Leawood council approves consultant selections for residential reconstruction and Mission Road preliminary study

The Leawood governing body unanimously approved two public works committee consultant recommendations: George Butler & Associates (GBA) for design of the 2027 residential reconstruction project, and Olsson for a preliminary engineering study of Mission Road (143rd to 151st) and 151st Street (Null to Kenneth).

Mr. Lei, representing public works and the committee, said the committee evaluated qualifications and ranked GBA first for the residential reconstruction design. "The number one ranked firm was George Butler and Associates, GBA," he said. The committee plans to include a resident questionnaire about whether to add sidewalks on streets that tie into 103rd Street and will return to council with scope and fee details once GBA provides a proposal.

For the Mission Road and 151st Street preliminary engineering study, Mr. Lei said the committee selected Olsson after a close review of two submitting firms. The preliminary study will gather traffic and topography data and evaluate whether medians and landscaped sections can be supported on the corridor; Overland Park will participate in funding for the portion of the study that lies in that city.

Council members discussed policy questions about sidewalk funding responsibility, noting city policy generally requires residents to fund sidewalk construction; staff said the outreach questionnaire and a planned public meeting will make options and cost responsibilities clear to residents.

What happens next: Staff will negotiate scopes and fees with the selected firms, bring contract language back to the council, survey residents about sidewalk preferences, and pursue HUD funding reallocation for design work where applicable.