OP wants feedback on Farmers’ Market. Olathe begins upgrade for police headquarters

Public opinion played a strong role several years ago when Overland Park abandoned any thought of moving its popular Farmers’ Market to what is now Thompson Park in the city’s downtown area.

Officials decided that the market would stay in its current location. But the market pavilion, which dates to 1991, needs an overhaul.

Now Overland Park is asking the public for new ideas to flesh out details of the city’s improvement plan, which calls for both an open-air and enclosed market space, as well as incorporation of the Clock Tower Plaza, Overland Park Drive and Marty Street, an office building and a parking garage. Public sentiment figured into that plan as well, officials said.

The next feedback phase begins this month, with several opportunities for the public to provide suggestions:

▪ Aug. 27 and Sept. 17 at the market, 7950 Marty St., where the project team will take questions and ideas.

▪ Two town hall meetings at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St. A preliminary presentation will be made at 7 p.m. Sept. 14, when the public can offer ideas. The team will present its findings from community engagement at 7 p.m. on Oct. 20.

▪ An online feedback form, which will be posted Sept. 15-29 on the city website: opkansas.org.

▪ Consultations with market vendors, downtown merchants, government officials, the general public and others with an interest in the market.

The Overland Park City Council is expected to hear the findings and a revised concept plan on Nov. 7. The city has made no commitments regarding the market property, other than to take public opinion.

Olathe begins upgrade for police

After demolishing the oldest part of its police headquarters, the city of Olathe has broken ground on a two-story expansion that should be completed in 18 to 24 months. The ceremony took place on Aug. 12.

“We are excited to see this state-of-the-art building project progress to completion so we can continue to keep Olathe safe in a more effective and efficient manner,” Police Chief Mike Butaud said in a news release.

The 42,000-square-foot addition will include areas for training, police operations and support services. The project cost of $28.4 million includes the design and demolition of the old building, which dates to 1983.

City spokesman Cody Kennedy said the department was using all the space until the demolition occurred but is now occupying temporary office space, as well as a remaining section of the building, which was built in 2010. The Olathe police are headquartered at 501 E. Highway 56.

Mail-in ballot awaits Mission voters

For the second time in a year, Mission voters are being asked to renew a sales tax through a mail ballot election.

Ballots for the parks and recreation sales tax should arrive in mailboxes early next month and are due back to the Johnson County Election office by noon on Sept. 20. Voters must register by Aug. 30, and the city has scheduled a town hall meeting on the issue for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Sylvester Powell Community Center, 6200 Martway St.

The three-eighths-cent sales tax, which has been levied since 2013, has supported the reconstruction of the Mission Family Aquatic Center, improvements to the Powell Community Center, the Andersen Park tennis courts and improvements to Mohawk Park. It will expire in March unless voters renew it for 10 more years.

The tax generates roughly $1 million a year, or about 89% of Mission’s capital funds for parks.

In a September 2021 mail ballot, Mission voters agreed to raise the sales tax for streets from a quarter-cent to three-eighths of a cent.

In light of that increase, Mission City Council member Ken Davis voted against putting the renewal on the ballot. According to council minutes, he would have supported a quarter-cent renewal for parks so that the overall sales-tax rate remained steady.

Damage leads to something better

Talk about a silver lining.

Last year, Merck Animal Health inflicted minor damage on 87th Street in De Soto while moving excavated soil from its 87th Street campus to newly acquired property on the south side of 91st Street.

Instead of just patching the damage, the company offered to resurface about 3,500 feet of 87th Street between Sunflower Road and Timber Trails Drive. De Soto wanted to build a sidewalk there someday, so City Manager Mike Brungardt asked Merck to design an 8-foot-wide path along the repaved stretch.

Merck will pay up to $1 million for the roadway, and the city is kicking in a maximum of $500,000 for the pedestrian/bicycle path. Both projects should be completed around Labor Day.

Final session for Olathe trails/greenways

Members of the public are invited this month to a final open house before the city finalizes a plan for maintaining and enhancing its trails and greenways.

The session will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Olathe Community Center, 1205 E. Kansas City Road.

A task force has been meeting for months, often with the public, to develop its recommendations, which will include a financing strategy as well as plans to improve connectivity. According to the city website, the plan will “help create a walking and bicycling environment for all ages and abilities.”