Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Rental housing program delivers $41.5 million in aid to struggling Kansans

Olathe residents Sheryl and Gary Evert were among thousands of Kansans struggling to pay their rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually sought assistance under the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program authorized by Congress and financed through federal coronavirus relief legislation. Under KERA, the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, or KHRC, has granted $41.5 million in rental, utility and internet assistance to 7,800 eligible households across the state since March. “My wife Sheryl and I are in our 70s, and before we received our KERA funding, life was really stressful,” Gary Evert said. “We didn’t know when we would be able to pay our landlord, but we remained patient.”
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Excitement building for Rose Hill Fall Festival

After a year off, the Rose Hill Fall Festival is set to make its return Oct 8-10, 2021, and according to festival chair Lovina Finders the community is more than ready for it. “This is probably the most excited the town’s been about it,” Finders said. “Last year was the first one since the ’70s that we’ve missed. We’ve had a tornado, we’ve had a snowstorm, we’ve had 90-degree weather; we’ve never cancelled until last year.” While there will be a handful of traditional activities like the parade, craft fair and family-friendly fun (i.e., turtle races, pony rides, petting zoo, etc.), a new year will bring new events.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Railroad ‘quiet zone’ improvements set to start near Belle Plaine

A railroad crossing safety improvement project will close K-55 at Belle Plaine for up to five days starting Oct. 4. The project involves installing a non-traversable median at the crossing on the west side of Belle Plaine. … The new median will be designed to prevent someone from driving around crossing bars at the crossing. The modification will allow trains not to blow their horns as they approach the crossing, part of the new “quiet zone” being implemented in Belle Plaine.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

Municipal Bond Trends for September 29, 2021

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.

Bourbon County to receive grant for bridge replacement

Bourbon County will receive state grant funding for a project to replace a county bridge in need of repairs. On Sept. 21, Public Works Director Eric Bailey said the county had applied for a grant to replace a bridge located one mile west and about three miles north of Pawnee Station. The bridge project is part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Off-System Bridge Improvement program.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune

Winfield event will feature big trucks and food trucks

A new event hosted by the Winfield Recreation Commission will bring together big trucks and food trucks. Trucktoberfest is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Winfield Fairgrounds. A variety of vehicles will be on display, Candi Fox said, assistant superintendent of the WRC. Vehicles include a fire truck, ambulance, combine, tractor, dump truck and bucket truck. Fox said staff is working to find other vehicles to feature as well. Kids will be allowed to touch the vehicles and get into them with the owner’s permission, while learning about what each vehicle can do, said Fox. There will also be food trucks on site during the event where people can buy refreshments. Fox said the WRC is still gathering food trucks to participate.
Source: The Arkansas City Traveler

Osawatomie to seek federal funds to fix water lines around OMS

The city of Osawatomie will seek American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to help fix the water distribution system that supports Osawatomie Middle School. City Manager Mike Scanlon, Mayor Mark Govea, and USD 367 Superintendent Justin Burchett appeared before county commissioners earlier this month to request up to $200,000 of the county’s ARPA funds to fix 100-year-old water lines that are failing to provide adequate water pressure to half of the school building’s fire suppression system. Scanlon told the Osawatomie City Council at its Sept. 23 meeting that the school district received a letter from the Kansas Fire Marshal the first of September that asked how the district intended to correct the problem, and the fire marshal placed the building on fire watch.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Overland Park residents want to see farmers’ market grow but differ on how that should happen

A community discussion on the future Overland Park Farmer’s Market revealed some common themes Tuesday night — flexible design for growth, sustainability features like solar panels, composting and glass recycling, accessibility and off-season use. There was also some discussion of whether the market should remain an open-air event, as it has been in its temporary spot at the Matt Ross Community Center parking lot over the last year. About 45 people turned out at Matt Ross on Tuesday to give their input about a reimagining of the market, which is the latest step in a multi-year process. Overland Park officials had asked for community feedback on the project, which is intended to upgrade the original pavilion site off Marty Street.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Shawnee Mission School District will pay fraction of $1.6M gas bill from February cold snap

The Shawnee Mission School District has finally settled with a Texas-based natural gas company and will pay a fraction of its original $1.6 million invoice received after February’s winter storm. Why it matters: After a record cold snap in February, Symmetry Energy Solutions, a third-party natural gas distributor the district contracts with to supply its energy needs, hit Shawnee Mission with the $1.6 million bill — a single-month total nearly three times the district’s natural gas budget for the entire 2020-21 school year. But it wasn’t just Shawnee Mission dealing with this issue. Most of the 180 school districts in Kansas were impacted in similar ways, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Halstead city manager warns to expect higher gas prices this winter

Halstead City Manager Ethan Reimer says people should be prepared for higher natural gas prices this winter than what they’ve normally seen the past few years. “To be clear, I’m not talking about pricing approaching the levels like they did in February, but normal base prices are almost twice as high and trending higher than what we’ve seen as long as I’ve been with the city,” he said during Monday night’s city council meeting. The most recent prices he’d seen from KMGA were $3.88 per MMBtu, compared to $1.97 per MMBtu a year ago at this time. For context, when prices skyrocketed last February, they peaked at $622 per unit.
Source: Harvey County Now

Spooky fundraisers scheduled for McPherson Museum

’Tis the season for spookiness. The McPherson Museum has an upcoming fundraiser designed to give you all the creepy feelings you crave in the month of October. The McPherson Museum is inviting the public to join a paranormal investigation at the library. The Spirit Hunters Paranormal Society will be investigating at the museum on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15 and 16, and you can join them to see what goes bump in the night. Carissa Speck with the museum says the investigation will take place throughout the museum, including areas not regularly open to the public.
Source: McPherson Weekly News » Feed

Allen County to help with housing grant

If the county is going to buy land for future housing development, a developer needs to be found first. That was the general consensus of Allen County Commissioners, who got more clarification about a recent proposal from Thrive Allen County. Thrive wants to apply for a state housing grant to purchase between 10 and 12 vacant properties they could use as an incentive to developers. The grant requires the participation of a city or county.
Source: The Iola Register

From Prohibition to pandemic

Once the land of the country’s toughest liquor laws and the birthplace of its most ardent opponents to the evil of the drink, including the hatchet wielding Carrie Nation, Kansas has made strides in modernizing its liquor laws in recent years. Lawmakers are weighing what changes, if any, should come next. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a wave of moves, including the birth of togo cocktails and drive-through drinks, as a way to help out bars slammed by restrictions on operating hours and a declining number of patrons due to the virus. Many of these provisions were made permanent during the 2021 legislative session, bowing to consumer preference for greater access to their favorite drinks.
Source: Hutch News

Coffeyville Sales Tax Ballot Question Information

On November 2, 2021, Coffeyville voters will be asked to vote to impose a ½ cent sales tax for (40%) housing & economic development, (40%) development of public parks & community improvements, and (20%) economic development of the historic downtown.
Source: Coffeyville, KS

Demel honored for 50 years with Barton County

n 1971, the average price of a home was $25,200, an average car cost $3,500 and gas was 40 cents per gallon. Also in 1971 50 years ago, Gary Demel started working for the Barton County Road and Bridge Department. That landmark was recognized by the County Commission Tuesday morning. “I was 2 years old,” said County Works Director Darren Williams, who is now Demel’s supervisor. “That kind of puts it into perspective.” “I’m still here because it’s fun to come to work,” Demel said. But, “I’m looking forward to a good retirement.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Proclamation marks MFG Day in Barton County/City of Great Bend

The face of manufacturing may change, but it is not going away. That is the message Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President Megan Barfield had for the Barton County Commission Tuesday morning. It was also the point of joint Barton County/City of Great Bend proclamation approved by commissioners making Friday as Manufacturing Day. Each year, Manufacturing Day is held on the first Friday in October in order to provide students, parents and the public with information on modern manufacturing. Events continue throughout the month, showing the reality of modern manufacturing careers by encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders, Barfield said.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Wichita tweaks new law to exempt some witnesses to street racing and vehicle stunts

A week after approving an ordinance to punish people who watch street racing, donuts, burnouts, wheelies and other vehicle stunts, the City Council rewrote part of it to try to prevent innocent bystanders from getting swept up in the ordinance’s mandatory fines. In the week between first approval and the final passage that occurred on Tuesday, City Attorney Jennifer Magana recommended changing the ordinance’s definition of a “spectator” to exempt those who are “unintentional witnesses or passersby to events.” While street racing and exhibitions of automotive speed and power were already illegal, the new ordinance makes it illegal for the first time to be part of a gathering to watch an unauthorized race or car/motorcycle stunt, or being present when preparations are being made for such events.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Municipal Bond Trends for September 28, 2021

Muni yields rise to a more ‘normalized’ absolute range

Municipal yields rose as much as seven basis points in spots along the curve Tuesday as municipal investors rode the rapid rise in U.S. Treasuries and a volatile equity market as a time to move the asset class into a higher-yield environment. Triple-A benchmark yield curves cut levels by two to seven basis points. Selling pressure was felt across the curve, but most in the belly once again, where high-grade names were trading off, but bid-side depth was weak, traders noted. Municipals have not tracked directly with the UST moves, where the 10- and 30-year UST has risen 24 and 26 basis points, respectively, from Wednesday. Municipals have seen yields rise by 16 and 11 basis points on the 10- and 30-year, respectively, from Wednesday. Participants are waiting on month/quarter end calendar flip to react fully.
Source: The Bond Buyer

Douglas County Commission to consider proposal to bar more housing near Lawrence unless the city expands

County leaders will soon consider approving regulations that would prohibit new neighborhoods in rural areas near the City of Lawrence unless that land is ready to be added to the city. As part of its meeting Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission will consider an amendment to subdivision regulations for Lawrence and the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. The proposed changes represent a turnaround from the relative ease of subdividing rural or agricultural land into residential lots in recent decades, and would prohibit subdivisions for rural residential developments going forward unless the city approves expanding its boundaries to incorporate the land.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Bird scooters now available in Prairie Village

Residents and visitors can now ride Bird scooters throughout Prairie Village. After the city council approved a one-year pilot program with Bird Rides, Inc., the scooters are now available throughout the city. Riders can use the scooters in bike lanes and on the road, but not on sidewalks.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

10-year Treasury yield tops 1.54%, reaching highest point since June

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield topped 1.54% on Tuesday morning, its highest point since June, amid concerns around persisting inflation. … Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, in prepared remarks to be delivered on Tuesday, warned that higher inflation may last longer than anticipated. … In the prepared speech, he said that economic growth has “continued to strengthen” but has been met with upward price pressures caused by supply chain bottlenecks and other factors. “Inflation is elevated and will likely remain so in coming months before moderating,” Powell said.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

City of Altamont welcomes new city administrator

The city of Altamont is appointing a new city administrator. During last week’s city meeting, council appointed LeaAnn Myers to the role. Myers has been with the city for eleven years and has secured grants to upgrade Altamont City Park.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Midwesterners Are Breathing Smoky Air From California Wildfires, New Research Shows

Blood-red sunsets in the Midwest are striking but ominous illustrations of new data: Parts of the Midwest are being exposed to more wildfire smoke from the West Coast and Canada compared to more than a decade ago. Experts say the impact of the smoke on health in the region is a concern. Meteorological patterns — weather, air currents, fronts — sweep wildfire smoke hundreds of miles across the country. Nowhere in the Midwest is this increased exposure to wildfire smoke more pronounced than in western Nebraska.
Source: KCUR News

Hutch Fall Fest aims to celebrate the Hutchinson community

Hutch Rec is partnering with the Hutchinson Chamber’s Downtown Hutch and the Downtown Hutchinson Rod Run to create a new two-day Hutch Fall Festival, set for next weekend, to celebrate Hutchinson and the community that surrounds it. The inaugural event will include a multitude of activities for everyone in Hutchinson, children to adult, to enjoy. HutchFest used to be held in June each year, during the week leading up to July 4th. Due to hot weather and limited success in recent years, it was decided to replace that with one held in the fall, said Amy Conkling, director of marketing and development at the Hutch Rec.
Source: Hutch News

Municipal Bond Trends for September 27, 2021

Iola Festival: A fine time for Buster

It’s a scene we’ve all seen: The hero floats down a raging river toward a waterfall and certain doom. Imagine watching something like that for the first time, in a movie on a big screen, nearly 100 years ago. “Our Hospitality,” a feature-length silent film made by Buster Keaton in 1923, includes just such a dramatic scene. Both Keaton and his co-star and then-wife, Natalie Talmadge, survive near-death experiences in thrilling style and some acrobatic action on the edge of a waterfall. The Buster Keaton Celebration, “In Changing Times,” offered that movie for their Friday night feature presentation. Along with the edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding action, a six-piece orchestra added to the adventure with exhilarating music. Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra performed a film score for both “Our Hospitality” and Saturday’s feature, “The Three Ages.”
Source: The Iola Register

Sedgwick County announces plans for administering Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines starting Wednesday

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, no-cost Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines will be offered by the Sedgwick County Health Department at the community vaccine clinic at 223 S. Main in Wichita. SCHD mobile clinics will not provide boost doses at this time. Due to anticipated demand for booster doses, several changes are occurring at the community vaccine clinic beginning Sept. 29: Clients must schedule appointments for all vaccine doses. There will be no walk-ins at the community
vaccine clinic. People should also bring documentation of their first and second doses to the vaccine site. Clinic hours will change to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The clinic is closed Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Source: KSN-TV

Wichita State University offers free counseling to everyone in Wichita

Wichita State University says a relatively new mental health clinic on campus is offering comprehensive free counseling services to everyone in the Wichita community. “We wanted to be able to reach out to the community and try to break down the stigma around seeking mental health services,” said Dr. Jody Fiorini, chair of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education for Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies. WSU says counseling is different than psychology in that it’s more about wellness and preventative services than acute conditions. The clinic helps empower people to take control of their mental health and, at the same time, it gives WSU counseling students real-world experience. The WISE Clinic is staffed by graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Wichita State, and the student clinicians are supervised by the six faculty members who also work at the clinic. Most services are offered in-person or virtually.
Source: KSN-TV

Manhattan Regional Airport receives $6M from Department of Defense for runway

Manhattan Regional Airport will receive nearly $6 million from the federal government to reconstruct its runway. The Department of Defense awarded the airport with $5.925 million earlier this week for its runway project. Defense officials said the money, which comes from the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, will support military use of the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration approved funding 90% of the cost for a 100-foot-wide runway, so the city government has been seeking additional money to cover costs for a 150-foot-wide runway, which better accommodates larger aircraft takeoffs for K-State and Fort Riley.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Manhattan to review draft of strategic plan, to be released to public Friday

Manhattan city commissioners will discuss their five-year plan for Manhattan at their Tuesday meeting. … City staff members, with help from the hired firm Planning NEXT, are finalizing the first draft of the strategic plan, which they are calling Crossroads MHK. The plan lays out goals and priorities for local leaders, who are supposed to use those goals in their decision-making. The plan is set to be available to the public for feedback beginning Friday until Oct. 17. The plan will be available on the project website, engagemhk.org/crossroads, for review and comment, according to a city memo. The city government will have a public open house on the subject from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at City Hall.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

USDA and HHS Launch Resource Guide to Help Rural Communities Increase Access to Child Care Services

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development Katie Hamm today unveiled a joint resource guide (PDF, 3.5 MB) to help people in rural and Tribal communities increase access to child care services. … The guide was developed in partnership by USDA Rural Development and the Office of Early Childhood Development in HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF). It provides useful information to help stakeholders in rural communities – including Tribes and Tribal organizations – address the need for improved access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning facilities through USDA and HHS funding and technical assistance resources.
Source: USDA

Restoration of Topeka’s Constitution Hall is speeding up thanks to a national grant

Grant Glenn began to think he wouldn’t see in his lifetime the historic Constitution Hall reach completion of its restoration process. The project has moved slowly and its momentum has stalled a few times through the years. When the rest of the world seemingly stopped in 2020, the restoration of Constitution Hall hit a turning point. Momentum picked up. That turning point was when the building’s facade was restored. The creamy white stone exterior is a replica of Constitution Hall’s original, 1855 facade. Glenn, a Friends of the Free State Capitol board member, said he now believes he will see the project’s end.
Source: CJonline.

Municipal Bond Trends for September 24, 2021

Pilsen prepares for return of Fr. Emil Kapaun remains

The tiny town of Pilsen is preparing for the return of its most famous native son. Residents spent the day cutting the grass and painting parking lines outside of the church in town where Father Emil Kapaun’s remains will be taken after they arrive in Wichita Saturday morning. It’s a day many in the town never thought would happen. “It’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve probably ever had in my life,” said Marvin Tajchman, who has worked at the church where Kapaun’s remains are going to be taken for the last 20 years. Residents like Tajchman and others say they don’t know exactly how many people will be coming to town but there preparing to accommodate as many as possible. It has been an entire town effort to spruce the place up, something the director of the Fr. Kapaun Museum, Harriet Bina, says is what the priest would have wanted.
Source: KAKE – News

Rental housing program delivers $41.5 million in aid to struggling Kansas households

The community gathered to celebrate a big milestone for one southeast Kansas tradition

The community gathered to celebrate a big milestone for one southeast Kansas tradition. This weekend was the 75 annual McCune Fall Festival. The tradition was originally started to bring people into town to celebrate the start of the fall season. It started off with a few people, but eventually grew into what we see Saturday. Clint McCulm has been the parade marshall for the past 41 years and says this has been a great way for McCune graduates to reunite. Clint McCulm, McCune Fall Festival Parade Marshall, says, “We have a lot of classes coming back every year, like just coming by us is the class of 1950 that graduated, only one lady that’s celebrating, and then we have the 50 year class that comes every year, so you get to see a lot of people you haven’t seen in a long time.”
Source: KSNF/KODE

In Parsons the community was focused on paying tribute to the past, present and future of the city

In Parsons the community was focused on paying tribute to the past, present and future of the city. Saturday the city gathered in Forest Park for a dedication ceremony to celebrate the refurbishment of the park’s urns. The two urns were placed by the Ladies Improvement Association back in 1908. About a decade ago one of the urns were left on its side during the construction of a new bathroom in the park. It stayed like this until Mike Brotherton and Dave Mattox worked to fix the urn as part of the city’s 150th anniversary. Dave Mattox, Parsons 150th Anniversary Committee, says, “They just basically just destroyed the base and left the urn in the middle of the park and so our goal has always been to put it back so that there’s a pair of them again instead of one that’s standing like the one behind me and one laying around in the middle of the park, so that’s what we’ve done.”
Source: KSNF/KODE

Mission voters approve sales tax hike to pay for street maintenance

Mission voters overwhelmingly approved increasing the city’s sales tax in order to pay for road improvements, results from a mail-in election this month show. The Johnson County Election Office reports the measure to raise the city’s quarter-cent sales tax to three-eighths of a cent passed with 77% approval. A total of 1,634 ballots were mailed in between Sept. 1, when the ballots were sent out, and Sept. 21, when they were due. The total number of ballots cast produced a voter turnout rate of nearly 24%.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Kansas tax receipts up 22% over projections in August

Kansas’ total August tax revenues were $629 million, 22% over projections, and 15.7% over last year’s total. Though the amount seems significant, some experts argue that the large dollar signs are not as promising as they appear. “The August tax receipts don’t reflect economic progress; it’s quite the opposite,” Dave Trabert, CEO of Kansas Policy Institute, told The Center Square. “Gov. Kelly’s 2019 and 2020 vetoes of legislation that would have removed tax increases caused by not conforming to changes in the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are causing taxes on people and businesses to rise. Fortunately, a new legislature was able to override her veto this year, so tax relief is coming.”
Source: The Chanute Tribune

Lawrence Public Schools to begin COVID-19 testing to curb quarantines

In guidance for school families posted online Friday, the district explained how the “Test to Stay, Learn, Play, & Participate” program will work: “Students identified by school health staff as close contacts at low risk of exposure will not need to quarantine as long as they remain symptom-free,” according to the new guidance. The guidelines say that students who are close contacts determined to be at high risk of exposure must quarantine for 10 days from the date of exposure — they’ll be directly notified by the school and public health officials — but the new rules allow for several exceptions. Students and staff members can get exempted from quarantine as long as they remain symptom-free. They may provide proof of full vaccination, or proof of a positive COVID-19 test within the last six months.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Stargazing offered at Powell Observatory

Powell Observatory continues to be one of Miami County’s hidden secrets, tucked away at Lewis-Young Park. The Astronomical Society of Kansas City (ASKC) has owned and operated Powell Observatory at Louisburg’s Lewis-Young Park for the past 36 years. It soon may be located at a new home, though, as plans are in the works to move the observatory to a larger plot of land near Louisburg, and curators hope to relocate the facility by 2023. Recently, ASKC representatives have been in talks with the Cedar Cove Feline Conservancy regarding the possibility of building the new observatory complex on a portion of the Cedar Cove property.
Source: The Miami County Republic

Salina faces ‘desperate’ housing crisis head-on

The city of Salina has progressed mightily recently, boasting a revitalized downtown, several growing college campuses and a future full of incoming jobs. One major problem remains. “We’re in desperate need of housing.” Lauren Driscoll, director of Salina’s Community and Development Services department, knows she is not the only person around town who holds this sentiment. Salina has been stuck at a population short of 50,000 for decades, and with an influx of jobs that will be offered by expanding employers in the coming years, there is a chance of finally surpassing that threshold.
Source: Salina Journal.

‘It has become a health facility’: Dispute over Shawnee Heights quarantines raises policy questions statewide

A legal dispute making its way through Shawnee County District Court could undercut the current quarantine structure used by scores of schools and local health departments across the state, with a Topeka-area parent arguing the process is flawed. What began as Shawnee Heights Unified School District 450 parent Jill Foster-Koch challenging the quarantine orders of her two daughters could have far greater implications. Embedded in the challenge, filed last month, is an argument that school districts in the county are effectively serving as an extension of the county health department in ordering quarantines, something Foster-Koch’s lawyers argue state law doesn’t allow.
Source: Dodge Globe.

KU researchers want public’s help in identifying gaps in state’s broadband service

University of Kansas researchers are trying to create a snapshot of broadband access for every ZIP code in Kansas and now are asking for the public’s help in the effort. A project that KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research is conducting with the University of Michigan is asking Kansas residents to take a brief survey to describe the broadband internet options in their community. The survey can be taken at ipsr.ku.edu.
Source: LJWorld.com.