Kansas Municipal News
Salina company to close, laying off 98 workers
A Salina company is closing and laying off almost 100 workers. Coperion K-Tron notified the mayor, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and KansasWorks that it is closing its manufacturing facility at 606 N. Front Street by the end of the year, and 98 people will lose their jobs. “This closure is expected to be permanent and will affect all employees, with the exception of approximately 50 roles, mostly in engineering and sales, which will be transitioned to remote work roles,” Mike Gregozeski, Coperion K-Tron Salina Inc., wrote.
Source: KSN-TV
Stafford County receiving $25 million for transload facility
Stafford County is receiving $25 million to build a transload facility in St. John. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Port Authority of Stafford County will use the grant to design and construct a transload facility, grain terminal, and industrial park next to the BNSF rail line in St. John. The location will allow for the shipment of grain, commodities, and other products to be shipped by truck or by rail.
Source: KSN-TV
Leaders to discuss how to resuscitate local economy in wake of report
According to a report earlier this year by the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Manhattan under-performed in several metrics that indicate economic health. Manhattan posted 0% job growth, according to a 2024 report, which was well below that of the four peer cities the report used for comparison. For instance, Ames, Iowa, had 10.1% growth, and Columbia, Missouri was at 8.2%. Morgantown, West Virginia had 7.8% job growth for the same period, and Stillwater, Oklahoma, was at 7.7%. Manattan was near the bottom compared to the other middle-of-the-country college towns in other economic categories, as well.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Municipal Bond Trends for January 23, 2025
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.
Jackson County residents sue to stop 5,000-acre solar farm from moving forward
Four Jackson County residents … are claiming multiple federal agencies failed to provide an environmental impact report required by the National Environmental Policy Act for any “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.”
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for January 22, 2025
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.
The first EV batteries will come out of De Soto’s massive Panasonic plant this spring
One of the largest economic development projects in Kansas history will start churning out lithium-ion batteries as soon as March, Panasonic announced on Friday. Executives from the Japanese tech giant gave updates on its 300-acre manufacturing facility in De Soto, alongside a suite of lawmakers who helped bring the project to Kansas.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Andover adopts new city logo
The City of Andover adopted a new city logo on Tuesday evening during the City Council meeting. The logo, which was created by Greteman Group based out of Wichita, simplified and modernized the old design while keeping key aspects.
Source: Andover American
Communication, honest transparency top traits focus groups desired in next Lawrence superintendent
Focus group members said they’d most like the new permanent Lawrence Public Schools superintendent to be effective in communication and honest with transparency, according to a search firm. Lawrence school board President Kelly Jones called a special meeting Tuesday to hear an update from the Kansas Association of School Boards. Board members voted 6-0 in November to approve a contract with KASB for an amount not to exceed $11,500 to assist with the ongoing superintendent search. Britton Hart, assistant executive director of KASB’s leadership services, on Tuesday shared with the board data from 16 focus groups of teachers and staff, principals and assistant principals, parents, and community members. A range of 3 to 24 people participated in each, held last week. There were 135 participants altogether.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Year begins busy for Arma FD
It is only three weeks into the new year, already becoming a busy time for the Arma Fire Department and Crawford County Fire District #2, carrying over from last year’s busy schedule. At Monday’s Arma City Council meeting, Fire Chief Mike McLeod spoke to councilmembers, offering statistics from last year into the new year. “We’ve had probably the busiest year we’ve ever had (in 2024),” he said. “From when I first got here, we are probably running 50 to 70 calls a year, we’re up to 726 calls. We already had 50 calls this month … We had 107 lift assists, that 107 lift assists are here in the city of Arma. That’s taking a truck from the fire station to somebody’s house to help them up, make sure they don’t need EMS.
Source: Morning Sun
Interest rates won’t fall as fast as expected if tariffs stoke inflation, UBS CEO says
An expected decline in interest rates could be stalled if the prospective tariffs of Donald Trump’s second White House administration bleed into markets and shore up inflation, UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti warned Tuesday. Markets have been on alert for the next trade steps of the newly inaugurated Trump, who has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, while also floating a separate set of retaliatory trade measures against China in a bid to pressure Beijing to force ByteDance’s sale of TikTok.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Merriam becomes latest JoCo suburb to allow accessory dwelling units. What are they?
A new housing option is now allowable under the city of Merriam’s municipal code. The Merriam City Council last week voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units, sometimes called mother-in-law suites, within city limits. Councilmember Reuben Cozmyer was absent. Other Johnson County cities like Olathe, Overland Park and Westwood already allow accessory dwelling units.
Source: Johnson County Post
City, county to vote on health funds for 29th & Grove caught in state bureaucratic struggle
As Kansas state lawmakers begin another legislative session, $2.5 million they allocated last year for health testing of communities impacted by groundwater contamination has yet to be touched. That may change next week, as the city of Wichita and Sedgwick County are set to take key votes. The county will vote Wednesday on whether to sign an agreement with the state that will release some of the dollars, while the city will vote Tuesday on whether to provide a portion of matching funds needed to make state money available.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
As more states adopt traffic enforcement cameras, here’s where Kansas stands
Technology is helping some states and cities crack down on dangerous driving. In particular, traffic cameras have spread throughout the nation. These are intended to ensure that drivers fully stop at red lights and maintain posted speed limits, which help motorists avoid major safety threats. About 340 communities throughout the United States have red light cameras, and 278 have speed cameras, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Wichita delays strict rules for operating golf carts on city streets, seeks public input
Wichita has paused a recently passed city ordinance regulating the use of golf carts in city limits. The ordinance received initial approval last week on a 4-3 vote and was slated to receive final approval Tuesday. As written, it would be the most restrictive regulations for golf carts in the state. It allowed for carts to be driven on city streets with posted speed limits of 30 mph or less, but restricted driving to 18 or older. It also prohibited golf carts from being driven in the city’s core area — downtown, Old Town and Delano — and from crossing arterial streets.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Wichita updates master plan for bicycles
The Wichita City Council has approved an update to the city’s Bicycle Master Plan. The update was prepared throughout 2024 and it’s a ten-year plan for infrastructure, policies and programs to provide for safe, comfortable and convenient. The city has added 70 miles of bikeways since the 2013 plan was adopted. The 2024 update calls for another 81 miles of bikeways over the next decade. The Bicycle Plan also looks to connect important destinations like parks, schools, recreation centers and retail areas. It will also look to connect Wichita’s pathway system with bike networks in neighboring communities like Derby and Andover.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Kansas towns request $600M in first two years of water project grants
Kansas communities in the last two years have requested more than $600 million for water needs, stunning state officials as they work to allocate funds to a fraction of the projects. Dawn Buehler, chair of the Kansas Water Authority, told members of a Kansas House committee Tuesday that the state’s two new water grant programs, funded by the Legislature in 2023, have received almost 600 applications for funding in their first two fiscal years. For the fiscal year that ended in June, the state received requests totaling more than $380 million. But the state had just $18 million available. This year, the state has received requests totaling $227 million but has just $27 million to spend.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Grain Belt developers tell lawmakers how the transmission line will benefit Kansas
While it won’t drop off electricity to substations in Kansas, the Grain Belt Express transmission line will bring savings and improve reliability for residents, developers of the project said Thursday. Representatives from Invenergy, the Chicago-based company developing the Grain Belt Express, appeared before committees of the Kansas Senate and House to answer questions about the project, which is expected to carry renewable energy from southwest Kansas through Missouri and Illinois, ending at the Indiana border. Using high-voltage direct current technology, the 5,000-megawatt line will carry as much power as three traditional power line networks, Invenergy representatives said. It can also reverse its flow to provide power in the case of emergencies.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Halstead Planning and Zoning considers changes to battery storage regulations
After receiving feedback on proposed regulations, the Halstead Planning and Zoning Board reviewed a draft policy. This was the latest step in an ongoing process to create regulations for a potential battery energy storage system (BESS) in Halstead. The city received a request from Concurrent to build a battery storage facility in the industrial park, which Concurrent would then sell to a company who would utilize the facility. After spending over a year researching the concerns around a facility, the board published a draft of its proposed regulations for a battery storage facility. These regulations included requirements for noise limits, runoff prevention and fire suppression. It also requires a company to have plans in place for emergencies, like a fire or explosion, and decommissioning procedures for shutting down a facility. The regulations also require construction of the facility to be complete within 24 months of final site plan approval.
Source: Harvey County Now
Kansas City faces a new economic ‘border war’ as sports and stadium deals loom
More than five years ago, Kansas and Missouri declared a truce. The two states had for years engaged in a bloodletting competition to lure businesses to their side of the Kansas City region — handing out lucrative incentives to move a corporate headquarters just a few miles across the state line. These deals brought no new jobs to the region. They sacrificed millions in taxes that could have gone to hire more teachers, pave more roads or invest in public safety. They did nothing to improve the regional economy. It was, as many called it, a race to the bottom. Suddenly, that race came to a halt. In 2019, the governors in both states recognized the futility of these battles and agreed to stop the poaching. Since then, most economic development officials in the region say, the truce has worked.
Source: KCUR News