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City rejects $3.19 million increase in City Hall renovation funding

info2019-04-17T08:52:48-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Topeka city manager Brent Trout won’t get the more than $3.19 million in additional funding he sought to carry out the first phase of a project to renovate City Hall. But Trout did see Topeka’s governing body late Tuesday approve amended versions of his plans for capital improvements here. That body, consisting of the mayor and city council, first voted 5-5 Tuesday evening — with six “yes” votes being needed for approval — to reject a proposal that would have added more than $3.19 million to the budget for a City Hall renovation project. Council members Sylvia Ortiz, Tony Emerson, Aaron [...]

Sound and fury of Neosho County wind farm dispute reaches state Capitol

info2019-04-17T08:52:03-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Alternative-energy controversy pulsated through Neosho County’s political circuits Tuesday with a force tantamount to one of the gigantic 600-foot-tall wind turbines at the root of this neighbor-to-neighbor clash in southeast Kansas. Spokes of a passionate debate reached into rural economic development, corporate secrecy, property values, political leadership and green energy. The scuffle raised questions at the Capitol about whether it was time for state government to set standards for turbine setbacks from homes, access to service roads by power companies, guaranteed payments in lieu of taxes and decommissioning of old turbines for benefit of counties without a zoning framework to guide [...]

Hutch City Council tables job incentive policy

info2019-04-17T08:51:19-05:00April 17th, 2019|

The Hutchinson City Council discussed a proposed job incentive policy during its regular agenda session. After more than an hour of discussion, no agreement could be reached and the matter was tabled. The sticking point centered around whether there should be verbiage in the policy regarding job retention and job creation. Councilman John Daveline was spearheading the addition and said such incentives were given to Eaton when it threatened to close and to Lowen when it hinted at relocating jobs elsewhere. Questions came up whether the extra wording might cause some restrictions in the policy. Council members also worried if the [...]

Kansas’ stronger beer likely won’t mean bigger buzz

info2019-04-17T10:19:58-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Kansas finally abandoned a Prohibition-era rule that restricted certain stores to only sell beer with up to 3.2% alcohol content, but the stronger beer that's now allowed doesn't contain much more alcohol. Kansas this month ended its law dating back to the 1930s, allowing groceries and convenience stores to stock beer with up to 6% alcohol by volume. Beer drinkers are unlikely to notice a big difference because the outdated law measured alcohol by weight but alcohol is now measured by volume, the Wichita Eagle reported. Chantel Fletchall, who handles brand registration for the Kansas Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said [...]

County mulls merging corrections, community corrections departments

info2019-04-17T06:55:24-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Shawnee County commissioners plan to consider consolidation the county’s corrections and community corrections departments under the control of the corrections department. Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook plan to hear the first reading Monday of a proposed home resolution sponsored by Archer that would make that move, according to information in the agenda packet for that meeting made public this week by the county. Community corrections had been part of the corrections department until commissioners made it a separate department in 2000. Archer said Thursday that Rebecca Cartmill retires soon as head of the community corrections department, and no [...]

Wichita moves forward with $7 million police station project

info2019-04-17T06:53:54-05:00April 17th, 2019|

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday gave the green light to begin a $7 million project for the construction of a new police sub-station in east Wichita. The new facility will be built next to the Patrol East sub-station, at 350 S. Edgemoor, that it will replace on adjacent Park Board land. Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay told the council Tuesday morning that the new, approximately 23,000 square-foot facility is greatly needed to reduce cramped space at the existing sub-station. While originally constructed for 30 to 40 officers, Ramsay said more than 100 officers work out of the sub-station now. (Read [...]

City Council votes to narrow McLean to accommodate ‘walkability’ around new stadium

info2019-04-17T06:49:54-05:00April 17th, 2019|

McLean Boulevard won’t be a boulevard anymore where it passes the new baseball stadium, the Wichita City Council decided Tuesday. The council approved a plan to narrow McLean, now a four-lane street, to two lanes where it jogs around the $75 million ball park under construction at the corner of Maple and McLean. “It will be reduced to one lane in either direction” between Maple and Douglas, with the intent “to make it more pedestrian friendly,” said Paul Gunzelman, the assistant city engineer who presented the plan to the council. The overall plan for the stadium district includes a new walking [...]

PV council considering drone regulation. But the question is, how are rules enforced?

info2019-04-17T06:48:28-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Putting together an ordinance to control recreational drone use is still on Prairie Village’s agenda — but just barely. The council voted 6-5 Monday night in favor of continuing its discussions on an ordinance that some members felt would be difficult to enforce. The idea is to address the worries of residents like Kate Faerber, who was disturbed by a drone flying low over people in her yard. “I think drones sound like a really fun idea, but … there’s a potential for harm and danger,” Faerber said. The council’s majority vote to continue talking about the ordinance comes with concerns [...]

Leavenworth County population expected to swell

info2019-04-17T06:46:29-05:00April 17th, 2019|

Mike Reilly, owner of The Reilly Company in Leavenworth, said the county population is expected to increase to more than 80,000 in the next 10 years. He said much of the initial growth will be in the extended northwest corridor out of Kansas City and into the Basehor area. “We are situated in the bullseye of that growth pattern,” Reilly said. “And I don’t think we’ve seen the start of it yet. The county in 10 years will substantially change. Clearly, south county has been a beneficiary of that growth. Basehor has already seen a lot of growth.” Several factors have [...]

Leawood council unanimously approves 1% sales tax hike at Ranch Mart North to help fund shopping center redevelopment, raising rate to 10.1%

info2019-04-17T06:44:51-05:00April 17th, 2019|

The Leawood city council on Monday unanimously approved a community improvement district (CID) sales tax that will provide revenue to fund certain redevelopment costs for Ranch Mart North, located near 95th and Mission Road. The CID will increase sales tax from 9.1% to 10.1% for purchases made inside Ranch Mart North boundaries starting July 1, 2020 and can stay in effect for up to 22 years. Mayor Peggy Dunn and councilmember James Azeltine noted they had heard comments from individuals who believed the city should not approve the CID, and that public funds should not be used to fund private development. [...]

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