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Kansas Municipal News

Municipal Bond Trends for May 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.

Municipal Bond Trends for May 15, 2024

Municipal Bond Trends for May 14, 2024

50 years after its dedication, here’s what the Keeper of the Plains means to Wichita

Sandra Victors was a teenager when she had a front-row view to artist Blackbear Bosin’s creation of the Keeper of the Plains sculpture in the early 1970s. Bosin was close with Victors’ mother, Ruby Davila, and one day came to see her at the family’s home on the north end of Fairview off 21st Street, where Victors was sitting outside. He had scrolls of drawings under his arms. “He came flying up the steps with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and he said, ‘Your mama home?’ Victors took a seat on the living room couch as her mother and Bosin talked. “Ruby, I’m having so much trouble with this statue’s arms,” Victors remembers Bosin saying. “I can’t figure out what to do with them.” Victors said her mother took an eraser, erased the arms Bosin had drawn and then drew her own version. “I was shocked.” Her mother’s advice was to “make them praying hands and have them go up.” Victors explained that “we pray with our hands up when we’re praying to the Creator. Lift them up to the Creator, I should say.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Wichita cyber attack: Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, payment info compromised

Wichita police and traffic records were compromised in the ransomware attack on city government, giving hackers access to an unspecified number of people’s personal information, including names, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and other state IDs, and payment card information, the city announced Tuesday. “As part of our thorough review and assessment of this matter, we identified that certain files were copied from our computer network without permission between May 3 and 4, 2024,” the city said in a news release.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Merriam is latest Johnson County city to adopt stricter rules for AirBnbs

Short-term rental owners in Merriam have five months to adhere to newly adopted regulations. Like some of its Johnson County neighbors, the Merriam City Council on Monday in a 7-1 vote approved an ordinance that outlines new, stricter regulations for short-term rentals, such as AirBnbs and Vrbos. C
Source: Johnson County Post

When your small-town store also becomes your post office

The modest general store on the corner of Second Avenue and Main Street in Norwich, with its angled awning on wooden pillars, echoes back to a time before two World Wars and automobiles brought profound change to retailing…. In a walled-off corner, carved out of the back office on the south end of the store, sits another of the store’s goods and services. That is where Norwich’s community post office is tucked away, where residents can access their post office boxes and basic postal supplies 24 hours a day. Norwich has not had a post office for many years. But residents say having that secure location in the heart of town is vital for this community of little more than 400 people less than 40 miles southwest of Wichita.
Source: KLC Journal

Bentley hires gun-carrying city clerk

Bentley’s new city clerk is a familiar face around town. Shannon Catlin has served as a part-time police officer in Bentley for about three years. She joked that she’s “probably the only gun-carrying city clerk in the State of Kansas.” When the city clerk position opened up, Catlin stepped in to help the city’s deputy city clerk, Becky Thompson, fill the void. She said that helped her test the waters to see if it is something she’d like to do.
Source: Harvey County Now

Fed Chair Powell says inflation has been higher than thought, expects rates to hold steady

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated Tuesday that inflation is falling more slowly than expected and will keep the central bank on hold for an extended period. Speaking to the annual general meeting of the Foreign Bankers’ Association in Amsterdam, the central bank leader noted that the rapid disinflation that happened in 2023 has slowed considerably this year and caused a rethink of where policy is headed. … However, Powell also repeated that he does not expect the Fed to be raising rates.
Source: CNBC

Should Wichita pay cyberattack ransom? Tulsa city leaders explain how they handled similar attack

As the City of Wichita continues fighting the nasty cyberattack, many are wondering what it’s going to take to get back to normal. Tulsa city leaders say from experience that it is possible to get through it without paying, but it’s not easy.
Source: KAKE – News

Home ownership program available soon in Clay County

A pilot program that seeks to make home ownership more affordable will be available for a limited time in Clay County beginning May 13… The pilot Clay County Home Ownership Program will offer up to $12,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance. The program’s incentives include a combination of a fixed rate 3% down payment assistance loan of $10,000 and a closing cost grant of $2,500 when purchasing a home of $50,000 or greater in Clay County. Eligible homes include existing ones, existing homes with planned/financed upgrades totaling $50,000 or greater, manufactured homes including lot and infrastructure, or new construction.
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com

Meet Paul Kramer, Shawnee’s new city manager

Paul Kramer, the former long-time Leavenworth city manager who has roots in Johnson County, is Shawnee’s new city manager. … After spending more than 14 years in Leavenworth’s city government, he said the offer to be Shawnee’s new city manager was too good to pass up. “I knew without a doubt that it was the right move for my career and my family,” he said. “Once I closed that page, I haven’t looked back.”
Source: Johnson County Post

Wichita commits to municipal IDs in 2025, confirms homeless resource center will move forward

Cities that have dealt with cyber hacking share their experience

Wichita is only one city on a long list that have faced a cyber attack in the last few years. It’s a growing problem that has local governments across the country doing their best to make sure their networks are secure. “There’s a lot of issues out there and you need to make sure you’re prepared for that,” said Kile Mangus who is the city manager for Derby. Derby is one of many places that faced a ransomware attack in the last few years. Mangus was working as the city manager when it happened in January 2023. He says it was shocking because the city had taken steps to be proactive and avoid this. “You had to go through your testing, you had to work with your consultant that was brought it, and so it was about a month for us,” he said. He says the biggest impact on the city was learning to really focus on securing the network and making sure there are no cracks in the system that a criminal may be able to slip through. “It’s just the realization of the investment we need to make in our infrastructure in our network. We had things planned on the horizon and I think we kind of picked up the pace for some of those things,” he said. He says this is unfortunately a reality many cities face and are constantly working against. “It’s something that’s very critical that everybody’s looking at and in our Kansas City manager conferences they’re addressing cyber security and talking more about options and things you can do to better prepare yourself for the future,” he said.
Source: KAKE – News

Kansas counties offer $12,500 to help home buyers

Two Kansas counties are offering first-time home buyers a big discount in a new pilot program. The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) announced on its website that Clay and Marshall Counties will be taking part in a new home ownership pilot program. This is expected to launch on May 13, 2024. The program is available due to a partnership between the NCPRC and Four Rivers Housing Opportunities. The local community organization Grow Clay County said in a recent social media post that the program will offer home buyers up to $12,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance. Other incentives of the program include a combination of a fixed rate 3% down payment assistance loan of $10,000 and a closing cost grant of $2,500 when buying a home with a value of $50,000 or more in Clay or Marshall Counties. “Home ownership can be a tough goal to achieve,” said Keegan Bailey, NCRPC Housing Director. “We hope the Clay County Home Ownership Program can be a tool to help make home buying a reality for individuals and families.”
Source: KSNT 27 News

‘He was incredible for the people of Columbus’: City mourns loss of their police chief

The City of Columbus is mourning the death of not just one of their own, but also their police chief for the last ten years. Jason Daniels passed away Wednesday (5/8) after a battle with colon cancer. He was 49. Today, Columbus City Administrator, Jake Letner spoke about his long-time friend and colleague. Letner recalled his friend’s love for his wife and three children, and the town he grew up in. Letner commented on Daniels’ career in law enforcement for the City of Columbus. “He Dedicated his professional life to keeping our community safe. He did a fantastic job of running his department and developing leaders. He really cared about the people that worked for him and was always willing to do whatever was necessary to keep his city safe.” – Jake Letner, Columbus City Administrator. 20 years ago, Daniels joined the Columbus Police Department as an officer. In 2014, Daniels became the city’s police chief. Letner says the only thing Daniels loved more than his career, was his family. “He was a good man. He was an honest man. He was a family man. He was a man of integrity and honesty who adored his wife and three kids.” Speaking on behalf of the City of Columbus, Letner continued by saying, “On behalf of the entire city staff and the entire community, we’re so sorry that this happened. Our hearts, our prayers, and our thoughts are with the family in their time of grief.” Several benefits are now planned for the family of Jason Daniels. All proceeds from those benefits will go to the Daniels family. If you’d like to make a private donation, an account has been set up at Commerce Bank in Columbus.

Source: KSNF/KODE

Clay Center gets beautified with large mural

One northeast Kansas community is honoring its town with a custom mural. On Wednesday, May 8 Clay Center celebrated getting a brand new mural, as well as it being the artists’ 30th mural installation. According to a news release form C. Stanley Creative, Christian Stanley created the mural titled “Prairie Thunder”. The mural spans 3,800 square feet of CVA grain bin at the corner of Fourth Street and Grant Avenue. “The completion of the ‘Prairie Thunder’ mural represents not just a beautiful addition to our
town but also a testament to the transformative impact public art has had on Clay Center over the last four years,” Clay Center Mayor Jimmy Thatcher said. “These murals, including ‘Prairie Thunder,’ have become symbols of our community’s creativity. They have sparked conversations, brought people together, and revitalized our streets, making Clay Center a destination for art enthusiasts and visitors alike. We are proud of the artists, organizers, and residents who have made this mural movement possible and look forward to seeing the continued positive impact it brings to our town.” Depicted in the mural is the Kansas state animal, the American Buffalo, storms, sunsets and the burning Flint Hills prairie.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Wichita, county officials commit to municipal IDs in 2025, further action on homeless resource center

Wichita city officials announced their commitment to implementing a county-wide, low-barrier municipal ID program in 2025 as well as an annual $600,000 operating budget for a one-stop homeless resource center to roaring applause at the inaugural Nehemiah Assembly on Thursday evening. The Assembly, hosted by Justice Together, a grassroots coalition of interfaith communities in Sedgwick County, was held to announce the organization’s intent to directly address policy issues in mental health and homelessness. They asked representatives of Wichita and the county to commit to a fully-funded photo ID program in 2025 and to agree to meeting with them and other services providers within the next 30 days to work on a sustainable budget plan for the city’s multi-agency campus center. Officials in attendance — including Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, City Manager Robert Layton, Sedgwick County Commission Chair Ryan Baty and Secretary Andrew Brown of the Kansas Department of Aging & Disability Services — gave a resounding “yes” to each goal.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Bus rides in Wichita are free — for now — while city grapples with cyber attack

Wichita bus rides are free “until further notice,” the city announced Thursday as it grapples with a cyber attack that forced government to shut down many of its payment systems. Wichita’s bus system had initially switched to a cash-only payment system after the city discovered the ransomware attack on Sunday. “Attention Riders,” Wichita Transit announced on its Facebook page. “All Wichita Transit and Paratransit services are fare-free until further notice. If you are looking to request Paratransit services please call 316-352-4824 or 316-352-4810.” Wichita Transit’s Paratransit Division provides accessible van service to people with physical or cognitive disabilities that prevent them from using the fixed route bus system, according to the city’s website. For maps and schedules of the city of Wichita’s buses, visit wichita.gov/1460/MapsSchedules.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Boot Hill Solar Project Announcement held in Dodge City

Where there’s sunlight, there are boundless possibilities. Sunflower Electric Power Corp., Alluvial Power, National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO), and The Victory Electric Cooperative hosted more than 100 elected officials, media, and other guests on April 17 in Dodge City, Kan., for the official announcement of the 150-megawatt Boot Hill Solar Project. Construction of the state’s largest solar facility by Sunflower’s partner, Alluvial Power, will begin later this year and is expected to be operational in 2026. Alluvial will design, own, and operate the facility, which will include approximately 300,000 solar panels on single-axis tracking. “The Sunflower board analyzed the costs, risks, and benefits, ultimately determining that additional solar will complement our already diverse electric generation portfolio,” said Steve Epperson, Sunflower’s president and CEO. Sunflower is a generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale energy to its seven member distribution utilities in central and western Kansas. Sunflower’s members use the most electricity in July or August. Because this project will provide maximum output on the hottest days of summer when demand for electricity is at its highest and market energy prices can be volatile, energy from Boot Hill Solar will replace market energy, helping stabilize the cost of electricity for Sunflower’s member-utilities.
Source: Sunflower Electric Power Corporation