Kansas Municipal News
Wichita’s downtown parking plan faces roadblocks amid backlash
Following public backlash in August to the city’s previously approved plan to implement more paid public parking throughout Wichita’s core, from Old Town to the Delano District, the City Council moved to delay the purchase of equipment tied to that plan. A Sept. 10 Council meeting is set to include a city staff update on the plan, including the latest on public feedback and alternative options to pay for downtown parking infrastructure needs. Caught in the uncertainty are business owners and operators. Some say increasing the prevalence of paid parking could deter customers from visiting downtown. “In this economy that we’re in right now — with all the costs that are going up — I think people just fear that this is another thing you have to pay for, and people just won’t come,” said Byron McSwain, who recently opened Greater Grounds Coffee & Co. at 922 E. Douglas Ave. “That is my fear.” Others — including those leading Wichita’s economic development efforts — say a new approach to downtown parking is critical as the city prepares for an expected boom from the under-construction Wichita Biomedical Campus. “We’ve got the biggest economic activity coming ever in the history of downtown Wichita,” said Alan Banta, veteran Wichita businessman, developer and longtime member of the Downtown Wichita board. “You can’t have 3,000 students and a $300 million investment in the center of Wichita and not have a parking plan.” City officials say the parking fund is not on a sustainable path to support the maintenance needs of garages, surface-level lots and street parking in the core, let alone needed security upgrades and modernizing parking infrastructure — much of which looks firmly entrenched in the 20th Century. “What we’re doing now isn’t working,” assistant city manager Troy Anderson said.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Ordinance approved to address nuisances at short-term rental properties
Wichita City Council members have approved an ordinance to deal with nuisance parties at short-term rental properties in the city. Action had been delayed to rewrite the ordinance to clarify when a property owner could be held responsible for violations. The ordinance defines activities that would be considered as nuisances, including noise, unlawful sale of alcoholic beverages, property damage, illegal gambling, and other conduct. The property owner and the person renting the property could be cited under the ordinance, but they can only be charged if they are present at the time of the party, if they have been notified by law enforcement or city staff about party activities, or if other facts show that the owner or renter knew or should have known that the party was taking place. Law enforcement can ask that party activities stop, and people attending the party who fail to leave can be charged with a violation. Upon conviction, a first penalty can be a fine of not more than $500. A second or later offense will have a fine of $1,000 up to a maximum of $2,500 and one year imprisonment. A person who is a short-term rental license holder could have the license suspended for up to ten days.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
A Home in This Kansas City Suburb Can Cost Millions. Just Ask Travis Kelce.
The Kansas City metropolitan area straddles the border between Kansas and Missouri. Near its southern end on the Kansas side is the city of Leawood. With a median home listing price of $1.8 million in July 2024, Leawood’s 66211 ZIP Code is home to Kansas’ priciest residential real estate as ranked by median listing price, according to Realtor.com. (News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, also operates Realtor.com.) One of Kansas City’s first-ring suburbs, Leawood has a population of approximately 34,000, according to census data. It has two main shopping and dining complexes: Town Center, which has bigger brand names, and Park Place, which has a Main Street feel with smaller, independently-owned venues. The city is also very green and walkable, with trails and parks.
Source: WSJ.com: World News
‘We’re not just loading people on a bus,’ Lawrence’s homeless solutions director says
Many questions have surfaced in the days since the city announced a new policy to prioritize Douglas County residents with homelessness services — among them, how does someone without an address prove they live here? The City of Lawrence this week shared details of a policy that’s actually been implemented over the past few months. Under the policy, the city provides “non-resident homeless individuals” with short-term assistance and helps them return to their “place of origin,” according to a city news release. Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s Homeless Solutions Division, answered questions about the policy, its purpose and how it’s played out so far.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Doug Burt serves the City of Great Bend for five decades
Doug Burt is traveling the hills and valleys of memory lane these days, as he celebrates his 50th anniversary of taking care of business for the City of Great Bend. Randy Keasling, director of human resources, echoed many of Keeler’s comments about Burt. “Reaching a 50-year work anniversary is a remarkable achievement, and it speaks volumes about the dedication, hard work and loyalty of our valued colleague, Doug Burt,” Keasling said. “His commitment and contributions are something we are so very proud of. We are deeply grateful for Doug’s many years of service and the positive impact he has had on our team and community. Doug, on behalf of City Council and City Staff – Thank you for your service to The City of Great Bend.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Salina cyclists aim to make city safer for bikes
Salina is trying to make the community more cycling friendly. The biking community has noticed of some of the steps the city is taking, but — as with anything — there is always room to improve. “What they mostly talk about is trails, which is not unworthy,” said Janet Hanson, a member of the Salina Bicyclist Advocacy Group. Hanson, along with fellow group member Phil Black, hopes the city and residents can do things to make cycling on streets more safe and accessible.
Source: Salina Journal
How a threat from Shawnee County led to an art farm known as Truckhenge
A judge in 2002 ordered Ron Lessman to remove various junk vehicles, most of them trucks, from his farm just east of Topeka. That order was issued after Shawnee County sued Lessman, contending any flooding of the nearby Kansas River might endanger public safety and health by sweeping those vehicles downstream. Lessman replied by making those vehicles the centerpiece of a quirky, grassroots art park called Truckhenge Farm, which humorously pays homage to England’s Stonehenge.
Source: CJonline
Amid budget uncertainty, new Lawrence parks director thinks he’s up to challenge of guiding department forward
Despite being intrigued by a new possibility in Lawrence, Luis Ruiz was not expecting to seriously consider making a jump to the Sunflower State. Ruiz, who was born and raised in Miami and is a first generation Cuban-American, went to school at the University of Miami and spent at least a decade working in the Sunshine State… He took the job as director in May. Then in July, the city released its initial 2025 budget that his department could face service cuts, something Ruiz — and other city officials — was not fully aware of when he took the job.
Source: LJWorld
Municipal Bond Trends for August 29, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for August 28, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Overland Park names its new police chief, the first woman to lead the department
Overland Park has named Doreen Jokerst, leader of the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, as its next police chief. She will be the first woman to run the department. Jokerst, who has served for six years as the assistant vice chancellor for public safety and chief of police overseeing the Boulder campus, will replace former Overland Park police chief Frank Donchez, who resigned last year.
Source: Joco 913 News
Allen County preps for election on sales tax
Voters will decide whether to approve a half-cent sales tax to fund EMS services. The question will be added to the November ballot.
Source: The Iola Register
Townsfolk: Gas is pretty great
Even when pressed, the townsfolk of Gas found little to complain about nor was their wishlist long. They are there because they like small-town, countryesque living where the amenities of a larger city are just a short drive away. At least that was the takeaway from the half-dozen at Tuesday night’s Community Conversation hosted by Thrive Allen County.
Source: The Iola Register
Reno County residents digging deeper into water wells due to ongoing drought
The ongoing drought is continuing to affect homeowners. Some in Reno County are now having to dig deeper into their water wells. The properties here rely on groundwater for drinking water and to water trees, but in recent years, conditions have gotten drier and drier, forcing homeowners to drill deeper for water.
Source: KSN-TV
Southwest Kansas set to fuel the future of flight
The State of Kansas is taking a leap to be on the cutting edge of sustainable fuels with a new biofuel plant in southwest Kansas. Officials gathered for a groundbreaking at the SAFFiRE plant in Liberal Wednesday morning. … The plant will use the corn stalks and husks left over from harvest and turn them into ethanol. The ethanol will then be turned into sustainable aviation fuel, which has an 83% lower carbon footprint than conventional jet fuel.
Source: KSN-TV
Could farmland tract in Olathe help fill ‘missing middle’ housing gap? Developers think so
Olathe Commons, a mixed residential rental project boasting “missing middle” housing, is moving forward. On Monday, the Olathe Planning Commission recommended approving a rezoning and a preliminary site development plan for the project in an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Jim Terrones was absent from the meeting. The development, which will have both townhomes and more compact cottage-court-style single-family homes for rent, is proposed on a 23-acre piece of farmland southwest of 119th Street and Greenwood Street near the Olathe Pointe Shopping Center. “It’s nice to see a housing project like this kind of come in and meet the middle,” Commissioner Taylor Breen said. Olathe Commons plans 250+ dwelling units: In all, 274 dwelling units are planned with an average density of nine units per acre. That includes 60 cottage-court-style single-family homes and 214 units spread across 27 two-story townhome buildings. The development will also have a clubhouse, pool, open space and a dog park. Some infrastructure improvements are required in the area. All of the housing units will be rentals with maintenance provided. PeakMade Real Estate, based in Atlanta, plans to own and manage the property. Stephen Furr, vice president of the company’s built-to-rent development division, said that “attainable housing is really the focus” of the Olathe Commons plan. “This is really trying to fill that void,” he told the planning commission, noting that the development will offer something between apartment rentals and homeownership. What is “missing middle” housing? “Missing middle” housing is typically more affordable and often geared towards renters and first-time homebuyers who cannot afford to buy larger single-family homes and or rent more expensive apartments. Definitions of “missing middle” housing often include smaller starter homes, row houses, owner-occupied townhomes, duplexes and triplexes, among other housing options. This specific type of housing stock is lacking in many communities, including in Johnson County, despite there being demand for it. Many cities across Johnson County are looking at ways to fill the gap with varying degrees of success. For example, Overland Park has looked at making it easier to build “missing middle” type housing with a permit-ready housing pilot program. At the same time, discussions about how to expand housing options — and potentially change local zoning codes to do so — have roiled other communities, most notably Prairie Village. In the case of the proposed Olathe Commons project, Wayne Janner, planning commission chair, said he’d support the project, but he felt like the development missed an opportunity to offer more attainable homeownership. “Having the missing middle, it sounds appealing, but attainable housing is about people entering into homeownership,” said Janner, who is a real estate agent. “A way to get people into homeownership is a value to our community more than more rental products.” Next steps: This latest rezoning and site plan for the Olathe Commons project now heads to the Olathe City Council for consideration next. It is scheduled for the Sept. 17 council meeting. Later, the developer will need to submit a final site development plan for the project, which will have to include some modifications from the proposed plan as is, according to the staff report.
Source: Johnson County Post
Words from the Wizard: How Dodge City sizzled its way to my heart
I came to Dodge City when I was Big City bound. I stopped to visit for just a couple of weeks. Five years later, I’m still here, and I’m hooked – meat plants and all! I still remember when I was waiting for my transport at the smallest airport I had ever seen. I went back inside and reported to the nice girl at the counter that there was a strong smell outside and I thought “something might have died nearby.” I noticed the familiar “this guy is way out of his route” on her eyes, but she kindly said: Oh yes, we get a lot of that around here. When I suggested she should call to have it cleaned up, the man next to her cracked a smile the size of the Joker’s. I didn’t get it. I fell in love with Boot Hill’s quirky exhibits and even quirkier staff. Then I saw it transform into a national class Museum! The Dodge City Rodeo? I’m a regular, cheering on cowboys and cowgirls (while praying my car doesn’t get trampled.) Who needs a beach body when you can have a meat-plant-induced appetite? The High Plains sunsets are breathtaking, and the hiking trails are wonderful – just watch out for the occasional cow pie. Dodge City’s small-town charm is contagious (even when the wind blows a certain way.) I’ve met some… interesting characters (you know who you are!), and we’ve shared laughs, stories, and a few (dozen) cowboy jokes. Just ask Steve Deno! Our economy is growing (and so is my waistline!) New businesses, innovative initiatives – Dodge City’s on the move! So many restaurants and eateries you won’t ever go hungry and if you like Mexican food, you have a lot to choose from! Our schools? Very nice, thank you, they do have one heck of a team! Healthcare? Let me put it this way: They didn’t let me die me when I accidentally inhaled too much… atmosphere! We simply have nothing to envy bigger cities. My verdict Dodge City, Stole My Heart (and hijacked my sense of smell) Five years in, and I’m still here. Longest two weeks of my life! Dodge City, you’ve shown me that home is where the heart is – and my heart is full of… meat… and cup cakes!
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
Walton continuing to evaluate sinkhole problem
After multiple sinkholes opened up on Osage Road, the Walton Township has been doing what it can to find out how to move forward with fixing the problem. Mike Spangler, the Walton Township trustee, said he’s working with a Wichita contractor to find out how deep the sinkhole is. Spangler said they completed a core drill a couple weeks ago that drilled down 30 feet into the Earth to complete a check of the ground structure underneath the sinkhole. He is still waiting on the results of the core drilling. Kelsea Abney, the township clerk, is also working on the issue. Abney reached out to the University of Kansas’s geological survey. “They specialize in everything geological,” Abney said. Abney got in touch with Rick Miller, who is a sinkhole expert with 40 years of experience dealing with them. Abney said she’s waiting to hear what the next steps will be but was told they needed to know how much solid soil is under the road. Walton initially came to Harvey County for help with the sinkhole at the end of May, saying they weren’t sure how to deal with it. At the time, they were just dealing with one. Since then, another sinkhole appeared on the other side of the road. The sinkholes are on Osage Road, which is the road between Harvey and Marion counties, making it the township’s responsibility to manage. According to past reporting from Harvey County Now, the road was closed temporarily at the beginning of June. It has stayed closed ever since. Spangler last visited the sinkhole a couple weeks ago. “It’s still growing,” Spangler said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Lengthy Walton boil advisory from lack of kits
Boil advisories generally last no more than a couple days at most, but delays in testing kits extended the advisory in Walton to a week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil advisory on Wednesday, Aug. 14, but it wasn’t lifted until the following Wednesday, Aug. 21. Walton City Clerk Stephanie Ashby said the delay was caused by a lack of available testing kits. Ashby said they hadn’t dealt with a boil advisory in so long that the test the city had on hand was expired. The city had the kits overnighted on Thursday but didn’t receive them until late Friday, meaning they had to wait over the weekend to turn the kits in. The city tested four different sites across town. On Monday, Ashby drove the tests to the testing center in Topeka. On Tuesday, the city got the results back and found that one of the four tests had shown up with coliform bacteria. Ashby said it was the tap they used for testing that was the issue. “That was the fault of the faucet that had a dirty tap,” Ashby said. “It shows something in the water.” The next day the city found a testing site in Wichita and sent the second round of tests there. Ashby said it was more expensive, but the city was able to rush one-day tests that way. Those results came back clear, and the department of health and environment lifted the advisory. The waterline the city was repairing during the incident was fixed by Thursday, Aug. 15. “It wasn’t a major leak,” Ashby said. She thanked the EMS in the county for helping spread the word about the advisory. Ashby said she’d been going to every house individually to give notices, but the EMS was able to put out a phone notification. Ashby said the reason for the advisory was a standard caution. While city employees worked to repair a water main break, the water pressure decreased at the distribution center. This lack of pressure can lead to bacterial contamination in the water. “When we don’t have pressure, we can’t guarantee safety,” Ashby said. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, just a precaution.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Pickleball Court Comes To Uniontown
Pickleball has come to Uniontown, with equipment provided by community members and a court provided by a grant. Pickleball resembles tennis in which players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net, according to Oxford Languages Dictionary A grant provided the concrete court to play the sport on. Recently, the court had been marked for pickleball play. Last Thursday, pickleball equipment was made available in a storage container located under the community bulletin board at Uniontown’s City Hall on the east side of the town’s square. “There is no charge to use the equipment and we ask that you put it back, or the community loses it,” City Clerk Sally Johnson said. “Return it and take care, so everyone can use it.” “All the equipment has been donated,” Johnson said. “The bin, which houses the equipment was donated by Amber Kelley; the net, paddles and ball were donated by the Frank Johnson family; and the benches around the pickleball court was supplied by Skeet George.” A grand opening/ribbon cutting is scheduled during the Old Settler’s Picnic at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 1 at the pickleball court, located west of the new public restrooms in Uniontown. The grand opening falls between two family activities that day at the town square, bingo is slated for 2 p.m. at the southeast shelter house, and then the Family Fun Night starts at 6 p.m. at the gazebo, Johnson said. “They will incorporate the ribbon cutting in the family fun time,” she said. “The public is invited to all the events.”
Source: Fort Scott Biz