𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 | 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟒⁣
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📅 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣
Tuesday, July 14 • 7:00 PM⁣
Lenexa City Hall Community Forum⁣
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Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting is focused almost entirely on two topics: the proposed 2027 budget and the future of the Old City Hall fountain.⁣
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Unlike regular City Council meetings, no final votes are expected, but these discussions often shape decisions before they formally come before Council.⁣
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𝐅𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰⁣
Department directors will present their individual budgets, major operating changes, personnel requests, and equipment requests included in the proposed 2027 budget.⁣
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𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬:⁣

• Total Proposed Budget: $275.2 million⁣
• Planned Expenditures: $178.9 million⁣
• Projected Reserves: $96.3 million⁣
• Proposed Mill Levy: 25.984 mills (0.250 mills lower than FY 2026)⁣
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  This meeting provides one of the first opportunities to hear how individual departments plan to spend taxpayer dollars and what priorities are driving the proposed budget.⁣
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  𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣
  Council will also discuss the future of the existing fountain at the Old City Hall site, which will eventually become the location of Fire Station 6.⁣
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  𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:⁣
• Costs of maintaining the existing fountain⁣
• Costs of replacing it with a fountain similar to the Civic Campus fountain⁣
• Feedback received from City Council and Planning Commission members about preserving the fountain as a site amenity⁣
• Potential locations for future public art on the site⁣
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  This may seem like a smaller item, but it raises larger questions about historic preservation, placemaking, and how public dollars are prioritized as redevelopment continues.⁣
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  𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝: ⁣

1. Which departments are seeing the largest increases in spending, and what is driving those increases?⁣
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2. Are current revenue growth projections sufficient to sustain future operating costs without additional tax increases?⁣
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3. How do Lenexa’s reserve levels compare to peer cities, and what reserve levels are considered appropriate?⁣
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4. What major projects or initiatives are being prioritized in the 2027 budget that residents may not be aware of?⁣
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5. What is the estimated cost of maintaining versus replacing the Old City Hall fountain?⁣
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6. Has the City sought public input on whether residents would prefer preserving the fountain, replacing it, or using those funds elsewhere?