Kansas Municipal News
Municipal Bond Trends for June 28, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for June 27, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Russell Awarded a Grant for Street Lighting Upgrades
The City of Russell is excited to announce that it has been awarded $122,783 in grant funds through the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to upgrade 311 streetlights to more energy-efficient technologies. The KCC received a $1.9 million Block Grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Under this program, the KCC supports projects that replace traffic signals and street lighting with energy-efficient technology, with a particular focus on rural communities in Kansas.
Source: City of Russell
Supreme Court Expands Cities’ Power to Remove Homeless Camps
The Supreme Court loosened the restraints on city officials confronting homeless encampments, overturning a lower court that found it unconstitutional to penalize people for sleeping in public when they have nowhere else to stay. Writing for the court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishments, which a lower court invoked to strike down the city’s ordinance, had no role to play in limiting government responses to homelessness.
Source: WSJ.com: World News and U.S. Supreme Court
Construction begins on expansion of Wichita homeless facility
A groundbreaking ceremony was held to begin construction of a major expansion for the Union Rescue Mission in north Wichita.
Construction will get started on July 8th to create several enhancements to the facility at 2800 North Hillside. The Union Rescue Mission raised over $2 million through its Dreams Rebuilt capital campaign that began in December, 2020. Kurt Yowell, chairman of the URM board of directors, said in a press release, “These renovations will not only freshen a well-worn facility, they will also provide a Chapel, additional classrooms, an updated emergency overnight shelter facility, improved security and safety features, and a degree of privacy and dignity for the men in programs.” The project is expected to be completed in March, 2025. The Mission also plans to raise an additional $110,000 to upgrade security in the parking lot behind the facility.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
New city administrator hired in Hiawatha
Brad Scott–who has served the City of Hiawatha as Public Works Director and as Interim City Administrator–was officially hired as the new City Administrator at the end of Monday’s City Commission meeting. All city commissioner members voted in favor of Scott taking the position.
Source: City Government | hiawathaworldonline.com
Lyon County Commission approves six-month moratorium on medical facility zoning applications
The Lyon County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution establishing a moratorium on certain types of zoning, land use, and building permits related to medical facilities within the unincorporated areas of Lyon County Thursday morning. The resolution, presented by County Counselor Molly Priest, highlighted the lack of specific definitions and guidelines for medical facilities in the county’s existing zoning regulations. Priest said the resolution was crafted County Zoning Director Sam Seeley. “Our zoning regulations do not contemplate the breadth of medical facilities that exist today,” Priest said. “There are at least eight different types of medical facilities defined at state and federal levels, including general hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and rural emergency hospitals, none of which are clearly defined in our current regulations.” The moratorium will last until January 1, 2025, providing six months for the zoning administrator and the planning board to draft and propose new regulations. During this period, no new applications for zoning, conditional use permits, site plans, or building permits related to medical facilities will be accepted.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Admire to celebrate new multiuse court with ribbon cutting, community festivities
The City of Admire is set to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6 p.m. July 3, to mark the completion of its new multiuse sport court. This event signals the final step in a project that has been eagerly awaited by the community. Following the ceremony, people are invited to join in a potluck dinner, enjoy a game of horseshoes, watch a spectacular fireworks display, and socialize with family, friends, and neighbors. The new multiuse court, designed to accommodate pickleball, basketball, and tennis, was made possible by a $30,000 implementation grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. This grant is part of the Healthier Lyon County’s Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative, aimed at promoting active and healthy living in the region. Despite initial delays with fencing contractors, the court has been resurfaced and is now ready for community use.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Tax change creates headaches for county clerks
Homeowners may see a break on their property taxes this year but the change is creating extra work for the County Clerk’s Office. The tax relief package adopted by the Kansas Legislature at the June 18 special session changed the School Finance Levy Residential Exemption. Beginning in tax year 2024, the amount of residential property exempt from that statewide levy will increase from $43,049 to $75,000 of appraised value. County Clerk Bev Schmeidler told the Barton County Commission on Tuesday that her office was notified of this change on Friday afternoon and given until July 1 to update their abstracts, values, and budget sheets. Barton County Counselor Patrick Hoffman noted this affects counties throughout the state. “It is a little bit of a mess. Not just here.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Johnson County wants and needs a homeless shelter. But who will pay $500K a year?
Operating the proposed homeless shelter in Lenexa would require annual funding not only from Johnson County but also its cities, under a new plan, totaling almost $500,000 in public money, presented to county commissioners on Thursday. The idea sparked a heated discussion among commissioners, as leaders work to push forward the long-needed shelter, but have yet to secure any financial commitment from cities to help run it. The board voted 4-3 to move the discussion forward about a fund that would require $62,000 a year from the county. The plan also asks for varying amounts from each city, based on population, totaling nearly $420,000 a year. The commission in the coming months will vote on whether to approve the funds, while cities in the meantime decide whether to participate as well. Johnson County has begun the process of purchasing the shuttered La Quinta Inn and Suites off of Interstate 35 in Lenexa to convert into a year-round shelter, a major milestone for the county where advocates have long pushed for such a resource.
Source: Joco 913 News
Leawood officials keen to add veterans memorial on city hall grounds
A proposal to designate part of the grounds of Leawood City Hall as a veterans memorial plaza got a favorable reaction from city councilmembers last week as they met in a special work session.
A temporary committee that had been meeting since November recommended the city hall location near the entrance flagpoles and the bubbling rock fountain because that area would require only minimal upgrades and because it already has space for gatherings. Councilmember Debra Filla said the location seems to be a good fit. “It’s that ‘Eureka’ moment of doing it right here in the courtyard which is a beautiful space that does not get enough traffic in my estimation,” she said. Councilmember Julie Cain also gave it a good review. “The idea of having that out there only enhances our courtyard,” she said. “It’s an elegant solution and costworthy and functional. It pretty much checks all the boxes.”
Source: Johnson County Post
Overland Park sets rules for parking in city EV spots, adds 2 more chargers
Overland Park will require all vehicles parked at public electric vehicle charging stations to be actively plugged into the charger.
Earlier this week, the Overland Park City Council voted 10-0 to approve the new ordinance in the city’s traffic code. Earlier this year, Overland Park started solidifying its electric vehicle plans by adopting its 95-page Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan. That plan fell short of formalizing any policy decisions, but it laid out recommendations aimed at helping the city “implement a thoughtful strategy identifying needs and best practices” for EVs. It also suggested departments in which Overland Park could potentially expand its electric vehicle fleet overtime and identified possible public-facing city facilities that might be a good fit to set up EV chargers. That included mostly spots that attract community members and visitors, such as the Matt Ross Community Center downtown and the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. At the time the city’s EV plan was adopted 11-1 in March, Councilmember Melissa Cheatham called it “essential,” noting that she felt it was “timely, if not overdue.”
Source: Johnson County Post
‘A line in the sand’ — SMSD considers prohibiting cell phones during school
A district-wide ban on smartphones in the Shawnee Mission School District will be considered as part of the district’s five-year strategic plan, administrators said Monday.
The idea is listed under the technology category of the plan, which was presented to the board at its regular meeting. The item concerned creating a development guide to age-appropriate use of technology including “personal devices.” Although it did not specify smartphones, incoming superintendent Michael Schumacher acknowledged a ban on cell phones during school hours would be first on the list of things to consider as the school year begins in August. Schumacher also stressed that more work needs to be done and feedback should be sought from the community. “Our community certainly is asking for it,” Schumacher said. “We need to have that discussion. We need to listen about this.”
Source: Johnson County Post
School board approves sale of Park Elementary to Wichita for $1
The Wichita School Board voted 6-1 on Thursday to approve the sale of Park Elementary to the City of Wichita. The school, located at 1025 N Main, is now set to sell for $1 to the City. The vote comes just weeks after the City announced the former school is set to become a multi-agency resource center for the homeless. In March, the school board voted to close six Wichita schools due to a $42 million budget shortfall.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita firework tents hope for big year after city legalizes aerial fireworks sales
There are big changes coming to Wichita this year, and firework tent owners are hoping it will mean more sales than ever. It’s one of the busiest days of the year for firework tent owners like Teresa Lybarger. After doing it for over a decade, she says she knows there won’t be much sleep ahead of the first day of sales Thursday.
“You spend all day long, and sometimes into the night to get all your fireworks in the right place, to get all your lights, to get everything in order to be able to open up the next morning,” said Lybarger. Lybarger and her family run the tents in the Walmart parking lots at 53rd and Meridian, and Pawnee and Broadway, and she says there’s a lot more to it than most people realize.
“We are required to have people here 24/7,” said Lybarger. On top of the heavy lifting in the grueling heat, Lybarger says there are strict laws she has to follow, and no matter what time of day or night it is, at least two people are always inside her tents working. But Lybarger says there’s a major change in Wichita that she hopes will make it her best year yet. “It’s kind of exciting for this year because Wichita went full power,” Lybarger explained. “We’re hoping for bigger sales, of course, because now they could spend their money here, instead of going over to Andover to Haysville, or, you know, any of the other places that are full power.”
Source: KAKE – News
Kansas’ effort to lure Chiefs, Royals puts STAR bonds in the spotlight
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a supercharged tax incentive deal aimed at enticing the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals to move across the state line.
During a special session, Kansas lawmakers expedited plans to allow temporary changes to the sales tax revenue (STAR) bond program. This comes despite data from existing STAR bond developments giving mixed signals about the program’s performance. The economic tool that lets municipalities issue bonds to finance developing big commercial entertainment and tourism projects throughout the state. City or county governments identify potential STAR bond district boundaries and submit the proposed map to the Kansas Commerce Department. If approved, the local city council or commission holds a public hearing and adopts an ordinance to create the district. From there, a feasibility study is completed, and project plans are submitted to local officials for further review. They then hold a second hearing to review and adopt the plan. The Commerce secretary then must approve the plans and the terms of the STAR bonds. Bonds can cover as much as 50% of project costs and are paid off over 20 years using the incremental sales tax revenue the project generates. In metropolitan areas such as Kansas City, Kansas, or Overland Park, STAR bonds can be used only for projects anticipating capital investment of $75 million, with at least $75 million in projected gross annual sales. The state does not set financial investment thresholds for STAR bond projects in rural areas. Since 1999, more than 20 STAR bond projects have been developed in 11 cities in nine counties. The bonds have been used to fund numerous tourist attractions, including the Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson, the Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park and Kansas Speedway in KCK. According to the state treasurer’s 2023 annual report, Kansas had 18 active STAR bond projects when fiscal year 2023 ended July 1, 2023. Katherine Carttar was economic development director for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, from 2019 to 2022. She now is executive director of the Urban Land Institute Kansas City. “The thing that really supercharges a STAR bond is the inclusion of the state sales tax. That’s just something that most states just do not touch,” Carttar said. “With the inclusion of the state sales tax, that just really makes it so much more powerful in terms of the amount of revenue that can be redirected back into the project.” Annual financial reports show Kansas diverted $40.5 million in sales tax through the STAR bond program in fiscal year 2021, $54.1 million in 2022 and $66.9 million in 2023.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
REQ Q&A: Kansas Commerce official talks STAR bonds’ effectiveness, how they work
In the next two years, Kansas lawmakers will decide whether to renew the sales tax revenue (STAR) bond program or allow it to sunset in July 2026.
Legislators’ approval of tweaks designed specifically to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and/or Kansas City Royals from Missouri has driven much recent attention to the program. But since 1999, STAR bonds have played a big, and sometimes polarizing, part in numerous area projects — from Village West, which paid off bonds years early and now yields more than $40 million in annual state sales taxes, to Prairiefire, where inaccurate revenue estimates led to the program’s first default. The Kansas City Business Journal’s Thomas Friestad spoke with Bob North, chief counsel of the Kansas Department of Commerce, about the state’s approach to STAR bonds. How do you assess the STAR bond program’s performance? First and foremost is financial success: Are the projects generating enough sales tax revenue so the bonds are going to be repaid? That’s a critical component, and around 80% of the projects have either paid off early or, based on current revenue streams, are going to pay off early (before their 20-year bond term). We also look at visitation. One of the purposes behind STAR bonds is to bring new visitors, new sales tax to the state, so we look at a couple things, one of which is how many people are coming from more than 100 miles away and how many folks are coming from out of state. State auditors in 2021 found that of 16 STAR bond projects reviewed, only three met Commerce’s tourism goals. Commerce disputed the audit, saying it should have considered other goals, like general and economic welfare. How does your department weigh goals with relation to each other? The 30% (visitors from at least 100 miles away) and 20% (out-of-state visitors) goals are, to an extent, aspirational. We do need new visitors. We do need new sales tax dollars. But that’s not the sole criteria that we would evaluate. General economic welfare and then quality of life is also an important factor. The state exports a majority of its college graduates, and we’ve got more jobs than we do people, and so … how do we keep those people here, and how do we attract them to come back? We think STAR bonds are a very effective tool, if you like museums or if you like water parks, if you’re into racing or if you’ve got kids that play youth sports.
(Auditors) are in the middle of looking at this quality of life and trying to quantify what that might look like.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Frontenac Fire Captain Jim McClain retires after nearly 50 years
The Frontenac Fire Department bids farewell to Captain Jim McClain, who retires after almost 50 years of service to the community.
Hired in 1974 and promoted to Captain a decade later, McClain’s positive attitude and leadership were hallmarks of his tenure.
Source: KOAM News
Rossville residents receive extra help with storm damage
Residents in Rossville are seeing an abundance of help from community members to tackle storm damage. Early Wednesday morning, strong winds and heavy rain swept through all of northeast Kansas. Rossville was amongst many areas hit hard with fallen tree limbs and uprooted trees seen throughout the town. Though the town was shaken up, community members rallied together. One resident posted to Facebook showcasing how the high school football team stepped up to help clean storm debris throughout neighborhoods. KSNT 27 News spoke with head football coach of the Rossville Dawgs, Derick Hammes, about his players helping out their community, and he said he’s grateful his players are giving back. “I want them to understand that the community supports them, and when it’s their turn to support back, they’re available to do that,” Hammes said. “We realize that helping one another out is all apart of being in a small community.”
Source: KSNT 27 News
Haysville sees vandalism to parks, antique lights
The City of Haysville is seeking information on recent vandalism at numerous park restrooms. The vandalism also left a busy street in the dark.
The City says restrooms have had sinks and plumbing fixtures damaged or stolen. Some of the damage has caused the facilities to be closed until repairs are made. Also, the city says 600 feet of wire was stolen from an underground conduit that powered the antique lights along Meridian. “We always encounter vandalism every summer this year, it seems to be times 10 and happening quite frequently,” said Tony Martinez, the director of public works in Haysville. “We have 15 parks in the town, and i would say probably almost every single park has experienced some type of vandalism over the summer.” Martinez said that it’s going to take some time for the restrooms to get up and running. “Summer’s our busiest time of the year, so our park department doesn’t have time to install these pieces, so we’re now hiring a contractor to install these, which in result means the restrooms are going to be closed a little bit longer to the public and that’s really the downfall,” he said. The City’s goal is to get the restrooms fixed by July 4.
Source: KSN-TV
New terminal opens at Garden City Airport
The second phase of Garden City’s new Airport terminal is complete. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran was in attendance as the ribbon was cut to open the terminal of the new facility. Garden City’s original terminal was constructed in 1959 and no longer met demand. Rachelle Powell, Director of Aviation at the Garden City Regional Airport, said planning to replace the terminal began back in 2017. “With this new terminal project, we’ve doubled our gate capacity from one gate to two, which is huge for southwest Kansas, and also gave amenities to our traveling public such as the passenger boarding bridge and the baggage carousel,” she said. The terminal has updated technology and a new welcome message in multiple languages to serve the diverse population in the region. “We utilize the 26 languages that were spoken in our school district when we were doing the design to welcome folks to our community cause that’s part of our culture in southwest Kansas is making everybody feel welcomed,” said Powell.
Source: KSN-TV
Kansas firefighters receive nearly $19M from relief act
The Kansas Insurance Department announced nearly $19 million will be going to local Firefighter Relief Associations (FRA). Of those, Shawnee County will receive nearly $1 million.
On Thursday, June 27 Kansas Insurance Department (KID) Public Affairs Manager Kyle Strathman announced the money would be distributed to 553 different FRAs across the state. The funds come from a 2% tax that is paid by insurance companies on fire and lightning premiums. “Firefighters work to keep us safe, and the Kansas Firefighters Relief Act acknowledges those efforts by providing additional protections for firefighters and their loved ones,” said Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “The Act not only gives first responders needed safety nets, but it also allows local communities to provide their citizens with improved firefighting equipment and resources.” Strathman said the funds can be used to pay for health, accident, disability and life insurance premiums of local firefighters. Associations can also use relief funds to purchase new firetrucks, make fire station improvements and purchase firefighter gear.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Topeka receives $25 million sidewalk grant
The City of Topeka will be receiving $25 million dollars from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) for sidewalk projects. Topeka is receiving funds under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program. The project will see 50 miles of sidewalk repair and construction along River Road, Southeast California Avenue and in the Central Highland Park neighborhood. Topeka was one of 148 projects selected by the Biden administration. “This grant in the amount of $25 Million will allow us to do some transformative projects for the City of Topeka.” said Public Works Director Braxton Copley.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Park City recycling plant fire now under control. Crews continue to monitor hot spots
Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Brad Crisp announced Wednesday afternoon that the fire at Park City’s Evergreen Recycle plant is officially under control, although crews will remain on scene for at least another day. Some piles of materials were still smoldering, but there were no more flames as of 3 p.m., county spokesperson Stephanie Birmingham said. Last time the recycling plant caught fire in October 2022, video evidence showed the blaze was a result of mulch and grass spontaneously igniting under wood piles. This time, investigators likely won’t be able to identify a definite cause, Fire Chief Doug Williams told county commissioners Wednesday morning. “It’s going to be one that’s probably going to end up being undetermined. We didn’t have video on this one,” he said. Commissioner David Dennis asked Williams what he expects the bill to be for overtime pay and whether the county should make a claim on the recycling facility’s insurance to cover costs. “One of the problems we get into if we bill for services is, you have to bill everybody,” Williams said. “You can’t just selectively say, ‘Well, this guy really upset us so we’re going to bill him.’ We have to bill everybody. And I think that normally is what causes the failure of these insurances to pay. The first thing they’re going to say is, ‘Well, you didn’t bill the last fire you went to.’”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Park City relaxes firewall code for future development
Building inspector Bob Walker recommended the change because he believes the city’s previous firewall regulations for townhomes were excessive. A firewall is used to delay the spread of a fire with a prescribed fire resistance duration and independent structural stability. This allows a building to be divided into smaller sections. Previously, the city code listed a two-hour firewall fire resistance rating requirement for common walls in townhomes that are not equipped with automatic sprinkler systems.
Source: Ark Valley News
Developers have bold plans for Park City entertainment district
A new commercial district in Park City broke ground on June 14 at the former Echo Hills Golf Course between 53rd and 61st streets on the west side of I-135. Projects being constructed on the property include a baseball complex, butterfly garden and an aquarium. … One of the largest draws of the new Park City district — a project that could be a national attraction — is the aquarium. The project is being handled by a group called OdySea out of Scottsdale, Arizona. OdySea’s aquarium in Scottsdale opened in 2016. It is the largest aquarium in the southwest United States at 200,000 square feet and houses more than 30,000 animals. The campus of the aquarium includes a boardwalk with a Ferris wheel and a butterfly garden — concepts that will also be included in the Park City project. The aquarium in Park City will be 80,000 square feet with more than 1,500 animals.
Source: Ark Valley News
Municipal Bond Trends for June 26, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for June 25, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Bringing together families and nature is at the center of Andover’s recreational park revamp
Andover is expecting to see a large influx of population in the near future. Taking this into consideration, the city proposed a 1% sales tax increase to fund projects that will support the incoming population. One of those projects included the revitalization of the Andover 13th Street Sports Park. The park is heavily utilized each year by hundreds of youth baseball players, but often fell short in the ability to host the number of games needed. Other problems like drainage issues were common throughout the park, and the parking lot and spectator seating were in desperate need of expansion. All of those problems and many more are being addressed during the revamp that began May 2023.
Source: Andover American
Newton reviews land bank policies
The land bank also considered policies to standardize practices. The policies included goals, like transferring ownership of unclaimed blighted properties to a taxpayer, reducing properties under violation, supporting homeownership and expanding the tax base. The land bank said they would like to look at changing the goals to include nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity. Daniela Rivas, city manager, said that generally land banks were used for putting land back on the tax roll, but nonprofits could be included.
Source: Harvey County Now
Zoning changes could help Newton childcare shortage
With current childcare regulations, a person wanting to run a facility from their house must get permission from the city in many areas. … The commissioners said they would like to look into changing the zoning requirements in the future so childcare facilities can open in the heart of the city without opening the property up to other businesses if the current owner were to move.
Source: Harvey County Now
Fed Governor Bowman says she’s still open to raising rates if inflation doesn’t improve
Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman said Tuesday the time is not right yet to start lowering interest rates, adding she would be open to raising if inflation doesn’t pull back. “Should the incoming data indicate that inflation is moving sustainably toward our 2 percent goal, it will eventually become appropriate to gradually lower the federal funds rate to prevent monetary policy from becoming overly restrictive,” Bowman said in prepared remarks for a speech in London. “However, we are still not yet at the point where it is appropriate to lower the policy rate.” Those comments reflect a prevailing sentiment at the central bank, in which most policymakers have said in recent weeks that, while they still expect inflation to get back to the Fed’s 2% target, they need more evidence. Recent readings have shown moderating inflation, with the Fed’s preferred indicator running just under 3%. However, the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee noted after its last meeting that there has been only “modest further progress.”
Source: Economy
Cowley County’s first temporary homeless shelter welcomed its first guest last week
An emergency shelter is now open in Cowley County, and it has already housed its first temporary residents. The shelter has been in the works for years but now has the opportunity to change lives. In Cowley County, resources for housing are slim. The Cowley House of Hope shelter is meant to fill those gaps. The shelter’s been in the works since 2017 when thousands of dollars had to be raised to make it a reality. The shelter is built similarly to a duplex. It sleeps five people and has two rooms with several beds in each. Each room also has a small kitchen and bathroom. Winfield, the seat of Cowley County, doesn’t have enough resources to put into homeless infrastructure. So, the city and county turned to nonprofits to fill in the gaps. “A lot of shelters have staff, or they have more steady resources than what we do. We’re dependent mainly and mostly, entirely on donations, private donations,” said Bradley Gamber, the director of the Cowley House of Hope. Due to the lack of funding, the shelter is still small, but officials with Winfield said that at any given point in Cowley County, there are between 14 and 30 people struggling with housing.
Source: KLC Journal
‘It’s helped a lot’: Evergreen Recycle passed its fire inspection just weeks before massive blaze
Fire crews have been fighting a blaze at Evergreen Recycle in Park City for more than two days. During a similar fire in 2022, investigators said part of the challenge was that the owner wasn’t following fire code with the wood piles, and it took nine days to put out. “It’s a challenge. I don’t know that it’s a strain. We’ve got maybe 40% of our resources out here right now,” said Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Brad Crisp. “In 2022 when we were here, we put about 1,500,000 gallons of water on it.” In October of 2022, crews rushed to a similar fire at Evergreen to discover that owner Jeff Ralls wasn’t following fire code, which they say made it even more difficult to control. For example, Crisp says the piles of wood can’t legally be higher than 25 feet, but investigators said they were between 35 and 60 feet high in 2022. Crisp says another violation was the narrow roadways between the piles, which are supposed to be a minimum of 40 feet wide so firefighters have plenty of room to maneuver. Crews ended up battling the fire around the clock for nine days straight. But Crisp says this time, it’s a different story. “The property owners did a lot of work since that last fire to keep the piles smaller, lower, and more spread out,” said Crisp. Crisp says Ralls is now in full compliance.
Source: KAKE – News
New retail stores could boost Pittsburg’s economy
The city of Pittsburg approved a tax incentive for a new retail development featuring three major stores. The plan includes adding Ulta, Rack Room, and Five Below to the city’s shopping options, aiming to retain local shoppers and provide more variety. The agreement with a group representing the Pittsburg Town Center Shopping Complex redistributes the 1.5% local sales tax collected by three new retailers. 2/3 of it will go to the city. The other 1/3 will go to the developer to recoup construction costs, with a cap of $600,000 or 20 years of collections, whichever comes first. Officials expressed interest in the project after witnessing the success of Marshall’s, which was added to Pittsburg’s retail landscape in November 2022. “We’ve recently added Marshall’s, which has been extremely successful,” said Kim Froman, Director of Community Development and Housing. “We’ve seen a 23% increase in that shopping area since the addition of Marshall’s. So we’re really excited for that.” Froman believes that bringing in Ulta, Rack Room, and Five Below will enhance the local shopping experience and keep residents from traveling to nearby cities for their retail needs.
Source: KOAM News
Shawnee Mission task force looks to clarify district’s approach to accepting, allocating donations
Troubled by what they see as a perceived pattern that favors wealthier neighborhoods, some Shawnee Mission school board members have begun to discuss how the district should handle private donations, bequests and gifts. A three-member task force of board members Jessica Hembree, Jamie Borgman and David Westbrook met for the first time on the topic last week. Their aim is to better understand the existing policies on donations and find a way to clarify the district’s position on how that money should be spent. Almost every Shawnee Mission school board meeting includes at least one vote on whether to accept private donations and bequests. Often those votes are part of a consent agenda lumped in with various other non-controversial items. But some board members have been uncomfortable with the limited descriptions and discussion of those donations and have asked for a fuller explanation of the mechanics and rules.
Source: Johnson County Post
AGCO announces layoffs, citing ‘weakened demand’
AGCO has announced that around 6% of its workforce will be laid off due to “weakened demand in the agriculture industry.” It is not known exactly how many employees will be affected at their Hesston production facility, or the timing as to when the layoffs will take effect. In a statement, the company says the layoffs are not related to a shift in production to Mexico that was announced earlier this month. AGCO says that the Hesston facility will continue to manufacture Massey Ferguson windrowers, large square balers, combines and combine headers. The company has invested more than $28 million into the facility since 2021. Those investments have been focused on updating and modernizing systems and equipment. “By streamlining the Hesston portfolio, our goal is to secure a profitable future for the plant,” the company added.
Source: KAKE – News
Pittsburg approves purchase of garbage trucks for public trash service
The city of Pittsburg approved the purchase of two garbage trucks for a total of $489,996 to help operate a public trash service. They also approved the purchase of 500 96-gallon poly carts, 50 2-yard dumpsters, and 50 4-yard dumpsters for a total of $97,108. The city is investing in a publicly operated trash service in the wake of issues residents have been having with CARDS Recycling and Waste Management. Officials say the public service will be another option for residents. KOAM will continue following the progress and updates for residents concerning the City’s planned trash service.
Source: KOAM News
Fire departments speak out against proposed OSHA regulations
First responders like firefighters are known to be in dangerous jobs. But OSHA, the federal agency that set and enforces standards for workplace conditions is hoping to help make those work environments as safe as possible. According to OSHA, the “existing safety and health standards do not adequately protect the emergency response workforce from these hazards.” The federal agency has proposed a set of new regulations that would replace the current fire brigade standard implemented in 1980. “From what I can gather from OSHA is they’re wanting to combine a whole bunch of, like, 22 guidelines into one mandate. Mandate is a little scary,” says Kevin Theilen, Deputy Fire Chief of the Duenweg Fire Department. Fire departments and associations across the country are now speaking out against the proposed standards, including the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Firefighter Association of Missouri. “No one is discounting that there could be room for improved firefighter safety, and the National Fire Protection Association plus other standards are a valuable guide in getting there but not as a club which could and “WILL IN SOME CASES” cripple some departments and potentially close others in low populated areas due to extraordinary budget limitations,” wrote the Firefighter Association of Missouri in a response to the OSHA proposal.
Source: KOAM News
AGCO downsizing due to weakening demand in agriculture industry
AGCO states they are reducing their salaried workforce by about 6% due to weakening demand in the agriculture industry. The company is not saying what locations are being affected. AGCO is estimating that they will spend $150 million to $200 million, which includes severance payments and employee benefits. They expect that amount to be spent this year and in the first half of 2025. The company said the decision to reduce its workforce is not related to the shift in production to Mexico, which was announced earlier in June. “Hesston will continue to manufacture Massey Ferguson windrowers, large square balers, combines and combine headers using the more than $28 million in investments made in the Kansas facility since 2021,” said AGCO in a statement to KSN. “Those investments have focused on updating and modernizing Hesston’s systems and equipment. By streamlining the Hesston portfolio, our goal is to secure a profitable future for the plant.”
Source: KSN-TV
A Mammoth mitigation plan
Killing two birds with one stone. This was the idea behind Mammoth Sports Construction’s presentation at Monday evening’s joint meeting of the Iola City Council and school board. Riverside Park poses flooding issues for the city and USD 257 has a need for ballfields that can still be utilized following heavy rains. The solution? Synthetic turf fields, bigger holding ponds and larger pumps to mitigate and redirect flood waters, according to Mammoth. The scope of the $3.733 million project includes an artificial turf softball, baseball, and football field that will help store flood waters during a major storm event. The fields would operate as water detention areas from which water would be redirected north of the football field and west to a detention pond in a picnic area. From these locations, the water would then be pumped beyond the park’s levee to the north and west. The fields would include layers of sand and rock, with trenches. In times of heavy rains, the runoff would be stored in a perimeter drain that reroutes the water to a holding pond.
Source: The Iola Register
SE Kansas under drought watch, Galena enacts emergency measures
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly put all of Southeast Kansas under a “drought watch” on Monday. A water drought emergency ordinance continues in Galena. It came from the state through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and required the city to establish three stages of water conservation measures in case of an emergency. The city uses wells and is working on getting another one up and running. “I hope everybody, myself included, is conscious of their water usage – because I think we take a lot of things for granted – and at any time, something could turn on the dime,” said Ashley Qualls Groves, Galena Mayor. The city uses Missouri American Water as its backup source in the case of an emergency.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Sedgwick County regulators hold up giant solar farm on Wichita’s outskirts amid objections from neighbors
Sedgwick County appeared poised to follow its ban on wind farms with widely vetted regulations that would allow acre after acre of solar panels pumping renewable energy into the electrical grid. Instead, the county still has a moratorium on the construction of large-scale solar farms. “Boils down to a simple phrase: not in my backyard,” said Walt Chappell, a solar power booster and longtime critic of local government. The stall leaves the industry frustrated and some environmentalists upset that objections from neighbors who’d be near a proposed Chisholm Trail utility-scale solar project west of Maize may have blocked the project. Sedgwick County needed regulations for the relatively new form of industrial development — and it got high marks from the industry and federal agencies for what the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission drafted. But after the county was confronted with a specific solar farm proposed for the northwest suburbs of Wichita, local officials balked in March and extended the county’s moratorium for six months.
Source: KSN-TV
New expressway officially opens in SE Kansas
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has officially opened the newly constructed U.S. 166/400 four-lane expressway, improving travel from Baxter Springs to the Kansas-Missouri border. This long-anticipated development is set to streamline traffic and enhance connectivity in the region. Currently, eastbound traffic on the new lanes is limited to a single lane until the final placement of pavement markings is completed. Motorists are advised to follow the signs and exercise caution as work continues. As construction activities are still ongoing in the project area, KDOT urges drivers to stay vigilant, obey traffic signs, and adhere to reduced speed limits to ensure safety for all.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Riley County firefighters host ‘forced entry’ training
Firefighters in Riley County came together to host a ‘forceful entry’ training session Tuesday evening. The firefighters were given a vacant home to use during the training. Workers filled the home with fake smoke to simulate an actual house fire, which firefighters forcefully entered to put out the source. Riley County Emergency Management Director and Fire Chief Russel Stukey told 27 News the two most important things firefighters need to remember when forcefully entering a burning building are safety and following procedure. “Do the least amount of damage as possible, but enough to get the job done, to get us in the building safely and have a safe way to get out,” Stukey said. “And then also to perform ventilation operations which is to get the heat and smoke out of the structure.” ‘Forceful entry’ training is just one of several training sessions firefighters in Riley County attend each month.
Source: KSNT 27 News