Kansas Municipal News
Kansas towns compete for ‘best small town’ title
Two Kansas towns are neck-and-neck in a nationwide contest set to determine the best small town in the Midwest. Voting is currently open for a contest hosted by USA Today to find out which small town people think is the best of the best in the Midwest. The leaderboard has 20 towns listed in its ranks this week, with Marysville and Council Grove both near the top. (…) Council Grove has access to a wealth of history thanks to its numerous historic sites, according to the town’s website. The National Park Service (NPS) lists the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Kaw Mission State Historic site, Lanesfield Historic site and more as noteworthy places to visit in town. Council Grove is also located near a scenic tallgrass prairie and the nearby Flint Hills. (…) Primarily known for its abundance and love for the local black squirrel population, Marysville is located along the historic Oregon Trail in northern Kansas, according to the town’s website. The town shows its love for its local squirrels by building artistic statutes of them every year. More than 30 squirrel statues can be found across Marysville.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Municipal Bond Trends for March 15, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. 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.
(Some) exotic pets allowed
Exotic pet ownership can be found in most cities, including Topeka. Before giving exotic pets a try, owners need to consider how the city regulates said ownership and what is permitted. Topeka senior animal control officer Jessica Bowers said the city ordinances give a broad definition of exotic pets, so it can incorporate animals not yet considered when the code was written.
Source: CJonline
Exotic pet provisions are typically found in Section 2-300s of many Kansas city codes.
Legislators plan to end program for local property tax cuts, cut state tax instead
Kansas Republicans are advancing plans to abolish an unfunded program intended to help local governments provide property tax relief. Instead of putting money into the local ad valorem tax reduction fund for the first time in two decades, Republican lawmakers would formally end the program and put money toward cutting state property taxes…. Republicans say the logic behind their bills are that the LAVTRF, if it were funded, would be roughly the same amount of tax relief as cutting the state mill levies.
Source: CJonline
Businesses’ lawsuit against City of Lawrence to close homeless camps will go to jury trial in early 2025
A group of Lawrence businesses’ lawsuit against the City of Lawrence, which asks a Douglas County court to close a pair of homeless camps, is scheduled to go to trial at the beginning of 2025. According to updated Douglas County case filings, the case will go to a jury trial in late January 2025. The first day will be Jan. 20, 2025, and the trial will resume from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31 of that month. As the Journal-World has reported, the lawsuit is asking a judge to declare a city-sanctioned camp — Camp New Beginnings — located behind Johnny’s Tavern in North Lawrence and an unsanctioned camp behind the Amtrak depot in East Lawrence as public nuisances. Rick Renfro, a founder and owner of Johnny’s Tavern, and Johnny’s North Lawrence Inc. are among the 24 plaintiffs in the suit.
Source: LJWorld
Trial for lawsuit between church and City of Lawrence begins
The question of just how many duplexes are allowed on one lot under Lawrence’s city code was front and center as the two-day bench trial for a church’s lawsuit against the City of Lawrence began Wednesday morning…. First Presbyterian Church is suing the city and Dallas-based Fountain Residential Partners to halt a project that would combine two lots at 2300 Crestline Drive into an approximately 9-acre site and build a more than 300-bedroom apartment complex. Rather than one large building, the project plans filed in 2020 instead call for those units to be spread across 57 duplexes and six detached dwelling structures on the lot.
Source: LJWorld
Newton loves a parade: crowd turns out to watch house moving
People lined the north end of North Main in Newton and the south end of North Main in North Newton during the move as if there was a parade going by. People watched while others took photos or videos. The transport was slow moving since power lines going across the street had to be lowered to make way for the house. Local law enforcement helped out by blocking traffic control so the white house could pass.
Source: Harvey County Now
Park City equipment company expands in region with 30 jobs in next decade
Midwest Truck Equipment, a Park City-based truck equipment and body parts business, was approved Tuesday by the local City Council to expand its footprint at 61st Street North near Seneca St. The truck equipment company is constructing a 35,000 square-foot building to add to its current building across the street at 200 W. 61st North, according to an agenda report. Midwest Truck is a distributor for Knapheide, a national truck body and bed manufacturer with roots in Quincy, Illinois. It serves the Wichita area and southern Kansas with Knapheide truck bodies. With 17 employees, the company plans to expand operations and add three full-time jobs for its first year, then add 30 over the next 10 years, the report said. “It’s so new,” Midwest Truck owner Mike Hahnfeld said of the project. “We’re just trying to get everything started and going and all that right now.” Park City unanimously approved Tuesday the use of up to $3.5 million in industrial revenue bonds, with a 100% property tax exemption for the next five years, for Midwest Truck Equipment to acquire, construct and equip its new facility. This will also include a sales-tax exemption on materials during construction.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
City of Wichita deploying Veo electric scooters ahead of spring
The City of Wichita says with the nice weather residents and guests will start seeing Veo electric scooters around town again. During the winter, most of the electric scooters are put away. “As of [Wednesday], they have deployed around 80% of the rest of the fleet,” said Megan Lovely, the communications manager for the City of Wichita. There are rules for riding an electric scooter in city limits. (…) The City of Wichita also encourages riders to wear a helmet for safety. You can ride a Veo by downloading the VeoRide mobile app, available for Apple and Android.
Source: KSN-TV
Half dozen tornados hit Wabaunsee County, sheriff’s office says
The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office shared pictures of Wednesday’s storm. At 7:43 p.m., the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Wabaunsee, Geary and Morris Counties. Shortly later, at 7:50 p.m., a tornado was reported on the ground in Alma heading northeast. The KSN Storm Tracker and Meteorologist Jack Maney caught video of the tornado above. According to the sheriff’s office, at least half a dozen tornadoes were confirmed by spotters and sheriff’s office staff. Damage has been reported to structures in the rural area of the county. The sheriff’s office reports that tornadoes struck no cities. Wabaunsee County Emergency Management will be making a full damage assessment on Thursday. At 8:25 a.m., WCEM said most of the damage was 5 miles southwest of Alma. Sheriff’s deputies, emergency management and the county’s road and bridge department are inspecting the damage.
Source: KSN-TV
Kansas congressman introduces bill to help rural hospitals
Kansas congressman Jake LaTurner has introduced a bill that would allow previously closed rural hospitals to re-open and apply for a designation to help them continue to serve their communities. The Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act would create a designation of Rural Emergency Hospitals. Previously closed hospitals can apply for the designation and if they meet the eligibility requirements, they can re-open their emergency and outpatient operations. The designation will allow certain hospitals to convert to the new Medicare provider designation, which would allow rural hospitals to continue operating with limited services. Hospitals are only eligible for the designation if they met the requirements when the legislation was signed into law on December 27th, 2020. LaTurner’s bill would extend the eligibility date to January 1st, 2015, for hospitals that were either critical access hospitals or rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
County extends wind farm construction moratorium
Labette County commissioners, on a 2-1 vote, agreed to extend the moratorium on wind energy project construction in the county through the end of September. The delay allows the county’s planning and zoning committee more time to get zoning regulations in place. The current moratorium expires on April 21, commissioners heard Monday. Commissioners Terry Weidert and Vince Schibi approved the extension. Commissioner Cole Proehl voted against it. The vote followed an update by Marc Jones, planning and zoning committee chair, on the planning committee’s progress toward zoning regulations. Jones offered commissioners three options for action. The first was to allow the current moratorium to expire. The second was to extend it, which commissioners approved 2-1 to extend it to Sept. 30. The third option was to approve a resolution that would require all industrial renewable energy projects to have agreements with the county on roads and other issues before development begins. Commissioners discussed the third option as well after Proehl motioned to implement it as a way to continue the dialogue with renewable companies interested in the county. County Counselor Brian Johnson said commissioners would have to repeal the moratorium extension first then asked for a closed session with the commission for an attorney-client discussion.
Source: Parsons Sun
Grant could bring ‘welcome’ change
New “Welcome to Humboldt” signs could be in the making thanks to Allie Utley, granddaughter of the late Dick Davis, baseball historian and founder of Humboldt’s Walter Johnson and George Sweatt Fan Club. Utley most recently spearheaded the erection of a sign along U.S. 169 south of town recognizing hometown baseball greats Johnson and Sweatt. Utley, an Iola native who now lives in Overland Park and is an active organizer, plans to apply for a grant through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Rural Murals program to help replace Humboldt’s aging signs on the south and north entrances to town. They were installed in 2009. Discussion at Monday’s Humboldt Council meeting was favorable and included talk of a more modern look for the welcome signs. The city would match the state’s share of funding if Utley were successful in securing the grant, which has a limit of $7,500. As for the baseball greats, Utley said Tuesday afternoon that she hopes they can be incorporated into a new design. “Obviously, they are near and dear to me. Perhaps the welcome sign can be a snapshot of Humboldt that gives a subtle nod to Walter Johnson and George Sweatt. They had a large impact on the town, but certainly are not its only focus.”
Source: The Iola Register
City crews working to clean up homeless camps in south Topeka
The City of Topeka is working to clean up homeless camps in south Topeka on Monday. City Spokeswoman Rosie Nichols said the City of Topeka’s Street Department is currently working on the abatement of the encampments. She said crews started Monday morning and should be finished by Tuesday, but the cleanup could take until Wednesday. Several camps belonging to homeless individuals living along the Kansas River were cleared on Tuesday, Feb. 27 as part of a larger enforcement effort. The work is being implemented in a phased approach to enforce a camping ordinance passed last year limiting where people can camp in city limits. The city will work to clean up the area east of the Kansas Avenue bridge along the Kansas River and north of the levee in the near future. The cleanup is expected to begin on or around March 25, depending on weather conditions.
Source: KSNT 27 News
City of Lawrence plans: Open Pallet village, prohibit camping, establish police office downtown
The City of Lawrence is planning to open a village of shelters for people experiencing homelessness Monday, soon end support at the sanctioned North Lawrence campsite, prohibit camping in that area and establish an office for police officers who will patrol downtown full time. A two-page report in the Lawrence City Commission’s meeting agenda for Tuesday, March 19 lays out staff members’ plans in a bit more detail on all the planned changes. The report does not ask for the commission to vote to approve any plans. The Lawrence Community Shelter will operate the Village, a community of 50 cabin-like structures on North Michigan Street for people experiencing homelessness. People will start moving into those shelters on Monday, March 18. Construction at the site has been complete for months, but the shelter needed to hire enough staff members to manage it. The city has previously said that veterans, older people, women emerging from domestic violence situations and people with disabilities who require specialized support and care were among the people the Village would aim to serve. It was less clear from Tuesday’s meeting agenda whether more vulnerable people would be given priority to move in. The first guests who will move in at the Village are all people who reside in the city-sanctioned camp in North Lawrence, which the city dubbed Camp New Beginnings, followed by others who stay in nearby camps, according to the report.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Rossville community clears debris after EF2 tornado damages town
A local man lost much of his property to Wednesday’s EF2 tornado. The next day, many in the community showed up to lend a helping hand. Chad Shafstall’s friend experienced the wicked storm that rolled through Rossville around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. “It messed his house up pretty good,” Shafstall said. “Took out all of his buildings to speak of. Luckily, he was just fine. He was in a safe room in the basement and that kept him from having any issues.” From roofing companies, to Rossville’s chief of police directing traffic, Shafstall said the community quickly came to their aid. “We’ve got Free State down there hooking his power up, and Dultmeier Construction’s patching his roof to keep any water damage from happening,” Shafstall said. “Everybody’s doing their part.” Additionally, Shafstall said nearly 20 local students on spring break showed up to help clear debris that was spread across a half mile. “When something goes wrong, we might not always get along personally with each other’s views, but when it comes down to it, when somebody needs a helping hand, I always say ‘be your brothers keeper,'” Shafstall said. “It’s easy to see, St. Marys, Silver Lake, Rossville — small town community, middle of the U.S.A. — it’s what we do.”
Source: KSNT 27 News
Shawnee County tornado sirens turn controversial for some local residents
A local emergency management spokesman is weighing on why the decision was made to turn tornado sirens on during Wednesday night’s storms. Tornado sirens could be heard across Shawnee County in the evening hours on March 13. 27 News spoke with Dusty Nichols with Shawnee County Emergency Management about the thinking behind setting off the county’s tornado sirens. Tornados were reported in nearby counties with Shawnee County being placed on alert by the National Weather Service (NWS) as the storm system moved through northeast Kansas. Nichols said the sirens were activated as reports of tornadic activity came in from weather radar and storm spotters on the ground. The sirens were turned on for their three-minute cycle as emergency management’s policy is to get locals to pay attention to the weather and turn their televisions on. The move was made out of caution, but ultimately received mixed responses from locals. Nichols said while some people called Shawnee County Emergency Management to say thanks for sounding the sirens, others were upset about the sirens despite the close proximity of tornadoes being reported on the ground near the Rossville area.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Emporia nominated for USA Today’s favorite main street
Emporia has been nominated by USA Today as one of the nation’s favorite main streets for the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. Every year nominees are selected by a panel of experts. This year six 10Best editors narrowed the final list of nominees. Each year the panel of experts selects 20 cities across the nation. “Emporia Main Street has been nominated as one of the Best Main Streets in the country by USA TODAY! Help us win the top spot by voting each day between NOW and Monday, April 8th,” Emporia Main Street wrote on Facebook. In 2016 Emporia took the title of best main street and now Emporia Main Street is reaching out to its community to take home another win.
Source: KSNT 27 News
FREE Rural Health and Prosperity Grants 101 Workshop
Registration Now Open!
FREE Rural Health and Prosperity
Grants 101 Workshop
Mark your calendars! State and federal agencies are again collaborating to present a Rural Health and Prosperity Grants 101 Workshop in McPherson on April 16 & 17, 2024.
Two track options to choose from, Health and Community. Health and social services providers, community and economic developers, city commissioners, city and county staff, faith-based and community leaders, school board members, workforce development boards, and bankers or other lending organizations are encouraged to attend. Discover grant opportunities, hear success stories, and get application tips for your community or organization. Visit the event page for more info!
Rural Health and Prosperity Grants 101 Workshop
April 16, 2024 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. | April 17, 2024 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
McPherson Community Building | 122 E. Marlin Street, McPherson
For more information, contact Kerri Falletti at (785) 207-5206 or kerri.falletti@ks.gov.
Municipal Bond Trends for March 14, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. 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.