info2024-08-02T08:57:41-05:00August 2nd, 2024|
After several requests from energy storage companies curious about expanding to Douglas County, the county’s Zoning and Codes division will start the process of drawing up specific rules for those kinds of uses — as well as high-tech operations that store data and mine cryptocurrencies. Source: LJWorld
info2024-08-02T08:56:33-05:00August 2nd, 2024|
When it comes to balancing municipal budgets, those same tradeoffs come at a scale of millions of dollars, and with more far-reaching effects. To figure out how Lawrence residents would make those tradeoffs, the city government has given them a tool to share their thoughts online — an interactive budget simulator called “A Balancing Act.” Alley Porter, the budget manager for the city’s finance department, said the tool has given the city some information on what services residents value most as it has crafted its 2025 budget proposal. Source: LJWorld
info2024-08-02T08:26:18-05:00August 2nd, 2024|
Improvements to Osawatomie’s wastewater treatment plant have been three years in the making, but the $2.5 million project is now complete, and council members recently toured the finished product. ... City Manager Bret Glendening said supply chain issues delayed the project early on, and a few issues with the new UV units also took time to resolve. Source: Miami County Republic
info2024-08-02T08:18:14-05:00August 2nd, 2024|
Surrounding cities that buy water from Wichita, like the City of Derby, say they will follow Wichita’s lead when it comes to conserving. “When Wichita decides to announce, trigger going into stage two of their conservation plan, we go into phase two of our conservation plan,” said Derby City Manager Kiel Mangus. Like Wichita, Derby residents could face penalties if they don’t follow the rules, like limited outdoor watering. Source: KWCH
info2024-08-01T09:39:46-05:00August 1st, 2024|
Even before Panasonic’s $4 billion EV battery plant opens in De Soto, Kansas next year, city residents are already getting a better idea for how that massive investment will change their property values and property taxes. “We are in the extremely enviable position of being able to present to the public a 2025 budget that reduces the city property tax mil rate by a third,” De Soto City Administrator Mike Brungardt said. Source: Fox4KC
info2024-07-31T11:38:58-05:00July 31st, 2024|
A new trail link may be on the horizon between the cities of Merriam and Shawnee. The two Johnson County cities submitted a joint project proposal to the Mid-America Regional Council, seeking up to $1 million to pay for a trail connection system that could ultimately link the cities’ downtowns. If approved, the cities would use the money from MARC to connect Shawnee’s Oxbow Trail to Merriam’s Turkey Creek Trail. Both trails are north of Shawnee Mission Parkway and are near each city’s downtown area. Source: Johnson County Post
info2024-07-31T10:21:57-05:00July 31st, 2024|
Concerns about providing homeless services to “illegal aliens” and people from outside Johnson County dominated discussion at the county commission last Thursday about a proposal to open a shelter at a former La Quinta Inn and Suites hotel in Lenexa. After two hours of discussion that also included enthusiastic endorsements of the shelter plan from leaders of the interfaith Good Faith Network, commissioners ultimately voted to approve $3.7 million for renovations and operating costs for the hotel. Source: Johnson County Post
info2024-07-31T10:18:25-05:00July 31st, 2024|
Kaylee Bogina is from Arma, Kansas and recently competed at the Olympic trials marathon in February. Making it to that point is a huge goal she is proud to check off her list. Her running career began in high school and then continued through college at Adams State. She saw her brother and roommate compete in the trials and made it a goal for herself. “I remember watching them the whole way and thinking just, oh, how cool of an opportunity that they got to go and do that,” Bogina said. “And I think from that moment on, I was kind [...]
info2024-07-31T10:14:50-05:00July 31st, 2024|
After three years, Progeny v. City of Wichita, a lawsuit regarding the Wichita Police Department’s use of a gang list, is awaiting approval. If approved, some names that were incorrectly on the gang list will be removed, and the criteria for the database will change. The lawsuit was brought forward by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas and the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. The organizations argued that the list violated the 14th and 1st Amendment rights of those on it. Currently, members of the Wichita community do not have to be charged with a crime to [...]
info2024-07-31T10:12:11-05:00July 31st, 2024|
City leaders have approved a pay increase to try and stop the police shortage in the Capital City. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, council members approved a pay increase for the Topeka Police Department (TPD). This competitive pay increase is one way the city is hoping to increase its officer shortage. According to the agreement, a pay increase of 17% will take effect January of 2025, with a 5% increase in 2026 and 2027. “We hope it [increasing pay] brings people on the front and keeps people on the backend,” Topeka Interim Police Chief Jamey Haltom said. The three-year labor agreement [...]
