The creation of a Kansas City, Kan., Police Department Foundation is under discussion.
Police Chief Terry Zeigler told the Unified Government Public Works and Safety Committee meeting Monday night that as they look at ways to fund some of the needs of the Police Department, they are exploring the idea of a nonprofit Police Department Foundation.
He mentioned a driving range to practice emergency operation of vehicles, an indoor police shooting range, and funding for juvenile programs as potential goals that could be funded by the foundation.
He said although the foundation is under discussion, the department hadn’t yet filed the paperwork for the 501c3 designation.
The UG committee unanimously supported the idea of a police foundation. There were some different ideas expressed on how to go about it.
In order to receive any money from the Hollywood Casino and Schlitterbahn funds available to the community, they would have to form a 501c3 nonprofit under the UG Commission’s current rules for the program, UG Administrator Doug Bach pointed out.
The committee discussed making an exception to that rule.
Commissioner Angela Markley said that once the department’s nonprofit application is on file, it will technically be a 501c3, even though there may be a waiting period involved.
Zeigler said the persons to be named to the board of the foundation would be fund raisers who would seek funding for various projects. For example, they might hold a golf tournament to raise funds, he said. These projects he mentioned would cost in the millions, he added. Allocations from the casino funds might be used as “seed money” to start the foundation.
Commissioner Markley recommended adding the Police Department Foundation to the list of potential recipients of the Hollywood Casino-Schlitterbahn funds. That way, individual commissioners, who were not all present at the committee meeting, could designate how much of the funds they wanted to go to the foundation.
The UG will probably bring this item before the full commission for a vote in June, according to officials.
Traffic support unit relocation
In another discussion Monday night, Chief Zeigler said the Police Department has been looking at moving the Traffic Support Unit.
The unit would be moved from Sunset Plaza at 60th and Leavenworth Road to a small retail area that formerly housed a real estate office at 81st and Leavenworth Road.
Chief Zeigler said he was trying to get the traffic support unit to a better facility. The move is not final at this time.
Chicken limit
The popularity of raising chickens at home for personal consumption of eggs has sparked a proposed change in the animal ordinance. In another discussion Monday night, changes to the animal code and planning and zoning code to allow chickens were discussed.
Attorney Jennifer Myers described the changes to the code. The animal services unit would handle the applications, and it could revoke the permits if there was not compliance with the code, she said. There could be no outstanding code violations on the property of the applicants, she added. Also, the residents would have to maintain standards for health and cleanliness.
The code would require chickens to be at least 25 feet from neighbors’ property, and 10 feet from the property line of the lot. They would have to be in an enclosed space and would not be allowed to run or fly at large. There could be a maximum number of one chicken per 500 square feet, she added. Myers asked the committee to set a maximum number of chickens per location.
Those persons who applied for a permit for six chickens or fewer would go to the animal services unit for approval, instead of going through the planning and zoning process, under one change to the code. They would be handled administratively. Persons would no longer have to pay the $75 special use permit fee.
People who wanted more than six chickens at a location would have to go through planning and zoning for a special use permit, she said. Those whose residential lots were too small would have to ask for a special use permit, also.
Only hens, not roosters, would be allowed under the ordinance changes, according to Myers. The changes do not apply to land already zoned agricultural.
The committee voted unanimously for the changes, setting the number of chickens allowed at six. A UG community survey recently found that most people would support one to six chickens, not more.
This issue is expected to go to the planning and zoning commission in June, followed by the full UG Commission, possibly in late June, according to UG officials.