Kansas Municipal News
USD 259 has a new superintendent
Kelly Bielefeld has been named the new superintendent for the USD 259 school district. “We believe in the value of every single student. We take everybody and we do our best to get them ready for their future,” said Bielefeld. Bielefeld is just starting his new position in the district and he celebrated beginning his tenure by touring College Hill Elementary School where he was introduced to students, staff, and a new game: 9-square. At an initial news conference today, Bielefeld detailed his plans for the upcoming school year.
Source: KAKE – News
This area Route 66 stop is gaining notoriety
If you love Route 66, you aren’t alone, it’s one of the most traveled roads in the whole world. And one stop along the Mother Road is getting notoriety for what you do while you’re there. Aaron Perry was already thinking about starting his own Route 66 business in 2018 when he drove by an old service station near the Kansas-Missouri border on the Mother Road. “And I jokingly tell people it got dark, a beam of light shone down, angels played harps, and we ended up with an old Texaco in Galena Kansas,” said Aaron Perry, Owner, Gearhead Curious.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Hundreds of old oil and gas wells in Johnson and Miami counties need capping
Oil and gas wells that are in some cases over a century old, abandoned and emitting methane, are targeted for being plugged up as part of a comprehensive federal investment in infrastructure that may eventually include 378 wells in Johnson and Miami counties. U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids toured some of those wells this week in Johnson County, as part of an effort to call attention to President Joe Biden’s economic priorities. Haaland, Davids and Susan Duffy, chair of the Kansas Corporation Commission, stopped at the Virginia Sue Field of Dreams near 183rd Street and Pflumm Road in Bucyrus to visit three of those sites on Monday. Kansas has already received $25 million to plug wells and is eligible to receive another $25 million in federal grants in another round of funding, Haaland said.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Tour De Kapellen bike ride spotlights history of Ellis County
Three-hundred cyclists rode across Ellis County Saturday to visit several Volga German Chapels and experience the culture. This is the fourth-annual Tour of Chapels, including stops at St. Catherine Church in Catharine, The Basilica on the Plains in Victoria, Holy Cross Church in Pfeifer and St. Francis Church in Munjor. Cyclists chose from a 15-mile casual ride to a 100-mile ride across the county that began at Hays Municipal Park. The ride concluded in the Municipal Park with meals and refreshments as The Joe Dolezal Polka Band performed.
Source: Hays Post
Can county stop strays?
Stray animals are commonly found in rural parts of Seward County, but with kennels already full of animals found in Liberal, the city’s animal shelter has adopted a policy of not accepting animals from rural areas of the county. The issue was brought to light at the June 13 town hall meeting hosted by the Seward County Commission, and the commission addressed the problem at its June 20 regular meeting. After the town hall meeting, Administrator April Warden researched what other Kansas counties were doing with their local animal shelters, and she got an array of responses. “We had anywhere from $9,000, $7,500, $4,500 the counties are contributing. They have a memorandum of understanding within the cities, and most of them said it’s usually the sheriff’s office,” she said. Warden said sheriff’s office officials would get called out for stray animals in the county, and they would bring those animals to the shelter.
Source: Liberal First
Ellis County Celebrates Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library 200 Millionth Book Milestone
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is turning over a new chapter in the Imagination Library legacy — celebrating 200 million books gifted globally since inception in 1995. The early childhood book-gifting program mails a high-quality, free book each month to children from birth to age five. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation, which sponsors the program, and local partner, Ellis County Imagination Library, are excited to celebrate with every child and family enrolled locally. In July, 921 children who live in Ellis County were enrolled in the Imagination Library, which has been available in the county since 2012. To celebrate this global 200 million book milestone, seven enchanting Dolly bookmarks will be randomly hidden inside Imagination Library books gifted during International Literacy Month (September) to children currently enrolled in the program. (Children must be enrolled by July 31 to receive Imagination Library books in September).
Source: Hays Daily News
Hesston gets into Pizza business but debate comes with extra sauce
The City of Hesston’s going into the pizza business. The City Council approved purchasing a $9,414 Pizza Oven in order to operate a Godfathers Pizza ToGo location at the Hesston City Golf Course. City Administrator Gary Emry discussed the idea as a way to fill the gap left by of D’Angelos closing in Hesston, draw in eaters to the golf course, and make some money. … Council Member Larry Fuqua wanted to know if the City could get a Godfather’s sign. He was told he could. “We could get Larry dressed up as the Godfather,” Mayor David Kauffman joked of possible marketing for the location.
Source: Harvey County Now
Municipal Bond Trends for July 10, 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.
Phase 3 of Manhattan Regional Airports Runway Project has been pushed back
Phase 3 of Manhattan Regional Airport’s Runway Project has been pushed back. Airport Director Brandon Keazer says this is due to recent weather conditions. Keazer says the contractor is working quickly to make up lost time and will most likely finish phase 3 before August 2. Additionally, Keazer says the delay will not affect the start date of phase 4. The Manhattan Regional Airport services will resume early September.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Girard Public Library hosts backyard chicken workshop
The Girard Public Library, in collaboration with the Wildcat Extension District, is hosting an event titled “Backyard Chickens & Incubating Eggs.” Organizers say the presentation was by Adaven Scronce from K-State Research & Extension. The event covered topics such as caring for chickens, housing requirements and design, and the fundamentals of incubating eggs.
Source: KOAM News
Public safety crisis in Wichita?
At least two members of the Wichita City Council are sounding the alarm, saying that there’s a public safety crisis. With recent violent crimes and a possible officer shortfall on the way, some are saying that we need to spend money now. “It’s pretty clear what’s happening in Wichita right now, and we have a public emergency,” said Wichita City Councilmember Bryan Frye on Monday. Frye, who is running for mayor right now, says the city needs to take a hard look at spending some of the City of Wichita’s projected $12.6 million surplus for the next budget cycle on hiring and retaining cops.
Source: KSN-TV
Johnson County law enforcement train for active shooter
First responders across Johnson County Monday received a lesson in active shooter training. FOX4 got a look inside a hostile event response training at Shawnee Mission West High School. Several agencies are working to stay alert in the name of safety. A hostile situation can mean anything from an active shooter to a bomb threat. Agencies from across Johnson County are working together to stay ready to respond. This was training made to feel real. The bullets were blanks, but the practice police, fire and EMS receive is vital.
Source: KSN-TV
Emporia commissioners move forward on $250k skate park
After an anonymous quarter-million-dollar donation and subsequent leasing issues, plans to build a renovated skate park in Emporia were moved to a new location. In 2021, 13-year-old Maddox Gutierrez started a petition to improve the Santa Fe Skate Park in Emporia. After the anonymous donation, the project ran into an issue: BNSF was the owner of the Santa Fe Skate Park land and only leased the property to the city under the condition it was used for ballparks. A new location was found on city-owned land at Whitter Park.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Topeka Fire Department opens Citizens Academy applications
Starting Monday, the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) will be taking applications for the Citizen’s Academy, an event for the community to learn about TFD and to increase fire safety awareness. The Citizen’s Academy is returning “after a brief hiatus” and will hold classes from 6-8 p.m. from Sept. 14 to Oct. 12. Attendees will graduate with a certificate of attendance and learn about CPR and first aid training, fire prevention, home escape planning, fire extinguisher operation, experience an extraction demonstration and more, according to the TFD.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Shawnee using $90K national grant to support health wellness programming
Throughout 2023, Shawnee has been working to build a program that emphasizes health and wellness in the community and capitalizes on existing partnerships with outside organizations. And, it’s all supported by a $90,000 grant city staff landed last year. The timing was everything for Shawnee’s grant. Last year, Shawnee Parks and Recreation Program Manger Matt Mann heard about a grant opportunity from the National Recreation and Parks Association and the Wal-Mart Foundation called the Community Wellness Hub. He said the timing was perfect since the city had just recently wrapped up its parks and recreation master plan process, which lays out the vision for the city’s park system and programs for the next decade or so.
Source: Prairie Village Post
This Mission park is getting a brand new $306K walking trail
Mission’s Broadmoor Park is on track to get a brand new walking trail later this year. Located at 5701 Broadmoor Street, a full demolition and rebuild of the walking trails at the park is expected to cost the city $306,935. The city council will consider approval at a future meeting. This is a longtime priority for the parks, rec and tree commission. The city began master planning improvements for each of its five major parks in 2019, said Penn Almoney, parks and recreation director. About $2 million worth of conceptual plans for Broadmoor Park were ultimately approved, including a trail improvement for 2023, he said.
Source: Prairie Village Post
$23 million in IRBs sought to renovate east Wichita apartment complex
The owner of Brentwood Apartments says much work needs to be done for the complex, built more than half a century ago, to be a viable affordable housing option in Wichita moving forward. And it’s asking the City Council for a hand. On Tuesday, Virginia-based CRS Housing Preservation Inc. will request a letter of intent from the Council to issue industrial revenue bonds up to $23 million to finance the costs for Brentwood Place LP, a newly created entity tied to the organization, to purchase and renovate the 196-unit complex at 6602 E. Harry. The request also involves a sales tax exemption on construction materials.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Selection process to bring historical horse racing facility to Sedgwick County begins Tuesday
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission will begin the selection process to bring a historical horse racing facility to Sedgwick County on Tuesday. The Mayor of Park City says that it’s been a 16-year-long battle to bring a facility like this to the area. in 2007, the Wichita Greyhound Park closed shortly after Sedgwick County voters said “no” to slot machines. Now with the possibility of the park being given new life, the Mayor says the City Council is hoping that will happen but says both proposals could mean significant opportunities for the city and south-central Kansas.
Source: KSN-TV
Lawrence city managers draft 2024 budget includes $2M new homeless programs department
… the City of Lawrence is planning to create a department specifically focused on unhoused people. The Lawrence city manager’s proposed budget for 2024 includes creation of a Homeless Programs Department with a budget of $2 million. The draft budget anticipates about $471.3 million in total expenditures in 2024. “Affordable housing and homelessness were the top identified issues facing our community during the strategic planning process,” City Manager Craig Owens wrote in his 2024 budget memo to the commission. City commissioners will review the draft budget Tuesday during their regular meeting at City Hall. The budget discussion will be a work session, so the commissioners will provide feedback and hear public comment but will not take any binding votes on the budget. There are more than 200 people experiencing homelessness in Lawrence currently, according to the city’s estimates, which city and county staff members have consistently said is likely much lower than the true number. The city is not a service provider. Instead, the city provides emergency and sanctuary shelter, giving providers such as Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) access to the population.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Hillsboro makes plans to honor former city leaders
Honoring two former city leaders who have recently died was a topic of discussion at the Hillsboro City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 27. City Administrator Matt Stiles said, “In the last few months, we have had some pretty big losses for community leaders—Delores Dalke and Larry Paine. Delores spent decades on the council and as mayor. Larry Paine was here for over 13 years and moved a lot of things forward for the city.” Stiles went on to say that he and Mayor Lou Thurston have discussed both leaders’ service and possible ways to honor their impact on the community. “The mayor talked to the families and the ideas kind of bubbled up that maybe we could dedicate some of the projects that they worked on to them. Delores was a really big driving force for getting the swimming pool done. It required a sales tax vote, and it took a lot of effort and a big heavy lift to get anything like that done,” said Stiles. “We would propose maybe looking at naming the pool The Delores Dalke Family Aquatic Center. It would be kind of an appropriate thing. I think her sons would like that based on the conversations the mayor’s had with them.” Stiles said that they also spoke with Paine’s family about naming the splash park after Paine as he was instrumental in getting the splash park and community plaza going as well. One suggestion was the Larry Paine Memorial Splash Pad.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press