Prairie Village is officially working on the design of a community center ahead of a potential public vote.
The Prairie Village City Council on Monday in a 10-to-1 vote approved a $95,000 agreement with Kansas City-based architecture firm BNIM for design services for the community center project.
Councilmember Terrence Gallagher cast the lone dissenting vote, and Councilmember Ron Nelson was absent.
This is part of an ongoing effort to explore the idea of potentially co-locating a new Corinth Library branch next to a new community center — to replace the aging Paul Henson YMCA, which is operating at a $200,000 annual deficit — near 79th and Delmar streets.
The idea of a new community center was shut down about a decade ago, but the city has been discussing a co-location concept for years. Talks have been going on this long, particularly because the YMCA has fallen into disrepair, but also because the aging Corinth Library will need attention soon, as well.
Prairie Village and the YMCA are splitting the $95K
As outlined in the memorandum of understanding between the two parties, the YMCA plans to reimburse the city for its portion of the architecture design cost of $47,500, according to city documents.
Councilmember Gallagher asked whether the city is going to get funds from the YMCA upfront or if the city is “going to wait until we bill them and see what they pay us.” City Administrator Wes Jordan said the city is “going to work that out.”
The $95,000 expenditure only accounts for two-thirds of the cost of the agreement, though. Johnson County Library is entering its own agreement with BNIM to cover the other one-third of the cost, for a total of $143,000 for the contract.
Public Works Director Keith Bredehoeft, in response to a question from Councilmember Piper Reimer, said he cannot think of another significant cost to residents related to this project ahead of a potential ballot measure.
Since bringing the idea back to the table in early 2022, the city has approved $34,000 for the updated survey — one-third of which the YMCA was on the hook for — and $143,000 for a city’s representative to support staff through this project.
One councilmember addresses resident concerns
Councilmember Reimer said she continues to hear from residents who are against the community center project.
These residents express concerns about the city saying the project has yet to be decided on but then hear the city is taking another step and considering spending more money on the idea, Reimer said.
At the same time, she said she also hears from residents that they want to vote on a community center.
Reimer said “there has been enough support in the community that compels” the city to move the idea forward until there is a more concrete idea of what the community center would cost, look like and have to offer.
The 2023 survey found that 63% of Prairie Villagers said they would “definitely” or “probably” use a new community center, but that percentage decreased from about 75% who voted likewise in a survey taken in 2019.
“Until we take this next step, which lots of research and work up to this point suggest we should, but until we do, we won’t be able to give residents something that they could vote on,” Reimer said.
Staff is eyeing a potential November 2024 ballot measure
City Administrator Jordan said the design phase is scheduled to end in time for a potential November 2024 ballot measure that would ask Prairie Villagers whether they want to move forward with a new community center.
The design phase — which includes an evaluation of the site and public engagement opportunities — is expected to wrap up by July 2024, according to city documents.
Jordan said this timeline allows for ballot language to be drafted and come before the city council for consideration.
By that time, the city council will have a better understanding of what the community supports, the cost of the project and options to pay for it.
“Ultimately, it’s a decision by this body: Does it go forward to the agenda for a public vote,” Jordan said.
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