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Kansas Municipal News

Winfield firefighters help with tornado recovery

Winfield Fire/EMS Department personnel were among the first responders sent to help in the immediate aftermath of the tornado that struck Andover on Friday. Winfield Fire Chief Vince Warren said that Cowley County dispatchers received a call from Andover authorities on Friday night, requesting search and rescue aid. They relayed the call to the Winfield Fire Department, which sent five firefighters, a vehicle and a rescue trailer to help. Warren said they staged in the Andover Dillons parking lot, and the Winfield unit was assigned to do secondary residential searches, following teams who had done an initial search to ensure residents were not trapped in their homes. The initial crew was relieved of their duties on Saturday morning and three more people from Winfield were sent. That crew was released a short time later Saturday and returned to Winfield.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Wichita-area tornado survivors want a siren after EF-3 twister struck without warning

Dale Angleton said he had just heard the “all-clear” from a Wichita TV news station when his nephew Ron Bradford burst through the front door. “Tornado!” Bradford said. It was the only warning Angleton would receive Friday night before a house on 31st Street that has been in his family since 1972 collapsed on top of him. Bradford grabbed his uncle and pushed him into a bedroom, where the two men hit the floor right as the tornado struck the house.
Source: Wichita Eagle

One-dollar raise coming for Lyon County 911 dispatchers

The big number for Lyon County emergency dispatchers Thursday may not have been 911, but $1.00. The county commission accepted a proposal to provide dispatchers with a one dollar-per-hour raise. The starting pay for some of them will increase as well. The commission did not vote on the raises, after hearing from Emergency Communications Director Roxanne Van Gundy. Chair Rollie Martin said it wasn’t necessary. “As long as she can work it within her budget this year, we said go ahead,” Martin explained after the weekly meeting. … She added that the raise “keeps us competitive for future applicants and also shows our existing, loyal staff that we see the hard work they are doing.”
Source: Emporia Gazette

Wichita schools to discontinue universal free lunches, preserve free breakfast next year

Wichita Public Schools will discontinue its universal free lunch program while preserving free breakfast for all students during the 2022-23 school year. School nutrition funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In March, Congress let a pandemic relief waiver program lapse that had provided for schools across the country to offer all meals to students for free over the past two school years. “I think we all want our kids to be able to come to school and get food, but this is not something that we had a choice in,” Wichita school board member Sheril Logan said at Monday evening’s meeting.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Prairie Village to implement two 14-day limits per year on storage pods as of July 1

Prairie Village will impose new citywide storage pod limits beginning July 1. Some residents and businesses are keeping portable storage units on their properties for extended periods, causing a recent increase in complaints. A newly approved ordinance means storage pods usage needs to adhere to the following starting July 1: A limit of two 14-day periods per year; Placed at least 10-feet back from the curb, in a spot that doesn’t obstruct traffic visibility.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Municipal Bond Trends for May 5, 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.

Douglas County sheriff uses own trauma to encourage others to seek help

May is mental health awareness month. The sheriff in Douglas County, Kansas, knows a healthy deputy means a healthy community. Studies show, 6% of the general population experience PTSD. That number is much higher among first responders at 20%. Sheriff Jay Armbrister takes his own trauma to encourage his employees to seek help. The sheriff’s office has taken their Peer Support Program from six members to now 18.This voluntary group of people, both uniformed and civilians, stepped forward to be trained on peer support.
Source: KSN-TV

ACLU settles diversion-agreement lawsuit with Montgomery County prosecutor’s office

The Montgomery County attorney settled a lawsuit with the ACLU by agreeing to create new policies to inform defendants of their right under Kansas law to seek diversion agreements. The American Civil Liberties Union settled a lawsuit filed five years ago against prosecutors in Montgomery County for disproportionately seeking harsh sentences for defendants posing nominal risk to the public by declining to make available diversion program alternatives required under Kansas law. The ACLU and ACLU of Kansas said Thursday the settlement was finalized with Montgomery County Attorney Lisa Montgomery, who operates out of the county seat in Independence. She agreed to adopt new policies on deferring prosecution in criminal cases, expanding eligibility for diversion programs and improving flow of information on this alternative to defendants.
Source: Kansas Reflector

The pandemic shrunk Kansas public school enrollment and that means cuts in education budgets

Kansas public schools feel the pinch of enrollment losses that came with the COVID-19 pandemic — and it could mean fewer teachers, bigger classes and widespread budget cuts. The number of students enrolled in Kansas public schools dropped by more than 15,000 since the start of the pandemic, according to state data. Some of those students may have moved out of state, but many likely turned to homeschooling or online education. Federal COVID relief money helped districts cover shortfalls at the start. But longer-term student losses will mean less state funding. “We will have to start to reduce the budget footprint, because the student footprint is down,” said Susan Willis, chief financial officer for the state’s largest district, in Wichita. “And it appears to be more permanently down, and not just a one-year COVID anomaly.” Wichita’s enrollment has dropped by more than 7% over the past six years. Some of that came from declining birth rates and shifting housing patterns. But COVID worsened the problem, especially in preschool and kindergarten.
Source: KCUR News

Pittsburg to directly contract with KDHE

A new partnership has been formalized in Southeast Kansas. The City of Pittsburg has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This will allow KDHE to provide environmental services to the city on a per-project basis. Deputy City Manager Jay Byers says Pittsburg will now contract directly with KDHE, and benefit from the organization’s relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency. “It makes it easier for us to get the work done. They have connections to contractors. They have some capabilities in-house and a great deal of familiarity with this kind of work so that way the city can work with the state so we can get these projects done and probably more cheaply,” Byers said.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Kansas ‘waiting’ on billion-dollar megaproject decision

It’s been nearly four months since Kansas lawmakers signed off on a bid to attract a $4 billion business investment from a secret company. While state leaders have been quiet about the details of the project, including the prolonged timeline, according to Secretary of Commerce and Lieutenant Governor David Toland, the state is still in the running to secure the deal. “We’re just watching and waiting,” Toland said in an interview this week.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Kelly signs bipartisan legislation creating state tax incentive for housing construction

Gov. Laura Kelly signed bipartisan legislation Thursday creating incentives in the form of state income tax credits for investors in construction of residential housing that contributes to economic development in Kansas. The Kelly administration’s statewide survey of housing needs — the first of its kind in three decades — pointed to the need for affordable housing, especially in rural communities. The shortage was identified as an impediment to expansion of existing businesses and attracting new employers. The tax credit administered by the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation and the Kansas Development Finance Authority would be capped at $13 million annually. The law limited a qualified housing developer to use of the tax credit on 40 residential units per year. In terms of credits available after July 1, the measure would offer $35,000 per housing unit in counties with a population under 8,000. The cap would fall to $32,000 per unit in counties with 8,000 to 25,000 residents and to $30,000 per unit in counties with a population between 25,000 and 75,000. The bill set aside $2.5 million for each of the smaller population groups of counties and designated $8 million for the larger set of counties.
Source: The Lawrence Times

County outlines EMS issues in Clearwater

Sedgwick County officials spent an hour last week outlining EMS service in the community, and answering questions about staffing issues. The discussion with the Clearwater City Council was requested by city officials, who are concerned about response times in the community and staffing issues with a Sedgwick County EMS Citizen Response Vehicle (CRV) stationed in Clearwater.
Source: Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Public Comment Period now open for CDBG 2023 Proposed Changes

2023 CDBG Proposed Program Changes can be found here https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/cdbg/2023proposedchanges/ and in the Kansas Register. Public comments that either support or oppose changes are welcome. All comments should be submitted to cdbg@ks.gov until the Public Hearing, which will be held on Tuesday, June 7 at 10:00 AM (CST) via Zoom. All members of the public are welcome submit comments and participate in the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing meeting information can be found at the link above.

Hope in a Desert: Be Filled of South Topeka tries to put resources back into Montara

The Montara community of Topeka once served as base housing for Forbes Field when the U.S. Air Force owned the land. Now, the area is home to Shawnee County residents, or about 430 households. It’s also a desert. The area isn’t lacking in water but resources. The closest supermarket is 5.5 miles away, and the closest bus stop is almost 4 miles away. Be Filled of South Topeka offers food, clothing, classes and other resources for community members. Since its soft opening in January, it has helped more than 1,500 people. “All they have to do is come in, and we will help them,” said Nell Ritchie, a Be Filled board member. There’s no cost.”
Source: CJonline

Finney County discusses possible blackbird mitigation program

Possible future mitigation of various blackbirds and other nuisance bird species was discussed at Monday’s Finney County Commission meeting. Blackbirds and other species include European starlings, common grackles, great-tailed grackle, red-winged blackbirds, American crown, Eurasian collared dove and pigeons. Commissioner Lon Pishny said the large bird population is damaging to the area regarding feces accumulation from roosting, which causes a human health and safety hazard; damage to HVAC systems; damage to electrical substations; damage to vegetation including trees and landscaping within city limits; lost crop yields; and economic loss for feedlots, dairies and granaries throughout Finney County.
Source: GC Telegram

Scootin’ Along: New scooters hit Ark City but raise concerns

Electric-powered scooters have been flying here and there in Arkansas City in recent days. The Bird company, which promotes the devices as a safe and climate-friendly alternative to vehicles, brought a fleet of its scooters to town. But they are creating some safety concerns and confusion about what rules riders are suppose to follow.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Electric scooter company Bird looking to expand to Salina

Electric scooters could be on their way to Salina in the near future after a company that offers the service made a presentation to the City Commission Monday. Bird, the transportation company that operates electric scooter-share programs in places around the world, presented during the commission’s study session Monday and said it would like to see Salina added as the next city in Kansas to hop on the scooter-share model. “Electronic scooters have become a new and modern form of transportation using a variety of different ways,” said Lauren Driscoll, the director of development services for the City of Salina. “(Scooters) are used both for pleasure and travel and tourism, but also for what we call ‘last-mile’ in the transportation world.”
Source: Salina Journal

Municipal Bond Trends for May 4, 2022

Fed raises rates by half a percentage point — the biggest hike in two decades — to fight inflation

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point as the most aggressive step yet in its battle against generational highs in inflation. Along with the move higher in rates, the central bank indicated it will begin reducing asset holdings on its $9 trillion balance sheet. The Fed had been buying bonds to keep interest rates low and money flowing through the economy, but the surge in prices has necessitated a dramatic rethink in monetary policy. The plan outlined Wednesday will see the balance sheet reduction happen in phases as the Fed will allow a capped level of proceeds from maturing bonds to roll off each month while reinvesting the rest. Starting June 1, the plan will see $30 billion of Treasurys and $17.5 billion on mortgage-backed securities roll off. After three months, the cap for Treasurys will increase to $60 billion and $35 billion for mortgages.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Sedgwick County extends local disaster declaration for April 29th tornado

Sedgwick County commissioners have voted to extend the local disaster emergency declaration for the April 29th tornado that left destruction from the southeast part of the county into western Butler County. Commissioners were told that the initial declaration issued by Commission Chairman David Dennis would only be valid for up to seven days, and action would be needed to extend it. The commission voted to extend it through at least May 18th.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Andover issues guidelines for building repair work

In response to the tornado event on April 29, 2022, the City of Andover Community Development Department has conducted Damage Assessment of over 180 structures to determine the level of damage caused by the storm. All structures were given a rating of Safe, Unsafe, Habitable, or Limited Entry. As these structures are considered for re-occupancy, certain requirements must be met in order to have utilities re-energized and once again be suitable for occupancy.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Hillsboro sets rules for container homes

Hillsboro city council members approved a process Tuesday for development of alternative construction homes, such as a container housing development planned for the north side of 3rd St. Under the plan, a developer would need to present the planning commission a site plan for each structure, either one at a time or several at the same time. Mayor Lou Thurston called the process “a good compromise.”
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Hundreds of volunteers flock to Andover, Kansas, to help clean up after tornado

Hopeful volunteers filled Andover United Methodist Church on Tuesday to help clean up after a tornado shook the town over the weekend. Organizers estimate more than 500 people signed up to volunteer. Some volunteered on behalf of groups like churches or McConnell Air Force Base, while others showed up to help on their own accord. Rev. Hollie Tapley is a disaster response coordinator for the Great Plains United Methodist Conference. She came into town from Topeka over the weekend to help organize the volunteer efforts.
Source: KCUR News

JoCo police departments creating online feedback forms in response to local group’s petition

It may soon be easier for some Johnson County citizens to give feedback to their local police department. Following the release of a local civil rights group’s proposed 5-point plan for improving police transparency, the group’s leaders say some Johnson County police departments have begun establishing new online methods for residents to give their feedback, including filing complaints. According to an update posted to Facebook by the Advocacy and Awareness Group of Johnson County, multiple local police departments are working to create online feedback forms since the group issued its call for greater transparency and accessibility in March.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Why Rural Communities Struggle to Bring in Much-needed Federal Grants

Researchers examined 10 factors that influenced how well-equipped communities were to apply for grant funding, and then used those factors to calculate each county and community’s “rural capacity” score. For instance, Missoula County, Montana, home to the state’s second-largest city and flagship university campus, scored 94 out of 100, while Carter County, Montana, where there is no county head of planning and just 20 percent of adult residents have attended college, scored just 45, the lowest in the state. Within the West, Montana stands out: More than three-quarters of its communities have index scores below the national median. The state’s low capacity exemplifies the challenges rural communities across the West face, including a reliance on boom-and-bust industries that create financial instability, and a lack of grant writers, land-use planners, and emergency planners that would be helpful in applying for federal funds. “You go to a rural community, and typically the mayor is almost always part-time,” said Don Albrecht, director of the Western Rural Development Center at Utah State University. “They don’t have the resources or the experience or the expertise to even write grants to get the money in the first place.”
Source: Route Fifty – All Content
For assistance with grants and federal funds for your community, contact our grant specialists at Ranson Financial Group!

Douglas County commissioners discuss First Amendment rights in regards to public comment

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday had their own comments following a public comment about public comment. Michael Eravi, of Lawrence, raised concerns during the general public comment portion of the meeting about the commission’s admonition at the beginning of meetings regarding public comments. Eravi noted this line, which Commission Chair Shannon Reid read at the start of the meeting: “The county reserves the right to mute or remove any speaker who is vulgar, rude or inappropriate.”
Source: The Lawrence Times

15th anniversary of Greensburg Tornado

On May 4, 2007, Greensburg was hit by an EF-5 tornado that devastated the town, killing 11 people in the town and injuring 63 others. On the 13th anniversary of the Greensburg Tornado, KSN’s meteorologist Ronelle Williams spoke with a survivor, former mayor of Greensburg, Bob Dixson: That evening, supercell thunderstorms formed across the Midwest, spawning tornadoes in several states. The intense supercell that developed southwest of Greensburg formed 12 tornadoes. One formed in northwest Comanche County at around 9 p.m. and moved northeast through Kiowa County. The tornado stayed on the ground for 65 minutes, hitting Greensburg at around 9:45 p.m. The tornado was 1.7 miles wide when it hit the town of 1,400.
Source: KSN-TV

10-year Treasury yield hovers under 3% as investors anticipate aggressive Fed rate hike

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield were calm on Wednesday morning with investors anticipating a big Federal Reserve interest rate decision later in the day…. The 10-year rate crossed the 3% mark on Monday, its highest point since late 2018. The benchmark yield has since eased back, though it remains high. Respondents to the May CNBC Fed Survey expect the U.S. central bank to announce on Wednesday that it will be hiking interest rates by half a percentage point. Nearly three-fifths of respondents also believed that the Fed’s aggressive tightening of monetary policy would end in a recession. The Federal Open Market Committee is due to release its policy decision statement at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell then scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET. Sunil Krishnan, head of multi-asset funds at Aviva Investors, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Wednesday that there’s a possibility of four 50-basis-point interest rate hikes over the next four central bank meetings. While the size of these hikes might not seem that small in the context of recent history, Krishnan said “by the standards of longer history, we think it is something the U.S. can manage.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Officials announce Hutchinson’s 150th anniversary will be marked by a massive block party

Organizers of an event to mark the sesquicentennial of Hutchinson’s founding are planning a mile-long block party. Actually, they are hoping for a dozen individual block parties, but all on Main Street during the same time, extending the mile from Avenue C north to Ninth Avenue. “I’m very excited about it,” said Hutchinson Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho. “I convened this little committee to start thinking about a community-wide celebration in August, and we started brainstorming what it would look like.” … The Aug. 18th anniversary date falls on a Third Thursday, so organizers of the event are hoping to draw a large crowd as they historically have with the annual back-to-school and “dog days of summer” events, Conkling said.
Source: Hutch News

Kansas to waive replacement fees for state documents lost in Friday’s severe weather

Kansas will waive replacement fees for the birth certificates, marriage certificates, and vehicle registrations of residents affected by Friday’s severe weather, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday. “Last Friday’s storm placed significant emotional and financial burdens on many Kansans. My administration is working to ensure those who lost everything get back on their feet,” Kelly said in a news release. The Kansas Department of Revenue will waive penalties associated with late vehicle registrations. KDOR will also waive fees associated with the reprint or replacement of vehicle registration documentation, printed vehicle certificate of titles, driver’s licenses, and/or identification cards.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Derby FD aids in Andover tornado response

After a tornado touched down in southeast Wichita and Andover on April 29, first responders were quick to action in the aftermath. … Given the massive scale of damage, multiple units from around the area responded – including staff from Derby Fire and Rescue. Chief John Turner noted a crew of six were among the initial response team from Derby, with two more helping in the second shift on April 30. Once Derby Fire personnel were alerted to the tornado April 29, they made their way to Andover, first stopping in eastern Sedgwick County to help clear roads for other emergency vehicles. The Derby crew arrived in Andover before 10 p.m. and helped with planning along with serving on the rescue squads tasked with helping individuals who were trapped, marking buildings as searched, controlling utilities, etc. Having responded to several regional severe weather events – including the 1991 Andover tornado – Turner posited that the early warning system may have helped prevent outcomes of a similar scale this time.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Derby makes pay adjustments related to inflation

In an effort to address both inflation and attraction/retention of employees, City Manager Kiel Mangus brought a proposed general pay adjustment before the Derby City Council at its April 26 meeting, which the council approved 6-0. Mangus proposed a mid-year 3% general pay adjustment (GPA) given the increasing inflation trends that continue to shrink the true impact of employees’ take-home pay. Inflation-adjusted average hourly earning fell 2.7% from March 2021 to March 2022. Additionally, the Consumer Price Index increased 8.5% in that same 12-month span – the highest such increase since 1981. The pay adjustment was also recommended due to an increasing turnover rate within the city offices.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Olpe hopes post office ‘suspension’ really temporary

Olpe will be without a post office in two weeks, due to what the U.S. Postal Service calls a “change of ownership.” “We found out, probably two or three weeks ago, that there was a lease issue,” Mayor Keith Pimple said Monday. “We didn’t find out until last week that there was not an agreement made.” A letter sent to residents Friday by Emporia Postmaster Tess Weimar says the USPS had a “loss of lease” on its Olpe location at 118 Westphalia Street.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Municipal Bond Trends for May 3, 2022

How small Kansas companies bring fast internet to rural places that telecom giants ignore

With a family of five and a farming operation to run, Clay Scott’s home internet didn’t come close to cutting it. Pulling up a weather page in a browser could take so long it produced an error message rather than a forecast. … Like many rural Americans, Scott’s home in southwest Kansas connected to the internet over an old copper wire. A better-than-nothing update on century-old telephone technology that struggles to handle Zoom calling, video streaming or a myriad of other internet uses that people in big cities largely take for granted. … With fiber-optic cable installation costing tens of thousands of dollars per mile, it’s unlikely that big national providers will ever find a way to make money — or even avoid losses — by hooking up people like Scott in rural Kansas…. But local providers like Ulysses-based telecom cooperative Pioneer are finding ways to make the numbers work one mile at a time. Pioneer CEO Catherine Moyer said the co-op’s goal is to connect everyone within its roughly 5,000-square-mile footprint in southwest Kansas. To do that, the co-op needs to get creative, stretching the financial feasibility limits with business plans that the AT&Ts of the world might scoff at. But, she said, the fact that Pioneer isn’t AT&T is exactly what allows the co-op that flexibility.
Source: KCUR News

“Tornadoes are not respecters of codes,” Andover EF-3 Tornado damage sheds light on building codes

After surveying the damage from Friday’s twister, [Lead National Weather Service Forecaster in Wichita, Bradley] Ketcham tweeted concerns. “New construction (2 years old) was shoddy at best. Subfloors were bolted, but walls were just nailed straight into the top of the subfloor. Causing the whole house to lift off like a rocket,” the tweet reads. Butler County Building Inspector Jay Cook says the exterior walls of a home have to be bolted down into the concrete and interior walls just need to be nailed. “The codes become more strict as time goes. However, the material that is used is not necessarily as good quality-wise as it may have been 50-60 years ago,” Cook added. “Tornadoes are not respecters of codes. They are just going to take what they take.” He says the homes he’s seen destroyed by this tornado, were all up to code.
Source: KAKE – News

Nearly half of Shawnee tenants are ‘rent-burdened’ with limited housing options, study shows

The city of Shawnee suffers from a lack of affordable housing, according to a study by United Community Services of Johnson County. Nearly half of its tenants are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent. Last week, Shawnee’s city council made a change that critics say disadvantage low-income renters further. It voted unanimously to ban “co-living,” which it defines as four or more unrelated adults living together. “Households making under $50,000 who rent have more difficulty finding attainable options than those that can purchase, because of fewer options and rents increasing faster than incomes,” the study found.
Source: KC Star Local News

Did Shawnee really ban roommates? Here’s what the new ‘co-living’ restrictions mean

Last week, the Shawnee City Council voted unanimously to ban co-living in all of its residential districts. The decision came as a surprise to some, but the city council had been discussing the role of co-living in the city for some time. Some renters concerned about affordable housing have expressed frustration at the council’s move to eliminate an option that allows people to share rent costs. But Shawnee 4th Ward City Councilmember Jill Chalfie said the ordinance is primarily in response to arrangements that treat co-living more as a business and less of a communal space.
Source: KC Star Local News

Pittsburg reminds residents about it tornado siren policy

The City of Pittsburg would like to remind residents about its policy for activating tornado sirens. The first step towards sounding the sirens requires a tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service. From there, the city may activate the sirens if officials believe the danger is imminent.
Source: KOAMKOAM

Haven to remove “In God We Trust” from police vehicles

The City of Haven in Reno County will remove “In God We Trust” decals from its police vehicles. During the Haven City Council meeting Monday evening, Council Member Sandra Williams voiced concern over the decals and about the Haven Police Department Facebook page having quotes from Scriptures. Williams said she did not think the police department was the proper forum to be talking about God. According to a draft of the meeting minutes, a “brief exchange occurred” between Williams and Police Chief Stephen Schaffer.
Source: KSN-TV

Galena Police recognized and awarded

A Southeast Kansas community is giving back to its local law enforcement. While many law enforcement agencies across the country have seen difficulties in recruiting and retaining officers — the city wants to show it’s behind the police department. “It’s a tough job and they know what they’re getting into, but it’s nice to have that extra recognition to know that they’re supported, and encouraged, and backed by the community,” said Ashley Groves, Mayor of Galena. The officers at the Galena Police Department were recognized for their hard work at Monday’s City Council meeting. “They’re each going to receive a certificate of appreciation that was on behalf of the city, the Council and the Police Chief Billy Charles and then they’re each receiving a monetary fund,” said Groves.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Kansas fire departments facing volunteer shortage

Many organizations throughout the U.S. are getting used to staffing issues, but here in Kansas, there’s one in particular that can’t afford shortages – the fire department. Specifically, volunteer firefighters are hard to find. Russel Stuckey, the Riley County Emergency Management Director, spoke with County Commissioners to let them know the situation is rough on Monday. He says that the department currently has around 110 volunteers, but the goal is to have between 160 to 170. With the intense fire season, volunteers are seeing burnout with a high level of fatigue. This becomes a major problem when forces are low, especially due to how quickly fires need to be responded to.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Main Street in downtown Parsons achieves full occupancy

Main Street in downtown Parsons is now at 100% occupancy. “I think it’s astounding,” said Mayor Leland Crooks. “… I’d be willing to bet that you can’t find another city in the state that can make that claim. Maybe not in several states. It’s a testament to how hard our city staff has worked in bringing businesses and making things happen downtown.” With the recent opening of three new businesses — Free State Cigars, VR Escape Room Entertainment and Main St. Skin — all storefronts are occupied along Main Street.
Source: Parsons Sun

Labette County K-9 deputy to retire because of health problems

Gustaw, a 5-year-old Dutch shepherd and K-9 deputy for the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, will be retired in the near future because of his health. Gustaw (pronounced Gustav) began work with the sheriff’s office at age 2 on Dec. 17, 2018. He’s trained and worked with Deputy Charlie Brown. The K-9 has received regular heartworm treatment during his work with the sheriff’s office. Around March he apparently became infected with heartworms. The disease was confirmed with a trip to the vet. The company that made the heartworm treatment is paying for Gustaw’s current treatment regimen, according to Sheriff Darren Eichinger. Eichinger hopes the company will pay for the cost of the Gustaw, which was about $18,000. County Counselor Brian Johnson is getting involved to try to recoup the cost of Gustaw from the company.
Source: Parsons Sun