Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development Incentives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents Criticize City Incentives, Bond Plan for Grand Market Station
Summary
Speakers at the Merriam City Council meeting criticized the recent approval of incentives and an imminent bond sale tied to the Grand Market Station development, calling for better public notice and limits on tax subsidies.
Nate Zoschke, a Merriam resident, told the City Council he was “hurt and disappointed” after the council approved an ordinance related to the Grand Market Station development at a special meeting the prior week and said a bond sale tied to the project was scheduled two days later.
Zoschke said the core issue was transparency and the city’s use of economic development incentives. “I am upset by the city council’s overzealous use of tax incentives, including more than 6,000,000 in economic development grants, essentially handouts to purchase Shell and Chipotle properties, along with close to 14,000,000 in TIF reimbursements,” he said. He said the total incentive package he described exceeds $50,000,000 and that the developer is receiving $32,000,000 in general obligation bonds backed by the city’s full faith and credit.
Why it matters: Residents said the package is large compared with recent private grocery openings nearby that received no city subsidies, and they asked for greater public notice and participation before committing public dollars. Billy Crone, another resident, told the council “Corporate welfare is just not great,” and urged the city to provide more direct email notice to interested residents.
Council and staff context: Mayor Pape referenced a recent special council meeting that approved actions related to the marketplace project and said the council and staff expect the development to be transformative for the Shawnee Mission Parkway and Antioch intersection. City staff did not introduce new incentives or reverse prior approvals at this meeting. No council motion regarding the Grand Market Station incentives or bond issuance was on the published agenda for this meeting.
Public process concerns: Zoschke said required public hearing notices under Kansas law were published in what he called a “legal record” that few residents see; he asked the council to create an email subscriber list for public hearing notices, allow remote testimony for hearings, and to hold community workshops on tenant selection, design, traffic, parking and environmental impacts before approving large incentive packages.
What residents asked the council to do: Speakers asked for (1) an email subscriber list and remote testimony options for public hearings, (2) community workshops on design, traffic and tenant selection for projects that receive major incentives, and (3) clearer public notice practices so residents can weigh in before final financial commitments are made.
Next steps: The council did not take further action on these requests at the meeting. Residents said they plan to continue asking for procedural changes and greater transparency for future economic development incentives.
