Kansas Municipal News
Smoky Hill River Renewal takes step forward; First trail section will open later this month
Work on the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project has finally began, with a section of trail new the channel officially opening at the end of the month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for the half-mile section of the new trail at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, near the Salina Family YMCA, 570 YMCA Drive. According to the Friends of the River Foundation, the event will not only give guests the opportunity to walk or bike along the new trail section, but other activities will also be happening, including a scavenger hunt at booths along the trail, snacks and drinks. Parking is available at the Kenwood Cove Aquatic Center.
Source: Salina Journal
Pittsburg economy continues to grow
Dr. Michael Davidsson of Pittsburg State’s Kelce College of Business has released the newest quarterly economic report for the Pittsburg Micropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA). According to Davidsson, the number of jobs in the area has increased at an “unprecedented rate” over the past quarter. Using data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Davidsson said the number of jobs available rose to 17,699 during the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 3.8 percent over the same quarter in 2022. This is more than the growth of the rest of southeast Kansas (3.1 percent), statewide growth (2.6 percent), and national growth (2.8 percent). Payroll has increased by 8.5 percent with goods-producing industries making up 46.5 percent of the job growth. Manufacturing had the greatest impact after government jobs.
Source: Morning Sun
The Challenges of a Micropolitan City
Pittsburg is different in many ways, and one of its most interesting characteristics is that it is a micropolitan area. The micropolitan area designation was formally created by the US government in 2003 and relates to a small urban area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 that is removed from a larger metropolitan area. There are around 540 micropolitan areas in the US with around 27 million people. In Kansas, the overall population in micropolitan areas has declined, although Pittsburg is avoiding that trend as it continues to grow. Large suburbs, whose economy is often tied to the city they surround, do not qualify as micropolitan. A micropolitan area’s economy does not depend on another city, which means that it must be largely self-supporting.
Source: Morning Sun
A “Truancy & Chronic Absenteeism” plan is showing progress in this Kansas school district
The pandemic exposed an issue at many schools across the country: chronic absenteeism, including in the Parsons School District. However, district leaders have implemented a system that has helped. The Parsons School District has created a new “Chronic Absenteeism Task Force,” made up of faculty and staff from each school in the district. They’ve come up with initiatives and incentives for students. “Most of the research says, you know, try the non-punitive approach, support multi-tiered system of support. And so that’s where we started trying things last spring. And then we saw our numbers start to decrease,” said Jeff Pegues, Parsons Schools Assistant Superintendent. They’ve also put a focus on creating a welcoming environment and put a system in place to reward good attendance like morning assemblies to recognize students and drawings for weekly attendance.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Salina community invests in childcare issues
The Salina Area United Way has spearheaded an effort bringing in more than $2.8 million in funds so far to address child care issues and shortages in Saline County. A collaborative community effort, led by the United Way, has sought various federal and state grant funding, as well as partnerships with local businesses and organizations to build a reserve of funds to support the local child care industry. But they’re just getting started. Each year, it will take $460,000 to fully fund wage supplements for existing child care workers in local facilities. That figure doesn’t include any staff that might later become necessary.
Source: Salina Journal
Battery-storage facility plans unveiled for Halstead
The City of Halstead will enter into a lease-purchase agreement with a Boston company with plans to build a lithium-ion battery storage facility at Halstead’s industrial park. The facility could be online as early as 2027, according to the press release by Concurrent LLC, the Harvey County EDC, and the City of Halstead that was issued Oct. 16. The facility would consist, in part, of lithium-Ion batteries connected into Evergy’s transmission system, according to the release. The electric grid would be able to draw on the stored energy in the batteries when demand is high and store energy when demand is low. It’s aimed at improving the reliability of the Southwest Power Pool’s electrical grid. … Halstead City Manager Ethan Reimer stated in the release that the city was excited to enter into a lease-purchase option agreement with Concurrent for land in the Halstead Industrial Park. “This agreement allows for both the city and the developer to thoroughly investigate and determine whether the proposed future Tallgrass Prairie Energy Center is best suited to be located in our industrial park while providing an immediate economic benefit to our city,” he said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Governor Kelly Cuts Ribbon on $450M, 100+ Job Hill’s Pet Nutrition Tonganoxie Plant
Governor Laura Kelly joined business leaders from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Colgate-Palmolive, Leavenworth County, City of Tonganoxie, and other industry and elected officials for the grand opening of a new, fully designed smart facility in Tonganoxie. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of Colgate-Palmolive and a global leader in science-led nutrition, estimates it will invest more than $450 million to construct the new facility and bring more than 100 new jobs to Leavenworth County. Company officials say the new plant marks a “step change” in strategic automation and technological advancements in the pet food industry. It will significantly increase the company’s wet production capacity and provide a runway for continued expansion of Hill’s Science Diet and Prescription Diet product lines.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
New Lawrence bus station aims to facilitate community connections
Lawrence Transit’s Central Station is nearing completion. The new facility will serve as the central hub for bus transfers, a departure from the longtime downtown transfer point. What city staff members say will be a new era of public transport in Lawrence comes after nearly a decade of studies, planning and funding. Members of the Public Transit Advisory Committee got a tour of the facility Monday afternoon. The station, located just west of Bob Billings Parkway and Iowa Street near the KU campus, promises to be more than just a transportation hub, according to city staff members. It is designed to be a multifunctional space featuring vendor areas for local entrepreneurs and social services to engage with the community. Outside, the dropoff lane is extra wide to allow mobile services, such as a mobile food pantry, to connect with riders.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Computer network woes force Kansas courts to rely on old-school methods of operation
A computer network incident in Kansas interrupting electronic filings and payments in the state’s appellate courts and the district courts in all but populous Johnson County has been extended indefinitely, officials said Monday. The Kansas Supreme Court issued an updated administrative order indicating clerks in 104 counties were unable to receive online filings. The cause, which hasn’t been precisely explained, hasn’t forbidden clerk offices from operating. However, all filings must be executed with paper, delivered by hand or through the mail, or with a fax machine. The order signed by Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert would allow individuals to request relief from the courts if filings were late.
Source: The Lawrence Times
The latest on Riverfront Stadium? Developers won’t build by it without new TIF district
When Wichita announced plans to demolish Lawrence-Dumont Stadium and build a new Triple-A ballpark, city leaders promoted the $80-million-plus public investment as a catalyst for private development surrounding the stadium. The city sold land to developers for $1 an acre, moved McLean Boulevard, agreed to a subsidy package and tapped the state’s COVID-19 emergency funds to help boost private development on the west bank of the Arkansas River. Now, to spur private development, the city is poised to give to developers a key revenue stream that originally was supposed to help pay down stadium debt. If the City Council doesn’t approve the change, the city could lose the project — along with more than $39 million in projected city revenues from hotel taxes, guest taxes, added sales taxes and diverted state sales taxes over the next 20 years. City officials say EPC Real Estate Group won’t build a hotel, apartment complex, parking garage or 10,000-square-foot retail space without creating a tax increment finance, or TIF, district for the private development. That money was originally dedicated to help pay for the stadium under the original 2019 agreement.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for October 17, 2023
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.
Governor Kelly Announces Rural Champions Receive $300K for Community Projects
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $300,000 has been awarded to the 12 Rural by Choice Champions (Rural Champions) announced last year in collaboration with the Office of Rural Prosperity and the Patterson Family Foundation to address local challenges in their respective communities. The funding will allow these communities to move into the implementation phase of their projects. “Throughout my time in office, my administration has worked relentlessly to advance economic development, build affordable housing, and expand child care availability to ensure prosperity reaches every corner of the state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This funding allows Rural Champions to drive success in rural communities that until now did not have the resources necessary to complete these projects.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Rural Harvey County sees uptick in Airbnbs
A recent Newton City Council meeting inspired the city to assess its regulations on Airbnbs. While the city is still deciding its rules, the county has also been dealing with its regulations around them. Karen Rothe is the Harvey County Planning, Zoning and Environmental director. She is in charge of ensuring all Airbnbs that are in rural Harvey County have the proper permits. Rothe said she saw a large increase in the number of Airbnbs in Harvey County, and most of them didn’t have permits. Rothe said she checks the Airbnb site yearly. She checked it this year after being notified by the neighbor of a house that had been converted into an Airbnb.
Source: Harvey County Now
Halstead esports league a new experiment for the high school
The Halstead esports league has taken off after receiving licensing approval to join the esports league. The Halstead High School Principal, Chad Baalman, received significant interest from students for joining an esports league. He and some interested students presented to the board. They requested the purchase of a curriculum and several computers. The curriculum costs $5,000. The board approved funding for licensing but didn’t approve the purchase of the curriculum or additional computers. This is a test year to gauge interests. Students play from home on their personal devices. They coordinate practice times together online and are supervised by their coach.
Source: Harvey County Now
The Grain Belt Express will bring clean energy from western Kansas to Missouri
A transmission line carrying clean energy into Missouri is one step closer to being realized. On Thursday, Missouri’s Public Service Commission approved the final plans for Invenergy to build its Grain Belt Express transmission line. The line will bring 5,000 megawatts of energy, or roughly four nuclear power plants’ worth, from western Kansas through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, before sending it to other markets in the Midwest and beyond. It’s expected to save residents of Missouri, Kansas and Illinois $11 billion in its first 15 years.
Source: KCUR
Wichita, Sedgwick County to expand integrated care teams
The city of Wichita and Sedgwick County are expanding their integrated care team. The group works with law enforcement in responding to mental health crises. The goal of growing the program is to reduce the number of arrests and de-escalate situations. The addition of three new integrated care teams is a result of the success seen with the first team, ICT-1. The expansion lets the city and county assess where they should place funding for mental healthcare in the future. ICT-1 was formed as a way to bring people support in mental health crisis situations without taking them to jail or a mental health ward.
Source: KSN-TV
Museum preserving piece of JoCo’s past to be upgraded with federal grant
A national grant will help fund an organization dedicated to the history of Monticello Township. The self-funded, all volunteer Monticello Community Historical Society received a $3,000 grant from the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. The society runs mostly on fundraisers and donations. The society’s museum in an old fire station on 83rd Street — straddling the city lines between Lenexa and Shawnee — highlights artifacts and stories about the former Johnson County township, which was annexed by Lenexa and Shawnee in 1988.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Shawnee Mission’s Michelle Hubbard named Kansas Superintendent of the Year
Michelle Hubbard of the Shawnee Mission School District has been named Kansas Superintendent of the year by the Kansas Superintendents’ Association — an honor that also puts her in the running for national superintendent of the year. Hubbard, who has been Shawnee Mission’s superintendent since 2021, was cited by the Kansas association for her leadership and commitment to student success. In particular, the Kansas superintendents’ group mentioned Hubbard’s prioritization of the district’s Market Value Assets program encouraging seniors to develop industry-valued skills that make for a smooth transition from school to the workplace or to higher education.
Source: Prairie Village Post
City of Wichita to pave more than 150 dirt roads over next 10 years for $35 million
The City of Wichita plans to spend millions of dollars to pave more than 150 streets in the city. Its first priority is the streets around Wichita schools. One dirt road is about to get a facelift is Lilac Lane between Pike and Morris. Construction on the dirt road is expected to start on October 30th. The 10-year project will cost taxpayers $35 million. And, it’s making those who live along Lilac Lane very happy. “It’s going to be a lot better for the simple fact that my dog for instance him, he likes to go on roads and he doesn’t like the dirt going up in his paw pads, so it’s going to be a lot safer for him,” said Autumn Laguna who lives on Lilac Lane.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita adds CROWN Act to non-discrimination ordinance
The Wichita City Council approved changes to the city’s non-discrimination ordinance to include the adoption of the CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act. It adds definitions of race and protective hairstyles, prohibiting discrimination based on hair texture or styles like braids, afros, twists, or tightly coiled hair. “If we aren’t offending anyone else, personally, financially or with bodily harm, I think that we all should be supportive of allowing people to be themselves,” said Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau. A similar ordinance has passed in Lawrence. Sen. Faust-Goudeau is pushing for it to be passed by lawmakers next legislative session.
Source: KSN-TV