MINUTES

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

GLADSTONE, MISSOURI

REGULAR MEETING

 

 

MONDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2006

 

 

 

PRESENT:          Mayor Carol Rudi

                             Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross

Councilman Les Smith

 

City Manager Kirk Davis

Assistant City Manager Scott Wingerson

City Counselor David Ramsay

City Clerk Cathy Swenson

 

ABSENT:            Councilman Wayne Beer

                             Councilman Joe Evans

 

Mayor Carol Rudi opened the Regular February 27, 2006, City Council Meeting at 7:30 PM in the Gladstone City Council Chambers.  

 

Item 3. on the Agenda.             PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

 

Mayor Carol Rudi led the Pledge of Allegiance, in which all joined.

 

Item 4. on the Agenda.             APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 13, 2006, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to approve the February 13, 2006, Regular City Council Meeting Minutes as presented.  Councilman Les Smith seconded the motion. 

 

The vote:  “Aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

Item 5. on the Agenda.             CONSENT AGENDA

 

Following the Clerk’s reading, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to accept the Consent Agenda as presented.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to adopt RESOLUTION R-06-13, authorizing an agreement between the City of Gladstone and the Gladstone Economic Betterment Council for the Administration of Business Advertising in the Gladstone community magazine.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to approve a BUILDING PERMIT for construction of a brick wall to the west of the existing structure located at 7514 North Oak Trafficway.  Applicant/Owner:  Goens Brothers, Inc.  (BP 06-10000059).  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to approve the FINANCIAL REPORTS for January 2006.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

REGULAR AGENDA

 

Item 6. on the Agenda.             COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

 

Mayor Rudi introduced Joyce Grady, a leader of Boy Scout Troop 247, sponsored by Gashland Presbyterian Church.  With Ms. Grady were 6th and 7th grade Boy Scouts and leaders, who introduced themselves as follows:  Sam Gray, New Mark Middle School; Alex Mason, New Mark Middle School; Timothy Mason, New Mark Middle School; Michael Mason, New Mark Middle School; Andrew McFeeney, Northgate Middle School; Don Mason, Boy Scout Leader; and Elizabeth Gray, Boy Scout leader.

 

Mayor Rudi welcomed the Troop 247 members and leaders, and suggested if they should have any questions, to contact City Council members or City employees.  Mayor Rudi commended the group on their interest in municipal government.

 

Anita Newsom, 7401 North Wabash, began by saying she was seeking clarification as over the past couple of weeks some things have happened that from a historical perspective, she felt needed clarification.  Ms. Newsom said it was unfortunate that not all Council was present at this meeting, but knows her comments will go into the record.  Ms. Newsom stated a remark was made at a meeting last Thursday that past Council should have been dealing with economic issues in the past, as if there was something amiss that past Councils had not addressed.  Not everyone knows what past Councils did or what they looked at during their tenure.  Ms. Newsom said a number of years ago a City Council of which she was a member, and which also included Councilman Nodler, Councilman Norris, Councilman Fricke, and Councilman Hammen, did a lot of prioritization and created a wish list for the City.  That Council spent an entire day making plans as to what they would like for the City to have and the direction for the City to go.  As there was only so much money, things had to be prioritized.  A solid list of priorities was developed.  City Council has been accused in the past of making plans, and nothing happening with those plans.  Ms. Newsom stated the plans may not have occurred all at once, and Streetscape did not land in the middle of North Oak Trafficway all at once, however, over the course of the years, Streetscape and other plans suggested by past Councils have become part of the daily part of City business, and those standards have been incorporated in day-to-day business. 

 

Ms. Newsom stated when she served on the City Council it was not easy economic times, but it was not as difficult as some of the things this Council is considering.  There may not then have been some of the hard decisions that this Council is facing, and some of the exciting times that will probably follow.  Ms. Newsom said she wished to clarify that during her Council tenure, there was a Council body that had to set some priorities, and had to make some hard choices.  Ms. Newsom said she very much wanted a community center, but knew there were other things that had to come first, such as water service, ambulance service, a second fire station, and so forth.  These things had to come into place first.  Ms. Newsom stated she is glad to see this Council continuing with those plans.  There were a lot of people involved a long time ago, and some of those people have been on different sides of issues recently, but it appears we are all moving together as a community for the solid purpose of where we need to go. 

 

Ms. Newsom continued by saying she has made a clarification and now asks for a clarification.  Ms. Newsom said she was not at the last City Council meeting, but she read in the “Northland” section of the “Kansas City Star” that there was concern about an issue being proposed.  Ms. Newsom said what concerned her is that the report in the paper seemed to give the impression that all five of the current Council members, or the majority of the Council members, said there is no way a road will go through (68th Street parkway).  Ms. Newsom stated that dismays her, as someone who has sat in a City Council chair, as the plan is not finished and is still being revised.  Ms. Newsom said she was sorry to hear of these comments from City Council members, however, she has a feeling there may have been an error in reporting, and she would like to hear from Council an interpretation of what was said and how true the report actually was.  Ms. Newsom said she personally knows each Council member and believes what was reported was probably not what was actually said.

 

Mayor Rudi responded that what she said at the last City Council meeting was that there was not yet a plan in place to be able to make a decision.  The reporting was not totally accurate.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross stated that he did not believe there was an emphatic statement from all five of the Council members, and he agrees with Ms. Newsom that the comments were not reported correctly.  Mayor Pro Tem Cross said he did not believe any Council member made such a strong statement.

 

Mayor Rudi stated she firmly believes that Council is not yet at a place to make a decision, because there is not yet a complete plan.  That is a long ways away.

 

Councilman Les Smith stated he believed he may have been the only one who said he was not in support of building the road at this time, knowing that an agreement was being worked on with the neighborhood.  Councilman Smith said his interpretation of the comments that followed were to say the plan is still evolving, and some things have to be done, but maybe not right now.  Councilman Smith stated as it turns out, that is how it will happen.  Councilman Smith said he would not cast aspersions on any representative of the media, but it was easy to interpret the comments that followed his as being supportive of what he said, but he does not believe they were supportive of everything he said.

 

Item 7. on the Agenda.             COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

 

Councilman Les Smith stated regarding the issue Ms. Newsom brought up, which is the 68th Street parkway, west of North Oak Trafficway, the City has been in communication with some of the leadership of the Hamilton Heights neighborhood, and they, at least in principle, have agreed to some things that were offered at a recent public meeting, which may cause them to be more supportive of the parkway being built in the future.  This is a very positive step, because this is such an exciting and important project, and an opportunity for the entire community.  Councilman Smith said there has been a lot of give and take on both the neighborhood’s part and on the perspective developer’s part.  Councilman Smith said a lot of work has been done by City staff to make this happen, and he believes things will work out on this issue.

 

Councilman Smith said he learned today that Senator Crowell’s Bill regarding red light cameras is going to be heard in Committee this evening, and there will be a substitute offered with some parameters that might allow our City to move forward on this issue.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross thanked City administration for allowing Council members to attend the Missouri Municipal League conference and to meet with elected officials.  Mayor Pro Tem Cross said he feels these were good meetings, and he feels the elected officials that serve our City are in support of City issues.  Mayor Pro Tem Cross said it was very worthwhile for Council members to attend these meetings. 

 

Mayor Pro Tem Cross thanked Carol Blanchard, Staff Writer, for the “Sun Tribune”, for an article she wrote about him.  Mayor Pro Tem Cross said Council members appreciate Ms. Blanchard attending the City Council meetings and reporting the City news.

 

Mayor Carol Rudi stated she was distressed about the comments about past Councils, because unless one is working on an issue, they have no idea of the process.  Every Council has to deal with issues that will not be popular with everyone in the City.  Mayor Rudi offered congratulations to Ms. Newsom for her efforts while on the City Council.

 

Mayor Rudi reported there would not be a City Council meeting on the regularly scheduled date of March 13th.  City Council members will be attending the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C., and meeting with Senators Talent and Bond

 

Item 8. on the Agenda.             COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.

 

City Manager Kirk Davis stated Staff takes great pride in moving studies forward, and he does not believe there are any sitting on the shelf.  They are utilized daily, especially by the Planning staff, and help staff to prioritize needs, especially Capital Improvement needs.  City Manager Davis said, as Council members know, limited revenues require a plan, or otherwise the revenues are wasted.  City Manager Davis said Staff has done a nice job in prioritizing, as well as implementing those plans in place.

 

City Manager Davis reported that Gale Communities, the downtown center developer, would unveil a plan for the public and City Council members to view at 7:00 PM, on March 7th, at Antioch Bible Baptist Church.  This is an exciting proposal. 

 

City Manager Davis concluded by saying that tomorrow night, there will be a presentation to the North Kansas City School Board, updating them on the progress of the community center-natatorium construction project.  Gould-Evans, the Parks and Recreation Department, and others will be at that meeting, making the presentation.  Staff looks forward to updating the School Board on the great progress the City is making.

 

Item 9. on the Agenda.             FIRST READING BILL 06-05, An Ordinance repealing Ordinance No. 3.882 (Section 6.110.100 of the City Code) and enacting a new Ordinance establishing Water Service Rates for the City of Gladstone, Missouri.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to place Bill 06-05 on First Reading.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, and Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).  The Clerk read the Bill.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to accept the First Reading of Bill 06-05, Waive the Rule and place the Bill on Second and Final Reading.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.  The vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, and Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).  The Clerk read the Bill.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross moved to accept the Second and Final Reading of Bill 06-05 and enact the Bill as Ordinance 3.984.  Councilman Les Smith seconded.

 

Roll Call Vote:  All “aye” – Councilman Les Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cross, Mayor Carol Rudi.  (3-0).

 

Item 10. on the Agenda.           OTHER BUSINESS.

 

There was no other business.

 

Item 11. on the Agenda.           QUESTIONS FROM THE NEWS MEDIA.

 

There were no questions from the News Media.

 

Item 13. on the Agenda.           ADJOURNMENT.

 

There being no further business to come before the February 27, 2006, Gladstone City Council Meeting, Mayor Carol Rudi adjourned the Regular Meeting.

 

 

Respectfully submitted:

 

___________________________

Cathy Swenson, City Clerk

                                                                                       Approved as submitted:  ___

 

                                                                                Approved as corrected/amended: ___

 

 

                                                                                ______________________________

                                                                                          Mayor Carol A. Rudi