Kansas Municipal News
Bentley Birthday Bash: a huge success with room for growth
The recently concluded Bentley Birthday Bash has left the local community buzzing with excitement after a resounding success that exceeded all expectations. The grand celebration, held in honor of Bentley’s 135th birthday, not only drew an impressive crowd but also showcased the event’s profound potential for future growth. Families, friends and visitors from neighboring towns flocked to the event, eager to join in the festive spirit and show their love for Bentley. The organizers left no stone unturned in curating a diverse range of attractions, ensuring there was something for everyone.
Source: Harvey County Now
Long-time city clerk in Sedgwick retires
Janise Enterkin has attended 464 city council meetings, 108 special council meetings, and 57 Hillside Cemetery meetings during her 19 years as Sedgwick’s city clerk. She served through four mayors and 18 council members. Now, after 21 years, Enterkin is retiring from the City of Sedgwick, effective Dec. 1. But if you want to see her in the office one last time, this Thursday (Nov. 9) will be your last chance. She’s using vacation time to bridge the gap. Enterkin heard about a position at the city 21 years ago while working for Jerry Alderson at Voice and Data Connection. When things at her job got slow, she started looking around, because her children were in school, and she wanted to work in town.
Source: Harvey County Now
Voters approve change to Reno County liquor law
The people of Reno County have voted to enact changes to the liquor license law so restaurants no longer need to have 30% of their sales be from food to keep their license. The food rule was passed by the State of Kansas in 1986, with it’s three classifications for county alcohol sales. There are wet counties with no restrictions, dry counties with no alcohol sales and semi-dry counties, where in order to have a liquor license you need to have 30% of your sales be food. Because of this law, Sandhills Brewing in Hutchinson was almost forced to close since they were not selling enough food. Sandhill offers snacks and pizza but the product they sell most of is alcohol.
Source: KAKE – News
Kansas abandoned wells project reinvigorated, but thousands left to plug
The state’s efforts to plug abandoned wells are back on track after delays in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to project coordinators. Ryan Hoffman, conservation division director with the Kansas Corporation Commission, updated lawmakers on the well situation during a Tuesday legislative meeting. The Kansas Corporation Commission oversees the well plugging process. “We are moving forward,” Hoffman said. Wells left unplugged can pose a health and safety risk to Kansans if they are near communities. Due to leakage, abandoned wells could leak into the water supply and or release methane into the air.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Municipal Bond Trends for November 6, 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.
Liberal creates new way for public to engage
The City of Liberal has launched the use of Polco, an online engagement platform, in an expanding effort to gain resident feedback to support local government decision-making. City staff will use Polco to post surveys and poll questions for citizens to participate in using Polco’s app or website, where users can answer and comment on a variety of topics. “Our staff and commission agree that creating a better future for Liberal takes all of us, and it’s important for us to hear from our citizens in order to work to meet needs effectively,” Liberal City Manager Rusty Varnado said. “We also understand people lead busy lives. Polco is a convenient way for all members of our community to share feedback about topics they care about.”
Source: Liberal First
KDOT warns of staffing shortages ahead of winter
The Kansas Department of Transportation is committed to keeping the highways clear whenever inclement weather impacts the state. However, KDOT staffing shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice in a timely manner. The agency is in need of equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators. The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages have been greater in recent years. Across the state, KDOT is about 25% short of its preferred number of snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed.
Source: Little Apple Post
Emergency winter shelter to open in NE Wichita
Wichita Mayor Brandon announced on Thursday that an emergency winter shelter will open in northeast Wichita. The facility will be located at 2220 E 21st St. N., the former Fundamental Learning Center. The mayor said the shelter will serve about 250 people nightly. They’ll also be able to stay during the day. The City of Wichita owns the facility, which HumanKind Ministries will run. “We want to make sure that we have everything in place, first and foremost,” Wichita Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said. “We don’t want to compromise safety and security, impact on the neighborhood.” The city said there will be on-site security personnel and one entrance.
Source: KWCH News
Why Municipal Bonds are Outshining Treasuries
Thanks to their par values and steady coupon rates, bonds are often seen as the ‘safe’ asset class, particularly when compared to stocks. But lately, federally-backed bonds aren’t seeming too safe. The recent debt ceiling issues, credit downgrades, and rising deficits have many investors on edge. Treasury bonds might not be as safe as they seem. But municipal bonds? It’s steady as she goes. According to asset manager Northern Trust, munis’ credit quality is better than ever before. And that makes them a great buy, potentially over Treasury bonds. For investors, adding a dose of munis continues to be the right play. … It turns out that, while the United States Treasury may be in a weakening state, state and local governments are facing the opposite situation. They are getting better in terms of credit quality and ability to pay their debts. While all the pandemic stimulus may have been a weakening factor to the federal balance sheet, it’s been a big win for states.
Source: Municipalbonds
Franchisees explain reasons behind McDonald’s closures in Wichita, Kingman and Anthony
The franchisee of the McDonald’s at 1050 N. Broadway that closed on Tuesday says the decision was made by McDonald’s corporate as part of an occasional “screening” the company does of all of its restaurants. The same process resulted in the closure of the McDonald’s in Kingman on the same day, he said. And Anthony’s McDonald’s also was scheduled to close on Oct. 31, but a fire earlier this month shut it down early. Michael Lane, who owns 11 McDonald’s restaurants in the area, said that the company didn’t share with him all the reasoning that led to its decision, but ultimately, he said, it was the company’s choice. “They make the ultimate decision, but as a franchisee, I have to say I understand,” he said. “There are three locations around that one that really serve 80 to 90 percent of the customers in that area, so it made sense to look at it that way and make that tough decision.” In addition to the fact that other McDonald’s restaurants are close by, including the one Michael Lane also owns at Broadway and Waterman, the dawn of digital options like ordering via app or for delivery has changed the number of physical restaurants that are needed in one area.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Valley Center Recreation and Aquatics Center will add ‘quality-of-life’ amenity for residents, city official says
A project long-discussed in a suburban Wichita community is progressing toward reality. Work on the over 40,000 square-foot Valley Center Recreation and Aquatics Center began in August and is set to wrap by the close of 2024. Valley Center city administrator Brent Clark called the project “transformational” for the city just north of Wichita. “We have a town of nearly 7,500 people, but we also have over 750 residential lots coming online,” he said. “When we’re attracting residents and new homeowners, they look for quality-of-life amenities.” It was not a quick journey to get to this point. Clark said the community had been talking about the center since the early 2000s, but the city failed multiple times in getting a sales tax increase passed that would help fund the effort. Fast-forward to early in the Covid-19 pandemic, when Valley Center made the decision to temporarily shut down its large outdoor pool. That got some in the community fired up, and Clark said that energy was able to be turned into a case for revisiting the recreation and aquatic center as a long-term benefit for the city’s well-being.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Lawrence school district to seek community input on skills graduates need
The Lawrence school district will hold two public input sessions to get the community’s feedback on how to best prepare graduates for what comes next. During its “Portrait of a Graduate” public input sessions, district leaders hope to learn the experiences and skills that community members think students should possess when they graduate. Patrick Kelly, chief academic officer, said the input will help the district “identify the postsecondary assets our community values and would expect upon graduation.” “In today’s world, the demands for students are tremendous as they move on to college, career, and adult life,” Kelly said via email from district spokesperson Julie Boyle. “It’s no longer enough to just graduate on time with the right academic credentials. The Kansas State Board of Education’s new graduation requirements include postsecondary assets aligned with the student’s individual plan of study (IPS).” Brad Neuenswander, founding director of KU’s Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL), and KU graduate student Sophie Robic will facilitate the input sessions. Afterward, they will provide the district with a report on the input they gathered, and administrators will share that information with the school board, Boyle said.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Saline County celebrates completion of new jail facility after decades of ongoing needs
As construction workers shook hands and exchanged greetings with government officials, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan stepped out into the cold October morning to welcome more visitors. People pulling into the public parking lot of the new Saline County jail were greeted with his smile and directions on where to park. His breath created a fog as he spoke through the 28-degree breeze. About 100 people gathered Tuesday at 800 Pacific Ave. in Salina to celebrate the opening of Saline County’s state-of-the-art jail facility. Remarks were made by nearly everyone who helped turn an idea into reality, and the ceremony was capped off by a thanks for the public’s $89 million investment and a ribbon cutting complete with giant scissors. “I’m more excited about people getting an actual tour, than I am of the ribbon cutting,” Soldan said. The Saline County community celebrated on Halloween what began two years ago, when on Oct. 21, 2021, the Turner Construction crew broke ground on some old farmland in north Salina. Since that time, the project kept within its voter-approved budget and finished within the original timeline for completion — a feat several public officials spoke about Tuesday.
Source: News – Salina Journal
Overland Park to turn old Marty Pool site into a new park
The site of the former Marty Pool in northern Overland Park is set to get a new life as a neighborhood park in the next couple of years. On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council Community Development Committee voted 5-0 to recommend approval of a contract with landscape architecture firm Confluence to design the new park. Councilmember Sam Passer, who serves as the committee’s vice chair, was absent from the meeting. Overland Park decommissioned the pool near West 75th and Conser streets in 2022 after decades of offering neighborhood families a place to cool off in the summer. Mary Pool’s closure was part of a long-term plan laid out in the city’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan to decommission some of the city’s pools over the next couple of decades, (Pg. 36). Overland Park previously closed Roe Pool and converted it into a community park.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Affordable housing, size of city council on the line in heated Johnson County election
A chaotic past year in Prairie Village, first sparked by the city discussing affordable housing initiatives, is culminating in one of Johnson County’s most contentious elections this fall. The Nov. 7 election comes as the city considers ways the pricey suburb could allow more affordable housing, a conversation that has sharply divided the community. The debate has transformed into a deeper political battle, leading to two clear factions of candidates running for half of the City Council seats on Tuesday. The city remains tied up in a legal battle with a group of residents who call themselves PV United — first formed to oppose any zoning changes aimed at allowing more affordable housing — that filed petitions this fall pushing to let residents vote on limiting mayoral powers and cutting the council in half. The idea was especially controversial because it would have resulted in ejecting six council members from their seats mid-term.
Source: Joco 913 News
Pittsburg restores services following cyber attack
The City of Pittsburg is restoring some essential services following the cyber incident that occurred September 16, which caused an IT outage affecting online systems and phones. Utility payment systems, billing systems, and Municipal Court proceedings are now able to resume. City emails and phone systems are still affected, but should be fully functioning soon. The city’s utility payment and billing system is now back online after being unavailable for several weeks. City of Pittsburg Customer Service Department will be issuing bills for the September and October billing cycle. The city is suspending late fees and disconnections during this time. Customers can pay in person, via drop box, mail, or online. Municipal Court will also resume operations on Wednesday, November 8 at 1:15 pm (afternoon court only) at the Pittsburg Law Enforcement Center. Municipal Court was previously postponed and court-related fees were temporarily being processed at City Hall. The Municipal Court is now able to receive payments again via cash or money order at the Law Enforcement Center.
Source: City of Pittsburg
Municipal Bond Trends for November 3, 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.
Rural renewal: KU alumna restores buildings, bustle in Wilson, Kansas
The Midland Railroad Hotel welcomes visitors to Wilson today in much the same way it did over a century ago, when the town was a midway stop between Kansas City and Denver on the Union Pacific Railroad. Inside the stately, three-story limestone building with the red roof, guests still enjoy cozy accommodations surrounded by refurbished original woodwork and other trappings of a bygone era. But unlike long-ago railroad travelers, many of the Midland’s modern-day patrons consider the hotel itself the destination. “Coming to the Midland is like stepping back in time,” says Melinda Merrill, g’03, who has owned and operated the hotel since 2014 and turned the once-shuttered landmark into a renowned regional hub. “It’s a place where people can relax and get away from their day-to-day grind, and a place where people can just enjoy being in a small town.” The hotel is one of a handful of revival projects Merrill has been involved with in the rural community of Wilson, population 859, about 180 miles west of Lawrence via I-70. The structures under her stewardship, which also include a repurposed grade school and a rescued tin barn, take on new lives and, in turn, provide new opportunities for hospitality and connection in a place once short on such amenities.
Source: KU Alumni Magazine
Proposed sales tax could improve the city of Olpe
Olpe residents will soon be voting on a retailers’ sales tax in the city. On this year’s ballots, residents in Olpe will be voting to approve or deny a sales tax in the city. According to the Lyon County election office, 1/2 of 1% is the amount of sales tax that will be levied in the city of Olpe if this ballot question gets approved. The sales tax will go towards capital improvements to improve the city. Olpe City Clerk Joyce Wilson told 27 News there’s a few key projects the money from this sales tax would go to if it gets approved. If approved, the city of Olpe would add a fitness park with sidewalks, create wider sidewalks throughout the town and add parking near the football field.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Local mural artist turns a new leaf at the Hiawatha Chamber and Wenger wall
The wall facing the Arrow Twin movie theater features paintings of orange, red, and yellow-colored leaves that appear to be floating on the white wall on the metal building owned by Tim and Arthur Wenger close to Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau building across the street. Viewers taking in the sight will notice the words in the middle of the wall, which beckon them to “Fall in love with Hiawatha,” which is also the theme the Chamber used to help promote the project and Hiawatha to surrounding areas and even the nation and world at large.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com