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December 16, 2013 November 4, 2019 Springfield, Missouri The City Council met in regular session November 4, 2019 in the Council Chambers at Historic City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ken McClure. A moment of silence was observed. Roll Call Present: Andrew Lear, Abe McGull, Matthew Simpson, Mike Schilling, Phyllis Ferguson, Jan Fisk, Craig Hosmer, Richard Ollis, and Ken McClure. Absent: None. Minutes The minutes of October 21, 2019 City Council Meeting and October 29, 2019 Special City Council Meeting were approved as presented. Consent Agenda The Consent Agenda was approved as presented. CEREMONIAL MATTERS City Manager Jason Gage, City Manager noted the mayors of the Missouri’s four largest cities met Report Friday in Columbia to continue discussions regarding violent crime in the state. Mayor McClure is chairing the effort, which also includes Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. Mr. Gage noted Police chiefs and representatives from the business sector from each city also met. The meeting of the mayors was the third in recent weeks to present a united voice in reducing violence across the state. Mr. Gage noted Clay Goddard, Director of Public Health and Welfare has convened a working group to address the various domains affected by the recent spike in drug overdoses. The working group is comprised of governmental departments, health care providers and community stakeholders. He noted the group will develop a plan moving forward. Mr. Gage noted Police Chief Paul Williams provided copies of the Quarterly Public Safety Report. A new program called SPD in PE is featured in the report. Mr. Gage noted statistics from this year’s Fire Prevention Month: • 97 SFD personnel served as Fire Educators in our schools. • Total of 11,122 students and teachers reached. • Total of 901 classroom presentations. • 43 Schools: 35 public schools, 7 private schools and 1 homeschool network • 3 adjoining Fire Protection Districts partnered with SFD, utilizing our lesson plans and content to serve SPS schools in their districts: Battlefield, Ebenezer and Strafford. • In addition to Battlefield and Ebenezer, the SFD shared our lesson plans with Logan-Rogersville, Cassville and Mansfield Fire Protection Districts so that they could better serve their students. - 1 - Mr. Gage thanked Dr. John Jungmann, Carole Embree and Jay Anderson for their collaboration and partnership that allowed the SFD to provide age-appropriate fire safety information and education to reduce the risk from fire in their everyday life. Mr. Gage noted Springfield Fire hosted their third annual Truck-or-Treat event at Ewing Park, serving nearly 700 neighbors. Mr. Gage also reminded councilmembers on November 5, Springfield two measures will be coming before voters: the police-fire pension sales tax and the 1/8-cent transportation sales tax. He added for more information citizens can visit springfieldmo.gov/election. The following bills appeared on the agenda under Second Reading Bills Declaration of Sponsor: McGull. Council Bill 2019-219. A special ordinance declaring the necessity Necessary of condemning construction and permanent easements over, under, and through the Condemnation following properties generally located near 340 South Patterson Avenue and west of and Permanent East Horning Street, south of Elmwood Avenue in the City of Springfield, Missouri; Easements and authorizing certain officers, or their designees, to do all things necessary to carry out the terms of this Ordinance for the purpose of completing the Beechwood Heights Storm Water Project-Phase I: East Walnut Street Project #2015PW0091WTE funded through the ¼-Cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax. Mayor McClure noted public hearing occurred on October 7, at which time the measure was tabled. Councilman McGull explained why he previously tabled the bill. He noted both parties had an opportunity to discuss the condemnation and progress was made. He further suggested if negotiations need to continue, they may, however, it is his belief it is time for Council to move forward with a vote. Council Bill 2019-219. Special Ordinance 27249 was approved by the following vote: Ayes: Lear, McGull, Simpson, Schilling, Ferguson, Fisk, Hosmer, Ollis, and McClure. Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None. East Saint Louis Sponsor: Schilling. Council Bill 2019-239. A special ordinance approving a Street Blight Redevelopment Plan submitted by the STL 505 Redevelopment Corporation for the redevelopment of an area generally located at 501 through 517 East Saint Louis Street; declaring the area in such plan to be a blighted area and its redevelopment necessary for the preservation of the public peace, prosperity, health, safety, morals, and welfare; authorizing certain tax abatement within the plan area; and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Redevelopment Corporation relating to the implementation of the Redevelopment Plan. (Staff recommends approval.) Councilman Schilling requested the dollar amount regarding the payment in lieu of taxes. He also asked what the total amount of the abatement would be over time, as well as an update on parking. - 2 - Sarah Kerner, Director of Economic Development provided a brief recap of the project and tax impact analysis. She noted a positive economic impact if redevelopment were to occur. She noted the developer came to an agreement with Hill City Church to provide additional parking for residents. Steve Papa, Developer, addressed the agreement in principal with Hill City Church. He noted the logistics have not been fully worked out, but it is his belief their will ultimately be a bed-parking parity. Councilman McGull asked for the total number of beds. Mr. Papa noted the current number of beds is 526 with approximately 370 parking spaces. Mayor Pro Tem Ferguson asked about accessibility of the proposed church parking for congregation members on service days. Mr. Papa noted the parking is accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Councilman Hosmer asked if their vote was contingent on bed-parking parity being achieved. Ms. Kerner noted that an agreement in principal is being worked on, however, the redevelopment plan does not require that parking be required. She added if the developer were to not offer parking after City Council voted to approve the abatement, there would not be a mechanism to rescind the abatement. Councilman Lear asked what enforcement capabilities exist regarding holding the developer accountable to the proposal after the abatement has been acquired. Ms. Kerner noted the developer must conform to the items listed in the agreement, but additional parking, outside of the underground parking garage, is not one of those items. Councilman Hosmer asked if the appraisal supported the but-for consideration. Ms. Kerner noted no new information has been received. She added it was staff’s belief there were strong public benefit considerations for redevelopment. Councilman Ollis asked how long the location has been labeled as a blighted area. Mary Lilly Smith, Director of Planning and Development expressed her belief the area has been blighted approximately twenty years. Councilman Ollis expressed his support for the bill, noting the fifty-million-dollar project would end two decades of blight. Mayor McClure asked what incentives were offered to other developers in the area. Ms. Kerner noted they received Chapter 99 property-tax abatements. He asked how those incentives compare to what is being offered under this proposal. She explained a ten-year abatement would amount to one-million dollars less in value to the developer. Councilman McGull expressed his initial concern with parking, but noted his support for the bill since the developer made efforts to obtain additional parking spaces. Councilman Simpson expressed his support for the bill, noting his belief the project would improve a key area within the corridor. He further noted the walkability aspect of the project ties in with City Council’s Walkability Vision Statement. - 3 - Councilman Hosmer expressed his opposition to the bill, noting his belief that additional housing in concentrated areas will lead to lower occupancy rates, as those existing units are already not at full capacity. He noted there is a finite number of tenants available. Council Bill 2019-239. Special Ordinance 27250 was approved by the following vote: Ayes: Lear, McGull, Simpson, Schilling, Ferguson, Fisk, Ollis, and McClure. Nays: Hosmer. Absent: None. Abstain: None. Agreement with Sponsor: Ollis. Council Bill 2019-240. A special ordinance authorizing the City Traffic Manager, or his designee, to enter into an agreement with Traffic Technology Services, Technology Inc., for the purpose of sharing the City’s real time traffic management data to provide Services for traffic signal information to vehicle manufacturers for “Connected Vehicle” Connected Vehicle applications. Applications Council Bill 2019-240. Special Ordinance 27251 was approved by the following vote: Ayes: Lear, McGull, Simpson, Schilling, Ferguson, Fisk, Hosmer, Ollis, and McClure. Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None. Agreement with Sponsor: Hosmer. Council Bill 2019-242. A special ordinance authorizing the City the Federal Bureau Manager, to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Federal Bureau of of Investigation for Investigation for the Springfield Police Department to participate in the Career Career Criminal Criminal Task Force; and amending the budget of the Police Department
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