A Message from Mayor McCullagh
January 13, 2026
Happy New Year to everyone at Lake Quivira!
2026 should be another great year for the best city in America. We have a lot going on at city hall, as usual. A big “thankyou” to our city staff, LQPD, and city council for all the work they put in to make this city such an unbelievable home.
A quick note on our gas station: A resident noticed a $1.00 credit card charge online after buying gas at our station. This is a “placeholder” transaction used by credit card companies. It is replaced with the full amount of fuel purchased in a few days. It is not a fee.
City Goals Update
Our mission as a city is to balance safety and freedom for our residents. Our priorities for the year are:
· New revenue sources to offset property tax payments
· Improve safety inside and outside the gate
· Update building codes
New Revenue Sources
The goals for any development:
· Low Visibility
· Low Traffic
· Little or No Risk to the City
· Benefit the Community
· No Competition with Lake Quivira Country Club
We are looking at 7910 Holliday Drive as a possible location for a revenue source. This five-acre property is nside the city limits, but away from the gate. More to come!
Safety
Getting trucks off Holliday Drive is the top safety priority for the city. We are working closely with the Mid-America Regional Council to make this happen. It’s a slower process than I would like, but that’s government.
Building Codes:
We have one of the most unique communities anywhere, and that’s a good thing. Our uniqueness is our character. However, given that no two lots are alike, the topography is challenging, and we have many legally non-conforming homes, we need to update our building codes.
The update process will be transparent, and we will hold a public meeting to allow for feedback. The goal is to have a building code that reflects the character of Lake Quivira, protects the lake from runoff, protects current homeowners, and provides clear rules for new construction and renovations.
We are in the process of interviewing firms that specialize in this area and have experience with communities like ours. We understand the importance of getting this right and are dedicated to making meaningful improvements.
Current Zoning and Subdivision Regulations
Chiefs Stadium STAR Bonds
In just a few short years the Chiefs will be playing their home games about 10 miles from our city. The stadium development will be paid for with Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds. I spoke with the Kansas Department of Commerce and was able to clarify a few points.
When the state and county collect sales taxes, a portion is remitted to the local governments. Lake Quivira has no city sales tax, but we do receive our portion of the state and county sales tax collected.
The sales tax portion of the STAR bond repayment will come from the incremental increase in sales tax collected in the two areas near the new facilities (the training facility in Olathe and the stadium in KCK).
The STAR bond repayment has no impact on the city of Lake Quivira. The sales tax paid within the city remains the same and the distributions from the state and counties (Johnson and Wyandotte) to the city are unaffected.
What’s new at City Hall
Thank you to all who attended the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting. It was a cold and fun evening.
City Hall is showing its age, and we continue to fight roof leaks. Despite the weakness of the roof, the city is strong and we are ready for another year of truth, justice and the American way!
If you want to chat about anything to do with the city, send me an email and I’ll reply as soon as I can. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as mayor of this wonderful city!
Dave McCullagh
