Jessica Thompson, Thrive director of development, also spoke with commissioners about the possibility of moving forward on a new county-wide transportation system. Thompson noted that the cost of the program for the county — which would involve new vehicles that take residents of any age to almost anywhere — would run about $52,000 in its initial year, and then drop to between $20,000 and $30,000 in following years.
Source: The Iola Register
On Tuesday September 22, 2020, just before 0900, the Hutchinson Fire Department received a request for mutual aid through the Kansas Forestry Service for assistance at a growing fire in Wyoming. Orders were received to arrive in Laramie, Wyoming by 1800 on September 23, 2020. The Hutchinson Fire Department deployed a team of three wildland certified firefighters and one brush truck at 0600 on September 23rd. The growing fire is named the Mullin Fire. The Mullin Fire is only 2% contained and growing rapidly with high winds expected on Thursday and Friday. The Mullen Fire is burning in the Medicine Bow National Forest, southwest of Centennial, Wyoming and is expected to have burned 40,000 acres by this weekend.
In the past 21 hours, Hutchinson crews have prepared for a 14-day deployment and two drive days. Their preparation included packing tents, sleeping bags, personal gear, wildland gear, and miscellaneous equipment. Hutchinson Fire crews will be working 16-18 hours a day for 14 days. Funding for the deployment is reimbursed for the crew and brush truck. You can follow updates on this fire at inciweb.nwcy.gov or follow us on our Hutchinson Fire Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates. https://www.facebook.com/Hutchinson-Fire-HFD or Hutchinson_Fire on Twitter.
Source: Hutchinson, KS
If the Leavenworth Police Department continues to have success in the area of staffing, the department could finally fill a cybercrime detective position. "We’re still working towards that," Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens said. Leavenworth city commissioners included consideration of staffing changes to focus on drug cases and cybercrime in their goals for 2017-2018.Funding for the Leavenworth Police Department was increased in 2018.
Source: Leavenworth Times
The debut of the public comment period at the Sept. 14 council meeting went pretty well, members of an Overland Park City Council committee agreed. Just the same, that committee is now looking at a rule change that would turn off cameras during future comments, making them inaccessible to live stream viewers and leaving them out of the official minutes. The council’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee discussed rule changes last week that could also include an advance sign-up for speakers and perhaps moving the comments to the end of the meeting rather than the beginning, where they are now.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Johnson County health officials told public school leaders Tuesday that current COVID-19 trends continue to suggest in-person learning remains unsafe, even as districts plan to bring more students back to school starting next month. As of Tuesday, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment said the county remains in the “red zone” of its school reopening criteria. In the “red zone,” JCDHE recommends that schools can have elementary students in school for in-person learning following “safe opening principles,” while it’s recommended middle and high school students learn remotely.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Every community has been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic, and while all have experienced some sort of negative outcomes, no two communities have been affected in the same way. That lack of a roadmap or template can make recovery difficult, especially in using federal funds dedicated to a pandemic response.
A diverse group of University of Kansas scholars, researchers, staff and students has been helping three Kansas counties — Johnson, Miami and Wilson – determine how to spend more than $44 million in federal COVID-19 funds by the end of 2020 to have a lasting influence.
“We felt county governments could use some assistance in programming these dollars. So we developed a program to partner with three Kansas counties to develop strike teams to identify what projects needed to be done and to use these dollars in a long-term, beneficial way,” said Hannes Zacharias, one of the project leaders. Zacharias is the Robert A. Kipp Professor of Practice in Local Government Management and Urban Policy in KU’s School of Public Affairs & Administration.
Source: KU.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $471,792 in renewable energy projects for farmers, ag producers and rural-based businesses and institutions in rural Kansas.
“Kansas is a leader in renewable energy production and that industry creates jobs and opportunities in all areas of the state,” said Hinrichsen. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner to rural Kansas in building stronger and healthier communities through renewable energy, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Background:
Lyons-Kansas Ethanol, LLC: A $250,000 grant will be used to purchase and install equipment for combined heat and power and ethanol dehydration. The project is estimated to generate 67,113 kWh per year, which is enough energy to power six homes.
Pittsburg-Denver Lawson, a turkey producer: A $36,500 grant will be used to purchase and install solar equipment. The project is estimated to produce 134,066 kWh (61%) per year, which is enough energy to power 12 homes.
Newton-Horn’s Auto Repair, 4×4, and Welding LLC: A $5,559 grant will be used to purchase and install a 9kW roof-mounted solar array. This project will replace 13,654 kWh (105 percent) per year, which is enough electricity to power one home.
Harper-Millaturn Machine LLC: A $19,875 will be used to purchase and install a 15 kW wind turbine. The turbine is estimated to replace 62,923 kWh (104%) per year, which is enough electricity to power five homes.
Additional projects will also be funded in:
Andale – Greg Neville
Bel Aire – Nodic Stone
Derby – Twin Fiddle Investment
Linwood – Robin Leach
Newton – G5 Mainstreet Investments, and Kansas Electric
Osborne – Girard’s IGA
Rose Hill – American Control & Engineering Services
Uniontown – Mary F. Moore
Wichita – JTS Investments
USDA is investing in 14 rural small businesses and ag producers through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Grants and Guaranteed Loans. Investments can used for renewable energy systems such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydropower. REAP funding can also be used for energy audits and to make energy efficiency improvements to heating, ventilation and cooling systems, insulation, lighting and refrigeration.
Interested parties should contact their local Kansas area office for information about additional funding, application procedures and eligibility details. Also visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/onerdguarantee to learn more about how the REAP Guaranteed Loan Program will be streamlined under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative beginning October 1, 2020.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Supporting the rural workforce was a cornerstone recommendation of the task force.
Working with the city administration and city commission, Ranson Financial Group helped save the City of Arkansas City, Kansas over $2.7 million. The competitive bond sale had 5 bidders. The winning bid provided an average interest rate of 1.55% over the 15 years. The restructured debt also shortened the final payoff date by 2 years.
Email Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren for a refunding analysis of your community’s debt or to explore funding options for new projects. For a better understanding of the parties and process involved in the bond issue process, click here or contact Larry or Beth.
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.
Blue Valley is poised to become the first of Johnson County’s largest school districts to bring older students back into classrooms. District officials announced plans to allow middle and high school students in school buildings starting Oct. 5 in a hybrid model, learning in classrooms part of the time and learning online the rest of the week. That same day, the district plans to bring elementary students back to in-person learning, five days a week. “Throughout this pandemic, we have said multiple times we want to bring students back to school in-person in some form as soon as we can safely do so. I am pleased to share that based on current transmission rates in our community, that time is now,” Superintendent Tonya Merrigan said in the announcement.
Source: Joco 913 News
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