Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Commerce Celebrates National Community Development Week

The Kansas Department of Commerce is joining other organizations and communities across the state in commemorating National Community Development Week. The annual event, which this year is April 1-5, shines a spotlight on the transformative impact of community development initiatives and collaborative efforts that drive positive local change. National Community Development Week serves as a platform to recognize the invaluable contributions of local leaders, organizations and residents who work tirelessly to enhance the quality of life for all members of their communities. From affordable housing projects to infrastructure improvements, these endeavors represent the collective commitment to building a brighter, more inclusive future for Kansas. For more information about National Community Development Week events and initiatives, click here.

Rural ambulance plan in limbo

At issue is a regulatory requirement that ambulances operate with two medically credentialed attendants, which poses challenges for rural services. “This is a bill that allows ambulances, particularly in rural areas, to move with only one EMT and one certified driver,” Rep. Fred Gardner, R-Garnett, said of Senate Bill 384. “Current regulation requires two EMTs….” … Industry officials said that language appeared to eliminate the two-person requirement entirely, which could leave patients unattended in the back of an ambulance.
Source: Hutch News

Topeka & Shawnee County library to focus on connections, people and joy

The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library enjoys a reputation for excellence, including having been named “2016 Library of the Year” by a respected library journal. But library leaders hope to serve customers even better, and that’s reflected in their recently released five-year strategic plan. That plan calls for the library to offer more chances to learn, explore and connect, said Marie Pyko, the library’s CEO.
Source: CJonline

Victoria to allow two days a week watering

At the Feb. 19, 2024 City of Victoria Council regular session meeting, [members] discussed allowing residents to water two days a week versus just one. The days would include one day on the weekend and one day during the week for north and south of 10th Street. City Attorney Don Hoffman will draft the resident watering days allowance resolution for the Council to formally adopt.
Source: Hays Daily News

Housing key to local economic growth in Hays

Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams focused on Hays’ housing needs as he addressed the local business owners, bankers, lawyers, educators, City Commissioners and City staff gathered on Mar. 5, 2024 at BriefSpace for the nonprofit organization’s quarterly luncheon. Executive Director Williams opened his remarks with a reminder of the crucial role housing plays in rural communities’ attempts to recruit and retain a workforce. “Without housing, we can’t do that [hire and keep workers], so housing is very important to us, And so we wanted to give you all a little bit of an update on what happened in 2023, where we see 2024 going and an update on a few of our projects,” said Executive Director Williams.
Source: Hays Daily News

Municipal Bond Trends for March 28, 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 March 27, 2024

Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) has information and training for local governments across Kansas

Regional Planning Workshops – Join KOBD for engagement and training on using your voice to engage with providers across the state.

- Resources and toolkits on the website.
- View maps of eligible locations and dates/registrations for Workshops.

Permitting Workshop in Salina on April 25 (full day)

- Who: ISPs, local governments, state and federal agencies, ROW owners, co-ops, permitting contractors, and other stakeholders interested in broadband deployment

Informational Webinar for the open-access non-discriminatory Freestate Middle Mile Network on April 19 at 2 p.m.

- Anyone interested in learning more!

Great Bend’s ROW rules updated

The space available in city utility right of ways is limited. Because more utility providers are requiring space in city right of ways, a new ordinance to manage that space was adopted by the Great Bend City Council on March 18. The city’s utility ROWs are becoming occupied by more utility providers and the space is becoming more crowded…
Source: Great Bend Tribune

New tourism coordinator in Newton looks forward to highlighting the town

Newton’s new CVB/Main Street coordinator, Jen Lehman, would like to hear from people about what they want to see in the community. Since she’s still getting her feet wet, Lehman doesn’t have a lot of new plans yet. “I’m trying to come up with things I’d enjoy seeing here in Newton,” she said. That might include things she’s seen in other counties and would like to implement for Newton.
Source: Harvey County Now

Weeks after Lawrence enacts plastic bag ban, Kansas Senate advances bill to block it

Just weeks after Lawrence enacted a ban on single-use, disposable plastic bags, the Kansas Senate advanced a bill that would prohibit cities and counties from regulating the sale of single-use plastic containers. The measure passed 24-16 Wednesday. The bill would prevent cities from regulating the sale of plastic containers such as straws, bags and other single-use plastic containers.
Source: KC Star Local News

After Bird abruptly left, Overland Park to tap scooter rival Lime for new pilot

Overland Park is preparing to tap Lime Micromobility for a new pilot for electric scooters and bikes after another vendor, Bird, left the city abruptly last summer. On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council Public Works Committee will get a first look at the new pilot agreement during their regularly scheduled meeting.
Source: Johnson County Post

Marysville hires new administrator

Joshua Haverkamp, Marysville’s new city administrator, has been eager to move back to rural Kansas. Professionally, he said, he wants to take the next step to develop his skills as an administrator. “The Marysville position was the best of both worlds for us as a family,” Haverkamp said.
Source: The Marysville Advocate

Shawnee hires veteran KC area official as new city manager

The Shawnee City Council on Monday cleared the way for a veteran Kansas City area municipal official and Johnson County native to become the city’s next permanent city manager. During the city council meeting on Monday night, Mayor Mickey Sandifer formally introduced Paul Kramer as the new city manager. Kramer is currently the city manager in Leavenworth, Kansas, a position he has held for nearly a decade. The Shawnee City Council voted unanimously 8-0 to approve a negotiated contract between the city and Kramer. “Paul is a very qualified individual to come out and hit the ground running with our city,” Sandifer said. “This is what we need at this period in time.” For the past nine years, Kramer has served as the city manager for Leavenworth. According to the Leavenworth city website, before becoming the city manager in Leavenworth, he also served as the assistant city manager and executive director of the Leavenworth Housing Authority. Sandifer said Kramer’s experience made him stand out from the other candidates. “He’s been involved with every facet of the city [of Leavenworth],” he said. “(That’s) very useful for our city.”
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

‘Short Term Rentals’ top of mind for College Hills residents as they discuss improvements to neighborhood

College Hill residents held their first open house meeting Monday night to discuss a plan to improve the lives of its residents. One of the issues top of mind is how the city deals with short-term rentals, through companies like Airbnb. “Short-term rentals have been a concern,’ says city council member Brandon Johnson. “Not because of how great they are access-wise for people. But many of our short-term rentals have been rented out for parties, especially recently, some parents will rent those out for their kids, which shouldn’t be happening.” Some of those parties have ended in violence. Johnson said that a shooting recently near College Hill is proof of problems. And in 2021, at Douglas and Oliver, one person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting at a party at an Airbnb. Because of that violence, the city is cracking down. It’s requiring licenses and rezoning to run a short term rental. “We have to be safer with our young people,” Johnson said. “Today is a different day and age, access to guns is a lot higher than when we were younger. So we’re going to look at that as a council, but definitely always want community input on that.” Johnson said that he expects the council to continue working on short-term rental policy. However, there are already some hoops to jump through to get up and running.
Source: KAKE – News

Douglass fire adds new truck to their fleet

Butler County Fire District #8, (Douglass), has recently got a new truck to add to their fleet. The fire department now has a total of nine apparatus: two engines, three grass trucks, one tanker, one rescue and water rescue, and two support trucks. The biggest obstacle is water,” said Fire Chief Aaron Guyot. That shouldn’t be an obstacle anymore with the new beast of a tanker the fire department received in late January. This truck is made by Fouts Bros out of Georgia with a 515 Horsepower engine and a 4,000 gallon tank that can pump 1,500 gallons per minute. The powerful motor will help add to faster response times for the team. This truck is only suited to hold two firefighters. This truck was not purchased through grants; the department took out a lease and made a down payment using the station’s budget. This truck comes with a price tag of $489,000. The new tanker was ordered on January 5th and was picked up January 31st. When purchasing this truck, the Douglass Fire Department had to retire tank 83, which was sold to Andale Construction. Douglass Fire Department has a crew of 27 volunteers. The team has welcomed 17 new volunteers since the month of December. The current station, located at 108 S Forrest St, was built in 1997.
Source: Andover American

Lawrence school district looks to staffing incentives, other cost-saving ideas as enrollment declines

As enrollment keeps trending downward, Lawrence school board members on Monday heard some additional details about possible ways to cut costs, including hiring specialized positions rather than going through contractors. Executive Director of Finance Cynde Frick gave the board a budget update on Monday, which included data from the district’s annual enrollment headcount, taken every Sept. 20. The district counted 9,820 students enrolled for the 2023-24 year, down 135 from the 9,955 total for 2022-23, according to the presentation. Frick said the district could consider incentives to hire speech language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, plumbers, carpenters and other professionals as district employees rather than filling those positions through contractors. She said although those positions are already established on salary matrices, the district has struggled to fill them in-house because it doesn’t offer competitive wages, but that it would cost less than using contractors. “We haven’t quantified the trades section of that yet, but I’m expecting it will be millions of dollars,” Frick said. “And so the question is how to make it happen. We will need support and cooperation from our unions to figure this out. But there is money there to be saved.” Enrollment is projected to continue decreasing each year through 2027-28. State funding to schools is on a per-pupil basis, so even as the amount of funding per student increases, the increase could be offset by continuing enrollment declines.
Source: The Lawrence Times

City officials seek community input regarding “Pittsburg 150”

Pittsburg is preparing for its 150th birthday and the community has to opportunity to help plan the celebration. According to a press release from the city of Pittsburg, the celebration “Pittsburg 150” is a year-long celebration honoring the community’s past and highlighting its resilience and progress. “Celebrate Pittsburg is a group representing organizations across the community that is working with the City of Pittsburg to create a structure for a year-long, community-wide celebration,” says City of Pittsburg Community Development Specialist Sarah Runyon. “We want businesses, civic groups, churches, schools, individuals, and anyone else to feel ownership in this milestone.” City officials say participants of any age will be able to stop in and jot down any ideas or memories. The planning meeting is set for Thursday, March 28 from 5:30 P.M. to 7 P.M. at Root Coffeehouse and Block 22 Co-Work Space in Pittsburg.
Source: KOAM News

Citizens talk pros, cons of proposed lake project

Concerns about state legislation that would create a lake and other developments in the northwest part of Bourbon County drew a crowd of more than 100 people to a community meeting on the subject Friday evening in Mapleton. The meeting, which was led by Joe Bisogno, owner of Timber Hills Lake Ranch in Mapleton, provided a forum for county residents and others to voice questions about Kansas Senate Bill 497, which according to Kansas District 13 Sen. Tim Shallenburger, who introduced the bill, has been removed from a legislative committee after hearing concerns from the public.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune

FSCC to switch to 4-day class week starting fall of 2024

A few schools across the 4-States are testing 4-day class weeks and FCCC is also giving it a shot. Fort Scott Community College announces the plan to move to a 4-day class week on a Facebook post. According to the post, the school is making the change in hopes students will have more study time and relaxation. The move to 4-day class weeks is expected to begin the fall semester of 2024.
Source: KOAM News

Pittsburg Installs 14 Cameras: Deputy Chief of Police Clarifies Purpose

Some Pittsburg residents have noticed the 14 cameras installed around the city, raising concerns about privacy and surveillance. Speculations ran rampant on social media platforms. “I hope it’s not so they can start charging us for driving on the highways,” expressed one resident, while another voiced, “They want to track our every move.” Others labeled the initiative as “unconstitutional” and compared it to “Big Brother.” In an attempt to answer these concerns, KOAM reached out to the Pittsburg Deputy Chief of Police for clarification on the purpose and function of the cameras. “One of the speculations that we’ve heard is privacy concerns, which are a big deal. But this going to be more of a societal question than it is our question to ask right now,” said Pittsburg Deputy Chief of Police Ben Henderson. “The cameras are available as a technology and they’ve been shown to actually help detect and reduce crime. So while they’re available, I think we should make the best opportunity we have to utilize these to help the citizens of our community.” According to the Pittsburg Deputy Chief of Police, the cameras capture a one-time snapshot of vehicles and retain the images for 30 days. These images are then checked against the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database for associations with wanted persons, stolen vehicles, or missing persons alerts.
Source: KOAM News

Rural area EMS departments in Kansas facing staffing shortage, potential closures

A southern Kansas county is in danger of losing one of its EMS departments as rural area EMS departments are being stretched thin. Barber County EMS coverage consists of two departments: one in Kiowa and one at the hospital in Medicine Lodge. Both are made up of volunteers. With many of them now at retirement age and the inability to recruit younger people for a position that is not full-time pay, EMS and County leaders say they are looking for solutions. Barber County Commissioner Michael Roe says this is an issue faced statewide. “Out of 105 counties, I’d say half of them are concerned or very concerned about their EMS and their volunteer services,” said Roe. Barber County Emergency Manager Mike Loreg says several volunteers in both departments are nearing retirement. Losing qualified replacements to areas that will pay full-time positions has become a serious concern. “We seem to be a training ground for the bigger services; it takes two jobs for people to make ends meet, a lot of these folks are going to urban areas or moving to the urban areas or they’re commuting to the urban areas, which leaves them less time to volunteer,” said Loreg. He says fewer volunteers are able to be on standby and still work to make ends meet. “Our local employers, that used to allow these folks to go on calls, they’re needing them at their employment and they’re not wanting their folks to leave for 4-5 hours at a time,” said Loreg. Barber County sent residents a survey to see what they think of the service being provided.
Source: KSN-TV

Garden City cleaning up tornado damage despite blizzard-like conditions

Cleanup continues despite blizzard-like conditions after a tornado caused damage in Garden City. A National Weather Service team surveyed the damage Monday morning. They say the tornado was an EF1 with winds of 90 miles per hour. It started around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The path was 2.5 miles long and 50 yards wide. The NWS did not issue a tornado warning for the storm. According to KSN Storm Track 3 Meteorologist Jack Maney, Garden City saw a 30-degree difference in temperatures. Cleanup crews have been out since 9 a.m. working on cleaning up some of the mess caused by this tornado. This is some of the worst of the damage in this residential neighborhood just east of U.S. Highway 83. In the video above, you can see fences that have been knocked over; nothing is left but metal supports. You might wonder where all the knocked-down wood is. Crews were in the alleyway earlier in the day, using heavy machinery to pick up pieces of broken fence. Homeowners in the area were already told earlier today to bring other debris to the curb to be disposed of. Garden City Public Works & Utilities Director Mike Muirhead says the City was on high alert leading up to the tornado with people on call from every department.
Source: KSN-TV

Shawnee could use grant to add exercise area at city park

An outdoor fitness court could be part of $3.8 million in improvements coming to Garrett Park in Shawnee this year. As part of a plan to build 5,000 courts in the the U.S. by 2030, the National Fitness Campaign awarded the City of Shawnee $40,000 to build an exercise area at the park off of West 47th Street near Monticello Road. The court would be incorporated into a $3.8 million redevelopment plan for Garrett Park, which also includes improvements to its playground, parking lot and sidewalks. The Shawnee City Council will consider whether to accept the grant at tonight’s meeting at 7 p.m. at Shawnee City Hall. The court’s equipment uses bodyweight exercises intended for adults of all ages, abilities and fitness levels. “The intent of it is to provide opportunities for free fitness areas for the public to use,” said Tonya Lecuru, Shawnee’s parks and recreation director. It features seven exercise zones: Core, Squat, Push, Lunge, Pull, Agility and Bend. It guides people through them via a downloadable app and QR codes they can scan. It will also incorporate art and social opportunities for people to gather and workout. “Monticello in itself is a really highly used area for walkers, bikers and runners,” Lecuru said. “It just kind of adds to the overall opportunities for people to have healthy choices within the parks.”
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Overland Park police officials say shoplifting is a ‘crisis.’ What does the data say?

In recent public presentations to city leaders, Overland Park police officials have called shoplifting and retail crimes a “crisis.” The statement, made by Interim Police Chief Simon Happer during the Jan. 10 Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee, followed two relatively high-profile incidents involving shoplifting that seriously endangered bystanders. “It’s been a big crisis,” Interim Chief Happer said. But a review of data the Post obtained through public records requests tells something of a different story. Those figures suggest that, in fact, the prevalence of reported retail thefts and arrests are not increasing but staying broadly static over the past decade. That being said, department officials say they aren’t so worried about run-of-the-mill shoplifting but what they call organized retail theft. Happer said the department and the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office are working together to “put an end to this crisis of these thefts.” “It’s run and grabs,” he said. “They walk in, they grab as much as they can, they walk out.” A review of data the Post obtained through public records requests suggests — despite a few headline-grabbing incidents — combined reports and arrests stemming from shoplifting and retail theft remain below their pre-pandemic peaks.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Municipal Bond Trends for March 26, 2024

Celebrating ag’s impact focus of new public awareness campaign

An idea designed to shine a light on agriculture’s role in Franklin County has sparked a regional effort celebrating the contributions of local farmers and producers throughout a three-county area. Across Franklin, Anderson and Miami counties, brightly colored banners are posted as a reminder of agriculture’s role in local communities. The banners are being used to increase public awareness as part of National Agriculture Month and National Agriculture Week, which was observed last week with several special local events.
Source: Ottawa Herald

Municipal Bond Trends for March 25, 2024

Fed holds rates steady and maintains three cuts coming sometime this year

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday held interest rates steady as expected and signaled it still plans multiple cuts before the end of the year. Following its two-day policy meeting, the central bank’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee said it will keep its benchmark overnight borrowing rate in a range between 5.25%-5.5%, where it has held since July 2023.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Barbie’s world in Wyandotte County? Mattel plans to build theme park near Kansas Speedway

Toy company Mattel, Inc. on Wednesday announced plans to open a $487 million amusement park in western Wyandotte County — marking the latest example of major development interest near the Kansas Speedway. Dubbed the Mattel Adventure Park Kansas City, the theme park would feature roller coasters, mini-golf, a theater, an indoor play arena, and a rooftop restaurant and bar. Rides and activities are to carry the company’s top-known brands like Hot Wheels and Barbie.
Source: KC Star Local News

Osawatomie considers program addressing stray cat issue

Osawatomie City Council members are considering a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program to address the community’s stray cat problem, but opinions are mixed. Council members discussed the proposed program with Eunice Mollett of Four Kids For Kritters during the Feb. 22 council meeting. Mollett said she would train volunteers to set cat traps in the city. Captured feral cats would be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped before being released back where they were found. Mollett said she’d be willing to launch the program at no cost to the city.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Grow Clay County Director: Economic Development is changing

Since several organizations merged together to become Grow Clay County two and a half years ago, the organization has accomplished a lot, Grow Clay County Director Natalie Muruato said at last week’s Lions Club meeting. “Rural (economic development) can be very hard and very difficult, we have to look at it differently,” Muruato said after listing the organization’s accomplishments. “And not only that, now it’s not only about business attraction, it’s about people attraction. If you have the people, the businesses will come, the businesses will grow.”
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com

Lutz retires after 36 years with Butler County

Darryl Lutz, Director of Public Works/Butler County Engineer will be hanging his hat at the end of March as he retires from his position. After working in the engineering department of Butler County for 36 years, he’s ready to move on with his wife. Engineering has always been a part of Lutz’s life. As his mother boasted at his retirement party, he was very bright even as a young boy. Coming from a small farm town in Kansas by the name of Olpe just over an hour northeast of Butler County, little Lutz had no idea where his future career would take him.
Source: Andover American

From toxic sludge to lush park? Johnson County weighs cost of taking over old factory

Tucked away in southeastern Johnson County, a wooded path curves around the Blue River. The quiet pocket of nature has become a makeshift bike trail for some, and a tempting after-school hangout for nearby Blue Valley students. But abandoned since the 1990s when it was the site of a multi-million-dollar environmental cleanup, the land also has seen explorers get injured, and a fatal crash at the railroad tracks near it. Now, conservationists and some local officials are urging Johnson County to take over the 35-acre site near 164th Street and Mission Road. They want the county to turn it into a new park connected to its trail system, improve safety, remove invasive species and finish ecological remediation to restore the soil and water quality. “You don’t have to drive very far in southern Johnson County to see the bulldozers converting natural areas and former agricultural land into subdivisions,” said Bill Blessing, a board member for the nonprofit Heartland Conservation Alliance. “The ability of the county to conserve land for the use of current and future residents is rapidly being diminished due to the pace of real estate development. We see this as a closing window of opportunity to conserve natural land.”
Source: Joco 913 News

City of Goddard plans to build pedestrian bridge across highway 54

The Goddard city council has approved plans to build a pedestrian bridge going over highway 54 in order to give citizens a safe way to cross from the north side to the south side. Walking across highway 54 is dangerous with lots of cars driving through at all hours of the day. There are already signs telling people not to cross but people do it anyway. That’s why people who live in Goddard want a pedestrian bridge to go across the highway. “We’ve lived here for almost 11 years and it’s always a topic of conversation either within the city or on social media. Everyone wants a bridge,” said longtime resident Tracy Wolf. Wolf thinks this bridge will help open up the community. “People can walk across Kellogg to get to the walking trails. They can walk over to get some ice cream from you know Braums or Dairy Queen or Starbucks. It just gives the opportunity to connect both sides,” said Wolf. The city is one step closer to this dream becoming a reality. The city council approved plans for a bridge to be built and go across the highway between 183rd street and 199th street.
Source: KAKE – News

Roofing manufacturer bringing 150 jobs to Newton

Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday that GAF, a Standard Industries company and North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, will invest more than $300 million in Newton by constructing a new shingle plant. The estimated 275,000-square-foot facility will create more than 130 high-skilled manufacturing jobs in management, engineering, and operations. GAF has more than 4,800 employees and operates in 30 locations across the U.S. producing commercial and residential roofing and waterproofing products and services for customers throughout North America. The Kansas Logistics Parks in Newton will be the company’s first location in Kansas. With one in four homes in the United States protected by a GAF roof, this investment enables the company to add residential roofing manufacturing capacity and enhance best-in-class service to customers nationwide. “GAF’s expansion into Kansas once again showcases our status as a national leader in advanced manufacturing,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The company’s innovative production methods and proven track record of community involvement make it an ideal partner for Newton and the entire state.” Construction is expected to begin in June 2024, with production anticipated to begin in 2027. The company expects to reach full production capacity by mid-2029.
Source: KAKE – News

German company to join Panasonic mega development in De Soto with $110M battery plant

A German company is joining the massive Panasonic development in De Soto, to work on site producing containers for the company’s electric vehicle batteries. H&T Recharge leaders say the company will be a supplier for Panasonic’s battery plant, working in De Soto through a “factory-in-factory approach.” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced the development this week, saying the company is expected to invest $110 million and create 180 new jobs in De Soto. “My administration is dedicated to making Kansas the best place for businesses to start or grow,” Kelly said in a news release. “H&T’s decision to co-locate with Panasonic is proof that the work we are doing to attract business is paying off.” Panasonic recently signed a long-term agreement with H&T to supply lithium-ion battery cans. In De Soto, the company will install four production lines on site at the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, just south of Kansas 10 Highway. Japanese electronics company Panasonic’s 4-million-square-foot battery plant is under construction, on 300 acres. Officials have said the $4 billion project could result in as many as 4,000 new jobs.
Source: Joco 913 News

Geographic wonders: Sign up for poster project and illustrate beauty of JoCo’s parks

If you have artistic talents and want a place to show them off, Johnson County Park & Recreation has a project for you. It’s gearing up for its second annual poster project promoting local parks. Applications to be part of it are due March 26. Styled after the Works Progress Administration posters for national parks of the late 1930s and early 1940s, this year’s batch of posters will feature Antioch Park, Ernie Miller Park, Mill Creek Streamway Park and Stilwell Community Park. The idea is to make sure the parks “represented geographic diversity across Johnson County, some of our older parks mixed with some of our newer parks,” said Susan Mong, superintendent of culture for Johnson County Park & Recreation District. Last year’s featured parks included Shawnee Mission Park and Big Bull Creek Park. The county has been selling posters, notecards and postcards of last year’s designs both online and at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center. Interested artists should have a background in graphic design or illustration, but a huge professional portfolio is not a necessity to compete. Even students can apply just by showing examples of pieces done in the past.
Source: Joco 913 News

Pittsburg adopts stricter lawn parking rules

Pittsburg city commissioners approve a measure keeping vehicles off of lawns. At a commission meeting earlier this month, an ordinance banning the parking of vehicles on lawns, grass, or landscaped areas was adopted by commissioners. City leaders say several factors led to the move, including vehicle safety, environmental concerns, and the impact on city infrastructure and utilities. “When there are vehicles, whether they’re inoperable or they’re operable, they’re running vehicles, or they’re used daily parked in the front of a home, in the yard, you know, that’s going to be where your utilities are running. That’s not meant to have a vehicle on top of utilities,” said Kim Froman, Director of Community Development and Housing, City of Pittsburg. The first offense will lead to a $25 ticket, with fines increasing for each additional offense.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Bourbon County’s sales tax vote approaches

In less than two months, Bourbon County residents will head to the polls to decide the fate of a county-wide sales tax. “We want the public involved in this. We want them to help make this decision. That’s why we put it to a vote,” said Jim Harris, Bourbon County Commissioners Chairman. The one-quarter cent tax would be used to establish and operate an emergency department in Bourbon County. “We’re negotiating today with health care providers. We’ve got to show that we will have some funding to sign agreements with them because they’re not going to come here and $750,000 a year just because they like us,” said Harris. Bourbon County hasn’t had emergency health care services since Via Christi closed its emergency department in Fort Scott in December of last year. “Our goal is to have the special election get the funds coming in. We are negotiating with some health care providers today, 24 seven So we’ve got to start raising funds because we know we’re going to move forward. We have to subsidize it,” said Harris. If approved, the sales tax would last five years and is expected to generate 750 thousand dollars.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Governor Kelly Announces More than $76M Investment by Marvin, Creating 600 Jobs in Kansas City, Kansas

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Marvin, a premium manufacturer of windows and doors, has selected Kansas City, Kansas, as the future home of its latest manufacturing facility. Marvin is investing $76.5 million to build a 400,000-square-foot facility in the Scannell 435 Logistics Center. Upon completion in 2025, Marvin anticipates employing approximately 100 team members in full-time positions across its manufacturing, fabrication, and assembly divisions to produce the company’s industry-leading fiberglass window and door solutions. With progressive annual growth, Marvin expects to employ a 600-person workforce in Kansas City by 2028. “Marvin’s investment emphasizes that my administration’s approach to attracting business into our state is working,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We are delivering on our commitment to making Kansas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.” Marvin conducted extensive research across multiple states before selecting Kansas City, Kansas, for this development. A strong workforce, state and local commitment to education, a collaborative approach to economic development, and compatibility all contributed to Marvin’s final selection.
Source: Sunflower State Radio Network

Gamblers excited for Golden Circle casino opening in Park City next year

This week, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission gave an update on when to expect the highly anticipated Golden Circle to open in Park City. “Just the thrill of it all, you know. Just the unknown. Not knowing if you’re going to win or lose,” said Kim Craig. People who enjoy spending time and money at slot machines have different reasons for why they do it. For Craig, it’s about more than just the thrill. “Just the getaway. It’s a getaway. It’s like, you don’t have to think of anything else while you’re in there,” said Craig. That’s why she was so excited this week when KRGC finally nailed down a solid timeline for when the new historic horse racing facility will open in Park City. “Their estimated go-live date is September of 2025,” said KRGC representative Brandi White. It all started in 2022 when owner Phil Ruffin hired an auction company to sell everything inside the old Greyhound Park that closed in 2007. Ruffin pulled the plug on the sale last minute before announcing his new plan to turn it into Golden Circle. “They will open with 1,000 historical horse racing machines and a simulcasting facility. They’ll also have a pizza by the slice, a deli, a smoothie bar, a rooftop patio, and they intend to open with an entertainment amphitheater,” said White. White explained in the meeting how the casino will be a totally new experience for gamblers like Craig.
Source: KAKE – News

Wichita breaks ground on new wastewater facility

On Friday, the City of Wichita broke ground on a new wastewater center, which is part of the Biological Nutrient Removal program (BNR). The BNR is the second-largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history, costing $357 million. The project is expected to be completed by 2027. The project is focused on improving the Arkansas River water quality, rehabilitating critical infrastructure and addressing the strong odor that has plagued the southside of Wichita for years. “The smell gets like stronger and stronger depending on like the week, and it gets like I’m just so nose blind, I don’t really smell it anymore, but I see people coming in my store with like their shirts over their noses because the smell is just so strong and overpowering,” southside Wichita Dollar General Manager Michael Loper said. The City says coverings will be placed over some of the clarifiers to help reduce the odor. “Basically putting lids on the clarifiers, doing some processing things differently. They’re going to help with the outer control. That part should be in place by 2026. Spent a lot of time talking, and the people in the neighborhoods and the areas that spend time down here and there’s certainly ready for that,” Director of Public Works Gary Janzen said.
Source: KSN-TV

Wichita may pull public notices from the Wichita Eagle. But will that hurt transparency?

The City of Wichita could soon become one of the largest cities in Kansas to withdraw its public notices from its paper of record. The City Council wants to review the city’s contract with McClatchy, the Wichita Eagle’s parent company. The surprise move at the council’s first evening meeting came at about 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, when only half a dozen attendees were still in the audience. “No citizen is reading a legal notice in the newspaper anyway,” council member Dalton Glasscock said. “I’ve never done that. I can guarantee you most citizens aren’t doing that anyway.” The city currently spends $150,000 a year to publish the legal notices, which deal mainly with zoning cases, changes in city ordinances, budget issues and other city happenings. Representatives at McClatchy declined to comment. The Kansas Press Association, which collects all of the state’s public notices through its media partners and archives them, says publishing notices in the paper helps keep local governments accountable. “There’s a lot of benefits to keep it in a third party, but number one is transparency,” KPA Executive Director Emily Bradbury said. Some council members pushed back against the notion that $150,000 a year – about .02% of the city’s annual budget – is a waste of taxpayers money, especially when it comes to transparency.
Source: The Lawrence Times