Kansas Municipal News
UG approves new funding source for affordable housing, childcare
Wyandotte County leaders will start 2024 with a new plan for funding community programs. Earlier this month, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, approved an ordinance creating a Community Benefits Fund. Beginning in January, half of all administrative and issuance fees paid by developers receiving tax incentives through tools like industrial revenue bonds (IRBs) or tax increment financing (TIF) will be placed into the fund and used for community programs. The fund aims to leverage fees from developments in the western part of the county to support historically underserved or underdeveloped portions of the county. Funds will support the senior home repair program, affordable housing trust fund and licensed childcare programs. The Mayor’s Business and Economic Development Taskforce, which is chaired by former Fourth District Commissioner Harold Johnson, spurred the idea. “The Community Benefits Ordinance makes good on the promise made decades ago that development on the west side of Kansas City, Kansas, would be leveraged in order to improve all areas of KCK, specifically east of I-635,” Johnson said in a news release. In the coming weeks, Mayor Tyrone Garner and UG commissioners will work to appoint 11 people to a the Community Benefits Advisory Board, which will make recommendations to the UG for the use of the funds. The advisory board will be comprised exclusively of county residents and business owners in the county.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Overland Park development defaults on bonds meant to help attract commerce to Kansas
The Prairiefire development has defaulted on close to $65 million in outstanding bond debt, further substantiating concerns among Kansas lawmakers that the Overland Park project hasn’t generated enough sales to make payments in a timely manner. Bondholders recently were notified that Prairiefire missed the Dec. 15 maturity date for $14.9 million in sales tax revenue (STAR) bonds, the balance of a $15 million tranche. That tranche was the first of three Overland Park issued in 2012, totaling $65 million, to build the 56-acre retail and entertainment complex south of 135th Street, between Lamar and Nall avenues. STAR bonds are a state program designed to attract more tourism and revenue to Kansas by helping municipalities finance commercial, entertainment and tourism projects. Trustee UMB Bank had not received sufficient funds to make $14.9 million in principal and $1.75 million in interest payments due for Prairiefire’s STAR bonds as of a Dec. 18 event notice. The bank said it had transferred the $3.8 million balance of the bonds’ reserve fund to help cover debt service. “The Trustee is currently evaluating certain provisions of the Indenture which provide conflicting guidance on how to apply funds in this scenario,” UMB Bank wrote in the notice. “The Trustee will provide additional updates to Bondowners as they become available.”
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Olathe reworks requirements for developers to get tax incentives
Olathe is changing how developers can get tax incentives. Earlier in December, the Olathe City Council approved amendments to multiple economic incentive policies, updating the requirements for the use of tax abatements, Community Improvement Districts (CID), Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRB). The changes bar incentives for delinquent taxpayers and prevent tax breaks for developers threatening legal action against the city. Beginning Monday, incentives typically granted through a CID, TIF or the creation of a benefit district will not be approved if the developer has a financial interest in an existing development with delinquent taxes within the city. Applicants seeking incentives for new development will be required to certify, under oath, that they are not financially tied to a property with delinquent taxes and have no federal or state tax liens in Kansas. The City Council will no longer consider applications for the creation of CID or TIF districts if the developer, company principals or any affiliates are engaged in or have threatened legal action against the city.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Call it ‘Swiftonomics’: How Taylor Swift brought a gold rush to Kansas City
2023 was a big year for Kansas City. The Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl in February. Taylor Swift’s two-night Eras Tour performance in July included an additional song in her set and a new music video debut to accompany her release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” The city went all out for her stop, creating a lineup of Swift-themed events. But perhaps the most unexpected high for the city was when Swift showed up at a Chiefs game in September, making her relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce public. Swelce — or Traylor, or Tayvis — brought renewed worldwide attention to Kansas City. Mayor Quinton Lucas says Swift’s given Kansas City a big reputation — one that doesn’t have anything to do with the Wizard of Oz. With this relationship, he says Kansas City is in its superstar era. “I happened to be in Paris this year for the Rugby World Cup. There was a woman from the Foreign Service in New Zealand who said, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re from Kansas City,’” Lucas said. “She’s like ‘Taylor Swift, right? And she’s dating some not-very-famous footballer.’ Like, actually, he’s kind of a big deal for us.” VisitKC says the city made about $200 million just from Swift’s eras tour this summer. After her relationship with Kelce went public, StubHub reported that ticket sales for all Chiefs home games tripled for the rest of the season. Derek Byrne, a spokesperson for VisitKC, says it’s opened a lot of doors for the city to promote itself. “Even if Taylor Swift’s name isn’t in some of the work we’re doing, it is still giving people a reason to think of us a little more seriously,” Byrne said. According to an analysis by Google Trends, searches asking, “Where is Kansas City?” more than doubled in the U.S. over the past three months and search interest in local restaurants skyrockets each time the couple visits one. Even searches for flights based on the pair’s travel patterns out of Kansas City, are rising.
Source: KCUR News
Researchers are finding high levels of fertilizer in drinking water from rural Kansas wells
Matthew Kirk has an unpleasant task: breaking the news to families about fertilizer chemicals in their drinking water. The Kansas State University geology professor and his collaborators check for nitrogen pollution in the private wells that so many rural households depend on. “Most of the well owners that I’ve talked to,” Kirk said, “this isn’t something that’s really on their radar.” Researchers aim to test about 150 private wells in south-central Kansas in Barton, Stafford, Pawnee, Edwards, Rice, Pratt and Kiowa counties. Students and scientists from K-State and Barton and Dodge City community colleges have teamed up to test about 90 so far. Of those, half contain more nitrate than federal regulators allow in public water systems. “Of those that didn’t,” Kirk said, “a lot of them were pretty darn close.” One well contained more than five times as much nitrate as the federal government tolerates in public water supplies. That household has started treating the water before drinking it. Drinking too much of these nitrogen compounds is dangerous for babies, and scientists are investigating suspected links to serious health conditions in children and adults, such as cancer. Public water sources have to comply with federal standards, so utilities treat water to reduce nitrate levels when necessary. But the same rules don’t apply to private wells, and people often don’t know what their groundwater contains. Meanwhile, decade by decade, chemicals accumulate. In 2016, K-State researchers checked water quality in south-central Kansas wells that had also undergone testing 40 years earlier. “We’re seeing nitrate increases that are massive,” Kirk said, adding that they are “among the biggest” when compared to long-term data from a similar national study.
Source: KCUR News
Salina Fire Department has a new alerting system
The Salina Fire Department announced on Wednesday that they have implemented a new fire station alerting system. According to the SFD, the Phoenix G2 Fire Station Alerting System by USDD Honeywell offers the latest standards and technologies in emergency response. The new system features “heart-healthy ramping tones, lights, message boards, and color-indicating lights that provide a comprehensive alerting system for the firefighters.” The SFD says that this system will enhance efficiency and safety for both the SFD and Saline County Rural Fire Districts serving Salina and Saline County residents. “The automation of the alerting process allows dispatch to stay on the line with 911 callers, collecting crucial information or providing instructions while crews are dispatched,” said the SFD in a Facebook post. “It’s important for people to understand that while technology, such as the Fire Station Alerting system, plays a role in dispatching emergency services, there are still real people involved in the initial stages of receiving and assessing emergency calls. The combination of human expertise and technology helps ensure a prompt and effective response to emergencies. The change in tones and the automated voice for dispatching units is a noticeable change to those with scanners.” According to SFD, they are the first fire department in the state to be using this system.
Source: KSN-TV
Marching on: City band director plays in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Jenna Morris, a music teacher at Southern Coffey County and director of the Iola Municipal Band, took part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a spectacle enjoyed by millions every year, but for Jenna Morris, a local musician and music educator, it became a dream come true as she recently took part in the parade with the Band Directors Marching Band. Morris, a music teacher for the Southern Coffey County school district in Le Roy, had the opportunity of a lifetime to join the group of band directors and music educators from across North America. The band, organized by Saluting America’s Band Directors, paraded through the streets of New York City with an impressive 400 members during the annual parade. Morris shared, “I applied through Saluting America’s Band Directors, submitting a resume and answering questions on my philosophy of musical education and experiences. It’s an incredible opportunity, and I was grateful to be a part of it.” With more than 900 applicants, Morris was one of the talented 400 selected. A graduate of Pittsburg State University in December 2021, Morris has been immersed in the world of music since sixth grade. Her journey led her to the bassoon, an instrument with unique scholarship opportunities. In the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, however, she played the sousaphone. Her favorite part of the Macy’s Parade experience? “The energy and the sheer scale of the event were incredible. Being at the end of a row, seeing people everywhere – the energy was so cool.” Morris shared, “We had four main practicing sessions, mostly marching rehearsals at Weehawken Riverfront Park in New Jersey. The scale of the balloons and the whole experience were something you can’t fully grasp until you’re there.”
Source: The Iola Register
Wichita arts groups generated more than $184 million in economic activity last year
A national arts group found Wichita’s nonprofit arts organizations are leaving a large economic footprint. Americans for the Arts conducted an Arts and Economic Prosperity Study to gauge the economic impact of the arts in Wichita and in more than 370 regions. In 2022, the arts generated more than $184 million in economic activity in Wichita, the report said. “There’s so much more money out there being generated,” said Lindsay Benacka, director of the Division of Arts and Cultural Services for the city of Wichita. “We’re just looking at this slice of nonprofit as a general admission.” Nonprofit arts organizations in Wichita support slightly less than 3,000 jobs, spend about $78 million and generate more than $106 million in audience revenue, according to the study that was released in the fall. Wichita’s tax revenue from the arts was about $4 million. The numbers top both Topeka and Johnson County. Topeka, whose nonprofit arts organizations spent $25 million last year, brought in $20 million in audience revenue. Johnson County’s arts organizations spent $15 million in 2022 and brought in $23 million in audience spending. Nonprofit arts organizations in Topeka generated 1,000 jobs and a little more than $1 million in tax revenue, while Johnson County’s arts organizations generated a little less than 700 jobs and about $900,000 in local, state and federal revenue. The study included about 70 Wichita public and nonprofit organizations. The list did not include music venues, comedy clubs, melodrama/dinner theaters or commercial art galleries.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
A Sedgwick County firefighter’s invention helps those in his profession
Firefighter Nathan Helten was tired of having wet gloves when heading out to a fire. He knew there had to be a solution, but he couldn’t find any — so he invented one. After more than a year in the preliminary stages, Helten took his startup to market. With the advice of fellow Sedgwick County firefighters and the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer at Wichita State University, the Handy Hook became a reality. “I knew there had to be a better way,” said Helten, who has worked as a firefighter for more than a decade. “I’ve always had that mentality.” Helten was in the middle of building a house in Garden Plain when the idea came to him. The Handy Hook not only keeps firefighter’s gloves dry between events, it helps them get ready for fires more quickly, Helten said. By allowing gloves to hang outside of the uniform instead of squashing wet gloves into pants pockets, they dry faster. In addition, Helten said, the clip minimizes glove-up time, helping to get the uniform on quicker with the hook. “I thought of an idea of being able to take your glove off by sticking something narrow down into a glove and pulling it off. So Christmas break, four years ago, I built this wicked little chunk of metal that I bolted to the side of my pants — I literally bolted it,” Helten said. From that U-shaped contraption, he continued to adapt the model, changing it more than 150 times. Finally, Helten realized he had discovered the ideal mechanism. That’s when he realized he needed help. A little more than a year ago, Helton visited the Tech Transfer and Commercialization department at Wichita State University and asked for advise on his new product.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Augusta airport looks to bring in larger aircraft with runway repairs
After more than a decade in the works, the Augusta Municipal Airport is getting ready to repave its runway. Because of disrepair and large bumps on the pavement, the runway will be fully shut down from Jan. 8 until mid-February, and then again in late March through October. As the airport has one runway, airplanes will not be able to take off or land during construction, which is an approximately $11-million effort. “The runway is in poor condition,” said Ray Self, Augusta Municipal Airport manager. “It has pretty decent-sized cracks. It’s pretty rough when you land on it.” Along with being narrower and shorter than many runways, the Augusta Airport, a taxpayer-funded public location, has a large hump in the middle of the runway, creating a line-of-sight problem. “So if you’re on one end of the runway, you cannot see the other end of the runway, which is pretty important if there’s an aircraft on the other end,” Self said. Because the airport is shifting the runway south by about 500 feet, the area will need extra work. The airport will close for preliminary dirt work on Jan. 8 and reopen at 8 a.m. Feb. 19. The final closure for repair work will begin at the end of March or early April and last through the first or second week of October, Self said. The Federal Aviation Administration is funding most of the $11-million project, but the other 10%, around $1 million, will require local funding. Because the runway is both shorter and slimmer than current standards, it will increase both its length and width, moving from 4,200 feet to 4,500 feet and widening from 60 feet to 75 feet, meeting current FAA standards. The increase in size will not only help smaller aircraft, but it will allow larger planes to utilize the Wichita-area airport.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for December 28, 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 December 27, 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 December 26, 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.
Burrton getting multiple housing starts
Burrton residents can expect new neighbors in the coming years after the city has three housing starts this year. According to City Clerk Kim Ryan, in previous years the city had about one housing start a year. Beth Anne Kingsley, a real estate agent for the Burrton area, said she expected at least three more housing starts next year, as well. “I thought that was a pretty cool thing,” Kingsley said. The population of Burrton has declined steadily since 2000. According to the national census, between 2010 and 2020, the population decreased by 4.4 percent. In other parts of the county, Hesston and Newton’s populations have also decreased since 2010, but Halstead’s population has increased by 4.5 percent. Kingsley said she talked with JCL Construction to build one of the homes and said the company has plans for two more housing starts next year. The current house they’re working on already had a basement, and the owner agreed to let them build on it. “The gentleman that owns that also owns Stinger and is very active in the Burrton community,” Kingsley said. “[He] wanted to see new houses, so he made it easy for my builder.” In addition to the houses JCL Construction will work on, the free lots Burrton offers got some attention this year. Burrton has offered several free lots in the past for housing starts, but they’ve had little interest until now. Ryan said no one had taken advantage of the lots before now. Kingsley said one of the lots is now spoken for and will start moving forward soon.
Source: Harvey County Now
Hiawatha native will donate old parking meter to Brown County Historical Society
People collect old pieces of the city-whether they are old service equipment or other items-because they help tell a story of the city’s past. Hiawatha native Rod Colvin will donate old penny-operated parking meters to the Brown County Historical Society, as he believes it is important to help with informing residents about Hiawatha’s local history. Colvin acquired the meter from his mother, who also gave a parking meter to his brother. “The meters are part of our memories of downtown Hiawatha for those of us living in Hiawatha at the time,” Colvin said. “You put money in the parking meter–it was just a part of parking downtown. I remember when the city removed them. I don’t recall the reason stated, but I assumed it was to making [sic] shopping ‘easier’ in the downtown area.” Colvin graduated from Hiawatha with the class of 1968. He has been living in Omaha, NE since 1974 and has worked as a broadcast journalist for 10 years. In 1992, Colvin started a publishing company, Addicus Books, where he is still the publisher. Colvin remarked that the old parking meters were coin operated and that they took nickels and dimes. The time on the meter varied depending on what coin was put in. For Colvin, the meters bring memories of downtown Hiawatha. He remarked that whenever you parked downtown, you needed to put money in the meter, or the “parking meter lady” would put a ticket on the driver’s windshield.
Source: Local News | hiawathaworldonline.com
Newton community raises over $100K during campaign for all-inclusive playground
Newton Public Schools is celebrating a successful campaign for an all-inclusive elementary school playground. “Slate Creek Elementary serves as the home to Harvey County’s severely-multiply disabled (SMD) classroom where many students may have mobility devices or other special needs. Those devices and other special needs may limit their ability to play on existing playground equipment,” said NPS in a news release. During the month of November, a variety of families, businesses, and organizations contributed to a double-match fundraiser to raise money for the playground. The “All Together Now” inclusive playground initiative raised $103,000 thanks to a matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation and a significant lead gift from the Asbury Park Foundation. “We are very moved by all of the support from the community and very grateful that we are that much closer to making this dream a reality so that all kids, no matter their abilities can play together,” Principal Tenae Alfaro said. In total, over $450,000 has been raised for the playground. Donations are still being accepted online or via check. Construction on the playground is set for the summer of 2024.
Source: KSN-TV
GB Eco Devo talk
Great Bend Economic Development Inc. has a lot on its plate right now, from the new Advancing Barton County Childcare daycare center in Great Bend to a host of programs aimed at fostering entrepreneurship. Lee Ann June, GBED communications director, took a moment Thursday afternoon to touch on what is happening on the eco devo front. Recently hired ABCC Site Director Kelsie Baxter “is very excited about getting started,” June said. This week, they started posting and advertising the 11 remaining job postings for that center. These include lead teacher, assistant teachers and part-time providers. Applications were available on the ABCC website, gbedinc.com/abcc, as of Monday. They will also be posted through KansasWorks and other job listings. “As I take on this new role, I am looking forward to prioritizing both fun and safety in a new setting! Providing quality childcare services for all families is something I am very passionate about,” Baxter said. Among the things she is excited about are the Watch Me Grow playground system and the smart SmartBoards the children will use. The next step is to advertise the child wait list, but that won’t be available until later this month, June said. Once this happens, it will be promoted in the media as well. Ground was broken on July 20 for the daycare center at Farmer’s Plaza, dubbed Farmers Plaza Childcare Center. The approximately $1.9 million 6,500 square-foot facility, envisioned as the first of several to be built in Barton County, will accommodate up to 59 children. It had been in the works since 2021. ABCC is planning a second facility in Hoisington, but that is remains in the planning stages.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Pottawatomie County superintendents reflect on eventful 2023
As the 2023 school year comes to a close, Superintendents Joan Simoneau of USD 323, and Rob McKim of USD 320, reflect on the year and preview what they are looking forward to in 2024. Simoneau emphasized the importance work her district has done in 2023 on helping young students improve their reading skills district-wide. McKim discusses how, administratively, his job is beginning to slow down for him as he continues to settle into the new role and moves into the new year. Simoneau notes the important work her district has done on their strategic plan as the look forward to its implementation in 2024. Similarly, McKim was pleased with the work that has gone into the district and the push toward 2024’s adoption of the district’s strategic plan. Both administrators remained optimistic on the plans they have for the continued development, both academically and community-wise, for their districts in 2024.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Matfield Green raising funds for new public park, “The Green”
Matfield Green Works is starting the new year with a new dream: The Green. “We are holding onto our dream of a new gallery and welcome center in the former Bank Art Space but shifting focus to an immediately achievable goal: The Green is a welcoming park on the property we own across the street from the Bank,” the board of directors announced Thursday. “We are excited about this simple project that will benefit the entire community.” According to the board, the Green will provide a much-needed public toilet, accessible parking, picnic shelter, drinking fountain/ pet watering and bottle filling station, wayfinding displays and a bike repair stand. A low serpentine wall of limestone blocks and native plantings will unify the site. The high-visibility northwest corner, at the intersection of Flint Hills National Scenic Byway and Bocook Street, is reserved for a future land art project. “The Green will offer comfort, shade, and opportunity for unplanned encounters for byway travelers, cyclists, Flint Hills visitors and locals. It will invite passers-by to get out of the car or off the bike in the heart of Matfield Green,” the board said. “Please join us in bringing this auspicious corner to life with a financial contribution to Matfield Green Works.” The total project cost is $50,000, with Matfield Green needing to raise $35,000 to make it happen.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Cowley hires firm to tout economic impact
An economic impact study done for Cowley College analyzing its 2021-2022 fiscal year showed alumni generated $179.4 million in added income for the regional economy, the equivalent of supporting 2,582 jobs. That is one of several findings in he study done by Lightcast for the junior college, according to a press release. Other findings include (1) Graduates with an associates degree from earned $14,000 more per year compared to Kansas with just a high school diploma. (2) Cowley injected $203.5 million into the Cowley College regional service area economy that supported 3,071 regional jobs, using the jobs-to-sales ratios specific to each industry in the region. (3) The annual payroll and other spending generates $20.3 million in added income. (4) Daily spending of Cowley students attracted to or retained in the region generates $3.8 million. (5) For every $1 invested, taxpayers gain $2.20 in added tax revenue and public sector savings, while society benefits $8 in added income and social savings. During the study period, Cowley had 3,619 credit students, 1,710 non-credit students, and 373 full and part-time employees. This analysis used data from Cowley academic and financial reports, the Kansas Board of Regents, industry and employment statistics from sources such as U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler