Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Another city-owned ‘ghost town’ neighborhood in south Wichita is about to get a facelift

Wichita resident Wenedra Bell grew up in a city-owned home on the south side near Hydraulic and I-135, and is now in the middle of an entire neighborhood of boarded-up homes. “We had block parties, the children were everywhere…it was nice. It was real homey,” Bell said, describing what the neighborhood used to be like. “It’s sad. It’s like a ghost town here. It’s not the same at all.” City Councilman Mike Hoheisel says the city owns nearly fifty homes in the neighborhood, and most of them have been abandoned and boarded up for about five years now. “It’s an understandable concern because you don’t want to see that in your neighborhood,” Hoheisel said. Hoheisel says the good news is that the city has approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, to renovate and sell the homes twelve at a time. He says that while there’s always a lot of red tape dealing with Washington, one of the big advantages he’s had to get the ball rolling versus a similar city-owned ghost town sitting stagnant near 21st and I-135 is that it’s easier to get environmental approval from HUD in his area. “Each of these homes also has to have an environmental report about that thick coming along with it for us to put it back on the market,” Hoheisel explained.
Source: KAKE – News

Topeka Police help out Special Olympics Kansas

The Topeka Police Department partnered with Special Olympics Kansas Tuesday for an annual fundraiser. The statewide event, TIP-A-COP, took place at Applebee’s. From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. 10% of sales made went back to Special Olympics Kansas. It’s something that means a lot to both officers and the athletes. “Law enforcements involved, involvement with special Olympics, that’s why we’re here, and we’re really just here to support the athletes and help them out, let them know how important they are to us,” Topeka Police Department Sgt. Dan Wilson said. “It feels awesome that they’re showing that they care and that we mean a lot to them,” Special Olympics Kansas Athlete Rylee Robinson said. On top of the fundraiser, TPD raffled off four tickets to a Kansas City Royals baseball game.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Federal grant of $500,000 will help city address domestic violence

The two-year grant will pay for additional staffing and community resources. Police Chief Robert Spinks announced the grant at the city commission’s work session on Thursday. City Manager Debbie Lamb said the grant will be for $506,380. Spinks said he proposed a demonstration project that focuses on domestic violence, prevention, intervention and support services. The county attorney, city attorney, Safe House advocates and other agencies will be involved. Parsons has seen increased rates of domestic violence incidents in recent years. Spinks said the grant will fund a new full-time detective sergeant position to focus on domestic violence. It also pays for a full time victim advocate working with victims in district court. The office space for the project will be Suite 4 at the training annex at 21st and Corning. He said Safe House administrators thought having the domestic violence center away from the police department was important. The grant also provides training, pays for office equipment and utilities. Funding will also be available to provide a motel room or basic needs for children in certain instances.
Source: Parsons Sun

Visit Manhattan launches “Manhappiness” campaign to draw in visitors

Visit Manhattan on Friday launched its “Manhappiness” campaign to showcase the culture and experiences the city has to offer visitor. As part of the campaign, Visit Manhattan will highlight the diverse attractions, events and amenities that it believes make the region a top destination for leisure, business and family-friendly experiences. That includes the downtown area’s shops and restaurants, the scenery of the Flint Hills and more. “We are excited to unveil the ‘Manhappiness’ campaign and invite everyone to discover the joy of Manhattan,” said Marcia Rozell, director of Visit Manhattan, in a written statement. “With its rich cultural heritage, outdoor recreational opportunities and welcoming community, Manhattan offers something for everyone, whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation or simply a memorable getaway.” The campaign will feature a variety of marketing initiatives, including digital and social media promotions, visual content, storytelling and partnerships with local hospitality businesses and attractions. Through these efforts, Visit Manhattan “aims to inspire travel enthusiasts, families, event planners and business travelers to experience the happiness of Manhattan firsthand,” according to a release.
Source: themercury.com

Municipal Bond Trends for April 9, 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 April 8, 2024

At 8 million square feet, solar project would be same size as 4,000 homes

In all of Grant Township — one of several names for this place north of North Lawrence — there are 169 homes spread across its approximately 11,000 acres, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Simple enough. As the crow said, not very many. But soon, the counting around here may get more complicated. Plans have been filed for a utility-scale solar “farm” that would put 237,300 solar panels on about 600 acres of farm fields. That is nearly 8 million square feet of solar panels.
Source: LJWorld

Higher for Longer After All? Investors See Fed Rates Falling More Slowly.

Investors were betting big on Federal Reserve rate cuts at the start of 2024, wagering that central bankers would lower interest rates to around 4 percent by the end of the year. But after months of stubborn inflation and strong economic growth, the outlook is starting to look much less dramatic. Market pricing now suggests that rates will end the year in the neighborhood of 4.75 percent. That would mean Fed officials had cut rates two or three times from their current 5.3 percent.
Source: NYT > Business

Five finalists for city manager say Topeka must address these key issues

Before the meet and greet, the city council, mayor and a panel of community stakeholders, appointed by the mayor, interviewed each candidate. The panelists included Danielle Twemlow, Laura Burton, Keith Warta, Kerry Pancoast and Susan Duffy. City council member David Banks said he was pleased with the turnout at Monday’s event. “It’s just nice to see everybody here,” Banks said.
Source: CJonline

Kansas solar development sparks emotional debate in Great Bend

There was a collective sigh of relief from members of the Barton County Planning Commission following a lengthy morning meeting March 14. They had just approved the final draft of new zoning regulations and a revised zoning map governing the development of large-scale and commercial solar energy conversion systems, rules that were OK’d Friday by the Barton County Commission during a special meeting. These actions capped an arduous 10 months of meetings, hearings and heartfelt testimony as county residents came to grips with the idea of having a solar installation in their backyards.
Source: Kansas Reflector

North Newton to discuss marijuana ordinance

The City of North Newton will consider changing first-time possession of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor charge to an infraction. North Newton Police Chief Jim Bethards is submitting the proposal to the North Newton City Council. He said the change would save his department time and save the city money. “One distinction we want people to understand is it’s not decriminalization like Wichita or Lawrence has done,” he said. “It’s just a first-offense thing that moves the process a little quicker.”
Source: Harvey County Now

Olathe land had belonged to one family since Civil War. Soon it will be a city park

Land that has been in the hands of Olathe’s Hoff family since the Civil War is set to become the city’s latest neighborhood park. Construction starts on Pioneer Park later this year, with the goal of being done by next summer. The 16.7-acre piece of land where the park will sit is immediately north of College Boulevard and slightly west of Woodland Road and the Stone Pillar Winery. Marcie Hoff and her husband Tom Hoff had decided to will the land to the city back in 2005, but they later resolved to give it earlier.
Source: Joco 913 News

‘Step into a simpler time’

Two committed Crawford County residents are making progress on bringing back the days of a nostalgic old-fashioned general shop to the west side of Girard’s historic downtown square, complete with antiques, homemade ice cream, and candies. Jim and Kathi Cooper, of Farlington Lake, have worked endlessly since August in building the store, which has an anticipated completion date of August 2024. It all started when Kathi Cooper found herself in the Girard Public Library, researching the history of the town square.
Source: Morning Sun

Overland Park to remove thousands more infected ash trees — Here’s where

Overland Park is taking steps to remove more dying and dead ash trees that line city streets. The Overland Park City Council Community Development Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended for approval a bid tabulation for a second formal round of ash tree removal. This slate of removals, anticipated to cost just shy of $865,000, will be funded entirely from federal COVID-19 relief funds. Emerald ash borers, a type of insect that is not native to the U.S., have wreaked havoc on ash trees. A type of beetle, female ash borers lay eggs in ash trees and those offspring feed on the trees, damaging and oftentimes killing them. At one point, Overland Park had more than 10,000 ash trees in its street canopy, roughly a quarter of all trees in the city. Laura Peterson, one of the city’s foresters, told the committee on Wednesday that the pest was first detected in Overland Park in 2014. Since then, it’s all but wiped out the ash tree population in the city. Over the years, the city had removed infected ash trees, mostly one by one. But last year, Overland Park embarked on its first widespread removal effort, targeting dead or dying trees in 12 neighborhoods.
Source: Johnson County Post

‘Act of listening’: Retiring Wichita officer has spent years answering life-or-death calls

One evening early in Dan Oblinger’s career with the Wichita Police Department, he responded to a call he was unprepared for — a woman dangling over the guardrail on the top floor of the Bank of America parking garage downtown, intent on ending her life. She felt alone, without hope. He didn’t know what to do. He tried to tell her how she should feel and what she should do. That didn’t help. “That lasted probably 15 minutes, which doesn’t sound like a long time … but in that situation it feels like a lifetime,” the 42-year-old said, reflecting back on a career that was greatly influenced by the events of that night. “Then I shut up and started listening to her. She had some stuff to say so once I stopped trying to convince her — and I couldn’t say anything, because I didn’t know what to say — she actually started talking. Then I figured out you just have to ask some questions.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Wichita is poised to settle a lawsuit challenging police gang list. Here’s what it means

The city of Wichita is poised to settle a lawsuit brought by Kansas Appleseed and the ACLU of Kansas that contended the Wichita Police Department’s gang list is unconstitutional. Last fall, a federal judge granted class-action status to the 5,245 people on the gang list. If City Council members approve the settlement Tuesday, Wichita will pay $550,000 in legal fees and costs. The mediated agreement would not require Wichita to destroy its gang list as plaintiffs initially called for. Instead, a judge would appoint a special master to oversee its ongoing use by the police department for three years at an additional cost of $75,000 to the city. “This mediated agreement narrows and clarifies the criteria the Wichita Police Department can use to place a person on the gang list/database, with increased oversight on the gang list/database process to review when and how someone can be listed,” the agenda report states. City documents do not elaborate on how the process for placing someone on the gang list would change.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

How long would it take to run every street in Wichita? Local runner now knows after being first

The most challenging part about running every square inch of Wichita? Loose dogs. Jason Niblack was chased by dozens of them, cornered multiple times, even had a driver cut in between him and a pack of aggressive dogs. He eventually started carrying pepper spray but never had to use it. The 48-year-old software engineering manager at NetApp also had a couple of interesting encounters with police en route to running Wichita’s 3,886 streets over 596 runs. He finished the feat Easter morning after a few years of what he called obsessive running once he found out about how to track running on every street in the city. It led him to see many hidden gems in the city he spent his whole life in, but also showed him stark lifestyle differences among people who live just blocks away from one another. Niblack, who started running in his 30s after realizing how unhealthy he was during a boot camp put on by a coworker, is the only person known to have run every inch of Wichita.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Goessel City Council works on flooding issue

The Goessel city council met on March 25 and discussed the flood control project. Mayor Evan Esau talked about concrete and debris that need to be removed from the creek that runs through town. Some trees also need to be removed, as well as a dam on private property. It was noted that some property owners in that area have already removed the trees on their property pointed out by Darin Neufeld of EBH Engineering. He had walked through the creek area with members of the council to show them specifically what needed to be removed for the water to flow through town to avoid flooding. The council noted that it is the responsibility of homeowners to clean out their culverts. Turning their attention to another matter, the council spent some time discussing equipment. The tractor that had been repaired does not work; it still has the same problem. The city will pay for the parts that had been billed, but will not pay for the labor yet. The city’s road grader does not work either, and parts are no longer available to fix it since it is old. The council has looked into purchasing another road grader but made no decision. In the meantime, they accepted a contract to hire the road work at 10 hours a month for $125 per hour.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

New sculpture honoring Leawood’s 75-year history coming soon

Now that the Leawood City Council has given final funding approvals, a massive sculpture celebrating the city’s 75th anniversary — and compared in importance by one councilmember to a piece by Michelangelo — can begin its journey from New Orleans to the corner of Mission Road and Lee Boulevard. The 844-mile-trip between New Orleans and Leawood will have to be made four times with the sculpture broken down into movable pieces. But that is only the latest chapter. “Reaching,” a 28-foot tall, 15,000-pound work by William Nemitoff, has already been on an epic journey that began in 2021 and has included debates over the site, a proposed parking lot, supply chain issues and unexpected installation expenses. “I have to think of Michelangelo doing the Sistine Chapel. I’m sure that didn’t start and finish the way everybody envisioned it,” said Councilmember Debra Filla as the city council prepared to approve installation spending Monday night. “I do think it is going to be one spectacular thing. I’m going to put it on my nightly prayer list — installed by July 1, installed by July 1.”
Source: Johnson County Post

Wichita City Council unanimously passes program for water-saving devices

A program to provide incentives for some water-saving devices has passed with a vote of seven to zero. Wichita has offered water conservation rebate programs since 2013 in an attempt to save water. These rebates come as water bill credits and since its conception, rebates totaling $1,654,007 have been approved. These water saving units have saved roughly 478 million gallons of water. The 2024 program hopes to save water by offering incentives to people who install water-saving devices such as rain barrels, smart irrigation controllers, rain sensors, faucet/hose irrigation controllers, leak repair kits and dual flush conversion kits. Customers are limited to five rebates per year.
Source: KAKE – News

Municipal Bond Trends for April 5, 2024

Municipal Bond Trends for April 4, 2024

Topeka announces five finalists for city manager position

On Wednesday, the City of Topeka announced the five finalists for the Topeka City Manager Position. The finalists will be participating in two interview panels on Monday, April 8. The interviews will not be open to the public, but a meet and greet will be held for members of the public on April 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Hotel Topeka Emerald Ballroom at 1717 SW Topeka Boulevard.
Read more: KSNT

Planning Commission wrestles with battery storage questions

While no official decision was made during the Halstead Planning Commission work session Monday evening, the commission seemed to be leaning toward creating regulations to guide a company interested in installing a battery energy storage system (BESS) in the city’s industrial park. Other options included banning the operation all altogether or amending the code to allow battery storage systems.
Source: Harvey County Now

Newton Public Library opens to large crowd

You can now check out and check out from the new Newton Public Library. The library, its board, the City of Newton, donors, the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, along with members of the public, celebrated the opening of the building with a ribbon cutting Monday morning. More than 200 people were in attendance. “This is a momentous occasion, and it’s made possible by the unwavering support by our community and the dedication of our community and numerous organizations,” Larry Lee, library board vice president, told the crowd.
Source: Harvey County Now

Emporia’s Bird scooter program shutting down this week

The Bird scooters zipping around Emporia the past three years will be, pardon the pun, flying away soon. Bird has announced it will be ending its local presence March 31. Emporia city commissioners approved a partnership with Bird in 2021…
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio

Westwood resident appeals JoCo judge decision on park sale, city motions to dismiss

Westwood’s main park remains the subject of a legal battle, now making its way through the appellate courts. Beckie Brown … Brown is appealing the decision against allowing her to intervene in the city’s request for the court’s ruling on whether a protest petition against the sale of the park was invalid. The judge ruled the petition was invalid in late February, siding with the city.
Source: Johnson County Post

Lime will bring e-scooters, e-bikes to Overland Park

Lime Micromobility will bring a fleet of its electric scooters and bikes to Overland Park for riders to rent. On Monday, the Overland Park City Council unanimously approved a new operating agreement with Neutron Holdings, Inc., the California-based business arm of Lime.
Source: Johnson County Post

Developer plans hotel, amphitheater

Plans to build a hotel north of Burlington also include a proposal for an amphitheater to seat up to 2,500, the Coffey County Republican reported. Developers hope to use STAR bonds to help fund building projects and they require a tourism draw, Coffey County commissioners learned earlier this week. A developer plans to build a 72- to 80-room hotel with other facilities such as restaurants or an RV park on a 9-acre tract. Another development would include Hoover’s Thriftway, Bomgaars and a 30-acre tract east of the hotel where the amphitheater will be constructed. The community improvement district would collect sales tax to pay for improvements.
Source: The Iola Register

Maize program has students growing food for lunch

Students at Maize schools are getting the opportunity to reap what they sow. A grant from the Department of Agriculture allowed them to buy 35 hydroponic gardens to be distributed in all 14 schools. Megan Barnard, the director of food service for Maize, says they looked for a way to get local, sustainable, fresh produce. Each garden is equivalent to a 40-square-foot farm. There are 18 different varieties, including kale, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes. “Using less water than if we were to purchase it from a farm grown in Arizona and California,” Barnard said. “So our footprint is a little bit less when we’re using it here at the school.” An educator is in charge of the garden, but students are responsible for the daily maintenance like testing the PH and trimming the roots. The students plant, maintain harvest, and eat what they produce. The students are trying and learning about crops unfamiliar to them, setting them up for the future. “Gives them exposure to some culinary aspects and agricultural aspects that they maybe wouldn’t have considered as a career,” Barnard said. “So as they get older in our high schools, they have the career and technical education path that they could now have some exposure and be interested in and take those classes and already have a leg up.” Barnard says educators are using the gardens to teach hands-on learning in science and agriculture, as well as skills like leadership and social-emotional learning.
Source: KSN-TV

Commerce Awards Nearly $1.5M in CDBG Grants for Housing and Commercial Projects

The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced that five Kansas cities will receive a share of $1,450,000 through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to assist with community development projects. CDBG, administered by the Department of Commerce, is a federal grant program that provides funding for projects that help low- to moderate-income neighborhoods prosper. “These grants provide critical support to Kansas communities and downtown areas for important projects that might not otherwise happen,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The CDBG program allows Commerce to partner with local communities and address specific housing and building issues standing in the way of progress.” The CDBG Housing program provides funding to support the rehabilitation of housing units and the demolition of blighted structures. Awarded cities completed the Housing Assessment Tool (HAT) and identified Housing Rehabilitation as a program area to address their needs.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Fed’s Powell emphasizes need for more evidence that inflation is easing before cutting rates

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday it will take a while for policymakers to evaluate the current state of inflation, keeping the timing of potential interest rate cuts uncertain. Speaking specifically about stronger than expected price pressures to start the year, the central bank leader said he and his fellow officials are in no rush to ease monetary policy. “On inflation, it is too soon to say whether the recent readings represent more than just a bump,” Powell said in prepared remarks ahead of a question-and-answer session at Stanford University. “We do not expect that it will be appropriate to lower our policy rate until we have greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably down toward 2 percent,” he added. “Given the strength of the economy and progress on inflation so far, we have time to let the incoming data guide our decisions on policy.” The remarks come a week after the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee again voted to hold benchmark short-term borrowing rates steady. In addition, the committee’s post meeting statement on March 20 included the “greater confidence” qualifier needed before cutting.
Source: Finance

Employees drawn to Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program

Three newly-hired apprentices at two companies say the chance to earn money while they learn more about their jobs was one of the main reasons they considered positions created through Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) award-winning Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program (RKAP). South Bend Industrial Hemp used the program to hire Joseph Rogers and Kaidence Sanchez as hemp processing facility operators at the Great Bend-based company. “I think it’s really cool the apprenticeship comes with some educational opportunities,” Rogers says. Sanchez says he’s never seen anything like the apprenticeship program and believes “it’s an exciting way to learn more and earn more money.” Camron Hicks is the second apprentice hired through RKAP at Moundridge-based Mid-Kansas Cooperative (MKC). He’s training as an operations specialist at MKC’s Canton location. Hicks says he wants to travel throughout Kansas and learn more about grain elevators, and he sees a real career path through his apprenticeship.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Wichita.gov would become ‘official city newspaper’ under council proposal

City Hall’s own website, Wichita.gov would be recognized as the “official city newspaper” under a proposed charter ordinance the City Council will vote on Tuesday. Doing so would allow the city to terminate its contract for publishing copies of new ordinances and notices of other official actions in The Eagle, including notices about imposing taxes, creating benefit districts and amending the zoning code. The publication of legal notices in a designated newspaper is required by state law. In supporting documents, the city cites a July 2023 nonbinding legal opinion by Attorney General Kris Kobach declaring that second-class cities — those with between 2,000 and 15,000 residents — can circumvent the third-party publication requirement. City staff asserts that the same should hold true for any city that invokes home rule on the issue. (…) Update, April 2: The City Council delayed a vote on the proposed charter ordinance until June 4 to allow district advisory boards to review the proposal. The June 4 meeting will be held at 6 p.m. inside the council chambers at City Hall.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Cold War exhibit coming to Abilene

A new temporary exhibit is now on display at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. The exhibit, “Cold War: Soviets, Spies and Secrets,” displays pieces from the Cold War, which was an integral era of history. The information, activities, and artifacts highlight the Cold War era from spies that infiltrated governments to the stockpiling of nuclear weapons. The exhibit is on loan from the Nixon Presidential Foundation and Library and will be available to view through March 2025.
Source: Derby Informer | News

New $10 million library opens in Newton

A $10 million library in Newton is complete and opens to the public Monday at 10 a.m. The 30,000-square-foot facility is southeast of the old library. On Dec. 27, 2022, the Newton City Commission voted to accept a bid for the construction of the new library, and the ground was broken in early 2023. The new facility includes a children’s library with a learn-play-grow area, early literacy computers, and a family restroom and nursing room. The new teen area has a game zone and book collection. There are also six study rooms and a digital access lab for individuals and small groups to collaborate, work, study, and create. There is a covered outdoor seating area leading into Military Park. The layout of the park and additional parking will allow events such as outdoor movie nights, concerts, block parties, and farmer’s markets. It is accessible, one level and offers a drive-through window. Services such as public computers, faxing, newspapers, books, media and more are more efficient and appealing. The City of Newton committed $4.5 million to the project, and Newton Public Library committed $2.7 million. The community contributed about $3.3 million.
Source: KSN-TV

Governor Kelly Announces KMW to Invest $105M in Sterling, Create 251 New Jobs in Kansas

Governor Laura Kelly today announced that KMW, a precision manufacturer of agricultural front loaders, backhoes, and other attachments, will invest $105 million to construct a new North American headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility in Sterling. The venture will create 251 new jobs, resulting in a local workforce of 485. “There’s no doubt – this investment will grow our economy and create more opportunities for Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Our efforts to make Kansas one of the most pro-business states in the country is paying off for workers everywhere, including our rural communities.” KMW selected Sterling in Rice County after a rigorous competition among Midwestern states. In addition to the headquarters, moving to the 151-acre site on the north side of Sterling will allow KMW to continue growing its manufacturing capabilities. “The partnership forged between Agrostroj Pelhrimov, KMW, the City of Sterling, Rice County, and the State of Kansas sets an exemplary precedent,” KMW Ltd. North American Operations CEO Wayne Buchberger said. “This expansion aligns seamlessly with our commitment to agricultural and other products manufacturing, and we’re excited to continue our growth right here in the city of Sterling – the city where we were founded in 1965 and have grown ever since.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Kansas is one step away from harsher penalties for those who kill law enforcement animals

Kansas could soon have harsher penalties for anyone who kills a police animal after lawmakers voted Tuesday on a bill that was introduced after a wanted man ran from police and hid in a storm drain where he then strangled Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office K-9 deputy Bane. Bane, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, died at the scene of the Nov. 16 police standoff in southeast Wichita. The state House approved HB 2583 115-6 on Tuesday. It is now up to Gov. Laura Kelly to sign or veto the bill. The current punishment for killing or harming a police dog ranges from 30 days or up to a year in prison and a fine between $500 to $5,000. If the measure passes, a first-time offender who disables or kills a police horse or dog, an arson dog, game warden’s dog or a search-and-rescue dog could see a prison sentence of 38-43 months; it’s between 55-61 months if the animal is killed while the suspect is trying to elude police. Additionally, they would face a minimum of a $10,000 fine and possible restitution.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Fed officials still expects rate cuts this year, but not anytime soon

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said Tuesday she still expects interest rate cuts this year, but ruled out the next policy meeting in May. Mester also indicated that the long-run path is higher than policymakers had previously thought. The central bank official noted progress made on inflation while the economy has continued to grow. Should that continue, rate cuts are likely, though she didn’t offer any guidance on timing or extent. “I continue to think that the most likely scenario is that inflation will continue on its downward trajectory to 2 percent over time. But I need to see more data to raise my confidence,” Mester said in prepared remarks for a speech in Cleveland. Additional inflation readings will provide clues as to whether some higher-than-expected data points this year either were temporary blips or a sign that the progress on inflation “is stalling out,” she added. “I do not expect I will have enough information by the time of the FOMC’s next meeting to make that determination,” Mester said.
Source: Finance

City of Lawrence seeks input to develop brick streets and sidewalks policy

The City of Lawrence wants community feedback as staff members look to develop a policy on maintenance, restoration and preservation of brick streets and sidewalks. City staff members and members of the Multimodal Transportation Commission’s Brick Streets and Sidewalks subcommittee will hold an open house this week to discuss community values, according to a news release from the city. The policy will also consider standards for reconstruction of brick streets and sidewalks, according to the release. “The Brick Streets + Sidewalks policy should reflect the community’s values and priorities, as well as have attainable and practical implementation strategies for the City of Lawrence,” according to the project website. “The Transportation Planning division will lead the public engagement process and staff a subcommittee of community stakeholders.” Formulating a policy has been an ongoing effort since 2013, according to the website, but “The delay in adopting a formal policy is likely in part due to shifting City priorities and staff turnover,” according to the website. “The 2024 budget process identified the priority to develop a comprehensive Brick Streets and Sidewalk Policy.” “Although the history on the subject provides good context for past community feedback, a full public process will be facilitated through the drafting of this policy,” the website states.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Municipal Bond Trends for April 3, 2024

Moving to these Kansas counties could come with financial incentives

If you’re looking to move and haven’t considered Kansas, a state program aimed at attracting new residents to more rural areas could be worth investigating. Ninety-five of Kansas’ 105 counties are designated “rural opportunity zones,” which means anyone who moves there could receive student loan repayment assistance or might qualify for a tax credit to cover 100% of their state income taxes. In some cases, a new resident could qualify for both incentives. The Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) program was introduced in 2012. It has grown from 50 counties 12 years ago to the 95 counties that offer the financial incentives today, with a main goal of bringing more residents to rural areas that have experienced the greatest population losses.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Judge rejects ‘infamous’ commenter’s assertion that Lawrence’s rules are unconstitutionally vague

Lawrence’s “most infamous” commenter has failed to demonstrate that the City Commission’s rules about comments at public meetings are unconstitutionally vague or that the city engaged in unlawful viewpoint and content discrimination against him. Federal Judge Julie Robinson in an order this week, using Justin Spiehs’ self-identification as “the most infamous and outspoken public speaker,” dismissed those claims from Spiehs’ lawsuit against the city and two of its former mayors, but she has allowed other claims to move forward, including Spiehs’ contention that the city retaliated against him and denied him equal protection.
Source: LJWorld