Kansas Municipal News
Arkansas City police chief Eric Burr retiring after three decades in law enforcement
After nearly three decades serving in various capacities with the Arkansas City Police Department, Chief Eric Burr has announced his retirement, effective January 1. Burr has been with the department since 1996, initially as a patrol officer, and then working his way up to becoming the D.A.R.E. Officer for Arkansas City schools, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, accreditation manager for CALEA (the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies), and support services captain before becoming Chief in 2021. Burr began his journey in law enforcement in 1993, when he worked for the City as an assistant code enforcement officer while also attending Butler County Community College. He then started his career in Anthony in 1995, and attended the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center the following year. “During my career, I most enjoyed teaching students in the classroom about making good decisions and staying safe by delivering the D.A.R.E. program. The relationships I was able to build with students and staff had a positive effect on me. So much so that I recently went back to the classroom to teach one last time before retirement. The concepts taught in the D.A.R.E. program help students build a framework for avoiding dangerous situations in the future,” Chief Burr said. In addition, Burr founded the Suicide Prevention of Cowley County Coalition, and is an advocate for prevention work with youth through the Hope Squad program, as well as being a Big Brother through the Bigs in Blue program.
Source: KAKE – News
How a movie shot 40 years ago in Kansas changed the trajectory of the nuclear arms race
More than 100 million people gathered around their television sets 40 years ago to watch a mushroom cloud rise over a Midwestern town. The ABC broadcast of “The Day After” was one of the most watched television movies of all time. The film won two Emmy Awards, was nominated for 10 others and is widely credited with changing public opinion about the arms race during the Cold War. The grim portrayal of the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union shook up audiences at the time. The message even reached then-President Ronald Reagan. “It has Lawrence Kansas wiped out in a nuclear war with Russia,” the former actor later wrote in his diary. “It is powerfully done — all $7 mil. worth. It’s very effective & left me greatly depressed.” A new documentary directed by Jeff Daniels details the making of the film. Liberty Hall in Lawrence will host a screening and discussion of the documentary, “Television Event,” on Monday evening. It explores the 1983 movie’s impact and legacy, and looks back at the many challenges the cast and crew faced during filming. Daniels’ new work also digs into the many battles with network censors and politicians as the film was being made. Filmed on-location in Lawrence and Kansas City, the movie made use of more than 2,000 local residents who played extras alongside well-known actors like Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams, and John Lithgow.
Source: KCUR News
Wichita approves spending to ensure there aren’t any lead pipes in water system
The City of Wichita is taking an inventory of its water system. City Council members approved spending nearly half a million dollars to finish that process. One goal is to make sure there aren’t any lead pipes in the city’s water system. In 2021, the EPA introduced requirements water utilities have to meet by October of next year. That includes requiring cities to identify which pipes have lead in them. The City of Wichita has started looking for lead pipes that might still be in the system. The City has been replacing lead lines since the 90s as they found them but has never had a complete inventory. The program manager with Public Works and Utilities says they need to hire outside consultants to finish the inventory and create a plan to replace any lead lines they find. They’ll also be testing for lead in running water inside homes. “We want to make sure everything from the meter to the house is not lead, and that’s where the testing comes in,” said City Councilmember Brandon Johnson. Johnson says the city is focusing on older parts of town that are likely to include parts of Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6. The city is only required to replace lead pipes leading up to a home’s water meter. Anything past that is the responsibility of the homeowner. The city is also expanding the amount of testing it’s doing inside homes. Currently, 50 homes are being sampled every three years. That’s set to increase to 100 homes every six months.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita to spend nearly $10 million to increase police pay, boost recruitment
Wichita Police Department officers are set to be among the best paid law enforcement officers in Kansas. The Wichita City Council approved nearly $10 million in unplanned pay hikes and bonuses over the next two years while increasing investment in a rewards program that police consulting firm Jensen Hughes said should be ended. In exchange, the Fraternal Order of Police has agreed to implement one Jensen Hughes recommendation, no longer requiring the city to let officers review an entire internal-investigation file before answering questions about their conduct. That change will remain in effect until the end of next year, when a new FOP contract is expected to be ratified by the City Council. The council last month delayed a vote on a $5,000 retention bonus for all commissioned officers, with a majority of the council siding with Mayor Brandon Whipple. The mayor said he would not vote for the bonuses unless they were presented alongside policy changes recommended by Jensen Hughes that aim to improve police culture. The new amendment to the FOP contract includes the $5,000 bonuses, which will cost the city at least $3.4 million. The bonuses are slated to go to eligible employees by Friday, Dec. 8, on top of a $1,000 retention bonus already scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023. Employees do not have to stay with the department beyond this week to receive the bonuses. Under the FOP contract approved in 2021, police officers were scheduled to receive a 1.5% raise in 2024. The new proposal will give them 13.27% raises effective Dec. 23.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Two equipment failures caused sewage water to pour into Wichita creek, spiking E. coli
Two failures at a Wichita sewage site caused 1.7 million gallons of sewage to overflow into a nearby creek, spiking the levels of E. coli in the water, Wichita Public Works and Utilities Director Gary Janzen said Tuesday. “There’s no public health risk expected but residents are being urged to stay out of the creek and pond areas and keep their pets away from the water,” he said. “There’s no public health risk to the city’s drinking water or anyone walking or living by the creek, nor is there any anticipated impact to aquatic life or local wildlife.” A resident reported the overflow of sewage Sunday morning. It happened in northeast Wichita. On Saturday, a pump failure at a sewer lift station west of North 127th Street East, near Founder Circle, caused a manhole to overflow and pour into Four Mile Creek, near the Redbud Path. The pump has been fixed and is working properly, he said. “To add to that … our alert system that would normally alert staff that there was a problem was also not working at the same time, resulting in this overflow, unfortunately,” Janzen said during a news conference.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Fitness installation planned for city park named after Wichita veteran
A park in Wichita’s North End named after a Hispanic veteran from the neighborhood is on track to be developed after sitting empty for 14 years. The park, at 25th Street and Wellington, will have fitness equipment, artificial turf and a flagpole to honor veterans. “I just know that the whole thing would mean a lot to my dad. Being a North Ender, a Hispanic and a veteran,” Patrick Garcia II said in a phone call. “That checks all the micro groups that one can be a part of and this thing would just put a really put a giant smile on his face because he liked spending time outside.” Patrick D. Garcia grew up in the area of 23rd Street and Park Place after moving from Garden City with his family. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968-70, then returned home to attend Wichita State University. His work in the public sector included being an assistant to former U.S. Rep. Daniel Glickman and a U.S. Department of Justice Immigration officer. He died in April 2000 at the age of 50 from complications of a brain tumor.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
100 electric scooters, child car seats, other items pulled from Arkansas River in Wichita
About 100 electric scooters, roughly 50 skateboards, child car seats, shopping carts, bicycles, light fixtures, speakers and other items were pulled from the Arkansas River near downtown Wichita last week. The city lowered the river roughly 2 feet to make “some minor modifications to the fish ladder/boat pass in order to reduce long term sediment build-up,” the city said in a news release. Veo took advantage of the lowered river to get out its rental scooters and other items. Veo operations manager Steven Miller said they also had volunteers from Boats & Bikes and Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams help with the cleanup on Tuesday and Wednesday. They spent about 250 person hours. Miller said some of the scooters were several years old. There were also about 100 skateboard and a 12-foot chain link fence that they weren’t able to get to with a grapple hook. Walking out into the muddy slush would be nearly impossible, he said. “It’s not a scooter problem. It’s just a problem with bad actors doing bad things, and it’s unfortunate,” he said, adding he wishes he had an area of river like Wichita does where he lives in Oklahoma. “It’s such a pretty area to go out and enjoy time with your family and friends. I don’t know what drives people to do those kinds of things but it is just sad to see that people want to destroy the nice parts of the city and/or vandalize property. It’s just sad.” He said the scooters had been accumulating for as long as five years.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Frontenac’s new mayor and councilman get to work
As soon as they were sworn in, Steve Morrison and Nick Hansen got to work. Morrison begins his two-year term as mayor, replacing David Fornelli, while Hansen has taken Mike Snow’s position as a councilman for the First Ward for the next four years. First up on the agenda was approving payment of the first $750 annual membership fee in the Southeast Kansas Library System. Library Director Seth Nutt said this is the first step in getting the library operational as it allows him to access software to process and label the 6,000 books the library currently holds. Nutt said there will be a further courier fee after the library opens that facilitates inter-library loans. Councilman Joe Martin asked about progress on blueprints for the library. Nutt said he has been waiting on cost estimates from the architect but is hopeful that blueprints will be forthcoming within a couple of months. The council moved on to public hearings on two condemnations. Courtney Phillips, the owner of 104 N Labette, provided the council with before and after pictures. The property has been occupied by squatters who vandalized the home, even stealing the heating and air-conditioning unit.
Source: Morning Sun
More people are moving to and staying in rural areas, but that’s true only for parts of the Midwest
Brad Gabel, a native of California, came up with the perfect catchphrase for his bakery. “Bringing big city tastes to a small town, Iowa,” Gable said. Gabel now lives in Orange City, a community of about 6,000 people in the northwest corner of the state and runs Brad’s Bakery Bistro. “I was able to adapt easily to Orange City, even though I was born and raised in Los Angeles, because I got involved in the community, whether it was with the church, community organizations or local businesses,” he said. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture called Rural America at a Glance shows the population in rural areas is rising after a decade of decline. The average growth across the country was a quarter of a percent for rural counties – defined as those with cities of up to 50,000 people – from 2020 to 2022. However, not all areas experienced the same increase. John Cromartie, a geographer in the USDA’s Resource and Rural Economy Division and one of the study’s authors, said the trend is more visible in the South, the Northeast and West and less in the Corn Belt or Great Plains. “Because the population is, on average, much older, you don’t have as many younger people having kids, and it’s harder to attract those kinds of families,” Cromartie said. “They have higher rates of natural decrease compared to other states due to an older population.” Cromartie’s research shows only part of the rural Midwest saw gains, mainly fueled by people leaving major cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Others retired and moved to resort areas, including the Upper Great Lakes and Ozarks.
Source: KCUR News
Municipal Bond Trends for December 5, 2023
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 December 4, 2023
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.
U.S. 54 project in western Kansas delayed
A project on U.S. Highway 54 near the Ford/Kiowa County line has been delayed. The Kansas Department of Transportation says the project to install new passing lanes one mile east of the Ford/Kiowa County line and west of Mullinville began in October. However, a portion of that work that was going to require detouring traffic off of the highway scheduled to begin in the middle of December has been pushed to start on January 8. The work involves a roughly two-mile stretch of the highway. Starting around Jan. 8, drivers on U.S. 54 will be directed to a detour onto Kansas Highway 34 and U.S. Highway 400.
Source: KSN Local News
Another drop in Kansas sales tax on groceries is coming January 1
Kansas is about to implement another drop in the state’s sales tax on groceries next month. Gov. Laura Kelly signed the “Axe the Food Tax” legislation in May 2022. The law dropped the tax from 6.5% to 4% in January 2023. It will drop again to 2% on January 1, 2024 and to zero in 2025. Kelly said previously that the lower sales tax will save taxpayers about $740 million over the three-year reduction. She said a family spending $200 a week on groceries was expected to save $208 in 2023. The lower rate applies to food, food ingredients and certain prepared foods. Shoppers can expect to see two tax rates on their receipts, one for qualifying items and one for other items. The state’s rate does not account for additional city and county taxes.
Source: KAKE News
Fed Chair Powell calls talk of cutting rates ‘premature’ and says more hikes could happen
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Friday pushed back on market expectations for aggressive interest rate cuts ahead, calling it too early to declare victory over inflation. Despite a string of positive indicators recently regarding prices, the central bank leader said the Federal Open Market Committee plans on “keeping policy restrictive” until policymakers are convinced that inflation is heading solidly back to 2%. “It would be premature to conclude with confidence that we have achieved a sufficiently restrictive stance, or to speculate on when policy might ease,” Powell said in prepared remarks for an audience at Spelman College in Atlanta. “We are prepared to tighten policy further if it becomes appropriate to do so.” Expectations that the Fed is done raising rates and will move to an easing posture in 2024 have helped underpin a strong Wall Street rally that has sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average up more than 8% over the past month to a new 2023 high.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Kansas and Missouri have 256,000 lead pipes. EPA wants them removed within 10 years.
An individual holds a lead pipe, a steel pipe and a lead pipe treated with protective orthophosphate. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule requiring water utilities to remove lead pipes decades after new ones were banned. (EPA) Utilities in Kansas and Missouri would have to pull hundreds of thousands of lead pipes out of the ground within 10 years under a proposed rule the Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday. The EPA announced a proposed update to the lead and copper rule strengthening President Joe Biden’s earlier goal of eradicating lead pipes. The proposed rule also would lower the limit on lead in water by one-third. “Lead in drinking water is a generational public health issue, and EPA’s proposal will accelerate progress towards President Biden’s goal of replacing every lead pipe across America once and for all,” EPA administrator Michael Regan said in a news release. For much of the 20th Century, utilities were permitted to install lead service lines, the pipes that carry water from water mains under the street into homes. The EPA banned them in 1986, but utilities have never been required to remove existing pipes. In fact, some utility companies don’t know where the remaining lead service lines are. Estimates as to how many remain vary widely. The EPA estimates Missouri has 202,112 remaining lead service lines while the environmental nonprofit the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates more than 330,000. In Kansas, the EPA estimates 54,107 lead pipes remain while the NRDC believes there are more than 160,000.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Colwich residents asked to avoid flushing “flushable” wipes
Residents in Colwich are being asked not to flush “flushable wipes” because of a backup in the city’s sewer system. The city reported the problem on Tuesday and put a post on social media showing the effect of flushable wipes on sewer systems. The post is asking residents to flush only toilet paper. The city also posted a graphic saying that such items as paper towels, disposable diapers, dental floss, plastics and cigarette butts should not be flushed down the toilet.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Municipal Bond Trends for December 1, 2023
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.
Overland Park developing pilot to encourage more diverse housing
Overland Park, like many other Johnson County cities, is exploring ways to encourage more diverse housing options for its current and future residents. City staff and a team of consultants from MBL Planning are developing a pilot program that aims to make it easier to get such projects through the planning process with something called pattern zoning. Under the pilot program, Overland Park would keep a collection of 24 pre-designed homes that are “permit-ready,” Planning and Development Services Director Leslie Karr said. Those designs would be available for any resident to use for free on any lot in the city that carries the corresponding residential zoning designation. She said that this pilot, once it’s active, can really simplify the process and open the market up to smaller developers or private citizens who want to build this type of housing but might lack the money to get through the traditional permitting process.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $15M Available to Connect Kansans to Digital Devices and Public Wi-Fi
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that applications are open for the Advancing Digital Opportunities to Promote Technology (ADOPT) program. A total of $14.7 million in grant awards will be available to organizations addressing the challenges of broadband accessibility, affordability, and device availability. “Every Kansan deserves the opportunity and the resources to thrive in today’s modern economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By increasing access to the internet through devices and public Wi-Fi, ADOPT is equipping Kansans with the tools necessary to participate and compete in our highly connected world.” More than 153,000 Kansans are without high-speed internet subscriptions because of barriers such as infrastructure limitations, affordability issues, and lack of access to devices and technical support. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) is rolling out the comprehensive ADOPT program to combat these challenges. “Expanding broadband access by bringing public Wi-Fi and digital devices to underserved areas will open doors to education, remote work, health care, and more,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “This game-changing program ensures reliable access for those who need it most — which not only connects communities but fosters economic growth.” ADOPT is divided into two key categories: Equipment Distribution and Public Wi-Fi.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
EPA releases proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday released its proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). The expected proposal would amend the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and establish new mandates for lead pipe including a requirement for U.S. water systems to replace all lead service lines within 10 years. The proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements will reduce the lead action level and amend tap sampling protocols utilized by water systems. Key provisions include achieving 100% Lead Pipe Replacement within 10 years, locating legacy lead pipes, improving tap sampling, lowering the Lead Action Level, and strengthening protections to reduce exposure. The proposal would also require water systems to communicate more frequently and proactively with consumers about lead service lines and the system’s plans for replacing the lines. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements are central to the whole of government approach detailed in the Biden Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan. The Biden EPA has also touted its $15 billion investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace lead service lines, provide technical assistance to communities, and support the development of a national inventory of lead service lines.
Source: Water Finance & Management
Governor Kelly Announces $28.5M for High-Speed Internet Infrastructure
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $28.5 million in grants were awarded to 12 entities through the Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity (LINC) program. The LINC program provides strategic funding for crucial aspects of broadband connectivity to reduce the cost of internet service, increase availability, and improve performance. “LINC is another step forward in our promise to connect all Kansans, including in rural areas, to high-speed internet,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We are empowering communities with high-speed broadband infrastructure, unlocking greater economic growth, increased access to telemedicine, and expanded educational opportunities. ” With matching funds from service providers, the total broadband investment in LINC is expected to surpass $33.9 million. LINC will provide opportunities for increased internet adoption by focusing on funding for Broadband Infrastructure, enabling end-user locations with a minimum of 100/20 Mbps speeds, Internet Exchange Point facilities to improve the overall internet access service quality for all Kansans, and Middle Mile infrastructure to reduce overall costs in delivering broadband to end-users. “As we continue to lead the nation in business development, robust broadband becomes even more critical for attracting new businesses and remote workers to the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We will continue to work with partners across Kansas to ensure all communities have the high-speed broadband they need to compete and succeed.”
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Mulvane to repay $7 million to casino
Based on valuations set by the Sumner County appraiser and appeals filed by the Kansas Star Casino, an agreement was recently approved by the Sumner County Commission to resolve tax issues dating back a decade, according to The Mulvane News. Each year since its opening in 2011-2012, the Kansas Star Casino has appealed its property taxes set by Sumner County, which were deemed too high each time. Now, with the agreement in place, local taxing authorities – including Sumner County, the city of Mulvane, USD 263 and more – are set to resolve the appeals for 2014, 2016-2017 and 2019-2023. Payments will be refunded over four years, without interest, per the agreement. Mulvane’s total payback figure over four years comes to $7,268,566.58.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Winfield plans to help workers find jobs after closure of manufacturing facility
Nearly 200 workers in Winfield are expected to be out of work in the coming months. The city says Silgan Dispensing Systems will close its Winfield plastic manufacturing facility. Silgan handed out notifications about the layoffs to employees this week, saying layoffs begin in January. The closure of the Winfield plant is part of a larger trend, according to Wichita State University’s economic development and business research director. “When I look at this sector of plastics, it has been declining over the last five years,” said Jeremy Hill. “It declined about four percent over the last five years.” … Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said the closure came out of left field. “As recently as 11 months ago, we were working with the company on expansion plans here in Winfield,” Taggart said. Now, the city is trying to prevent big losses. “Priority number one, to replace these lost jobs here in Cowley County,” Taggart said.
Source: KSN-TV
Leawood tightens sports court rules following noise complaints
The city of Leawood has put new rules in place for residents looking to put private sports courts in their backyards. The Leawood City Council last week approved an amendment to the city’s development ordinance requiring new setback and neighbor notification requirements for building new tennis or pickle ball courts. The amendment approved last week requires residents to notify any neighbors by mail within 200 feet that they want to build a sports court. It also requires the court to be screened from neighbors by evergreen landscaping. The midpoint of the court must also now be closer to the owner’s house than to any neighbor’s houses, with a minimum setback of 20 feet from all property lines. City planning staff began looking into pickle ball noise mitigation after residents voiced concerns about noise and bright lights coming from residential pickle ball courts last year. City staff and the Leawood Planning Commission explored a number of options for addressing those concerns, such as cutting back permitted court lighting hours and raising the minimum distance from neighboring property lines.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Mission creating more bike and pedestrian connectivity
The city of Mission will host two public open houses Wednesday that will offer more details about the city’s ongoing bicycle, pedestrian and trail connection study. The focus of the study is to develop a connected network of on- and off-street bicycle and micro-mobility facilities. It also addresses pedestrian-specific concerns such as safety at major street crossings, access to certain destinations and sidewalk and path continuity. The study will result in a plan for a proposed design and appropriate infrastructure in major corridors around the city.
Source: Prairie Village Post
PSU, KBI to build $40 million crime center
Plans are being made for Pittsburg State University and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to partner on a project to build a $40 million regional crime center and laboratory near the PSU campus. The center would serve law enforcement and provide education for future forensic scientists and criminal justice professionals, the university announced Thursday. Plans have yet to be completed, but the center will be located in the Pittsburg Research Park near South Rouse Avenue. The area already houses research and testing laboratories for PSU and is a short drive from the main campus. The initial timeline slates groundbreaking in January 2025 and completion in July 2026.
Source: www.joplinglobe.com
Municipal Bond Trends for November 30, 2023
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.
Kansas Panasonic plant construction, hiring set for busy 2024
Roughly a year after Panasonic officially broke ground on its $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, Kansas, construction crews still have more than a year of work to go before the targeted opening in the first quarter of 2025. But, Panasonic officials say the senior leadership team is in place, 34 engineers have already been hired and are training at the company’s Gigafactory plant near Reno, Nevada, to help set up and open the De Soto facility. The workers who will be on the line on day one are expected to be hired in January and February, and spend much of 2024 training up to be ready to run the Kansas facility. “Anyone wanting to be a part of advanced manufacturing, we’ll have opportunities at all levels,” said Panasonic Vice President of Human Resources Kristen Walters. That’s why she says the company is already working closely with local community colleges and four-year institutions to mold degree and certification programs to teach the skills Panasonic will need. Those programs will allow entry-level workers to advance through the ranks, helping prolong a career in manufacturing either within Panasonic or at one of the region’s other manufacturing businesses. The goal is to spread those programs around the region to help draw workers that already live in the metro, around 50 miles around the plant.
Source: KSN-TV
Municipal Bond Trends for November 29, 2023
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.
Merriam latest Johnson County city to take up short-term rental issue
Merriam is the latest Johnson County city to discuss short-term rentals like AirBnBs or Vrbos and how to potentially regulate them. With city staff over the past year receiving questions and listening to concerns about short-term rentals from councilmembers, planning commissioners and residents alike, the city council decided to discuss the issue for the first time on Monday night. … Bryan Dyer, the city’s community development director, told the city council on Monday that there are currently 13 licensed short-term rentals that the city knows of in Merriam city limits. While it is difficult to track short-term rentals, Dyer said, he knows there are a couple more short-term rentals that are coming on the market soon.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Fed’s Barkin says rate hikes are still on the table if inflation doesn’t continue to ease
Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin said Wednesday that policymakers need to retain the option of raising interest rates if inflation doesn’t show enough progress coming down. Markets largely expect the Fed has stopped raising rates and will start cutting in 2024. But Barkin said he’s not ready to commit to a particular policy path with so much uncertainty in the air. “If inflation comes down naturally and smoothly, awesome, you know, there’s no particular need to do anything with interest rates if inflation steps down,” he told CNBC’s Steve Liesman during an interview at the CNBC CFO Council Summit. “But if inflation is going to flare back up, I think you want to have the option of doing more on rates,” Barkin added. “I guess the bigger point is, there’s no precision that anyone can point to at exactly what the level of rates that exactly handles inflation and exactly the way you want to handle it. So you’re constantly trying to adjust on the fly as you learn more about the economy.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Fed’s Waller expresses confidence that policy is in the right place to bring down inflation
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Tuesday he’s growing more confident that policy is in a place now to bring inflation back under control. There was nothing in Waller’s prepared remarks for a speech in Washington, D.C., that suggests he’s contemplating cutting interest rates, and he noted that inflation currently is still too high. But he pointed out a variety of areas where progress has made, suggesting the Fed at least won’t need to hike rates further from here. “While I am encouraged by the early signs of moderating economic activity in the fourth quarter based on the data in hand, inflation is still too high, and it is too early to say whether the slowing we are seeing will be sustained,” he said. “But I am increasingly confident that policy is currently well positioned to slow the economy and get inflation back to 2 percent.” The commentary comes two weeks before the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee’s Dec. 12-13 policy meeting. Markets largely expect the committee to hold its key lending rate steady, but Fed officials have stressed the importance of remaining vigilant on inflation and keeping their options open.
Source: Economy
Investors See Interest-Rate Cuts Coming Soon
Wall Street is gearing up for rate cuts. Twenty months after the Federal Reserve began a historic campaign against inflation, investors now believe there is a much greater chance that the central bank will cut rates in just four months than raise them again in the foreseeable future. Interest-rate futures indicated Monday a 52% chance the Fed will lower rates by at least a quarter-of-a-percentage point by its May 2024 policy meeting, up from 29% at the end of October, according to CME Group data. The same data pointed to four cuts by the end of the year. Investors, battered by the Fed’s efforts to slow the economy, have reacted by driving the S&P 500 up nearly 9% this month. That is despite the wagers reflecting different possible paths for the economy, not all of them favorable for stocks. One place where rate-cut bets are showing up is in the bond market, where yields on longer-term bonds have retreated further below those on short-term ones. Treasury yields largely reflect expectations for what short-term rates set by the Fed will average over the life of a bond. As a result, such a move is typically viewed as a warning of a looming recession, with investors betting the Fed will need to slash rates to stimulate growth.
Source: WSJ.com: Markets
Your Local Newspaper Might Not Have a Single Reporter
The Gleaner, the local newspaper in Henderson, Ky., has sections focused on features, sports, news and opinion. What it doesn’t have: a single reporter on staff. The publication is one of the “ghost newsrooms” that increasingly dot the American media landscape—newspapers that have little to no on-the-ground presence in the localities whose name they bear. It is a sobering development in an industry that has been brought to its knees by the rise of digital media and large technology companies. The Gleaner newsroom once bustled with a staff of around 20. Now, it doesn’t have an office—it was closed a few years ago—and most of its content comes from other publications owned by its parent company: Gannett, home of USA Today and over 200 local news outlets including the Courier & Press of nearby Evansville, Ind. What coverage there is of Henderson, a northwestern Kentucky city of about 30,000, is left to a few freelancers—including a husband-and-wife team that averages a few stories a month for the Gleaner, which publishes five days a week.
Source: WSJ.com: US Business
Governor Kelly Announces $5M to Expand Access to High-Speed Internet in Rural Kansas Communities
Governor Laura Kelly today announced that $5 million has been awarded to eight internet service providers (ISPs) in the latest round of Broadband Acceleration Grants for 2023. The awards will be paired with an additional $6.6 million in matching funds, resulting in an investment of nearly $12 million for high-speed broadband access projects across 10 rural Kansas counties. “We’re steadfast in our commitment to achieving the ambitious goal of making Kansas a top 10 state for broadband access by 2030,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Access to affordable broadband is critical for our communities to stay vibrant and competitive, and every Kansan deserves a reliable connection to participate in the digital economy – no matter their zip code.” Initiated in 2020, the Broadband Acceleration Grant is a 10-year, $85 million program designed to bring essential internet access to Kansas communities. Administered by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development and funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), this latest round of grants brings the program’s total investment for broadband infrastructure since 2020 to more than $31.5 million. “High-quality broadband is a necessity, and connectivity will enhance lives and open new doors of opportunity for Kansans,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Pottawatomie County extends solar farm moratorium for three more years
Pottawatomie County officials voted Monday to extend a moratorium, set to expire at the end of the year on commercial solar farms, for three more years. Uncertainty over the financial benefits of such operations and property rights have been at the center of discussion since the county began writing regulations for solar in early 2021. Solar farms provide solar power greater than one megawatt with the potential of generating several hundred megawatts of electricity and encompassing several thousands of acres of rural Pottawatomie County.
Commissioner Greg Riat initially had hoped for a five year moratorium after this year, but settled on three years. Commission Chair Pat Weixelman seconded Riat’s motion to extend the moratorium, through 2026. Commissioner Dee McKee opposed, stating she doesn’t want to deter potential solar companies from coming to Pottawatomie County outright. The board also tentatively approved regulations for the smaller scale solar gardens, which will be finalized next week. Solar gardens will be limited to 16 acres, and no two solar gardens will be allowed closer than half a mile from each other. Property line set backs would be 750 feet and equipment will be required to be at least 100 feet from the road right-of-way.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Kansas court officials confirm details of international cyberattack
Foreign cybercriminals launched the attack on the Kansas judicial branch’s information system in October and stole records of appellate cases and judicial administration files potentially regarded as confidential under state law, officials said in a Nov. 21 announcement. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court issued a joint statement confirming perpetrators “stole data and threatened to post it to a dark website if their demands were not met.” The release didn’t say whether the judicial branch complied with demands of the attackers, nor did it disclose whether evidence existed Kansas court information was forwarded to secretive illicit portions of the web. “This assault on the Kansas system of justice is evil and criminal,” the justices said. “We express our deep sorrow that Kansans will suffer at the hands of these cybercriminals.” The release said the judicial branch was the “victim of a sophisticated foreign cyberattack” and ongoing work by experts would identify the scope of personal information stolen. Once the assessment was completed, court officials said, individuals directly touched by the breach would be contacted.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Governor Kelly Announces Over $12M Awarded to Fall 2023 KDOT Cost Share Projects
Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed announced that more than $12 million state dollars will be awarded to 16 transportation construction projects across Kansas through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Cost Share Program for fall 2023. This investment will leverage $7.2 million in community matching dollars for a total investment of over $19 million.
Fall 2023 Cost Share recipients are:
- City of Abilene – 14th Street and North Van Buren Street intersection
- City of Baldwin City – U.S. 56– Pedestrian Crossing Safety improvements
- City of Deerfield – Main Street reconstruction project
- City of Halstead – North Street reconstruction and sidewalk improvements
- City of Harper – Ash and Walnut streets restoration
- City of Haysville – South Broadway pedestrian pathway project
- City of Hillsboro – Adams Street improvements
- City of Jennings – Chip seal city streets
- City of Parsons – Main Street sidewalk replacement
- City of Salina – West Magnolia Road – Phase 1
- City of Syracuse – New Syracuse Street signs
- Atchison County – Ottawa Road (RS 21) roadway rehabilitation and safety improvements
- Brown County – 270th Street rehabilitation
- Clark and Comanche Counties – Clark and Comanche Counties pavement improvement project
- Pottawatomie County – Louisville Road bridge over Rock Creek
- Russell County – Hell Creek Bridge (FAS 420) – Overlay and repairs
A map of this round of Cost Share projects can be found here.
More information about KDOT’s Cost Share Program is on KDOT’s website at https://www.ksdot.org/CostShare/CostShareProgram.asp.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr announces retirement
Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr has announced his retirement after more than two decades in the position. Fehr spent seven weeks in Houston, Texas earlier this fall undergoing treatment for cancer, something that factored into his decision. He says the cancer was caught early and so far the prognosis is good and he hopes to keep it that way. Hired in January 1982 as the Forestry and Parks Supervisor, for the newly formed Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department, Fehr has spent his entire professional career with the City and was appointed City Manager in April 2000, succeeding Gary Greer. Other roles he’s held include Park Superintendent, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation and Assistant City Manager. He also has served as Acting Zoo Director, Acting Director of Human Resources and twice served as Acting Director of Utilities. Fehr has overseen many developments over the years, including the Flint Hills Discovery Center and nearby Blue Earth Plaza, a project that came about through the use of Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds. In recent years, Fehr has led Aggieville redevelopment, changes within the Edge District (north campus corridor) to support the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility and growth efforts at Kansas State University. The city has also experienced modest growth since 2000, when the population surpassed 50,000, though that growth has been slow in recent years, primarily due to fluctuations at both Fort Riley and K-State.
Source: 1350 KMAN
WPD bus program has helped nearly 1,000 stranded homeless get off streets
“You kind of just have to grit your teeth and push through whatever you have to push through to get yourself out of that situation. Because if you don’t, you increase your chances of just, I’ll put it bluntly, death. It kills out there,” Joey Walters said. Walters says after the foster system failed him in Nebraska, he moved to Wichita to stay with family, but his life quickly fell apart. “Made some mistakes along the way. Done some stuff that I regret a lot. I put me in a situation where they couldn’t really house me anymore. So I ended up homeless,” said Walters. With nowhere else to turn, Joey Walters was on the streets and lived with a group of other young homeless people under a bridge at Murdock and Waco. After about a year of living this way, he met Officer Mariah McCrea with the Wichita Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team. “It’s good seeing you. You look a lot better than how I found you under the bridge,” McCrea said during a video call with Walters. McCrea says for a variety of reasons, people like Walters often come in from other cities and end up stuck on the streets with no one to help and no way to get home. But she says that’s why the city has a grant-funded program through the Beach Foundation called Finding Your Way Home, and Walters was the perfect candidate. “Ms. McCrea brought to my attention that they could get a bus ticket for me if I had anywhere to go that would be safer off the streets,” Walters said.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita has an affordable housing gap. Could microMansions help fill it?
Mary Lull, 22, is starting to look at buying her first house. But she says her and her fiancee’s budget limits them to older homes in need of a lot of work. “Anything that we could afford right now, we would have to fix up quite a bit, which would be a lot of extra costs,” she said. Lull is also the design coordinator for a company called microMansions, which sells ready-made tiny homes. The three-person business operates a warehouse in Columbus, a southeast Kansas town, that packages the homes into kits for individuals or developers to assemble. One of the homes was built in Wichita’s Delano neighborhood, where Lull operates it as an Airbnb. After spending so much time there, she’s considering buying one as a starter home. “My fiancee and I are actually … discussing after we get married, building one,” Lull said. “If we built one of these, it’s still cheaper than buying a house, renovating it.” Like much of the nation, Wichita and Kansas are struggling with a limited stock of affordable housing. On top of that, inflation and rising interest rates have pushed new home prices higher. Though microMansions is just getting started – only three of the homes have been built – founder Abby Nelson is hoping her tiny houses can fill a big affordability gap in the market. It’s a gap she says she experienced herself when she looked to buy a house in Wichita more than five years ago. It inspired her to start the business.
Source: KLC Journal
Bringing Amtrak back to Wichita – KDOT wants input
It has been more than four decades since Amtrak had service in Wichita, and the push to bring it back continues. The Kansas Department of Transportation is analyzing what expanding the service would mean for south-central Kansas. It wants to hear from Kansans, Oklahomans, and Texans. KDOT, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, and the Texas Department of Transportation are interested in extending the Heartland Flyer daily passenger rail service from Oklahoma City to Newton, where it would connect with the Southwest Chief national route. The Heartland Flyer currently provides service between Ft. Worth and Oklahoma City. The Southwest Chief offers daily roundtrip service between Chicago and Los Angeles. If transportation experts decide it is feasible, the extended Heartland Flyer route would add stops in Wichita and Arkansas City in Kansas. It would also add stops in Ponca City, Perry, Guthrie, and Edmond, Oklahoma. KDOT is in the process of getting another Service Development Plan done on the idea. It completed one in 2011, but the plan fell short due to lack of funding. This time, KDOT says there is more federal interest in passenger rail service, including new funding opportunities. One possibility is the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID Program. KDOT, ODOT, and TxDOT applied for the funding in March. The FRA is expected to announce the recipients as early as this week.
Source: KSN-TV
1920s era mural adds to Hiawatha building
The Hiawatha World mural made a drastic step toward completion this fall – however, the artists and owner of this historic downtown building say there is more to come. This past summer, a group of mural artists who have been making a colorful splash around the community connected with Richard and Pam Tesoriero, owners of the Hiawatha World. Last fall, these five artists completed a Welcome to Hiawatha mural on the south side of the old Maple Lanes Bowling alley (now owned by Andy and Wendy Pederson) on South First Street. They added another in downtown Hiawatha on the east side of Dan Lierz’s building at 9th and Oregon where Shelter Insurance and Waddell & Reed are located. The Tesorieros purchased the World building this past spring and almost immediately connected with the mural artists – Chase Hunter, Michael Trujillo, Whitney Kerr and Mark Manning, who are based in Kansas City, but come from as far as Alabama and Los Angeles. Tesoriero had a specific design – he wanted paperboys representing every era of the newspaper since the building was built in 1925. The newspaper was actually founded in 1907, but was located elsewhere prior to 1925.
Source: Local News | hiawathaworldonline.com
Prairie Village formulates plan to reach zero carbon pledge by 2050
Prairie Village recently took a first step towards achieving its commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Prairie Village City Council last month approved a municipal operation climate action plan, the first citywide plan aimed at helping Prairie Village achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions — per its Cities Race to Zero commitment first approved in 2021. The commitment calls for the city to reach net zero emissions in its municipal operations — including emissions from public buildings and city vehicles — by the 2040s or sooner. The city worked with Indiana-based sustainability consultant Keramida to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and craft a city-specific climate action plan. Two big potential construction project could be opportunities for lowering municipal emissions, Keramida officials told the city council at its Oct. 16 meeting. Nick McCreary, a senior sustainability analyst with Keramida, said the firm recommends that a prospective new city hall be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Platinum standards.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Walkability Enhancement: Pittsburg’s plan for school route sidewalk
The City of Pittsburg is looking to install a sidewalk near Meadowlark Elementary School. Pittsburg city staff applied for a “Safe Routes to School Grant” to install a sidewalk on the south side of East 20th Street from Meadowlark Elementary School to Rouse Street. The city’s Active Transportation Advisory Group identified the need for a sidewalk through parents and students. The Kansas Department of Transportation has a Safe Routes to School program to help support connectivity to schools and walkability. “This sidewalk helps identify a need for a safe route if you will for walkability from Meadowlark Elementary to our one of the city’s fire stations, which is a meeting point in case of emergency,” said Matt Bacon, Director of Public Works & Utilities, City of Pittsburg. Bacon adds the grant is a planning grant that will help the city start the design work and engineering to submit for construction at a later date.
Source: KSNF/KODE