOPEN, BUT WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

AND SO I THINK THIS DEVELOPMENT NEEDS A REFRESH.

IT NEEDS SOMETHING. IT NEEDS A NEEDS SOME, SORT OF IGNITION TO GET THIS THING GOING.

AND AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THINGS JUST KIND OF BE TURNED AWAY FROM IN, IN LENEXA.

AND SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE CID. THANK YOU CHELSEA.

I'VE BEEN REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS SINCE I READ THE PACKET.

AND LISTENED TO THE PRESENTATIONS. THE SHOPPING CENTER ABSOLUTELY NEEDS

[01:00:01]

TERRIBLE. VISIBILITY IS TERRIBLE WITH LANDSCAPING.

THE LIGHTING IS POOR. THE FACADE, AS YOU INDICATED, IS, IS I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT NEEDS A MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION. AND I KNOW THAT THAT WILL DRAW MORE TENANTS WHICH WILL ALSO BRING MORE JOBS. WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY BOTHERING ME IS, IS ADDING 1% TO GROCERIES AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS THAT ARE NECESSITIES.

WHEN PRICES ARE UP WITH THE ECONOMY AS THEY ARE THE ECONOMY IS, IS SOMEWHAT STABILIZING, BUT.

I JUST, I CAN'T GET THIS FEELING OUT OF MY STOMACH ABOUT APPROVING 1% ON THAT.

AND THERE ARE PROS ON BOTH SIDES AND CONS ON BOTH SIDES.

AND I JUST FOR ME AND I MAY BE THE, THE LONE WOLF ON THIS, BUT I CAN'T SUPPORT A 1% SALES TAX ON GROCERIES AND HOUSEHOLD NECESSITIES.

IT JUST DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME. THANK YOU.

AVERY. COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD ECHO MANY OF YOUR SENTIMENTS.

SO I DON'T THINK YOU'RE A LONE WOLF. I DO SEE BOTH SIDES TO THIS.

BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME TRULY, AGAIN, WITH THINKING ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE PEOPLE OF LENEXA, NOT JUST THE, THE BUSINESSES THAT RESIDE IN LENEXA.

I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ON OTHER CIDS IN, TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT TEN YEAR PAYBACK PERIOD IS A REALISTIC PROJECTION.

WITHIN YOUR PREVIOUS. I'M CURIOUS. YOU SAID GREYSTONE ESTATES.

YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY OWNED AS WELL. DID THAT CID CLOSE EARLY? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR STAFF TO FIND OUT IF THE CID AT GREYSTONE HAS CLOSED.

NO IT HASN'T. IT'S STILL GOING ON. STILL GOING ON? OKAY. GOT IT. YEAH. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE HAVE IS WHEN YOU DO HAVE RETAIL LEASES IN PLACE, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE ANCHOR TENANTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 40 YEARS AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF 5 YEAR OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE, THE DOLLARS THAT THEY ARE PAYING DON'T JUSTIFY PUTTING NEW DOLLARS INTO SPACE.

SO WE ARE WE'RE IN A SCENARIO WHERE SEVERAL OF THOSE TENANTS HAVE FIXED RATE OPTIONS FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO I DON'T GET TO JUST GO AROUND AND RAISE THE RENT ON EVERYBODY BECAUSE I PUT A NEW FACADE ON THE BUILDING OR I REINVEST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.

AND SO THE CID IS REALLY A BRIDGE TO GET FROM WHERE THE SHOPPING CENTER IS TODAY TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE.

WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO BASICALLY PUT THAT BURDEN BACK ON SOME OF THOSE TENANTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S JUST ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IN TERMS OF OUR SALES PROJECTIONS ON THIS ONE, AND I AND I DON'T RECALL CONTENDING THAT WE WOULD BE DONE IN 10 YEARS AT GREYSTONE. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE SAID THAT WE WOULD BE IN THAT CASE. RIGHT. SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BROKEN PROMISE.

I JUST THINK THAT'S WHATEVER THE ECONOMICS OF THAT PARTICULAR DEAL MIGHT HAVE BEEN. BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT A, A GROCERY STORE SHOULD PRODUCE, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT A SUBWAY SHOULD PRODUCE, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT A PET SUPPLY STORE SHOULD PRODUCE, WE'RE, WE SHOULD BE PRETTY ON TOP OF THOSE NUMBERS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN GET THAT DATA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

THANK YOU. COURTNEY. I TOO AM STRUGGLING WITH THIS DECISION.

I HAVE NOT A SUPER FAN OF CIDS TO BEGIN WITH, AND I ESPECIALLY HAVE TENANTS THAT ARE NOT TENANTS, BUT RESIDENTS OF LENEXA THAT WALK TO THIS PARTICULAR GROCERY STORE.

AND THERE'S AN OLDER COMMUNITY RIGHT THERE ON PFLUMM THAT I KNOW IS DEPENDENT ON THIS PARTICULAR.

AND SO THEIR CHOICES ARE LIMITED FOR THAT VOLUNTARY OPTION TO SHOP ELSEWHERE.

WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT WAS CLEARLY THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE STRUCTURALLY AND ARE GOING TO HAPPEN

[01:05:03]

WHILE I AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE UPDATES TO THIS PARTICULAR SHOPPING CENTER, AND I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE IMPROVEMENTS MADE. I'M NOT WILLING TO ADD A 1% SALES TAX TO THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS TONIGHT. IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN AT THIS MOMENT AND PUT ON MY EAST SIDE HAT.

I HEAR YOU ALL'S CONCERNS BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION PUBLICLY ABOUT SALES TAX ON GROCERIES, ESPECIALLY IN KANSAS LATELY. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I KNOW THAT A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE FROM THE EAST SIDE OF LENEXA GO TO 95TH AND ANTIOCH AND ARE SHOPPING AT THE HY-VEE THERE BECAUSE THEIR PERCEPTION IS, IS THAT IT'S A NICER STORE.

THERE IS A TRADER JOE'S AS WE SPEAK, BEING CONSTRUCTED IN MERRIAM, THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO GET IN THE CAR AND GO TO BECAUSE IT'S A NICER STORE.

SO YOU HEAR ME SAY THIS OFTEN THE COST OF DOING NOTHING ISN'T NOTHING.

AND IF WE LOSE A HY-VEE TENANT AT THIS LOCATION, THE COST WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY TO LENEXA.

SO I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT VOTING NO TONIGHT HAS THE RUNS THE RISK OF LOSING THIS STORE IN ITS IN ITS ENTIRETY.

AND THEN YOU HAVE NO OPTION FOR A GROCERY STORE OR YOU HAVE BETTER, NICER OPTIONS IN OTHER CITIES THAT WE WILL WE WILL LOSE.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE OFTEN HEAR AS WE ALL GO OUT EVERY 2 YEARS, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE, IS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT ALL THIS SHABBY STRIP MALLS? HOW DO YOU PREVENT THESE PLACES FROM GOING INTO DECAY OR BECOMING VACANT? AND THERE'S REALLY VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN DO ON THE BACK END TO REPAIR THAT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO PROACTIVELY TO KEEP THIS SHOPPING CENTER FROM, FROM HAVING THAT OCCUR AND BY, BY CONTRIBUTING OUR INVESTMENT, MAKING SURE THAT IT STAYS VIABLE AND CONTRIBUTES TO OUR ECONOMY.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUDGET SEASON, AND WE VERY OFTEN HEAR FROM RESIDENTS IN THOSE HEARINGS.

HOW CAN WE PUSH MORE OF OUR REVENUE TO SALES TAX? HOW CAN WE RELIEVE THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN? CAN WE BUILD MORE RETAIL? CAN WE INCREASE MORE SHOPPING? AND WE DON'T DO THAT BY ALLOWING A STRIP MALL TO FAIL.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU PLEASE TO CONSIDER THOSE 3 POINTS BEFORE WE VOTE HERE AND JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE COST OF DOING NOTHING ISN'T NOTHING.

ANYTHING ELSE? JOHN. MICHAEL. I'LL JUST FLAG BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE COVERED IT YET.

I KNOW. GAYLENE ASKED WHY JUSTIN'S WASN'T INCLUDED.

IT'S VERY FAR EAST FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT, SO I THINK THAT'S THE LAST QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE GOT ANSWERED.

OKAY, WITH THAT, I'VE HEARD A MAJORITY IN FAVOR.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE CID.

MOTION BY CRAIG, SECOND BY BILL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO. MOTION PASSES. MOTION NUMBER 2.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CID DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WESTCHESTER 87TH AND K-7.

KANSAS INVESTORS. MOTION BY JOHN MICHAEL, SECOND BY CHRIS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NO. MOTION PASSES.

AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM NUMBER 8 IS BEING CONTINUED TO THE AUGUST 18TH,

[ 8. Public hearing to consider repairs or demolition of the fire-damaged structure at 20826 W. 89th Terrace -- ITEM CONTINUED FROM THE JUNE 2, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND BEING CONTINUED TO THE AUGUST 18, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT STAFF'S REQUEST ]

ITEM NUMBER 9 IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026 TO CONSIDER EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY TAX RATE AND A PUBLIC HEARING ON

[ 9. Resolution calling for a public hearing on September 1, 2026 to consider exceeding the revenue neutral property tax rate and a public hearing on September 1, 2026 to consider the fiscal year 2027 annual budget ]

HI, MEGAN. HI. GOOD EVENING. OH, THERE IT IS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS RESOLUTION IS PROCEDURAL TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 1ST.

FOR 2 ITEMS. THE 1ST ITEM IS TO CONSIDER EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.

AND THE 2ND ITEM IS TO CONSIDER THE 2027 BUDGET FOR 2027.

OUR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE IS 25.984 MILLS, WHICH EXCEEDS THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE CALCULATED BY THE COUNTY, WHICH IS 25.359 MILLS. HOWEVER, WE ARE DECREASING OUR MILL LEVY BY A QUARTER OF A MILL FROM 2026.

[01:10:01]

ONCE WE PUBLISH THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE, THIS SETS THE MAXIMUM BUDGET AND TAX RATE FOR US.

MEANING AFTER IT'S PUBLISHED, WE CANNOT INCREASE OUR BUDGET OR THE MILL LEVY.

HOWEVER, WE CAN DECIDE TO DECREASE THOSE NUMBERS IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND THEN I HAVE A SLIDE UP SHOWING WHERE WE ARE WITH THE 2027 BUDGET AND OUR NEXT STEPS.

TODAY, WE ARE JUST SETTING THE SEPTEMBER DATE FOR THE RESOLUTION NEXT TUESDAY THE 14TH.

THE DEPARTMENTS WILL COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR BUDGETS FOR 2027.

THEN THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, THE COUNTY WILL MAIL OUT NOTICES TO CITIZENS, TELLING THEM ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER 1ST MEETING AND THE PROPOSED MILL LEVY RATE FOR THE CITY. AT THE COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST 18TH, THE PUBLIC CAN COME AND GIVE US THEIR COMMENTS ON OUR 2027 BUDGET, AND THEN WE GET TO SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THAT IS ALL I HAVE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS? ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST TO CONSIDER EXCEEDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE AND A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST TO CONSIDER THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 ANNUAL BUDGET MOTION BY BILL.

SECOND BY. I THINK THAT WAS CHRIS. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. NUMBER 10 TONIGHT IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PUBLIC ART AT THE LENEXA JUSTICE CENTER.

[ 10. Lenexa Arts Council recommendation for public art at the Lenexa Justice Center ]

FINAL RECOMMENDATION? SORRY. MAYBE I SHOULD START AT THE BEGINNING.

FOR THE JUSTICE CENTER COMMUNITY ROOM. THIS PHOTO HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE COMMUNITY ROOM, KIND OF THE NORTH WALL. THE BACK END OF THE ROOM IS WHAT WE KIND OF EARMARKED FOR SOME, SOME ART BACK THERE IN THOSE OPEN SPACES.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO LOOK. IT'S BASICALLY ABOVE THOSE SERVING AREAS.

THERE'S A SECTION ABOUT 18FT WIDE BY 8 FEET TALL AND A NINE FOOT WIDE BY EIGHT FOOT TALL.

THE IDEA WITH BOTH THOSE SPACES WILL BE FILLED IN WITH SOME SORT OF 2D OR 3D ART.

SO JUST A REMINDER, THE 3 STEP PROCESS THAT WE'VE KIND OF ESTABLISHED FOR THE SELECTION OF PUBLIC ART.

STEP 1 WAS SOMETHING WE ALL AGREED UPON WITH THE GOVERNING BODY AND TOOK FORWARD.

STEP 2 HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND HERE WE ARE IN STEP 3, MAKING A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT.

JUST AS A REMINDER OF WHAT STEP ONE LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT WE KIND OF AGREED UPON FOR THIS ART WAS TO DO SOME SORT OF 2D OR 3D MOUNTED TO THE WALL SPACE.

I SHOWED THE PHOTOS EARLIER. WE AGREED THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT'S CALLED A LIMITED CALL.

WE WOULD LEVERAGE OUR OUR KNOWN ARTISTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.

OUR ARTS COUNCIL WENT AND SORT SOUGHT OUT AND GOT 5 ARTISTS ENGAGED TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS, AND WE SET A BUDGET OF ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO $12,000.

THE IDEA, ANYTIME WE HAVE PROPOSALS SUBMITTED, THERE'S THIS NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS.

STEP 2 IS REQUIRED. AND FOR THIS ONE WE USE THE BLIND VOTING AGAIN, MUCH LIKE WE DID FOR AD ASTRA.

AND SO HOW THAT WORKS IS WE GET THE SUBMISSIONS FROM THE ARTIST, THE ARTS COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY FIRST STAFF.

WE VET THOSE, MAKE SURE THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

THEN THE ARTS COUNCIL TAKES ABOUT 3 HOURS TO ARGUE OVER WHICH ONES WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, AND ULTIMATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO NARROW THAT DOWN TO OUR TOP 4 TO BRING FORWARD INTO THE BLIND VOTING STRUCTURE.

WE HAD 4 ARTISTS SUBMIT, SEVERAL OF THEM SUBMITTED MULTIPLE IDEAS.

WE ULTIMATELY BROUGHT FORWARD FOUR IN TOTAL, ONE FROM EACH ARTIST.

SO IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL. SO JUST TO REMIND YOU OF THE 4 THAT YOU LOOKED AT AND SCORED, THIS FIRST ONE IS CALLED IS FROM TINA BLACK BLANK AND IT'S CALLED LENEXA PAST AND FUTURE.

THIS IS STRICTLY 2D, ALL PAINTED ON APPLIED TO THE WALL WITH SOME REALLY COOL TECHNIQUES.

THE 2ND ONE IS MAURA CLUTHE TITLED HERE WE ARE, WE ARE HERE.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF 2D AND 3D. NEXT UP WAS CHRIS DO WITH THE LENEXA HIVE.

ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS A COMBINATION OF 2D AND 3D SHAPES APPLIED TO THE WALL.

AND THEN LASTLY WAS TAMMY SMITH A MORNING TONIGHT.

TAMMY'S PIECE ALSO WAS 2D AND 3D, WITH SOME POTTERY INCLUDED AS FAR AS THAT 3D PIECE.

[01:15:05]

MAURA CLUTHE WON. SO HASHTAG RESPECT THE PROCESS.

AND WE DID DOUBLE CHECK OUR MATH. AND YEAH, MAURA CLUTHE IS WHO WILL BE RECOMMENDING JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PIECE.

AND JUST A REMINDER, WE DIDN'T GIVE A STIPEND FOR THESE PROPOSALS.

THESE ARE ROUGH RENDERINGS. SUPPOSED TO GET THE JUICES FLOWING.

IT WON'T LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THIS, BUT IT WILL BE VERY SIMILAR.

SHE DOES A COMBINATION OF WOOD AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT PROVIDE THAT 3D ESSENCE, KIND OF GIVE SOME DEPTH AND CHARACTER TO THAT SPACE.

AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. AND IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A FUN PROCESS TO GO THROUGH AND, AND REALLY TO WRAP THIS UP THE ARTS COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT RECOMMENDING THIS. IT OBVIOUSLY MEETS THE PROCESS LAID OUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

IT MEETS THE GOALS OF THE LENEXA ARTS COUNCIL AND THE SPECIFIC GOALS LAID OUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AND THEN WE ALSO JUST THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR, OUR, OUR PUBLIC ART THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES TONIGHT, BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS.

OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO WORK TO GET THE ARTISTS UNDER CONTRACT, NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT, AND THEN ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE AND START MOVING FORWARD.

SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR LOGAN? NO. YES. OKAY. I WILL SAY THIS WAS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE.

SO GLAD TO FINALLY WIN THE VOTE. I THINK THAT IT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE IN OUR COLLECTION.

AND I THINK ESPECIALLY THAT TITLE, HERE WE ARE, WE ARE HERE SPEAKS TO ITS INSTALLATION IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM.

SO GLAD TO SEE THIS PIECE MOVING FORWARD. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE EFFORTS BY YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THE ARTS COUNCIL WHO WERE HERE.

SO, JENNIFER, MAYBE SNEAK IN AND OUT. GREAT JOB GUYS.

MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR PUBLIC ART IN THE JUSTICE CENTER.

MOTION BY CHELSEA. SECOND BY COURTNEY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ANY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS THIS EVENING?

[COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS ]

EXCUSE ME. AND THE CHAOS AND JUST THE DILIGENT WORK THAT THESE FOLKS PUT IN.

SO ANOTHER, ANOTHER GREAT PRODUCTION BY OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF, AND I SUGGEST WE KEEP THEM.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHELSEA. ALONG THAT SAME LINE I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN GETTING READY FOR THE PARADE. I KNOW THIS WAS A BIG YEAR AND EVERYONE PUT THEIR ALL IN TO DO THAT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, MOTHER NATURE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO COOPERATE THIS YEAR.

AND I EVEN LOOKED AT THE, THE CLOCK AS SOON AS I HEARD THE THUNDER AND IT WAS A GOOD CALL TO MAKE.

BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR REALLY PUTTING ALL THE EFFORT IN AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT WHAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL, MAYBE 1 OF THE BEST PARADES WE'VE EVER HAD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD STORMS. SO BUT THANK YOU ALL. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. BECKY, ANY STAFF REPORTS? THANK YOU. THIS DOES END THE RECORDED PORTION OF THE MEETING.

MEETING WE WILL MOVE INTO BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.