Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Chanutes 150th anniversary event planned

Chanute’s 150th celebration and downtown block party is coming up. The downtown block party to celebrate Chanute’s founding is planned for 2-8 p.m. Saturday, July 1. The city of Chanute was established in 1873. “It’s an afternoon of free, family-friendly activity,” said Mayor Jacob LaRue on Monday. “So it’s awesome what’s going to happen.” Inspyral Circus will perform and kids can participate in rock painting and a kids dash for cash. There also will be food trucks at the event. SEK Princesses will appear 4:30-6 p.m.
Source: The Chanute Tribune

0.25% sales tax question will be on November ballot in Chanute

Voters in November will decide the fate of renewing a 0.25% sales tax question that would benefit economic development and infrastructure efforts in Chanute. On Monday, the Chanute City Commission unanimously approved a resolution in order to place the question on the upcoming November ballot. “I think it hits all the points we’ve been discussing,” said Mayor Jacob LaRue. “I think it’s nice to have a consensus on the question.” If the sales tax question is approved, it will help the city maintain municipal buildings and further economic development initiatives in Chanute.
Source: The Chanute Tribune

Municipal Bond Trends for June 15, 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.

Installation of permanent pickleball courts approved in Salina

One of the fastest-growing sports in the world has already made its way to Salina, but players here will now have a permanent outdoor place after pickleball court overlays are coming to Oakdale Park. The move comes after approval by the Salina City Commission to award a bid for the project in the amount of $444,762 and approval to accept donated funds to pay for it. Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Hammond said pickleball has already been happening on the south courts in Oakdale Park, with temporary nets placed and lines painted for that use, but a more permanent option was wanted.
Source: Salina Journal

Reno County Commissioners look into changing fireworks regulations

All five commissioners asked the county administrator, Randy Partington, to draft a new plan for fireworks rules. The county already has rules for fireworks only going off from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. from June 30 to July 4. The commissioners want to keep those regulations but strike some of the other restrictions and go to “lawful state fireworks” rules. Reno County Counselor Patrick Hoffman said that fireworks emitting a shower of sparks more than sixfeet are prohibited under the current county resolution. Commissioners directed Hoffman to draft anupdated resolution allowing such fireworks.
Source: Hutch News

Nitrates found in Yoder water again

Nitrate levels have once again risen above allowable limits in the Yoder area. Residents are asked again to limit water usage, especially for infants under 6 months old and those who are pregnant. Reno County Public Works is currently in discussions with the City of Hutchinson regarding the purchasing of water for Yoder. The last nitrate level test, in Rural Water District 101, was collected on June 6, 2023. The level tested at 11.2 mg/L, which exceeds the Kansas and Federal (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L for public water supply systems.
Source: Hutch News

Municipal Bond Trends for June 14, 2023

Walmart to Build $257M Case-Ready Beef Facility Create 667 New Jobs in Olathe

Governor Laura Kelly today announced Walmart will build its first-ever fully owned and operated case-ready beef facility in Olathe. The retailer will invest $257 million in the plant and create 667 new permanent jobs. Construction of the facility will also create 1,000 design, fabrication, and construction jobs. “Thanks to our work to make Kansas a top food and agriculture state, companies continue to invest in our communities and create high-paying jobs for Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Walmart’s innovative new facility will support a more prosperous future for Olathe, for the Kansas City metro, and for our state as a whole.” The opening of the 330,000-square-foot facility will further Walmart’s efforts in creating an end-to-end supply chain for high-quality Angus beef while increasing transparency and capacity in its supply chain to deliver high-quality products for its customers in the Midwest.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Harvey County pledges $250000 for grant application with IdeaTek

After much discussion, the Harvey County Commissioners approved a motion to commit $250,000 in matching grant money to partner with IdeaTek in applying for the Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connection (LINC) grant through the Kansas Department of Commerce. The motion also included providing a letter of support. It was approved by a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner Becky Reimer voting against. During the weekly commissioners meeting, Ethan Kaplan, a representative from IdeaTek, requested that the county partner with them in the application in order to enhance their chances of being successful. Kaplan told the commissioners that the total project, which includes three towers and 460 homes, will cost $5.25 million. The grant request is $4.6 million, and the required match is $460,000, but IdeaTek is including $650,000 in matching funds to improve the chances of their project being selected. The addition of the county’s pledge of $250,000 will bring total matching funds to $900,000 and give IdeaTek and Harvey County a strong chance at being successful in their application, according to Kaplan.
Source: Harvey County Now

Wichita temporarily drops aptitude test for police officers amid recruiting slump

The Wichita Police Department has temporarily lowered its standards at a time when it is struggling to recruit officers, a move that appears to conflict with a report that found a lack of minimum standards was sowing discontent within the ranks. The Wichita City Council has approved funding for more officers than the department has been able to recruit and hire. But the police union says lowering entry standards isn’t the answer. At issue is an aptitude test given to police recruits as an entry exam that was recently — and quietly — eliminated by the department after consultation with new Human Resources Director Jason Hood. The change wasn’t announced until the city released a dashboard tracking its progress on a list of changes recommended by national police consultant firm Jensen Hughes.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Newton could soon smoke tobacco out of city parks

The practice of using tobacco products in city parks might soon go up in smoke. The Newton City Commission got the chance to review and discuss language that would forbid tobacco products in all city parks, excluding the Sand Creek Station golf course. The discussion follows work by the health department and others picking up large amounts of cigarette butts in parks to show the commission the litter smoking caused in order to advocate for the change. The policy isn’t criminally enforceable. Offenders can be told they must leave the park for smoking and can be made subject to trespassing violations. The reviewed resolution would come with signage noting that no smoking is allowed in the parks. The signs will be paid for by Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Source: Harvey County Now

Editorial: Cemeteries the history book of every town

Cemeteries are on my mind a lot lately, due to the time of the year I suppose, although I tend to think about them often. I sometimes watch videos on how to clean headstones and about people who repair headstones that have fallen over, I research people and photograph headstones for others. You can go out to most cemeteries on any given day and see someone walking the paths and of course, people placing flowers on graves and spending time in reflection. When people think about visitors coming to our towns, they don’t often think about the number of out-of-town visitors to our cemeteries. Not only do people travel to towns to visit family gravesites, genealogists roam cemeteries to research family histories all the time. In essence, our cemeteries represent our communities to those who visit. I’ve often said, “Show me a well-cared-for cemetery and I’ll show you a community that takes pride in its history and town.”
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe

Governor Kelly Announces WaKeeney Selected as Newest Kansas Main Street Community

Governor Laura Kelly visited WaKeeney today to announce its selection as the latest community added to the Kansas Main Street program, a Kansas Department of Commerce initiative to preserve and revitalize downtown districts across the state. This brings the total number of Designated Main Street communities in Kansas to 36. The Kansas Main Street program was originally launched in 1985. The Kelly Administration revived the program in 2019 after it was shut down in 2012 and has since welcomed 11 additional communities to the program. “I congratulate all who worked to ensure WaKeeney was added to the list of cities in the Main Street program – it is a rigorous process and a testament to the pride of this community,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The Kansas Main Street program helps rural communities like WaKeeney bring back jobs and continue being places where future generations want to live and raise families.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Fed Holds Rates Steady but Expects More Increases

Federal Reserve officials agreed to hold interest rates steady after 10 consecutive increases but signaled they were prepared to raise rates next month if the economy and inflation don’t cool more. New economic projections, released Wednesday after their two-day policy meeting, strongly suggested officials were leaning toward slowing down their increases rather than stopping them altogether. Most of them penciled in two more rate increases this year, which would lift them to a 22-year high, and boosted their expectations for growth and inflation. The Fed fights inflation by slowing the economy through raising rates, which causes tighter financial conditions such as higher borrowing costs, lower stock prices and a stronger dollar. Officials had signaled growing disagreement in recent weeks over whether to keep raising rates. “We don’t know the full extent of the consequences of the banking turmoil that we’ve seen,” Powell said Wednesday. “It would be early to see those.” Other Fed officials have expressed more concern that inflation, hiring and consumer spending haven’t slowed more.
Source: WSJ.com: US Business

City of Emporia unveils new mass notification system

The City of Emporia unveiled a new mass notification system Monday, after receiving community feedback. According to a written release, moving to a new notification platform, Civic Ready, will allow the City to distribute information in a more efficient and streamlined manner; directly connecting its social media platforms, website, and other city platforms used for distributing information.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Marion cops get big raises

Marion City Council voted Monday to raise entry-level police pay 47.1% after Chief Gideon Cody said doing so would help recruitment. Top pay scale wages also will increase with first-year assistant chief pay rising 63.6%. Officers will make $20 to $25.09 an hour, up from a low of $13.59 now.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Committee recommends $82K tax break for Borders building project in Lawrence but votes against $830K tax rebate

A city committee voted Wednesday in favor of one tax break for a project to redevelop the long-vacant Borders bookstore in downtown Lawrence, but against a much larger tax incentive that First Management Inc. had requested. First Management plans to remodel the building at 700 New Hampshire St. into corporate headquarters. The company seeks Industrial Revenue Bonds for a 100% sales tax exemption on construction materials for the building, and a 15-year, 90% Neighborhood Revitalization Area (NRA) rebate. The Public Incentives Review Committee voted 4-1 Wednesday to recommend approval of the IRB. According to agenda materials, that amounts to a value of about $82,000. Committee members, who voted on the IRB and the Neighborhood Revitalization Area (NRA) rebate separately, voted against recommending the NRA rebate on a 3-2 vote. That was valued at about $830,000, according to reports in the meeting agenda.
Source: The Lawrence Times

City of Holton sales tax renewed

Holton voters approved a 10-year extension on the city’s half-cent sales tax for infrastructure improvements by a margin of nearly six to one, despite a low voter turnout, it has been reported. Holton Interim City Clerk Teresa Riley thanked the city’s voters for showing support for extending the sales tax, which will now be extended through Dec. 31, 2033.
“The city is grateful and thankful to the citizens of Holton for continuing to support the improvement of our city through the sales tax,” Riley said. “Work will continue on our aging sewer system, maintenance of our electrical generation plant and other infrastructure improvements needed.”
Source: Holton Recorder

FOMC likely to skip June but hike interest rates in July analysts say

The Federal Open Market Committee is expected this week to hold interest rates at a range of 5% to 5.25%, but the revised Summary of Economic Projections will likely signal at least one more rate hike this year. “We expect the Fed to leave the federal funds rate unchanged although both the post-meeting statement and the dot plot will likely emphasize that inaction this week should be considered ‘skipping a rate hike’ rather than putting an end to monetary tightening,” said David Kelly, chief global strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. “Indeed, Fed communications could explicitly warn of a possible further rate hike in July.” Although Kelly believes cooling data through the July meeting should suggest “no further tightening is warranted.” Others disagreed about the future. “The Fed will need to remain committed to curbing inflation and be ready to raise the rates again and keep them elevated if necessary,” said Emin Hajiyev, senior economist at Insight Investment. Inflation, he said, will dictate policy, calling it “the overriding concern.”
Source: The Bond Buyer