Kansas Municipal News
Municipal Bond Trends for July 10, 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.
Municipal Bond Trends for July 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.
Fed Chair Powell says holding rates high for too long could jeopardize economic growth
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday expressed concern that holding interest rates too high for too long could jeopardize economic growth. Setting the stage for a two-day appearance on Capitol Hill this week, the central bank leader said the economy remains strong as does the labor market, despite some recent cooling. Powell cited some easing in inflation, which he said policymakers stay resolute in bringing down to their 2% goal…. Markets expect the Fed to begin cutting rates in September and likely following up with another quarter percentage point reduction by the end of the year.
Source: CNBC
Valley Center Hires (North Newton City Administrator) Kyle Fiedler as New Community Development Director
The City of Valley Center is pleased to announce the hiring of Kyle Fiedler as the newest Community Development Director. Kyle was born and raised in Newton, is a 2011 graduate of Newton High School and a 2013 graduate of Wichita State University Frank Barton School of Business.
Currently, Kyle is the City Administrator for the City of North Newton. …Kyle will begin his duties in early August.
Source: City of Valley Center
Election commissioner certifies petition aiming to limit city of Topeka’s taxing authority
Petition drive organizer Earl McIntosh needed 2,941 signatures from registered Topeka voters to require the mayor and city council to respond to his proposal to limit the city’s taxing authority. … The petition calls for the passage of an ordinance that would ban the city from bringing in more property tax revenue than the “revenue neutral” amount it brought in the previous year, unless voters approve such an increase in a ballot question election, McIntosh said.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for July 8, 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.
Hospital seeks protective zoning
St. Luke Hospital’s chief executive asked Marion City Council members Monday to use rezoning to discourage outside medical facilities from establishing competing facilities that might siphon off services the hospital depends on that to subsidize other services. Alex Haines said that when more profitable procedures are done elsewhere, the hospital must survive on income from services that make less profit. “I think it’s very important for both the hospital and the city,” Haines said.
Source: Marion County RECORD
After 2 years of fighting, Johnson County city allows more apartments. But there’s limits
After two years of arduous debate, packed with resident protests and political battles, the Prairie Village City Council this week finally amended zoning laws to allow for more housing — but only in commercial areas and with several limits. While the move still drew opposition, the approved changes are significantly scaled back from earlier ideas that sparked heated protests, a court fight and a contentious election. After a few hours of discussion and public comments, the council on Monday voted 12-1 to amend its zoning laws. And some city officials appear ready now to end and move on from the debate, which stemmed from an effort to enable more affordable housing in the city, but morphed into an intense political feud. “The issue is settled now, and the city will focus on other business,” Councilman Ian Graves wrote in a Facebook post. The most notable change the council approved on Monday is the city will now allow residential projects in commercial districts, but only above or behind retail or office space, with several restrictions. Projects would be limited to two stories, such as adding apartments above a one-story commercial space.
Source: Joco 913 News
Olathe plans to move post office to make way for downtown revitalization
Olathe plans to relocate the downtown Post Office next year as part of the city’s efforts to revitalize the area. The city council announced the preliminary plans on June 25 at the first workshop for next year’s budget. The move is a collaborative effort with the United States Postal Service. Little is known about the project so far, but more information could be made available within the next three to five months once more refined conversations are had. According to City of Olathe Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Cody Kennedy, conversations have been “purely introductory” at this point. “I do know that as we look to activate Downtown Olathe, it was identified as an opportunity for redevelopment,” he said. The prospective site of a relocation is unknown, but development of the new site would start and finish within the year according to the city’s proposed 2025-29 Capital Improvement Plan.
Source: Johnson County Post
Lenexa wants to collect 1,000 pounds of used plastic bags to make into bench
The city of Lenexa is looking to get a new public bench through unconventional means — by recycling more than 1,000 pounds of plastic bags. Taking a cue from neighboring cities like Merriam, the city has launched a year-long project where it ask residents to donate plastic bags at three locations in hopes of reaching the magic number of 1,000 pounds, enough to craft a bench.
“This was just something that was a little different that could benefit the community and the environment,” Heather Howell, Lenexa’s human resources specialist and member of Lenexa’s We Care Committee, said .“People do have a lot of plastic, I will say,” she said. “I know, personally, the Amazon bags that I get every single day that you can’t just toss into the recycling bins, they end up somewhere else. So bring them to Lenexa.” While Lenexa’s We Care Committee hosts a variety of projects for people in need, it wanted to shift its focus to the environment and making something useful out of plastic waste. “Traditionally, we’ve done a coat drive, we’ve done a canned food drive, we’ve done Warmth Trees in December,” Howell said. “The environment is something we’re really passionate about, as well.” The program was inspired by Merriam’s plastic bag drive in 2023, which gathered enough plastic bags to make two benches.
Source: Johnson County Post
Lenexa adopts new long-term plan to guide city through next 20 years
After three years of planning, the Lenexa City Council on Tuesday approved a new comprehensive plan that lays the groundwork for the city through 2040 and beyond.
At its meeting Tuesday night, the council gave the green light to a revised comprehensive plan, a document that serves as an aspirational roadmap for the next 20 years of development and land use in the city. The council passed the plan with a 5-2 vote. One of the big changes the new plan predicts is a shift away from big box retail spaces and offices to more housing and non-office business parks. “In 2016, the office market and big box retailers were very strong, and additional office parks and big box retailers were envisioned in the community,” the newly adopted plan states. “Today, these markets are more volatile, and additional office parks and large retail uses are not expected.” The plan also focuses on amenities that residents want to see more of, including recreational trails and parks, as well as potentially thorny issues like missing middle housing.
Source: Johnson County Post
Prairie Village weighs buying church property. Could it become part of new city hall?
Prairie Village is considering purchasing a church property on Mission Road that could become part of a still-evolving plan to build a new city hall. At a special city council work session on Monday, discussion of the church appeared to inadvertently come up as councilmembers were hearing about a slightly revised site design layout for a new prospective $30 million city hall plan that the city has been discussing for more than a year. Whether purchasing the church property would mean the city uses that building or the land it sits on for a new city hall has yet to be determined, city officials told the Post.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Galesburg Fire Dept. awarded $5,000 grant through Nutella partnership
The Galesburg Fire Department is receiving a grant from Nutella through a partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council. According to the fire department, the $5,000 grant is to help secure necessities the fire department needs including equipment, gear, training, recruitment, retention initiatives, community outreach, education efforts, or other necessities. The Galesburg Fire Department says the grant was awarded by Nutella through its “Stacks for Giving Back” program. The purpose of the program is to shine light on those who spread positivity in the community. The program is awarding a combined total of $25,000 to five fire departments in the U.S.
Source: KOAM News
City of Emporia mourns loss of Mayor Danny Giefer
The City of Emporia is in mourning as it announced the death of longtime City Commissioner and Mayor Danny Giefer, who died at his home on July 6. Giefer and his wife moved to Emporia over 50 years ago in 1970. The city said in a news release it is better because of that decision. “Emporia is a better place, because in 1970 newlyweds Danny and Betty Giefer chose to move here to live and to rear their children. We are grateful they did,” the news release said. Giefer was sworn into the Emporia City Commission in 2013 because, the city said, he wanted to help the people of Emporia. “He used his business acumen to the benefit of Emporia,” the news release said. “When he voted on an issue, whether yay or nay, we knew that he had thoroughly researched the issue, talked with constituents, and based his vote on what he believed would be best for Emporia.”
Source: KSN-TV
Reno County considers expanding zoning, solar farms
Reno County is asking residents to share their opinions about the possible expansion of countywide zoning and solar farms in the unzoned areas of the county.
The county is hosting three town hall meetings this month for County District 1 and District 2. The first meeting is Monday evening. Some of the county officials who will be at the meetings include Reno County Administrator Randy Partington, the county commissioners who represent District 1 and District 2, the director of Public Works, and the county planner. The town hall meetings will be informal. They will start with information about planning and zoning and what it would mean to residents in the rural areas of Reno County.
Then, officials will seek feedback to see if people living in the unzoned areas of Reno County are interested in commercial solar farms, either prohibiting or allowing them.
Source: KSN-TV
Baxter Springs enhances annual Light Up the Sky celebration with new attractions
Baxter Springs is looking to take their annual Light Up the Sky celebration to another level. The city’s public works crew lead the fundraising and organizing efforts, getting 20 sponsors to donate to help put the celebration on. Previously the event took place on 19th St, but this year it’s returning to Kiwanis Park. The celebration will have many new additions this year, including police barrel rides, a disk golf contest, a water dunk tank and the new pickle ball courts. Mayor Kelly Abbott said they want to provide the things the community enjoys doing.
“I think everybody looks forward to this event and comes out every year to it. So you know we want to provide for everybody and and provide those things that people will remember and comeback to,” said Mayor Abbott.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Pittsburg celebrates 4th of July and 71 years of Kiddieland
There were plenty of smiles in Pittsburg Thursday to celebrate the 4th of July. The City of Pittsburg hosted a full day of celebrations in Lincoln Park and at Kiddieland. In fact, this year marks the 71st year of Kiddieland’s existence in Pittsburg. “Not just on the 4th of July, but all the time. We have families and grandpas that will come in and go, I want to bring my grandkids here. I remember coming here when I was a kid. Some of the rides are exactly the same as they remember. And so seeing their kids and grandkids enjoy the same thing is super. It’s really neat,” said Kris Paapanen. “It’s good. It’s really consistent. It’s something that we’re used to that we always know this is going to be here every year and we get to know the small business owners. We get to know the community really well,” said Andrea Ascanio.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Cherryvale’s Claim: The forgotten author of the Pledge of Allegiance
For more than a century, Americans have said the Pledge of Allegiance, from the newest citizens, to presidents, to school children. But for one southeast Kansas community, it’s more than an oath. It’s part of the story of their town. “We claim that Frank Bellamy, who lived back at the turn of the century, as in 1890’s to 1900, we think that he wrote the Pledge of Allegiance,” said Mike Wood, Cherryvale Historical Museum. Frank Bellamy was born in 1876 in Indiana, the anniversary of our nation’s independence. His father, a prominent judge, moved the family first to Girard, and then to Cherryvale. The story of the Pledge of Allegiance begins with an 1890 writing competition in a magazine distributed in classrooms nationwide, called the Youth’s Companion.
“His teachers encouraged him to submit what he’d written as a Pledge of Allegiance to a competition, and he did that. He submitted it, and he didn’t hear anything back,” said Wood.
Source: KSNF/KODE
City of Parsons fire truck that was ordered in 2022 arrives
A fire truck the city of Parsons ordered in 2022 has arrived last week. The city of Parsons ordered a Pierce Enforcer pump truck in 2022 at a purchase price of $684,032.62.
Brad Boss, Parsons fire chief, told city commissioners on Thursday that the department is in the process of switching equipment over to the new truck. He said the department is taking two trucks and putting equipment into one. The process will take a bit longer than normal, he said. But “we do have it,” Boss said the truck that is parked in the Washington Avenue station.
Source: Parsons Sun
STAYCATION | Strong City, Cottonwood Falls provide small town surprises
Located 60 miles south of Manhattan, Strong City and Cottonwood Falls both may be small in size, but they make up for it with history and opportunities for exploration.
The hour-long drive down Kansas Highway 177 takes you into Strong City first, which is also accessible via U.S. Highway 50 west of Emporia. Continue down K-177, and then you’ve hit Cottonwood Falls. Toni Schneider, executive director of the Chase County Chamber of Commerce, said in an email that the unique thing about the twin-city area is “the feeling.”
“The feeling you get when you see the magnificent Flint Hills, not just the first time, but every time,” she said. “The feeling you get when you meet someone from the other side of the world on main street, the feeling you get when you see your neighbor helping a stranger and the feeling you get when someone tells you they are so glad they came to visit or live here.”
Source: themercury.com