After pressure from the city’s taxpayer-funded attorneys, the Johnson County District Court amended its Sept. 6 written opinion in the case filed by the city against its own citizens. As a result of the delays caused by the city’s lawsuit, it appears the people of Prairie Village will be denied the chance to vote on any of the citizen petitions in November, and PV United will now file an appeal as guaranteed by Kansas law.

On behalf of PV United, Prairie Village citizen Dan Schoepf said, “With a barrage of costly, taxpayer-funded lawsuits and legal maneuvers, the Prairie Village City Council appears to be succeeding in delaying a vote of the people on the citizen petition issues that mean so much to thousands in our community.

“While it’s often said you can’t fight city hall, at least they can’t deny our right to weigh in on City Council members’ actions in the November election. We remain deeply committed to preserving what makes our community unique and desirable, despite the city’s aggressive attempts to run out the clock and silence us.”

A City Council candidate forum will be held Thursday, October 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse.

On September 7, Johnson County District Court Judge Rhonda Mason delivered a decision verbally from the bench in the city’s lawsuit to stop your citizen petitions. Later that day, the court released the judge’s written decision allowing a public vote on the petition to modernize the size of the City Council, while preventing a vote on the other two citizen petitions.

The city and the outside law firm it has hired to handle this case strenuously objected to the judge’s written ruling to grant a public vote on one of the petitions. So they worked late into the night to file several legal motions and memorandums to block your vote on technicalities.

In response, the judge convened another hearing with both sides and is now evaluating the arguments made in court and in court filings.

We remain PV United. All we’re asking for is for the city to allow the people of Prairie Village to vote!

At a special City Council meeting, your elected council members refused to accept the will of thousands of Prairie Village residents. Instead, they chose to sue PV United and our attorney to stifle our voices and prevent the county-certified petitions from going to a vote.

Kansas statutes were followed, and citizens have the right to vote. The council’s unanimous vote to approve legal funds to “defend the city’s position” is a way to postpone an opportunity for the residents to vote in November. Justice delayed is justice denied!

“Unanimous” means that not one council member was willing to acknowledge the overwhelming citizen support in favor of taking these issues to a vote. They were elected to represent you, not their own political agendas. For over 15 months they have simply refused to listen.

One thing is certain, you will be able to vote for new council members on November 7. Get out to vote!!

In this display of unchecked authority, the Prairie Village City Council is using taxpayer funds to sue constituents who disagree with their actions and who used their legal right to collect signatures on petitions to stop the mayor and City Council from going forward. The mayor and the council are trying to prevent a democratic vote and remain in power. This is nothing short of the council stealing your due process rights, funded by you!

The council’s unanimous decision is not reasonable or right. We will continue to defend your right to have a free and fair election to determine the direction you, the citizens want!

“In attempting to deprive our vibrant community of a vote on these important issues, the City Council is diminishing the engagement of thousands of citizens who came together this summer to weigh in on our city’s future. Rather than simply let the people vote, the council has chosen to waste limited government funds on legal fees.

“The petitions substantially comply with the law, a case we will now make in court due to the city’s wasteful and unnecessary action.”

What an amazing turnout at the last council meeting! Thank you for your continued persistence. 

On August 14, JOCO Election Commissioner Fred Sherman notified PV officials that signatures on all three petitions submitted by citizens this summer exceed the minimum number required for inclusion on the November ballot.

PV United spokesperson Dan Schoepf said, “The election office’s review confirmed there is a groundswell of support to preserve our community’s unique quality of life and maintain much-needed citizen input on rezoning decisions that impact our families’ neighborhoods. We sincerely hope the City Council will now respect the thousands of PV residents who have made this request to put these questions on the November 7 ballot for a citywide vote.”

The City Council has called a special council meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, 8/16 at 6 p.m. Please attend and plan to pack the house again!

We have more than the required number of signatures on each of the three initiatives! 3,707 signed the Stop Rezoning petition. It would have been more, but we stopped taking signatures on July 30. We have 2,176 signatures on the Abandon the Strong Mayor / Adopt a Reduced Size Council petitions. It would have been more, but we stopped June 30. (They require different numbers of signatures.)