Work Session

BOARD OF ALDERMEN

CITY OF PARKVILLE, MISSOURI

April 19, 2005

The meeting was convened at approximately 6:15 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Area with the following present:

Mayor Kathryn Dusenbery

Ward 1 Aldermen Jack Friedman and Charlie Poole

Ward 2 Aldermen David McCoy and Dave Rittman

Ward 3 Aldermen Marvin Ferguson and Linda Arnold

Ward 4 Alderman Brian Atkinson

(Alderman Marc Sportsman was not present, and had given prior notice)

Ward 1 Alderman-Elect Deborah Butcher, by invitation

City Administrator Joe Turner

City Attorney Jack Campbell

City Clerk Barbara Lance

ALDERMAN ARNOLD MOVED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS REAL ESTATE AND LITIGATION MATTERS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF RSMo 610.021(1) AND (2); ALDERMAN FRIEDMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

Discussion was held.

ALDERMAN FRIEDMAN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND GO INTO AN OPEN WORK SESSION; ALDERMAN POOLE SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

At this time the following people joined the discussion:

Police Chief Bill Hudson

Rick Kuhl of Williams Spurgeon Kuhl & Freshnock (architect for renovation of City Hall)

Director of Public Works Jeff Rupp

Community Development Director Sean Ackerson

Senior Building Inspector Paul Giarratana

Building Inspector Ed Gault

Project Manager Dan Koch

Nancy Jack for Parkville Luminary

Mr. Turner said the subject of the discussion was the City Hall renovation. Suggestions included:

Moving City Hall to the Park University campus. Mr. Rittman said one suggestion would be to put a new City Hall on Park University land, utilizing a land lease. Everything could be built on one level or we could build a new frontage and put it into the cave. The latter would save a lot of money in structural costs.

Mr. McCoy said putting a building all on one level would reduce handicapped accessibility costs.

He said someone would have to approach Park University with the idea.

Mr. Turner said we could look at other offers and still negotiate with Park University. Mr. Rittman said we need to have an estimated appraisal of this building.

Mr. Friedman said he would not be comfortable putting a government building on private property, or with going on the campus to get to City Hall.

Redoing present building and moving Police and Court facilities. Mayor Dusenbery said we asked voters to have the existing building redone. Mr. Friedman said this is a fabulous location, central and highly visible to all. He suggested rehabilitating this building and then finding a place to move the police and court facilities. Mayor Dusenbery had reservations about splitting the city operations into separate locations. Mr. Turner said we need 23,000 square feet total. Mr. Ferguson noted we own all that property behind (to the north of) the building except for the house facing East Street. Mr. Kuhl was asked about problems with moving onto that property, and he said there are power lines on 13^th Street which would have to be dealt with.

Mr. Atkinson asked if it would take the million dollars (the designated portion of the capital improvements tax) just to repair what's wrong with City Hall. Mr. Kuhl said yes..

Mr. Ackerson said technically it's illegal to have City Hall where it is, in park zoning.

Mr. Friedman said the Park Hill School District is talking about building a nature center over here. This is a good location.

Mr. Rittman suggested we get a rough appraisal on this building. Discussion ensued, and he asked Mrs. Butcher's opinion on the cost of such an appraisal. She said about $500. It was agreed that Mr. Turner would get an appraisal at an approximate cost of $500.

Mr. Turner reported that we still owe $366,496 on this building, including interest.

Mr. Poole asked if there are any actual health issues in this building. The answer was yes. Chief Hudson said he goes home every night with his eyes hurting, and others in the Police Department have similar problems.

Mr. Kuhl said it would take the million dollars to install the elevator and renovate City Hall.

Mr. Turner will check with Bond Attorney Janet Garms about the timing. Mayor Dusenbery said we have made progress on the project - we've hired an architect. We need the other offer on the table.

Mr. Friedman said it may be best to split the departments, i.e., move police and court somewhere else. Mayor Dusenbery asked Mr. Atkinson about his suggestion for a new tax. Mr. Atkinson said that would be a law enforcement tax. Mr. Friedman said he thought that was a bad idea.

Other locations. Mayor Dusenbery said there are different places we can look at. The problem is we're going to have to go back to the voters in five years and ask for more money. Mr. McCoy said there could be other alternatives we haven't discovered.

Mr. Rittman said we can't build in the floodway, and we don't want to go out west to I-435.

Specific proposal from unidentified group. Mr. Turner said one group wants to make a proposal for a different location to the Board. The group would like to keep its identity confidential at this time. He asked if the Board would like to see what they offer and then consider other options. This group is offering some creative financing. Mayor Dusenbery said she would like some education on this creative financing.

Mayor Dusenbery said we just need to look at this other offer and see what we want to do. If we like it then we'll get a full-blown appraisal on the present City Hall.

Time limit. Mr. Atkinson said we need to set a time limit. Mr. Friedman asked how long we could hold that interest rate, but it was noted the bonds have already been secured.

Future discussion. It was agreed to have a work session and an executive session at 6 p.m. May 3^rd, preceding the regular meeting.

Mr. Rittman asked if there would be any benefit in approaching commercial realtors to conduct a site search. Typically those are done at no cost, he said. Mrs. Butcher said she thought that was probably a good idea. She is not a commercial realtor herself.

ALDERMAN McCOY MOVED TO GO OUT OF THE WORK SESSION; ALDERMAN POOLE SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

The work session was concluded at approximately 6:50 p.m.

Submitted by ____________________________________

City Clerk Barbara J. Lance - 4/20/05