Kansas Municipal News
City of Great Bend and Barton County agree to share projects
Members of the Great Bend City Council and the Barton County Commission crowded in the cramped first floor Barton County Courthouse conference room for their third joint session Thursday evening. During what has become an annual event, the elected representatives and other city and county officials shared thoughts and concerns, and brainstormed ideas. They also teased one another while noting the value of this new-found spirit of cooperation between the two entities.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Debate over stone bridges continues
Discussion continues on whether two stone bridges in Cowley County should be preserved or replaced, with a local resident who works near one of the bridges saying there might be more support for replacement. At their May 16 meeting, county commissioners approved applications for two grants through the State of Kansas that, if awarded, would be used to replace the Esch Spur/Pudden Bridge on 232nd Road over Grouse Creek, which was closed in 2016 due to structural failure, and the bridge over Rock Creek, one half-mile north and 1.6 miles east of Rock. If awarded, the grants would be used to replace two closed stone arch bridges with modern structures. Supporters of the bridges have said they should be allowed to stand, possibly with modern bridges built alongside, in the name of historical preservation. However, a resident who works on land adjacent to one of the bridges said he supports replacement because the bridge is in disrepair and adds miles to his daily drive. Jon Johnson, who farms and ranches on either side of the Esch Spur/Pudden Bridge, told the CourierTraveler in an email that there might be more desire to replace the bridges instead of preserve them, especially from people who live and work in the surrounding communities.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
More voters send in ballots than go to polls in Winfield to approve USD 465 construction bond projects
A vote to use property taxes to bankroll a $15 million bond project for Winfield schools passed with 59.5% of the vote. The bond will provide revenue for upgrades to safety and security, air quality and HVAC systems, along with deferred maintenance. USD 465 Board of Education president Ed Trimmer said he was “pleased we have the number of votes to pass the bond. It will help us keep our buildings in shape.” County clerk Karen Madison said she’d prepared for 3,000 voters on Election Day and got 392. In fact, 590 people took part in early voting. The bond issue was a special election, with no other items on the ballot. “People want to vote early now. It’s easier to fill out a ballot and send it back than it is to go to the polls,” Madison said.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
‘It sticks with you,’: WFD Battalion Chief recalls DeBruce Grain elevator explosion
Thursday marked 25 years since the deadly DeBruce Grain elevator, the largest in the world at the time, exploded. For Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Chad Winton, a veteran with 27 years of experience, he remembers responding to the scene as if it were yesterday.
Just before the accident, Winton was two years into his career. He had just tried out for the rescue team and was one of three candidates who were accepted. Little did the then-rookie know just days later, everything he had learned up to that point would be put to the ultimate test. “[I] started getting buckets to move grain, shovels, lumber, cutting lumber, just stuff to shore up holes and keep grain in place so we could start tunneling and trenching in to get to those victims that we thought were still at the bottom of that elevator,” Winton said.
Winton says the teams worked in 12-hour shifts with the help of several county, state, and out-of-state agencies. “We had no firm count of how many were missing, so [there] was a little bit of confusion there and how many were actually working, and how many got out on their own,” Winton said. “They were still trying to get a head count … it all happened really quick.” Tragically, it soon became apparent any hope of finding additional survivors was gone.
Source: KSN-TV
Johnson County commission OKs several housing affordability measures
County commissioners on Thursday okayed a proposal to spend $950,000 in federal pandemic relief money toward a unique Habitat for Humanity development of 20 yet-to-be-built homes in Olathe that will be available to low-income buyers for 99 years and beyond.
It’s one of a slate of new measures the county is trying to enact to chip away at persistent housing affordability concerns. The Habitat Olathe Pathway project at 159th Street and Blackbob Road will allow eligible applicants to own and collect partial equity on their home structures, while the land remains in a trust so that the homes can continue to be offered at below-market rates to future applicants. The project was made possible by the Pathway Community Christian Church’s sale of land at below-market rates.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Overland Park says backyard chicken pilot has been success so far
A two-year test program that allows Overland Park residents with at least a quarter acre of land to keep chickens has so far been a success, according to the city department that oversees it. As the program approaches its ending date December 31, the city animal control department noted there have been no documented complaints on properties with chicken permits since the pilot began in March 2022. City councilmembers now will begin to consider whether to make the chicken rules permanent, as some members of the council’s Community Development Committee proposed at a meeting Wednesday.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for June 8, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
USD 383 board holds discussion with RCPD leadership regarding future use of SROs
The Manhattan-Ogden School Board held a conversation Wednesday about the role of school resource officers (SRO’s) and the potential for adding officers at each of the two middle schools. Riley County Police Department officials including Director Brian Peete, Captain Greg Steere and resource officer Sonia Gregoire, joined in the conversation. Director Peete noted one of the most important jobs SROs have is building relationships in the schools. RCPD currently employs two resource officers, both at Manhattan High School. Board members have expressed interest in two more officers to be placed at Anthony and Eisenhower Middle Schools.
Source: 1350 KMAN
City Commission sends rezoning request back to Urban Area Planning Board
During their Tuesday meeting, Manhattan City Commissioners voted to return a rezoning request for 407 Pottawatomie Avenue back to the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board for further consideration. The request from Midwest Concrete Materials failed to earn approval from the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board in a three to three vote during their May 25th meeting. MCM Owner Chris Eichman told commissioners the company hopes to rezone the approximately 1.22 acre tract of land for business commercial use and construct a training center.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Cemeteries, the history book of every town
Cemeteries are on my mind a lot lately, due to the time of the year I suppose, although I tend to think about them often. I sometimes watch videos on how to clean headstones and about people who repair headstones that have fallen over, I research people and photograph headstones for others. Before my dad passed, my family would sometimes ask why I spent so much time in our cemetery. It seemed odd to them. The answer is simple. It’s the history. It’s only been in the last couple of years that I have realized that I’m the type of person who will work on projects or jobs I’m passionate about even if my only gain is personal satisfaction.
Source: Gardner News
Short-term rental program approved
The Great Bend City Council Monday night approved a short-term rental ordinance aimed at making it easier for a property owner to operate an Airbnb-type business by creating and implementing a licensing and inspection program. This covers properties rented to transient occupants for periods of less than 30 days so as to “minimize the adverse effects of short-term rental uses on surrounding residential properties and neighborhoods, and to preserve the character, integrity, and stability of residential neighborhoods in which short-term rental properties are located,” Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said. This is not intended to regulate hotels, motels, lodging houses or hospitals.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Wichita Fire Department K-9 retiring after 8.5 years
Wichita Fire Department K-9 Buddy is retiring after 8.5 years of service and is also celebrating his 10th birthday. The department said on Facebook that Buddy joined the WFD when he was just 18 months old and has responded to hundreds of fires in the Wichita area and large incidents in other states, including the 2020 riots in Minnesota and a double-homicide investigation on a reservation in Oklahoma. Buddy is a Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Accelerant Detection Canine (ATF ADC) who has trained 365 days a year, WFD’s post says. “Buddy possesses a rare certification that sets him apart in his field – the ability to work off-leash. This skill is not commonly found among professionals in his line of work.”
Source: KAKE – News
Former Hillsboro administrator remembered
Hillsboro council members who worked with longtime city administrator Larry Paine, whose funeral service was today, lauded Paine’s accomplishments during his 12 years at the helm of the city. Paine fought cancer from January 2018 until after he announced his resignation effective June 2020. He was Hillsboro city administrator the final years of a 47-year career in city administration. Mayor Lou Thurston took office two weeks before Paine was found to have cancer after collapsing on the steps of the statehouse.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Sedgwick County looking to build new emergency management building
When disaster hits, the command center for Sedgwick County’s Emergency Management Department becomes the hub for first responder’s response coordination. However there is a problem. While there’s room inside for staff, the department doesn’t really have the space to store their supplies and equipment. Sedgwick County Assistant Manager Rusty Leeds explains, “as we went through the pandemic, and then more recently, we had a tornado and then looking back over the past few years, several years actually, emergency management has not had adequate space to maintain supplies for disaster preparedness and response.”
Source: KAKE – News
Hotel Topeka auction ends, sells to new owner
The online auction for Hotel Topeka has concluded and it has a new owner. Ten-X hosted the online auction which began Monday, June 6 with a starting bid of $2 million. Bidding appeared to end at $7.5 million Wednesday afternoon and ramped up in the final minutes of the auction, before the listing was removed. The City of Topeka’s governing body discussed strategies on how to pay for the hotel at its Tuesday night meeting, after it expressed interest on bidding in late May.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Two Kansas towns make ‘Best Small Towns to Visit in the U.S.’ list
Two historic Kansas towns have landed a spot on the TravelAwaits’ “Best Small Towns to Visit in the U.S.” list. This list is decided by the site’s leaders for the Best of Travel Awards. Coming in at number one on the list, for the third year in a row, is Abilene, Kan. “Located in the heart of the Sunflower State, Abilene is home to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. This may be what pulls hundreds of thousands of visitors off I-70 every year, but the town of about 6,500 is a unique mix of presidential history and western charm,” TravelAwaits said. The city, located in Dickinson County, has won a few impressive titles lately: Best Historic Small Town by USA TODAY, Top 10 True Western Town of the Year by True West Magazine and Destination of the Year by the Midwest Travel Network.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Rural done right: Cafe, food store keep Tampa alive
Little Tampa might not be a shopping mecca, but it does have items its residents need. That’s why county commissioner David Mueller’s work for his home community, once a stop on the Santa Fe Trail, caught the eye of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University. Muller was subject of a Kansas Profile article by the center last week. Tampa’s Santa Fe Trail Café, operated for the last six years by Pat Dalke and her daughter, Ashley Thornhill, serves lunch every day except Saturday and offers a chicken fried steak meal on Sundays.
Source: Marion County RECORD
Survey: should the county move to a four day work week
The Riley County commissioners on Monday unanimously approved the launch of two surveys to gauge public and employee interest in new hours of operation and four-day workweek for county departments. The public survey is available at all county customer service locations and on the county’s website at www.rileycountyks.gov until 5 p.m. June 30. County clerk Rich Vargo presented the proposal, which includes suggested hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. This would mean all county public offices would be closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This would still be a 40-hour work week but would allow for the public to come in before or after typical work hours.
Source: themercury.com
Overland Park says backyard chicken pilot has been success so far
A two-year test program that allows Overland Park residents with at least a quarter acre of land to keep chickens has so far been a success, according to the city department that oversees it. As the program approaches its ending date December 31, the city animal control department noted there have been no documented complaints on properties with chicken permits since the pilot began in March 2022. City councilmembers now will begin to consider whether to make the chicken rules permanent, as some members of the council’s Community Development Committee proposed at a meeting Wednesday.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Municipal Bond Trends for June 7, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Lawrence city commissioners request some tweaks to plastic bag ban, but most voice general support
Lawrence city commissioners indicated Tuesday that they will likely approve a ban on single-use plastic bags when a revision of the ordinance comes back to them in the near future. The Sustainability Advisory Board has long discussed options aiming to reduce the use of plastics in the city, which in turn could help reduce the city’s dependence on fossil fuels and prevent some pollution from the bags, contamination through microplastics from bags’ degradation, and animal deaths from eating the bags, among other concerns. … Produce bags or product bags used to prevent contamination or damage would still be allowed under the proposed ordinance. Reusable bags would be exempted from the ban, and single-use disposable paper bags would still be allowed. Kathy Richardson, the city’s director of sustainability, told commissioners on Tuesday that the Sustainability Advisory Board also wanted to add language requiring that any paper bags or reusable plastic bags sold or distributed be made of 40% post-consumer recycled content, “which many other cities also require,” Richardson said. Sprouts in Lawrence sells reusable bags that fit that description for 10 cents apiece, she said. Commissioners on Tuesday said they wanted to see the 40% PCRC information written into the ordinance before they consider final approval.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Leawood Mayor Peggy Dunn will step aside after 25 years in office
The end of this year will mark a milestone for Leawood Mayor Peggy Dunn — her last as an elected official. The city’s long-tenured mayor is not seeking reelection this fall, paving the way for Leawood to get a new mayor for the first time since 1997. After more than a quarter century leading the Johnson County suburb, Dunn says she is ready to step aside and has considered the opportunity to serve Leawood “a tremendous honor.”
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
How did trains transform Johnson County? Find out at this family-friendly exhibit
The last time you drove on Strang Line Road, you might not have thought about how it connects to Johnson County’s history. A new exhibit at the Johnson County Museum is calling attention to all the ways trains have influenced growth and development since they first rolled through the area in 1867. “Trains: Transportation and the Transformation of Johnson County” will be open through Jan. 13. Although the more permanent displays at the museum do mention trains, this exhibit takes an in-depth look, with maps, photos, artifacts and even a small model railway.
Source: Joco 913 News
Four mobile mental health teams will soon be responding to 911 crisis calls in Wichita
Mental health professionals will soon be embedded in the Wichita Police Department to respond to 911 calls, providing face-to-face help for people in crisis, rather than relying on officers who may or may not be trained to do that. At least one of four teams will be on call seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. — when first responders say they receive the most mental health-related calls — and the clinicians can be deployed with officers or called to the scene after contact is made.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Department of Commerce Makes $2 Million Available for COVID Resiliency Program
The Department of Commerce will award $2 million through the Community Development Block Grant – COVID Resiliency (CDBG-CVR) program to enable cities and counties to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic when no other funds are available. This is a competitive CDBG grant with an application window that closes July 31, 2023. Funding for the program was made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. … Eligible activities for the CDBG-CVR program include COVID resiliency improvements for businesses such as:
- Upgrades to remain open and prevent future closures due to community illnesses and public health emergencies
- Technology, hardware, and software upgrades
- E-commerce updates
- Professional development and training
- Other updates that can be directly related to resiliency improvements
Eligible businesses must have at least 51% of their employees meet the low- to moderate-income (LMI) standards. Like other CDBG grants, cities and counties will apply for the funds on behalf of eligible businesses and then make the funds available, administering the program locally. Non-LMI communities can still qualify for this funding if not an entitlement community. The LMI requirement is determined by the business and not the city. For more information on the CDBG-CVR program and to access the application, click here.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
USD 465 voters approve school bond project
A vote to use property taxes to bankroll a $15 million bond project for Winfield schools passed with 59.5% of the vote, according to unofficial figures posted by the Cowley County Clerk on Tuesday. The bond will provide revenue for upgrades to safety and security, air quality and HVAC systems, along with deferred maintenance. Just 13% of voters in the district cast ballots with 676 in support of the bond question and 460 opposed.
Source: CourierTraveler
Rural Saline County will soon have a new option for broadband internet
Rural communities in Saline County will soon have a new option for broadband internet. Nex-Tech, an information technology company, announced Tuesday that it is making progress in a project in rural Saline County to route fiber optic cables and become a local option for high-speed internet. Nex-Tech’s broadband service is a step toward one of the County’s goals in utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funding. Among several others, the issue of access to broadband internet for Saline County’s rural residents has been a focus of the board of commissioners.
Source: Salina Journal
New courtrooms begin to take form at City-County Building in Salina
Beginning in January, people stopping by the City-County Building might have noticed some offices shifting locations and teams of construction workers navigating the building. For the past six months there has been an ongoing project to remodel parts of the building to accommodate more judges and provide more courtroom space after a state mandate increased the number of district court judges in various parts of Kansas. Court Administrator Todd Heitschmidt said the process for getting new judges has been a long time coming, but the change was abrupt. “We’ve always been asking for more judges, and just never thought we’d get them,” Heitschmidt said. “Then we got three at once.”
Source: Salina Journal
Hutchinson will become Smallville on June 15
Hutchinson City Council had lots of proclamations and concerns during their Tuesday morning meeting…. “The fictional character Clark Kent also known as Superman, arrived in Smallville, Kansas in a spaceship during a meteor shower,” Hutchinson Mayor Jon Richardson proclaimed. “I, Jon Richardson, Mayor of the City of Hutchinson, Kansas, do hereby proclaim that June 15-17, 2023, the City of Hutchinson shall be known as: Smallville, Kansas; the home of Clark Kent.”
Source: Hutch News
Former Ottawa city manager Richard Nienstedt to fill in as Topeka city manager goes on leave
Topeka city manager Stephen Wade … had requested a leave of absence, for reasons that aren’t being made public, [Mayor] Padilla said. The leave will last for an “extended” and “undisclosed” amount of time, the city said in a news release. … The mayor and council voted 10-0 Tuesday to temporarily name Richard U. Nienstedt, of Ottawa, as acting city manager. Neinstedt retired in March from the city of Ottawa, the city of Topeka said in a news release. The mayor and council also voted 10-0 to authorize Padilla to negotiate an employment agreement with Neinstedt.
Source: CJonline
Bids reach $5 million in hotel auction; Topeka doesn’t intend to own property long-term
The top bid reached $5 million Wednesday morning as the end neared for a three-day auction in which participants that include Topeka’s city government are seeking to buy The Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 S.W. Topeka Blvd. The auction’s reserve, which is the minimum price a seller will accept as the winning bid, had not yet been reached. Meanwhile, City Councilman Spencer Duncan said the city doesn’t plan to own the hotel long-term. … Topeka city manager Stephen Wade said in a news release last week that the city, if it acquires the hotel, will look to experts and team up with private-sector partners while developing a holistic approach to redeveloping it.
Source: CJonline
Council OKs chicken ban
The current city code prohibits the harboring of chickens within the city limits, Great Bend City Attorney Allen Glendenning said, addressing the City Council Monday night. But, recently citizens have expressed a desire to keep “backyard chickens” in the city, arguing the present regulations don’t ban the birds. So, to clarify the city’s will to prohibit chickens, the council Monday approved a revised ordinance specifically prohibiting the fowl. However, it passed on a 4-3 vote with some council members sympathetic to those wanting to keep chickens on their properties.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Area commissioners share thoughts on financial access
After Harvey County Commissioner Becky Reimer requested read-only access to the county’s accounting system (that was denied by the other two commissioners) two weeks ago and then followed it up by saying she wanted to continue to try to get that access, Harvey County Now reached out to some area counties to learn if this was something done elsewhere. None of the commissioners we spoke to had access to their county’s financial records, but at least one is considering it.
Source: Harvey County Now
Train derailment causes damage to tracks, highway near Dodge City
A highway near Dodge City was reduced to two lanes Monday night following a train derailment. Ford County Sheriff Bill Carr said the derailment caused “major damage” to the tracks and U.S. 400 at the tracks between Ft. Dodge and Cargill. The highway was reduced to two lanes. The westbound lanes were closed. Sheriff Carr said the Cargill plant is open for employees. “Please consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City,” the sheriff said on Facebook.
Source: KAKE – News
‘A really tragic series of events.’ In six hours, three fentanyl overdoses in Lawrence
In a little more than six hours, Lawrence police responded to three overdose calls, with one person dead and another in critical condition. The first call came in at 9:30 Monday night and the third about 3:45 Tuesday morning. In each of the three calls officers found evidence that led them “to believe fentanyl was the cause,” according to Lawrence police. “Overnight we had a really tragic series of events here in Lawrence,” Police Chief Rich Lockhart said as he began a Tuesday afternoon news conference. “… One of the things that we really want to emphasize here is that fentanyl is the deadliest drug that’s out in our country today.”
Source: KC Star Local News
Russell fire chief to leave Wichita hospital
Russell Fire Chief Dylan Riedel returned home Tuesday afternoon after spending four days in a Wichita burn unit. On Friday night, Riedel was injured in a fire and explosion in the 1700 block of N. Main St. and transported to Wichita. The City of Russell said there will be a welcome home at the Sale Barn supporting his recovery. Residents are asked to bring flags, horns and signs in support. The time on return will be posted on the City’s Facebook page. “They are on the road headed home! Hopedully by 5:45-6:00pm – we will update again as they get closer,” said the City of Russell.
Source: KSN-TV
City of Emporia receives more than $600,000 from federal government to assist with at-grade rail crossing improvements
The City of Emporia was recently informed that it has received needed funding to support work at the community’s various at-grade railroad crossings. City Manager Trey Cocking says he was informed the Federal Train Administration had approved a recently submitted application to support planning and development for grade separation projects at the city’s 12 at-grade crossings. At-grade crossings are where the railroad crosses with roadways and Cocking says the impending improvements will better help with flow for both vehicles and trains and will also make crossings much safer for residents. Over the past 18 months, the city has had three fatal accidents occur at local rail crossings. With that in mind, Cocking says the funding comes at a very important time for the community.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
USD 232 shifts 2 middle schools’ boundaries to head off future overcrowding
USD 232 in De Soto will send some students in future west Lenexa neighborhoods to Lexington Trails Middle School as a way to combat projected overcrowding at Mill Creek Middle School. The move pushes the current border between the Mill Creek and Lexington Trails attendance zones to the east, sending more students from the central area of the district west to De Soto for middle school. On Monday, the school board voted 6-0 to adopt the new middle school attendance boundaries for the 2023-2024 school year.
Source: Prairie Village Post
De Soto mapping out housing demand around Panasonic Plant
De Soto City leaders say they’re getting a better idea of where workers and the homes they’ll live in will be when the Panasonic Electric Vehicle Battery Plant opens around 2025. The plant is expected to eventually employ about 4,000 people with advanced manufacturing skills inside the plant, with another 4,000 people taking similar or related jobs outside the facility. De Soto City Administrator Mike Brungardt says the region has about 107,000 of those workers already, with more than 60,000 within a commutable drive of De Soto.
Source: KSN-TV
Municipal Bond Trends for June 6, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for June 5, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Spring 2023 Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) Grant Recipients Announced
Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland today announced the recipients of the spring 2023 Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) grants. A total of 17 projects from across the state are receiving nearly $918,000 in matching grant funds. The Patterson Family Foundation and Department of Commerce paired up to provide grant funding to assist rural communities in revitalizing underutilized and dilapidated downtown buildings and turn them into economic drivers in the community. A total of 30 applications were received during the spring HEAL grant round. The spring 2023 HEAL grant awardees include:
- Belleville Chamber/Main Street, Republic County – $75,000
- City of Halstead, Harvey County – $64,300
- City of Hillsboro, Marion County – $74,999
- City of Osawatomie, Miami County – $75,000
- City of Spearville, Ford County – $70,000
- City of Sterling, Rice County – $75,000
- City of Wathena, Doniphan County – $54,520
- Edwards County Economic Development (Kinsley), Edwards County – $45,599
- Edwards County Economic Development (Lewis), Edwards County – $33,008
- Grow Hays, Inc., Ellis County – $75,000
- Grow Clay County (GCC), Clay County – $25,000
- Logan County Community Foundation, Logan County – $25,000
- Miltonvale Economic Revitalization Improvement Team (MERIT), Inc., Cloud County – $9,600
- Ness County Chamber of Commerce, Ness County – $48,250
- Point Forward, Inc., Crawford County – $75,000
- Rush County Economic Development, Rush County – $17,462
- South Central KS Economic Development District, Reno County – $75,000
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Way to remove governing body members passes
As a means to protect the City of Great Bend and assure all residents are equally represented, the City Council Monday night approved an ordinance outlining how it can fill vacancies on the governing body (made up of the council and the mayor), specifically those created by a “non-functioning” member. “The city currently has no clear definition of what creates a vacancy or any procedure to address the situation where a person is elected to a position on the governing body but fails or refuses to accept the office, take the oath and/or attend meetings,” City Attorney Allen Glendenning said. This either leaves a portion of the citizenry not fully represented or leaves the city with only the cumbersome, lengthy and expensive processes of ouster or a recall election.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Superintendent narrowly escapes burning van
A USD 415 Hiawatha School minivan went up in flames Friday afternoon and the Superintendent of Schools narrowly escaped the burning vehicle. Hiawatha Fire Chief Patrick Sheldon reported that the call came in at 2:49 p.m. of a report of a vehicle fire located at the intersection of First and Oregon in Hiawatha. Upon arrival, crews found a Dodge minivan located on the east side of First Street with its engine compartment fully engulfed with flames. Chief Sheldon said crews brought the fire under control within a few minutes and left the scene by 3:20 p.m.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
The high plains drought is so bad that Kansas is importing wheat from Europe
Kansas is “the wheat state,” the officially adopted moniker that embraces its place as the country’s breadbasket. Tall white grain elevators, some decorated with wheat murals, loom over tiny farm towns. For decades, Kansas led the nation in wheat production, and the U.S. led the world in wheat exports. But this year’s meager wheat harvest turns that proud tradition on its head. Kansas flour mills will likely buy wheat grown in Eastern Europe. It’s like Texas importing oil, West Virginia hauling in coal, or the Saudis shipping in sand.
Source: KAKE – News