Kansas Municipal News
Crawford Co. urges people to not burn following small amount of rain
Part of the 4-States received some rain Thursday night, but conditions are still dry throughout the area. The Crawford County Kansas Emergency Management Facebook page is reminding residents to not burn even after receiving small amounts of rain. Burning while conditions are still dry is dangerous and can put yourself and others in danger.
Source: KOAM News
Former Wichita police deputy chief is finalist for top job at Topeka PD
Former Wichita police deputy chief Jose Salcido is one of four finalists for chief of the Topeka Police Department. Salcido was the Wichita Police Department’s first Latino deputy chief. He resigned Aug. 21, 2023, after roughly 28 years with WPD, which included overseeing criminal investigations. He left WPD and became Friends University’s director of security for six months before joining the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a data analyst for the past five months, according to his LinkedIn profile. Salcido retired in 2015 from the Kansas Air National Guard after 26 years, his profile says. He was a major.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Voters to see ballot question on alcohol
Those who have yet to vote will have a chance to decide more than just elected officials in the coming days. There is a ballot initiative on the Harvey County ballot, asking voters whether or not to remove a county rule requiring establishments with a liquor license to earn at least 30 percent of their sales from selling food. The ballot question follows successful campaigns to remove the requirement in many counties across Kansas recently, including Reno, Butler and McPherson counties. Harvey County is the only county with such a requirement, compared to its neighbors, outside of Marion County. A vote yes on the ballot would remove the requirement. A vote no would maintain the requirement.
Source: Harvey County Now
Halstead considers gas agreement
The Halstead City Council considered a new gas agreement with Kansas Municipal Gas Agency that could potentially lock them into a 30-year agreement. City Manager Ethan Reimer introduced the council to a “pre-pay” proposal he received from Kansas Municipal Gas Agency. Reimer said the proposal was more of a dedicated discount than pre-paying for gas. The proposal would save about $33,000 per year. The length of the agreement would last 30 years, but the city would have the option to re-evaluate after five years.
Source: Harvey County Now
Scam threatens Sedgwick area by impersonating police chief
The latest scam has hit Sedgwick, with several people receiving calls from a person claiming to be Chief Bryan Hall, threatening the person and saying there are outstanding fines. “We received phone calls from a few people that said they didn’t answer for the unknown number and the person left a message, indicating it was a serious legal matter, that they identified themselves as Chief Bryan Hall and the number came in from our main number,” Hall said. “That’s something that people can use computers to clone numbers, but the number they left to call back was a Google number.” If something is suspicious, Hall wants the public to reach out and bring it to the police department attention. These scammers are ever-evolving, trying to steal money by changing tactics, whether it’s by phone or by email.
Source: Harvey County Now
While enrollment drops, Newton District projects more funding
Enrollment dropped for the Newton School District but funding levels are projected to increase for the next year. The Board of Education reviewed a presentation at its Monday night meeting. The district saw a decrease of 99 full-time equivalent students for this school year. Overall enrollment dropped from 3,130 to 3,030 or 3.2 percent. Budget-wise, the general fund is expected to increase from $21.3 to $22.5 million according to information in district documents presented at the Oct. 28 meeting.
Source: Harvey County Now
Municipal Bond Trends for October 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.
5 key points from Olathe Mayor John Bacon’s State of the City
There are big things happening in Olathe this year, and Mayor John Bacon sees more big things to come. That was the central theme of his annual State of the City address, delivered last Friday during a luncheon hosted by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce at the Olathe Conference Center.
Source: Johnson County Post
Survey: Kansans favor housing choices to deal with rising costs
Close to half of Kansans support building wider varieties of housing to help address a statewide affordability crisis according to the annual Kansas Speaks survey released Monday. Yet few residents thought their communities are doing enough to adequately address housing issues. Plans to build apartments near single-family neighborhoods run up against not-in-my-backyard opposition in urban locales such as Wichita and Johnson County. But statewide, most respondents, 62%, said they were comfortable living in a neighborhood with rental properties. Changes that would encourage such arrangements also found support. About 48% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that local governments should ease up on neighborhood zoning restrictions to allow more small, multifamily dwellings.
Source: KLC Journal
Wichita’s new push to educate on homelessness: a Tallgrass premiere
‘Hope in the Heartland,’ a city-produced documentary examining the challenges and triumphs of navigating homelessness in Wichita, premiered Thursday night to a crowd of at least 250 people during the Tallgrass Film Festival. Audience members were clapping, gasping and sniffling throughout the 110-minute film, which interviewed elected officials, service providers, people who were formerly homeless and people currently experiencing homelessness. The film also featured two city housing case managers working to secure housing for 22-year-old Caitlin, who had been homeless for four years at the start of filming.
Source: KLC Journal
Rose Hill voters to decide on $20M for school upgrades
A nearly $20 million bond issue is up for a vote in Rose Hill. USD 394 Superintendent Chuck Lambert says the district desperately needs upgrades. Voters rejected a bond issue two years ago, and Lambert says that put Rose Hill students at a disadvantage. He said a yes vote this time would give the district’s youth better opportunities to succeed. Lambert thinks adding storm shelters and secure entryways to this new bond issue will help it pass this time. He said the current entryways need to be safer. If the bond passes, it would also mean new culinary arts and science classrooms and sports fields, something high school students are excited about.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita air quality unsafe for some
If you are outside in Wichita, it is pretty easy to see all the dirt in the air. On Tuesday, the City of Wichita advised people that the current Air Quality Index is 154, which is considered unsafe for people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens. Those groups of people should take these steps to reduce their exposure: Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Keep outdoor activities short. Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
Source: KSN-TV
EPA gives update on Cherokee County Superfund Site
Folks in Cherokee County get an update on the cleanup and remediation efforts taking place in the historic Tri-State Mining District. Representatives from the EPA continue to inform the public on the status of area superfund sites. “One of our biggest points we want to get across is trying to protect families from the historic contamination from lead within the site and give information on how they can help prevent ingestion or any kind of exposure to the contamination that was caused previously during previous mining activities within the site,” said EPA Remedial Project Manager, Thomas Kaley. This open house in Baxter Springs allowed EPA officials to present residents with cleanup updates regarding the Cherokee County Superfund Site. They also discussed the latest information on soil lead guidance.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Virtual meeting option available for residents concerned about Kansas water issues
If you have concerns about water issues in Kansas, you have a special option to provide feedback. The state has developed a virtual on-demand meeting that connects with content developed from a series of in-person meetings held across Kansas last month. This will also build on local consult meetings held earlier this summer along with meetings involving the state’s Regional Advisory Councils. During the virtual meeting, residents can learn about updates to state investments in the water system. They can also learn about the criteria involved as the state works on aquifers, reservoirs and the overall water supply. There will also be information on revenue sources and action steps under consideration by the state.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
Wichita unveils more options for paid parking downtown. Here are the details
Visitors to downtown Wichita could soon pay 75 cents an hour for parking during certain hours, with some free parking time up front. Or they might continue to pay nothing for most public parking spaces, depending on how the City Council votes on several new options. The city unveiled four options for the future of parking in the downtown area, Old Town and Delano this week. Three options implement paid parking with different variations, while the fourth leaves parking as it is now.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
How Kansas is committing to electric vehicles
States across the country are paving the way for electric vehicles. This green topic is also harshly divided along red and blue lines—which is to say, it’s heavily politicized. In North Carolina and Virginia, for instance, Republican leaders have rolled back or stunted EV initiatives adopted by Democrats. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election, has criticized EVs and federal EV policies under President Joe Biden. Trump later backtracked and said he’s “for electric cars” for a segment of the population after receiving an endorsement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But if elected, Trump still intends to undo Biden-era EV incentives.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
KDHE announces guidance on cardiac emergency response plans
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued statewide guidance for cardiac emergency response plans as required by Kansas Senate Bill 19, which was signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly in April. A CERP is a structured, written plan that outlines essential steps to reduce fatalities from sudden cardiac arrest. These new CERP standards aim to help schools, workplaces and community organizations develop clear, actionable plans to address sudden cardiac arrest emergencies. While these guidelines are not regulations, they provide crucial recommendations for saving lives in cardiac emergencies.
Source: Osage County News
Melvern invites all to ‘get down on the farm’ at tractor and antique engine show
The Melvern community will be getting “down on the farm,” as this year’s fall celebration will feature a tractor and antique gas engine show. Everyone is invited to the celebration 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Melvern City Park. Registration for the show opens at 8 a.m. There are no registration fees and all tractor and antique gas engine enthusiasts asked to come and share their hobbies with the Melvern community. Also during the day will be activities for everyone, with Melvern PRIDE breakfast beginning at 7 a.m., followed by a fall market, restoration demonstration, axe throwing, and a pedal tractor pull contest for kids and adults.
Source: Osage County News
Council gives advantage to local food truck vendors
Local food truck vendors will likely get a break on their annual license fees while those from other areas will pay the full fee, Iola council members said at their meeting Monday night. A special committee was formed in early April to discuss recommended changes to the city’s ordinance regarding food trucks. The committee discovered other communities have a much lower transient business permit fee than Iola’s. Currently, a six-month permit fee of $250 is the only option available. After April’s meeting, the committee recommended a tier-structured fee scale: $25 for a three-day permit; $50 for 30 days; $250 for six months; and $400 for a calendar year. A $10 application fee would be added to each of those costs and all applications must include a signed release from the property owner.
Source: The Iola Register
Pott Co. emergency management director wins state award for actions during tornado
With the Westmoreland tornado and Burkland fire, Pottawatomie County had more than its share of emergencies this year. The outstanding coordination efforts of the Emergency Management Department did not go unnoticed. Emergency Management Director Jennifer Merrow was named Emergency Management Professional of the Year by the Kansas Emergency Management Association (KEMA). KEMA President Jillian Rodrique presented Merrow with the award at this week’s county commission meeting. The award is presented to an emergency management professional who has been an outstanding leader for a number of years, who exemplifies the ideals of professional public service, has high principles of community preparedness, meets the KCEM certification, and has a personal dedication to the safety of their own community. “That is absolutely true about Jennifer,” said Rodrique. “Working in Northeast Kansas I have gotten to work alongside her and I’ve definitely seen this. I know how hard she works to build that Emergency Management program.”
Source: themercury.com