Kansas Municipal News
Eisenhower Airport ridership jumped 32% in April
The number of passengers flying in and out of Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport rose year-over-year in April. The airport says on its website that a total of 119,921 passengers flew through Eisenhower National in April to mark a 32.5% increase over the same month in 2021. The increase was aided by a greater use of larger aircraft in Wichita by airlines, with the airport noting a 196% jump in the usage of narrow-body jets. That resulted in 16.4% more seats on 3.8% more flights in April. Passenger count through the first four months of the year was up 47% to 410,578.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
It’s now safe to use Wichita tap water normally, health department confirms
It’s now safe to drink and use Wichita tap water normally, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed early Thursday morning. But boil advisories in several surrounding communities remain in effect. The all-clear for Wichita and Andover came at 12:41 a.m., after laboratory testing confirmed water quality has been restored. Wichita’s boil advisory, the second in eight months, lasted 32 hours. Advisories remain in effect for Rose Hill, Valley Center, Derby, Kechi and Sedgwick County rural water districts 2 and 3, all of which purchase water from Wichita.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for June 8, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Plan for Lawrence’s Community-Police Oversight Work Group gets approval from city commission
The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday approved a plan for a work group that will revise how complaints against Lawrence police officers are handled. The existing Community Police Review Board has long wanted greater authority than the scope that city law currently allows — a scope so narrow that since the board was created in 2018, it has not reviewed a single complaint. The current ordinance only allows CPRB members to review appeals of the police department’s decisions in complaints about bias-based policing. Starting in 2020, at the direction of the Lawrence City Commission, board members began drafting an ordinance that expanded its duties. But an outside consultant’s review of LPD, completed about a year ago, suggested that the CPRB and police department form a task force to determine the best way to move forward.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Local governments adjusting for inflation, rising fuel costs
Gas prices are no doubt causing adjustments in personal budgets, but what about local governments? Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr says they fully expect inflation and record-high fuel costs to create challenges in developing next year’s budget. As for any adjustments in the current operating budget, Fehr says the city has been fortunate to grow its reserves over the last couple years, and is seeing to-date sales tax revenues coming in higher than expected. Fehr says supply chain issues are also causing challenges at the city’s water treatment plant and in some cases the substitute additives in stock are also rapidly gaining in costs.
Source: 1350 KMAN
New urbanist housing development proposed for construction in Derby
Courtyards at Crosswater would be a 105-lot single-family residential development, located directly east of the St. Mary Catholic Church property on 40 acres of undeveloped agricultural land along Meadowlark Boulevard. It is a new venture for the developers in Derby, who do have other local properties, and unlike any recent projects that have come before the commission. “It is designed in a way that is different, quite frankly, than anything we have developed in Derby in a very long time,” said City Planner Scott Knebel. “The proposal is for what’s called a new urbanist development, which is a style of development that promotes walkability, human scale design as well as a traditional neighborhood design.”
Source: Derby Informer | News
Ellinwood impresses County Commission
Barton County commissioners left a joint meeting with the Ellinwood City Council last Wednesday night impressed with what is happening in the community. The gathering was a topic during the commission’s meeting this Wednesday morning. “There was some wonderful conversations and I love the vision of the City of Ellinwood and what they want to do to grow that community,” said District 4 Jon Prescott. “It also affects the growth, in a positive way, for the entire county. So it’s pretty exciting.” … District 1 Commissioner Kirby Krier said Ellinwood City Manger Chris Komarek presented three available shovel-ready projects to his City Council during the meeting. “I think he has a handle on all three. It looks good, Here’s a huge shout out to Chris Komarek’s great leadership there.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Bentley Police have successful fundraiser
The Bentley Police Department raised $801 for its reserve program at a fundraiser breakfast, last Saturday morning. “We had a really turnout,” Chief James “Tim” Bryan said. “A lot better than I anticipated for the first time.” About 100 people came out to enjoy a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs that morning. After accounting for supplies, Bryan said they should net $650 in profit from the fundraiser for the reserves. His goal was to replenish the fund for the police reserves so they don’t have to draw from the general fund for that. Needs for the reserve program include some new holsters and making sure each reserve has a dress uniform and a soft uniform. He’s also interested in a 50/50 matching grant for bulletproof vests since all his officers are wearing hand-me-downs right now.
Source: Harvey County Now
Kids catch a lot of fish at Sedgwick PD’s derby
The Sedgwick Police Department held its first annual kids’ fishing derby on Sunday with 45 participants, according to Police Chief Brian Daily. Daily estimated they had over a hundred total in attendance. Six-year-old Callen Leiker won two categories—the most fish caught (6) and the largest fish caught (4 pounds, 10 ounces). Bradyn Hansen (13 years old) won the smallest fish category with his 14-ounce catch. Daily said the highlight for him was seeing the kids having a good time. “It’s been an interesting journey because we just started with a pond dredging and from that, it’s turned into all these other opportunities,” Daily said. “It was just seeing the kids engaged.
Source: Harvey County Now
Stalled train makes ambulance re-route
A 60-year-old woman having trouble breathing Saturday in Ramona had to be taken to Salina Regional Health Center because a railroad crossing was blocked by a stopped train. The ambulance originally was headed to Hillsboro Community Hospital, but after waiting 10 minutes for a slow-moving Union Pacific train to clear the crossing, ambulance attendants saw that a second track was blocked by a stopped train. “We did get hold of dispatch, and dispatch got hold of UP,” emergency medical services director Travis Parmley said. “UP said there were more trains to come. With the condition the patient was in, it was better to go to Salina than wait for all those trains.”
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Wichita looking to improve notifications in times of crisis
The City of Wichita said they are working to improve notifications following recent boil orders and the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, the city relies heavily on media partners and social media accounts to spread the word in times of crisis. Jim Jonas, director of communication for the City of Wichita, joined the news conference Wednesday to talk about the work to improve the city’s website and said immediate access to information for residents is vital. “We are working towards a revised, updated, better website that will build in some of these capabilities with text and email so we’ll be able to get those communications out to residents immediately.”
Source: KSN-TV
Dighton pool reopens after cleanup from beer party
The City of Dighton said the swimming pool reopened Tuesday after it had to be drained and swept. Late last week, the sheriff’s office says several beer bottles were broken during an after-hours party. The damage was discovered when lifeguards and the pool manager arrived Saturday morning. The pool was drained, swept and refilled within just days.
Source: KSN-TV
Andover tornado victims can apply for mortgage and rent assistance
Victims of the tornado that hit the City of Andover on April 29 can now apply for mortgage and rent assistance through The REALTORS of South Central Kansas (RSCK). RSCK is collaborating with the National Association of REALTORS’ REALTOR Relief Foundation (RRF) to provide the support. A grant totaling $300,000 has been awarded to RSCK to give to tornado victims. A maximum of $2,000 will be provided to each qualified household. The assistance is for housing relief only and will go toward covering one month of mortgage or rent payment. According to RSCK, assistance will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis until the funds from the grant are fully disbursed or until the grant deadline on July 31.
Source: KSN-TV
Udall opens up new community building
Decades after a tornado wiped out a Kansas community, it is growing. Udall cut the ribbon on its new community building on Monday. Inside the million-dollar building is a library, fitness center and medical center. The mayor tells KSN News is a game-changer for the area. “So having the clinic here where you can see a provider, and you don’t have to leave town, you can go to the fitness center, and you don’t have to go to Winfield or Wichita or Derby to have those amenities. I think that’s a big draw for folks,” said Mayor Kenny Alt.
Source: KSN-TV
Judge sets Golden bond at $3,500
During a hearing in Miami County District Court conducted via Zoom on Monday, June 6, District Judge Steven Montgomery set bond in the Golden appeal at $3,500 and scheduled an in-person bench trial for October 2023. In October 2021, the County Commission voted 3-1 against incorporation of a proposed city of Golden in northern Miami County. Jennifer Williams, who filed the initial petition to incorporate about 9 square miles north of Hillsdale Lake into a city to block the march of intermodal warehouses into Miami County, is named as one of the plaintiffs in the case along with Golden supporter Charlie Koch. Their appeal of the commission’s 3-1 decision was filed Nov. 12 by attorney Doug Patterson with The Property Law Firm in Overland Park.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Johnson County cleans up after possible tornado, 95th Street closed in Leawood
Downed trees, fallen tree limbs and snapped power lines from last night’s storm had forced the closure of 95th Street between Mission Road and Lee Boulevard in Leawood Wednesday. … A powerful line of storms barreled through the Kansas City metro early Wednesday morning, producing at least one tornado in Johnson County. At 1:25 a.m. Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service’s Kansas City field office tweeted that “radar confirmed a tornado” moving east near Leawood. Other local forecasters also preliminarily concluded later Wednesday morning that a tornado had formed in Johnson County around 95th Street in Overland Park and Leawood. According to meteorologist Julie Adolphson with the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill, preliminary findings are showing that the tornado was a low-end EF1 tornado.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Salinans voted on ordinance to limit the commission’s powers. That ordinance is now void
Months after citizens in Salina voted in favor of it, an ordinance that put limits on the power of the City Commission was struck down after review by a judge. The ordinance stopped the commission from imposing restrictions on citizens and businesses if a state of emergency was declared by the county or the state and was brought about after citizens’ concerns about the city adopting mask mandates and other restrictions placed on the city and its residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the vote in November, the commission voted to send the ordinance to district court for a summary judgement in addition to allowing it to be placed on the ballot. On May 31, 28th District Court Judge Paul Hickman issued that judgement, saying the ordinance, as written, was void.
Source: Salina Journal
Douglas County leaders to consider replacing a chapter of construction codes for unincorporated areas of the county
Douglas County leaders will consider repealing and replacing an entire chapter of county construction codes this week. If approved by the Douglas County Commission at its Wednesday meeting, construction codes for the unincorporated areas of the county would be updated to align with the 2018 International Code Council series of construction codes, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Other changes would include a new permit fee methodology assigning valuations for new residential, commercial and accessory building construction, and the adoption of appendices allowing for light straw-clay construction, straw-bale construction and tiny-house construction.
Source: LJWorld
Municipal Bond Trends for June 7, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Severe weather hits Johnson County Wednesday morning
Tornado sirens sent Johnson Countians scurrying to their basements and interior hallways early Wednesday morning as a line of severe thunderstorms that appears to have produced at least one tornado rolled through the Kansas City metro.
Source: Prairie Village Post
State and local government workforce facing worst challenges in 50 years
State and local governments are experiencing recruitment and retention challenges not seen on this scale in fifty years. That’s according to panelists at the Government Finance Officers Association’s annual conference on Sunday, where panelists discussed the widespread challenges the public sector is facing with respect to recruitment and retention experienced since the onslaught of COVID-19 beginning in February 2020. “Simply put, what we’re seeing right now is one of the most challenging single workforce situations in the past 50 years,” said Joshua Franzel, managing director, research and thought leadership, MissionSquare Retirement. Outgoing GFOA President Michael Bryant recently said that GFOA is hyper focused on addressing the challenges associated with the great resignation, and incoming GFOA President Terri Velasquez highlighted talent recruitment as one of GFOA’s highest priorities in the coming year.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Wichita to offer program to boost ownership of single-family homes
Wichita City Council members have voted unanimously to approve a two-year program that is aimed at improving access and affordability for housing in the community. Interim assistant city manager Kathy Sexton told the council Tuesday that the current housing market is being challenged by low supplies and a rapid increase in home prices, and the market has had a very short supply of homes available for sale. Wess Galyon, executive director of the Wichita Area Builders Association, said the biggest challenge in the market is entry-level housing. The new program is intended to improve the affordability of newly-constructed single-family homes in new developments.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Political signs not allowed on highway right of way
It’s a sign of the season – political campaigning and the posting of campaign signs. The Kansas Department of Transportation reminds the public that all political campaign signs or billboards are prohibited from being placed on state right of way. By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes. When KDOT maintenance crews find political or business advertising on state right of way, the signs will be removed immediately and without notice. All such signs will then be taken to the closest KDOT Subarea office. Political campaign signs not retrieved from the Subarea offices will be disposed of after the election.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Communities In Schools Programs Receives Grant to Assist Students
Two Bourbon County school districts recently received a $10,000 grant each for student support from Walmart to help with the Communities In Schools programs. The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, according to https://www.communitiesinschools.org/. The name of the grant is the Walmart Community Grant – Communities In Schools Programming in Uniontown and Fort Scott, Kansas. Rhonda Hoener is the Student Support Coordinator for Communities In Schools at Uniontown, and wrote the grant proposal.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Johnson County Commission amends regulations guiding solar farm developments
The Johnson County Commission absorbed conflicting public comment Monday before voting to soften development regulations to allow individual solar projects as large as 2,000 acres, solar fields as close as 1.5 miles from city boundaries and operational permits of 25 years in length. The commission voted 6-1 at the conclusion of a three-hour special meeting to approve revised planning and zoning regulations for unincorporated areas of the county for construction of solar collectors and battery storage facilities. More conservative limits recommended by the county’s planning commission were rejected, including a maximum farm size of 1,000 acres, a 2-mile buffer from cities and a 20-year permit. Johnson County officials have studied options for locating utility-sized solar farms in the county since 2021.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Wichita placed under boil water advisory for second time in eight months
Wichita has been placed under a boil water advisory, as of 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. At a press conference, city officials said the earliest the advisory could be lifted is Wednesday evening. “During routine maintenance at the water treatment plant, for a short period of time, an unexpected water quality change occurred, resulting in a slight increase in turbidity,” a city news release states. A news release from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment termed the condition high turbidity and said the advisory would remain in effect “until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.”
Source: Wichita Eagle
Parsons approves vacant building ordinance
Parsons city commissioners Monday approved an ordinance related to registration of vacant buildings and properties in the city. The ordinance also outlines procedures related to maintenance and inspections of empty buildings. Commissioners wanted to remove a section of the ordinance that said the city provides commercial and residential solid waste removal, electric, water and sewer service at no cost for 60 days. It now reads that the city will provide these services (minus the electric portion) at a discounted rate of 50% for the 60 day period. The cap is set at $200, officials said. The electric portion was removed in the ordinance, which commissioners asked for.
Source: Parsons Sun
Overland Park taps Johnson County native, former city official as new city manager
Following a months-long search, the city of Overland Park has found its new city manager to replace Bill Ebel, who retired earlier this year. Who is it? At Monday’s meeting, the Overland Park City Council announced Lori Curtis Luther as the new permanent city manager, just the city’s sixth in its history. Curtis Luther is not completely new to Overland Park, having served as assistant city manager from 2001 to 2005. She currently serves as the city manager in Beloit, Wisconsin, a position she’s held since 2015. She graduated from Olathe North High School and has a Master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Leawood to look at amending city code following complaints about pickleball noise
On Monday, the Leawood City Council unanimously voted to have city staff review the city’s sports court ordinance after receiving noise complaints about a backyard pickleball court. Background: Concerns about the ordinance were brought to the council’s attention by Councilmember Debra Filla, who said she had received complaints from residents in northern Leawood about a neighbor’s private backyard tennis court being used for pickleball. “This was approved for a tennis court,” Filla said. “The sound differential for pickleball is like having a ping pong ball on steroids. It is not a soft tennis ball.” She said there have also been issues with how late the court is being used at night.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Leawood names experienced interim manager following sudden death of city administrator
Following the unexpected death of longtime city administrator Scott Lambers, the Leawood City Council on Monday unanimously voted to approve local business executive Patrick Geschwind as interim city administrator. Who is he? Geschwind served as an area manager for AT&T for 25 years before becoming a performance-based consultant with a specialty in interim management. He is the owner and senior consultant at Patrick Geschwind & Associates. Geschwind as served in prominent interim managerial roles before, including as interim city administrator for Roeland Park and interim CEO for Visit KC, Kansas City, Missouri’s visitors and tourism bureau.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Johnson County approves looser solar farm regulations
Johnson County commissioners overruled the county planning commission Monday, favoring a less-restrictive set of regulations for solar farms that solar power advocates say is more friendly to the farms’ future development. What was approved: After a three-hour discussion and 36 comments from the public, the county commissioners rejected proposed rules recommended by the planning commission that had been criticized as some of the most restrictive in the country.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Leawood names interim city administrator after sudden death of previous official
Leawood has named Patrick J. Geschwind as the interim city administrator after the sudden death of the previous administrator Scott Lambers in May. Lambers, 66, was found dead in his home May 31 after working for the city for over 20 years. The Leawood City Council unanimously voted to approve Geschwind on Monday, according to a statement. Geschwind worked for SBC, which is now AT&T, for over 25 years before starting his own business in management consulting, according to the statement. He previously was the interim city administrator for Roeland Park, interim CEO of VisitKC, superintendent of Blue Ridge Christian School and administrator of Schuyler County Health Department.
Source: KC Star
Overland Park announces new city manager — a familiar face here from the early 2000s
Lori Curtis Luther, who has been hired as Overland Park’s new city manager, might have a familiar look — she worked for the city in the early 2000s. Luther, most recently the city manager for Beloit, Wisconsin, is returning to Overland Park where she served as the assistant city manager from 2001 to 2005, the City Council and Mayor Curt Skoog announced in a news release on the city’s website. “Lori has a proven track record of local government leadership, and I’m excited about her passion and energy to move our organization forward,” Skoog said in the news release.
Source: KC Star
With funds dwindling, spending Kansas’ COVID relief funds has been marred by opacity, finger-pointing
In March 2021, Kansas lawmakers got the news they had been waiting for: The state would be in line for $1.6 billion in direct aid from Washington, D.C., to help cope with the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials soon learned, however, the problem with having over a billion dollars in funding: Everyone has a billion ideas for spending the windfall. The state initially was slow to spend the funds, with lawmakers instead intent on setting up a process to identify worthy projects outside the normal appropriations process controlled by the Legislature. In the months since, observers have complained of a convoluted process for spending the money, one plagued by delays and, at times, a lack of transparency regarding who will get some of the coveted federal aid.
Source: CJonline
Biking Across Kansas to return to southwest Kansas
The longest-running bicycling event in Kansas history, a 512-mile ride across the State, begins Friday, June 10, after canceling the tour due to the pandemic in 2020 and hosting a three-day rally in 2021. Biking Across Kansas is an eight-day tour originating at the Kansas-Colorado line with an anticipated 600 bicyclists, including support staff. The bicyclists will start at the Kansas-Colorado line west of Syracuse and will stop overnight in Garden City, Spearville, St. John, Hutchinson, Hillsboro, Olpe, and Ottawa on the route. The cyclists’ final night together will be in Ottawa Friday, June 17.
Source: GC Telegram
Salina’s new hotel is having success downtown
Bringing a downtown hotel to Salina helps the city thrive. With a high occupancy rate, Homewood Suites on Santa Fe Avenue is serving as a focal point for organizations and driving visitors to downtown. High-end furnishings and friendly staff welcome visitors to Homewood Suites by Hilton Salina Downtown. This extended stay hotel is located blocks away from some of the city’s top attractions and dining options…. The company went to great lengths to make sure the hotel’s interior design reflected Salina. From brick and tile imprinted with the town’s name to framed photography and historical maps, references to Salina can be seen throughout the hotel.
Source: Salina Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for June 6, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Fed minutes point to more rate hikes that go further than the market anticipates
Federal Reserve officials earlier this month stressed the need to raise interest rates quickly and possibly more than markets anticipate to tackle a burgeoning inflation problem, minutes from their meeting released Wednesday showed. Not only did policymakers see the need to increase benchmark borrowing rates by 50 points, but they also said similar hikes likely would be necessary at the next several meetings. They further noted that policy may have to move past a “neutral” stance in which it is neither supportive nor restrictive of growth, an important consideration for central bankers that could echo through the economy.
Source: CNBC
GFOA debt committee launches ‘wholesale review’ of best practices
The Government Finance Officers Association’s debt committee Saturday recommended repealing a decades-old policy position against taxable debt and revamping a swath of best practices ranging from issuing variable-rate debt to hiring underwriters as part of a wider updating of its best practices and policy statements. Meanwhile, the GFOA’s next debt-focused best practice is likely to focus on designated green bonds, debt committee members said Saturday. At its meeting Saturday ahead of the GFOA’s 116th conference in Austin, Texas, the debt committee spent hours recommending updates to the association’s best practices, which guide tens of thousands of local and state governments across the country. It’s the first time in 10 years that the committee has undertaken a comprehensive review of all its best practices, which the association’s website says “aim to promote and facilitate positive change or recognize excellence.”
Source: The Bond Buyer
Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard says it’s ‘very hard to see the case’ for the Fed pausing rate hikes
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard said Thursday that it’s unlikely the central bank will be taking a break from its current rate-hiking cycle anytime soon. Though she stressed that Fed policymakers will remain data-dependent, Brainard said the most likely path will be that the increases will continue until inflation is tamed. “Right now, it’s very hard to see the case for a pause,” she told CNBC’s Sara Eisen during a live “Squawk on the Street” interview that was her first since being confirmed to the vice chair position. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do to get inflation down to our 2% target.” The idea of implementing two more 50 basis point rate increases over the summer then taking a step back in September has been floated by a few officials, most notably Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic. Minutes from the May Federal Open Market Committee meeting indicated some support for the idea of evaluating where things stand in the fall, but there were no commitments.
Source: CNBC
Fed Governor Christopher Waller says he’s prepared to take rates past ‘neutral’ to fight inflation
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Monday he sees interest rate increases continuing through the rest of the year as part of an effort to bring inflation under control. Specifically, the central bank official said he would support hikes that exceed the “neutral” level considered neither supportive nor restrictive for growth. Estimates Fed officials provided in March point to a 2.5% neutral level, so that means Waller sees rates increasing at least another 2 percentage points from here. “Over a longer period, we will learn more about how monetary policy is affecting demand and how supply constraints are evolving,” Waller said in remarks delivered in Frankfurt, Germany. “If the data suggest that inflation is stubbornly high, I am prepared to do more.”
Source: CNBC
Riverfest attendees provide big boost for business downtown
Large crowds at Riverfest this year are breaking records…and selling out hotels nearby. Downtown Wichita, a local organization working to develop the area, said events like Riverfest are huge for economic and community development in Wichita. Executive Vice President Jason Gregory said that this Riverfest is especially important for downtown development post-pandemic. “It couldn’t happen soon enough,” Gregory said. “I can tell you that. But, yeah, now that we’re here it’s really exciting to see all the people come back to support downtown.” One business benefiting? The Fairfield Inn & Suites just down the street from Riverfest. Staff there said the hotel was sold out last weekend and will be this upcoming one as well.
Source: KAKE – News
Johnson County approves less strict set of regulations for solar power facilities
At a special meeting Monday, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners approved a set of regulations for solar energy facilities that was less strict than those recommended by the county planning commission. Commissioners met to discuss the planning commission’s latest recommendations for regulating a utility-scale solar energy generating facility that it submitted on May 10…. The board went against the planning commission’s recommendation to cap the maximum acreage for facilities to 1,000 and approved a 2,000-acre maximum instead. It also voted to keep the original proposal that any solar facility be one and a half miles from a city border instead of the planning commission’s suggested two mile requirement.
Source: KC Star
Could more entrepreneurs help revive the heartland?
For heartland communities hoping to thrive, encouraging and supporting entrepreneurs can energize the local economy. Places such as Ord, Nebraska, have emerged as regional poster children for economic development. Peers such as Council Grove in Kansas are seeing green shoots of their own. But such shifts can be difficult to make, and there isn’t a tried and true formula that works everywhere. To figure out what works, communities have to develop their own combination of tactics and be willing to push until they find their version of success.
Source: KLC Journal
Kansas farmers raising concern over rock quarries in Pottawatomie County
A local Kansas farming community is bringing their worries to local county commissioners after a Kansas Department of Health and Environment investigation confirmed their concerns were real. “We’ve had challenges or concerns all along with the water quality issues being allowed to go downstream on Cole Creek or Indian Creek,” Rodney Biesenthal said, a Wheaton farmer. These concerns started 10 months ago when water runoff from a local rock quarry raised concerns for farmers in the area. A rock quarry is a place where rocks, sand, and other minerals are extracted – a type of open-pit mine. After testing through the K-State Diagnostic Lab, the total suspended solids, or TSS, were above 3,700 parts per million. To put it in perspective, the max allowed is around 45.
Source: KSNT 27 News