Kansas Municipal News
‘Under Five Flags’ documentary premieres at Boot Hill Museum
Dodge City has always been a melting pot of diversity, and the documentary titled “Under Five Flags,” which premiered on Thursday, Aug. 1 at the Boot Hill Museum Mariah Gallery, reflects this rich history. Tracing history, the short film reveals how Ford County has been governed by five different flags in its history: France, Spain, the Republic of Texas, Mexico, and the United States. A collaborative effort between various organizations, including Humanities Kansas, Dodge City Community College (DC3), the City of Dodge City’s Cultural Relations Advisory Board, Main Street Dodge City, and Boot Hill Museum, the documentary condenses more than 500 years of history into a 13-minute film. Following the screening, a panel of experts and the film’s historians took the stage to answer questions and discuss the film. Included on the panel were Holly Mercer, DC3 Library Director; Melissa McCoy, Dodge City Assistant City Manager of Public Affairs and staff person for the Cultural Relations Advisory Board; Coral Lopez, Main Street Dodge City Director; Keith Wondra, Boot Hill Museum Curator of Exhibits and Interpretation; and Dr. Leo Oliva, Kansas historian, who served as a consultant for this Humanities Kansas project.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
Burrton working to attract more industry
With the assistance of Harvey County Economic Development, Burrton is taking steps to start an industrial park. Missy Ducimetiere, mayor of Burrton, said talks began a few years ago but never were finalized. When Ducimetiere took over as mayor in January, the committee reached out to her. When she attended her first meeting, she was immediately interested. “I said, ‘How can we do this?’” Ducimetiere said. The first step is estimating costs to add utilities to areas that aren’t developed. “We’re in very preliminary stages,” Ducimetiere said. She hopes to have the estimates ready for the economic development committee (EDC) by December. Then they would make a plan of potential areas with acreage available and potential costs. Then Harvey County Economic Development can give that information to potential businesses. “When the industries make requests, if we have properties that fit those parameters, the EDC can recommend Burrton,” Ducimetiere said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Why doesn’t Harvey County have a brewery? Local businesses, brewers, police talk about 30 percent food rule
Why doesn’t Harvey County have a brewery? It’s a question enjoyers of craft beer, supporters of economic development and people looking for social spaces have asked over the years while watching neighboring communities. By fall, Butler County will have four. Reno County and McPherson County both support breweries. And Sedgwick County has had 14 different licenses granted for the establishments. The law in Harvey County is that any establishment with a liquor license—which breweries must obtain—has to derive 30 percent of its revenue from food sales.
Four Kansas brewery owners referenced the “30 percent rule.” “It’s a ridiculous rule,” Walnut River Brewing Partner B.J. Hunt said. “You don’t go to Dillons and say, ‘You bought four packages of hot dogs; you have to buy four packages of buns.’ Maybe you just like hot dogs.”
Adam Kraft, opening Park Bench Brewery this fall in Augusta, explained that he’d not have opened in Augusta, had the rule not recently been repealed in Butler County. “I would have sought out a place that didn’t have that rule,” he said. “It’s enough of an expense what I’m doing to start this up. I don’t have the capability to open this up and have a kitchen.” “The way the law was set up, it was literally impossible for us to hit 30 percent food sales without building a whole restaurant,” he said. “If you’re a beer-selling establishment, you’ll never be able to hit 30 percent food sales.” On Nov. 5, a question as to whether to opt out of the 30 percent food requirement is on the ballot for Harvey County.
Source: Harvey County Now
New slides make positive impact at Holton pool
Recent oppressive heat drove several young people in Holton to the city’s municipal swimming pool, where kids of all ages took advantage of a pair of water slides in their quest to keep cool that day. One of them was nine-year-old Jaxon Miller of Holton, who took turns going down each of the slides, a recent addition to the pool. “They’re really fun! We’re really happy to have them,” Miller said of the slides, which he added provides him with opportunities to go down differently each time. Eleven-year-old Graysen Aubert of Holton, joining Miller in using the slides that afternoon, agreed, saying the two slides were a great addition to the pool. And when the two youngsters were asked which slide they liked best, their answer was the same: “Both!” It’s a common reaction to the slides, according to pool manager Jessica Rogers, who noted that kids of all ages have been enjoying them since their addition to the pool in early June.
Source: Holton Recorder
Jackson County donates $30K toward library expansion project
Fund-raising efforts to expand Beck Bookman Library received a boost on Monday after the Jackson County Commissioners presented a $30,000 check on behalf of the county to Amy Austin, library director. The donated funds were from the county’s tax on alcohol sales. “We think this is a great way to use that money,” Commissioner Keith Kelly said. So far, about $1 million of the $2.5 million fund-raising goal has been raised for the expansion project, which will allow the library to provide a free meeting space and private work/meeting rooms in the community, as well as make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The project will also nearly double the children’s area at the library and add a space specific for teens. Austin and library board members and supporters have been meeting with different organizations and business owners to discuss the project and ask for support. “In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had an influx of families coming in because we have great air conditioning,” Austin said. “We have to run it constantly, and we’re hoping it holds out until we can get new AC units.”
Source: Holton Recorder
‘I get to keep my memories’: Tenant purchases home, former public housing unit
Lawonder Markham’s home is her comfort place — it’s where she raised her daughter, where she took care of her mother until she died and where she’s lived since 2003. But she didn’t own her home until July. It used to be public housing. The city of Wichita announced plans in January of 2022 to sell its 352 single-family public housing units. Tenants were given the option to begin the process to purchase and own their home. Markham leaped at the opportunity to purchase her home. “I’ve been through a lot of stuff in this house. I don’t want to lose my memories,” she said. Markham said the City was attentive to all of her needs throughout the process and it went “so smoothly.” “God didn’t want me to move; He wanted it to be my home because I got so many memories here, and I didn’t want to move,” she said.
Source: KLC Journal
Kansas counted 2,800 homeless people this year. There are likely many more.
Every year on a single night in January, hundreds of volunteers fan out in several communities across the state of Kansas to count every homeless person they encounter – on streets, in shelters, along rivers and within motel rooms. This year, organizers counted 2,815 homeless Kansans across the state, according to numbers released Wednesday by the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition. This is a 6.8% increase from last year’s total of 2,636. This tally, called the point-in-time count, is important for establishing a foundation for how prevalent homelessness is in communities across the country. But it’s data gathered on one night in the dead of winter – and homelessness fluctuates throughout the year. Why does the point-in-time count matter? What does counting our homeless tell service providers? How does surveying homeless people benefit local policy? “Point-in-time gives us an idea of what the gaps are and where we need to focus these resources. There’s also a housing inventory count that takes place at the same time,” Lowe says. “So if we go out and do the count and see that there’s an increasing number of unsheltered people, we’ve got to focus our resources on addressing unsheltered homelessness,” which involves a person living in a place not meant for human habitation, whether that’s a car, park or abandoned building. “If we go out and there’s a whole lot of senior citizens, we need to go after resources to address that population,” Lowe says. Another incentive: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires communities to conduct a point-in-time count at least every other year for points in the nationwide competition for federal funding.
Source: KLC Journal
Arma gears up for 78th annual VJ Day homecoming
The community of Arma is preparing for its 78th annual Arma VJ Day Homecoming. The celebration is to remember and mark the end of World War II. The event is starting on Thursday, August 8 with activities including pickleball and golf tournaments, a parade, concert, car show and a dance.
Source: KOAM News
City of Lawrence on latest count of unhoused people: ‘City is focused on knowing each person by name’
In response to the latest point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County, the City of Lawrence says employees are making individual connections with people, leading to “powerful milestones of impact.” The latest count of people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County show a total just slightly higher than 2020, the previous record year. “The point-in-time count represents real people, each with their own stories, struggles, and hopes,” the city said in a news release Thursday morning. “Through collaborative efforts with Douglas County, the Lawrence Community Shelter, and other dedicated service providers, the City is focused on knowing each person by name, face, and story, ensuring a personalized approach to care and support. This commitment to responsibly providing services has led to powerful milestones of impact, marking significant progress in addressing homelessness in Lawrence.” Of 414 people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County on one day in January 2024, 137 were sheltered in transitional housing, 136 were in emergency shelter and 142 were unsheltered, according to data released Wednesday and the city’s news release.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Park City getting another big development
Less than two months after breaking ground on Champtown in Park City, officials broke ground Friday on another big project for the town. The mayor says it will help people recognize where Park City is. “For many years, we’ve heard a lot of people who drive north and south on the interstate right by us later say, ‘Where is Park City? Where is it? We don’t know where that’s at. There’s no Main Street. There’s no downtown’” Mayor John Lehnherr said. “We hope that this is going to be the answer to that. We’re very confident it will be.”
Source: KSN-TV
Bridge replacement in western Kansas creates nearly 60-mile detour
A bridge replacement project in western Kansas is creating a nearly 60-mile detour. The Kansas Department of Transportation says work has started to replace a bridge on Kansas Highway 34 in Clark County. The bridge is located over Bluff Creek, about 8 miles north of the U.S. Highway 160 Junction north of Sitka. During the project, traffic is being diverted onto U.S. Highway 160, west to U.S. Highway 283 to Minneola and U.S. Highway 54, and east on U.S. 54 to Bucklin and the K-34 junction. KDOT says the detour is necessary because the county roads cannot support highway traffic.
Source: KSN-TV
Squirrel in Barton County starts grass fire
Barton County Fire District 2 determined a grass fire had somewhat of a squirrelly cause. A Facebook post from the fire district said firefighters were dispatched to a small grass fire near the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 and NE 50 Road. They arrived and found a small grass fire that appeared to have started near the base of a power pole. The fire was extinguished, and after some investigation, it was determined that it started when a squirrel climbed on the wires of the power pole. The squirrel made contact with two power lines, which caused a spark that set the grass on fire. The squirrel did not survive.
Source: KSN-TV
Municipal Bond Trends for August 9, 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.
Water restriction update: Violation notices being given
The City of Wichita is on the fourth day of water restrictions and is already issuing violation notices. Public Works Director Gary Janzen was not specific about the number of violations reported, but he said some of the people who received notices plan to appeal. “We’re not proactively going out looking for people who are running irrigation systems when they’re not supposed to,” he said. “It’s not meant to be punitive, so we’re not actively trying to go after people. Our goal here is education of the community and the value we have with conservation community-wide.” After people get a violation notice, the next violation is a $50 penalty. So far, the city has not levied any penalties. “I’ve heard and seen a lot of positive feedback of people wanting to do the right thing, but there is a little bit of both,” Janzen said. “We are getting complaints also.” He said the city monitors daily pumping volumes at the water treatment plant. “I don’t know what those look like yet because we wanted to get a full week in. Probably early next week, we’ll start evaluating the data.”
Source: KSN-TV
Garden City approves grant agreement with EPA for water reuse project
The Garden City Commission approved a grant agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency to construct a Water Reclamation and Reuse project at the commission’s regular meeting Tuesday. Fred Jones, Garden City Water Resource Manager, said the city has worked continually since 2016 to develop strategies to utilize reclaimed water treated by the city’s Wastewater Utility which would otherwise be discharged into the Arkansas River. Multiple projects and studies have been pursued by the city, including three federal grants which were awarded to the city from the Bureau of Reclamation, Jones said. The grants will assist staff in “developing a reuse strategy and in identifying outlets for the reclaimed water to benefit the sustainability of the city’s water supply.” Jones said the total project authorized in the grant agreement is $23,875,000, of which $19 million is federally funded and $4,775,000 will come from the city as a matching contribution.
Source: Garden City Telegram
Hutchinson City Council buys land to fight housing crisis
The City of Hutchinson is getting creative to solve the housing crisis. The Hutchinson City Council approved the purchasing of land on the west side of town, and will partner with a developer to build somewhere between 24 and 33 new homes. Hutchinson City Manager Enrico Villegas told KSN it’s a unique approach, but it’s what they decided. “So this is gonna be unique for the city, and it’s probably a little unorthodox in general,” Villegas said. “But that is going to be the approach that we’re taking to at least help get us out of the housing crisis that we’re in.” Villegas said the plan is to have the homes built in 2025. If it goes well, the city may end up buying more land.
Source: KSN-TV
Osawatomie’s newest mural pays tribute to Teddy Roosevelt
Artist Lynnsey Fletcher recently completed her third mural in Osawatomie, and the image highlights Teddy Roosevelt’s iconic visit to Osawatomie in 1910. In the fall of 2023, Fletcher painted a mural of the Big Boy steam engine on a wall near the Osawatomie History Museum and MoPac Railroad Depot Museum at 628 Main St., and earlier this year she was commissioned to add another mural to the wall. Osawatomie Museum Foundation Board member John Fletcher said the museum used a grant from the Allen W. and Gladys Hawkins Charitable Foundation to commission Fletcher to paint the mural, which she did over a period of about five days in May.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Paola commissions artist for downtown mural
Downtown Paola is about to get a colorful new mural just in time for the annual Roots Festival. Paola City Council members, during their May 14 meeting, approved the proposed final mural design submitted by Missouri artist Lynnsey Fletcher. The 25 X 13 foot design will say “Welcome to Paola est. 1855,” and it will feature bright flowers and a butterfly. The mural will be painted on the side of a building owned by Rusty Walters at 11 S. Pearl St. The alley next to the building connects Paola’s Park Square with its government offices at City Hall. In March, the Paola City Council approved an ordinance amending the mural regulations in the Paola Municipal Code.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Edgerton looks to renovate historic city lake and park area
A major project to renovate Edgerton City Lake and its accompanying dam and spillway could cost the city nearly $7 million. It’s a potentially steep price tag, city officials say, but one that may need to be borne to improve one of the southern Johnson County city’s most popular public amenities. It would also be the first time the lake and dam would be renovated since they were first created in the 1890s to accommodate passing steam engine trains.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Kansas community colleges seeing spike in students this fall
As students are preparing to return to campus in the coming weeks, college enrollment across the country is rising, recovering from the drop it took in 2020. In the 2024 spring semester, undergraduate enrollment grew 2.5%. That means over 300,000 more students enrolled compared to 2023. More than half of the increase is at community colleges. Community colleges across Kansas are also seeing a spike in students this fall. The official count will come later this fall, but according to the Kansas Community College Association, schools with increases have seen enrollment increases of 2-3% to as much as 20%. “What we are seeing is students want to earn higher education credentials that are the least expensive and have the most return on investment,” said Heather Morgan, the executive director of the Kansas Community College Association.
Source: KSN-TV