Kansas Municipal News
‘We want to stay in the area’: Burlington breaks ground on new chips manufacturing plant
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, along with Coffey County commissioners and leadership from Secure Semiconductor Manufacturing, broke ground on a new 30,000 square foot facility Friday afternoon. The facility will be located just north of the Coffey County Airport on U.S. Highway 75. SSM is a microelectronics manufacturer who will primarily supply semiconductor components for EMP Shield and other semiconductor manufacturers across the United States as part of a $1.9 billion investment that includes a partnership with Flint Hills Technical College and area high schools to provide the necessary training for potential employees. Gov. Laura Kelly announced the project in February. SSM’s $20 million investment into the region is projected to create 64 jobs, and along with producing semiconductor components, the company will also provide rapid prototyping for other manufacturers across both U.S. defense and private sector applications.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Wichita Public Library opens library card design contest
The Wichita Public Library is asking for designs from customers for three new library cards that will be introduced next year. A contest is underway through 5 p.m. on Friday, October 27th for people in three age categories to submit designs. The categories are kids ages 5-12, teens age 13-17, and adults 18 and older. The rules call for one entry per person and the artwork must be in color, original and not published elsewhere, and it should be free of copyright restrictions. … The public will choose the winner in each category on social media platforms. The winners will be announced in January and the cards will go out in February, 2024.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Russell gets over $2 million from FEMA for power upgrades
The city of Russell has been awarded over $2 million from a grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities” program. A news release from FEMA says the grant program is intended to help states, local communities, tribes and territories fund projects that reduce the risks from disasters and “emphasize the need for resilient infrastructure.” Russell received a total of $2,039,650 to fund the project’s second phase, which will rebuild the entire power distribution system from north Russell city limits from St. John Street to Culp and 9th Street to the 1900 block of North Main. In all, 124 FEMA grants totaling $1.8 billion in federal cost share were chosen among all 10 FEMA regions in 38 states, including 115 communities, one Native American tribe, territories and the District of Columbia. Final grant figures will be available when the projects are completed.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita considering policy for fines regarding retaliatory landlords
Wichita is considering fines for landlords who retaliate against tenants who are otherwise in good standing. The proposed ordinance introduced Aug. 22 to City Council would penalize landlords who evict or raise rent within six months of a tenant’s complaint to the city or landlord about housing conditions. It would not apply to tenants who are late on rent or fail to uphold other tenant responsibilities. The council has not yet voted on the ordinance. State law makes it technically illegal for landlords to retaliate against tenants for complaining to city inspectors. But there is no agency to enforce the rule. “There’s nowhere to make complaints other than some kind of discrimination complaint,” said Nate Johnson, an assistant city attorney for Wichita. The proposed ordinance is based on a similar one Topeka passed in July.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Kansas $451 million project to spread high-speed internet statewide
Jade Piros de Carvalho sits in the control center of an ambitious $451 million, five-year initiative to deliver high-speed connectivity to tens of thousands of Kansans left behind by an internet revolution intersecting commerce, education, health care and entertainment. Piros de Carvalho, director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, was appointed in 2022 after working for internet service provider IdeaTek and serving on the Hutchinson City Council, including three terms as mayor. Her job with the state is to facilitate growth in affordable, reliable internet for homes and businesses. Passage of federal legislation prompted the National Telecommunication Information and Administration to earmark $451 million to Kansas for the purpose of narrowing the digital divide.
Source: KAKE – News
Local residents paint-by-the-numbers to create latest community mural Friday night
If turnout for the latest community mural project in downtown Emporia is any indication, the city is quickly becoming a destination for artists around the area. At least, that’s the hope of local painters and owners of A&A signs Alex and Andrea Polzin who facilitated the paint-by-the-numbers mural at Trolly House Distillery as part of Emporia’s latest First Friday Art Walk Friday evening. The mural encompassed much of what makes up Emporia from depictions of the Flint Hills to a space dedicated to local veterans. The mural was separated into sections and local residents all had the opportunity to paint said sections giving what Polzin hopes is a sense of community ownership over the project.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
Celebrating three signs of progress in Garden City
The City of Garden City is celebrating progress on several long-term projects. There were three ribbon-cutting ceremonies on Tuesday. Kansas Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed, Garden City Mayor Deb Oyler, and other community leaders participated. The first ribbon-cutting ceremony was at the new traffic signal at Kansas Highway 156 and Jennie Barker/Mary Street. The busy intersection previously had stop signs. Reed said KDOT doesn’t usually hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies for traffic signals. “But this is a particularly important one, as it really marries the growth in the city system along with traffic on our state system,” he said. “We’re making investments in your community to help continue to grow Garden City and southwest Kansas.” The next ribbon cutting was at the 8th Street Public Art Project, in front of The Arch/El Arco.
Source: KSN-TV
The toys are back in town: JoCo libraries restart this unique children’s program
Stripes will never be eligible for a library card but will be a very important patron Sept. 12 at the Lenexa City Center Library. Stripes is a toy — an orange tabby cat from Shawnee — signed up for the first of the Toys Night Out events offered this fall at Johnson County Library locations. Toys will be dropped off at a branch in the afternoon and picked up the next morning. In between, the toys will be doing what librarians do: working at a desk, going through the book sorter and shelving books. All the while, library staff will be taking photos of the toys’ adventures. When the children pick up their toys, they will receive the list of library materials curated by the toy that they can then check out, and either printed photos or a digital slide show of their toy’s adventures the night before.
Source: Joco 913 News
Judge rules 2 of 3 Prairie Village petitions can’t go on ballot — Here’s the one that can
A Johnson County judge says two of three resident-led petitions in Prairie Village don’t meet the legal requirements to be put on this November’s ballot, but ruled that a third petition could go before voters. Johnson County District Court Judge Rhonda Mason issued her ruling in District 4 court Wednesday morning, saying both a petition aimed at limiting development in single-family neighborhoods and a petition that would have remade the city’s form of government — removing six current councilmembers in the process — did not pass muster to be placed on the ballot. However, Mason ruled that a third petition that aims to abandon the city’s current “mayor-council” form of government does comply with state statute and can be put before Prairie Village voters.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Overland Park wants to require concrete on some new streets — Here’s why
Overland Park wants to require developers to pave new residential and collector streets with concrete. The potential change, which city leaders and staff have discussed over the past few months, would likely cut down on the disturbance from street maintenance over time and reduce the city’s use of chip seal as a road resurfacing and maintenance tool. “It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction,” said Public Works Director Lorraine Basalo late last month. Since Overland Park north of Interstate 435 is mostly built out, the concrete street requirement would primarily impact new neighborhoods being built in the southern half of the city. Recently, the Overland Park City Council Public Works Committee unanimously supported the change in the city’s Design and Construction Standards Manual for concrete streets. Now, the greater city council will have to weigh in on the shift to concrete streets in Overland Park’s design criteria.
Source: Prairie Village Post
In JoCo city feuding over housing, voters to decide on abandoning form of government
Prairie Village residents in November will get to vote on whether to abandon the city’s mayor-council form of government, a Johnson County judge ruled Wednesday. But if that were to pass, nothing would change, according to the city’s legal counsel. City Attorney David Waters said state law requires a city’s form of government to remain in place until a new one is adopted. It’s a complicated next step in a protracted political battle in the northeast Johnson County suburb, where a group of homeowners has sought to restructure the city government, limit mayoral powers and cut the number of City Council seats in half. The group, PV United, which formed to oppose the city’s affordable housing initiatives, submitted three ballot initiatives last month.
Source: Joco 913 News
Municipal Bond Trends for September 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.
As debate over housing rages, development in Shawnee cools
Shawnee is at odds with itself over where future multifamily projects should be built — or if they belong at all in the city. Over the past few years, debates over how to develop the remaining parcels of land within Johnson County’s third largest city and reimagine its older sectors that are ripe for redevelopment have grown fierce and hostile. These debates have led to confusing processes where projects are left in limbo and neighbors scramble to block what they see as objectionable proposals in their backyard.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Kansas is rich with small-town papers
Another 50 subscriptions would help Rita Sharp sustain her small-town newspaper. Sharp has owned the weekly Lucas-Sylvan News since 2012. It covers the towns of Lucas in Russell County and Sylvan Grove, 12 miles away in Lincoln County. Sharp’s paper has weathered the coronavirus pandemic, the rise of social media as a source for news and advertising, and the aging and shrinking population in Lucas (population 337) and Sylvan Grove (population 285). Without missing an issue even when the pandemic closed schools, city and county businesses, and events, Sharp continued publishing. She mails about 450 copies a week to local residents and readers across the country, a circulation that keeps dropping. Sharp inserts ad flyers and applies address labels by hand every week before mailing.
Source: The Iola Register
Lawrence police now offering vouchers rather than tickets for some defective equipment stops
If a Lawrence police officer pulls you over for having a taillight out, you might get a voucher to get it fixed instead of a ticket. LPD and its Blue Santa charity have partnered with Lights On!, a Minnesota-based program that aims to help prevent equipment violations from sending people who are already financially stressed on a downward spiral that could mean someone paying a ticket rather than buying food; being unable to afford a repair and getting another ticket; or even winding up in jail because of outstanding tickets and fines, which can then lead to losing employment or housing, among other issues.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Kansas invests $48.7 million to deal with safety problems of three dozen decrepit local bridges
The Kansas Department of Transportation earmarked $42.3 million in federal funding to support $6.4 million in local government investment over the next two years to improve safety of nearly three dozen city or county bridges outside of the state highway system. KDOT said a total of 15 projects were included in the 2024 map and blended $21.8 million funneled through the state and $4.7 million in local matching dollars. The plan would replace 16 bridges and permanently remove 12 bridges from local road systems. The $7 million in federal aid and $2 million from Dodge City allowed work to proceed on a new bridge on 14th Avenue over the Arkansas River. In northeast Kansas, $750,000 from Congress and $86,000 tied to a 10% local match enabled work on a bridge east of Highland.
Source: themercury.com
New Director: Clay Center Library looking for ways to draw people in
The Clay Center Carnegie Public Library isn’t just a place to check out books – the library has become much more than that, said Brittany Girton the new director of the library, at a recent Lions Club meeting. Girton, who just completed her bachelor’s degree, said she’s familiar with the local library and its programs for children as she grew up being part of those reading programs.
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com
Paris Bans E-Scooters. Will More Cities Follow?
Last Friday, Paris became the first European capital to outlaw e-scooter rentals. The ban, which doesn’t apply to privately owned scooters, was the result of a referendum this spring. An overwhelming 90% voted for the ban. Five years ago, Paris was one of the first major cities to allow these so-called micromobility devices, which went on to terrorize pedestrians and perplex city officials all over the world.
Source: Bloomberg CityLab
Governor Kelly Announces $1M Available for Tourism Attraction Development Grants
Governor Laura Kelly announced that $1 million in Attraction Development Grants is available from Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. Attraction Development Grants are designed to assist in the development of sustainable tourism experiences that influence travel decisions and create economic impact, including new jobs, capital investment, revenue, and increased visitation. “Kansas tourism is an economic driver that highlights the many reasons why our state is the best place in the nation to live, work, and raise a family,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By investing in our tourism industry, we strengthen our economic growth and Kansas’ placement as a destination state for tourists from around the world.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
’I’m horrified’: JoCo residents fight office park plan that would replace real park
Mike Coffman has, for more than 40 years, lived in a well-to-do Johnson County enclave whose city sign, beneath a canopy of mature oaks and maples, declares the town of 400 residents to be “the most beautiful little city in Kansas.” These days, Coffman and dozens of other residents in affluent Westwood Hills and neighboring Westwood (population 1,850) fear that the view outside their windows might soon, instead of being beautiful, become downright ugly. “My children used to play over there,” Coffman said, pointing across the street and across city lines to what is, effectively, Westwood’s only city park, located in a residential neighborhood, but also along a busy strip of Rainbow Boulevard at 50th Street.
Source: KC Star Local News