ShawneeDispatch.com

Shawnee is doing its best to begin more projects that will keep residents' properties from flooding.

Because other cities in the county have turned down matching county funding for storm drainage projects, the county's Stormwater Management Advisory Council has offered Shawnee more funds for another project next year. While the city was to do only one project, it will now be able to get started on a second project by splitting it into two phases.

The Shawnee City Council on Monday approved accepting 2009 project funding from the county for a project near 52nd Street between Barton Drive and Nieman Road, and for design costs for a project near 70th and Flint streets that will be constructed in 2010.

The SMAC program provides up to 75 percent of funding for stormwater projects that are submitted by cities and then ranked with a specific point system. Shawnee might not have another chance to fund such a project with the help of funding from the county because it got a lower ranking on the list of all county projects.

The 52nd Street project had the highest ranking among Shawnee projects and will correct yard and street flooding at 52nd Terrace and Barton, as well as flooding in three residences. The county will provide $286,000 of the $435,000 project cost, and the city's portion of the cost will come from the Parks and Pipes sales tax.

Two other projects, in the area of 77th Street at Bradshaw Street and at Richards Drive, ranked higher that the 70th and Flint project, but they are so close to each other that it wouldn't help to do one without completing the other. The two projects are too expensive for the city at a combined $384,000 of Parks and Pipes funds, while the 70th and Flint project design will cost the city $244,000.

The project will be designed to alleviate flooding of streets and homes in the area by reconstructing 69th Street and 69th Terrace between Flint and Quivira Road and 70th Street from Cody Street to Flint. It also would provide a connecting storm drainage system.

Mike Gregory, city stormwater manager, said the county was more likely to provide funds in 2010 to complete the project, and the city possibly could get additional funds for other projects in 2010.

In other business, the Council:

¢ Heard the mayor present a proclamation for Sharon Stouch, a Sharon Lane Nursing Home employee who alerted a local family when their home was on fire.

¢ Heard the mayor present a proclamation for Rebuilding Together Shawnee.

¢ Heard the mayor proclaim May 11 to 17 as National Police Week in the city in remembrance of Donald Gamblin, the first and only Shawnee police officer killed while on duty on July 13, 1991.

¢ Heard the mayor proclaim May 18 to 24 as National Public Works Week in the city.

¢ Approved preliminary plans for signalization at the Shawnee Mission Parkway west-bound off-ramp at Lackman Road.

¢ Approved rezoning from agricultural to residential suburban for the development of Garland Heights, a large-lot single-family development in the 25700 block of 76th Street.

¢ Approved a petition to vacate public right-of-way for the alley between 57th Street and 57th Terrace, and King and Barton avenues.

¢ Awarded a contract for ice control materials to Central Salt LLC, Elgin, Ill., for $199,450.

¢ Awarded a contract for pool concessions to Sysco Foods.

¢ Approved a special-use permit previously issued to Bonita Johnson for an in-home daycare in the 12200 block of 61st Street.

¢ Approved special-use permits previously issued to LaPetite Academy, 12850 Shawnee Mission Parkway; Peppermint Patty's Daycare Center, 5603 Nieman Road; and Shawnee Day Care, 65th Street and Nieman Road, to operate commercial day cares.

¢ Approved withdrawal of a special-use permit previously issued to CiCi's Pizza, 12276 Shawnee Mission Parkway.

¢ Approved semimonthly claims totaling $1,624,567.