Kansas Municipal News
New Shawnee County park may be destination playground
Plans for the anticipated Shawnee County family park — with its destination playground for older play, 16 pickleball courts and a shelter house — are moving along. The Family Park will be built at the corner of S.W. Urish Road and S.W. 21st Street between Midwest Aquatics Center and the Cypress Ridge Golf Course. Efforts to begin crafting the park began in late July 2020 after Shawnee County commissioners hosted the first public engagement phase for the planning of the park. Public feedback was requested in October 2020 for park’s potential concept.
Source: CJonline
Kansas counties need state permission to raise sales taxes. Here’s why that could change.
Kansas may make it easier for local governments to raise sales taxes. State lawmakers on a Special Tax Committee have recommended that the Legislature remove a required step for counties to get legislative permission before asking voters for a tax increase. “This was something that I’ve been looking at, actually since I was a county commissioner, realizing that the process is extremely cumbersome,” said Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan and the committee chair. The committee was tasked with studying various tax issues, among which was simplifying the process for counties in particular to obtain sales tax authority. “Just judging from the general temperature of the committee, I think that’s something that will move forward fairly quickly,” Smith said. “If it’s the House that gets that, we will hopefully get that sent over to the Senate fairly quickly.”
Source: CJonline
Lenexa residents get to pick the new mural coming to Old Town
As work on the Lenexa Community Center ramps up next month, the City of Lenexa is letting residents choose the mural that will grace it. Until Jan. 7, residents can vote here on what will be the next mural to greet visitors at the renovated location. The project called for designs for a 900-square-foot mural that will wrap around the southwest corner of the building. Two artists made the cut: IT-RA ICONS and Doodle Dood. Both artists hail from the Kansas City area, which was important to the project, said Logan Wagler, director of parks and recreation. “We’ve got great artists here in the Kansas City metro,” he said. “Why not tap into the local artists for this effort? IT-RA ICONS is the collaborative name for Isaac Tapia and Rodrigo Alvarez. They’ve made a name for themselves as muralists, creating pieces chosen for the new terminal Kansas City International airport and events like World AIDS Day. For their submission, they said they wanted to capture the unique feeling of the area.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Chef thinks his small-town ‘honor stands’ would also work in Wichita, plans to try soon.
His new venture works well in Strong City, a town in the Flint Hills with a population of about 400. But will chef Stan Lerner’s “honor stands” — which invite people to grab fresh-baked bread and other items from unmanned pantries and trust them to leave the correct amount of cash on the “honor system” — also work in Wichita? Lerner, who owns Chef’s Stan’s Place — a tiny one-day-a-week brunch spot he opened last year in a former church building on the edge of Strong City — will be in Wichita this week scouting out spots where he might be able to set up a few of his honor stands. Friends he’s told about his new passion project say the idea won’t work in bigger cities and that he’s taking a risk moving into Wichita. But Lerner is undeterred. “I don’t agree,” he said. “I want to show people you can do an honor stand anywhere and that it’s not just people in small towns you can trust. I think you can trust people anywhere.” Lerner, who for six months in 2021 ran Chef’s Table Roadhouse in the old Logan’s Roadhouse spot at 353 S. Rock Road in Wichita, opened his first honor stand a couple of weeks ago. He was inspired by a neighboring Strong City business — Kelly’s Bees — which has been operating its own honor stand and letting customers pick up honey and other items at their leisure. That stand even allows customers to make their own change from an open cash box kept inside.
Source: Dining With Denise Neil |
Overland Park set to permanently allow backyard chickens on some lots
Overland Park plans to permanently allow backyard chickens on smaller lots by making its backyard chicken pilot program into city code. Last week, the Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee voted 6-0 to recommend the city adopt a new ordinance enshrining backyard chickens in Overland Park in city code. In early 2022, the city approved a temporary backyard chicken pilot program, following in the footsteps of other Johnson County cities. The proposed ordinance, which would codify it in a new chapter called “Keeping of Chickens,” does have some small changes from the short-term backyard chicken pilot. The two-year pilot allowed property owners to obtain permits for backyard chickens on lots at least a quarter-acre in size. Before the pilot program, Overland Park allowed backyard chickens by right on large lots that were three acres or larger. On smaller lots, residents could keep chickens but only through an arduous and lengthy permitting process that required earning approval from both the Overland Park Planning Commission and the city council. Under the pilot, the city clerk and animal control office managed permitting and enforcement, respectively.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
People in Fort Scott, Kansas, are trying to save their emergency room — or cope with the loss
When Fort Scott’s Mercy Hospital closed in early 2019, the community of 7,550 people in southeast, Kansas, briefly lost its emergency room. Mayor Matthew Wells remembers the time without an ER clearly. “I watched several people, two in particular that I’ve known my whole life, die with injuries sustained that very easily could have been resolved in an ER,” Wells said. Now, the town is once again in that position after the community’s stand-alone ER closed, leaving residents to travel at least 20 miles to the nearest emergency center and raising concerns about attracting new residents and businesses. Local officials are scrambling to bring in a new provider but are running into regulatory hurdles. After Mercy Hospital closed its doors in 2019, a non-profit Catholic health system based in Pittsburg, Kansas, Ascension Via Christi, stepped in to provide emergency room services. But recently, citing financial hardship and a decline in patients, Ascension announced the company would be leaving town December 20. “After exploring the options available, it was clear that this was the only option for us,” Drew Talbott, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, said in a release “There are other providers in the region positioned to serve the residents of Fort Scott and neighboring communities.” Wells said while he is thankful for the services Ascension provided Fort Scott, the departure is devastating to the community he loves so much.
Source: KCUR News
‘Utmost respect’: Kansas City, Kansas’ interim fire chief to take on full-time role
Dennis Rubin, who has served as the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department’s interim fire chief for almost six months, will soon take on the role full time. Wyandotte County’s administrator, David Johnston, announced at Thursday night’s Unified Government meeting that he has hired Rubin for the position, which he will take over in the new year. He will become the KCKFD’s 18th fire chief. “I pledge that I’ll do my very best to continue the direction that we’re going in to serve folks with dignity and pride,” Rubin told the UG’s Board of Commissioners. Before becoming KCK’s interim fire chief in June, Rubin previously served as fire chief in Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and most recently, in small towns in Wisconsin and Virginia. Tyrone Garner, the UG’s CEO and mayor, said before he took office that there were many challenges at the fire department. But firefighters appreciate the “new type of vision” Rubin brings, he said. “The people I’ve talked to said you have their utmost respect and confidence,” Garner told Rubin. Tensions at times ran high under the prior fire administration. Last year, the head of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 64, the union representing KCKFD members, said the former chief “destroyed morale” and caused workplace issues.
Source: KC Star Local News
Residents have mixed reaction about large-scale solar farms in Sedgwick County
Should large-scale solar farms be allowed in Sedgwick County? Thursday night, the public told officials what they think. Because of a moratorium, there can’t be any solar applications until March 20th. So, Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita want to know what should happen once the moratorium has passed. “I just moved back from California. There are solar farms and wind farms. They’re ugly, they’re huge. I don’t want those farms here,” said an unnamed person who spoke during public comment. “Everybody says what they don’t want. Where do you want that electricity to be generated,” said Sedgwick County resident, Stan Bergkamp. Back in March homeowners were concerned about a potential solar development just to the north of Colwich. People living near there were among those at Thursday night’s meeting. “Across the road from me there, across the road from me there, and 2000 feet from my south fence line,” said Leory Bosch. Bosch says he’s against the idea for more than just looks. “My concern, is it’s extremely bad for Sedgwick County as a whole. Any kind of utility-scale solar is going to stifle growth and development,” said Bosch.
Source: KAKE – News
There’s a new way to talk to 911 in Stafford County
New technology is being used by Stafford County dispatchers. They now have the technology to do video calls with someone calling 911. Here’s how it works: When you call 911, the dispatcher can ask to send you a link. If you approve, you will start a live video feed from your phone to show the emergency as it’s happening. “It’s almost like having an extra person without them actually being there. To have eyes on the situation and they’ll be able to see what’s going on, or we can see something they’re not telling us,” said Stafford County Sheriff Robert Murrow. Stafford County Dispatch Coordinator Gina Schwein says this tool can help dispatchers understand an active scene. “If we have to help someone through an emergency, I can see where it would be beneficial to see what they’re doing to guide them through it,” said Schwein. Creating a second set of eyes for emergency responders. “This right here will give us the advance warning so it can be handled appropriately,” said Sheriff Murrow. Once the call is completed, all video and phone access is disconnected from dispatchers, keeping your personal information safe. The Kansas 911 Coordinating Council says 49 counties in the state are currently using this video tool, but it could expand to other counties.
Source: KSN-TV
Sedgwick County K9 killed in line of duty
A K9 with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was killed in the line of duty Thursday afternoon. According to Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, the K9 killed was Bane. Bane came into service with Wichita Police Officer Daniel Gumm in Dec. 2017, after Gumm’s previous K9, Rooster, was shot and killed in the line of duty. Rooster was the first WPD K9 to be killed in the WPD’s history. Officer Gumm lost his battle with cancer in November 2022, and Bane was donated to the SCSO. According to WPD Lieutenant Aaron Moses, just before noon on Thursday, the WPD domestic intervention and violence reduction team was in the area of Pawnee and Rock trying to locate a 24-year-old man suspected of robbery. Moses said the suspect was found around 12:10 p.m., but he fled on foot and into a drain, through a creek, and under the road. He then barricaded himself and refused to come out. After negotiations with the suspect failed, the SCSO and the WPD sent K9 officers into the drain. According to Moses, the dogs were on extended leashes and supplied with cameras. “There was an altercation between the suspect and the Sedgwick County Sheriff K9, and at 1:34, the K9, the Sedgwick County Sheriff K9 dog, was pronounced deceased on scene,” said Moses. Moses said they were able to talk to the suspect, and through negotiations, he surrendered around 2:40 p.m. and was taken into custody.
Source: KSN-TV
Free Narcan and fentanyl test strip dispenser now open 24/7 in Salina
An addiction treatment center in Salina says it’s seen a big increase in fentanyl deaths, especially among younger people. But now, it’s hoping to slow down those deaths by providing a free Narcan dispenser that anyone can access, 24/7. “I think it’s important to educate and empower so we can save lives,” said CKF Addiction Treatment Wellness Coordinator Chelsey Eberwein. “There will be boxes of naloxone. There’ll be fentanyl testing strips and hygiene kits, free to any and everyone who would like to come and get one.” It’s an issue extremely close to mentor Valarie Hicks’ heart. “I’m a person in recovery myself. And I was never able to just come in and ask for help,” said Hicks. “Here in Salina, we have a lot of things recently that have been happening where people are being found deceased.” Hicks says the stigma, the shame, and the fear many drug users feel is costing life after life. “A lot of people in these instances just take their friends and leave them somewhere. Out of fear of getting in trouble,” Hicks said. But as of Thursday, Salina now has a new, life-saving option. “Here’s where it’s located. So this door will be locked, this one will be the 24-hour access. You just pull this down. Here’s our naloxone spray. In these bags right here, it’s fentanyl testing strips,” Hicks said, showing us the box located in the west lobby of CKF Addiction Treatment at 617 E Elm in Salina.
Source: KAKE – News
Southwest Kansas to get a children’s museum
Southwest Kansas will soon get its first children’s museum. Red Dog Children’s Museum received a $28,435 grant from Kansas Tourism Monday morning at the Russell Child Development building in Garden City. The museum was one of 14 recipients of Kansas Tourism’s 2023 Attraction Development Grants. Additionally, the museum received two other local grants from the Finney County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Garden City Co-op to help kickstart it. The museum has been a project of Jenny and Trevor Hands for the past two years. Together the couple has a son, Graden, and when they travel, they go to children’s museums anytime they’re near one, Jenny Hands said. Jenny Hands said the idea for the children’s museum came to her and her husband while sitting on their living room couch because they were inspired by their son, their travels and because they have always “wanted to do something” for their community. “But in the research of planning this, we found of the 10 nearest children’s museums to Garden City, eight of them are outside of state lines and they’re an average of 300 miles away,” she said. “That is not accessible for our community, and we just started to develop a passion for educating children in our community and giving them the same opportunities that children in larger cities have.” Thus, the Red Dog Children’s Museum was born.
Source: Garden City Telegram
Kayak rentals coming to Vets Park
By next spring, people will be able to rent a kayak and paddle across the lake at Veterans Memorial Park. Director of Kansas Tourism Bridgette Jobe stopped in Great Bend on Tuesday morning to present a “big check,” representing a grant for $12,200 to the Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau. This joint project will involve the City of Great Bend and the Great Bend Recreation Commission as well. The plan is to add a kayak rental service that will operate similar to the Bird Scooters that were in Great Bend for a couple of years. Kayaks can be checked out from a locker placed next to the lake by using an app on a smartphone. The user will be charged a fee through the app. The kayaks come with paddles and life jackets in various sizes, although one has to be 18 years old to download the app. The Great Bend Recreation Commission suggested a rental rate starting at $25 per hour, but Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Christina Hayes said that and other details have yet to be determined. “We are trying to make it affordable and easy.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Newton to ban tobacco use in city parks
The Newton City Commission has approved a policy to ban tobacco use at city parks and outdoor recreational areas. The Tobacco-Free Parks policy will be effective on January 1st, 2024, and it will ban tobacco use in city-owned recreational areas, including parks, playgrounds, trails and athletic fields. Sand Creek Golf Station will be exempt from the policy. The Healthy Harvey Coalition asked Newton High School students last spring to help with a study on tobacco litter in city parks, and in one park, the students filled a seven-liter bucket with discarded tobacco products. The Coalition also helped to encourage the City of Hesston to make its parks tobacco-free, and the group worked with the City of Newton on an ordinance to raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21. The City of Newton and the Harvey County Health Department will receive free signs from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the signs will be posted at parks and recreation areas to remind visitors of the new policy.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Bel Aire officials looking into problems with street project
There have been delays in completing a street improvement project in the city of Bel Aire, two years after construction began. Work on the project has stopped and the city is working on testing and inspections to determine when it can be started again. Bel Aire Mayor Jim Benage provided an update on Facebook on the project to improve Woodlawn between 37th and 45th Streets North. He said the wheel paths in the east lanes are deforming, cracking, slipping, and sinking. The city has hired a firm to take soil samples and results will be studied by the project engineers, the Bel Aire City Engineer and the Kansas Department of Transportation. Benage said a plan will then be developed for repairing the east lanes and finishing the project. As soon as this plan is developed and put in place, it will be shared with the public. With winter weather approaching, the work will likely be delayed until the spring. The city will take some temporary measures to provide a safe route through the winter. In the meantime the city will continue to have northbound traffic in the middle lane with traffic cones in place. The traffic light at 45th Street North will continue to be a four way stop. Benage said in his statement, “We are frustrated with the slow progress, but we need to be very intentional on how we proceed. Not doing so, could cause the City even more problems.”
Source: 101.3 KFDI
The market thinks the Fed is going to start cutting rates aggressively. Investors could be in for a letdown
Markets seem to have taken this week’s positive economic data as the all-clear signal for the Federal Reserve to start cutting interest rates aggressively next year. Indications that both consumer and wholesale inflation rates have eased considerably from their mid-2022 peaks sent traders into a frenzy, with the most recent indications on the CME Group’s FedWatch gauge pointing to a full percentage point of cuts by the end of 2024. That may be at least a tad optimistic, particularly considering the cautious approach central bank officials have taken during their campaign to bring down prices. “The case isn’t conclusively made yet,” said Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP. “We’re making progress in that direction, but we haven’t gotten to the point where they’re going to say that the risk of leveling out at a level too far above target has gone away.” This week has featured two important Labor Department reports, one showing that consumer prices in aggregate were unchanged in October, while another indicated that wholesale prices actually declined half a percent last month. While the 12-month reading of the producer price index sank to 1.3%, the consumer price index was still at 3.2%.
Source: Economy
Municipal Bond Trends for November 16, 2023
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.
Shawnee County is seeing record revenues at its golf courses this year
Shawnee County’s government has set a record this year for golf revenue, with one key reason being COVID-19, an official says. Many new golfers took up the game during the pandemic, when it was among the few activities available. Now, they continue to play, Josh Maike explained Monday to The Capital-Journal. County golf revenues eclipsed $2 million for the first time this year, county commissioners learned at a work session Monday from Maike, recreation superintendent for Shawnee County Parks and Recreation. The previous record was $1,805,080, set last year, he told The Capital-Journal. Other reasons Shawnee County set the record include golf leagues, junior golf, affordable access to its courses and the positive customer experience golfers receive at those courses, Maike said.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for November 15, 2023
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.
Newton hires McPherson’s Daniela Rivas as its next city manager
The Newton City Commission approved a contract to hire Daniela Rivas as its next city manager. Rivas, who works as an assistant city administrator/finance director for the City of McPherson will replace Kelly McElroy, who left the city position in October. According to information released by the city, Rivas grew up in Wichita and has family in Newton, and her familiarity with the community is one of the factors that drew her to the job. “Having spent my summers in Newton growing up, I know what a special community it is,” Rivas said. “I’m honored and excited to contribute to the growth and success of such a wonderful city.” At its Tuesday meeting, Mayor Leroy Koehn said city department heads, city commissioners, community members, and department heads all conducted interviews as part of the process. “Every group chose Daniela,” he said. “We all feel very good about our new city manager, and she will be a really good fit.” Commissioner Rich Stinnett and Commissioner Rod Kreie both complimented Rivas’s enthusiasm. “She’ll be a great cheerleader for the City of Newton,” Kreie said.
Source: Harvey County Now