Kansas Municipal News
Goats to chew away at Wichita’s Oak Park
The goats from Restoration Grazing LLC will be at Oak Park in Wichita on Monday to clear overgrowth and brush. The City of Wichita announced it in a social media post. Last year, the City hired goats to clear brush, poison ivy and other plants from Sim Park. They worked so quickly that it was done in half the predicted time. The City touted that the goats were eco-friendly and could reach places that machines could not. It was reported that the cost of cleaning that park was $5,000. The public is invited to watch the goats in action at Oak Park through the next few weeks. Source: KSN-TV
Coffeyville gets new fire chief
Mike O’Connor has been with the fire department since 2007, where he started as a driver. The Coffeyville native is also an assistant football coach at the high school, something he has done for the past 13 years.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Lenexa City Council denies county homeless shelter permit. What happens now?
After almost a year of discussions at both the county and city level, the Lenexa City Council voted on Tuesday to deny a special use permit for a proposed Johnson County homeless shelter off Interstate 35. A more than six-hour council meeting that stretched past midnight ended with a majority of the governing body agreeing that plans for the shelter, also known as the Homeless Services Center, were too flawed to approve a permit needed for it to operate. “I think it creates more of a downside than upside,” Councilmember Chris Herron said. The 5-2 vote followed the recommendation of city staff to deny the permit, as well as the planning commission’s recommendation for denial last month. Councilmembers Melanie Arroyo and Courtney Eiterich cast the two votes in favor of approving the permit. Councilmember Joe Karlin was absent.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Ordinances in development on homeless encampments in Wichita
Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says two ordinances are being developed in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives cities more authority to remove homeless encampments. The Supreme Court ruled in June that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places. Layton said the ordinances being drafted will address notification issues and time frames, along with definitions of items that would be defined as valuables. He said staff has been working on the second or third draft of the ordinances and it’s not known when they will be ready for consideration by the City Council. The City Council heard concerns Tuesday from a citizen about homeless encampments and trash along the Arkansas River, urging the city to take action. Vice mayor Maggie Ballard said the city has not used enforcement measures because shelter space is not available, and that’s why the Multi-Agency Center that is being developed will be important. The city is planning to convert the former Park Elementary School at 1025 North Main into an emergency shelter this winter, and next year it will become a Multi-Agency Center with programs and services. City Council member Mike Hoheisel said a new police recruiting class will allow the city to beef up its Homeless Outreach Teams in the next couple of months, and the city has been working with Sedgwick County’s COMCARE agency to provide services. He also called attention to the regional mental health hospital that Sedgwick County is developing at MacArthur and Meridian in a partnership with the State of Kansas. Hoheisel said when the Multi Agency Center is open the city will focus more on enforcement.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
City of Leon plans for $1.1 million splash park
On Monday evening the City of Leon passed two resolutions approving the City to apply for grants to secure funds for a splash park with the price tag of $1,134,410. The potential splash park has been in the works since this summer after BG Consultants, (Manhattan, KS), and Ranson Financial, (Wichita, KS), presented renderings and finances to the City Council in August. The $1.1 million price tag includes the splash park, with dimensions of 70ft x 65ft, or 4,550 sq ft total, an outdoor covered pavilion, with dimensions of 16ft 8in x 21ft 6in with benches and shade, and a building that will include two public restrooms and a pump/filtration room for the water with dimension of 22ft 8in x 16ft 8in. The park will be in the City of Leon’s Park located at 202 South St. The city plans to take out the sand volleyball pits and excavate the splash park in its place due to low usage of the pits. The park will include 18 water features for all ages of children ranging from interactive water sprayers, in ground bubblers, tube sprayers, and more while being ADA accessible. The plans include distinguished sections for young toddlers and older children alike.
Source: Andover American
Municipal Bond Trends for September 17, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. 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.
Prairie Village goes back on track to ban short-term rentals
The city of Prairie Village has reversed course and is now back to its original idea to ban short-term rentals. The Prairie Village City Council on Monday during its committee meeting unanimously directed city staff to draft an ordinance that limits rentals to operate on a 30-day stay minimum, effectively banning short-term rentals like AirBnbs or Vrbos that are typically booked for weekend or week-long stays.
Source: Johnson County Post
Shawnee celebrates 25 years of firefighter swaps with German city
After 25 years, an annual firefighter exchange program between Shawnee and its sister city in Germany continues to strengthen its connection. For 10 days, firefighters from Erfurt, Germany, and Shawnee exchange places, living with local families, taking in a different culture and trading ideas on how to respond to emergencies. It’s a program that’s been going on since 1998, when the two cities established it as a way to improve connections.
Source: Johnson County Post
Leawood considers how to improve its city-wide tree canopy
If the tree near the street in front of your house gets sick, should it be the city’s responsibility to remove and replace it? If you want to remove a tree from your yard, should you have to get a permit or be required to replace it with another tree? Those were among the questions discussed Monday as the Leawood City Council became the latest Johnson County community to take a fresh look at its tree ordinances during a work session. Councilmembers compared their existing regulations with their counterparts in Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Mission and Fairway — four cities with differing ways of handling tree issues. In particular, councilmembers and staff have been studying whether they should expand their existing ordinance to be similar to Prairie Village’s.
Source: Johnson County Post
Concept aims to make downtown Overland Park a ‘destination.’
A new potential future for downtown Overland Park drawn out by the Urban Land Institute of Kansas City suggests turning the area into “a destination” surrounding its popular farmers’ market. The conceptual vision for downtown — the area primarily between Santa Fe Drive and Metcalf Avenue, and 79th and 80th streets — includes a boutique hotel, new parking garages, infrastructure improvements prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle access, and a plethora of mixed-use redevelopment.
Source: Johnson County Post
Arcadia’s history is preserved in music
Nestled in the far northeast corner of the county, along the Missouri state line and Bourbon County line, Arcadia is a small community of only 250 people that celebrated its founding on Saturday with a parade, face painting, barbeque, and everything else one would expect of such a grand occasion. As the parade of fire trucks, police cars, and ubiquitous political candidates faded and the kids scoured the streets for gum and candy, parade-goers began filing into the Arcadia Community Center to hear about their past in a most inspiring way. In song.
Source: Morning Sun
Municipal Bond Trends for September 16, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. 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.
Curbside recycling pickup may be coming soon
Within a year, SEK Recycling and the city intend to roll out curbside recycling pickup. At the organization’s banquet Thursday night, SEK Recycling Board President Jeremy Johnson announced what many Pittsburg citizens have been waiting to hear for decades. “We’ll be operating at a scale that we’ve not dreamed of,” Johnson told The Morning Sun. “We’ll bring in as much material in a month as previously we’ve done in an entire year.” The City of Pittsburg plans to partner with SEK Recycling to implement the recycling pickup service in conjunction with the trash service the city started earlier this month. Johnson said that Deputy City Manager Jay Byers wants to begin pickup in six months, but the more realistic goal is within a year. “It is ambitious. It scares me a little bit, but I also know that we are in a better position to prepare for that now than we ever have been in our organization’s history,” he said. Johnson said to prepare for this service, the organization has been working to streamline its operations by bringing people to evaluate its finances and procedures. He said several people have stepped up to volunteer their time and talents to help out. “It’s the help of people like this who are willing do these things that are hard that are going to allow us to do the big stuff,” Johnson said.
In addition to planning for curbside service, Johnson updated the event attendees on other milestones and projects the organization has been working on. Earlier this year, SEK Recycling, a nonprofit organization, received the single largest donation in its history. An anonymous donor gave $250,000 to the organization, which allowed them to purchase a new baler and start mapping out SEK Recycling’s role in the community for the next several years. Johnson said since the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers for the organization have dwindled, but his goal is to build the volunteer base back up by reaching out to the community more and working with the Students for Sustainability group at Pittsburg State University. “We need to be working harder, to reach out, to engage with folks who believe in the same things that we do and that want the same things that we do,” he said. “But if we don’t reach out to them, those things aren’t going to happen.”
Johnson recognized retiring board members Gene Vogler, Jan Hula and Jim Tripplett and thanked them for their dedication to the cause. Vogler had been on the board for 18 years and Tripplett was the founder of the organization. “Jim has my eternal gratitude,” Johnson said. “I will forever associate him with our center. Without him, we would not be where we are.” So far this year, SEK Recycling has kept 593 tons of materials out of landfills and is on track to end the year with taking in more than 800 tons.
Source: Morning Sun
Why the Wichita school district picked February for special election on $450M bond issue
The Wichita School Board’s decision to call a special election in February — instead of posing its bond issue question during a general or primary election — will cost the school district an additional $113,000. And it could result in lower voter turnout. But Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said the district can’t afford to wait. The school board didn’t finish its facilities master plan in time to get the $450 million bond issue on the ballot for this November. “We would really like to get construction started next summer,” Bielefeld said. “And so to wait until later in the spring, April or May, makes that not possible. Then to wait, you know, until November of ‘25, the soonest we would then have dirtwork moving would be summer of ‘26. We would lose an entire year. . . . We need this, and we need it soon.” Bielefeld said he would have preferred to pose the question to voters this November, during the presidential election, “but the timing of the master plan, the amount of community feedback we needed — that timeline was just too short.” The Kansas Board of Education has to approve the measure because the price tag exceeds the cap on bonded indebtedness school districts are allowed to have in Kansas. The cap is 14% of assessed value within a school district. The cap for Wichita schools is $589.2 million. The school district already has $157 million in unpaid bonded debt, and the additional $450 million would exceed the debt limit by more than $18 million. The state board is expected to take up the Wichita question at a future meeting.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Proposed solar project strains the bonds that unite a rural Kansas community
In rural places in our divided land we can’t just pick sides and trash each other. But if we do, somebody — a friend, a loved one, or even a sometime enemy — might tug on our sleeves and remind us about the better angels of our nature. At a public meeting last year, Joe Schlessiger’s farmland neighbors were arguing once again. Joe stood himself up, all 6 feet, 6 inches of Kansas farmer. The topic once again: Spanish energy company Acciona’s proposal to build a solar energy array near Barton County’s Cheyenne Bottoms. The Bottoms are enthralling to those who love nature — 41,000 acres of the largest inland wetland in the United States. It’s a migration stopover for roughly two million birds every year — everything from white-faced ibis dancing on long stick legs to endangered whooping cranes that make pit stops there in spring and fall. The birds prance, squawk and swell the cloud storage of wildlife photographers.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Cafe in Burden back in business
Residents in Burden welcomed a nice surprise this week with the return of Ma’s Cafe. Earlier this year, the previous owners of the cafe retired and closed the only sit-down restaurant in town. Bobby Smith and Hui Son had run the cafe since Jan. 11, 2021. However, Sandra and John Picconatto began renting the building and have reopened the cafe Monday through Saturday. Sandra spoke about Ma’s Cafe on Wednesday afternoon. She is from Wilmot, but has lived in Burden for the past 18 years. “A couple of years ago, we did a food truck,” Sandra said. “It did really well, and we enjoyed it. We decided to expand this year by opening the cafe back up. The previous owners allowed us to keep the name.” The process started when they rented the building on Aug 1. It took 40 days to open it from start to finish. “It involved a lot of cleaning. Anytime you open up a new restaurant, you have to get the licenses and permits, etc.” Sandra said they are leasing the building for one year to see how it goes. “We may purchase the building, if things go well,” she added. The restaurant looks pretty much the same inside. The menu is a little different. The previous owner had Korean options no longer available. They are offering daily specials. “There may be some trial and error in some parts. We’d like to have Thursday evening buffets,” she explained. “Rotate with fried chicken, pulled pork, tator tot casserole, and meatloaf. Each week would be something different. We also want to do Taco Tuesday. “My daughter and her husband are helping with the management portion. There will be four employees as of right now.”
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Winfield to get new signs for landmarks
Winfield city commissioners have approved the purchase and installation of new signage that would help visitors find local landmarks, something that was outlined in the city’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan. The project will consist of 18 signs, providing visitors with directions to places including Southwestern College, the Cowley County Historical Society Museum, sporting facilities and other points of interest. The signs have been in the works for several years. “It’s been talked about, but we just haven’t been able to get to it,” Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said in a request for commission action. The signs will cost $125,694. A total of $25,000 will be covered by Winfield Convention and Tourism Funds gathered from a transient guest tax. The remaining funds will come from the city’s Capital Improvement Plan budget. The chosen vendor is Seventy Five Creative, LLC, of Dothan, Ala., one of four companies providing full or partial bids for the project. A start time for the project was not provided. Documents state that the estimated lead time is 6-10 weeks once artwork is approved and a deposit made.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
New Round of SEED Grants Available for Rural Quality-of-Life Initiatives
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today that $250,000 will be available through a third round of Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grants. The SEED program supports economic development and revitalization efforts in smaller counties across Kansas through investments in quality-of-life initiatives. “SEED grants are a vital part of our commitment to ensuring every community in Kansas has the opportunity to succeed,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These grants are creating real impact in rural communities, helping them build stronger local economies, and enhancing the quality of life for residents. By investing in these communities, we continue laying the foundation for long-term growth and prosperity.” The grants are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce to communities in 78 designated counties with a population of 5,000 or less. Grants up to $25,000 will be available in the following categories: Childcare and senior programming – Projects that support or enhance these services, such as building improvements, educational materials, supplies and equipment. Community vibrancy – Projects that refresh, re-energize and unlock the attractiveness of rural communities, such as art installations, murals and signage. Food retail – Projects that support access to food retail establishments, including development, renovation and/or expansion. Libraries – Projects that support providing free and open access to a broad range of materials and services, including reading material, technology, furniture and building improvements. Local governments, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other organizations in towns not previously awarded a SEED grant are eligible to apply. Applicants must provide a minimum 10-percent match and complete the project within 12 months of receiving grant funds. Funds will be distributed half at the beginning of the grant cycle and the balance will be given upon successful completion of the project. Funding for the SEED program is provided through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) Development and Expansion Fund. The TEFFI Act was enacted in 2021 through bipartisan legislation to promote economic development throughout the state. SEED grant applications will open Monday, September 16, and close at 11:59 p.m. Monday, November 8. Grant awardees will be announced mid-December. A recorded informational webinar about the SEED grant is available here. A list of previously awarded towns, guidelines for the grant application, and a list of eligible counties can be found here. The Office of Rural Prosperity will host virtual Office Hours from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 20, for anyone who might have questions regarding the grant and the application process. To register, click here.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Wichita opens bidding process for emergency homeless shelter
The City of Wichita has opened the bidding process for the operation of an emergency winter shelter for the homeless. The shelter will be set up at the former Park Elementary School at 1025 North Main, which was recently purchased by the city from the Wichita school district. Bids will be accepted until 10 a.m. on Friday, October 4th. Prospective bidders will be able to attend a pre-proposal meeting at 1 p.m. on September 23rd through Microsoft Teams. The City has allocated $600,000 for the operation of the 2024-2025 winter shelter. A successful proposal will have to be made by a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3), (c)(4) corporation or governmental entity. The shelter must be able to be operated on a 24/7 basis during the contract period and allow entry day or night, serving both men and women, those with disabilities and other various guest needs. The City expects the winter shelter to be open from November 28, 2024 through March 31, 2025. The project is expected to go to the City Council sometime in late October or early November for consideration.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
USD 457 Board discusses grade reconfiguration proposal
The USD 457 Board of Education held discussion on a District Reconfiguration Proposal during its regular meeting on Monday. No action was taken on the proposal; it will be taken up as an action item at the Board’s Sept. 26 meeting where the Board will vote on what direction it wants to take with it. The proposal would transition the district to a K-5, 6-8, 9-14 grade configuration, removing the intermediate school levels, by fall 2028. Board member Andy Fahrmeier said there would be a three-year transition period plan that would start at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. It would begin with changing the district to a K-6, 7-8 model while construction is conducted at Kenneth Henderson Middle School to add 16-20 classrooms to accommodate 50% of the district’s sixth to eighth grade students. In the fall of 2028 they would transition to the K-5, 6-8 model.
Source: Garden City Telegram