Overland Park sparks outrage after $350K in COVID relief money goes to soccer complex
Many Johnson County residents have said they are outraged by Overland Park’s plan to allocate $350,000 in federal COVID-19 relief money to purchase cameras for the broadcast of games at Scheels Soccer Complex.
Earlier this week, the Overland Park City Council voted 10-2 to purchase the video equipment with federal aid. Overland Park also will grant Musco Sports Lighting the license to stream games on its platform, and the city would receive 70% of all revenue made from people paying to watch or download the videos.
City officials argued that streaming games would allow families to watch their children play without having to sit in crowds during the pandemic. Officials could not immediately answer when the cameras would be installed.
The two councilmen who voted no, Faris Farassati and Scott Hamblin, argued that it was an inappropriate use of funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act. And since the meeting, dozens of residents have voiced their concerns.
“When we look at the CARES Act and where this country is going with the economy, people are losing jobs. People are not able to pay rent. People are not able to pay utilities. I personally do not find it necessary to buy a bunch of expensive cameras to essentially make money,” Farassati said at the meeting, which was followed by applause.
And at Thursday’s Johnson County Board of Commissioners meeting, some members echoed similar concerns, despite the county previously approving the funding.
Proposals for how to spend the federal relief money are reviewed by county officials to determine if they meet eligibility requirements. Johnson County has received more than $116 million, according to the county, which it is distributing in three phases. Money has gone to school districts and cities to offset the costs of mitigating the spread of the virus, as well as to businesses, nonprofits and long-term care facilities.
On Thursday, Maury Thompson, deputy county manager, said that county officials had determined Overland Park’s requested funding for the soccer complex was eligible for CARES Act funding.
“In my professional opinion and that of our national consultant who is consulting with the (U.S.) Treasury, this is clearly an allowable expense,” Thompson told county commissioners. “I understand the concerns, but this is clearly an allowable, eligible expense.”
But he later added that, “we were not aware this was a soccer complex installation.”
In Overland Park’s application for funding, which was provided to The Star, the city requests $350,000 for “video broadcasting platform” expenses. The application does not mention soccer, sports or the Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex, at 135th Street and Switzer Road.
The application makes one mention of “players,” but does not clarify whom city officials are referring to.
“Live broadcasting is an effective strategy to protect staff, players and our community, including those at an elevated risk of COVID-19, while allowing operations to maintain healthy operational conditions,” the application states.
The county has approved more than $2.5 million in CARES Act funding for Overland Park, according to documents provided to The Star. Expenses range from staffing to sanitation equipment to technology for remote work.
The $350,000 for the soccer complex cameras is the second most expensive item on the list. The most expensive, estimated at $455,000, is for software and technology for emergency management operations. The third most expensive item, $340,000, would go toward telework equipment for the public safety and public works departments.
Some Johnson County commissioners, mainly Mike Brown and Steve Klika, said they had concerns about the funding going toward the soccer complex. Commissioner Michael Ashcraft and Brown questioned whether they could claw back the funding.
“It’s the optics of it. Whether it’s compliant or not — it sounds like it is — but it’s the optics of it that aren’t sitting very well with a lot of people,” Brown said.
Overland Park resident Melissa Smith urged the county to rescind the funding approval.
“I would like for you to look and see if this can be reconsidered,” she said. “It seems like one of those instances that just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”
Farassati and Hamblin plan to ask the City Council to rescind this week’s vote approving the funding, they said.
But it is unlikely that request would go anywhere, considering the majority of the City Council was in favor of the allocation. Councilman Chris Newlin argued that it is appropriate spending because it would help families continue to enjoy games at the soccer complex without risking their health during the pandemic.
“Parents still want their kids to play and they want to watch them. This is a great avenue so we can watch our kids,” he said.
Overland Park also has received an additional $466,000 of CARES money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. It is allocating $386,000 toward small businesses. And the other $80,000 will go toward nonprofits to distribute to low-income residents for child care, utilities and rent assistance.
Spokesman Sean Reilly said the city was also awarded another $780,000 from HUD for businesses and individuals, but staff are still determining how to distribute that money.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 4:51 PM.
