Davidson casts deciding vote killing city sponsorship of non-profit street closures

By Allen Edmonds

allen@northcassherald.com

Belton Ward 2 Councilmember Carla Davidson cast the deciding vote Tuesday, killing a proposed memorandum of understanding resolution that would have relieved registered non-profit organizations from paying for the cost of city services for their events.

Ward 2 Councilmember Carla Davidson

Currently, event organizers must appear before the council and request such waivers, which have not always been granted. At the council’s request, city staff produced a template MOU setting expectations for the city and the hosting organization, covering each party’s responsibility. The form lists the city’s services available and the cost associated with each one.

The council, in an attempt to encourage more festivals and events, particularly in the Old Town district, had sought to encourage registered non-profit organizations that could supply a statement of community benefit for the proposed event, a budget for the event and a profit and loss statement within 90 days after the event.

Davidson began discussion on the proposed motion by asking if councilmembers who serve on boards of local non-profits were required to recuse themselves from the votes. City Attorney Padraic Corcoran replied that since the motion referenced an entire class of organization rather than a specific organization, recusal was not required.

However, Corcoran said, “I would always suggest recusal if there is an appearance of impropriety or an appearance of conflict.”

The last time an issue regarding non-profits were voted on, councilmembers Wanda Thompson, Chris Richardson and Patty Johnson each recused. Thompson and Johnson due to their membership on the Main Street Coalition board, and Richardson due to his membership on the Downtown Belton Main Street board.

Davidson, whose daughter, Raymore resident Stephanie Davidson, also serves on the DBMSI board and has appeared before the council in the past asking for fee waivers, did not recuse in the past or this time.

This time, Thompson and Alex McCallum both recused due to their membership on the Belton Historical Railroad board and Johnson due to her membership on the Coalition and Hope Haven boards, leaving five councilmembers for the vote, enough for a quorum. Richardson was absent Tuesday due to a birth in the family.

But there was no room for disagreement, as five votes are required to pass any council action. Four of the five remaining councilmembers, Bret White, James Pryan, Allyson Lawson and Mayor Norman K. Larkey, Sr., voted yes on the resulting voice vote. In response to Larkey’s call for “any opposed,” Davidson voted no. Larkey gaveled the vote closed, proclaiming, “motion fails.”

After those that had recused re-entered the chamber, White raised his hand to speak.

“So we just voted to charge non-profits,” White said. “Correct,” Larkey said. “So we hold non-profits to all of the charges, the police, the security, all of that stuff. That’s what we just voted to do.”

“Yes, we did,” Larkey said. “Okay. Just wanted to make sure that people understood that,” White said.

Davidson refused to comment Wednesday morning on why she cast the single deciding vote to kill the motion, except to claim that she “didn’t kill the bill.”

When asked if she intended to explain her position to her constituents, she said, “they know how to get hold of me.” Her phone number, as listed on the city’s website, is 816-686-0598 and her email address is cdavidson@belton.org.

The MOU vote wasn’t her only variance on Tuesday night from board votes that were otherwise unanimous.

She also was the lone vote against an ordinance approving a final plat for Mill Valley, a 2-tract subdivision located south of Mill Street, west of Lacy Lane and north of Sunrise Drive; a rezoning ordinance for a light industrial plan on five acres at East 171st and South Prospect Ave; a special use permit for a self-storage, mini-warehouse use at the same location; and an ordinance allowing the city to move forward with property purchases on Markey Road from North Scott Avenue to Guerra Road, allowing construction to begin on the next phase of Markey expansion.

The council also heard from citizens Michelle Mattern and Steven Vaca, who each had a variety of complaints.

In other business:

• White announced that there will be a Ward 4 citizens meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Senior Center, 609 Minnie Ave.

  
  

• City Manager Joe Warren notified the council that staff would be bringing forward a proposed business license tax for large auto sales firms, such as ADESA/Carvana on 155th Street. He assured the council that it would be worded in such a way not to include local auto retailers. The 155th Street lot is still not paying full property tax due to the incentives that were granted when it first developed, and as a wholesaler, doesn’t typically assess sales tax, yet the truck traffic it generates is a wear on the city’s infrastructure. He also announced and requested the council's participation in an upcoming review of the city's code enforcement strategy, and an upcoming bill to be presented to the council that would make property owners responsible to provide standard services to those living outdoors on their properties if they allow them to stay.

  
  

• Police Chief Scott Lyons announced results of last year’s Hotel Tier Program. All hotels except the EconoLodge on Peculiar Drive were rated as Tier I, the highest rating. EconoLodge was Tier II, in need of improvement. The ratings reference the number of calls for police service in a given year. He also updated the council on the department's agreement with Wayside Waifs for animal control services and an upcoming agreement with LexisNexis to supply accident reports to the public.

  
  

• PETRA Development representative Tyler Burks updated the council on the upcoming incentive request for the Uptown project, planned for State Route Y between Turner Road and North Avenue.

  
  

• Larkey announced plans to name members of the 2026 Charter Review Commission. Each councilmember will name two members from his or her ward, and the mayor will name one member from each ward.

  
  

Officially, the council:

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-33 (final reading), an ordinance approving the vacation of the subdivision plat of Spanish Villa, lots 128-212 in the City of Belton, Missouri.

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-34 (final reading), an ordinance approving a final plat for Mill Valley, a 2-tract subdivision on 22.67 +/- acres generally located south of Mill Street, west of Lacy Lane and north of West Sunrise Drive in the City of Belton, Missouri.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-35 (final reading), an ordinance approving a rezoning from “C-2” (General Commercial) to “M-1” (Light Industrial) for a +/- 0.85-acre portion of a 5.04-acre lot and approval of a preliminary development plan for Freedom Flex, a 63,750 sq. commercial flex space and mini warehouse development at the southwest corner of East 171st Street/58 Highway and South Prospect Avenue.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-36 (final reading), an ordinance approving a special use permit for self-storage - mini warehouse use on a 5.04-acre lot at the southwest corner of East 171st Street/58 Highway and South Prospect Avenue.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-37 (final reading), an ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a “vehicle repair - minor” land use in a “C-2” (General Commercial) zoning district at 116 Wilbur Parrish Circle.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-38 (final reading), an ordinance authorizing the appropriation and revision of the City of Belton Fiscal Year 2027 Adopted City Budget.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-39 (final reading), an ordinance accepting a Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) contract and grant for services to individuals at the Belton Senior Center.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-40 (final reading), an ordinance determining and declaring the necessity of acquiring for public use temporary construction easements, permanent easements and right-of-way for drainage, utilities and roadway improvements for the construction and maintenance of certain improvements to the City’s street system generally located on Markey Road from North Scott Avenue to Guerra Road in the City of Belton, Missouri: authorizing the City and its designees to negotiate for the purpose of acquiring the easements and property acquisition by contract or condemnation; and authorizing the City attorney and his designees to institute condemnation proceedings if such interests in land that cannot be acquired by purchase through good faith negotiations.

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-41 (first reading), an ordinance approving a rezoning from “PR” (parks, recreation and public use) to “BP-R” (business park-restricted) for a +/- 12.16-acre property and approval of a preliminary development plan for a 99,000-sf. warehouse development at the southwest corner of West Markey Road and Seabee Road.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-42 (first reading), an ordinance approving a final plat for Built Industries and KPI Solutions Industrial Park, a 2-lot subdivision on +/- 12.16 acres located at the southwest corner of West Markey Road and Seabee Road in the City of Belton, Missouri.

  
  

• POSTPONED: Bill 2026-43 (first reading), an ordinance approving an Amended Development and Maintenance Agreement between the City of Belton and RPNT Autumn Woods Holdings, LLC for public and private improvements in the Autumn Woods Subdivision.

  
  

• APPROVED: Bill 2026-44 (first reading), an ordinance readopting Ordinance No. 91-2073, as amended, establishing a procedure to disclose potential conflict of interest and substantial interest for certain municipal officials.

  
  

• FAILED: Resolution 2026-071, a resolution approving event street closure memorandums of understanding (MOU).