Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Municipal Bond Trends for July 18, 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 July 17, 2024

Topeka thwarted in bike lane effort

The Build Kansas Advisory Committee rejected a proposal from the city of Topeka to use federal grant funds to build seven bike lanes across the community. … The city contributed $0 to the project, relying on the Build Kansas fund to contribute the entire local funding needed to qualify for the federal grant. Rep. Kyle Hoffman, R-Coldwater, said he wanted to see some local cost share when he motioned to reject awarding the funds.
Source: CJonline

Municipal Bond Trends for July 16, 2024

Municipal Bond Trends for July 15, 2024

Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson leaving

Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson is resigning. City officials confirmed he submitted his 30-day notice, as required by his employment agreement, on Tuesday and his last day will be Aug. 9. … Anderson said he has accepted another administrative job with the Garden City school district.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Affordable housing still an issue in Holton

New houses have been built or are under construction in Holton, with more on the way, but the lack of available housing in the city continues to be an issue for a Holton contractor who has been involved in the construction of several new homes in the city over the past two years. “My eyes have opened in the last two years to how much of a need there is” for affordable housing in Holton…
Source: Holton Recorder

Merriam explores idea of hiring single trash hauler for entire city

The city of Merriam is looking at contracting with one solid waste hauler for the entire city. Following a recent community survey that showed a majority of residents want a single solid waste provider, the Merriam City Council on Monday expressed support for exploring a move to a singular citywide contract. Currently, there are five …
Source: Johnson County Post

Federal judge has rules that Dodge City’s elections don’t discriminate against Latinos

A federal judge has ruled Dodge City’s five-decade-old election system does not unfairly suppress Latino voter choices and can remain in place, rejecting arguments from the American Civil Liberties Union and others. The southwest Kansas city has used an “at-large” system to elect city commissioners since 1971. Instead of dividing the city into voting districts, commissioners are elected by voters all over the city — a structure the ACLU says unlawfully dilutes the voices of Latino voters and violates the U.S. constitution and federal election law. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren disagreed in a ruling issued Wednesday.
Source: KAKE – News

McConnell Air Force Base generates $1 billion economic impact for Wichita

More than 1,000 civilians were employed at the base, including general schedule, federal wage board and other civilian employees. The number also includes non-appropriated civilian employees paid with appropriated funds, such as Army and Air Force Exchange Services and Defense Commissary Agency employees.
Source: KAKE – News

Powell indicates Fed won’t wait until inflation is down to 2% before cutting rates

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Monday that the central bank will not wait until inflation hits 2% to cut interest rates. … “The implication of that is that if you wait until inflation gets all the way down to 2%, you’ve probably waited too long, because the tightening that you’re doing, or the level of tightness that you have, is still having effects which will probably drive inflation below 2%,” Powell said.
Source: CNBC

Sedgwick County government officially drops ‘Working for you’ tagline. Here’s why

The tagline “Working for you” will no longer appear on official Sedgwick County government branding. The County Commission voted Wednesday to drop the tagline, which for decades has appeared packaged with the official county seal featuring a stylized illustration of the Keeper of the Plains. The change comes as the commission adopted an updated brand guide detailing how employees should and shouldn’t represent the county in official materials. Commissioner Jim Howell cast the only vote against the brand guide, saying he believes “Working for you” sums up the county’s mission well. “This is the moment where we’re going to get rid of that tagline. Can I steal it?’ Howell asked Strategic Communications director Nicole Gibbs. “To the extent that the county gets rid of that tagline, I’m going to put that on everything I do personally. I love it,” Howell said. Gibbs said dropping the tagline will improve the aesthetic appeal of county branding. The goal, she said, isn’t to imply that the government has stopped working for people. “Just because we don’t have the words out there doesn’t change the work that we do, and we all continually work to serve the community and work for the people, but for our marketing purposes and what we’ve been doing going forward, it makes it a little bit cleaner look and easier for us to go forward without the slogan,” Gibbs said. She said the change will be gradual, and won’t cost the county extra money.
Source: Wichita Eagle

City manager candidate finalists to meet with public on Jul. 22

The names of the four finalists for Manhattan City Manager have been released to the public. The candidates will be Jacob Wood, Jamie Miller, Jason Gage and Danielle Dulin. The four finalists will be coming to Manhattan on Jul. 22 to meet with city residents at the Flint Hills Discovery Center from 4:30 to 6 as they’ll answer questions from the public. All four candidates have lengthy experiences working in city government. Mr. Wood has more than 15 years of experience in local government, including more than 10 years in senior leadership positions. Currently, he serves as the Deputy City Manager for the city of Salina a position he’s held for the last 12 years. Ms. Miller has more than 10 years of experience and she has spent the last two years as the City Manager of Paris, Kentucky, a 10,000-person town 18 miles northeast of Lexington. Previously, she served in roles in the city of Port Orange, Florida. Mr. Gage has the longest tenure in city government of the four, serving more than 25 years in local government currently serving as City Manager in Springfield, Missouri, a position he has held since 2018. He is no stranger to Kansas, serving as Salina City Manager from 2005 until 2018 and was also assistant City Manager of Salina from 1994 until 1999. Ms. Dulin has more than 10 years of local government service, serving the last three years as City Manager of Warrensburg, Missouri which is the home of the University of Central Missouri. She also ties to Kansas serving as Assistant to the City Manager for Lenexa, Prairie Village and Mission Hills. 44 applicants applied for the position previously held by longtime city manager Ron Fehr who retired in April. Jason Hilgers is the current interim city manager but is not applying for the position.
Source: 1350 KMAN

Wichita, USD 259 announce athletic partnership

The Wichita Park and Recreation Department and the Wichita school district have announced a partnership to enhance the Wichita Junior Football League and to share facilities, starting this fall. The partnership will have the city’s Junior Football League playing its games on Wichita Public Schools turf fields. In the fall of 2025 Wichita Park and Recreation will transform the Junior League Football League program for 7th and 8th grade students to align with WPS high school attendance areas. As part of the program, WPS will provide mentors and tutors to support students’ academic success. As part of the partnership, there will be other opportunities to share facilities, including:

WPS can use city baseball fields in August and March – May for early-morning practices;
The City of Wichita can have access to West High’s swimming pool at designated times to provide lifeguard certification and water safety training;
WPS students and staff may obtain lifeguard certification through the city and students will have an opportunity for employment as lifeguards at the City pools;
WPS PE teachers and swim coaches may attend courses to become instructors in Lifeguard Certification and Water Safety.

The use of City and WPS athletic facilities will be provided free of charge. The city’s recreation superintendent, Reggie Davidson, said the city and the school district have a shared belief in providing athletic opportunities for young athletes. He said this will enhance the football experience for students and it will create a strong connection between the Junior League Football program and the broader educational community.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Panasonic plant’s benefits will ripple through Western JoCo and metro area, panelists say

Reflecting on his nearly 25-year career with De Soto, City Administrator Mike Brungardt said the debut of Panasonic’s $4 billion electric-vehicle battery plant will be transformative for the city. “This place is almost automatically shortlisted for every megaproject that wants to build in North America,” Brungardt said. “Whatever it is, we’ve got transportation. You’ve got a laborshed. You’ve got the land. We’re very excited about those opportunities moving forward.” Although Panasonic’s massive battery plant will be based in De Soto, the economic effect will ripple throughout the region, said Libbey Tucker, vice president of economic development at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. “All our communities have a little something different to offer. Overland Park is not a manufacturing-heavy community. We have a little bit, but we’re more on the office space side,” Tucker said. “We’ll benefit that way. Other communities that do have that acreage and manufacturing space, they’ll benefit in that regard. It’s a big pie, and we can all have a bite.” Tucker and Brungardt joined John Petersen, principal at Sunflower Redevelopment, and Travis Schram, president of area homebuilder Grata Development, in discussing just how far those ripples will extend during the Kansas City Business Journal’s Regional Development: Western Johnson County panel event on June 21.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Solar farms up for discussion in Reno County

Monday night, a town hall meeting in Nickerson discussed the future of solar farms in Reno County. Reno County currently bans large-scale commercial farms, and commissioners are considering lifting the moratorium. While Monday is important to whether or not portions of Reno County are zoned, leaders tell KSN this is just a chance to get community input. As it stands, only 1/3 of Reno County is adherent to zoning laws. Reno County officials are adamant that zoning the remaining 2/3 of the Reno County would be beneficial. “Zoning will regulate land usage. When you’re an unzoned property, then there are no zoning regulations, and you can do whatever you want with your property, but so can your neighbor,” said Reno County Planner Mark Vonachen. They say zoning is the difference between having a say in what is built around your property, like solar or wind farms. “Solar and wind are types of land usage that zoning can regulate, and when you’re unzoned, those land uses are not regulated by zoning, so they can just go into a property area,” said Vonachen. Some residents, like Melony Ball, don’t see the benefit. They call zoning a double-edged sword, limiting what they can do with their property “I hear what they’re saying about other people being able to come in and do. But if your livelihood is out of your garage,” said Ball. “It would just be nice to have those freedoms and to not have government control over that.” Two more town hall meetings are scheduled across Reno County this month: July 22 in Arlington and July 23 in Pretty Prairie.
Source: KSN-TV

County attempting to keep road rights-of-way clear

Jackson County officials want to remind property owners that it’s illegal to plant crops, install electrical fences and place other items in road rights-of-way. Letters are now being sent to some landowners where this has become an issue, according to Scott Kieffaber, public works director. Those landowners are being asked to meet with Kieffaber and the commissioners in person to discuss correcting the issues. “People don’t care,” Kieffaber said. “The county has a right-of-way of 145 feet on these roads. Some people think it’s smaller than that.” Kieffaber said that while landowners do own to the center of the road, they don’t pay taxes on it. “It’s the county’s right-of-way for us to do whatever we need to do to get the water off the road,” he said. “When we have these big torrential rains that we’ve had, it’s no surprise that the roads are washing because there’s no ditch.” Kansas statute 68-115 states that “counties and townships shall keep road rights-of-way in repair and shall remove or cause to be removed all obstructions that may be found therein.” There are several other statutes dealing with obstructions in the right-of-way. “Some people are also putting drain tiles in and running them off into the ditch. There’s supposed to be a berm between the ditch and their property for a waterway,” he said. Kieffaber said that the ditches can’t handle the extra run-off from tiles and terraces.
Source: Holton Recorder

Great Bend has two-day blood drive for Battle of the Badges

Donors can help hospitals stay prepared to weather challenges this summer at Red Cross blood drives. Great Bend will offer a two-day blood drive next week during the annual Battle of the Badges. Donate blood and vote for your favorite: Law Enforcement or Fire/EMS. St. Rose Auditorium, 1412 Baker Ave., is the location from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, July 15, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16. The process, from check-in to the post-donation visit to the canteen, is usually just about an hour’s time, according to Corry Herrman, Great Bend blood drive chair. Other upcoming opportunities to donate blood in Barton County will be July 29, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Legion, 1011 Kansas Ave., Great Bend, and July 30, 12:30- 6:30 p.m., St Joseph’s Parish Center, 110 W. 2nd St., Ellinwood. This July, the American Red Cross continues to stress that blood donors are critically needed right now to support lifesaving transfusions this summer. Donors of all blood types are in demand, especially those with type O blood and donors giving platelets. Every donation counts in the mission to keep blood products stocked for patients, including those facing life-threatening situations. More than a quarter of all blood products each year are used in critical care and emergency room cases, highlighting the importance of generous blood donors. Be a force for good.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Cheney Reservoir at lowest level since 2013

The National Weather Service said the Cheney Reservoir in Reno, Kingman and Sedgwick counties is at its lowest level since 2013. The Weather Service issued an update this week that said the reservoir is a little more than six feet below the normal conservation level. This is due to a drier start in the first half of the year and current drought conditions. The elevation level on July 10th was 1,415.4 feet, which is 6.22 feet below the normal conservation level of 1421.6 feet. Wichita officials have been watching the water levels at the reservoir, which is one of the main sources of drinking water for the community. The city is currently in Stage One of its drought response plan, which calls for voluntary water conservation efforts, but a decision to move to Stage Two may be in the near future. That would involve some mandatory restrictions on water use. The city’s public works director, Gary Janzen, recently told City Council members that the city has been using a 50-50 mix of water from the reservoir and the Equus Beds aquifer. He said staff has been looking at increasing the use of the aquifer because of the situation at Cheney.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Overland Park a pilot city in new campaign to bring Kansans back to state

After graduating from William Jewell College, Overland Park Councilmember Drew Mitrisin left the Midwest for Washington, D.C. A Missouri native, Mitrisin says it was a call from his father-in-law about five years later that brought him and his wife back to the area. They settled in Overland Park and now live in the Nall Hills neighborhood with their young daughter. “We knew that we wanted to come home because we wanted to raise our family, we wanted to have access to good schools, and we wanted to have great jobs. And that’s what we found,” he said. A new Kansas Department of Commerce campaign called “Love, Kansas” is designed to create more “boomerangs” like Mitrisin — trying to appeal to more native Kansans and others with personal connections to the region back to the Sunflower State. “We need more people to come to our community, work in our community, buy homes in our community, live in our community,” Mitrisin said at a kick-off event Thursday in Overland Park that included state and city officials, local business owners and members of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. (…) Andrew Weisberg, director of talent at the Overland Park Chamber, said the “Love, Kansas” campaign is focused “on attracting skilled talent back to our state” while also “keeping skilled talent” here. Bridgette Jobe, director of Kansas Tourism, said the state has roughly 86,000 open job opportunities in a variety of industries. At the same time, more than half of Kansas’s counties are reporting shrinking populations. While Johnson County doesn’t have the population loss challenges other Kansas communities have, Jobe said she sees “Love, Kansas” as an opportunity to address the statewide need for employees and the general population decline some counties are seeing.
Source: Johnson County Post