Kansas Municipal News
City of Lawrence considering changing how parking tickets are handled
Currently, Lawrence Municipal Court may issue arrest warrants for unpaid parking tickets. That could change as the City of Lawrence is considering moving to a new process to handle parking violations. The city is also considering other options for habitual violators, including demobilization of vehicles. Under the proposed changes, people would no longer be required to show up to court to appeal citations or for notices to appear, according to the city’s website about the project.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Municipal Bond Trends for July 26, 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.
Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $7.9M in Community Development Grants
Governor Laura Kelly today announced that 24 communities in rural counties throughout the state will receive a share of nearly $7.9 million in federal grants to assist with community development projects. … The $7,897,922 will be matched with local funding, allowing more than $16.9 million to be available. The CDBG funds are one of the Department of Commerce’s primary tools in supporting the state’s smaller, predominantly rural communities. To view the complete list of awardees, click here.
For assistance applying for, or administering, grants, contact Rose Mary Saunders or Crystal Hinnen.
Seaboard Foods proposes two hog farms in Ford County
Seaboard Foods pitched a plan to the Ford County Commissioners at its July 17 meeting to purchase land northeast of Bucklin to raise as many as 2,500 hogs. Commissioners Ken Snook and Shawn Tasset were present. Both sites would have two buildings hogs. Seaboard representative Jennifer Charno Nelson said the corporation was interested in developing a total of four buildings on two sites in that southeast corner of the county. Snook said he was concerned with the odor and a fact Nelson shared that each hog would need to consume five gallons of water every day. “We have a problem with water here, before my life is over, we will run out of water in Ford County,” Snook said.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
NFMA releases best practices for EPA’s SRF program
The National Federation of Municipal Analysts has released best practices on Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, its first on the subject, which provides a roadmap for state and local governments as these investments become more essential to improving the infrastructure and quality of life around the country. “SRFs were selected because they have truly become a critical financing vehicle for improving the quality of our nation’s water infrastructure and public health,” said Angela Kukoda, disclosure committee chair at NFMA. Both the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, created in 1987 and 1996, respectively, are partnerships between the Environmental Protection Agency and states to help construct municipal wastewater facilities, control pollution, improve drinking water treatment as well as fund other water quality projects, among many other uses.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Wichita providing free bus rides during week’s high temps
Beginning Wednesday, July 26, residents can ride Wichita Transit for free until the end of the day on Saturday, July 29. The already free Q-Line bus runs Monday through Saturday from 6:15 a.m. until 11 p.m. with stops at several air conditioned places downtown including the Advanced Learning Library and City Museums. In addition to free bus rides, the Neighborhood Resource Centers throughout Wichita have water and air conditioning for those who need it. Residents are encouraged to stay inside as much as possible, hydrate regularly and ensure pets also have access to shelter and water.
Source: KAKE – News
Prairie Village City Council will explore building new City Hall, aims to limit cost to $30M
The City Council voted unanimously to advance exploration of building a new home — for itself. A discussion that started in 2020 with a feasibility study to explore improvements to City Hall has entered a new chapter. On July 17, the council unanimously directed city staff to explore building a new City Hall with a cost ceiling of $30 million. A few weeks earlier, the council’s finance committee reviewed three concepts: a basic renovation of the existing building, with an estimated cost of $11.95 million; a heavy renovation, with an estimated cost of $21.77 million; and a two-story, new construction option, with an estimated cost of $30.77 million.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Lincoln County recruiting new residents to the area
Lincoln County has utilized the Make My Move program to recruit people to the county. “Over the past year or so, we’ve really been talking a lot about ‘How do we recruit new people into the community?’ I feel like traditional economic development has been, you recruit a business, the business creates jobs, and the jobs is what pulls people into the community,” Executive Director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation Kelly Gourley said. “Now in this day and age, when workforce is so tight, it’s hard to kind of recruit a business in when you don’t necessarily have the workforce.” They received many more applicants for the program than they expected.
Source: KSN-TV
Business that opened in Wichita was notified its presence is against city code, but that code may now change
Thanh Do strategically chose Old Town last year when he was opening Afterlife Tattooz. “It’s in the middle of everywhere,” he said. “You’ve got to be centralized.” Only after opening in part of the former First Gear space at 111 N. Mosley did he learn from the city that he’s operating in violation of the unified zoning code. There’s a special overlay district on top of the standard zoning district that does not allow tattoo parlors or piercing studios in the area. “They’ve been giving us notice to get out,” Do said. He said the city has given him extensions, though, as it considers changing the code. Do said he can remain “until they settled that once and for all.”
Source: Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County sends first public safety alert after Riverside standoff
On Tuesday, Sedgwick County Emergency Management (SCEM) sent a ‘public safety alert’ with its Civic Ready Alerts system regarding a standoff in Riverside. This is the first time the county has sent out a public safety alert, but the system has been used for other community messages. About 1,900 people got Tuesday’s message. The first alert said police were working an “active threat at 12th and Woodrow” and advised people to avoid the area or shelter in place. When the threat was cleared, another message was sent stating it was resolved. Emergency Management said with this being the first public safety alert sent out, a lot of phone calls came into the non-emergency line because people received a missed call and a voicemail.
Source: KSN-TV
Extreme heat prompts City of Topeka to take action with cooling shelters
City of Topeka officials are partnering with local businesses and government offices to open cooling shelters to help Capital City residents fight high temperatures. The City of Topeka announced on its social media that the arrival of extreme heat in northeast Kansas has prompted it to partner up with local entities to provide citizens with relief. A heat advisory is in effect for much of northeast Kansas from 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 25 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 28. This announcement comes shortly after the City of Emporia also announced that it would be opening cooling shelters for locals.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Fed Set to Raise Rates to 22-Year High
The Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates by a quarter-percentage point on Wednesday to a 22-year high, with most investors focused on what it would take for the central bank to lift rates again later this year. Economic growth has likely been too firm in recent months for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to signal that Wednesday’s increase in the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate will be the last of the current tightening cycle, as investors anticipate. The recent slowdown in inflation also makes it hard for central bank officials to firm up plans for any additional rate increase. The central bank will announce its decision at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Powell will answer questions from reporters at 2:30 p.m. Officials won’t release quarterly interest-rate and economic projections after their two-day meeting this week.
Source: WSJ.com: US Business
15 years of low interest rates reshaped the U.S. economy. Here’s what’s changing as rates stay higher for longer
The United States is entering a new economic era as the Federal Reserve hikes its benchmark interest rate. In July 2023, the federal funds effective rate stood above 5% for the first time in four decades. As interest rates climb, economists say financial conditions are headed back to being more normal. “Having interest rates at zero for such a long period of time is very unusual,” said Roger Ferguson, a former vice chair at the Federal Reserve. “Frankly, no one ever thought we’d get to that place.” Back-to-back financial crises gave past Fed policymakers the conviction to take interest rates as low as they can go, and keep them there for extended periods of time. Along the way, they disrupted the basic math of personal finance and business in America.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Municipal Bond Trends for July 25, 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 July 24, 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.
A 10-year rally in U.S. home prices could be coming to an end, says Yale’s Robert Shiller
A decade-long rally in U.S. home prices could finally come to an end once the Federal Reserve stops its rate-hiking cycle, said Robert Shiller, professor of economics at Yale University. Home prices have made steady gains since 2012, according to the S&P Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. “The fear of interest rate increases has influenced people’s thinking — it’s not just the homeowners, it’s new buyers who wanted to get in before the interest rates went up even more,” Shiller said. “They wanted to lock in. So that’s been a positive influence on the market. But it’s coming to an end,” he added.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Hiawatha updated on maple leaf statue plans
Kate Miller of the Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau was present at Monday night’s meeting of the Hiawatha City Commission to address previous questions about the Chamber’s proposed maple leaf statues that will be placed around the city. Miller presented the idea earlier this year, and the Commission was receptive, but asked that she return with more solid guidelines for the statues, which will be purchased and designed by individuals and businesses. Statues would be placed no closer than 25 feet from corners, and no further forward than the nearest planter. Designs will have to be approved by the Chamber and then either the City Commission or the City Administrator. Statue owners will also be required to feature their leaves in the Halloween parade. The Commission was in consensus that the requirements were acceptable.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
Nonprofit movie theater in Greensburg concerned about possible closure
The closure of the Regal Warren Theatre in Old Town Wichita has some concerned that the much-loved nonprofit Twilight Theatre in Greensburg could shut down. The 100-year-old movie theater is used as an event space, auditorium and gathering place for the 700 people living in Greensburg. The nonprofit faced financial struggles even before the pandemic, but lockdowns made matters worse. “How are we gonna keep the Twilight Theatre open here when we have 800 people?” said George Ryan, executive director.
Source: KSN-TV
Mission OKs new tax abatement policy
A new tax abatement policy is on the city of Mission’s books. The Mission City Council on Wednesday voted 6-2 to approve an updated tax abatement policy. The updated policy comes after two separate developers — those of 58 Nall and Milhaus — requested tax abatements on apartment projects in Mission. The policy caps tax abatement at 75% in special circumstances: Mission’s previous tax abatement policy, which was never used, allowed developers up to 100% deferred property taxes for a 10-year period. The new policy starts developers off at 45% tax deferment if they meet certain criteria, such as a minimum capital investment of $3 million into a project.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Prairie Village wants to build new city hall, caps project at $30M
A completely new city hall may be in Prairie Village’s future. The city council last week unanimously directed city staff to start the process to design and eventually build a completely new city hall facility, capping the cost for the still-nascent project at $30 million. The move means multiple conceptual designs for a new city hall will come before the city council in the not-too-distant future.
Source: Prairie Village Post