Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates running for Mission Hills mayor to address leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

Based on that feedback, we developed a four-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to Mission Hills residents.

Each day this week, we’re publishing the candidates’ responses to one question.

Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:

Cell towers: Some Mission Hills residents have expressed concern over new cell towers that have gone up the past year in the city. It seems the city may not have been able to prevent them due to state law, but some residents wonder if the communication about them could have been more transparent. What, if anything, would you have done differently in this situation, and how might you handle it if elected?

Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on this issue:

Braden Perry

The concern about cell towers in Mission Hills reflects the tension between state-level regulation and local control. Kansas law significantly limits what cities can do to restrict towers once certain criteria are met, which makes proactive communication and planning important. In the case of the church property, the existing cell leases extend through 2044, but similar challenges will arise as technology and infrastructure demands evolve. These are long-term issues that require careful management and creativity to balance community expectations with legal realities.

Under my leadership, the City will take a proactive, informed approach to managing this issue by engaging residents early, improving communication, and pursuing all available options to minimize the visual and neighborhood impact of existing and future towers. We can accomplish this through exploring co-location opportunities, design alternatives, and regional collaboration with neighboring cities facing similar pressures. These challenges require strong leadership that can cut through bureaucracy and work effectively within complex legal and regulatory systems. I am well-suited to guide Mission Hills through this issue. I operate in complex environments every day, bringing together public and private interests to find practical, transparent, and lasting solutions. Notably, I have been appointed to serve on multiple state boards and currently serve as counsel to the Kansas State 911 Board, where I work directly with local and state officials on infrastructure modernization and telecommunications policy. As mayor, I will apply that same experience and leadership to ensure Mission Hills remains engaged, respected, and well represented at every level of government.

Andy Weed

In early 2023, the City of Mission Hills was notified by Ahead Engineering, a third-party contractor representing national cellular providers, of plans to install small cell towers within the City to support 5G network service.

City staff engaged in extensive discussions regarding the proposed number of towers, their locations, design, color, and attachment to existing streetlight poles. While Federal and State laws limit the City’s authority to prohibit such installations, the City remains committed to ensuring that all facilities conform to local aesthetic and placement standards to the fullest extent permitted by law and city regulations.

On November 19, 2023, the Architectural Review Board (ARB) conducted a public meeting at the Indian Hills Country Club to review the proposal for nine small cell towers. More than fifty residents attended and provided comments. The ARB requested additional information and continued the matter to its January 28, 2025 meeting.

At that meeting, the ARB imposed further requirements concerning design, placement, and visual impact. The Board subsequently approved seven small cell tower locations, conditional upon completion of all specified requirements.

As of October 2025, no small cell towers have been installed within the City of Mission Hills. I believe this has been handled with strong public input and effective communication from the City.