Kansas Municipal News
Community health worker project helping rural Kansas
A common goal of improving health in rural areas is bringing together leaders from higher education and medical providers. The Community Health Worker Project at Kansas State University focuses on sustaining the health and safety of rural Kansans and people working in agriculture. The project is meant to serve as a gateway to help rural residents manage chronic conditions, prevent injuries and reduce risks of getting sick. “A community health worker who understands the hard work that has to be done if you’re on a ranch or farm, having to look at the equipment maintenance, having to look at some of the -you’ve got to be seasonally ready, especially if you’re doing crop production,” said Elaine Johannes. The goal is to expand the project into 16 counties.
Source: KSN-TV
Severe storm rips roof off home in Soldier
Another severe overnight storm left a couple in Soldier without a roof. Ron Youngs said he and his partner Pamela Powell were waiting out the weather at a friend’s house. They said it’s a good thing they weren’t at home. “I went around town to see if there was tree limbs down in the intersections,” Youngs said, “or if there was anybody who might need some help. And after I made my rounds and came home, I realized the entire roof of my house was laying in my driveway.” The couple took shelter with Thomas Cott and his wife. Cott said when Youngs called to tell him about the damage he went to help right away. “Me and my wife and another one of our friends come down here,” Cott said. “We was here until midnight or 12:30 moving all of their personal belongings out of the front of the house.” Cott told 27 News he even took off work the next day to help pick up. When asked what made him take the time to help, Cott said Youngs would do the same. “He’s my friend,” Cott said. “If it happened at my house I’m pretty confident he’d be there to help me as well.” Youngs said he appreciates any support the community can provide. The couple said Dennison State Bank set up a relief fund in Powell’s name. The bank can be contacted directly for monetary donations. Youngs also says they’ll provide information on the Holton community Facebook page about other ways people can help.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Gage Park named ‘top green space’ in HGTV article
A Topeka park is the only Kansas park to be listed in a recent HGTV article. HGTV recently came out with a story naming the best public parks, gardens and nature centers in the United States. The HGTV story “50 States of Public Parks, Gardens, Arboretums and Nature Centers” highlights parks with the top green spaces that are free and open to the public and also have activities for families. Gage Park in Topeka is the only park in the Sunflower State to be recognized on this list. The article highlights the variety of sights and activities that Gage Park has to offer. Some key spaces of the park that are mentioned are the Reinisch Rose Garden, dog park, volleyball courts, tennis court and ball field. The Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, Gage Park mini-train and carousel rides are also mentioned as family-friendly activities that are in or near the park. To read the article and see what other U.S. parks are mentioned, click here.
Source: KSNT 27 News
City of Randolph victim of $40k fraud
The Riley County Police Department (RCPD) said the City of Randolph was the victim of a scam after being defrauded out of $40,000. On Tuesday, Aug. 13 RCPD was called to report fraud in the 300 block of Stockdale Drive in Randolph. The city was listed as the victim after a suspect posed as a consulting group and defrauded the city, according to a daily report from the RCPD. If you have information on the thefts you can contact Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers you can remain anonymous and qualify for a $1,000 cash reward. 27 News reached out to the city for comment but was redirected to the RCPD due to it being an active investigation.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Pittsburg pool plays host to paddling pooches
Residents take one last dip in the city pool with their pooches at the Pittsburg Aquatic Center Wednesday evening. With daytime heat index in excess of 100 degrees, the water was a welcome relief to human and canine. Parents brought their fur babies — and the regular ones too — for a final dip in the ole cement pond. Divided into two one-hour segments based on size, doggies got to play from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Typically the last public event of the summer, the pool will close until next Memorial weekend.
Source: Morning Sun
Rock River Rapids and Derby Shores — how will the Derby waterparks be different?
If you’re feeling the heat in Derby this summer, the city could cool you down in more ways than one. Plans were announced in April for a summer groundbreaking for Derby Shores, a $160 million private development that would add another aquatic experience to the rapidly growing Wichita suburb. The development would add an approximately 4-acre man-made lagoon with a beach and water slides, a 300-unit apartment complex, an RV/glamping park, a 50-unit senior living facility and other developments at 63rd Street South and Rock Road. The development would be a mile from the city’s long-standing municipal waterpark, Rock River Rapids. Rock River Rapids opened in 2004 after residents passed a half-cent sales tax, and the waterpark celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer. The city discussed potential repairs and improvements in a June City Council meeting for the waterpark, including plans for short-term repairs to the children’s pool area, pump systems and additional shades. For the long term, the city highlighted investing in rebranding the park and adding new technology. “But it also has to be rethought to meet the new generation’s desires and goals,” Derby public works director Robert Mendoza said in an interview. “… What was exciting 20 years ago is not so exciting to a lot of the teenagers that we have in Derby today.” Costs for short-term repairs ranged from $100,000 to $300,000, and $15 to $20 million for long-term investment in rebranding and innovation. City Council will authorize Tuesday $17,200 in replacements for the waterpark. Derby Shores is being developed by a group that includes Wichita businessman Dave Murfin, Kansas City-based STAR bonds developer Rick Worner, and Genesis Health Clubs owner Rodney Steven II. A quarter of the project’s cost, $32.4 million, is being funded by STAR bonds, a mechanism for Kansas municipalities to fund major commercial, entertainment and tourism projects by allowing them to recapture some of the state sales tax revenue created within the area. The other 75% of funding will be private investment, the group said in April. The city approved the STAR bond project plan in May 2022, followed by a sale of the bonds in June. Murfin and Steven did not respond to the WBJ requests for comment. Derby city manager Kiel Mangus said residents have asked about similarities between the two projects since the approval of Derby Shores two years ago. Mangus said the city waterpark is a cheaper option — $10 for day passes with season passes ranging from $60 to $75. According to a private 2022 feasibility study that was part of the STAR bonds application, Derby Shores could cost $45 per person in daily admission costs. No season pass projection was made. “It’s like comparing apples to oranges,” Mangus said. The projects, he said, target different population demographics. He said Rock River Rapids is a community recreational waterpark run by the city’s recreation commission and is intended for Derby residents. According to the waterpark’s 2023 annual report, 70% of its around 78,000 visitors last year were Derby residents, with 30% coming from Wichita, Haysville and other nearby cities. The city generated approximately $758,000 in revenue by September. Derby Shores, meanwhile, is a private investment planned to attract out-of-state tourists with the help of STAR bonds. The feasibility study showed that Derby Shores is expected to host 248,000 annual visitors — around 75,000 in its first year after construction — with 50% coming from more than 100 miles away and 40% from another state. The development is also projected to generate $3.4 million in revenue. Mangus said while both destinations impact taxpayers, Rock River Rapids solely uses sales tax dollars of the city whereas Derby Shores will be using state sales tax dollars. Mangus said that Derby Shores has yet to break ground. He said the city is awaiting design plans after introducing site plans earlier this year. “I think it is a good thing that they could cohabitate functionally in our community because I don’t believe our audiences are the same,” Mangus said of the Derby Shores project.”
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Sedgwick County Commissioners set precedent for commercial solar in approved regulations
Sedgwick County finally has an answer for its commercial and utility-based solar projects — one that brings a year’s worth of deliberation to a temporary stop. Sedgwick County Commissioners approved 4-1 Wednesday updated regulations that prohibit solar projects within urban areas of influence in the county — defined as urban areas of land with development growth — with some additions: Increase the maximum project size from the proposed 1,280 acres to 1,500 acres. Increase maximum contiguous land sections for a commercial project location from four to six areas. Increase the distance between an unattached area of a project to the concentrated project area to one mile. The new rules are likely an end to Chisholm Trail Solar Energy Center, a 750-acre solar project proposed by Chicago developer Invenergy between Colwich and Maize. “The alternative solar regulations approved by the Sedgwick County Commissioners today included several provisions that impact the current plans for Chisholm Trail Solar Energy Center,” an Invenergy spokesperson told the WBJ in an email. “We are evaluating these newly introduced regulations and will make decisions on any necessary project updates in the coming weeks.” Commissioner David Dennis, whose district includes Colwich, said he proposed the recommendations that were provided by the joint city-county Metropolitan Area Planning Department because the existing policy “left too many significant variables on a case-by-case basis” and added a “political aspect to each decision” on commercial solar projects. “That’s not the right way to do things,” he said in the meeting. He said the new regulations address the adverse impacts of commercial solar projects on public safety, economic and commercial development, and aesthetics of specific areas, communities and the entire county. A debated portion of the regulation centered around a no-waiver position, which eliminates the possibility of commercial solar developers requesting regulation items to be waived for their specific projects. Commission chair Ryan Baty requested the no-waiver be lifted to allow flexibility to entertain some conditional use permits for commercial solar projects. “I have some heartburn on the no waiver because not all applications are going to be the same, not all properties are going to be the same, not all projects are going to be the same,” he said. Dennis, meanwhile, disagreed with the change in waiver regulations. “I’ll guarantee you that there will be a conditional use put in immediately to waive the urban growth area between Maize and Colwich and now it goes political,” he said. Commissioner Jim Howell, the sole vote against the motion, said regulations are “going the wrong way” by enlarging project sizes to a maximum of 1,500 acres. Howell said he would prefer if the sizes of these projects were reduced by half, to around 640 acres. “I’m not anti-solar (but) I’m not so sure this is the right time to do this,” he said. “I would rather see us observe what happens in other places and let the technology mature a little bit. We can come back in a couple of years and maybe reconsider this.” Maize mayor Pat Stivers and Colwich mayor Terri Nicholson spoke in support of the regulations tied to urban areas of influence. “As a community, we are absolutely not opposed to solar, and we think small solar projects even near our city are a viable option where cities and solar can coexist,” Stivers said. “We are concerned about what a 500-acre project or bigger project would do to the city of Maize. We fully support the recommendation.” Commissioners agreed that there is room for adjustments in establishing urban areas of influence. “I fully admit that if you look at our entire county, there are areas that are urban areas of influence that probably shouldn’t be, that need adjustments,” Dennis said.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
“Just don’t forget about us”: Mayor Kovacic pleads for commission to help city of Stark
Stark Mayor Jeff Kovacic spoke at Tuesday’s Neosho County Commission meeting voicing concerns over finances for his community. Stark has a population of 67 residents. Kovacic listed the community’s responsibilities to the taxpayers. Valuation in Stark is about $264,000, meaning a mill levied generates about $264. Kovacic said that 99 percent of the town’s tax money goes toward insurance. While some things in the town generate money, the tax money mostly goes to paying other bills, he said. Kovacic asked the commission for a portion of the payment in lieu of taxes from Neosho Ridge Wind. The commission has given some of this money to a number of other entities in the county. “In our community a comparable amount of money would have a double or triple impact that it would in some of the bigger communities,” Kovacic told the commission. “Extra projects and equipment are just not on the table for the revenue that we have without putting undue hardships on our residents.” With the money, the community would be able to maintain roads, city property, community buildings, a ballfield and its waste lagoons. Commissioner Gail Klaassen said she initially thought the commission should contribute to every community in the county. Being in the middle of the county budget sessions, the commissioners were unable to say what they could provide for Stark but that they would have an idea in a month during their next budget session. “Just don’t forget about us,” Kovacic said. “It seemed like when we went through the list it was definitely clear that you forgot that area and that’s why I’m here today.”
Source: www.chanute.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article
Municipal Bond Trends for August 14, 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.
Droessler fills role
Robby Droessler recently assumed the role of Iola’s parks and cemetery superintendent. He ascended into the position after long-time parks and cemetery boss Berkley Kerr retired this summer. Want to feel old? Robby Droessler, Iola’s newly minted parks and cemetery superintendent, was having a recent conversation with a seasonal employee of his who helped with mowing during the summer before returning to school in the fall. The chat steered to Iola’s 2007 flood, which filled Riverside Park with 10 feet of floodwater and ultimately resulted in construction of a new swimming pool and a new community building. “He didn’t remember anything about it,” Droessler said. That’s when it clicked. The high-schooler was still in diapers when the flood occurred. “That’s making me feel old,” Droessler, 32, laughed. “Of course, he wouldn’t remember it.” DROESSLER ascended to the superintendent’s position after long-time parks and cemetery boss Berkley Kerr retired this summer. It marked the latest step up the city’s ladder for Droessler, who started with the city 12 years ago on the back of a trash truck. He did that for a little more than a year, before getting promoted to Iola’s street and alley department. Droessler enjoyed the work there, but after about five years, he saw an opening for an operator within the parks crew. “I figured I was looking for something different, a little change of scenery,” he recalled. Droessler proved to be a quick learner, particularly under Kerr, who recognized Droessler’s problem-solving abilities, but more importantly, his work ethic. Not long after that, Droessler was promoted to Kerr’s chief assistant. Then, after a couple of years of hinting he was about to retire, Kerr made it official near the end of 2023 that he was going to step down in 2024. What followed was a nine-month cram session to learn the ins and outs of the job. “Berkley trained me on every aspect he could think of, from budgeting, to navigating computers, shift and supervisory issues, and overseeing equipment.” Kerr stepped down June 30. Droessler was hired the next day. “I still had to go through the application process,” he noted, “But I think it showed to them that I was able to run a crew for about a year as the assistant. It was new to me then, but I took to it pretty quickly.” Now, it’s Droessler’s turn to dispense knowledge to what he describes as a “very green” crew. Of the six employees — including Droessler — four have been within the department for less than a year. Fortunately, Droessler has another long-time employee, Doug Clark, around to share institutional knowledge to his young crew. “I’m very happy with the crew we have,” he said. “Everybody is catching on very quickly. They have great motivation and a great work ethic.” AS PARKS and cemetery’s superintendent, Droessler is charged with maintaining more than 200 acres of city property, spread among Riverside, Cofachique, Meadowbrook, Cedarbrook and South Elm parks, a pair of disc golf courses and the Prairie Spirit Trail and Missouri Pacific walking and biking trails that run within Iola’s city limits. Droessler’s department also is responsible for preparation of grave sites at Highland and Old Iola cemeteries, and the mowing and weed eating at both properties, a Herculean task in itself. “It takes about two weeks to weedeat Highland Cemetery alone,” he notes. Because his seasonal employees have returned to school, it means Droessler also will join his crew on mowers and whatnot through the fall. “We’re definitely still in our busy season,” he said. Eventually, once fall and winter arrive and the grass grows dormant, the focus shifts more on maintenance on the city’s three community buildings — oh, he’s in charge of scheduling rentals of those, too — and repairing any equipment showing signs of stress. The crews shift gears to do things like paint projects during the winter, and trim trees along trails or within the park; straighten grave stones and reseed portions if necessary. “The list is endless,” he said. “And it only grows.” Droessler also works in league with Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jason Bauer on occasion, “and vice versa, if we need help,” he said. Droessler’s bond with Iola extends well beyond his 12 years as a city employee. His father, Bob Droessler, was a 30-year officer within the Iola Police Department before retiring in June, about a week and a half before Robby earned his latest promotion. “He started when I was 3 years old,” Droessler said, recalling his youth spent patrolling the ball diamond at the park. “Now my kids are down here,” he said. (Droessler has coached his son’s youth squad the past several summers, including as head coach in 2024.) “I love it here,” he said. “I was born and raised here. I’ve already told them at City Hall I’m looking to retire here. It’s a great place to work.”
Source: The Iola Register
Crawford considers solar farm
Crawford County commissioners are considering a proposed $500 million solar farm that would generate not only energy but also millions in tax revenues, according to the Pittsburg Morning Sun. John Copyak of Shasta Power, based in Bend, Ore., introduced the plan to commissioners earlier this week. The 1,500-acre site woud be between Arma and Frontenac and be centered on an existing power station, the Sun reported. Construction would require 200 workers, with a dozen permanent jobs required to maintain the site. The farm is slated to generate 200 megawatts, enough to power 50,000 homes, according to Copyak. The solar farm is expected to generate $4 million to $5 million in property taxes each year over the next 35 years, divided primarily between the county and school districts. In addition to property taxes, the county will also receive 1 percent of the sales taxes generated by the solar farm, according to The Sun. The solar farm is clean energy. No noise, dust or air pollution is created in the generation of power. Additions to the current site will include battery storage and some minor modifications to tie the solar panels into the existing grid. A moratorium on all new construction of wind and solar is currently in effect in Crawford County until commissioners update its 20-year plan, according to the Sun.
Source: The Iola Register
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation asks federal court to resolve jurisdiction dispute with sheriff
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in a federal lawsuit accuses the Jackson County sheriff of threatening to arrest tribal police over a tax dispute with a gas station on the reservation. The lawsuit against Sheriff Tim Morse signals an escalation in longstanding tensions over law enforcement jurisdiction on the nation’s land. Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation chairman, said the sheriff does not collaborate with the nation. “We have really had a checkered past with Jackson County, specifically the sheriff,” Rupnick said, noting Morse and his wife are former employees of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. In late May, the lawsuit says, Jackson County sheriff’s officers interfered with tribal police who were trying to serve cease and desist orders at Snak Atak. The nation alleges the gas station failed to charge and report tribe-specific taxes. Last week, the nation was granted an order of exclusion, allowing tribal police to escort management from the business and to close its doors. Snak Atak opened in March in the space formerly known as Indian Country Mini Mart. It sits just off northbound U.S. Highway 75, within the bounds of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials arrived on site after several months of the business selling “contraband cigarettes” — which means they don’t have the tribal tax sticker — and failing to submit necessary reports, the lawsuit says. The court filing alleges tax commission officials were denied access to investigate the store. Tax commission officials left to seek a cease and desist order. When they returned to the business on the same day, May 28, with tribal police to serve the order and to chain the doors of the business, Jackson County sheriff’s officers arrived and told tribal officials they could be subject to arrest if they did not leave. “Our civil regulatory authority is absolute within the boundaries of the reservation,” Rupnick said. “Plus (Snak Atak) agreed to abiding by our laws.” According to the court filing, Snak Atak applied for, and the tax commission approved, liquor, tobacco, business and motor fuel licenses. The licenses state the applicant “be bound by and comply with all laws of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and do hereby consensually submit to the jurisdiction of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.” Raja Rain, manager at Snak Atak, said he did not know about the implications of his store with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the tribal police until they showed up at the business in May. Rain said, in an interview before the shuttering of his business, he was not part of the permitting and paperwork phase of the business, but has managed the store since it opened. “We don’t mind paying the taxes, but they need to make it clear: are we paying state or tribal?” Rain said. “They need to figure out to who we need to pay the taxes.” Rain said he pays taxes to the state and has “everything legal,” since he and the owners are not members of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The nation maintains that tribal membership is irrelevant to following its laws if a business is on the reservation. Rain expressed concerns about maintaining the business if it has to pay additional taxes. “We came to have a business,” Rain said. “How (are) we going to survive?” Rupnick said the business, which is registered as Wamego Store LLC, did not appeal the cease and desist order in Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation District Court. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials returned in June on two additional occasions to investigate compliance, according to the order of exclusion. The order of exclusion, granted by the nation’s district court to the tax commission, restricts the business from operating on the reservation and permits tribal police to escort employees from the reservation and to secure the business. The tax commission and tribal police enforced the order without interference from sheriff’s officers on Aug. 8, according to a press release from the nation. “They’ve pretty much made their own bed,” Rupnick said in an Aug. 7 interview with Kansas Reflector. “So I think that it’s time for us to end our relationship with them.” Snak Atak’s attorney did not return requests for comment. The lawsuit against Morse points to the jurisdictional disagreement at Snak Atak, but cites several additional instances, some related to parking violations, where Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation argues county law enforcement overstepped its bounds by dealing with civil, rather than criminal, actions. The complaint says Morse and his office have “repeatedly and intentionally overstepped their lawful authority and interfered with the nation’s authority over activities on its reservation.” Morse did not respond to requests for comment. The nation, according to its complaint, seeks a declaration from the sheriff that the department lacked the authority to interfere at Snak Atak and lacks civil jurisdiction within the reservation, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting sheriff’s officers from interfering in the nation’s civil-regulatory jurisdiction on the reservation. “You would think that you would want to work together,” Rupnick said. “If you don’t have to dispatch an officer down to the reservation, why not try and work together with that?” Public Law 280, established in 1953, gave Kansas civil and criminal jurisdiction on tribal lands, which, according to a University of Nebraska Lincoln publication, led “to virtually continuous disputes” and “jurisdictional uncertainty between tribal, city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.” Native advocacy groups have called for the end of the law, claiming it cedes power from the tribal police to the county. Rupnick said the same. Rupnick said he has tried to develop a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff to establish which entity has jurisdiction where, but he said Morse was unwilling. He said he hopes the lawsuit can help forge a greater understanding and collaboration between the law enforcement agencies. “We shouldn’t be adversaries,” Rupnick said, “Of course, I don’t want crime, but I also don’t want my sovereignty infringed upon either.”
Source: Kansas Reflector
City repeals old code
John Clark, chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC), appeared before the city commission to ask for the repeal of City Code 1975 Section 26-76 which prevents a committee member petitioning the city for funds for economic development if that member remains on the committee and up to one year after. While Clark said he understood and agreed with the original intent of the section, he said it should not apply to the EDAC given the fact that members of other committees and boards, including the city commission, often recuse themselves from voting if there is a conflict of interest. The same standard should be applied to the EDAC. The EDAC is an advisory board. It has no direct control over the funding of economic development projects. It simply recommends projects to the city commission whose members approve or deny the request. According to Clark, preventing members of the EDAC from presenting economic proposals can prevent prominent business leaders in the community from joining the committee and using their expertise to decide on the best proposals. Going forward, should Section 26-76 be repealed, EDAC members who do have a proposal will, as a matter of custom and propriety, excuse themselves from any discussion and vote to recommend their proposal to the city commission. This issue has recently come to light because of a request from Kannarr Eye Care to expand their operations into the downtown area. Dr. Shane Kannarr is a member of the EDAC. The commission ultimately agreed and voted unanimously to repeal Section 26-76 from the city code.
Source: Morning Sun
Girard City Council talks homelessness
From passing ordinances to the de-annexation of a property, the Girard City Council discussed several items at Monday’s meeting. But as in so many towns and cities, of late, the topic of homelessness was raised during council comments. Second ward councilman Lucas Stansbury opened the discussion noting that he had heard of individuals camping at the former location of Mini-Stop close to the four-way intersection of K-7 and K-47. “It’s just more prevalent. Start thinking about what we need to do with homeless,” he said. City attorney Steve Angermayer added, “We’re aware … We’ve talked about it.” “Recently, the United States Supreme Court granted the cities authority to limit where people can camp. There are anti-camping ordinances based on zoning,” added Angermayer. “So that’s how it’s going to be enforced. So you can deal with some of the issues that our larger municipal organizations are dealing with on a very, very frequent basis but it’s filtering down to the small municipalities as well because these people have cell phones. “… I have a feeling it’s going to be left to the individual jurisdiction on how to deal with a homeless situation … I haven’t seen too much from the league (of municipalities) either on it. It’s fairly new, it’s a fairly recent thing, and it’s becoming very prevalent so we’re going to have to deal with it at some point and pass anti-camping statutes.” Girard Police Chief Seirra Roberts added that the current ordinance states that “the only way that you can stay the night in the city of Girard is the city park.” But that may be a problem at some point, and we may have to address it,” said Angermayer. “… It’s a national byway for bicyclists. If you look on the bicycle map, this is a destination as you’re going east to west or vice versa and there’s people in the United States that start on one coast and ride to the next and they rely on this map for their next destination, where they are going to camp. It is not, however, a destination for homeless people. So we are probably going to have to deal with that. It’s coming.” When it comes to helping the individuals reportedly seen at four-way intersection, Chief Roberts added that they are assisting them to “find their way.” “We are currently working on trying to figure out a way to help them find their way,” she said. The next Girard City Council meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, at the Girard City Hall on the southeast side of the building, located at 120 N. Ozark St. Council meetings may also be viewed on YouTube by searching for “City of Girard, Kansas.” For more information, contact Girard City Hall at 620-724-8918. Source: Morning Sun
Homelessness again an issue at commission
Sandra Main of Pittsburg spoke to the city commission about the homeless issue, specifically her interactions with them at her businesses. Main, a licensed master’s level psychologist and owner of Possibility Junction, said she sees a new face every week. “I see them in my parking lot every day and night,” Main said. “I see a drug deal at least once a week.” Last week, Main said, she encountered a homeless child living in a car parked in her parking lot with his father. Main said she notified police, but nothing was done about helping the child. The car was removed. “That’s not OK,” Main said. Main treats children at Possibility Junction, saying that many cannot go to the parks to play. Main said she has offered to treat the homeless through Wesley House or Crawford County Mental Health, if they can obtain the grants to do so. “I do not want them to go without being treated,” Main said. “I want them to grow. But they can’t grow if we just give them things. They can’t. We’re only making the problem worse.” Main expressed frustration at what seems to her to be a lack of enforcement by police and the courts. “We are not arresting them. If we do, the courts aren’t prosecuting, and they are back out on the streets,” she said. As part owner of The Pitt, Main said she has nightly video of naked homeless people in the parking lot, taking a bath in a puddle, and even trying to break into the apartment above the bar. “It’s ridiculous,” she said. Main even alluded to homeless orgies at Schlanger Park every night, an allegation she later admitted to police she had no direct knowledge of but was told to her second-hand. The Pittsburg Police Department said it is “investigating this incident in an effort to take proactive enforcement measures” and has flown a drone over the area, but did not see any such activity. City Manager Daron Hall responded to Main’s concerns, saying that if you see an orgy going on, call the police. “In regards to treating the homeless and mental health, we are not directly involved in that as a city,” Hall said. “But there are a lot of agencies in the city that deal with substance abuse and mental illness.” Hall added that this is a problem across the country, not just Pittsburg, but as a micropolitan area, people are drawn here because of the services provided within the city. If there is a problem with a homeless person, call the police, Hall recommended. They can be arrested or least removed from the scene, but that’s about all police can do. As for legal consequences, that is a matter for the courts to decide.
Source: Morning Sun
After criticism, Wichita officials back away from downtown parking changes they approved
The Wichita City Council has come under intense scrutiny for eliminating free parking downtown after the city shared the news on its Facebook page on Saturday: “Beginning January 1, 2025, all public parking in the downtown area will convert to paid parking.” Wichitans flooded the city’s Facebook post with more than a thousand angry comments. The anger continued at a series of heated in-person meetings hosted by the city. A downtown small-business owner started a petition that had more than 5,200 signatures by Tuesday calling on the city to halt the plan and offer free parking areas. It was a strong rebuke of a plan that received overwhelming support from the city’s elected officials over several years and as recently as June, when they voted 6-1 to hire a private contractor to implement the paid-parking plan. Council members had approved the changes earlier this year, as part of a plan adopted in 2023. On Jan. 9, they unanimously voted to designate all public parking downtown as metered parking, increase parking fines for any violations and deputize a fleet of private parking enforcers to issue parking tickets using automated license-plate readers. But some of them appeared to be blindsided by the changes in response to the backlash. The City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to halt the purchasing of any equipment for the parking plan and to discuss it again in September along with options to change directions. Earlier in Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Lily Wu called for a full briefing on the history of the parking plan during a public hearing on the city budget. Wu then attempted to invalidate the Jan. 9 vote. She said that she and other council members didn’t understand what they were voting on because the printed agenda packet she received from city staff did not include a charter ordinance change that allowed private parking officers to issue citations. The parking changes approved Jan. 9 were outlined in two ordinances — Ordinance No. 52-326, which designated all public parking downtown as regulated parking areas where meters would be installed and patrolled by private parking enforcers, and Charter Ordinance No. 239, which authorized independent contractors to be “parking control officers” and issue citations for violations of the new ordinance.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Hoping to lure families back to public schools, Wichita launches K-6 microschool experiment
The Wichita school district is launching an experimental microschool in hopes of luring back some families that have left public schools. The new Creative Minds program features a one-room schoolhouse approach, with about 20 students from kindergarten through sixth grade learning from one teacher. It is housed at the for-profit Learning Lab space inside Union Station downtown — an education collaborative with ties to Wichita-based Koch Inc. District officials revealed the program during a special school board meeting recently, after quietly developing it behind the scenes. Its inaugural class includes about 15 children who were recruited from area families that had already left public schools or were considering it. “This classroom is kind of invite-only, or word-of-mouth,” said Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld. “We didn’t want to go super public and then have everyone say, ‘What about this? What about this?’ “Really, we’re just trying it. … This is like educational research and development.” The district will pay Learning Lab $6,000 a year to rent space. It will not provide transportation or meals for students attending the school. District spokeswoman Susan Arensman said there were still a few spaces available in the program, and the school’s website points families to an “interest in enrollment” form. But it’s unclear whether or how district officials would select more students for this academic year. Classes began at the K-6 school on Wednesday. Rob Dickson, Wichita’s chief information officer, said Education Imagine Academy — the district’s online school — became hugely popular during and after the COVID pandemic. He said the virtual-school program — as well as a recent exodus of students from public schools — illustrates that families are looking for something different for their children. Kansas public schools have lost about 16,000 students over the past four years. Many went to private schools or homeschools. Others went to so-called microschools or co-ops — a hybrid model of learning that’s catching on across the nation. “We targeted those families to find out, ‘All right, what was it? What was the reason you exited Wichita public schools?’” Dickson said. “‘Could we … entice you to come back, and what would that look like?’” District leaders are calling Creative Minds a “vertical classroom,” which means children won’t be divided into traditional grade levels. But they still will be tested on district and state standards, the superintendent said, and will take all the required Kansas assessments. The microschool will have a home-base classroom inside the Learning Lab. Students also will have access to the Learning Lab’s common areas, including a kitchen, STEM lab, podcast studio and outdoor patio. Learning Lab opened last fall on the second floor of Union Station. Stand Together, a philanthropic organization founded by Koch Inc. CEO Charles Koch, partnered with California-based Khan Lab School to develop the collaborative. The Wichita site houses Khan Lab School Wichita, the first expansion of Sal Khan’s project outside of California, as well as Guiding Light Academy, a K-8 virtual school and microschool hybrid that partners with the Buhler school district. Learning Lab also offers memberships and day passes for home schools and microschools to use its spaces and equipment. Wichita Independent Secular Educators, a local homeschool community, meets several times a week at the downtown Wichita space. Learning Lab director Lydia Hampton says the company wants educators to rethink how students learn. “The goal … is to help education overall move from a one-size-fits-all to more personalized options,” Hampton said. “Our hope here is that we can shine a light and provide opportunities that let people try things at a more low-risk situation, and then people can see what’s possible.” Wichita district leaders say they plan to watch the pilot project closely and collect feedback from parents and others. If it’s successful, they could consider expanding it or creating new and different microschools. Hampton, the Learning Lab director, approached Wichita school officials more than a year ago to talk about possibilities at the new space. She said she admires educators who are willing to explore new ways to reach children and families. “It’s a little bit of creative destruction in action,” she said “They recognize that our society is changing, that parents and families want something different. They could have either stepped out and said, ‘Nope,’ or they could lean into the discomfort and do something about it.” For the Wichita district, anything that brings families back to public schools will mean an enrollment bump and more state funding. But Bielefeld, the superintendent, said the new partnership is about more than money. “My hope would be that we’re always looking to the future to see: What do kids and families want and desire?” he said. “And making sure we are that opportunity for those families.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Wichita now requires all dogs and cats to be microchipped. See what else is changing
All Wichita dog and cat owners will now be required to microchip their furry friends due to a City Council vote during a 10-hour-long meeting Tuesday. Now, owners are required to microchip their dogs and cats 5 months and older. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted between the pet’s shoulder blades. The microchip includes a code with the owner’s information, but does not have tracking capabilities. The Animal Services Advisory board formed a committee last year to improve animal control ordinances in Wichita. The recommendations were first presented to the council in a workshop earlier this year. “We think it would help get animals back into their homes when animals are found running the streets,” assistant city attorney Jan Jarman said at the April 23 workshop. “If every animal was required to have a microchip, it would help us keep them out of the shelter, which is our goal, and we think we could implement that.” The new changes to the city’s animal ordinance also increases dog bite fines and increases the number of dogs and cats allowed in a home without an animal maintenance permit. Additionally, dog licenses are now $50 for dogs who are not spayed or neutered, an increase of $15. Cat licenses are still not required in Wichita. “Licensing isn’t ready for that, we’re not very good right now at licensing dogs, we need to get a lot better,” Jarman said at Tuesday’s council meeting. “We are not ready for cats. Hopefully someday in the future if the council wants to see us do cats, we can do that, but for now we’re only ready for dogs.” Now, three dogs and three cats are allowed in a home without an animal maintenance permit. Pit bull owners are still limited to two pit bulls per household. Dog bite penalties have increased from $250 to $500 for first offense, $500 to $1,000 for second offense and from $1,000 to $2,500 for third offense. The fine is per defendant, not per dog. Here’s a list of other changes approved on Tuesday: Dogs can now be licensed for three years, depending on required vaccines. Removes the mandatory pen requirement for dogs deemed dangerous and leaves that decision up to animal services. Allows animal professionals to care for dangerous dogs. Allowing dogs to run at large is now considered a misdemeanor The pet ordinance changes passed unanimously.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Salina has collected 3.5K tons of storm debris
Two weeks after winds up to 95 mph were recorded during a storm crossing through Salina, the city is still working to help people clean up debris. A news release Wednesday from the city of Salina said efforts to collect and manage tree and limb debris continued after the July 31 storm.
Source: Salina Journal
Unique names promoted Kansas communities
New York investor Francis Skiddy wanted to have a Kansas town named after him. Skiddy promised to build a town hall in exchange for his becoming the namesake of Skiddy, a community founded in 1869 on the boundary line between Morris and Geary counties in north-central Kansas.But Skiddy reneged on his promise, and residents in 1879 changed the community’s name to Camden, according to the website legendsofkansas.com.
Source: CJonline