News

As zoning demands continue to rise in Jackson County, commissioners have agreed to hire a separate zoning administrator to keep up with the workload. The decision came after county appraiser and zoning officer Kate Immenschuh previously told commissioners that an increase in zoning duties has strained her staff and caused them to fall behind on appraisal duties. During the commissioners’ meeting on Monday, they unanimously agreed to advertise for a full-time county zoning administrator. The top responsibility of the new position will be to administer and enforce zoning regulations in the county’s comprehensive plan, as well as serve as a liaison [...]

Helmets will become a requirement for anyone under 18 riding an electric-powered scooter, bicycle or other device in Leawood, the city council has decided. The Leawood City Council last week approved the new rule, which will go into effect after its legal publication. Although the vote was 5-3, every councilmember went on record backing helmets for juvenile riders. The disagreement was over whether the helmet rule should also apply to non-electric bikes, scooters, skateboards or other wheeled devices. The new rule does not specify the type of helmet, but says it must be designed to prevent injury and be properly fitted [...]

After years of declining enrollment, Olathe Public Schools will be closing more schools — and is gearing up to decide which ones. At the Feb. 5 board of education meeting, district leaders shared a multi-phase plan to determine how many and which schools will close. Once those determinations are made, the district will redraw boundaries and consolidate schools. According to the district, enrollment peaked at 30,216 students in 2019. The district now has 28,140 students. Projections show enrollment dropping to just under 26,000 students over the next 15 years — a decrease of about 4,000 students from its peak. Officials have [...]

On February 3rd, Clay Center City Council approved an ordinance to allow utility vehicles within city limits. Work-site vehicles, golf carts, and micro utility trucks will be eligible for in-town use. Drivers must register their vehicles and display their registration sticker clearly on the left side of the vehicle. In addition, an affixed flag needs to be displayed six feet off the ground. City Attorney Dusty Mullin, said the flag needs to be visible while the vehicle is in motion.  The ordinance goes into effect April 1st.  Read more: KCLY Radio

The McPherson Fire Department gave the public a chance to see its two newest trucks on Thursday. The trucks — also called brush trucks or wildland attack units — give firefighters a faster, more agile vehicle that can more easily maneuver rough terrain compared with traditional fire engines, making them ideal for battling wildfires. They each hold 600 gallons of water. “It does improve efficiency,” Fire Chief Chad Mayberry said. “It allows us to stack the two trucks on the fire line potentially.” Read more: KSN-TV

Help is on the way for rural Kansas communities in need of housing. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) announced nearly $14 million in funding for development across the state, targeted at medium-income households. The funding comes through two programs operated by the KHRC: the Moderate-Income Housing (MIH) program and the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credits (KHITCs). According to the KHRC, the Kansas Legislature created the MIH in 2012 to serve those people who have high enough salaries to not be eligible for public housing but don’t earn adequate money to comfortably navigate the housing market. Read more: KSN-TV

No official date was mentioned and there are still some things to finalize, but the main decision has been made. The Americus City Council voted 4-0 to discontinue the town’s police department Tuesday. Mirroring a conversation KVOE News had with City Council President Nicky Nuessen last week, City Council member Bill Harmon says the board did all it could — but it had to make a tough choice. Read more: KVOE

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County has approved what could be a $450 million incentive package to help finance a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are building a 65,000-seat, $3 billion domed stadium that is expected to be ready for the 2031 season. The stadium and an adjacent $325 million entertainment district are expected to take up about 235 acres near the Kansas Speedway. In Johnson County, the Olathe City Council approved another Chiefs-related development earlier this week. The team headquarters and training facility would take over a 165-acre development costing around $400 million, KCUR reported. Read [...]

Reno County Commissioners were critical Wednesday, Feb. 11, of legislation introduced last week in Topeka that would limit local governments’ authority regarding land use and taxation. Commission Chairman Ron Hirst said it was important enough that he brought it up before business items on the commission’s meeting agenda, citing two specific bills: House Bill 2728 and House Bill 2745. H.B. 2728 was introduced Feb. 5 by District 97 Rep. Nick Hoheisel on behalf of the Consumer Energy Alliance, a lobbying group whose members include Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell USA. H.B. 2728 would forbid counties, cities, and townships from adopting moratoriums on [...]

How Hutchinson’s combined sales tax rate compares to other cities in the region will depend, in part, on whether voters approve a March 3 referendum for a 0.75% sales tax, although some nearby cities will have higher rates regardless of the election’s outcome. Hutchinson City Council set a March 3 special election on whether to institute a new 0.75% sales tax, which would increase the combined sales tax rate in the city from 8.25% to 9% on non-food items. If voters approve the referendum, the new 9% rate would still be lower than McPherson, whose tax rate is increasing from 9% [...]