Housing is a complicated and important issue in Salina right now. With companies like Kubota, Schwan’sandothersmovingor expanding manufacturing and business in the community, new workers and their families need places to live. But that is becoming more difficult with the current state of the economy and other factors. Todd Welsh, the owner and broker of SalinaHomes.com, spoke during the Salina Community Economic Development Organization (EDO) board meeting Thursday about the current situation and how the industry is dealing with it. … He said the reason for the low number of listings is that people are buying as soon as houses come on the market, with three days being the average of time a home spends on the market before being sold.
Source: Salina Journal.

Following concerns from local environmental groups, county leaders are going to reconsider the county’s level of chemical herbicide use and discuss potential reductions. The Douglas County Commission was scheduled to approve the county’s annual Noxious Weed Management Plan as part of its consent agenda Wednesday, but members of local environmental groups voiced concerns. The county uses chemicals to control weeds in unincorporated areas, has agreements with some other entities for the same purpose, and sells chemicals to the public for weed control.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Changes are coming next week to downtown metered parking, including increased parking rates and the option of making payments using a mobile app instead of coins. Downtown visitors will soon be able to choose between using the current coin-operated parking meters or new mobile payment options, according to a city news release. The changes coincide with an increase in parking rates. Meters will be updated to reflect the increased rates, and stickers will be added to meters listing mobile payment options throughout the week.
Source: LJWorld.com.

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.