Kansas Municipal News
Municipal Bond Trends for July 28, 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.
New Newton public library building scheduled to open in July of 2024
At this time next year, Newton will have a brand new library up and functioning, according to an estimate by Director of Public Works and City Engineer Suzanne Loomis. “The entire project is anticipated to be complete by approximately July of 2024,” Loomis said. “Construction is coming along nicely.” She added that possible delays could occur due to supply chain shortages for equipment and building materials, but she and her team remain hopeful that the project will remain on schedule.
Source: Harvey County Now
Police address concerns amid Wichita’s deadliest month in at least five years
Amid the city’s deadliest month in at least five years, Wichita police and elected officials are trying to ease concerns about the rise in violent crime. Police have also provided some more details about recent homicides and provided a breakdown about what some of them involved. There have been 11 homicides in July, making it the deadliest month since at least 2018. In 2020, which set a record for the year with 59 homicides, the number each month did not exceed six. There have been 28 homicides so far this year, with 16 of those, or 57%, coming since June 10. There were 25 homicides at this time last year.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Jail meetings with cities continue
Marshall County commissioners are meeting with city councils in the county, asking them to approve interlocal agreements that would turn proceeds of up to a half cent sales tax designated for a new jail back to the county. By law, any countywide sales tax is shared with all cities in the county unless an interlocal agreement is signed that allows the county to retain the sales tax revenue. Commissioners are looking at a sales tax to fund a portion of a new jail. A proposal to enter a lease-purchase agreement not to exceed $6.5 million in principal to finance a portion of a new jail was defeated in an April special election.
Source: The Marysville Advocate
Johnson County city debates McMansions vs. more affordable options
Officials have debated adjusting laws to pave the way for duplexes, small apartment buildings and other cheaper options for families struggling to buy a home in the city known for Cape Cod houses torn down to make way for McMansions. But the idea has ignited fierce opposition from residents who argue the city of 23,000 people is already built out and too dense to welcome the multi-unit housing they fear would crowd the tree-lined suburb and take away its neighborhood feel. Red “Stop Rezoning” signs have been cropping up in front yards across the city, where average home prices topped $536,000 last year.
Source: Joco 913 News
Documentarian sets sights on legacy of Iola’s Municipal Band
At 152 years old, the Iola Municipal Band is the longest continuing municipal band in the state, and remains one of the oldest in the nation. A PBS producer is working on a documentary about the band’s legacy. The Iola Municipal Band, which has been a part of Iola’s summers for the past 152 years, ended its summer session Thursday with a celebration of Christmas. The band, with musicians ranging from middle school to players in their 80s, performed a medley of holiday classics to bid adieu to 2023.
Source: The Iola Register
Precious Metals Company Discovers Ideal Location in Rural Kansas
US Assets Recovery (USAR), a company specializing in precious metal recovery, refining and fabrication, is flourishing. In choosing a new location to grow, the Joplin, Mo.-based company recently looked to Kansas. Floyd Langley, chief financial officer for USAR, credited the work of the Kansas Department of Commerce for its part in bringing the company to Kansas — and specifically Galena, which the USAR team knew well before the company announced plans in 2022 for a new facility in the rural, southeast Kansas community. USAR’s relationship with Galena was forged in the wake of a devastating tornado in 2011 in Joplin. While processing debris left behind by the tornado, US Assets Recovery worked with a Galena landfill for the majority of its waste disposal. The professional bonds formed between USAR and the folks in Galena were instrumental in the company choosing Kansas for its growth plan — as was the work of the Business Development team at Commerce, which assisted USAR every step of the way.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Pottawatomie County ballot to again include sales tax question for infrastructure projects
It’s election season, and residents of Pottawatomie County can expect to see a new, but familiar, question on this year’s ballot. Earlier this month, County Commissioners voted to include a quarter-percent sales tax to fund road and bridge improvements. Commissioner Greg Riat joined KMAN’s In Focus Tuesday, where he explained there are various projects around the county that this tax would help support. Riat also wants residents to understand that this increase would be temporary.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Derby pushes forward with compensation adjustments
Due to increased turnover and a lack of applicants, the city began to look at some significant pay changes at the start of the year, with the Derby City Council approving a total compensation study to address the issues. The council heard recommendations tied to that study at its July 25 meeting and directed staff to begin pay/benefit adjustments for city employees as presented at a total cost of $1,265,527 – to be split over two years in 2024 and 2025. With 33% of new hires leaving within one year of employment, the compensation study was seen as imperative …
Source: Derby Informer | News
Derby addresses water service transfer for future developments
With Derby’s continued development – especially residentially – the city has run into consistent issues in regards to the transfer of water service territory, most often with Sedgwick County Rural Water District 3 (RWD3). To help alleviate some of the common challenges, City Manager Kiel Mangus brought forward a universal water service territory transfer agreement for the Derby City Council to consider at its July 25 meeting. RWD3 had previously approved the agreement at a July 11 meeting, and the Derby City Council followed suit. Mangus reported that staff has been working toward such an agreement since he has been with the city and Derby’s growth to the north and east has expedited the need.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Kansas regulators issue cease and desist to landfill beset by complaints of fires, stench
Kansas environmental regulators instructed a Leavenworth County landfill already under scrutiny for fires and environmental violations to stop accepting waste until further notice. The landfill’s operator, Shawn Britz, said the facility, which accepts construction and demolition waste, voluntarily closed to new drop-offs two weeks ago to give its workers a break. But in a cease and desist letter, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment detailed a series of attempts to bring the facility, owned by Flat Land Excavating, into compliance before shutting it down for permit violations. “Such violations pose a threat to public health and the environment,” the letter says, because the facility has accepted too much waste. It says the structure of the landfill could be compromised.
Source: KAKE – News
Garden City firefighters head to Alaska to battle wildfires
Three Garden City firefighters are en route to Alaska. The three departed from Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport Friday. The Garden City Fire Department says they are headed to Tok, Alaska where there have been 79 wildfires reported in the last 3 days caused by 30,000 lightning strikes. The Department says the 3 are members of the department’s Wildland Team and are part of a deployable team comprised of 5 Kansas Forest Service employees and 3 Olathe firefighters that respond to wildfires. The Kansas team was specifically requested by the State of Alaska, according to Garden City Fire.
Source: KSN-TV
Shawnee OKs first project in special TIF district
Shawnee will help build out 80th Street between Monticello Road and Woodland Drive in the next few years. Earlier this week, the Shawnee City Council unanimously approved the project plan for the road and an infrastructure improvement agreement with the developer of the nearby Bristol Highlands neighborhood nearby. Located in western Shawnee, the project is the first to be built in the city’s Hickok Zarah conservation TIF district. This special incentive district aims to speed up development in an area lacking necessary public infrastructure.
Source: Prairie Village Post
This JoCo city is the latest to deploy goats to eat invasive plants
Roeland Park is the latest Johnson County city to get its goats. The city council on Monday voted unanimously to approve a contract with Goats on the Go JoCo, a local affiliate that is part of a national network of farms aimed at removing invasive species. Goats on the Go have been deployed in other local parks, including in Lenexa, Overland Park and Shawnee. In Roeland Park, the goats will focus on nibbling away invasive plants in Nall Park off 49th Street and Nall Avenue.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Overland Park to host pro pickleball tournament
Overland Park will host a professional pickleball tournament next month. The Carvana Professional Pickleball Association will bring dozens of players to compete in the Vulcan Kansas City Open on Aug. 24-27 at Elite Tennis and Wellness, 14481 Metcalf Ave. The Overland Park tournament is a qualifying event, meaning the winners in their division will have confirmed spots in the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships later this year in Dallas, Texas.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Lawrence City Commission to consider tax breaks for downtown Borders project
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will hold a public hearing and consider tax incentives for First Management Inc. to redevelop the long-vacant downtown Borders building for use as corporate headquarters. A city committee in June voted in favor of one tax break for a project to redevelop the former bookstore building at 700 New Hampshire St., but they voted against a much larger tax incentive that First Management Inc. and owner Doug Compton had requested. The company previously sought a 15-year, 90% Neighborhood Revitalization Area (NRA) rebate on property taxes for the building, and the city’s Public Incentives Review Committee voted to recommend the city commission deny that request. However, in an updated request for the city commission, the project instead seeks a 15-year, 65% NRA rebate.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Voters to decide sales tax in Parsons
Parsons voters on Tuesday will decide on the extension of the city’s half-cent public safety sales tax. … The half-cent sales tax is used for public safety initiatives, including competitive wages for police and fire staff. The sales tax has also been used for police and fire equipment, including vehicles, radios and hoses, as well as dump trucks and other equipment for Public Works. It also paid for computer upgrades in all departments and for the architect to design renovations to the Municipal Building, according to Debbie Lamb, city manager.
Source: Parsons Sun
‘It’s OK to not be OK’: Ex-city manager opens up about mental health battle
Former Topeka city manager Stephen Wade realized his medications needed adjusting in April as he struggled with widening mood swings. In early May, he was able to add a new doctor-prescribed medication. Instead of relieving his symptoms, the medication had the opposite effect, and Wade plunged deeper into depression. … Wade was interviewed Thursday by The Topeka Capital-Journal, where he was publisher from 2018 to 2020. He said his purpose for agreeing to the interview to share such intensely personal information was not to try to make himself look better or to explain himself. Instead, he said he is in a unique position to share a powerful message — that “it’s OK to not be OK” — and encourage others who might be struggling with their mental health to seek help.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for July 27, 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.
Lindsborg Safety Center doesn’t meet needs. A redesign aims to bring it up to date
After limited upgrades since it opened in 1987, the Lindsborg Safety Center, which houses the city’s police, fire and emergency medical services, is set for renovations beginning later this year. Lindsborg Police Chief Michael Davis, who is also the director of public safety, said when he came to the city in 2019, updating the center and the department was one of the first goals he had in mind. Davis said the age and layout of the buildings creates a lot of limitations for the officers and other first responders who use it everyday.
Source: Salina Journal