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Endowment could help fund future courthouse repairs

When Miami County voters last fall chose not to support a proposed quarter-cent sales tax to renovate and expand the Miami County Courthouse, Paola attorney Sandy Hartley started thinking about another way to preserve the historic building. The courthouse, which was built in 1898 and designed by renowned architect George Washburn, has special significance to Hartley. Thanks to her senior law school project 50 years ago, the courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Hartley also knows how well an endowment can work in a community that supports it. The courthouse, which was built in 1898 and designed by renowned architect George Washburn, has special significance to Hartley. Thanks to her senior law school project 50 years ago, the courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Hartley also knows how well an endowment can work in a community that supports it. “Your endorsement will mean a lot to our endeavor,” Hartley said. Miami County Administrator Shane Krull asked about the early-year projections for the endowment, and Hartley said it likely would not provide a funding solution for the courthouse within the first few years but instead provide more of a long-term solution. Krull and the commissioners acknowledged the benefits of a long-term endowment, but Krull also said the county will likely need to seek other options in the interim to tackle needed renovations at the courthouse that could cost between $10 and $13 million, according to an architect’s estimate.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

info2024-02-02T12:36:07-06:00February 2, 2024|News|

Chetopa City Council seeks new home for city library

The Chetopa City Council in January closed the city’s library at 312 Maple because of the deteriorating condition of the building and the repairs that are needed. The city is also looking for alternative locations for the library until a permanent home can be found. Angela Forquer, the city librarian, posted on Facebook that the building was built in 1942 and was converted into the library in the early 1970s. She enumerated the problems with the building: Estimates to fix the plumbing, electrical and HVAC were over $150,000, but attempts to get contractors to travel to Chetopa to bid on it have been unsuccessful; The building has two layers of drop ceiling which is starting to fall because of a leaking roof. The ceiling is also full of mold; The windows and doors are no longer seal and are not energy efficient; Termites are in the ground, foundation and in several spots on the interior walls. The only way to inspect and treat them would be to drill holes in the floors and tear down walls, costing more money; Water pipes under the foundation broke several years ago. The building has functional plumbing but there are still issues with it; The exterior of the building is cracking and shifting, which is causing the interior walls to crack and fall apart. It is a structural issue that creates a safety issue that will be costly to fix. Forquer wrote that the decision to close the library was not ideal, but everyone’s safety had to be considered. She wrote that since the cost is so high, the library needs another building.
Source: Parsons Sun

info2024-02-02T12:32:52-06:00February 2, 2024|News|

KDOT grants funding Active Transportation alternatives

The Kansas agency best known for its highways, the Kansas Department of Transportation, is trying to help communities across the state improve other ways to get around. KDOT is starting the application process for its Transportation Alternatives Projects, which funds projects focused on pedestrian, bicycle, and other non-car modes of transportation, as well as Safe Routes to School projects. “You have these small communities, and they don’t have a big budget, but they’ve made it a priority. The community has told the leaders that they want their kids to be able to walk and bike to school,” KDOT Active Transportation Manager Jenny Kramer said. Many of the projects get less than $1 million, which isn’t much compared to what other infrastructure projects cost. But, Kramer says it’s what’s needed to either help build these projects or help small communities get plans designed that can be funded later. That can be especially helpful in rural communities trying to make sure students can get to school consistently and safely. “We fund them to be able to create a plan on where are the best routes, and then to figure out what’s needed on those routes,” Kramer said. “Are there sidewalks, gaps needed, accessibility, making sure it’s accessible for those who have mobility disabilities?” Communities can register for informational webinars being held on Monday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, at 2:30 p.m., and Friday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. The first concept forms are due March 1 with awards announced in the summer.
Source: KSN-TV

info2024-02-02T12:30:53-06:00February 2, 2024|News|

Kansas bill ending municipal regulation of plastic bags, containers raises constitutional issue

University of Kansas scientist Nancy Muma said the average person inadvertently accumulated in the body a credit-card sized amount of plastic each week by breathing air and consuming water. Muma, who earned a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology, said this involuntary consumption of bisphenols, phthalates and perfluoroalkyls created a wave of endocrine disruptions that altered hormones and reproductive systems in humans. Children and developing fetuses were especially vulnerable to these toxins, but the damage could emerge at all stages of life in the form of heart disease, obesity and cancer, she said. “The good news is that you can help solve this costly and life-threatening problem by voting against House Bill 2446 and supporting regulations to reduce the use of these toxic single-use plastics,” Muma said. She made the plea to members of the Senate Federal and State Affairs considering legislation passed by the House in March 2023, but sidelined by the Senate until Tuesday. The bill would allow the state to block city or county governments from adopting or enforcing ordinances or resolutions that “restricts, taxes, prohibits or otherwise regulates the use, disposition or sale of auxiliary containers.” In simple terms, the bill aggressively promoted by the Kansas Chamber would forbid municipal bans on plastic straws and the thin, cheap plastic shopping bags often given consumers by retail stores and carryout restaurants. The prohibition would broadly define auxiliary containers as cups, packages and bottles made of cloth, paper, plastic, foamed plastic, cardboard, aluminum, glass or a recycled material. Eric Stafford, who represents the Kansas Chamber at the Capitol, said the pending bill was similar to legislation vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly in 2022. The issue was brought to the forefront in 2024 because businesses in the state needed “a clear and predictable regulatory framework by which to operate” and legislators rather than elected city and county government officials were in the best position to shape that regulatory landscape, Stafford said. “We have seen a growing trend across the country by local governments to ban plastic products because of their perceived damage to the economy, but we don’t have to look any further than our own state, as Lawrence became the first city to ban plastic bags effective March 1,” Stafford said.
Source: The Lawrence Times

info2024-02-02T12:17:34-06:00February 2, 2024|News|

Bond passes with 88% support

Voters in the USD 410 school district took to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 23 where they voted on the general obligation bond issue in an amount not to exceed $13,350,000. The results will not be final until after the official canvass on Wednesday, Jan. 31, but the preliminary results were 464 yes and 59 no. “We are absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming support of the bond issue. 88% of voters supported the bond with a yes vote. That level of support is unheard of,” said Superintendent Clint Corby. There was a surprisingly large turnout despite cold, dreary weather on Jan. 23. For the Hillsboro poll site, 455 ballots were voted out of 2,368 registered voters with eight provisional ballots for a 19.55% overall turnout. For the Tampa poll site, 18 ballots were voted out of 209 registered voters with no provisional ballots for an 8.61% overall turnout. 24 ballots (11.48%) were done in advance by mail and 30 (14.35%) were done early in-person. The final numbers were 527 ballots voted and eight provisional ballots out of 2,577 registered voters for an overall turnout of 20.76%. “I have said it before and I will say it again. USD 410 is great because our community is great,” said Corby. The bond projects focus on student safety, infrastructure and facility enhancements. For safety, the main project is a tornado shelter that will function as additional classroom space. Secure entrances in the elementary and middle high schools are also on the agenda, along with fire alarm system replacements, and elevator repairs and improvements. There are several projects planned for infrastructure enhancements including HVAC, broiler and chiller replacement, exterior brick repairs and restoration, furniture and carpeting repairs and replacement, roof replacement and guttering, plumbing improvements, painting, concrete repairs, door repairs and improvements and window replacements. For facility enhancements, there will be auditorium upgrades, gym HVAC and painting, a greenhouse and kindergarten and 1st grade playground projects.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

info2024-02-02T11:50:27-06:00February 2, 2024|News|

Water main breaks spiking

Topeka water mains are breaking significantly more often than they used to. Over the past 10 years, the city averaged 46 water main breaks per month. But in 2023, the city saw a total of 777 water main breaks, which averages out to 64.75 per month.
Source: CJonline

info2024-02-01T06:58:54-06:00February 1, 2024|News|

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, sets the stage for cuts

The Federal Reserve announced it will leave interest rates unchanged Wednesday, setting the stage for rate cuts to come — and paving the way for relief from the combination of higher rates and inflation that have hit consumers particularly hard. Although Fed officials indicated as many as three cuts coming this year, the pace that they trim interest rates is going to be much slower than the pace at which they hiked, according to Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. “Interest rates took the elevator going up; they are going to take the stairs coming down,” he said.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

info2024-01-31T15:00:19-06:00January 31, 2024|News|

2024 January Kansas Employment Forecast Released

Kansas has rebounded strongly, surpassing the national and the Plains region averages in each quarter of 2023. The state’s growth peaked at 9.4% in Q3 of 2023, significantly higher than the national average of 4.8% and the Plains region of 5.1% in the same quarter. The underlying contribution to the growth within the state over the previous year was agriculture, which was from a combination of prices and drought insurance. Manufacturing regained its strength in the second and third quarters of the year, as agriculture waned slightly. Both industry drivers have fueled additional growth within construction, retail, and government, which picked up in the second quarter. Kansas’s real GDP trajectory indicates an economy that has overcome challenges over the previous decade and is now expanding rapidly. Although it will not likely maintain the top-growing economy in the United States over the next few quarters, it should maintain a more robust economy than its peer states.
Source: WSU CEDBR

info2024-01-31T10:42:37-06:00January 31, 2024|News|

Recycled ambulance saves fire department money

By reusing the old box, the Newton Fire Department saved nearly $100,000 when replacing its ambulance. The department had its old ambulance box remounted onto a new vehicle. According to logistics division chief, Joe Martin, this recycling practice is common among departments. “Remounts have come a long way,” Martin said. “It’s becoming an industry norm as budgets don’t keep up with inflation.” Martin said the department was particularly excited by the addition of a power load system to the ambulance. The power load system manually lifts and lowers the stretcher so they don’t have to pick up everyone being loaded into the ambulance. The devices are installed in all the first-out ambulances, according to Martin. The vehicles typically run on seven-year cycles, and Martin said the old vehicle had engine problems, making the department due for a new vehicle. The ambulance has a new design, and Martin said the department was able to save money by using vinyl graphics rather than painting the vehicles. Martin said he knows some departments recycle boxes three or four times, but Newton plans to only reuse them once before replacing them with all-new ambulances to avoid boxes getting too old. Martin added that the department planned to use this remounting method on all its ambulances.
Source: Harvey County Now

info2024-01-31T10:26:12-06:00January 31, 2024|News|

USD 440 Steering committee completes bond information meetings

USD-440 and the district’s steering committee completed its third and final bond information meeting last week at Bentley Primary School, holding one in each of the three schools. After receiving feedback from the community, the steering committee will have one more meeting to shore up their plan that they initially introduced to the school board in January. With a month to consider the committee’s recommendations, the board will discuss and possibly make a decision on whether to proceed during their Feb. 12 meeting. Steering committee chair Alex Williams said that, to date, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. He said the biggest input he’s received is the support for the proposed renovations with the industrial arts and metals facilities. He said that the proposed addition for seventh and eighth grade classrooms connecting to the high school would mean the students would still participate in activities such as sports and music in the middle school facilities. He said that students are already making the trek between the two schools for classes, and the addition would shorten the walk.
Source: Harvey County Now

info2024-01-31T10:24:17-06:00January 31, 2024|News|

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Endowment could help fund future courthouse repairs

Chetopa City Council seeks new home for city library

KDOT grants funding Active Transportation alternatives

Kansas bill ending municipal regulation of plastic bags, containers raises constitutional issue

Bond passes with 88% support

Water main breaks spiking

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, sets the stage for cuts

2024 January Kansas Employment Forecast Released

Recycled ambulance saves fire department money

USD 440 Steering committee completes bond information meetings

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