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City manager praises crews after winter storm, reports homeless death under bridge and Midwest Cabinet closure
Summary
City Manager delivered a wide-ranging update Jan. 8: he thanked public‑works and police for storm response, described a death of an unhoused man found under a bridge on Dec. 20 and said staff notified the man's brother, and announced Midwest Cabinet is closing and city staff are coordinating job and building‑marketing assistance.
The city manager used his Jan. 8 comments to summarize several operational and community matters, including winter storm response, a death investigation involving an unhoused man, and the announced closure of Midwest Cabinet.
Storm response and staff thanks: The manager described 10–12 inches of recent snowfall in parts of the city and thanked public‑works, utilities and emergency services crews for round‑the‑clock work clearing roads and restoring service. He urged residents to use ottawaks.gov/snow and the city's Everbridge alerts for notifications about snow removal and shelter openings.
Death of an unhoused man: The manager recounted an interdepartmental notice dated Dec. 20 describing a man who had not been seen for several weeks. The community policing team, which the manager said had worked with the man over time, located a deceased person in a makeshift tent under a bridge; the manager said the body was in poor condition and could not immediately be identified. The department later located a likely next of kin (a brother) and made a notification while noting the difficulty of providing death notifications. The manager also noted the recent camping ordinance is a sensitive topic in the community and said the death may make emotions raw for some residents, and he stated the importance of how police, government and community partners respond.
Shelter and community supports: The manager said the cold weather emergency shelter was open with meals from 5–7 p.m. and encouraged people to check in ahead of time. He credited community partners, including Hope House and Blessing Box, and specifically thanked a community partner named Mr. Stanislaw for help staffing the shelter.
Midwest Cabinet closure and economic follow up: The manager said Midwest Cabinet is closing and that staff are coordinating with the company's broker, the state department of commerce and the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) to market the building and assist with job placement. He praised Midwest Cabinet owner Bob Howell for the company’s decades of local investment and said the building is being listed for sale.
Other items: The manager also updated commissioners that the chambers modernization project has a delay due to a subcontractor (Midwest Cabinet) shutting down, and that project leads are securing a replacement sub to minimize disruption.
No formal action was requested; the manager and department leads offered to answer commissioner questions.
