Kansas Municipal News
City Council votes for more input on overturning LLC contribution ban
The expected City Council overturn of a 2-week-old ban on contributions to city of Wichita election candidates from limited liability companies and corporations took a detour Tuesday. The Council voted 5-2 to refer the ordinance change to members’ district advisory boards, which offer advice and recommendations to each of the six members representing specific areas of the city. Mayor Lily Wu and Council member Becky Tuttle voted to ask for the DAB input, along with the three remaining members who voted for the initial ban Jan. 2 — Maggie Ballard, Mike Hoheisel and Brandon Johnson. New members Dalton Glasscock, who asked last week to reassess the ordinance, and J.V. Johnston voted against. Wu and Tuttle still seem likely to join Glasscock and Johnston as a majority overturning the LLC contributions ban. Wu had more than 100 LLC and corporate donations in winning November’s general election, and Tuttle voted against the ban during the last Council meeting with a Democratic majority. But the ordinance took on new language Tuesday that Glasscock said will increase transparency, if overturned.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Clay Center City Council passes grant policy
In a meeting that lasted about five minutes, the Clay Center Council swore in Mayor Jimmy Thatcher and recently-reelected council members and approved one agenda item last week on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The sole agenda item that was approved outside the consent agenda was a grant management policy that directed City Clerk Kerry Rozman how to handle grant funds received through a grant applied for by Grow Clay County.
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com – RSS Results in news,local/* of type article
Bobcats spotted by Johnson County officials at Shawnee Mission Park
Two bobcats were spotted roaming Shawnee Mission Park on Tuesday. Johnson County Park and Recreation (JCPRD) Natural Resource staff took pictures of two bobcats walking through the park while doing deer density research. They snapped the rare photo while surveying the area for deer on the south side of Shawnee Mission Park. The “elusive bobcats are secretive but highly adaptable to the urban environment of Johnson County,” JCPRD said on X. A bobcat bit a woman in 2022 after she picked up the wild animal off a Liberty, Missouri, road. It’s a friendly reminder not to approach these majestic animals, even if they seem harmless at first.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Topeka asks every resident to begin flushing water
The City of Topeka is asking residents to flush possibly contaminated water to restore fresh water for customers. While the City of Topeka, and parts of Shawnee County are still in a Boil Water Advisory, Utilities staff with the City of Topeka are asking all customers, if able, to flush their water. According to a press release from the city, flushing water through their water supply systems could help to make sure fresh water makes it to every residence. The time it takes to flush a system thoroughly varies depending on the size of a building or home. To properly flush, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in a home or business for about 10-15 minutes. This time frame flushes approximately 40 gallons of water through a customer’s system. According to the city, regular uses of water, like taking a shower or doing laundry, are effective methods of flushing. For homes and businesses with larger water heaters, the city advises that you flush your system for an additional 10-15 minutes. The City of Topeka Utilities Director Sylvia Davis explained at Tuesday’s city council meeting that the city has no plans to compensate customers for flushing their systems. “For our highest-rated customers, those folks that pay the highest water rates, you’re talking about 20 to 25 cents,” Davis said. “So, as we were talking about potentially giving out credits, it would end up costing us way more to generate those credits.” The Boil Water Advisory will remain in place until city staff had met all of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) testing requirements and have lifted the advisory, according to the press release. The KDHE requires 100 samples to be collected throughout the city, and have to come back clear of any contaminates.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Municipal Bond Trends for January 16, 2024
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.
Topeka water customers asked to start flushing lines to end boil water advisory quicker
Topeka’s city government late Tuesday encouraged city water service customers to start “flushing” water through their supply systems to help ensure that fresh water reaches every customer and the boil water advisory ends more quickly. Flushing a system varies based on the size of a building, the city said on its Facebook page. “Generally, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in their home or business for 10-15 minutes to flush approximately 40 gallons of water through their system,” it said. “Due to outdoor weather conditions, consider using only indoor faucets like sinks, tubs, toilets and other washing appliances.” For homes or businesses with larger water heaters, flush for an additional 10-15 minutes, the city said.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for January 12, 2024
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.
Study looks at ambulance response times in Shawnee County
Ambulance response times appear to be getting worse in Topeka. That’s according to a Wichita State University study, but American Medical Response is pushing back on those claims. The percentage of “late calls” by AMR, Shawnee County’s ambulance service, nearly doubled between 2020 and 2022 in “Zone 1,” which covers most of Topeka, Topeka City Council members were told Tuesday by Tom Jenkins, project associate and technical expert for the Public Policy & Management Center at Wichita State. Jon Antrim, AMR’s regional director, took issue with that…
Source: CJonline
Speaker at Salina forum shares strategies to end homelessness
People passionate about homelessness in Salina braved the bitter cold to listen and packed into a standing-room-only setting to hear about and discuss solutions Thursday night. The City of Salina invited Julia Orlando, a consultant from New Jersey who also is the director of the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center, to speak about strategies it used to bring homelessness to “functional zero” in that county.
Source: Salina Journal
Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $5M for Digital Skills Training
Governor Laura Kelly today announced a $4.75 million initiative to improve the digital skills of Kansans not yet able to maximize the power of the internet. The Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans (DOCK) program strengthens access to necessary digital tools and opportunities…. DOCK promotes access to digital resources by providing awards for digital skills development programs. The maximum individual award is $250,000, with required matching funds at 5 percent…. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) encourages local governments, community organizations, educational institutions, and others to partner in making the DOCK program a success.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Shawnee Mission superintendent to step down. District will start search for new leader
Shawnee Mission Superintendent Michelle Hubbard, who was recently named 2024 Kansas Superintendent of the Year, will retire after this school year. The school board accepted Hubbard’s resignation during a special meeting Thursday evening. Hubbard, who was named superintendent in 2021, will serve the remainder of her contract through June.
Source: Joco 913 News
Great Bend Fire Department answered over 2,583 fire and EMS calls in 2023
With the ringing of a new year, the Great Bend Fire Department thought residents might be curious about the number of calls it handled in 2023, Fire Chief Brent Smith said. The information was presented to the City Council. “We thought you may wonder just how many calls we respond to in one year,” Smith said. This is the number of calls from Jan. 1 through Dec. 18. In all, the Great Bend Fire Department made 2,583 fire and Emergency Medical Services runs in that time span…
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Shawnee moves forward with new rules for Airbnbs
The Shawnee City Council Committee is getting closer to setting new rules and restrictions for short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO. On Monday evening, the committee reached a consensus for amendments to Shawnee Municipal Code Chapter 5 to regulate short-term rentals through the city’s business licensing department. Short-term rental property owners would also face penalties if they violate existing ordinances, like noise violations or health and safety codes.
Source: Johnson County Post
Overland Park mulls changing development rules
As Overland Park continues to build its new comprehensive plan, the city is also mulling some possible updates to regulations for future development and redevelopment projects. That collection of ordinances called a Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, lays out the rules for development in a community, including land use and architectural standards. The plan is to work with a consultant to review the UDO, the cost of which Overland Park Senior Planner Danielle Hollrah said is already budgeted into city’s 2024-28 capital improvement project list.
Source: Johnson County Post
County commission approves cost of living increase for county employees
The Chase County Commission approved a 3.5% cost of living adjustment across the board for county employees at its meeting Monday morning. Commissioner Matt Miller said he was in favor of making the 3.5% increase standard for all county employees, regardless of full-time or part-time status, to help with cost of living increases. “The departments have done a good job of getting some internal pay scales and structures put in place. We have made a lot of progress there with department heads meeting and updating our leave policies. Those are definitely big steps forward,” Miller said. “I encourage us as we go into budget season this year to take the pay into consideration a bit more.” The motion to approve a 3.5% increase passed unanimously.
Source: Emporia Gazette
“Need rural water!”
After fighting for clean, oil-free water since September, mother of three and wife, Jenna Krob, says she’s tired of being redirected. “I feel like I’m getting tossed around just like I did when I didn’t have water at first,” said Krob. “Now I’m being tossed around again just trying to find a permanent solution.” The problem began as a foul smell filling their newly purchased home located at SW Thunder Rd and SW 150th St in rural Augusta. Soon after, their plumbing pipes, toilet tank, shower and sinks were coated in a black oily substance. The family suspected crude oil to be in their private water well but were still disappointed when the test came back positive. The family has gone without water in their home since Oct. 1, despite extensive efforts of testing, advocacy, and multiple attempts of finding a grant to cover the cost of a permanent solution. After testing the water, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE), concluded that the oil was in fact crude oil from previous activities being 10 years or more older, without identifying the source of the oil. After hearing about the Krob family and other community member’s ongoing issue, Rural Water District #5 was willing to help find a permanent solution to the problem. That solution would be connecting the community to rural water. While the crew and community knew it would be a big undertaking, they were still hopeful of finding a way to bring clean water to their families. The biggest hurdle would be to find financing.
Source: Andover American
‘Wage war’: Sedgwick County hikes pay for sheriff’s officers after Wichita police raises
Sedgwick County boosted pay for sheriff’s office employees Wednesday in an escalating law enforcement wage war with the city of Wichita. The county will transfer approximately $4.5 million from reserves to cover 8.7% increases for all sheriff’s employees, including Sheriff Jeff Easter, who presented the funding request to commissioners Wednesday. That’s on top of the 2% increase that went into effect at the beginning of the year. The new raise comes a month after the Wichita City Council voted to give police employees 13.27% raises and one-time $5,000 bonuses. “If people don’t believe that we’re going to lose people to Wichita, they’ve got their head in the sand, because they’ll go where the money is,” Commissioner David Dennis said before the unanimous commission vote. With the Wichita Police Department increases, starting officer pay is now $29.75, compared to $23.97 at the beginning of 2024 for new sheriff’s deputies. The pay bumps approved Wednesday get the county’s starting pay to $26.02. “It is threatening to see this wage war continue,” Commissioner Jim Howell said. “I don’t know how it’s going to stop. I have a concern that it’s just going to continue ping-ponging back and forth because as soon as we do this, they’ll use our increase as a rationale for another increase across the street.” The Wichita police union is entering another round of negotiations with the city in 2024.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
County leadership program serves to develop leaders
K-State Research and Extension Agent Tristen Cope has learned to look at leadership differently, especially after taking a class on the topic through Kansas Leadership Center and helping run the Marion County Leadership Program. “I was in a lot of leadership positions in high school and throughout college, but I was never taught or shown leadership as a verb. I was always taught that leadership was a noun,” said Cope. “It’s an act of how you’re a leader as opposed to a noun— acting as a leader— it’s what you do to gain those leadership skills or to help engage and empower others into leadership positions. It’s a different mindset when you’re looking at it as a verb. As a leader, what are you doing to empower others?” Marion County Leadership is a seven-week program that seeks to identify, motivate and continually develop new and emerging leaders from business, non-profit and private sectors to affect change in the quality of civic, cultural and economic life in Marion County. Thanks to funding from the Marion County Leadership Endowment held by Central Kansas Community Foundation (CKCF), Marion County residents have an opportunity to participate in the county leadership program that is designed to teach leadership skills while learning about the county’s needs. The course is facilitated by the KLC and includes tours of the county as well as discussions about how to apply learnings to opportunities and challenges in Marion County. The program, made available by Marion County, CKCF and KLC, originally started in 1992.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press
Hesston gives OK to expanding police force
The Hesston Police Department will hire an additional police officer. The Hesston City Council approved the action after some discussion of shifting budgets Monday night. Police Chief Chris Eilert made the case to the council for the hiring. An officer informed him that he plans to pursue another job in 18 to 24 months. Eilert said the city, in the past, had trouble finding quality applicants for open positions, and he had a strong applicant, a Hesston resident currently working at another interested department. “He will be getting out if he can’t find something,” he said. “He fits perfectly what I’m looking for in this position. I know it’s a big undertaking.” The undertaking would represent around $90,000 of unbudgeted expense for the city to add the position until the other officer leaves. Eilert said he planned to defer the purchase of vehicles to help offset the cost. He also noted savings in part-time and overtime for the department with the hire of around $10,000. Other savings would come from one officer planning on being gone for more than a month due to a deployment with the National Guard. These savings still leave the city slightly short of the cost. “I’ll look, and if I can’t find it, I’ll give my 5.5 percent back,” Eilert said of his past raise. “That’s how much I want to get this guy.” Council Member Susan Swartzendruber asked Eilert what the new officer would bring skill-wise to the city. Eilert said he didn’t want to divulge too much to give away the applicant’s identity but he had skills and training the department currently didn’t possess.
Source: Harvey County Now
‘Nothing in the middle’: Senior housing options limited
After getting divorced in her mid 60s, Darlene Palsmeier was forced to look for a new home. She didn’t like what she found, a least in terms of cost. With an annual income of $38,640, Palsmeier doesn’t consider herself well off. But when she began applying for apartments in government-subsidized senior living communities around the area, she discovered she was above the income limit for residents by almost $3,000. Needing a place “pretty quick,” she rented an apartment on Rock Road in east Wichita for $1,400 a month. That equals 43 percent of her monthly income, well above the 30 percent recommended by the government and most experts. “I didn’t have any idea this was going to happen at 66,” Palsmeier said. “Now I’m going to be 68 in a couple of weeks.” Palsmeier’s income comes from Social Security and a pension from her former job at Cessna Aircraft. She said she knows “there are a lot of people who make a lot less than I make” but feels like there’s “nothing in the middle” range for people like herself. Her experience is not unusual for older residents seeking a new home, the large majority of whom are women. “We do get calls like that,” said Melissa Espinoza, resource center supervisor with Central Plains Area Agency on Aging. “We also get calls that they can’t afford any rents in the area any longer, or that the rent has increased from the previous year.”
Source: KLC Journal