Kansas Municipal News
Commission discusses wind project moratorium
The Labette County Commission may consider extending the current moratorium on the construction of wind harvesting projects in the county. The current moratorium ends in April, commissioners were told, and discussed if voting on the issue in March would provide enough time for legal publications to notify the public about the decision. The board attorney said that would provide enough time. The commission enacted the 15-month moratorium by resolution in late November 2022. The purpose is to allow the county planning committee to get zoning regulations in place. Foster and Associates, hired to assist with the process, is still working on the zoning regulations, and that’s one step in the process to get the regulations approved and in place. Commission Chairman Terry Weidert said the planning committee may not be ready with zoning regulations for the commission to consider before the moratorium expires. He just didn’t want the commission to run out of time to extend the moratorium if it needed it. After discussion, commissioners agreed to reconsider the matter in March to see how much progress the planning committee makes toward zoning regulations.
Source: Parsons Sun
Halstead fire crews battle large fire in bitter cold
Harvey County fire crews battled a large fire in bitterly cold temperatures early Tuesday around 12:20 a.m. at an automotive repair shop. Halstead Fire/EMS said the fire happened on Halstead Road just south of U.S. Highway 50. Upon arrival, crews discovered the building had flames throughout and through the roof. Pictures from Halstead Fire/EMS show flames engulfing a metal-framed building. Several fire crews, including Newton Fire/EMS, were called to help battle the fire. Halstead Fire/EMS said the state fire marshal was on scene. There is no word on what started the blaze. The investigation is ongoing. No injuries were reported.
Source: KSN-TV
Is Wichita affordable for single renters? This report says it’s the top city in the US
If you’re a single renter looking for more affordable cities to live in, you may want to take a close look at Kansas. According to a report by apartment rental company RentHop, Wichita was ranked the most affordable city for a single renter in the U.S. The company conducted the December report by measuring median nonfamily household incomes, city population counts, advertised prices for studio apartments and year-over-year changes to studio prices. The median cost of a studio apartment in the Air Capital is $565 a month, Renthop says in the report, meaning the average person would have to spend 17.65% of their annual income on rent every year. For comparison, New York City is the most expensive place for single renters, according to Renthop, with residents having to spend about 71% of their annual income on rent in the city. According to a separate report from GoBankingRates, the average single person in Kansas needs to make $47,379 annually to live comfortably, which would make the state sixth in the country for lowest living wage. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the median household income in Wichita (in 2022 dollars) is $60,712. The poverty rate in the city sits at 15.5%. While Wichita may have been named the most affordable city by RentHop, the cost of rent is rising across the U.S., including locally. A report from late 2022 from NAI Martens indicates rent prices in Wichita rose 1.8% in 2022 and 9.4% in 2021.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
‘We care about each other’: Topekans weigh in on city’s homeless initiative
Community leaders are moving into the next phase of addressing the city’s homeless population. On Tuesday, the ‘Homeless Initiative,’ partially led by design chair Brianna Sylver, held an ideation session to brainstorm solutions to Topeka’s homeless problem. “The goal is to come up with seven to 10 different solutions,” Sylver said. “Typically, those will range in terms of short-term versus long-term solutions.” The City of Topeka brought Sylver in to help manage the entire process. The best way, in Sylver’s opinion to approach this, is by involving as many people as possible. Topeka residents and community leaders spent for several hours offering input and sharing ideas. Members from organizations like the Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) , Topeka City Council and the Boys’ and Girls’ club were in attendance. Attendees brainstormed in small groups by writing their ideas out on tables covered in butcher paper. “I saw a tremendous amount of passion, hope, excitement,” Brian Cole, the director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections said. “I saw a lot of energy of wanting to solve this problem to serve those that need these valuable resources.” Then, representatives from each small shared those ideas with the whole, and everyone eventually voted on the best ones. “Kudos to the city for bringing folks together from all walks of life to come and talk about solutions and to really again, helping human beings,” Derik Flerlage, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) director of family health said. Sylver’s team will test out some of the brainstormed solutions in the near future. She also said there will be more chances for Topekans to share their voices throughout this process.
Source: KSNT 27 News
City Council votes for more input on overturning LLC contribution ban
The expected City Council overturn of a 2-week-old ban on contributions to city of Wichita election candidates from limited liability companies and corporations took a detour Tuesday. The Council voted 5-2 to refer the ordinance change to members’ district advisory boards, which offer advice and recommendations to each of the six members representing specific areas of the city. Mayor Lily Wu and Council member Becky Tuttle voted to ask for the DAB input, along with the three remaining members who voted for the initial ban Jan. 2 — Maggie Ballard, Mike Hoheisel and Brandon Johnson. New members Dalton Glasscock, who asked last week to reassess the ordinance, and J.V. Johnston voted against. Wu and Tuttle still seem likely to join Glasscock and Johnston as a majority overturning the LLC contributions ban. Wu had more than 100 LLC and corporate donations in winning November’s general election, and Tuttle voted against the ban during the last Council meeting with a Democratic majority. But the ordinance took on new language Tuesday that Glasscock said will increase transparency, if overturned.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Clay Center City Council passes grant policy
In a meeting that lasted about five minutes, the Clay Center Council swore in Mayor Jimmy Thatcher and recently-reelected council members and approved one agenda item last week on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The sole agenda item that was approved outside the consent agenda was a grant management policy that directed City Clerk Kerry Rozman how to handle grant funds received through a grant applied for by Grow Clay County.
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com – RSS Results in news,local/* of type article
Bobcats spotted by Johnson County officials at Shawnee Mission Park
Two bobcats were spotted roaming Shawnee Mission Park on Tuesday. Johnson County Park and Recreation (JCPRD) Natural Resource staff took pictures of two bobcats walking through the park while doing deer density research. They snapped the rare photo while surveying the area for deer on the south side of Shawnee Mission Park. The “elusive bobcats are secretive but highly adaptable to the urban environment of Johnson County,” JCPRD said on X. A bobcat bit a woman in 2022 after she picked up the wild animal off a Liberty, Missouri, road. It’s a friendly reminder not to approach these majestic animals, even if they seem harmless at first.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Topeka asks every resident to begin flushing water
The City of Topeka is asking residents to flush possibly contaminated water to restore fresh water for customers. While the City of Topeka, and parts of Shawnee County are still in a Boil Water Advisory, Utilities staff with the City of Topeka are asking all customers, if able, to flush their water. According to a press release from the city, flushing water through their water supply systems could help to make sure fresh water makes it to every residence. The time it takes to flush a system thoroughly varies depending on the size of a building or home. To properly flush, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in a home or business for about 10-15 minutes. This time frame flushes approximately 40 gallons of water through a customer’s system. According to the city, regular uses of water, like taking a shower or doing laundry, are effective methods of flushing. For homes and businesses with larger water heaters, the city advises that you flush your system for an additional 10-15 minutes. The City of Topeka Utilities Director Sylvia Davis explained at Tuesday’s city council meeting that the city has no plans to compensate customers for flushing their systems. “For our highest-rated customers, those folks that pay the highest water rates, you’re talking about 20 to 25 cents,” Davis said. “So, as we were talking about potentially giving out credits, it would end up costing us way more to generate those credits.” The Boil Water Advisory will remain in place until city staff had met all of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) testing requirements and have lifted the advisory, according to the press release. The KDHE requires 100 samples to be collected throughout the city, and have to come back clear of any contaminates.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Municipal Bond Trends for January 16, 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.
Topeka water customers asked to start flushing lines to end boil water advisory quicker
Topeka’s city government late Tuesday encouraged city water service customers to start “flushing” water through their supply systems to help ensure that fresh water reaches every customer and the boil water advisory ends more quickly. Flushing a system varies based on the size of a building, the city said on its Facebook page. “Generally, customers should turn on all indoor faucets in their home or business for 10-15 minutes to flush approximately 40 gallons of water through their system,” it said. “Due to outdoor weather conditions, consider using only indoor faucets like sinks, tubs, toilets and other washing appliances.” For homes or businesses with larger water heaters, flush for an additional 10-15 minutes, the city said.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for January 12, 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.
Study looks at ambulance response times in Shawnee County
Ambulance response times appear to be getting worse in Topeka. That’s according to a Wichita State University study, but American Medical Response is pushing back on those claims. The percentage of “late calls” by AMR, Shawnee County’s ambulance service, nearly doubled between 2020 and 2022 in “Zone 1,” which covers most of Topeka, Topeka City Council members were told Tuesday by Tom Jenkins, project associate and technical expert for the Public Policy & Management Center at Wichita State. Jon Antrim, AMR’s regional director, took issue with that…
Source: CJonline
Speaker at Salina forum shares strategies to end homelessness
People passionate about homelessness in Salina braved the bitter cold to listen and packed into a standing-room-only setting to hear about and discuss solutions Thursday night. The City of Salina invited Julia Orlando, a consultant from New Jersey who also is the director of the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center, to speak about strategies it used to bring homelessness to “functional zero” in that county.
Source: Salina Journal
Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $5M for Digital Skills Training
Governor Laura Kelly today announced a $4.75 million initiative to improve the digital skills of Kansans not yet able to maximize the power of the internet. The Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans (DOCK) program strengthens access to necessary digital tools and opportunities…. DOCK promotes access to digital resources by providing awards for digital skills development programs. The maximum individual award is $250,000, with required matching funds at 5 percent…. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) encourages local governments, community organizations, educational institutions, and others to partner in making the DOCK program a success.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Shawnee Mission superintendent to step down. District will start search for new leader
Shawnee Mission Superintendent Michelle Hubbard, who was recently named 2024 Kansas Superintendent of the Year, will retire after this school year. The school board accepted Hubbard’s resignation during a special meeting Thursday evening. Hubbard, who was named superintendent in 2021, will serve the remainder of her contract through June.
Source: Joco 913 News
Great Bend Fire Department answered over 2,583 fire and EMS calls in 2023
With the ringing of a new year, the Great Bend Fire Department thought residents might be curious about the number of calls it handled in 2023, Fire Chief Brent Smith said. The information was presented to the City Council. “We thought you may wonder just how many calls we respond to in one year,” Smith said. This is the number of calls from Jan. 1 through Dec. 18. In all, the Great Bend Fire Department made 2,583 fire and Emergency Medical Services runs in that time span…
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Shawnee moves forward with new rules for Airbnbs
The Shawnee City Council Committee is getting closer to setting new rules and restrictions for short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO. On Monday evening, the committee reached a consensus for amendments to Shawnee Municipal Code Chapter 5 to regulate short-term rentals through the city’s business licensing department. Short-term rental property owners would also face penalties if they violate existing ordinances, like noise violations or health and safety codes.
Source: Johnson County Post
Overland Park mulls changing development rules
As Overland Park continues to build its new comprehensive plan, the city is also mulling some possible updates to regulations for future development and redevelopment projects. That collection of ordinances called a Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, lays out the rules for development in a community, including land use and architectural standards. The plan is to work with a consultant to review the UDO, the cost of which Overland Park Senior Planner Danielle Hollrah said is already budgeted into city’s 2024-28 capital improvement project list.
Source: Johnson County Post
County commission approves cost of living increase for county employees
The Chase County Commission approved a 3.5% cost of living adjustment across the board for county employees at its meeting Monday morning. Commissioner Matt Miller said he was in favor of making the 3.5% increase standard for all county employees, regardless of full-time or part-time status, to help with cost of living increases. “The departments have done a good job of getting some internal pay scales and structures put in place. We have made a lot of progress there with department heads meeting and updating our leave policies. Those are definitely big steps forward,” Miller said. “I encourage us as we go into budget season this year to take the pay into consideration a bit more.” The motion to approve a 3.5% increase passed unanimously.
Source: Emporia Gazette
“Need rural water!”
After fighting for clean, oil-free water since September, mother of three and wife, Jenna Krob, says she’s tired of being redirected. “I feel like I’m getting tossed around just like I did when I didn’t have water at first,” said Krob. “Now I’m being tossed around again just trying to find a permanent solution.” The problem began as a foul smell filling their newly purchased home located at SW Thunder Rd and SW 150th St in rural Augusta. Soon after, their plumbing pipes, toilet tank, shower and sinks were coated in a black oily substance. The family suspected crude oil to be in their private water well but were still disappointed when the test came back positive. The family has gone without water in their home since Oct. 1, despite extensive efforts of testing, advocacy, and multiple attempts of finding a grant to cover the cost of a permanent solution. After testing the water, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE), concluded that the oil was in fact crude oil from previous activities being 10 years or more older, without identifying the source of the oil. After hearing about the Krob family and other community member’s ongoing issue, Rural Water District #5 was willing to help find a permanent solution to the problem. That solution would be connecting the community to rural water. While the crew and community knew it would be a big undertaking, they were still hopeful of finding a way to bring clean water to their families. The biggest hurdle would be to find financing.
Source: Andover American