Kansas Municipal News
County approves broadband study
Labette County commissioners agreed to move forward with a broadband study that will map out current broadband coverage in the county. Commissioners, after some discussion, agreed to hire Finley Engineering and CCG Consulting of Lamar, Missouri, at a cost of $69,385 to conduct the study. Competitive and needs analysis to understand the broadband needs and estimate market demand for broadband services. Pre-engineering to estimate the cost of building the network.
Source: Parsons Sun
City OKs updated vicious dog rules
Parsons city commissioners Monday approved a new vicious dog ordinance that will repeal the one approved last month by the commission. The reason for the new ordinance was because the original one did not have all the details the commissioners wanted in it. Ross Albertini, city attorney, reworked the ordinance and commissioners approved the updated one. Under the ordinance, all impoundment costs are the responsibility of the owner.
Source: Parsons Sun
Working for Lenexa: A desire to help others and an eagerness to learn are a great fit for facility maintenance
Repairing water fountains. Fixing garage doors. Cleaning air conditioner units. The four full-time facility maintenance technicians working for the City of Lenexa’s Municipal Services Department do it all. For Bobby Lyon, though, it’s more than keeping things in working order. His job is about helping others, learning new skills, and seeing his handiwork across the city. Growing up, Bobby recalls how his dad was super handy. “If we had something and it broke, our options were to fix it or do without,” Bobby said. As a young kid, Bobby not only saw his dad repair what was broken, but he also saw him take parts and make them into something.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Prairie Village residents can now have old mattresses picked up curbside — Here’s how it works
Johnson County’s landfill, located in Shawnee, is on track to close — due to capacity limitations — in 2043. Ward 4 Councilmember and environmental committee liaison Piper Reimer said the committee was reminded about the need to divert waste from this site when Commissioner Becky Fast spoke to the city council on Jan. 18. Reimer said diversion efforts like this reduces landfill waste which, in turn, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and toxins going into air, water and soil. The environmental committee dedicated its entire $8,000 budget to the curbside mattress recycling program, Reimer said.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
UG Commission moves forward on stormwater infrastructure program
The Unified Government Commission moved forward on stormwater infrastructure concerns Monday night after some months of delays on the issue. At a special meeting Monday night of the full UG Commission, the commissioners unanimously approved the plan to submit an application to the federal government seeking financing under the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act (WIFIA). The commission approved a $100,000 application fee with the application, on a motion by Commissioner Melissa Bynum. There was no approval Monday night for a previously discussed stormwater rate increase.
Source: Wyandotte Daily
Rigby leaving Wichita for city manager position in Oklahoma
Scot Rigby, who has served as assistant city manager in Wichita since July 2015, will resign at the end of the month to start a new role as city manager of Edmond, Okla. During a search to find a replacement, Kathy Sexton, who retired as city manager of Derby late last year, will serve as interim assistant city manager. Rigby, whose last day is Feb. 25, said it’s been a professional goal of his to serve as a city manager. “I’ve loved my job here. I think Wichita is a fantastic community, our family’s loved it, this is just an opportunity to try something new and to continue to pursue my career goals,” he said.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Derby adopts new Neighborhood Maintenance Grant program
In alignment with changes to the property maintenance code going into affect in 2022, the city of Derby is giving its Neighborhood Revitalization program a facelift – with the city council officially adopting the new Neighborhood Maintenance Grant program at its Feb. 8 meeting. Assistant to the City Manager Sarah Gooding reported the new program will look very similar to the old program – with some minor changes made to open up potential participation throughout the community. Additionally, she said the program was expanded to address some concerns about the potential financial impact brought up during discussion of the new property code.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Video travel blog features Chase County communities
A handful of Chase County communities were recently featured in a travel blog that seeks out the “hidden gems” of Kansas. John Wise posts videos of his explorations of Kansas ghost towns under “Travel with a Wiseguy” on YouTube. He told the Leader-News this week that he travels often through his job as a track and field coach at Wichita State University. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports in 2020, he was left feeling pretty antsy. “We travel all the time, so it was kind of a strange deal,” he said, adding that his traveling started that summer. “I didn’t think it would become much of anything, except something for me and some friends.”
Source: Emporia Gazette
WPD raising starting pay for police recruits, officers
The largest police department in the state of Kansas is hiring. “We always like to remind individuals that nobody forces you to do this job. This truly is a job that you want to do. You feel, in your heart, you feel that it’s a calling that you want to help give back to the community,” Wichita Police Sgt. Jeremy Vogel said. The Wichita Police Department just raised its starting pay for a police recruit to $24 an hour. Once an applicant goes through the six-month Academy class, they become a police officer.
Source: KAKE – News
Kansas broadband leaders tout ongoing programs, future initiatives to bridge digital divide
Kansas state broadband leaders say federal and state funding established last year to improve connectivity across the state helped support nearly 100 projects, and they are optimistic additional funds are on the way. During the pandemic, the SPARK task force earmarked $60 million in CARES Act funding for two broadband grant programs related to the pandemic response. Connectivity Emergency Response Grants totaling $50 million are funding a total of 65 projects across the state and 25 Broadband Partnership Adoption Grants totaling $10 million helped facilitate internet access for low-income households, defraying internet subscription costs, funded hot spots, and provided devices to eligible households. Stanley Adams, who leads the broadband development office at the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the programs are having a positive impact on communities.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Overland Park residents worry city road work could lead to removal of dozens of mature trees
It was the trees that settled it for Julie and Kevin Morris as they were choosing between homes in northern Overland Park and the Blue Valley area thirteen years ago. Shady streets under a canopy of big, beautiful trees. “We didn’t want to be out in the suburbs,” regardless of how competitive the school districts are, said Julie. Instead the couple chose their Monitor Square neighborhood — just north of 103rd Street between Nall and Roe avenues — “because we liked the feel of it. And a lot of that is the trees.” Overland Park inside the I-435 loop abounds in two things: mature trees and, according to city staff, streets that are pushing past the ends of their useful lives.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Overland Park moves forward with energy-efficient redesign of 75th Street fire station
Plans for a fire station reconstruction in Overland Park took a step forward this week.mThe city council’s Public Safety Committee on Wednesday approved a supplemental agreement for the reconstruction of Overland Park Fire Station #41, which sits near the intersection of 75th Street and Conser, just west of Metcalf…. Project engineer Tony Rome said sustainability is a key factor of the project. Although plans aren’t finalized, he said some of the improvement possibilities include adding bifold doors, using LED lighting and removing part of the parking lot to incorporate more green space.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Senate panel expands bill eliminating food sales tax
A proposal eliminating the state sales tax on food moved out of a Senate committee Thursday but was expanded to cover utilities, delivery charges and allow theaters to keep sales taxes on ticket sales. The bill would eliminate the state’s 6.5% sales tax on food – one of the highest rate rates nationally – starting Jan. 1, 2024. It would still allow local governments to collect food sales taxes although they would have the option to eliminate the tax if they choose.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Governor Laura Kelly Announces More than $17 Million in Grants to Support Redevelopment Efforts for Rural Communities
Governor Laura Kelly announced 40 rural Kansas communities will receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) totaling more than $17.6 million to help support critical community development projects. “These grants will help our communities improve public safety, revitalize vital infrastructure and maximize economic opportunity for our Kansas families,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “It’s further proof that investments like this are critical to positively impact lives of Kansans living in rural parts of the state.”
The awards are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and granted from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities CDBG program. Eligible CDBG public improvement projects help fund water and wastewater projects, housing rehabilitation and other community facilities and services. “Community Development Block Grants strike at the core of what we all want to achieve for Kansas: strong communities, healthy families and a high quality of life,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “The investments announced today will create better living conditions for Kansans, which in turn drives new economic opportunities and promotes new growth across our state.”
Cities and counties, their award amount and project type are as follows:
| City of Atchison | $370,000 | Sidewalk improvements |
| City of Arkansas City | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation |
| City of Auburn | $330,765 | Stormwater street improvements |
| City of Augusta | $260,000 | Purchase fire engine |
| City of Burr Oak | $330,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of Bushton | $530,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of Caldwell | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation and demolition |
| City of Cawker City | $454,250 | New water tower |
| City of Cedar Vale | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation and demolition |
| City of Concordia | $560,000 | Purchase of a fire ladder truck |
| City of Dodge City | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation |
| City of Douglass | $99,000 | New playground equipment |
| City of Emporia | $750,000 | Street replacement with curbs and gutters |
| City of Fort Scott | $700,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of Fulton | $270,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of Girard | $600,000 | New lift stations and improvements to the sanitary sewer system |
| City of Glasco | $323,530 | Improvements to the lift station and sanitary sewer system |
| City of Hiawatha | $600,000 | Improvements to the lift station and sanitary sewer system |
| City of Highland | $600,000 | Street improvements |
| City of Humboldt | $492,086 | Street improvements |
| City of Leon | $616,000 | Water system Improvements |
| City of Lincoln Center | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation and demolition |
| City of Linwood | $499,586 | Replacement of remaining cast-iron water lines throughout town |
| City of Lucas | $600,000 | New water tower and water supply improvements |
| City of Lyndon | $501,111 | Construction of a new community center |
| City of Lyons | $300,000 | Housing rehabilitation and demolition |
| City of Mankato | $600,000 | Wastewater collection system repairs and improvements |
| City of Marysville | $600,000 | Sanitary sewer treatment facility improvements |
| McPherson County | $250,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of McPherson | $500,000 | Housing rehabilitation and street improvements |
| City of Medicine Lodge | $480,000 | Rehabilitate/re-purpose existing building for a non-profit daycare |
| City of Miltonvale | $383,000 | Wastewater collection system and treatment facility improvements |
| City of Moran | $450,000 | Water supply improvements |
| City of Oberlin | $466,598 | Sanitary sewer treatment facility improvements |
| Osage County | $260,000 | Sanitary sewer systems improvements |
| City of Russell | $360,300 | Street improvements |
| City of Saint Francis | $600,000 | Street improvements |
| City of Timken | $170,000 | Water system improvements |
| City of Valley Falls | $600,000 | Sanitary sewer systems improvements |
| City of Wellington | $634,706 | Water system improvements |
The CDBG program, administered by the Community Development Division, provides federal funds to local governments for the development of viable communities by addressing their housing, public facilities, and economic development needs. To receive funds, the local government units must meet at least one of three national program objectives:
- The grant will benefit low- and moderate-income persons
- The grant will prevent or eliminate slums and blight
- The grant will resolve an urgent need where local resources are not available
The Small Cities CDBG program is one of the Community Development Division’s primary tools in supporting the state’s small, predominantly rural communities.
Photos and video from the CDBG Awards Ceremony are available here.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Topeka rethinks budget process
Budgeting is a topic that can make one’s eyes roll. And when a city budget is in question, forget it. Lights out. Topeka is trying to change that perception by adopting an outcome- based budget for FY23. Following in the footsteps of Redmond, Wash., and Baltimore, Md., outcome- based budgeting can open a direct line of dialogue between the city and those who live in it. To date, Topeka has held four virtual workshops that have focused on neighborhoods, quality of life, infrastructure and public safety.
Source: CJonline
10-year Treasury yield tops 2% for the first time since 2019 after hot inflation
U.S. Treasury yields climbed on Thursday, with the benchmark 10-year rate breaching the 2% level, after key inflation data showed hotter-than-expected price pressures. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note jumped 12 basis points to about 2.05%, the first time that the benchmark rate reached 2% since August 2019. … The yield on the 2-year Treasury bond, the most sensitive duration to interest rates, surged 26 basis points to top 1.6%. The surge marked the 2-year’s biggest single day move since 2009.
Source: CNBC
Winfield natural gas fees lowered
Fees assessed to City of Winfield natural gas customers to cover costs from Winter Storm Uri last year have been lowered after penalties were waived from the city’s pipeline company, according to Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall. It was previously reported that residential customers would pay an average of $29 per month more over the next six years to help cover repayments for a state-backed loaned taken out by the city to cover natural gas costs incurred during the storm. However, with penalties waived it lowers the average to around $19 per month.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Plot fees increased at county-owned cemeteries
To better cover the rising costs of upkeep for Barton County owned and operated memorial parks and cemeteries north of Great Bend, the County Commission Wednesday morning OKed an increase in plot fees. These apply to both Golden Belt Memorial Park and Hillcrest Cemetery located on NW 50 Road. “The regulations were last passed in 2015,” Register of Deeds Pam Wornkey said. Due to the continuous increase in expenses to maintain and keep things up at the memorial park and cemetery, she suggested the price increase from $250 to $350 for all plots. Plot recording fees will remain the same because they are regulated by statute in the state of Kansas. There will also be no increase in marking and transfer fees.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Siemens Gamesa lays off workers in Hutchinson
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Inc. plans to lay off workers in Kansas and Iowa because of a reduction in orders for commercial wind turbines. The company, which manufactures wind turbines, announced Wednesday that 69 employees will lose jobs in Hutchinson, Kansas, and 121 jobs will end in Fort Madison, Iowa. That will leave 117 workers in Hutchinson and 254 in Fort Madison. Company spokesman Andrew Luther said future furloughs at the plants remain possible…
Source: KAKE – News
Food System master plan approved by city and county leaders
The food insecurity issue in Wichita just got one step closer to getting relief after the food system master plan was approved by county leaders Wednesday. It’s part of a joint effort between city and county leaders to help the community get more healthy, sustainable and regionally sourced food to areas that need it in the county. Fresh locally grown produce, limited food waste, and new job opportunities are just a few of the things local leaders hope to accomplish with a new food system plan. And Wednesday that plan was finally approved by Sedgwick County commissioners.
Source: KAKE – News
Wesley hires private ambulance company, a blow to struggling Sedgwick County EMS
One of Wichita’s largest healthcare systems dealt a blow to Sedgwick County’s struggling ambulance service Thursday, announcing plans to break with the county and hire a private ambulance company starting next month. Wesley Healthcare is set to begin contracting with American Medical Response (AMR) on March 1 for patient transfers between Wesley-owned medical facilities. Those transfers have been a financially important part of the county’s EMS budget for decades and were seen as a key piece to rebuilding a department that has faced high turnover and slow response times. Wesley accounts for 77% of interfacility hospital transfers (4,873 in 2020) done by EMS and 7.8% of the county’s EMS income.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for February 10, 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.
Inflation surges 7.5% on an annual basis, even more than expected and highest since 1982
Consumer prices surged more than expected over the past 12 months, indicating a worsening outlook for inflation and cementing the likelihood of substantial interest rate hikes this year. The consumer price index for January, which measures the costs of dozens of everyday consumer goods, rose 7.5% compared with a year ago, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That compared with Dow Jones estimates of 7.2% for the closely watched inflation gauge. It was the highest reading since February 1982.
Source: CNBC
Petitioner gathering signatures for ballot question to expand Pottawatomie County Commission
A special question to expand the Pottawatomie County Commission may end up on the November ballot if a petition effort is successful. Doug Kern, who currently sits on the Planning and Zoning board, tells KMAN that he’d like to see the county commission expand from three to five seats. So I thought, if they had five commissioners, then they could talk to each other outside of the commission meetings on Monday morning, without potentially violating that open meetings law. So that’s really what’s motivating me,” he said. A five-member commission would mean two members could talk privately about county business. A majority of Kansas counties have three-member commissions, but a few have expanded to five. The most recent to expand was Reno County in 2021.
Source: 1350 KMAN
As fires engulf Kansas, volunteer departments don’t have enough first responders
Across vast stretches of the country, the first responders to a fire are all volunteers. But the number of calls for help has tripled in recent decades, even as the National Volunteer Fire Council reports that the ranks of volunteers look decidedly thinner. Then came the pandemic. When an enormous wildfire raced toward his hometown on the high plains of Paradise, Kansas, last December, volunteer fire chief Quentin Maupin put down his farm work and sprang to action. He took the department’s 18,000-pound pumper truck out alone. “Normally, our policy is you need two people on a truck, so if you have trouble, the other person can help out here or there,” Maupin said. “But that day, there wasn’t anybody here. And I knew we just gotta get a truck out there right now.” That initiative nearly cost Maupin his life when a wall of flames twice the height of telephone poles suddenly engulfed the truck, destroyed its brake lines and melted its flashing lights. Maupin escaped to check on his family in the path of the blaze and went back to work fighting the fire.
Source: KCUR News
EPA seeks Kansas community input
The past can sometimes be hard to forget, especially for one southeast Kansas town. Traces of a former zinc smelter plant can still be found in the City of Weir, even after it went out of service in the 1920’s. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment began looking into the environmental impact of the former zinc smelter site back in 2004. “That’s when the state went out and looked at different areas where there were former smelters and they did different sampling of the soil and the sediment and the water, to see if there were any impacts,” said Liz Blackburn-Vigil, EPA Remedial Project Manager. KDHE found elevated levels of lead in the soil and soon the EPA got involved to help clean up affected properties. To date 54 have been remediated, but work continues to be done to solve the issue city-wide.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Topeka homeowners could get $20,000 for home repairs
A grant program in Topeka designed to assist homeowners with bringing their residences up to code has recently received a large amount of funding to benefit local residents. According to the City of Topeka, a total of $750,000 in grant money was received from the Federal Home Loan Bank for the purpose of assisting low-income homeowners in the city. The grant money will be going to the City of Topeka’s Property Maintenance Rehabilitation Program, managed by the city’s Housing Services Division, which aims to help residents to maintain a safe environment in their homes. “Many of the people we serve are not only low-income, but elderly, and sometimes disabled,” Corrie Wright, Division Director of Housing Services, said. “This grant will allow us to help over 50 families with property maintenance rehabilitation on their homes this year.”
Source: KSNT News
Winfield residents ask commissioners to reconsider golf cart use
A group of Winfield residents are petitioning the Winfield city commission to review an ordinance regulating the use of golf carts in the city limits. The residents are requesting that the ordinance be revised to allow limited golf cart use on city streets, something allowed in surrounding communities such as Udall, Oxford, Cheney and Wellington, according to Winfield resident Stephen Campbell, one of the people trying to get the ordinance changed.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Arkansas City board considers new city entrance signs
While Arkansas City officials work to revitalize downtown, beautification committee members think city entrances could be more inviting, too. Public Information Officer Andrew Lawson said the welcome signs at each major entrance to the city are in poor condition. Wooden arches with local club logos and other community information have had to be taken down due to disrepair. Lawson estimated that those signs were put into place during the late 1990s. During a recent meeting, Beautification and Tree Advisory Board member Candace Hendricks said that she would like to see that signage replaced. The board is looking into costs and hiring an architect help with the design.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Gardner has a plan for those late on electric bills
Gardner is doing something new this winter with customers who don’t pay their electric bills: shutting off their power for 15 minutes every hour. Utility officials can impose the intermittent shutoffs through new “smart electric meters,” which should be fully deployed by mid-March throughout the city. The intermittent shutoffs were to begin when testing was complete, perhaps as early as mid-February. “The feature allows the city to give utility customers the ability to maintain a livable inside temperature while encouraging them to pay their past-due balance or make payment arrangements,” Amy Foster, business services manager, said by email.
Source: Joco 913 News
Wyandotte County passes Safe and Welcoming Act, providing municipal IDs for immigrants
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County’s Board of Commissioners passed the Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte Act late Thursday night by a vote of 6-4, a move advocates call a win for immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, elderly residents and the formerly incarcerated. The new measure will provide municipal IDs to residents without legal identification. Yazmin Bruno Valdez, a community organizer for Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, was among the supporters who attended Thursday’s meeting. Valdez is an immigrant who said she lived without legal identification for more than 20 years. … According to Valdez, 20% of Wyandotte County residents do not have photo identification. … Cross Border Network President Judy Ancel said the ordinance will help establish trust between Wyandotte’s immigrant community and police, by blocking police from cooperating or reporting to Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless there is a public safety emergency or they have a warrant signed by a judge.
Source: KCUR News
Kansas judge OKs lawsuit that claims gas price gouging by energy titan BP last winter
Residents of the tiny southeast Kansas town of Mulberry have won the first round in a lawsuit claiming energy giant BP gouged them on natural gas prices during the freeze emergency last February. A Crawford County judge dismissed a motion by BP to shut down the lawsuit and ruled Wednesday that several Mulberry townspeople have the right to sue the mega-corporation, formerly known as British Petroleum. “The big issue here is the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and the right of individuals to file a claim,” said James Zakoura, a lawyer representing Mulberry and its municipal gas consumers. “The judge said yes, we have that right under the law.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for February 9, 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.
Wichita Public School district keeps mask mandate
The Wichita Public School district’s positive test rate for COVID is about 16%, Sedgwick County is at about 15%. This is one of the reasons that some Wichita Board of Education members voted against dropping the mask mandate in the district, but other members still say parents should be able to decide. After an open discussion Monday night, the BOE voted 4 to 3 in favor of keeping the mask mandate in place for the district. “I’m disappointed that the vote didn’t support looking at the mandate,” said Diane Albert, one of the newest BOE members. Albert made a motion to lift the mask mandate immediately saying that many surrounding districts such as Maize and Derby have already dropped the requirement.
Source: KAKE – News
Fed’s Bostic says more than 3 hikes possible this year, but needs to see how economy responds
Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said Wednesday he anticipates hiking interest rates three or four times this year, but he stressed that the central bank isn’t locked into a specific plan. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the policymaker signaled a view that is less aggressive than the market’s on rates. “In terms of hikes for the interest rates, right now I have three forecast for this year,” he said. “I’m leaning a little towards four, but we’re going to have to see how the economy responds as we take our first steps through the first part of this year.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
How the Local Government Credit Ratings Strengthened in 2021
In the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency and tumultuous economic outlooks, local governments managed to build onto their fiscal strength—credit to federal economic stimuluses and diverse revenue sources that helped them to weather the COVID-19 storm. Furthermore, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) views all local government sectors as having a positive/stable outlook going into 2022, except for high education; these local government sectors were viewed with a negative outlook by S&P ratings in the beginning of 2021. However, the undeniable long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 are likely here to stay: employers adjusting to their workforce working from home, changing travel patterns for domestic and international travel, dynamic consumer behaviors, and students adjusting to remote learning. In this article, we will take a closer look at the fiscal health of local governments going into 2022 and how they will need to adjust to changing market patterns.
Source: Municipalbonds
Fed’s Mester says ‘each meeting is going to be in play’ for rate hikes this year
Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester laid out an aggressive plan for reducing easy-money policies this year, saying the central bank will be ready to hike rates at any meeting and should be looking at shedding mortgage-backed securities it is holding. “Each meeting is going to be in play,” Mester said at an event hosted by the European Economics and Financial Centre. “We’re going to assess conditions, we’re going to assess how the economy’s evolving, we’re going to be looking at the risks, and we’re going to be removing accommodation.” Her comments come with markets widely expecting the Fed to raise its benchmark short-term borrowing rate at its March meeting. Traders are pricing in at least four more increases through the course of the year.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Osawatomie and Evergy Announce Solar Partnership
The City of Osawatomie will partner with Evergy to explore building up to 3 megawatts of solar to power the Osawatomie, Kan., community. “Osawatomie’s strong leadership shows their investment to continued growth in renewable energy and commitment to our partnership,” said Lloyd Jackson, managing director, Evergy Energy Partners. “Our Evergy team is proud to partner with Osawatomie as they expand their energy sources that will continue to serve the community.” City of Osawatomie Deputy City Manager Bret Glendening said, “We are very excited to work with Evergy and KMEA on this solar project, and they have been great partners to work with in the development process. This project is a great opportunity to diversify our municipal electric utilities’ generation portfolio even further, and one of the best parts is that it’s within the city limits of Osawatomie.
Source: City of Osawatomie
Garden City names Assistant City Managers
After a nationwide search and an extensive assessment center process with five outstanding finalists, the City of Garden City has hired Danielle Buschkoetter and Derek Ramos as the new Assistant City Managers. Danielle and Derek will begin their employment with the City on March 28. “The goal of our Assistant City Manager search was to identify one, or possibly two, highly talented professionals to add to our team to not only fill recent senior management team vacancies but to also build capacity for where we are heading as an organization,” City Manager Matt Allen said. Allen said the assessment center process, which involved many city staff, elected officials and community members, revealed that Buschkoetter and Ramos were the right fit. “They both bring skills and experience to the City that will help us right away. They both also have a strong desire to learn and grow as local government professionals and servant leaders, which suggests an even greater upside for the City in the coming years,” Allen said. Both individuals will help lead a group of departments while also overseeing special projects.
Source: Greater Garden City » Feed
Bird Scooters Available in Atchison Starting Thursday, February 10th
The City of Atchison is pleased to welcome Los Angeles, California based, environmentally friendly electric transportation company, Bird Rides, to the Atchison market. Bird intends to bring their shared e-scooters to the city in the coming days. The scooters are available through a mobile phone application and riders pay to use the scooter per minute, at no cost to the city. Mayor Bartlett stated, “Our 2020 Strategic Plan specifically calls out the exploration of alternative and emerging modes of transportation. I think they’ll be a great addition to the community.” The electric scooters can be used on roads and in bike lanes and have a maximum speed of 15mph. Scooters must be parked out of the way of pedestrians and never blocking driveways. Riders are required to be 18 years-old and above to access the scooters. They are also encouraged to wear a helmet on every ride and required to obey all standard rules of the road.
Source: City of Atchison
City of Atchison has been the recipient of numerous grants for the coming 2022 and 2023 cycle
Grants play a big part in Atchison being able to keep up with its needs has a Strategic Plan that identifies five areas of focus: Quality of Life, Housing and Neighborhoods, Economy, Downtown and Infrastructure and Transportation. There were projects that fit within the scope of the plan: Infrastructure and Transportation areas with increasing the quality of public streets and alleys; Housing and Neighborhoods with reducing blight, Downtown focus on improving the appearance and continuity of the downtown area and Quality of Life by improving public facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Several grants have been written to help complete the above projects. The K-7 Mill and Overlay (Phase II) project is expected to cost about 700,000 (600,000 CCLIP grant awarded) and is included in the 2022 CIP. Construction will begin later this summer.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
Sedgwick County Commission adopts food master plan
Sedgwick County commissioners voted Wednesday to adopt a food master plan for the community. The Wichita City Council voted to adopt the plan last month. The Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita worked with the city and county and other agencies over the past year to develop the plan, and a 14-member steering committee was created to gather input and draft a final plan. Sedgwick County Health Director Adrienne Byrne said the plan has three goals: to foster food system coordination and education, improve access to healthy food, and increase local food production. She said about 25 percent of the people in Wichita do not have access to healthy food. She said residents have an interest in developing a robust local food system for the city and county, but the community needs a road map to guide the process.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Burrton becomes regional hotspot for cornhole enthusiasts
People from all over central Kansas have been coming to Burrton every Monday night for the past few months. Their purpose? To play cornhole. “We get people from all over,” Allen Bonde said. “Wichita, Hutchinson, Salina, McPherson. Just all over.” Bonde, who lives in Burrton, has been organizing a weekly cornhole league for the past few months inside what he calls The Machine Shop. They had a record 30 people playing on Monday of this week, which was up from 26 the week before and 18 the week before that.
Source: Harvey County Now
Bentley police chief shares experiences at Olympics
Bentley Police Chief James “Tim” Bryan has been to the Olympics twice. Not as a spectator, not as an athlete, but as a security officer. He was at the 1996 summer games in Atlanta and the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City. “It was a really good experience, and I was happy I got to do a winter and a summer,” he said. Bryan had been a state trooper in 1996 living in Valley Center at the time of the Atlanta Olympics. “They did a nationwide call for assistance,” he said. “The highway patrol for the State of Kansas was very supportive of it and allowed me to go.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Jackson County Sheriff outlines, praises work of county’s dispatchers
Public safety dispatchers are the “true first responders” to any emergency in Jackson County and are “the vital link between those in need and emergency services,” according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. Sheriff Morse and Undersheriff Darrel Chapman recently presented an annual report to the Jackson County Commissioners. Part of that report highlighted the important role of dispatchers, which have been difficult positions to fill this past year. “The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office communications division is the central answering point for 911 in Jackson County,” Morse said. “The communications center dispatches for five law enforcement agencies, eight fire departments and two Emergency Management Services (EMS).”
Source: Holton Recorder