Garden City commission approves Radiant contracts, annexation and rezoning; commits $20,000 for public Wi‑Fi; denies developer request on detention pond

Radiant Power Solutions, a company planning data‑processing operations, won two approvals from the Garden City Commission on Feb. 4: a special retail service contract to provide interruptible electric service and a five‑year lease for roughly three acres adjacent to the Jameson Energy Center. The commission also approved a package of other items, including rezoning land for a new Finney County health and EMS site, an annexation that extends city limits along K‑156, a $20,000 local match commitment for a Pioneer Communications public Wi‑Fi grant application, and the denial of a request by a developer to transfer a private detention pond to the city.

The Radiant approvals were the most consequential vote of the evening because they authorize a private, interruptible industrial load that the city and its electric utility staff and partners worked to structure so it complies with Southwest Power Pool and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requirements. Trey Ashmanakan, CEO of Radiant Power Solutions, told the commission the company intends to be operational quickly and thanked city staff for their cooperation: “...it's been about as welcoming as we could ever imagine.”

Why it matters: the Radiant contract and lease commit utility capacity and city property to a commercial energy customer and include technical terms that prevent Radiant from participating in wholesale demand‑response markets while receiving interruptible service. The moves also create new local revenue streams and require continued city oversight of distribution upgrades and service interruptions.

Details of the Radiant agreement and lease

- The special retail service contract permits Radiant to install up to 10 megawatts of electric load on leased city property adjacent to the Jameson Energy Center. The contract treats Radiant as an interruptible customer; the city and Kansas Municipal Energy Agency retain the right to interrupt service with 60 minutes' notice (or immediately for system emergencies). The initial contract term is 60 months with an automatic 36‑month renewal unless terminated as specified in the agreement.

- Initial rates described in staff materials include a monthly customer charge of $200, a demand charge of $5.56 per kilowatt per month, and pass‑through of the city’s share of transmission costs. Radiant will pay $60,536.42 toward distribution capital improvements and provide staged deposits (a $50,000 deposit at contract execution, an additional $20,000 before the first 2 MW of service, and additional $20,000 deposits for each 500 kW increment).

- The accompanying lease covers about three acres for five years (auto‑renewing for an additional five years unless either party gives notice). The first‑year rent listed in the staff memo is $2,666.67 per month ($32,000 per year), rising 5 percent annually per the lease outline.

Pioneer Communications public Wi‑Fi grant match

The commission committed $20,000 as the local community match for a Pioneer Communications grant application to Kansas’s Adopt2 program to install public Wi‑Fi in strategic locations, emphasizing parks. Steve Dyer, market manager for Pioneer Communications, described the proposal and said Pioneer would provide the remainder of project funding and handle installation and maintenance; city staff said ongoing maintenance of any installed equipment would be the provider’s responsibility.

Detention pond ownership request denied

Matt Bennett, representing 2107 East Kansas Avenue, LLC, asked the city to accept ownership of a roughly half‑acre detention pond built as part of the Legacy Crossing commercial subdivision. Staff noted the pond remains the developer’s maintenance responsibility under the development agreement and that accepting the pond would set a precedent for commercial facilities. The commission moved to deny the request and approved that motion by voice vote.

Other key ordinances and resolutions

- Rezoning approved: The commission approved rezoning property commonly known as 2505 North Eighth Street from R‑3 and C‑2 districts to P‑F (Public Facilities) to accommodate the Finney County Health Department and EMS facilities; the ordinance number in the staff memo is shown as 3,005‑2025.

- Annexation: The governing body approved an ordinance that annexes several tracts, including portions of East Highway K‑156 right of way and adjoining parcels; staff cited KSA 66‑1,176 procedures regarding certified electric territory and noted follow‑up with Wheatland Electric Cooperative. The ordinance number in the packet is 3,006‑2025.

- Demand‑response participation: The commission adopted a resolution (3160‑2025 in staff materials) to not opt in to allow aggregations of distributed energy resources or demand‑response participation in wholesale markets, a position staff and the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency recommended; the resolution allows the city to opt in later if conditions change. The record notes Commissioner Landgraf stepped down from the bench for that item.

- Financial and audit items: The commission adopted a resolution that staff said confirms the city does not meet the thresholds for declaring a financial emergency as of Dec. 31, 2024 (resolution 3158‑2025), and also adopted a resolution waiving use of GAAP in favor of the Kansas Municipal Auditing and Accounting Guide (KMAG) for the 2025 audit cycle (resolution 3159‑2025), as required by KSA 75‑11‑28 and related guidance described in staff remarks.

- Safe Haven baby box: The commission authorized a five‑year lease and service agreement with Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc., to install a box at Fire Station 3. Staff said the upfront cost is $15,500 and renewals carry a $500 annual fee; the city will be responsible for keeping the box in good working order and for alarm/monitoring duties.

- Fleet leasing pilot: The commission approved a pilot to lease 18 city vehicles through a master agreement with a fleet management vendor; annual lease payments were summarized at $192,782, and estimated trade‑in value $162,500, with a net 2025 budget impact of $30,282 to be allocated across departments.

- Police temporary relocation direction: After discussion, the commission directed staff to pursue alternative 3: run two processes concurrently (invite the property owner of 1210 Fleming to present or negotiate regarding a lease, and begin a site‑identification and construction manager‑at‑risk qualifications process) so the city can pursue either a leased temporary facility or a newly built temporary facility while planning to return the Garden City Police Department to the Law Enforcement Center after a remodel (staff used eight years as a planning horizon in the memo).

Votes at a glance (motion or ordinance/resolution text as stated in the meeting packet and recorded outcome)

- Deny request to take ownership of detention pond (2107 East Kansas Avenue LLC): Motion to deny — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Commit $20,000 local match to Pioneer Communications Adopt2 grant application: Motion to commit $20,000 — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Appropriation ordinance (as presented in packet): Motion to approve appropriation ordinance number as listed in packet — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution to set public hearing for CID at 2800 block of East Highway K‑156 (Icon Cinemas): Motion to approve resolution — Outcome: Approved (voice vote); public hearing set for March 4, 2025, 1:30 p.m. - Ordinance rezoning 2505 North Eighth Street to Public Facilities (ordinance 3,005‑2025): Motion to adopt ordinance — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Annexation ordinance including parts of K‑156 right of way (ordinance 3,006‑2025): Motion to approve ordinance — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution declaring no financial emergency (resolution 3158‑2025): Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution waiving GAAP in favor of KMAG for finance/audit (resolution 3159‑2025): Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution not opting into demand‑response/aggregations (resolution 3160‑2025): Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote); Commissioner Landgraf stepped down for the vote. - Special retail service contract with Radiant Power Solutions LLC (city code section 90‑275): Motion to approve and authorize mayor to sign — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Lease of ~3 acres to Radiant Power Solutions LLC adjacent to Jameson Energy Center (five‑year lease): Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Five‑year lease and service agreement with Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc.: Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Lease/pilot to lease 18 vehicles through fleet management group (Enterprise master agreement pilot): Motion to approve — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Direction on temporary police relocation: Motion to pursue both site acquisition/design and invite 1210 Fleming owner to present (alternative 3) — Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Appointments: Community Health Advisory Board appointment of Sadesh (Sadesh) Akikar to a three‑year term and reappointment of Stuart Nelson to the Finney County Economic Development Corporation board: Motions approved (voice votes).

Context and next steps

City staff said technical follow‑up is required on several items: implementation details for the Radiant service contract (distribution upgrades, staged deposits, interruption procedures), follow‑up notification and potential payments to Wheatland Electric Cooperative tied to the annexation, and budget amendments to record the Pioneer match or reallocate recent private gifts to parks to partially cover the $20,000 commitment. Staff also noted the city can revisit the demand‑response opt‑out and opt in later if conditions change.

Quotations from the meeting

"Appreciate you guys considering it. We're excited about the development," Matt Bennett said when presenting the detention‑pond request on behalf of the developer.

"...here to answer questions," Steve Dyer, market manager for Pioneer Communications, said while describing the Adopt2 grant application.

"It's been about as welcoming as we could ever imagine," Trey Ashmanakan, chief executive officer of Radiant Power Solutions, said after thanking city staff and economic development representatives.

Ending

Commissioners and staff made no changes to the schedule for the next regular commission meeting; several follow‑up items were described for staff to implement, and multiple items with fiscal effects will be reflected in amended 2025 budgets where needed. The commission convened the meeting and completed a full agenda of business and appointments.