Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Municipal Bond Trends for January 27, 2023

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.

Fiber internet company heading to Salina residents

People in Salina will soon see a new name and option when it comes to internet service providers in the area, with fiber internet for residents making its way to the city soon. The Salina City Commission approved a licensing agreement to allow Clearwave Fiber to install fiber optic cable in the public right-of-way within the city. “Clearwave Fiber is a newly formed company that’s focusing on expanding their network in the state of Kansas,” said Dean Andrew zoning administrator for the city. While Clearwave has its headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, it has been making its way into other states over the past year.
Source: Salina Journal

Meet Saline County’s new K-9 therapy dogs

A couple new faces at Ell Saline and Southeast of Saline schools also happen to come with four paws. h Saline County School Resource Officers Tyler Casteel and Braden Long introduced their K-9 partners to their respective districts earlier this month after attending a week-long training in Florida. The deputies traveled to the Brevard County Florida Sheriff’s Office “Paws and Stripes College” to learn the ins and outs of handling a law enforcement investigative therapy dog.
Source: Salina Journal

Kansas has public land scarcity: KDWP hopes for more public land for hunting and fishing

Only two states offer a lower percentage than Kansas does of public land available for hunting and fishing, legislators were told Thursday morning. “Our state is pretty shy on public lands,” the Kansas Senate’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard from Brad Loveless, secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. KDWP hopes to improve on that, he said.
Source: CJonline

The nation’s first woman mayor — and 7 other things you didn’t know about the Sunflower State

As a joke, several men in 1887 nominated Susanna Madora Salter, a 27-year-old Woman’s Christian Temperance Union officer, on the Prohibition Party ticket to be mayor of Argonia in south-central Kansas. But the joke was on them. “Salter surprised the group and received two-thirds of the votes,” says the website of the Kansas Historical Society. “She was elected in April 4, 1887, just weeks after Kansas women had gained the right to vote in city elections.”
Source: CJonline

Preachers offer views on prayer before meetings

The Board of Harvey County Commissioners could be taking up the question this coming Tuesday as to whether meetings will begin with a prayer. Commissioner Becky Reimer proposed adding an invocation at her first two meetings. Fellow Commissioners Don Schroeder and Randy Hague already voted to add the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of meetings. If they vote to add an invocation, questions may persist as to who would be asked to lead the invocation and what religions would be included. Newton City Commissioner Clint McBroom, who also serves as pastor of the First Church of God, said he didn’t have a personal preference about whether meetings should start with a prayer. “Of course, I’m concerned about opening the door for a wide variety of strange things happening,” he said.
Source: Harvey County Now

Barton County a part of ROZ student program

As an incentive to help reel professionals back into Barton County, the County Commission Wednesday morning approved a resolution authorizing participation in the Rural Opportunity Zone Student Loan Repayment Program for calendar year 2023. The program provides up to a $15,000 benefit per applicant as a workforce recruitment tool for eligible persons establishing a home in Barton County, said Operations Director Matt Patzner. The Kansas Department of Commerce requires counties to pass a resolution obligating them to participate in this ROZ program for at least five years. “So essentially, this resolution would be allowing for this program to take place within Barton County,” he said, adding the county has no financial commitment. The business hiring the applicant covers half the benefit with the state covering the other. “This is a good program to get some professionals back into the county,” he said. “The state can kick in some money for it.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Chickens and pigs join Yoder Charter School

hickens and pigs are a new addition at Yoder Charter School and they are teaching the students some valuable life lessons. Yoder has been a project-based school for quite some time. Their unique teaching style instills values such as being responsible while implementing academics. They do this by having the kids read to the animals or counting the eggs. Principal, Shannon Atherton, said the community, students, parents, and stakeholders have all been very supportive of this program.
Source: KAKE – News

Hayden named as Renwick USD 267 superintendent

Tim Hayden will become the superintendent of Renwick USD 267 on July 1. His hiring was announced by the board of education on Monday night. Hayden is currently principal at Amelia Earhart Elementary School in Goddard. He was a finalist for the superintendent position in Cheney, but apparently pulled out of the running after being selected as a finalist for the Renwick position. …The BOE decided to go outside of the school district boundaries for its new leader, although not far.
Source: Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Inflation cools further ahead of expected interest rate hike

U.S. households turned cautious at the end of last year, cutting spending during the holiday shopping season and increasing savings, adding to signs of an economic slowdown. Consumer spending fell a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in December from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Friday, the second straight monthly drop following solid spending increases during several months last year. Adjusted for inflation, spending fell 0.3% last month. The pullback in spending came as inflation cooled, giving consumers some relief from rapidly rising prices. Households cut spending on goods as prices fell for gasoline and other energy products, the department said. They increased spending on services, where prices climbed. … The figures leave Fed officials on track to raise interest rates by a quarter-percentage point to a range between 4.5% and 4.75% at their meeting next week, where they also are expected to debate how much higher to raise rates this year. The Fed raised rates aggressively last year in a campaign to cool the economy and bring down high inflation.
Source: WSJ

Topekans reach out to unhoused residents

Low wind chills and 1.1 inches of overnight snow greeted city of Topeka employees and volunteers from sunrise to sunset Wednesday as they counted individuals experiencing homelessness in the capital city. The United States Department of Housing requires a count each year to ensure cities can obtain appropriate funding needed to provide programs and other needed services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Source: CJonline

Who can compete in Kansas? Bill would give homeschoolers right to play high school sports

A potential law would allow virtual and homeschooled students to join public school athletic teams and activities in Kansas. But opponents of the bill, including the state’s high school athletics governing body, say the measure would undermine the academic component of participation in school activities and competition.
Source: Salina Journal

Municipal Bond Trends for January 26, 2023

Affordable housing, development hurdles among concerns raised by Lawrence residents regarding development code

Concerns expressed by the public in a meeting about the city’s update of its development code included both the city’s shortage of affordable housing and the difficulty in building housing at all. Consultants working on the code update said both are issues they want the update to address. Consultants with Clarion Associates recently completed a four-month review of the city’s existing development code, which determines where and how Lawrence grows, and have drafted 80 recommended changes. Consultants sought input on the draft as part of a public meeting Thursday. Meeting attendee Lacee Roe said she was excited that the recommendations sought to encourage more mixed-used zoning and diverse housing types, and wanted to know what barriers Lawrence has to developing affordable housing and which barriers can be removed through zoning revisions.
Source: LJWorld

GDP growth slows to 2.9% in fourth quarter

U.S. economic growth slowed to a 2.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing an end to a year marked by high inflation. In the third quarter of last year, real GDP increased 3.2%, the U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday. “The deceleration in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected a downturn in exports and decelerations in nonresidential fixed investment, state and local government spending and consumer spending,” according to the Commerce Department report. “These movements were partly offset by an upturn in private inventory investment, an acceleration in federal government spending, and a smaller decrease in residential fixed investment.”
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Jackson County Commissioners continue to research solar farm regulations

The Jackson County Commissioners continue to research regulations regarding commercial solar projects in an effort to “do what’s best for the entire county,” according to Commissioner Keith Kelly. Commissioners Kelly, along with Commissioners Dan Brenner and Mark Pruett, addressed several members of the public during their meeting on Tuesday afternoon this week regarding a large solar farm being proposed near Delia by NextEra Energy of Florida. County resident Mitchell Nicol and Matt Wheeler of KansaSolar, a local residential and commercial solar company out of Holton, met with the commissioners and asked them about the county’s role in the proposed solar field and their timeline for adopting any new regulations regarding solar energy.
Source: Holton Recorder

Don’t eat the fish: Arkansas River, other Kansas waters remain under advisory

This is your annual reminder: If you fish the Arkansas River in Wichita, limit or don’t eat any bottom-feeding fish you catch. Those fish, which include buffaloes, carps, catfishes, sturgeons and suckers, could have chemical contamination, according to an advisory issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Health officials advise people not to eat bottom-feeding fish from a portion of the Arkansas River stretching from the Lincoln Street Dam to the Cowskin Creek near Belle Plaine in Sumner County.
Source: Wichita Eagle

School choice debate gets started at Capitol

The debate over school choice opened in earnest at the Capitol on Wednesday with a proposal to expand a program that offers state tax credits for donations to private-school scholarships. The K-12 Budget Committee spent more than two hours late Wednesday afternoon hearing testimony over a bill that for the second time since 2021 would expand a program making tax-subsidized scholarships available for more students to attend private schools.
Source: Sunflower State Journal

New bill seen as first step toward fixing problems in Kansas juvenile justice system

Lawmakers have begun evaluating legislation in an effort to fix years of built-up problems within the juvenile justice system. First up: A bill that could expand access to behavioral health treatment through crisis intervention centers. During a House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee meeting Monday, a week after lawmakers heard from attorneys and foster care workers who urged for more juvenile crisis intervention centers and adequate resources, lawmakers said they were trying to quickly come up with solutions for young offenders who need more intensive help.
Source: The Chanute Tribune

Kansas educators share personal insights in quest to reverse statewide teacher shortage

Byron Lewis was a student at Topeka High School when allowed to use study hall to read to kindergartners at his old elementary school. It was the first time Lewis — now an elementary school teacher in the Turner district — thought a career in education could be in his future. He earned an education degree at Kansas State University and was introduced to programs that urge men of color to enter the profession. Statewide, it’s just not enough. Entering the fall 2022 academic year, there were an estimated 1,500 teacher vacancies in Kansas. “It’s an uphill battle,” Lewis said during a panel discussion Monday sponsored by Kansas State’s College of Education at the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers.
Source: The Chanute Tribune

Officials discuss updates to Imagine Pittsburg plan

Representatives from Imagine Pittsburg updated the city commission Tuesday evening on the progress of the next stage of Imagine Pittsburg (IP), a civic initiative originally known as Imagine Pittsburg 2030 (IP 2030) that began in 2010 to plan and implement economic and infrastructure improvements in Pittsburg. The IP representatives also discussed their plans over the next six to seven months for community engagement and a timeline for the next phase. Dubbed Imagine Pittsburg 3.0, this will be the third iteration of IP2030. Joe Dellasega, former chair of IP 2030 who oversaw the second phase, said that during last five years, his committee expanded the original four community pillars — housing, economic development, infrastructure, and public wellness — to include education and marketing.
Source: Morning Sun

Pittsburg area hotels rebound

Explore Crawford County announced Monday that for the fourth time in five years, hotel room demand in the county has surpassed 100,000 rooms for the year, with 2022 hitting a record high of 109,750 rooms. The county also surpassed 10,000 rooms in a month six times during 2022 — doubling the previous high. Since 2015, room demand had been increasing each year until the 2020 pandemic. Demand reached 106,000 rooms in 2021, but was still just shy of the previous record for the entire year — 107,743 in 2019. According to Explore Crawford County Executive Director Dave Looby in a December presentation to the county commission, those figures only represent the four major hotel chains in Pittsburg. They do not take into account the rooms booked at the four privately-owned hotels.
Source: Morning Sun

Swaths of Kansas lack written policies on exculpatory evidence

The Brady and Giglio cases establish two different, but related, rights for criminal defendants. Under Brady v. Maryland, the prosecution is obligated to turn over to the defendant any exculpatory evidence — that is, evidence that tends to assist the defense. Generally, that requires the disclosure of virtually anything in the prosecution’s possession that relates to the case. Meanwhile, the rule announced in Giglio v. United States requires law enforcement agencies to deliver to defense counsel “material” evidence of a law enforcement’s dishonesty. The application of this rule can be fraught, as the parties involved may disagree on what counts as “material” evidence of dishonesty. … Of the seven most populous counties in the state (Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Johnson, Shawnee, Douglas, Riley and Leavenworth), only four have both Brady and Giglio policies in writing. Riley and Johnson lack written Brady policies, and Wyandotte County has neither a Brady nor Giglio policy in writing.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Rural America grew in the pandemic’s early days. But mostly recreational counties saw gains

COVID-19 accelerated death rates and slowed birth rates, exacerbating an existing trend of natural population loss in rural, or nonmetropolitan, areas. But because more people moved to rural areas, the U.S. rural population didn’t decline. “That’s extremely unusual historically, and so we’re still trying to understand all the nuances of this and whether it’s just a short-term thing or if it’s going to reflect longer-term changes,” said Kenneth Johnson, the author of the article and a professor of sociology and senior demographer at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. “But in any event, it’s unusual and surprising, even to someone like me, who’s studied rural America for his whole career,” he added. The U.S. rural population grew by approximately 0.13%, or 77,000 residents, between April 2020 and July 2021, while urban areas only grew by 0.1%. Although it’s a slight increase for the country’s rural population, Johnson said it’s rare for its population increase to be larger than urban, or metropolitan, areas.
Source: KCUR News

Municipal Bond Trends for January 25, 2023

Moody’s upgrades Lindsborg’s GO bond rating to A1

Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the City of Lindsborg, KS’ general obligation unlimited tax bonds to A1 from A2. … This action concludes a review for possible upgrade that was initiated on November 3, 2022 in conjunction with the release of the US Cities and Counties Methodology. … The A1 issuer rating incorporates a stable economic base, strong financial position, and low leverage that will grow in the near term. … The rating also incorporates the city’s very strong reserves that are anticipated to marginally decline on a nominal basis in the near term, but remain very strong as a percent of revenue.
Source: Moody’s

Douglas County’s Housing Stabilization Collaborative to switch rent and utility assistance distribution to lottery system

Douglas County’s Housing Stabilization Collaborative is changing the way it distributes rent and utility assistance funds in hopes of increasing equity for applicants, the county announced Wednesday. The HSC, which is the county’s local rent and utility assistance provider, is shifting from a first-come, first-served approach to a lottery system, citing an overwhelming need for rent and utility assistance in the county and a lack of available funding to meet that need. The first-come, first-served method has been in place since the HSC first began its rent and utility assistance program in the fall of 2020.
Source: LJWorld

“Hutch rebuilds Hutch”: renovation of historic downtown building

“Hutch rebuilds Hutch” is how Mark Davenport describes the complete renovation of the historic Hoke Building — the iconic downtown Hutchinson property that first went up in 1910 as office space and sat vacant and waiting for decades. When Mark and his wife Phoebe Davenport, a Kansas City-based couple who develop large residential and commercial properties, first began the journey of restoring the dilapidated building at First Avenue and Walnut Street in early 2021, they committed to using local contractors as much as feasibly possible.
Source: Hutch News

Could new rental properties help with Salina’s housing issues?

Beginning in 2021, the city of Salina has continually engaged with developers seeking interest for various housing projects in an effort to bring new rental housing to the community. It’s a project that has been in the works for years addressing one of the most significant issues in Saline County communities — housing. This week, the city and county discussed those efforts, and Lauren Driscoll, Salina community development services director, provided the county an update on how American Rescue Plan Act monies were being contributed to the overarching project.
Source: Salina Journal

Sedgwick County unveils new public alert system

Sedgwick County Emergency Management (SCEM) recently launched the first phase of a free service, called Civic Ready Alerts, that can notify residents by phone or email of emergencies or important news. Citizens can opt-in to receive messages regarding public safety, health, weather or other community bulletins. By sharing a home address, residents will also be able to receive alerts targeted for their neighborhood, through geo-fencing.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Local governments tasked with spending opioid settlement funds

Local governments will be faced with decisions in the coming months about how to spend thousands of dollars in opioid settlement payments paid by pharmaceutical companies and retailers for their role in the prescription-drug epidemic. So far, Harvey County has received $6,413, but it is expected to receive an additional $71,807, according to County Administrator Anthony Swartzendruber. Newton has received about $4,000 and is expected to receive an additional $40,000. Sedgwick has received $6,413.
Source: Harvey County Now

Odle brings experience and education to Burrton’s police department

Burrton Police Chief David Odle, who officially took over the position after Dave Becker retired on Dec. 23, 2022, realizes he has some work to do for the community to get to know him. He’s served part-time with the Burrton Police Department since 2020 but he’s an outsider trying to get the community to trust him. He said he is here to help and that Burrton is his responsibility. “I’m a new face,” Odle said. “I’m not a Burrton guy. I wasn’t born here. I wasn’t raised here. Burrton only knows me from me running around.”
Source: Harvey County Now

Johnson County fills newly created housing coordinator position

The newly created housing coordinator position plays a key role in the community by focusing on these main areas, addressing homelessness, preserving existing housing and developing attainable housing and promoting homeownership. After an extensive search with many qualified candidates, Megan Foreman was selected as the best fit for the position. Foreman began her role as housing coordinator on Monday, Jan. 23. In this role, Foreman will bring together community stakeholders that provide housing services and initiatives to work together to improve efficiency on how the county serves people. The position will also be a central resource for relevant data.
Source: Johnson County Kansas |

Newton BOE discusses dropping enrollment

USD-373’s enrollment has dropped by 441 students, or 13 percent, from September 2015 to December of this school year. Superintendent Fred Van Ranken provided the numbers in a presentation to the Newton Board of Education at its Monday meeting. “We need to start having difficult discussions on where we’re going to land next year and start down the road after that,” Van Ranken said. Van Ranken noted that the statistics represent the number of students in the building, not actual full-time enrollment numbers, and the numbers weren’t audited.
Source: Harvey County Now

Hill’s Pet Nutrition finishes construction on Tonganoxie plant, its fourth manufacturing facility

Hill’s Pet Nutrition has completed construction on its $250 million manufacturing facility in Tonganoxie, which targets a third-quarter opening and will create roughly 80 jobs. In 2021, Hill’s bought 84 acres in Tonganoxie Business Park at 21795 Kansas Ave. The city then entered a development agreement with the company to build a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing and distributing facility.
Source: Kansas City Business News

Manhattan gives initial approval on rule banning commissioners from dual offices

Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday unanimously gave initial approval of an ordinance prohibiting members from holding two elected offices, a move they proposed after Usha Reddi’s ascent to the Kansas Senate. But Reddi won’t be kicked off the commission because of a “grandfather” clause. The ordinance, which still requires a second commission vote for approval, states that a person holding another elected office must resign that position before being sworn in as city commissioner. It also includes a “grandfather” clause, stating any city commissioner serving in more than one elected office when the ordinance is adopted shall be entitled to complete the terms for which they serve.
Source: themercury.com

Firefighting team unified as one unit

Jessica Ellerman has been with the Atchison Fire Department for two years and Courtney Keegan has seven plus years (only one year in Atchison) in the dangerous profession. Both ladies stated the hardest part of being a firefighter is the physical demand. Both said that they must stay in top shape because of the heavy lifting and climbing up and down the fire truck. “Whether male or female, we are treated equally and the job does have a lot of demands,” Keegan said. Training is almost constant with many courses that all firefighters must take. However, the main part of their jobs is EMS calls.
Source: www.atchisonglobenow.com

Salt makes icy roads less dicey, but it poisons the land. Here’s what Kansas is doing about it

Rock salt saves lives by helping tires grip icy roads. It avoids broken bones when homeowners use it on slick sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. And in Kansas, one of the country’s top salt producers, rock salt generates paychecks. But it also costs Americans billions in corroding cars and bridges. It adds so much sodium to drinking water in some places that it can affect people’s health. And in some places, toxic salt levels kill or harm plants, animals and crops. Experts say we can take immediate steps to curb this toll without sacrificing road safety. The Kansas Department of Transportation has already taken some of those measures, including spraying brine before winter storms, a practice that can fight slippery roads with less salt. And at Wichita State University and Iowa State University, scientists are pursuing research that could change how we clear our pavement in the cold months.
Source: KCUR News

Municipal Bond Trends for January 24, 2023

10K more Wichitans will have access to fiber internet by end of 2024. What to know

More than 10,000 residents in Wichita could have access to higher-speed internet by the end of next year, thanks to a new project to expand fiber-powered broadband. “The city of Wichita has reached out to us saying they need more connectivity, and we agree,” said Jim Jamison, the president of AT&T Kansas. “So it’s really just a win-win, and we found a way to reach those homes.” Once the project is finalized, AT&T will be awarded $2.2 million from the Kansas Office of Broadband Development and use AT&T private investments to fund the $10.4 million project.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Meeting will gather input on recommended changes to development code that determines how city grows

Consultants working to update the development code that determines where and how Lawrence grows have drafted a list of 80 recommended changes and are seeking public input on the proposal. A community meeting will take place on Thursday to gather feedback on the recommended changes, which consultants with Clarion Associates developed following a four-month assessment of the code. The code assessment outlines issues with the current code and the main focus areas for the code changes, according to a project overview. … The 80 recommended changes span the various sections of the existing code and also include general suggestions. Recommendations are made related to zoning districts, density regulations, and the procedures and processes for development.
Source: LJWorld

I Know It When I See It – What is a Capital Expenditure?

According to Wikipedia, the fount of all knowledge, the phrase “I know it when I see it” is a colloquial expression by which a speaker attempts to categorize an observable fact or event, although the category is subjective or lacks clearly defined parameters. This phrase was famously used in a U.S. Supreme Court decision to describe the threshold test for obscenity. (See Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964)). Although this blog post will, unfortunately, likely not become as well known as the Jacobellis case, it will discuss, “What is a Capital Expenditure?” My guess is that a lot of tax-exempt bond advisors use intuition when determining that certain expenditures qualify as “capital expenditures” for tax-exempt bond purposes. In other words, they know a capital expenditure when they see one. However, the question as to what constitutes a “capital expenditure” under the tax-exempt bond rules may be difficult to answer at times.
Source: The Public Finance Tax Blog

Manhattan City Commission to consider new “Reddi rule” ordinance

The Manhattan City Commission tonight will consider an ordinance on first reading that would prohibit a sitting commissioner from holding a dual office. The move is a direct response to current commissioner Usha Reddi’s recent appointment to the Kansas Senate, to fill out the remainder of former Sen. Tom Hawk’s term. State law doesn’t currently prohibit someone from holding two offices simultaneously. According to the Kansas League of Municipalities, if the ordinance were passed, Manhattan would be the only known city in Kansas with such a restriction.
Source: 1350 KMAN

Reed to resign as Winfield USD 465 superintendent; accepts job in Wichita area

Dr. Nathan Reed, superintendent of Winfield USD 465, will resign from his current position to take a job in the Wichita area, he confirmed Tuesday. Reed, who announced the news to the board of education at their Monday evening meeting, declined to comment Tuesday on the specifics of his new position, but said he will remain as superintendent until his contract is up in June. The board will determine the next steps on how to seek a replacement in the coming weeks, Reed said.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Mulvane Fire pledges funds to Derby facility

Following discussion over recent years regarding a joint training facility, Mulvane Fire Rescue has pledged support to help realize that goal in Derby – with such a facility currently in the works. Already having auto-aid agreements in place, the training facility in Derby would allow Mulvane firefighters to experience a live fire in a safe, controlled environment at a three-story facility – meeting training requirements. The Mulvane City Council recently approved a contribution of $35,000 from Mulvane Fire Rescue to help with construction of the training facility in Derby.
Source: Derby Informer | News