Kansas Municipal News
Topeka’s new ordinance could hold landlords accountable
Local leaders are taking action to hold corporate and individual landlords across the city accountable. On Wednesday, members of Topeka’s Public Safety and Health Committee voted to move forward on action they hope will better protect Topeka tenants. The proposed ordinance would prevent a tenant, in good standing, from being evicted for alerting a landlord or government agency about health and safety complaints. It would give tenants the option to fight their landlords without fear of eviction. Topeka has roughly 560,000 housing units, and 40% of those units are rentals.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Prairie Village hosts first housing forum
Prairie Village residents will get a chance to weigh in this evening on the city’s much-discussed housing recommendations. The city, along with design firm MultiStudio, is hosting the first of two forums today from 4-7 p.m. at the Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse. It’s billed as an “open house-style event” where residents can visit different stations to learn about the current recommendations. According to the city, the topics to be covered include “the current state of zoning districts, what could change, and what people want.” The recommendations, which were first released last summer by a specially appointed committee, are aimed at addressing housing affordability in the increasingly expensive suburb.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for June 21, 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.
Municipal Bond Trends for June 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.
Law Board agrees to 6.5% COLA for RCPD with contingent on cuts elsewhere
The Riley County Law Board ended its meeting Tuesday without a finalized budget as board members worked through how to fund cost of living adjustments requested by the Riley County Police Department. The initial proposal by RCPD in April was for an 8% COLA, with a realized budget increase of almost 9%. Over the past two months, the board has scaled that back to a 6.5% COLA and 7.4% overall increase, totaling $26.9 million. The city’s delegation on the board favored pushing the COLA down to 4%, with an overall realized budget increase of 6%, but were swayed by RCPD leadership and County Attorney Barry Wilkerson, who advocated that further cuts to the COLA could jeopardize RCPD’s ability to recruit staff.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Pottawatomie County projecting a mill levy decrease in 2024 budget
Pottawatomie County officials got their first look at the proposed 2024 budget at a Monday work session. County administration is proposing an approximate half mill levy decrease, with an estimated valuation increase of over $22 million, over $229,000 in additional ad-valorem taxes and a $1.6 million increase in budgeted expenditures. Commission Chair Pat Weixelman explains where much of the added expenses are coming from. The proposal includes for a 5% cost of living adjustment for employees, as well as anniversary increases paid out at a half a percent annually and 4% every five years. County administrators are also requesting to double the deferred compensation match, which equates to about a 36 percent increase year-over-year, according to Assistant County Administrator Heather Gladbach.
Source: 1350 KMAN
County finds temporary home for Meals on Wheels
After some concern over who would provide food for the Meals on Wheels program in north and south Brown County after this month, the Brown County Commission agreed to have Lentz Express in Horton prepare the Hot Meal Program for the remainder of the year. There was a discussion about bidding the position, and Services for the Elderly Director Wanda Davis shared issues she had been encountering in the process. Tim Lentz, owner of Lentz Express, shared his opinion that bidding for a hot meal program could be problematic. The Commission voted to select Lentz’s business for the rest of 2023, but still plan to open the hot meals for bid, with some reconfigured guidelines, at the end of the year.
Source: County Government | hiawathaworldonline.com
Hutchinson City Council votes to allow aerial fireworks on private property
On Tuesday, the Hutchinson City Council voted unanimously to amend its fireworks ordinance this year, allowing aerial fireworks in the city on private property. Fire Marshall Mike Cain told The Hutch Post that the only change in the new ordinance is it is now against the ordinance to discharge fireworks on public property without a special use permit. In addition, adults will now be held responsible for any juvenile offenses of the new regulations. “If you want to let your kids out and shoot, great,” Cain told the Post. “If they are doing something illegal with them, then the adult is now responsible and is assumed to have given them consent or permission to do that illegal activity.” Violating the Hutchinson fireworks ordinance is a misdemeanor. A person who is convicted of it could have to pay $250 or perform 50 hours of community service or both, plus court costs.
Source: KAKE – News
The new KCI terminal tops national travel sites 2023 list of best airports. Heres why
Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal is getting love from all over the country. A new report named KCI the best airport in the U.S. It topped a list of the 16 best airports in the world in 2023 from Travel Awaits, a travel website highlighting small towns and unique experiences. The list was split up into two categories: within the United States, or outside the country. To create the list, the site took nominations from its readers. A panel of travel industry experts and writers then reviewed those nominations, and readers voted on the finalists to determine the winners in each category.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star
Air quality alert issued for Kansas City as ozone levels likely to reach unhealthy level
An air quality alert was issued for the Kansas City as the metro area is expected to see an unhealthy level of smog, according to the Mid-America Regional Council. An ozone alert was issued for Tuesday, the eighth time this season that the agency, commonly referred to as MARC, has issued such a warning. The poor air quality is forecast to fall under an orange ozone alert, which means unhealthy level of ground-level ozone, also known as ozone pollution or smog, is expected for people sensitive to pollution, including those with heart problems or respiratory disease like asthma and allergies. The outdoor Air Quality Index is forecast to be 105, with ozone being the primary pollutant.
Source: KC Star Local News
Why goats are invading a Wichita park
Wichita Sim’s Park was invaded by a herd of hungry goats Tuesday. The goats will be there working for two weeks to clear brush and poison ivy. The City of Wichita says the goats are more eco-friendly and can remove brush not easily reached by machinery in the sandy area. The goats arrived in a trailer, hungry and ready to eat Tuesday afternoon. “This is the most people I’ve had for a goat unload. Most of the time, I’m in a random backyard in town or out on a property in the middle of nowhere,” said Rex Rutledge with Restoration Grazing LLC.
Source: KSN-TV
Evergy pauses disconnection at Towne West after ‘documentation’ provided
A spokesperson for Evergy says it has paused service disconnection has been paused Towne West Square in Wichita. A news release sent out by Evergy at 7:41 p.m. says it has “paused service disconnection based on documentation provided toward making payment tomorrow.” Evergy says Towne West has been delinquent on its electric bill since last November. “Evergy has worked with Kohan Retail Investment Group, which owns the mall, to receive payment for the past due amount owed to Evergy,” Gina Penzig, Evergy corporate communications, said.
Source: KSN-TV
Summer Topeka Music Week brings country and rock to the Capital City
Topeka is set to be flooded with musical acts with the arrival of almost a dozen bands to the Capital City this summer. India Yarborough with the Greater Topeka Partnership said Visit Topeka is partnering up with Southwest Publishing & Mailing Corporation to deliver a lineup of ten bands to the Capital City in July as part of the Topeka Music Week. The bands will have live shows running from July 7 to July 16, occurring at the same time as Country Stampede and the Mini Fiesta.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Shawnee Mission teachers get larger-than-usual pay bump
Teachers in the Shawnee Mission School District are getting one of their biggest pay raises in recent years. It’s part of the latest contract between the district and teachers’ union, which was ratified by the Shawnee Mission school board at its meeting Monday, June 12. It’s also a continuation of efforts by the district to boost pay for positions across the district to deal with persistent staffing challenges that have bedeviled schools in recent years.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Wichita aviation companies win millions in workforce development grants
Four Wichita aviation manufacturers, as well as the Wichita Airport Authority, have been awarded millions in grants from the Kansas Department of Commerce to support their training and workforce development efforts. In total, Commerce says it awarded nearly $20 million to seven recipients through its Aviation Learning Opportunities & Funded Training (ALOFT) program, with the goal of supporting capital projects that spur regional economic development in the aviation industry as it continues post-Covid recovery.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Roofs going up in Newton
With a half-year to go, 2023 has already seen more new housing starts in Newton than nine of the 11 last years. Year-to-date, the city has seen permits pulled for 34 living units. That puts the city well on pace to surpass last year’s total of 37 starts. According to City Engineer Suzanne Loomis, 20 of those starts involve single-family homes. … The number of housing starts for 2023 follows up on 2022’s 37 housing starts. In 2017, the city added 116 units, driven by the construction of apartment complexes on the south side of the city.
Source: Harvey County Now
Kansas firefighters receive $16.8 million from Kansas Insurance Department
The Kansas Insurance Department has made its annual distribution to local Firefighter Relief Associations (FRAs). Pursuant to the Kansas Firefighters Relief Act, over $16.8 million has been distributed among 554 local FRAs throughout the state. Kansas Insurance Dept. Commissioner Vicki Schmidt said in a press release, “Firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and the Kansas Firefighters Relief Act acknowledges that by providing additional protections for firefighters and their loved ones. The Act not only gives first responders needed safety nets, but it also allows local communities to provide their citizens with improved firefighting equipment and resources.”
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Funding available to power clean energy in rural communities
Wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects offer a significant opportunity to revitalize rural communities and diversify the local economy. Increased tax revenue from renewable energy projects enables school districts, cities, and other entities to address local emergency services and infrastructure improvement needs while reducing the local tax burden. Additionally, farmers and landowners can earn additional income through land-lease payments from project developers, and new job opportunities arise during the development, construction, and operation of a project. Those economic benefits have not gone unnoticed in Washington, D.C.
Source: Pratt Tribune
Vogts Parga moving to Moundridge
Vogts Parga will be moving its office from downtown Newton to Moundridge. Rene Parga, owner, said the decision was based on the opportunity to put the office next to the company’s shop. “I hate to leave, but we have a better chance to have everything together,” he said. The company recently purchased buildings along I-135 highway and Highway 260 (Arrowhead Road) in Moundridge. A notice on the company’s website said the property will allow space to provide room for future growth. Parga said the company rented the Newton office and will be out of it by the end of 2023.
Source: Harvey County Now
Sedgwick County plans to build a new emergency preparedness center
Sedgwick County is buying land to build a new emergency preparedness center in southwest Wichita. Construction of the roughly 27,000-square-foot facility is expected to cost around $16 million. A federal grant the county plans to apply for could finance 70% of the project. The county commission voted unanimously at a special meeting Friday to purchase 4.9 acres at the southwest corner of MacArthur Road and South Meridian Avenue for $613,934. The county expects to close on the property next week. The site at MacArthur Road and South Meridian Avenue that Sedgwick County will purchase to construct a new Emergency Preparedness Center.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle