Kansas Municipal News
Municipal Bond Trends for May 20, 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.
Lt. Governor Toland Announces $500,000 in Tourism Attraction Development Grants
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $500,000 has been awarded in the latest round of Attraction Development Grant funding. … The Attraction Development Grant funding will be divided among 14 new or enhancing existing tourism attraction projects. Grant recipients will invest almost $1.4 million in matching investments toward the approved projects.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Two tornadoes touched down and knocked out power Sunday night in Johnson County: NWS
At least two EF-1 tornadoes caused damage as they tore through Johnson County, Kansas Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. The first tornado started near Mill Valley High School in Shawnee around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a storm survey from the National Weather Service. It crossed the campus of the high school and moved northeast across Monticello Road, fizzling out around 10:36 p.m. on Johnson Drive.
Source: Joco 913 News
Walmart moves Johnson County warehouse operations to Topeka, offers 318 workers transfer
Walmart is relocating its e-commerce distribution operations in Edgerton’s industrial park to its warehouse in Topeka, a company spokeswoman said Monday, adding that its 318 employees have been offered the chance to transfer. Spokeswoman Camille Dunn said Walmart plans to move its operations in Edgerton to its fulfillment center in Topeka, which opened at 1303 S.W. Innovation Parkway in 2021.
Source: KC Star Local News
Kansas communities begin cleanup, damage surveys after storms rip off roofs, down trees
The National Weather Service had survey teams out Monday assessing storm damage in Halstead, Newton and Russell after severe storms hit central Kansas on Sunday night. Those storms brought rain, large hail, strong wind gusts and a few reported tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Overland Park considers setting up property tax rebate pilot for 2025
Overland Park could soon join the ranks of other Johnson County cities that offer some kind of property tax rebate for lower income residents. The Overland Park City Council’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday voted 4-2 to recommend the creation of a rebate pilot program for next year. … The vote suggests to the rest of the city council that the city of Overland Park budget $200,000 to start up a first-come-first-served property tax rebate pilot program likely intended for some of the city’s lowest income homeowners. Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Prairie Village, Roeland Park and Shawnee all administer some sort of property tax rebate program with different parameters for eligibility.
Source: Johnson County Post
Crawford County passes moratorium on wind / solar farms
Friday morning, Crawford County Commissioners passed a moratorium on further wind and solar development in the county in front of a full house. While supporters of the moratorium wanted at least a full year, commissioners decided on a December 31, 2024, deadline with the option to extend if needed. The commission will begin updating its comprehensive plan in the next few weeks once a consultant has been confirmed. Two agencies offered their proposals, one of which gave a completion date of December 31. The commission’s decision on the moratorium was based on this estimate.
Source: Morning Sun
KDOT seeks input on EV charging in Kansas
The Kansas Department of Transportation is looking for input from the public to determine what’s next for the Charge Up Kansas National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Plan. … KDOT is requesting public feedback on EV charging to help create next year’s plan. Go to
KDOT to complete a short survey.
Source: KDOT
Governor vetoes government competition bill
Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday vetoed a bill requiring cities and counties to rebate property taxes if they compete against certain businesses such as fitness centers, day care facilities and restaurants. Kelly vetoed a bill that was packaged with a child and dependent care tax credit that the governor supports along with an expanded property tax refund for seniors and property tax rebates for veterans with disabilities.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Wichitans want solutions for homelessness. Can they accept them in their backyard?
As Wichita struggles to address a growing homeless population with uncertain funding, crucial details surrounding a future city-operated homeless shelter or resource center remain unresolved. Among several homelessness-related initiatives promoted by the city is a multiagency campus and center, often referred to as the MAC – a one-stop resource center that would house supportive low-income housing and two 24/7, low-barrier homeless shelters; one communal, one not.
Court confirms how Prairiefire’s available funds should be applied to defaulted STAR bonds
The bank overseeing Prairiefire’s nearly $65 million in defaulted sales tax revenue (STAR) bonds now has a clearer path forward as to how it should apply available funds from the Overland Park development to its first portion of outstanding debt. A judge in Minnesota’s Hennepin County District Court on Thursday issued an order confirming that UMB Bank, the trustee for Prairiefire’s STAR bonds, should proportionately split about $4.2 million across $14.9 million in principal and $1.75 million in interest that came due in mid-December. The order also clarifies that future interest will accrue on delinquent interest at the retail and entertainment project, on top of its three tranches of STAR bond principal.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Fed Gov. Waller wants ‘several months’ of good inflation data before lowering rates
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, citing a string of data showing that inflation appears to be easing, said Tuesday that he does not think further interest rate increases will be necessary. However, the policymaker added he will need some convincing before he backs cuts anytime soon. “Central bankers should never say never, but the data suggests that inflation isn’t accelerating, and I believe that further increases in the policy rate are probably unnecessary,” said Waller, who has been generally hawkish in his recent views, meaning he supports tighter monetary policy.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Abilene reinstates water fluoridation
The persistence of oral health experts succeeded as they swayed one Abilene City Commissioner to change her vote during Monday’s commission meeting, ending in a 3-2 result to reintroduce fluoride into the city’s water. Before the commission voted, several local and Topeka experts made comments to the commission.
Source: Abilene RC
Schools closed, power still out for thousands in JoCo following severe storms
A line of thunderstorms packing gusty winds caused damage to numerous Johnson County neighborhoods late Sunday night, and at least three schools in the area were closed Monday due to the storms’ lingering impacts. The National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Johnson County at about 10 p.m. The warning said there was the risk of wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and hail up to the size of quarters. Wind gusts ended up damaging trees throughout the area. Large tree branches crashed down onto several homes’ roofs, and even more fallen tree branches damaged power lines. Falling trees and branches damaged several homes in Overland Park, Prairie Village, Shawnee and Lenexa, according to recorded radio traffic and social media posts. On Monday, multiple schools in Johnson County were closed due to the impacts of the storm, including Mill Valley High School in USD 232, where officials said they were investigating a possible gas leak. There were no immediate reports of storm-related injuries in Johnson County.
Source: Johnson County Post
Lenexa unveils renovated Sar-Ko-Par Aquatic Center, which will open later this month
After years of planning and renovations, Lenexa’s “flagship outdoor pool” is ready to reopen to the public. Following a two-year, $15-million redesign, Sar-Ko-Par Aquatic Center — formerly Indian Trails Aquatic Center — will open for the summer swim season on Saturday, May 25, with a new look and bevy of new amenities. “The community was the one wanting something that had way more features to it,” said Mandy Danler, project manager and assistant director of Lenexa Parks and Recreation. “While it can be costly, that’s what they wanted. So we brought it all under here and did what we could to assure that we met those needs.” One of the big changes was adding zero-depth entry to the pool and a splash pad for children. These are important additions for families with small children and people with disabilities, Danler said. “It will be more interactive for kids to play and run through,” she said. During the pool renovation’s two-year planning phase, a repeated complaint parks and recreation staff heard was people were tired of having to exit the water to navigate between amenities.
Source: Johnson County Post
Golf cart users request more latitude on Great Bend streets
The Great Bend City Council will consider an ordinance permitting and regulating the use of golf carts, micro-utility trucks and work-site utility vehicles on certain streets in town when it meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 20, at City Hall, 1209 Williams St. The meeting in the Council Chambers is open to the public and will also be livestreamed for the public to view on the City Council Facebook page. According to agenda materials, the current Standard Traffic Ordinances adopted by the city prohibit the use of these vehicles on city streets. However, by separate ordinance, the use of micro-utility trucks are authorized and regulated. Citizens have approached the administration requesting that the city allow golf carts as well. Several other cities in the area have ordinances allowing and regulating such vehicles.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Evel Knievel Museum to move from Topeka to Las Vegas
A museum dedicated to famous motorcycle stunt performer Evel Knievel is heading west later this year. The Evel Knievel Museum, which has been located in Topeka since its founding in 2017, will move to Las Vegas after the final day of business, according to museum co-founder Matt Patterson. A new museum is already under construction in Nevada. The move comes after months of speculation for the future of the museum’s property, which it shares with a Harley-Davidson store. KSNT-TV reported in December 2023 that the property at SW 21st Street and Topeka Boulevard was sold to Shawnee County. The museum will remain open in Topeka until November 2.
Source: KAKE – News
Lawrence is short a fire engine because of staffing shortages, union says
Lawrence has been short a fire engine most of the day Thursday, and firefighters expect that to happen again — maybe as soon as this weekend — because of staffing shortages and overtime cuts. Seamus Albritton, president of IAFF Local 1596, the firefighters union, said normal daily staffing for Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical operations is 39 firefighter-paramedics, but that minimum has been cut to 36. “Usually if we did not have 39 people available to work due to various reasons such as leave, we would call firefighters back for overtime to fill those vacancies allowing us to keep all units in service for the shift,” Albritton said via email. “The City is no longer calling back firefighters for overtime to fill these vacancies until we drop below 36 employees.” The result of that? Engine 5, the fire engine for Station No. 5 at 1911 Stewart Ave., will go out of service for a shift, Albritton said. Engine 5 is out from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, and “is likely to be out of service more frequently as the summer goes on and for entire 24 hours shift routinely,” Albritton said. “This may be happening again as soon as this Saturday.”
Source: The Lawrence Times
Westmoreland Mayor says $105,000 has been raised for tornado relief
Westmoreland Mayor Mark Jack recently updated the relief efforts taking place in Pottawatomie County. He said that city council has not yet decided on how to disperse the raised funds, but noted the council will soon be meeting with local groups and individuals for input. Jack also updated the total amount raised. The next steps for the city, he says, are for residents to reach out to the local government or one of the humanitarian organizations set up if they have major needs. Sen. Jerry Moran hinted last week that Westmoreland wouldn’t qualify for FEMA money, but Jack says they’re not done trying and hopes that won’t be the case in the near future. If you have been affected by the tornado and need financial assistance, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS to share your information and start an application.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Rural Kansas needs health care providers. K-State’s first PA cohort is stepping up
They all came for different reasons and from different sources of inspiration, but the end goal was the same — to help people with broken noses, bacterial infections and any other number of medical maladies. As the inaugural cohort of Kansas State University’s physician assistant studies program finishes 27 months of intensive classroom and clinical training, its students are excited to make a difference in treating acute and chronic illnesses and injuries, especially in areas that face health care shortages. “Our first cohort set the standard for the program,” said Gwen Ferdinand-Jacob, director of the program and a physician assistant herself. “They helped us learn how to best teach students and prepare them for jobs as physician assistants.” K-State’s physician assistant graduates are trained to meet common medical needs. K-State’s physician assistant program began as a concept several years ago when the university saw a statewide need for more health care providers. Out of Kansas’ 105 counties, more than 60 are medically underserved under the state’s standard for primary medical care, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s latest certification.
Source: Great Bend Tribune