Kansas Municipal News
City of Manhattan enters agreement with Ottawa nonprofit to contract out animal shelter services
The City of Manhattan will contract out services at the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter. City commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved an agreement with Prairie Paws, a nonprofit organization out of Ottawa to manage the shelter. Mayor Mark Hatesohl says the move should give the city a better understanding of how much it’s spending on services. The city began discussions in January to explore avenues to outsource shelter services, without requiring additional tax dollars. Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers noted on Tuesday’s edition of In Focus that the city has struggled with turnover at the shelter for several years.
Source: 1350 KMAN
New playground, equipment celebrated at GC Achieve
Garden City Achieve, 1312 N. Main Street, this week celebrated a new playground area and equipment located on the south side of the school building. The new playground, designed for children from five to 12 years old, includes a slide and many climbing structures. The playground equipment is designed to build motor skills, cognitive skills and social emotional skills through sensory play. The area around the playground equipment has a soft artificial turfed surface to ensure safety for the developmentally appropriate jungle gym for young learners. “This new playground is a very welcome addition to our school and for the students we serve,” said Lucas Sullivan, GC Achieve principal. “We are grateful for the support from the Board of Education and the school district for making this a reality at our school.”
Source: Greater Garden City » Feed
Municipal Bond Trends for September 20, 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.
Saline County needs diesel mechanics
Amid a challenge to hire and retain diesel mechanics, Saline County has approved hiring incentives of $2,500 for those roles in the Road and Bridge Department. Two diesel mechanic positions are vacant as of Sept. 19, one of which has gone unfilled since August of last year. Saline County Road and Bridge Administrator Darren Fishel said these jobs are critical for the department to run smoothly. “Currently the crews are repairing their own equipment under the tutelage of the shop services manager,” Fishel said. “So, when something breaks they bring it in and fix it.”
Source: Salina Journal
Governor Kelly Announces $10M for Utility Infrastructure Improvements in 18 Communities
Governor Laura Kelly announced that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is awarding $10 million from the agency’s Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance (STWSIA) grant program to help 18 small communities improve water and wastewater services. That program received the funds through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) program funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Grant applicants were comprised of water and wastewater utilities with a population of less than 1,000 and that have a public health or regulatory compliance issue that infrastructure improvements would help resolve.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Governor Kelly Announces Launch of $200M Build Kansas Fund to Accelerate Transformative Community Infrastructure Projects
Governor Laura Kelly, alongside the Kansas Infrastructure Hub (KIH), announced the launch of the Build Kansas Fund, which provides state matching dollars to Kansas communities for infrastructure projects approved under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The Build Kansas Fund will invest $200 million directly into Kansas communities to support projects that include water, transportation, energy, cybersecurity, and broadband through Fiscal Year 2027.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Governor Kelly Announces Launch of Shared Services Network for Child Care Providers
Governor Laura Kelly announced the launch of a new partnership that will create savings and streamline services for child care providers across Kansas. The Kansas Department for Children and Families, Child Care Aware of Kansas, and five community-based organizations are partnering on the Shared Service Network to streamline administrative costs for providers and free up time for programs to focus on providing high-quality child care. “For many Kansas kids, quality child care is essential for them to have a solid start to their developmental growth,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “This network will provide child care professionals the resources they need so they can focus on young Kansans in their care.”
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
This tattoo parlor can stay in Old Town after Wichita City Council decides to allow it
A change to the city’s zoning code will allow Afterlife Tattooz to continue operating in Old Town. Thanh Do told The Eagle this summer that he strategically chose Old Town to start his business because “it’s in the middle of everywhere.” He didn’t know when he moved into part of the former First Gear space at 111 N. Mosley that the Old Town Overlay — a zoning plan designed to protect the historic and architectural character of the area — specifically prohibited tattooing and body piercing establishments. Afterlife Tattooz received a notice to vacate but was granted an extension by the city while it reviewed the zoning requirements.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Kansas has 4 of the ‘most envied’ suburbs in the US, survey says. Two are near Wichita
Two cities near Wichita are among America’s “most envied surburban lifestyles” in the country. That’s according to moving services reviewer Moving Feedback, which surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults for their preferences to put together a list of the 175 most desirable suburbs in America. Here’s a look at the two Wichita suburbs that made the list, plus two other Kansas locations that got a nod from Moving Feedback.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Sedan, surrounding cities, remain in level 3 water emergency due to drought
Back in August, the city of Sedan announced it was facing a level 3 water emergency. They are still in the midst of an emergency as the water manager is calling it a 100-year event. The local car wash has closed down and the city pool was closed three weeks early. People have been asked not to use water for outdoor use. The reductions have worked as the city has cut water usage by over 25 percent. They did receive rain today, something that makes the Water District 20 manager James Rainbolt hopeful. “We’re still at stage 3. Hopefully the rain today, it’s not going to get us out of it, but it’ll slow the drop a little bit,” said Rainbolt.
Source: KSN-TV
Emporia experiencing a significant amount of water breaks
Dozens of water breaks in Emporia are leaving many without water for hours at a time. The city manager says the city’s main water tower was taken offline on September 6. “It is a 33-year-old water tower that we have taken offline to do some interior repairs to it,” said the City Manager for the City of Emporia, Trey Cocking. The removal caused water pressure to shift in the last week, and water pressure has caused 36 water breaks in local neighborhoods. “We’re experiencing a much higher volume than normal,” explained Cocking.
Source: KSN-TV
Local and State leaders continue to push for Amtrak in Wichita
This week multiple local and state leaders are in Illinois continuing the push to bring Amtrak to Wichita. Sedgwick County Commission Chair, Pete Meitzner, the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Senator Carolyn McGinn, and Representative Avery Anderson are attending the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission Annual Meeting. Nine states meet with the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), Amtrak, and others to discuss passenger railways. Some are looking at updating tracks, others want to add more trains, and in Wichita, the goal is to bring the Heartland Flyer Extension to Wichita to connect to Oklahoma City and the national Amtrak network.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita author uncovers secrets of her hometown in new book
If you’ve lived in Wichita long enough, you probably know of a few hidden gems around town. Maybe you’re aware of a bit of our city’s history that isn’t well-known. Vanessa Whiteside’s motto is “Stay Curious.” She’s written a pair of books about Wichita. The latest features Wichita’s off-beat locations and tucked-away treasures. Many of them, you may already know about, and some you don’t. The author, who has signed copies of her new book inside Watermark Books and Café, grew up in Wichita, graduated from Southeast High School, and loves researching her hometown.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita gets federal approval to start selling some of its public housing units
Wichita will begin the process of selling part of its single-family public housing stock after receiving long-awaited approval from the federal government. “This is really a once in a generation opportunity to add affordable housing stock to the private market,” Sarah Gooding, a real property section manager with the city of Wichita, said at a city board meeting in August. “Many of these homes are at the lower end of the price range. We’re hoping to see affordable homes for first-time buyers and affordable rentals.” The city announced in January 2022 that it would split its 352 single-family public housing units into several groups and sell them.
Source: KSN-TV
‘It’s an emergency.’ Midwest towns scramble as drought threatens drinking water.
James Rainbolt typically can tackle most problems at his rural water plant with some extra time or money. But he can’t fix this. “I just can’t make it rain,” he said. Like others across southeast Kansas, Rainbolt remains helpless as he watches a persistent drought dry up the local water supply. He runs a public wholesale water supply district that provides the drinking water for several cities and rural water districts. The lack of rain has been so severe that it’s now threatening the water district’s intake pipe, which brings water from a local lake to the treatment plant.
Source: themercury.com
Lawrence city staff members, commissioners hesitate as mayor calls to enforce no-camping measures
Mayor Lisa Larsen on Tuesday called for the city to push back against people camping around town. City staff members and her fellow commissioners said they agree that the situation needs to change, but there was not a feasible way to end camping right now. City staff members provided commissioners with an update Tuesday on efforts to deal with the growing homelessness and housing crisis. After a staff presentation, commissioners heard from about 20 people, including many business owners; no one who identified themselves as homeless spoke during the meeting.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Municipal Bond Trends for September 19, 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.
Lenexa’s new downtown booming with food, offices. It’s only halfway done
Dozens of shoppers filed through Lenexa’s farmers market on Saturday, stopping at each booth to pick up late summer produce, fresh loaves of sourdough and local honey. Nearby, kids swooped down the water slides at the city’s rec center. And hungry customers, tempted by the smell of spices in the air, chose between the samosas at Sohaila’s Kitchen or the fried sweet plantains at African Dream Cuisine at the packed food hall. The bustling afternoon was the result of more than two decades of planning, and hundreds of millions of public and private dollars funneled into Lenexa City Center, at 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard. And that’s just the first half of the project. Momentum has been building in recent months, with the City Council granting approvals and tax incentives allowing several projects to move forward.
Source: KC Star Local News
2 historic sites in Council Grove reopen with greater focus on Native people
A restoration of two historic sites related to American Indian history are providing an opportunity to tell a “broader story,” officials said Saturday. The Kaw Mission State Historic Site and Last Chance Store reopened in an event Saturday after a restoration four years in the works. Its renovation was an effort by museum staff, historians, the Kaw Nation and the Santa Fe Trail Association. The Kaw Mission was built in 1851 as a school that could to accommodate about 50 Native boys after the government forcibly relocated the Kanza people to Council Grove in 1846. Mark Brooks, the site administrator, said the school taught the students farming, reading, writing and math…
Source: themercury.com
$1.7 million to help turn old Bonner Springs grocery store site into affordable housing
An additional $1.7 million was secured to develop 100 multi-family rental units at a four-story apartment building in downtown Bonner Springs, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids announced. A building at 120 Oak St., the site of an old Thriftway grocery store, was demolished a few months ago with plans for the $17 million development. Bonner Springs officials expect downtown businesses to see “significant increase in patronage” with the units. Mayor Jeff Harrington said the developers hope to break ground in the spring with the building along West Front Street open in fall 2025.
Source: KC Star Local News