Kansas Municipal News
County commission approves increased budget, mill rate
Saline County commissioners on Tuesday approved a $50.24 million 2020 budget that will increase the county’s mill levy by 2.677 from 38.437 in 2019 to 41.114.
The overall 2020 budget will increase by $3.9 million from the 2019 budget of $46.34 million, primarily due to an increase in the special road, special bridge, and CIP fund accounts.
Combined, the accounts increased by approximately $3.83 million, said county administrator Andrew Manley.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)
Reno County Commission approves sign project funded by KDOT
The Reno County Commission with little discussion approved an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the 2021 High Risk Rural Road Sign Project grant.
This grant will be used to identify and replace all signs on the county roads east of K-14 to ensure they meet Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards.
Missing signs will be installed or existing signs will be relocated as needed to comply with current standards. There will be no cost to the county with this project funded 100 percent by KDOT.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
Buhler USD 313 mill levy increases slightly
The Buhler USD 313 School Board gave approval of the 2020 budget numbers and set a date for their public hearing on Monday, August 19.
The budget totals $37,004,397 on total taxes levied of $2,058,853. The district’s mill levy climbs from 54.83 to 54.99 mills. The largest increases came in the supplemental general fund and capital outlay expenses.
The increase amounts to $4 per year on a $100 thousand home. The districts valuation stayed basically neutral for the year, climbing roughly $4,000.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
Bids Being Sought For Eureka USD389 Concession Stand
A new concession stand, including restrooms and a ticket booth, is currently in the bidding phase for Eureka USD 389.
The Eureka USD 389 Board of Education approved to move forward with the masonry built structure back in May of this year.
(Read more: Eureka Herald RSS)
Pottawatomie County receives road and bridge updates
Pottawatomie County Commissioners spent a good chunk of their meeting Monday reviewing ongoing road and bridge projects during the monthly Public Works update.
Public Works Director Peter Clark says crews have been active trying to get in front of some of the areas of county roads impacted by wet weather this spring. Some road closures still remain.
Clark-closures
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Kechi acts to comply with state runoff regs
Kechi needs to move quicker to be in compliance with state stormwater runoff rules. That’s the message the city council got July 25.
In January, assistant public works director Thomas Bevan spoke to the governing body about a report done by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
KDHE visited the city to inspect its stormwater practices. The attention was likely brought about due to the city’s recent growth and development. The results were that Kechi currently has some deficiencies in its stormwater system.
Read more: Ark Valley News.
Municipal Bonds Boast Strong Technicals for the Foreseeable Future
The underlying story of strong demand and modest supply that has characterized the municipal market so far this year continues unabated into the summer, said Alan Schankel, managing director at Janney Montgomery Scott.
“Investors have added $53 billion to muni mutual funds plus almost $5 billion to muni ETFs so far in 2019,” he said. “In theory the $58B total of new 2019 cash is enough to absorb more than a third of the first six months of municipal new issue volume of roughly $166.8 billion.”
He continued to say that this illustrates the shifting trend in how investors seeking tax-free income are participating in the municipal market, with vehicles such as mutual funds and ETFs attracting a gradually growing share of the individual tax free investor pie.
Read more: Bond Buyer.
Critics say proposed growth plan that limits annexations will make Lawrence housing more expensive
City leaders will soon consider a new growth policy that encourages infill development as the most cost-effective way for the city to grow, but some local organizations are concerned the plan’s growth restrictions would make housing in Lawrence even more expensive.
The Lawrence City Commission will soon consider the new comprehensive plan, Plan 2040, which lays out policies that will shape how the city grows for the next 20 years. Plan 2040 prioritizes development within the city’s boundaries and requires developers to meet several requirements to annex land to expand those boundaries. The city maintains that growth needs to be focused in certain areas to manage infrastructure costs, but the Lawrence Board of Realtors, Lawrence Home Builders Association and the local chamber of commerce have all expressed concerns about the annexation restrictions, saying they could make both new and existing housing more expensive.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence City Commission to consider rezoning request for first small homes development; neighborhood opposes the project
Lawrence city leaders will soon consider two requests related to the city’s first proposed development of small homes.
The city already allows the 3,000-square-foot single-family lots the project requires, but the proposed site requires a rezoning from industrial uses to that zoning type as well as an amendment to the comprehensive plan. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider both requests, as well as a letter of opposition from the neighborhood.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
County to borrow $10 million to extend trail, develop ‘Family Park’
Shawnee County will create a new “Family Park” featuring 20 pickleball courts just south of S.W. 21st and Urish Road.
County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday morning to approve Commission Chairman Bob Archer’s proposal that the county borrow $10 million to use to develop that park and continue to extend Deer Creek Trail in southeast Topeka.
Commissioners Archer and Bill Riphahn voted in favor of the move.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
DCCC remembers Dr. Richard Burke
The late Dr. Richard Burke served as president of Dodge City Community College longer than almost anyone else who has held the job.
Only Charles Barnes served longer than Burke at the helm of DCCC. Working the three years prior to becoming president as a dean and program director, Burke influenced and changed Dodge City Community College for nearly 14 years.
Burke passed away July 26, in Dodge City. He was 76.
(Read more: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS)
El Dorado prison to resume normal shifts after Kelly lifts emergency declaration
Kansas corrections officers at the state prison in El Dorado will soon return to eight-hour shifts after a months-long emergency declaration meant mandatory overtime and 12-hour days.
Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday the state of emergency at El Dorado Correctional Facility would end in early October. She placed the prison on the heightened status in February. The decision gave officials the power to order longer shifts to deal with a chronic and severe staff shortage.
The announcement comes after lawmakers boosted pay for officers at the prison. The emergency declaration had reflected a crisis within the prison system, which has been dealing with staff shortages for years as the number of inmates continues to rise.
(Read more: Politics & Government News |)
Area pools set closing dates for the summer
Time is running out for patrons of most area swimming pools to get in that last splash for the summer.
The following are the season-ending dates for area pools:
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
Stuff the Bus event helps USD250 students
Throughout the day on Saturday, school supplies were brought on to school buses in support of USD 250 students who need supplies.
USD 250-P3, Walmart and the Pittsburg Salvation Army partnered for a donation event for school supplies called ‘Stuff the Bus’. USD250-P3 is a volunteer group which identifies needs of students within the Pittsburg Community Schools District. The organization connects students with items such as school supplies through partnerships in the community.
USD 250-P3 Co-Chair Dawn McNay said the event turned out great.
(Read more: Pittsburg Morning Sun)
Marler excited to take on Paola City Clerk role
Stephanie Marler never envisioned herself in a leadership position when she first was hired by the city of Paola in 2008 to be an administrative assistant for the public works department.
But thanks to her strong work ethic, willingness to learn and knowledge of the community, she quickly rose through the ranks.
On her five-year anniversary with the city, she was promoted to utility billing clerk and moved her office to Paola City Hall.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
Moundridge schools getting update
Standing the hallway of Moundridge Elementary School amid uncovered floors, lights hanging from a ceiling missing most of its tiles, Moundridge superintendent George Leary exudes confidence and excitement.
“We will have our building back,” Leary said. “We get this back Aug. 16. … There is no doubt, we will be ready. We are on schedule and ahead of schedule.”
On any given day, there are dozens of workers in the building installing new flooring, lighting, ceilings and whatever else needs to be done.
(Read more: Newton Kansan)
City commission to consider amendments to residential and electrical codes
The Hays city commission knew there would need to be some tweaking of the residential and electrical code updates adopted by the city in July 2017.
Three concerns in relation to upgrades and remodels of existing homes requiring a city permit were brought to their attention during the commission work session last week.
“Almost all rooms except bathrooms and garages now require AFCIs (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter),” explained Jesse Rohr, public works director. An AFCI protects against electrical- related arcs from an electrical circuit or a device, which commonly lead to fires. If an arc is detected, the AFCI is tripped and kills the power to that individual circuit.
(Read more: Hays Post)
Salina USD 305, NEA-Salina reach agreement
Salina USD 305 and NEA-Salina have come to an agreement on teacher contracts, according to a news release from Salina USD 305.
The two sides came to an agreement on an average salary increase of 3.2 percent after completing a successful mediation session. The teams had already agreed to other changes in the contract such as:
- Increased plan time for elementary classroom teachers and high school teachers
- Expanded the opportunity to use paid time off
The next step is for USD 305 teachers to vote in order to ratify the 2019-2020 teacher contract.
(Read more: The Salina Post)
Kansas schools: Help wanted
Public school districts across Kansas are scrambling to hire employees ahead of the new school year.
“I predict a lot of school districts will start without all their teachers hired,” said Haven USD 312 Superintendent Clark Wedel recently.
“It’s a challenge, probably more than it ever has been in my career,” Wedel said on July 29, when the Haven school board conducted a special meeting and hired a fourth-grade teacher.
Hutchinson USD 308′s McCandless Elementary School will welcome students Aug. 15 with a long-term substitute teaching a kindergarten class.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)
$29.5 million building permit approved for Delano apartment project
A $29.5 million building permit was pulled this week by Crossland Construction to begin work in the Delano District on a five-story apartment building with mixed use and parking garage on the lower levels.
The construction is part of the $40 million Delano catalyst project, which has been slow-moving since conversations with the city began in 2016. Kansas City-based EPC Real Estate LLC is the developer behind the tax-incentivized construction project designed to bring more vibrancy and amenities along the Arkansas River. The plans were expected to include the apartment complex with 204 units, a minimum 90-room hotel and public green space on seven acres of land south and southeast of the Advanced Learning Library.
(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)