Correction: A previous version of this story called Caitlin Gard the assistant city manager. She is the deputy city manager.
The mayor and some members of the Shawnee City Council seem at odds on how to use revenues from the city’s “parks and pipes” sales tax going forward.
For years, the special ⅛-cent sales tax has funded park and trail improvements around the city — typically one-time projects to add new parks or beautify existing ones.
But some council members more recently have floated the idea of using the tax’s revenue to pay for more general ongoing maintenance and upkeep costs, like mowing lawns.
The council has yet to authorize the ⅛-cent tax renewal to go to a vote before residents later this year, but a divide over how the “parks and pipes” tax revenue should be used is already apparent on the city council.
During Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Michelle Distler, in an uncharacteristic aside during her regular comments, voiced concerns about changing the “parks and pipes” tax’s intended use, suggesting it would be unethical for the city to use the money for a use different from what voters thought they were approving.
‘Parks and pipes’ not initially intended for operations
- In 2014, the city council at the time decided the language in the original authorization of the sales tax, which focussed on improvements and new investments, did not allow the money to be used for general operational costs, according to a staff report.
- City staff have also cautioned against allowing the tax revenue to be used on operational expenses, since the funding source is conditional and regular park maintenance is something the city will always have to pay for.
- Caitlin Gard, deputy city manager, said earlier this month she had “a significant amount of concern” at the prospect of revising the tax’s stated purpose but indicated staff would draft language at the council’s direction regardless.
Distler raised concerns on Monday
- In her public comments Monday, Distler said several community members had reached out to her, calling the proposed shift in the tax’s uses “shady” and “sneaky.”
- She also said she was worried that the city’s professional staff’s expertise was being ignored.
- In one instance, she compared the council’s ongoing treatment of city staff to if she went into councilmember Mike Kemmling’s dental practice and told him she knew how to do his job because she gets regular teeth cleanings.
- Additionally, Distler referenced her distaste with other issues the council has discussed in committee recently, including the possibility of giving up $4 million in federal dollars identified for Midland Drive improvements.
- “I certainly hope these discussions go a different direction in committee, but if they don’t, I want to be clear and on record I do not support these actions,” she said.
The council also seems divided
- At the council committee meeting Monday, the “parks and pipes” sales tax was on the agenda, but the council opted to move the conversation to a closed-door executive session that lasted roughly 30 minutes.
- When the council returned to open session, council president Eric Jenkins said they seemed to be at an “impasse” on how to proceed.
- He said they’d plan to bring the item back for further discussion but did not provide a specific date when that might happen.
A sales tax renewal vote could come before voters later this year
- The current “parks and pipes” sales tax is set to expire in 2025.
- It’s expected to be on the ballot for the November general election, which is also set to include multiple city council seats and competition for some local school board races.
- Approving the renewal for a community-wide vote will require action from the city council that hasn’t happened yet.
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