From the agenda:
Pants on Fire:
Consider Resolution No. 1896, providing notice of a public hearing to consider the adoption of an Amended Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Project Plan for Westbrooke Green, generally located at the northeast corner of West 75th Street and Quivira Road.
On November 4, 2019, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 finding the Amended TIF Project Plan is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. A Resolution is required to provide notice of the required public hearing on December 9, 2019.
Recommendation: Consider Resolution No. 1896, providing notice of a public hearing on December 9, 2019, to consider adoption of the Amended TIF Project Plan for Westbrook Green, generally located in the northeast corner of West 75th Street and Quivira Road.
Now this is NOT an item to approve the project or the amended TIF. This is to schedule a public hearing to consider the adoption of an amended TIF and to hold it on December 9, 2019
Usually, after the public hearing a vote is taken. It is my contention that the public hearing needs to be rescheduled until January. The current council is a lame duck council with three members (Meyer, Sandifer and Neighbor not returning). If these folks really believed in serving the city (along with the other members of the council) they would reschedule the public hearing until January. Let the new council conduct the public hearing and then vote accordingly.
This amended TIF is an insult and an outrage. In December the council (and as such the city) was presented with all kinds of graphics on what the project would contain, and how upscale it would be. That was the basis for the original TIF. What is being presented now for the amended TIF is not a "minor revision" but rather a wholesale reduction in everything that was originally presented/promised. Table it until January!!!!
Sneaky Move:
Another public hearing schedule on the agenda for approval.
Consider Resolution No. 1895, providing notice of a public hearing to consider adoption of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Project Plan for Stag’s Spring.
On November 4, 2019, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 finding the TIF Project Plan is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. A Resolution is required to provide notice of the required public hearing on December 23, 2019.
Recommendation: Consider Resolution No. 1895, providing notice of a public hearing on December 23, 2019, to consider approving a TIF Project Plan for Stag’s Spring, generally located at the northeast corner of Roger Road and Nieman Road.
This is really sneaky. Scheduling a public hearing for a meeting on December 23, 2019!!! Two days before Christmas. Folks getting ready for the holidays, folks traveling out of town, folks entertaining visitors in town. The city manager needs to be publicly ostracized for placing this item on the agenda and scheduling a public hearing for December 23. And again, with a vote usually being taken after the public hearing, this public hearing needs to be rescheduled until January. Is the developer yanking someone's chain on this one?
