Kansas Municipal News
JoCo homeless shelter plan moves ahead, as ardent backers and opponents weigh in
Concerns about providing homeless services to “illegal aliens” and people from outside Johnson County dominated discussion at the county commission last Thursday about a proposal to open a shelter at a former La Quinta Inn and Suites hotel in Lenexa. After two hours of discussion that also included enthusiastic endorsements of the shelter plan from leaders of the interfaith Good Faith Network, commissioners ultimately voted to approve $3.7 million for renovations and operating costs for the hotel.
Source: Johnson County Post
Small-town Kansan competes in Olympic marathon trials, encourages others to dream big
Kaylee Bogina is from Arma, Kansas and recently competed at the Olympic trials marathon in February. Making it to that point is a huge goal she is proud to check off her list. Her running career began in high school and then continued through college at Adams State. She saw her brother and roommate compete in the trials and made it a goal for herself. “I remember watching them the whole way and thinking just, oh, how cool of an opportunity that they got to go and do that,” Bogina said. “And I think from that moment on, I was kind of like, man, could I do this? I think that’d be something really neat to do, but obviously, 26 miles is a whole different ballgame than what I was doing at the time.” Bogina got involved with a post-collegiate group with coaches at the University of Colorado. “From that moment on, I kind of had more of a purpose and a direction for where I was going, and I felt a lot more confident in getting to my goals that way,” Bogina said. “And so really a lot just changed as soon as I got connected with them, and I really started focusing more on the marathon at that point and had the goal of qualifying for the trials.” Later on, she ran a marathon in California to qualify for the Olympic trials marathon. Her time qualified her for the trials in February 2024. She says she loved experiencing the crowds there to support them and running among the best women in the country. “We’re going to have three great athletes representing us in Paris, and just the fact that I got to be on that start line and I had the same chance as they did is just something I’m really proud of,” Bogina said. Bogina says regardless of where you are from or the circumstances you are in, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. “I think the fact that I am from a small town, and I grew up in a small farming community, and we didn’t have the best facilities or anything like that, but I just felt so empowered and supported along the way to my goal. I think that is the true, like beauty in everything I was able to do here,” Bogina said. “This little goal that started when I was a freshman now has just like changed my whole life.” Since the trials, Bogina says she has been enjoying time off. Training takes 10 weeks of discipline and commitment, running 90-95 miles a week. “The fact that I get the opportunity to do that and just try for that is really huge for me,” Bogina said. “I don’t think that I’m quite on the level of some of these people that will have the chance to represent our country, and I think just being able to understand that allows me to have so much fun in this sport, still, like I can’t be disappointed with what I do, and I just had the opportunity to chase my dream.” She says she can see herself training again to make it to the next Olympic trials. Even if she never races again, she feels lucky. “I think that whether you get to the highest stage or not, I think just being able to be the best that you can possibly be is so huge. Having huge goals should never be something you should not be proud of having or scared to achieve,” Bogina said. “I think that the best things come from a dream that maybe seems a little far out there or scary or unattainable. It’s like, why not me? I think I would be so unsatisfied if I hadn’t ever had this dream. Someone’s got to do it, so why not me?”
Source: KSN-TV
City of Wichita to change WPD gang database, awaiting court’s decision
After three years, Progeny v. City of Wichita, a lawsuit regarding the Wichita Police Department’s use of a gang list, is awaiting approval. If approved, some names that were incorrectly on the gang list will be removed, and the criteria for the database will change. The lawsuit was brought forward by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas and the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. The organizations argued that the list violated the 14th and 1st Amendment rights of those on it. Currently, members of the Wichita community do not have to be charged with a crime to be put into the database. It is at the discretion of law enforcement to determine if someone is suspicious of gang activity, and they can decide to enter them in the database. Teresa Woody with the Kansas Appleseed Center says that if the courts approve the settlement, there will be changes to the criteria and notification systems for the database. “The main point of the settlement is to vastly revise the criteria for putting people on the gang list in Wichita,” said Woody. “And to make those criteria related more to criminal activity than just normal activities that a person would do in their day.” She added that being labeled a “gang member” or “gang affiliate” can be detrimental to those on the list. “It basically labels you a criminal without ever having even to be charged with any kind of crime,” Woody said. “And obviously, that can have effects on where you can live and your job.” The final approval hearing is scheduled for Aug. 23 at 1:30 p.m. It will be open to the public and affected individuals can submit a comment or request to speak at the hearing. “It’s an opportunity for people to tell their own stories, explain to the court their experiences of being on the gang list and how deeply it’s affected them,” said Kunyu Ching, staff attorney at Kansas ACLU. “And to weigh in on whether or not they think this settlement is a good one or not.” There is no financial compensation for affected individuals in the settlement. “Our clients, our plaintiffs who have bravely stuck with this case for three years, they were never in it for the money,” Ching said. “(What) we asked for from the court was changes to the policy.” More information can be found at aclukansas.org/wichitaganglist. If you would like to request to speak at the final hearing, email twoody@kansasappleseed.org or kching@aclukansas.org. Submissions will close on Aug. 2.
Source: KSN-TV
City leaders approve pay raise for Topeka Police
City leaders have approved a pay increase to try and stop the police shortage in the Capital City. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, council members approved a pay increase for the Topeka Police Department (TPD). This competitive pay increase is one way the city is hoping to increase its officer shortage. According to the agreement, a pay increase of 17% will take effect January of 2025, with a 5% increase in 2026 and 2027. “We hope it [increasing pay] brings people on the front and keeps people on the backend,” Topeka Interim Police Chief Jamey Haltom said. The three-year labor agreement between the City of Topeka and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3 was approved by District 8 Councilman Spencer Duncan and seconded by District 3 Councilwoman Sylvia Ortiz. The action item was unanimously approved by the Topeka City Council Tuesday evening. Topeka City Manager Robert Perez told 27 News earlier this month that addressing the officer shortage is a high priority. The city’s current contract with the Fraternal Order of Police Union ends in December. According to the city, the union has already ratified a new contract through 2027.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Topeka leaders pass ordinance holding property owners accountable for maintaining ‘dangerous trees’
The City of Topeka passed an item requiring owners of a mobile home property to take on responsibility for removing or pruning “dangerous trees”. Tuesday evening, the Topeka City Council unanimously approved an action item that states the owner of a mobile home property is responsible for removing or trimming any trees that are deemed “dangerous” until they are no longer considered a safety risk, instead of the individuals who reside on the property. District 2 Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala first introduced this ordinance at the request of a constituent. This comes after a storm knocked down a tree, splitting a Topekans home in half earlier this year.
Source: KSNT 27 News
‘A little explosion of growth,’ Emporia welcomes multiple new stores
Multiple new stores are coming to Emporia in the fall of 2024. Emporia residents can expect a new Ulta Beauty, Old Navy and Five Below to open in the near future. The three stores will be add-ons to the Emporia Pavilion, which has been steadily growing since building a Hobby Lobby back in 2017. Interim President of the Emporia Regional Development Association, Jim Witt, told 27 News, the stores are apart of Emporia’s new incoming era. “Emporia after a period of relatively quiet during the pandemic is starting to really get into the ballgame again,” Witt said. “It’s really on the verge of a little explosion of growth.” The west side of the city will also be seeing new buildings. A new Quick Trip located on West 8th Avenue will soon start construction, along with construction on the Fairfield Inn and Convention Center.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Federal judge issues temporary order blocking enforcement of a Kansas campaign finance law
A federal judge granted an Overland Park nonprofit organization’s request for a temporary restraining order blocking the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission from enforcing a campaign finance law until a trial on the constitutionality of the state’s definition of a political action committee. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree issued the order Wednesday on behalf of Fresh Vision OP, which ran afoul of the state commission in 2021 after sending a mailer endorsing the candidacy of Faris Farassati, a then-Overland Park City Council member campaigning for mayor. Fresh Vision OP posted comparable information on its website. The organization also opposed the use of “tax give aways,” incentives for economic development and tolling on U.S. 69. Fresh Vision OP’s attorneys, including lawyers with the Institute for Free Speech, filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s definition of a PAC. The plaintiff’s attorneys argued the law could be interpreted to include groups such as Fresh Vision OP that were organized primarily for a neighborhood’s benefit, but also periodically endorsed candidates. The lawsuit was designed to protect the free speech rights of Fresh Vision OP and organizations like it, plaintiffs said. Crabtree’s temporary restraining order would allow Fresh Vision OP to resume community advocacy activities without being regulated as a PAC.
Source: Prairie Village Post
City looks to address budget issues caused by years of overspending
The city of Manhattan has found itself in some financial trouble after nearly a decade of spending more than it makes, and city staffers are trying to figure out how to get things under control with budget season around the corner. Last month, city officials last month told commissioners they expect the general fund reserves to drop from $11 million to $6 million by the end of 2024, well below the $10 million threshold above which they’d like to keep the city’s cash reserves. Interim city manager Jason Hilgers said the shortage has been building since 2015. He said the city during that time “had to manage periods where expenses outpaced revenues, which required (the city) to draw down cash reserves to offset the shortfall.” While the city received $15 million-$16 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds in 2020 and 2021 that helped offset revenue declines a bit, that was a one-time influx of funds. Since then, Hilgers said, the city has made efforts to avoid further into debt. “The city has had to make adjustments such as delaying capital improvement projects, reducing equipment and vehicle purchases, and limiting travel and conferences to manage budget shortfalls,” Hilgers said. He added that debt is “not necessarily a negative thing, as it can allow the city to pay for needed infrastructure and improvements over time.” However, the city has opted to be more conservative with its use of debt recently, and Hilgers said the city must “be very cautious about optimistic revenue projections and making necessary expenditure cuts” in the future.
Source: themercury.com
This city will soon decide if golf carts are allowed on streets. See Wichita-area laws
An upcoming decision from a Wichita-area city could make it legal to drive golf carts on neighborhood streets. The new Valley Center ordinance would allow golf carts on streets with a speed limit less than 30 miles per hour. The city council is planning discuss the topic again Aug. 20, said Valley Center’s city administrator, Brent Clark. So what are the golf cart laws in Wichita? According to the city’s ordinance, anyone with a valid license and a golf cart with a Kansas tag and proper lights can drive golf carts on city roads and sidewalks. “When operated on a street or highway which is not closed to vehicular traffic, all vehicles must obey all traffic rules and regulations,” the city’s ordinance reads. If you do not have a valid license, you can only drive a golf cart on private property. Parents can receive citations for letting juveniles drive on city streets without a proper driver’s license. State law says that golf carts can only be driven on public roads or highways between sunrise and sunset, unless equipped with either lights or a “properly mounted slow-moving vehicle emblem.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Parsons police take initiative to strengthen community ties
The Parsons Police Department takes a new initiative toward improving relationships with the community. Police officers and members of the community attended the Police 2 Peace community forum held at the Parsons High School theater this evening. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, the national program aims to turn police officers into peace officers by bringing more conversations of empathy and understanding to real-life situations. The community got the chance to listen to speakers from Police 2 Peace as well as ask questions. Those questions included “Will the program help the youth” and “What can we do as a community to help further this program”. The community also got to fill out a survey about changes they want to see and how they feel about the program.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Andover library receives state arts funding
Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland recently announced that nearly $1.3 million was given out to 108 recipients in the latest round of the Kansas Arts Commission grant funding. Among those entities receiving grant funding in this cycle was the Andover Public Library, which got $6,393 through an Arts Everywhere grant. Arts Everywhere grants provide funding for programs, exhibition series or other arts and culture projects. The Andover library will be using the grant to help purchase drawing tablets, a new scanner and software, as well as traditional art equipment like easels, for all-ages art classes.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Park grand opening to be held in Andover
A grand opening ceremony is set to be held for Andover’s 13th Street Sports Park (1008 E. 13th St.) at 6 p.m. July 31, marking the end of an approximately year-long redevelopment process for the park that first opened in the 1980s. Elements of the first two phases to be unveiled include five new ball diamonds, a large destination playground, splash park, pickleball complex and more. The splash pad will start operations in conjunction with the grand opening. Phase three of redevelopment, to be completed in the next year or two, will include a new Andover Community Center building. The first 100 guests to the grand opening will receive a cooling towel. For more information on the park, visit www.andoverks.com/835/13th-Street-Sports-Park.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Solar benches installed at some Wichita locations
Three solar benches have been installed at a Wichita park and two neighborhood resource centers. This is part of an initiative by the Wichita Public Library to expand wireless access to residents across the city. The benches were installed at Evergreen Park and the Atwater and Colvin neighborhood resource centers. They are equipped with free public Wi-Fi and charging ports powered by solar panels on top. Residents who need to connect to a device can use these benches. Last month, the Wichita Public Library, in partnership with the Wichita Public Library Foundation, received a $289,000 grant from the State of Kansas ADOPT Program to install nine more solar benches in low-income areas, leveraging the Library’s extensive digital reach. This is a response to a situation where thousands of households lack home internet.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Moundridge police report rescue of child trapped in pipe
Moundridge police have reported a rescue operation that got a 14-month old child out of an underground pipe. Police and rescue crews were called to a location around 2 p.m. Sunday when it was reported that a child was trapped in a 12-inch PVC pipe that was about 12 feet underground. The child was found to be upright at the bottom of the pipe. Moundridge officer Ronnie Wagner was credited with creating a “catch pole” using a smaller PVC pipe and rope, and that was used to lift the child out. The child was shaken but not hurt. The rescue operation took about 20 minutes. In a post on social media, the Police Department expressed thanks to Moundridge EMS and Fire crews that responded to the scene.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Commerce Announces First Regional Water Project for Rural Kansas
The Kansas Department of Commerce announced today a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award for the first regional water project in over a decade. This project will provide improved water access to residents in Coffeyville and Caney. The total cost of the project is $7,894,325, with a $1 million grant from the CDBG program. Additional funding is being provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). “This vital and groundbreaking partnership will significantly improve water infrastructure and ensure reliable access to clean water for residents in Caney and Coffeyville, exemplifying the tremendous value of regional collaboration,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These efforts directly support the Kansas Water Plan’s goals of addressing water quantity and quality issues, investing in infrastructure and protecting our water sources for generations to come.” This regional water project represents a significant investment in the infrastructure of these communities, ensuring reliable and sustainable water resources long into the future.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Cash Managers’ Interest Rate Quandary
Public cash managers today face a strategic dilemma: They can sit on money market funds, local government investment pools and ultra-short investments like repurchase agreements, all of them still yielding the highest interest rates available today. Or they can look out into 2025 and try to lock in some less spectacular but still healthy longer-term yields in anticipation of lower short-term rates next year, if and when the Federal Reserve cuts its overnight rates on the view that inflation has been tamed. The problem today is that markets have already begun to anticipate a lower-rate environment next year, and thus longer maturities currently carry lower yields. The “give up” trade is hard to explain to those who cannot see beyond their noses. There is more than just the egos of state and local treasurers at stake. Budget officials need accurate projections of interest income from operating funds, and some may even prod their treasurers to lock in rates now to prevent a sharp drop-off in interest income next year. Already, it looks like general fund interest income revenues in 2025 could be down 10 to 15 percent, and it may be even worse where cash reserves and federal grants are being spent this year. Meanwhile, debt managers need to decide when is the best time to sell municipal notes and bonds for both cash flow and capital improvements. With trillions of public-sector budget dollars invested in the money markets and interest income again representing a significant revenue line item, these are not Source: Governing
AWWA, RCAP launch partnership to help small, rural community water service
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) in July announced the renewal of their Cooperative Agreement, reaffirming their commitment to collaborate on improving water infrastructure and services for small and rural communities across the United States. This renewed agreement builds upon a long-standing partnership between the two organizations, leveraging their combined expertise and resources to address critical water challenges faced by rural communities. The partnership will focus on providing technical assistance, training and advocacy support to enhance water system management, promote community resilience, and ensure the protection of public health and the environment. “AWWA is pleased to continue our enduring collaboration with RCAP to support the needs of rural communities across the United States,” said Barb Martin, AWWA’s director of engineering and technical services. “We look forward to working together to address current challenges, while looking ahead to achieve a sustainable and resilient future for rural communities.” The collaboration will also involve knowledge sharing, joint research initiatives, and the development of educational resources to empower water professionals and community leaders. By working together, AWWA and RCAP aim to foster innovation, resilience and equitable solutions in the water sector.
Source: Water Finance & Management
Investors Embrace Bond Funds Before Rates Start to Fall
The stock market may be roaring, but 2024 has been Wall Street’s year of the bond fund. Bonds are paying the highest yields in a generation and interest rates are poised to come down. Meanwhile, a record number of retirees are looking to cut risk in their portfolios. That combination has investors pouring money into both indexed and actively managed funds. Wall Street is seeing dollar signs. U.S.-listed fixed-income exchange-traded funds have taken in nearly $150 billion through late July, a record through this point in a year. When looking at mutual funds and ETFs together, taxable bond funds were responsible for nearly 90% of net U.S. fund inflows in the first half, according to Morningstar. After more than a decade of paltry bond yields, and just two years removed from the worst year for bonds on record, the combination of high rates and falling inflation offers investors a rare opportunity for investment income. Rick Rieder, who oversees more than $2 trillion as BlackRock’s chief investment officer for fixed income, is calling the current period “the golden age of fixed income.” A crucial factor shifting bond prices is investors’ expectations for short-term interest rates. When the Federal Reserve began to raise rates in 2022, investors flocked to cash-like investments. Now, as Wall Street bets that rate cuts later this year are all but certain, investors are looking toward bonds instead, grabbing for yields that have already started to descend as bond prices rise. “We’re seeing people move out of cash and into bonds,” Rieder said. “Cash has been flipping a lot of yield, but now there’s a sense that the Fed is going to start lowering rates and that opportunity won’t be there anymore.”
Bond funds have been a bright spot for a money-management industry that has struggled to contend with the growth of passive investing and a steep fall in management fees. While investors have largely begun to shun actively managed stock funds, bond pickers are thriving.
Source: WSJ.com: World News
This week’s meeting of Fed officials will be one of the most consequential in a while, even if the central bankers aren’t likely to cut interest rates this time and instead look ahead to September.
While Federal Reserve officials aren’t likely to change interest rates in the coming week, their meeting will nonetheless be one of the most consequential in a while. At each of their four meetings this year, interest-rate cuts have been a question for later. This time, though, inflation and labor-market developments should allow officials to signal a cut is very possible at their next meeting, in September. As a result, the coming week’s meeting, which wraps up Wednesday, could resolve the trade-off Chair Jerome Powell has been weighing between the risks of cutting rates too soon and waiting too long, in favor of acting sooner.
Source: WSJ.com: World News
Municipal Bond Trends for July 29, 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.