Kansas Municipal News
KDOT to give update of Passenger Rail Development plan
The Kansas Department of Transportation will soon give an update on the development plan for restoring passenger rail service to other parts of the state.
Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer connects Ft. Worth, TX, to Oklahoma City, OK. KDOT is exploring options to extend the service from Oklahoma City to Arkansas City and Wichita to Newton, where passengers could connect to the Southwest Chief, which connects Chicago, IL, and Los Angeles, CA. A live virtual meeting will take place Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 1 to 2 p.m. CST. It will then be available 24/7 as a virtual open house until Jan. 1, 2025.
Source: KSNF/KODE
JoCo commissioners consider 23% raise for themselves, first in over a decade
County commissioners are considering raising their salaries 23% next year for their first salary increase since 2011 — a move some said would make it easier for people from all financial backgrounds to serve in office. In an afternoon committee meeting Thursday, a 5-2 majority of commissioners voted to bring the proposed increase to the regular agenda, though no date was set. The increase follows a recommendation by an ad hoc advisory committee set up last summer to study the issue. The committee recommended the commission chair’s salary be increased to an annual $92,500 from its current $75,000. County commissioners’ pay would go from the current $47,349 to $58,300.
Source: Johnson County Post
Olathe raises concerns about KDOT’s plan to improve K-10 — Here’s city’s main worry
Olathe city officials are concerned about some changes coming to Kansas Highway 10, especially the impacts of a potential new interchange at Lone Elm Road. City staff and Olathe city councilmembers worry a new interchange there could make school zones nearby less safe along with other potential issues, including increased stormwater runoff and traffic noise.
Source: Johnson County Post
Lawrence school board gives cell phone policy initial approval after district suggests ‘guidance’ in opposition
Lawrence school board members on Monday gave initial approval to a draft cell phone policy, despite district administrators proposing guidance that directly conflicts with the draft as it’s written. Board member Anne Costello said she was “a little surprised” when reviewing a two-page document that was attached to the board’s agenda sometime after Saturday but before the meeting Monday. The document offers guidance for implementing the policy, including permitting middle schoolers access to their phones during lunchtime and high schoolers during lunchtime and passing periods. The policy draft says personal cell phones and devices must be “turned off and stored out of sight at all times during school hours.”
Source: The Lawrence Times
Municipal Bond Trends for November 22, 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.
How Kansas laws could change on zoning, city building codes and tax incentives
A special committee of members from the Kansas House and Senate are working to increase affordable housing options across the state. The committee on Tuesday and Wednesday discussed a myriad of ways to bring in more affordable housing. A laundry list of recommendations were accepted, including reviewing tax incentives and the way they can be stacked, local government authority on rezoning and the way city building codes are changed.
Source: Hutch News
What’s beneath the paint? Silver Lake is special to the community
A new mural in Silver Lake embraces the community in a way that’s highly visible to those traveling through. Earlier this month, residents of all ages joined in adding the final bits of paint via handprints on the large-scale artwork painted on the east wall of DG Market, 10020 US-24 highway.
Source: CJonline
Lawrence needs new housing, and code changes and accessory dwellings could help fill the gaps
With those housing needs in the background, the City Commission passed a new Land Development Code earlier this month, and one change in particular could help add more housing density and diversity throughout the city: allowing accessory dwelling units in all residential districts.
Source: LJWorld
Municipal Bond Trends for November 21, 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 November 20, 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.
Augusta Public Library receives Artemis moon tree
On October 25 the Augusta Public Library announced they had been chosen as a recipient to receive a NASA Moon Tree. The trees are unique in that the seeds were flown in the rocket used for the Artemis I mission around the moon in 2022. The seeds traveled 270,000 miles from Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft. Several species were flown on the mission including sycamores, sweetgums, Douglas firs, loblolly pines, and giant sequoias. Since their return to Earth, the seeds were germinated and raised into seedlings by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service as a NASA project until their new homes were determined. “What an incredible journey these future Moon Trees have already been on, and we’re excited for them to begin the final journey to permanent homes on campuses and institutions across the country,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore in a NASA press release. “We hope these trees will stand for centuries to come for the public’s enjoyment, inspiring future generations of scientists and land stewards.”
Source: Andover American
New focus on Burrton contamination plume
After years of monitoring the Burrton plume, the state’s renewed focus on water quality might lead to progress on contamination. This is the hope of Tim Boese, the manager of Groundwater Management District 2. “I’m hoping the steam we’ve got going doesn’t diminish,” Boese said. Boese said there’s been a statewide focus on water quality that he hopes will lead to some changes. Most recently, the Kansas Water Office hired a consultant to conduct a feasibility study to determine what the options are to deal with the plume. Boese said the state had a study done in 2020, but it was broader. He said the current study is more focused and will provide actual options and costs involved. “It’s very preliminary,” Boese said. “But it’s a step that’s never been taken before.” The Burrton plume formed after concentrated levels of chloride seeped into the Equus Beds Aquifer from the early 1930s to mid-1940s. During that time, it was common practice for the Burrton Oil Field to use evaporation pits to dispose of brine. The brine then spread into the groundwater of the aquifer.
Source: Harvey County Now
Applications being taken for Sedgwick Citizens’ Police Academy
Sedgwick’s police department is accepting applications for a Citizens’ Police Academy, starting on Jan. 23, 2025 through March 13, 2025. The cost is free for interested people, and the academy takes place every Thursday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sedgwick Police Department office at 505 N. Commercial. “Lots of agencies do Citizen’s Police Academies, and I had the pleasure of hosting it for several years when I was in Newton,” Police Chief Bryan Hall said. “It’s a program that community members can learn why police do the things they do. Most complaints come from unrealistically high expectation and low information, so if you can raise their information, lots of times their expectations come down to a balance point, to a reasonable level.”
Source: Harvey County Now
County sued for seizing, holding hemp products
The Harvey County Board of Commissioners is facing a suit for damages and the return of property from a Kansas hemp product distributor. According to district court documents, Sugarleaf Distributing LLC, based in Hutchinson, alleges that the Harvey County Sheriff’s Department seized $44,915.15 worth of hemp products legal under Kansas law in a March 2022 traffic stop and has since not released the items. Jonathan Nicol, an attorney for the company, said that the products have since spoiled. “The difficulty is it’s a big chunk of product,” he said. “Much of it is spoiled at this point.” Nicol said the driver of the vehicle that had the items seized was a contractor for SugarLeaf Distributing, LLC. The company sources hemp-derived products from other states and supplies them to area hemp, smoke, and CBD shops in Kansas. Nicol said that the products seized are legal under the law and contain no more than .3 percent Delta 9 THC on a dry weight basis. He said they have filed affidavits attesting to the legality of the items. The suit states that the products are legal under federal law and that law enforcement improperly applied the state of Kansas’ definition of industrial hemp in a more restrictive manner than is allowed under federal law. The suit asks for a judgment against the county for the property’s value, as well as damages for wrongful detention. It also asks the court to declare the property legal under both Kansa and federal law, declare portions of the Kansas Hemp Act to be preempted by federal law, and award the plaintiff its cost in attorney fees.
Source: Harvey County Now
Hesston moving forward with new strategic plan
With expiration of the former strategic plan, the City of Hesston needed a new plan put into place. When the council adopted the new strategic plan, it was the culmination of a lot of work and discussion to map out a path for getting to the established goals. “The planning process has been ongoing for the last eight months,” City Administrator Gary Emry said. “A few work sessions were facilitated by a consulting firm. We felt it was important to use the same consulting firm used in creating the expiring plan, because of his familiarity of Hesston and the organization. The premise of our planning is based on the four sides of ‘The Public Square,’ which is made up of four sectors: business, government, health and human services, and education.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Beneficient gives update on Hesston grocery store
Beneficient Heartland Foundation Director Brad Heppner hopes to see a ground breaking for a new credit union building in May, opening up space for a long-discussed grocery store in Hesston. Heppner provided an update this week to Harvey County Now on plans for a project that will alter Hesston’s core business district. “We’re working really hard,” Heppner said about the grocery store project. “In the last two years, we’ve undertaken 17 different agreements to make this a reality.”
Source: Harvey County Now
House numbers required in Goessel
At the City Council meeting on Oct. 21, the city council passed Ordinance #312 requiring houses to display numbers identifying the address. The city will begin enforcement after Jan. 1, 2025. Failure to comply with the ordinance could result in a $25 fine per day out of compliance with each day constituting a new violation. The city has a limited number of house numbers to give out that will be given on a first-come first-serve basis.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press
Siding with resident, Kansas Court of Appeals sends Westwood park case back to lower court
A Johnson County judge’s decision in a case regarding the sale of Joe D. Dennis Park in Westwood has been reversed. On Friday, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled that a Westwood resident suing her city over the sale of the city’s main park should have a chance to argue her case. Back in February, resident Beckie Brown filed a motion to intervene in the proceedings after she and others voiced opposition to a Karbank Real Estate Services plan that calls for an office-retail development to be built on top of Joe D. Dennis Park. Later that month, Johnson County District Court Judge David Hauber dismissed Brown’s motion to intervene in legal proceedings regarding a protest petition against the sale of the park. The appellate court’s decision last week to reverse and remand Hauber’s dismissal effectively sends the issue back to district court for a retry. Still, the decision only addresses Brown’s motion to intervene rather than the validity of the protest petition itself.
Source: Johnson County Post
Overland Park City Hall was built in 1960s. Will city move to newer, bigger space?
Overland Park is mulling options for a new, larger city hall that would be more centrally located and potentially put more city departments under the same roof. During an Overland Park City Council Committee of the Whole meeting Monday evening, councilmembers and city staff shared broad consensus that something new is required. However, no specific action has been taken, and exactly what it might look like remains unclear. Based on a 48-page planning study completed by PGAV Architects, the prevailing recommendation from city staff that the city council supports at this stage is to acquire an existing building somewhere in the city and renovate it to match Overland Park’s city staff needs.
Source: Johnson County Post
De Soto considers incentive request to add more housing north of Panasonic plant
More developers are hoping to tap into tax incentives to build housing in De Soto near the Panasonic EV-battery plant. Rick Oddo, CEO of Lenexa-based Oddo Development Co., and Dan Taylor, president of Taylor Sterling Construction Co., have submitted an application to create a reinvestment housing incentive district (RHID) covering about 67 acres north of 89th Street and south of 83rd Street between Kill Creek Road and Waverly Road. The proposed development would abut the existing Arbor Ridge subdivision. An RHID allows a city to redirect property tax gains generated by a development to pay for eligible construction and infrastructure expenses. The developers request a 60% RHID for 25 years to support creating their mixed housing development, also called Arbor Ridge.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal