Alex Welch Blattner
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alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Alex Welch Blattner
@alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
210 followers 39 following 910 posts
I'm a YIMBY sharing my thoughts on local Shawnee, KS politics and live skeeting city council meetings. she/hers #BlackLivesMatter Reskeet =/= endorsement.
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alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
My recap of tonight's meeting is live! If you enjoy these updates, please follow along on our website or our Facebook page "Say YES Shawnee" and share with a likeminded friend in Shawnee! #SayYESShawnee

www.sayyesshawnee.org/recaps/nov-1...
Say YES Shawnee - Nov 10, 2025
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 10, 2025 You can stream the full City Council meeting at the link below! If you don't have time to watch, here's my quick recap. The council meeting proper was...
www.sayyesshawnee.org
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
November 10, 2025

Stream along here: www.youtube.com/live/lmi2p3h...

#SayYESShawnee
City Council Meeting - Nov. 10, 2025
YouTube video by City of Shawnee, Kansas
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
shot, chaser
Say NO to the "Say Yes" Slate The "Say Yes" group is the remnant of the force that was pushing Shawnee a few years back to waste taxpayer dollars on a community center. This included burying deep down in various reports the true costs to the community. What happened? The citizens of Shawnee did not fall for the garbage that was being thrown at them and that item was defeated at a citywide election 72% to 28%. The "Say Yes" group with their liberal, tax and spend, social justice ideology is a threat to the city and beyond. City council positions become the training ground for far left candidates. It may start on the coasts, but it can and does work its way into the middle of our country. To maintain a city government that will truly work for the citizens of Shawnee and not a bunch of far left idealogues, please do not vote for the "Say Yes" slate. Shawnee Ray’s Ramblings Local Election Results 2025 First, congratulations are in order to those who were elected to the Shawnee City Council. Second, sympathies go out to the citizens of Shawnee. When you start seeing mill levy increases in, coupled with rising home values, please, if you voted for these tax and spend liberals, don't complain. When you see funds expended for incentives for questionable development projects, and if you voted for these tax and spend liberals, don't complain. Same for any far left social programs. For those who sat home and didn't vote because it was "only the city council, but I vote in the gubernatorial and presidential elections" , you too need not complain when the above happens. Good luck Shawnee, you'll need it.
November 7, 2025 at 5:23 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Don’t mind me, just over here thinking about how both of the no votes on the 2019 NDO (Jenkins and Kemmling,) plus its greatest opponent (Gillette,) have now all been unseated 🥰
A smiling emoji with its chin in its hands kicking its feet behind it
November 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
community building is a huge part of what we do with @sayyesshawnee.bsky.social! NIMBYism is so appealing in part because it feels good to come together with your neighbors and fight for something. We’re just giving them something better to fight for 💙💛
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 18d
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
November 5, 2025 at 2:42 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Let me be the first to wish Dr. Mike Kemmling and Tony Gillette a happy, blessed retirement 🫶🏼💙💛
November 5, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Reposted by Alex Welch Blattner
sayyesshawnee.bsky.social
We love Shawnee and want to set our city up for long-term success.

If you share these values and want to join us in working towards a more welcoming Shawnee, we encourage you to vote in the November 4 election for candidates that can make this vision a reality!

#ShawneeKS #VoteKS
October 31, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Alex Welch Blattner
sayyesshawnee.bsky.social
To us, "Say Yes" means looking towards the future and making smart decisions, maintaining our infrastructure, and supporting local business. This allows us to protect the services residents rely on and create new avenues to make Shawnee a more welcoming place.
#ShawneeKS
October 31, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Alex Welch Blattner
sayyesshawnee.bsky.social
Since our name has been going around in the mail, we wanted to remind folks who we really are. We are a community-driven nonpartisan group serving to inform the public, engage residents, and advocate for inclusivity and forward-thinking leadership in all of Shawnee.

#ShawneeKS
October 31, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Alex Welch Blattner
michaelhobbes.bsky.social
once again posting The Chart
October 31, 2025 at 12:46 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
My recap of last night's meeting is live! If you enjoy these updates, please follow along on our website or our Facebook page "Say YES Shawnee" and share with a likeminded friend in Shawnee! #SayYESShawnee

www.sayyesshawnee.org/recaps/oct-2...
Say YES Shawnee - Oct 27, 2025
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 27, 2025 You can stream the full City Council meeting at the link below! If you don't have time to watch, here's my quick recap. The council briefly discussed t...
www.sayyesshawnee.org
October 28, 2025 at 8:20 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
these candidates are fantastic people and would make excellent members of our city council. Additionally, their opponents are all MAGA extremists and I don't want them making decisions for how this city is run. We need reasonable, level-headed leadership in Shawnee! #SayYESShawnee
The following city council candidates reflect Say YES Shawnee Values: Ward 1: Steele Reynolds Ward 2: Eric Persson Ward 3: Morgan Rainey Ward 4: Erin Aldridge Advance in-person voting starts October 25 Election Day: Tuesday, November 4 www.sayyesshawnee.org
October 28, 2025 at 3:53 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
No live meeting coverage tonight, folks! I anticipate tonight’s meeting will be brief due to the Chiefs game but I’ll write a recap tomorrow if I see anything of note.
October 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
This year, Say YES Shawnee conducted our first candidate survey. We prepared three questions centered around our values and offered each city council candidate in Shawnee the opportunity to answer these questions for publication on our website & social media.

www.sayyesshawnee.org/updates/2025...
Say YES Shawnee - 2025 Candidate Survey
This year, Say YES Shawnee conducted our first candidate survey. We prepared three questions centered around our values and offered each city council candidate in Shawnee the opportunity to answer the...
www.sayyesshawnee.org
October 22, 2025 at 7:21 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Hearing there are some tech issues in the room at city council so the meeting has not yet started!
October 13, 2025 at 11:03 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
September 22, 2025

Stream along or view the agenda here: cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/312...

#SayYESShawnee
City Council - 22 Sep 2025 - Agenda - Html
cityofshawnee.civicweb.net
September 22, 2025 at 11:02 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
September 8, 2025

Stream along here: www.youtube.com/live/p97EcJl...
City Council Meeting - 9.8.25
YouTube video by City of Shawnee, Kansas
www.youtube.com
September 8, 2025 at 11:01 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
My recap of tonight's meeting is live! If you enjoy these updates, please follow along on our website or our Facebook page "Say YES Shawnee" and share with a likeminded friend in Shawnee! #SayYESShawnee

www.sayyesshawnee.org/recaps/aug-2...
Say YES Shawnee - Aug 25, 2025
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING August 25, 2025 You can stream the full City Council meeting at the link below! If you don't have time to watch, here's my quick recap. The main topic of tonight’s meet...
www.sayyesshawnee.org
August 26, 2025 at 2:41 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Here are the comments I made in favor of a flat mill levy for the budget:

#SayYESShawnee
I’m here because I have heard that some councilmembers are pushing for yet another mill levy decrease. This concerns me, especially in light of looming financial uncertainty due to tariffs, and recent infrastructure failures such as the pipe collapse on Monticello and the sinkholes near me in Ward 2. I appreciate Councilmembers Whitted, Murphy, and Burchfield for being present at the budget open house to engage with residents on the budget processs, and Councilmember Murphy for holding a Ward 2 town hall meeting to discuss further. Often, the concerns used to justify a mill levy decrease are the city’s high levels of reserves, and tax relief for residents in need. I sympathize with both of these concerns, but a mill levy decrease is not the most efficient method to address them. If the concern is about the city’s reserves being too high, staff has already implemented an excellent Reserve Reduction Plan to address this. I do have concerns about spending the reserves down too far because we’re losing out on revenue from interest. But if further reduction is needed, I’d like to see the city put more reserve dollars towards critical infrastructure projects like stormwater pipe repairs and adding curb and gutters to streets that don’t have them. If the concern is about tax relief for those in need - especially seniors who are struggling to stay in their homes - again, we have put in place a Property Tax Rebate Program for those individuals that would save them a lot more than the $6/month they’d save with a 1-mill decrease. We could even expand that plan to cover more income levels if the program’s utilization remains low. In conclusion, the city already has more effective plans in place to address the concerns of reserves and tax relief. A mill levy decrease is a one-size-fits-all solution that benefits large businesses and wealthy homeowners much more than it benefits those who need the help most, and it risks leaving the city unable to address our crumbling stormwater and street infrastructure. I, personally, am more than happy to pay $6/month in exchange for being able to walk and drive around on streets that work. I ask you to approve a flat mill levy for this and future budgets.
August 26, 2025 at 2:10 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Leaving city council after defeating another irresponsible mill levy decrease like
Nicole Kidman celebrating after divorce
August 26, 2025 at 1:17 AM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
August 25, 2025

Stream along or view the agenda here: cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/312...

#SayYESShawnee
City Council - 25 Aug 2025 - Agenda - Html
cityofshawnee.civicweb.net
August 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
ACTION ALERT: this Monday 8/25, the city council will hold their public hearing for the 2026 budget. Councilmembers Gillette and Kemmling are once again pushing for a mill levy decrease that staff has warned could affect the city’s ability to provide critical services amid financial uncertainty.
August 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
SHAWNEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
August 11, 2025

Stream along or view the agenda here: cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/document/311...

#SayYESShawnee
City Council - 11 Aug 2025 - Agenda - Html
cityofshawnee.civicweb.net
August 11, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Alex Welch Blattner
gordonofseattle.bsky.social
Guess which one of these vehicles has a motor that prevents it from going too fast for the safety of others?
giant, illegally modified truck with oversized wheels that extend beyond the side of the truck, front bumper design that will kill pedestrians. and a speed limited e bike
August 11, 2025 at 5:38 PM
alexwelchblattner.bsky.social
Campaign finance reports are in for the first part of the election, so I pulled together some information for each candidate running in Shawnee! I totaled each candidate's donations, loans, and in-kind contributions from themselves (under Self-Funded) and others (under Donations.)
August 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM