This item addresses five priorities from the City Council's Adopted Action Plan:

• 1.1.B: Communicate more effectively internally and externally.
• 1.2.B: Develop a plan to increase community engagement in city decision-making processes.
• 4.1.D: Evaluate space and maintenance needs for city buildings, recreation centers, and site amenities and determine priorities and strategies for needed improvements.
• 4.4.A: Continue implementation of the recommendations in the adopted downtown redevelopment coordinating committee master plan.
• 5.2.H: Seek voter approval of general obligation bonds for infrastructure and facilities projects.

On September 26, 2023 the City of Independence entered into a Letter of Agreement for professional services with Copaken Brooks and Olsson, Inc. Specifically, this Letter of Agreement is focused on the Independence Square Redevelopment project.

As the Square Redevelopment project develops, it is clear that many of the key aspects of this plan are contingent on voter approval of a General Obligation bond issue. In order to engage the community and conduct the outreach needed to develop the scope for a broadly-supported General Obligation bond issue, the City wishes to execute Amendment #1 to the Letter of Agreement. By doing so, Olsson will have the following scope of services:

• Phase 110 – Project Initiation and Partnership Creation
• Phase 120 – Engagement and Outreach
• Phase 130 – Campaign Educational and Informational Assistance

The attached Letter of Agreement provides additional details on the scope of each phase. The City will pay Olsson up to $81,000 for this scope of services.

This scope of services will cost $81,000 payable from the following accounts based on the proposed pro rata allocation of projects from the General Obligation bond:

General Fund Account 0026015-5226: $972 (1.2%)

Tourism Fund Account 0046063-5226: $3,483 (4.3%)

Recreation Levy Fund Account 0076071-5226: $5,184 (6.4%)

Health & Animal Levy Fund Account 0104710-5226: $1,620 (2%)

Street Sales Tax Fund Account 0115112-5226: $29,646 (36.6%)

Park Improvements Sales Tax Fund Account 0126044-5226: $25,353 (31.3%)

Stormwater Sales Tax Fund Account 0135261-5226: $1,134 (1.4%)

Police Use Tax Fund Account 0184571-5226: $13,608 (16.8%)