Municipal News & Jobs

The city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board would like the city to more actively pursue partnerships with private property owners to develop affordable housing in the community. As part of its meeting Monday, the board voted 12-0 to recommend that the City of Lawrence issue a request for proposals for private property owners who are interested in working with the city and other partners to develop affordable housing. If the City Commission is interested considering a future RFP, the board can put together a more specific recommendation.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt says the natural gas price spikes during the February winter storm “appear to violate Kansas law,” and he is seeking expert help with the investigation and potential lawsuits. Schmidt announced Monday that his office has submitted a request for proposals to retain a law firm with expertise in the natural gas marketplace. The law firm would assist with the ongoing investigation and any civil litigation enforcing state anti-profiteering law. “State law prohibits ‘unjustified’ price increases for ‘necessary’ goods and services during a declared state of disaster emergency, and on their face these increases appear to violate Kansas law,” Schmidt said in a statement.
Source: Salina Journal.

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.

With Congress expected to finish its work on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill in the coming weeks — and potentially an even larger social spending bill — that will put a lot of money on the table for rural communities that are set up to get a share. Yet, a lot of communities struggle to go out and get those funds because they don’t have anyone who can write grant applications in a competitive environment. Those communities get left behind.
Source: Progressive Farmer

At present, it may be just a shell of its former self, but a group of dedicated fans of Coffeyville’s historic Midland Theater are working to ensure this landmark has a secure and splendid future once it is restored to its former glory. Built in 1928, the Midland Theater originally was designed to accommodate the vaudeville acts that were a mainstay of live entertainment, as well as the newfangled motion pictures, both with and without sound. Its 10-foot-tall sign, adorned with 714 flickering yellow lights, attracted moviegoers of all ages to the Midland from the 1930s to 1990s, before time and economic downturns in the area took a toll on this town just north of the Oklahoma-Kansas state line. In recent years, however, the city of Coffeyville has been making efforts to reinvigorate itself through a number of civic initiatives, including the Midland Theater Foundation Inc., which has begun a $3 million capital campaign to renovate the theater to be the community hub it was for much of the 20th century.
Source: Tulsa World.

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.

Douglas County leaders have approved a study that aims to identify what services, programs and support are needed for the community to achieve its goal of eliminating chronic homelessness. As part of its meeting Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission voted 2-0, with Commission Chair Shannon Portillo abstaining, to approve a $71,525 agreement with the University of Kansas Center for Research to perform a homeless needs assessment for the county. The county will pay for the study using pandemic relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. Assistant County Administrator Jill Jolicoeur told the commission that the study would comprehensively assess what programs and services are available in the community for those experiencing or at risk for homelessness, who is being helped by those resources and who is not being helped. She said that information was important to know as the county prepared to begin distributing the $23 million it will receive from the American Rescue Plan Act over the next two years.
Source: LJWorld.com.

As two longtime city horticulture employees embark on their retirements, they leave a bounty of colorful blooms, green landscapes and trees in their wake. Horticulture and Forestry Manager Crystal Miles and Horticulture Field Supervisor John McDonald are both retiring this month, ending 40- and 36-year careers with the City of Lawrence. After decades of adding to the city’s landscapes, they hand over the care of more than 70 flowerbeds, 120 landscape areas and 34,000 street trees in the city right-of-way, plus additional trees on city and park property. Miles, who grew up on a farm near Lawrence and attended Lawrence schools, said she’d always enjoyed being outdoors and had an interest in natural resources. Eventually, that would lead her to her position with the city. “Being a farm kid, you’re outside a lot and it’s interesting to know your surroundings,” Miles said.
Source: LJWorld.com.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director for Kansas Dan Fischer today announced that the USDA is investing $78,757 to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure and to help rural communities, agricultural producers and businesses lower energy costs in five Kansas communities. … USDA is financing these investments through the Rural Energy for America Program. This program provides funding to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. These climate-smart investments will conserve and generate more than 280,048 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in rural Kansas, which equates to enough electricity to power 26 homes per year.  … The investments in Kansas communities are:

• Kansas Maid, Inc. of Madison, will use a $20,000 grant to help purchase and install solar equipment. The project is estimated to replace 124,747 kilowatt hours per year. This equates to 74.41 percent of their energy usage and is enough energy to power 11 homes.
• Merle Schmidt, of Copeland, will use an $11,497 grant to help purchase and install a 15 kilowatt Wind Turbine. This project will save $4,037 per year and replace 47,158 kilowatt hours per year, 100 percent of Schmidt consumption and enough electricity to power four homes.
• R & E Goering Farms LLC will use an $18,944 grant to help complete irrigation pump upgrades in Moundridge. The project is estimated to save 42,851 kilowatt hours per year, reducing energy consumption by 40.53 percent, which is enough to power three homes.
• Caldwell Pharmacy, Inc. of Caldwell, will use an $8,316 grant to help purchase and install solar equipment. The project is estimated to replace the 20,532kWh per year. This is enough energy to power one home for a year and equates to 80.62 percent of its energy usage. Caldwell Pharmacy currently has four employees.
• Swisher Properties LC, of Minneapolis, will use a $20,000 grant to help purchase and install a 30.78 kilowatt rooftop solar array. The project is estimated to replace 44,760 kilowatt hours per year. This equates to 89.93 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power four homes.

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.

The Lenexa Public Market has adjusted its rules regulating alcohol that can be consumed in the market and the surrounding area around the civi campus off 87th Street Parkway. Since the food hall and incubator of small businesses launched in 2017, the Lenexa Public Market, 8750 Penrose Lane, has prohibited the possession and consumption of liquor that’s purchased outside of the common consumption area surrounding the market … the Lenexa City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved several revisions that govern that common consumption area of the Lenexa Public Market in an attempt to give the city more flexibility at events.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post