Pittsburg City Commission Meeting Recap – May 9

PITTSBURG, KS – The following actions were taken at the Pittsburg City Commission meeting held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023:  

PUBLIC INPUT:

• Major Eric Johnson with the Salvation Army led a prayer of invocation.

Commissioners approved the following items under the consent agenda:

• The April 25, 2023, City Commission Meeting minutes.
• Ordinance No. S-1094, revoking and amending Section 1 of Ordinance No. S-1093, in order to correct the effective date of an additional City Retailers Sales Tax in the amount of one-half of one percent (0.5%) within the City of Pittsburg, to become effective on January 1, 2024.
• The Traffic Advisory Board’s request to place stop signs at the intersections of 5th & Olive and 6th & Olive converting the two-way stops to four-way stops in an effort to address traffic and safety concerns on the east side of Westside Elementary School.
• Staff recommendation to raise the Aquatic Center daily youth admission fee from $3.25 to $4.00 and the daily adult admission fee from $4.25 to $5.00.
• The submission of an Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) application to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation in the amount of $415,668.50 for homeless services including prevention, rapid re-housing and day shelter services.
• The Appropriation Ordinance for the period ending May 9, 2023, subject to the release of HUD expenditures when funds are received.

The following items were considered under the main agenda:

• ORDINANCE NO. G-1348 – Commissioners approved Ordinance No. G-1348, annexing land into the limits and boundaries of the City of Pittsburg, Kansas, pursuant to K.S.A. 12-520 (a) (7), as amended. This request came from local John Deere dealership Heritage Tractor asking to be annexed into the corporate city limits to accommodate future business growth.

• ORDINANCE NO. S-1095 – Commissioners voted to approve Ordinance No. S-1095, terminating a Redevelopment District and related Redevelopment Project Plan within the City (North Broadway TIF District), which includes Home Depot and adjacent businesses. The city collected enough revenue to pay off the 20-year bond early, and fulfill the requirements of the development agreement from 2003. City Manager Daron Hall stated that the North Broadway TIF District is a retail anchor and the first development that turned the tables for Pittsburg, allowing the city to attract shoppers from outside the community to spend money in Pittsburg. Retiring this tax district early allows the city to begin collecting additional sales and property tax revenues generated by the development.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION:

• S. 69 HIGHWAY – Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) representatives presented information on the U.S. 69 Bypass project and received input from citizens of Pittsburg, Crawford County, and surrounding communities. KDOT has established an email to collect community feedback on this and other projects at engagement@ksdotike.org.

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The mission of the City of Pittsburg is to provide exceptional services, facilities and activities with integrity, professionalism, excellent customer service and a commitment to economic vitality.