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Leawood approves $—100,000-plus slide for baby pool after council debate; vote 7'0
Summary
The governing body approved purchase of a replacement baby-pool slide for the Leawood Aquatic Center after discussion about cost, life expectancy and the role of citizen committees. The motion passed 7'1 with Councilmember Castor opposing.
The City of Leawood voted 7–1 on Jan. 6 to approve the purchase of a replacement slide for the baby pool at the Leawood Aquatic Center.
Council discussion focused on the project's cost and procurement process. Dr. Castor said he would be more comfortable if a citizen committee had reviewed large purchases and considered lower-cost alternatives; others described frequent heavy use of the amenity and urged replacement. Parks staff and the aquatic-center presenter said the current slide had been in place since 1997 and that the city considers the new slide a like-for-like replacement with an expected service life of about 25 years.
Councilmember Phila moved approval; Councilmember Harrison seconded. The motion carried 7–1, with Dr. Castor voting no.
Why it matters: the slide is a frequently used amenity at the aquatic center and staff characterized the purchase as maintenance and replacement rather than a new amenity. Council discussion recommended future engagement with advisory/citizen committees on large discretionary purchases.
Next steps: Parks staff will proceed with procurement and report on installation timing and budget offsets as required.
