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During the Shawnee City Commission meeting on Tuesday, the commissioners designated surplus property for sale and voted on a lengthy consent agenda.

The consent agenda consisted of minutes approval for several city meetings, a lake lease transfer, and two resignations from local governing bodies.

Recently appointed Commissioner Daniel Matthews resigned from the planning commission due to his appointment to the Ward 1 city commission seat. Additionally, Lynn Gray resigned from the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Mayor Ed Bolt said after the meeting that with Gray's resignation from the parks committee, there are two spots open on the committee for citizens wishing to get involved. He said the re-appointment of Commissioner Bob Weaver at a previous meeting had created the other open seat.

Although Weaver resigned as a citizen representative on the Parks Committee, he was reappointed to that body as a representative of the city commissioners when he took over the Ward 2 seat.

The consent agenda was approved with a 4-0 vote. Commissioners Ben Salter and Daniel Matthews abstained from voting, and Vice Mayor Darren Rutherford was not present at the meeting.

Once the consent agenda had been approved, the commission turned its attention to matters of property and zoning.

The commissioners voted 6-0 in favor of authorizing the sale of a piece of city-owned property. The property is located at 229 N Kickapoo Avenue, and the city will now be accepting sealed bids for the parcel.

Before the vote, Weaver asked city staff why the land was being carved up and sold by itself, when the city owned surrounding areas which would eventually also need to be sold. Staff told Weaver that the recommendation was made because this particular parcel, lots 29 through 32, had already generated interest from buyers.

Following that vote, public hearings were scheduled for various rezoning matters. However, all four of these public hearings were unanimously deferred for a later date, at the request of city staff.

City Manager Chance Allison said the zoning issues had been deferred as a procedural matter. He said due to software issues, the agenda for the planning commission meeting that made the recommendations had not been uploaded to the city's website.

Although the city did post a physical copy of the agenda with proper notice, Allison said the commission was deferring the hearings out of an abundance of caution. The zoning issues will be reconsidered by the planning commission at a later date so that ample notice can be provided to the public, he said.

During the commissioner comments section of the meeting, Mayor Bolt and Commissioner Travis Flood took the time to tell the community about an opportunity for civic engagement. In addition to the parks committee seats that Bolt mentioned after the meeting, the pair reminded attendees that the Rolling Hills Community Center would be hosting a voter registration drive on Thursday.

"Certainly, none of us would even attempt to tell you how to vote," Bolt said, "but it is important that we all vote, so you get your voice out. That's how you get counted."

Bolt said the voter registration drive was being organized by PAVE and other members of the community. He reminded attendees that a big election was coming up in November.

"Like a lot of communities, we don't vote in big enough numbers," Bolt said. "And sadly, a lot of folks aren't registered to vote."

Flood added that COVID-19 safety precautions would be implemented at the event.

"They will be taking all the proper steps to social distance and make certain that everybody that comes can get registered, and still feel safe doing so," Flood said.