Kansas Municipal News
Overland Park in early stages of discussing 2 tax rebate ideas
The Overland Park City Council is in the early stage of discussing two separate tax relief proposals that would rebate a portion of food sales tax and property tax payments to vulnerable residents. Members of the council’s Finance Administration and Economic Development committee took a first look Wednesday at the proposals: one, a property tax rebate put forward by Councilmembers Melissa Cheatham and Logan Heley, and the other, a food sales tax rebate offered by Councilmember Faris Farassati. The proposals were offered more as concepts with details to be worked out later.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Sedgwick County Commission approves 2.5 million dollars for Exploration Place project
Exploration Place received 2.5 million dollars from Sedgwick County Commission today. “Wichita, this county, and this region deserves projects like this,” said Jason Gregory, representing Greater Wichita Partnership. The money will go towards a massive upcoming project Exploration Place calls EP 2. “The first 23 years has been largely focused on what happens inside the building but this next vision for us focuses on what happens on the outside of the building,” said Laura Roddy, VP for Advancement at Exploration Place. This project, which is set to roll out in three phases, will break ground later this year.
Source: KAKE – News
Municipal Bond Trends for July 19, 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.
Pittsburg City Hall updates improve accessibility
Pittsburg City Hall has undergone a significant facelift, following the completion of its City Hall Plaza – Front Steps & Ramp Project. The front entrance to City Hall is now open after an extensive exterior renovation and accessibility improvements. “The previous steps to the front entrance were deteriorated and the exterior needed updated and preserved,” said Pittsburg City Manager Daron Hall. “With the help of our team, we were able to protect the structure, improve the aesthetics, and increase safety and accessibility to this important public asset.” The City of Pittsburg partnered with Sprouls Construction, Inc., and Echelon Architecture and Design to make City Hall more ADA compliant.
Source: City of Pittsburg
Atchison leaders reflect on plant’s pending closure
The surprise announcement Thursday that a major Northeast Kansas distillery will be corked for good next year is causing a stir. MGP Ingredients, Inc. has been in business for more than 80 years, and its brand is closely linked with finely crafted liquor. Bourbons, ryes, whiskeys, gins, vodkas and more have all been produced in Atchison, Kansas, along with practical products like industrial alcohol and hand sanitizer, of particular demand in the COVID-19 era. However, citing reduced profitability in a news release, MGP said it will close its Atchison distillery by January 2024. Several other operations in Atchison are not affected.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
Riley County welcomes Phillips as new budget and finance officer
Riley County recently welcomed a new Budget and Finance Officer. Brittany Phillips took on the role July 6th. Before joining Riley County, she served as board treasurer for the USD 473 Chapman School District. Phillips has also spent time in municipal budgeting for the city of Chapman. Her responsibilities will include preparing and coordinating budgets for the county programs and departments and working closely with commissioners, department heads and the county clerk to lead budget discussions. Phillips succeeds Darell Edie, who retired from the position in June.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Packed City Council meeting in Colwich with most against proposed solar project
The Colwich City Council meeting Monday night was packed with area residents protesting a proposed solar project that could be built east of town. “We just have eyesore after eyesore, and we are going to add another mile and a half onto that all the way into Maize,” said one resident to the council. The proposed solar project would be built between Colwich and Maize. Another resident, Jeff Hardin, says he does not like the look of an industrial size solar farm, and it would change the landscape. “Because I grew up on a farm,” said Hardin. “And I love the land. And as you can tell, that’s not going to happen anymore.” City council members heard from several Invenergy energy representatives about the company and its proposal to add the wind project that could add power to the grid for up to 25,000 homes.
Source: KSN-TV
Affordable Connectivity Program in Louisburg
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) offers eligible households $30/month toward home internet service. The ACP is a long-term $14 billion program of the Federal Communications Commission, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The program offers eligible households a $30/month discount toward high-speed internet and a one-time discount of $100 toward the purchase of a connected device such as laptop, desktop computer or tablet from a participating provider if the household contributes $10-50 toward the purchase price. In Miami County, fewer than 20% of eligible households are taking advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program. In mid-July, only 26 of the estimated 658 eligible households within the City of Louisburg are participating in the program.
Source: Louisburg, KS-Newsflash
Prairie Village, Fairway declare states of emergency following storm
The city of Prairie Village and Fairway, two northeast Johnson County suburbs battered particularly hard by Friday’s severe thunderstorms, have both declared local states of emergency amid ongoing recovery efforts. During a regularly scheduled city council meeting Monday, Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson said he had declared the local disaster state of emergency for his city. That came shortly after Fairway’s Mayor Melanie Hepperly sent out notice of her own emergency declaration via email. Mikkelson said the July 14 storm was significantly worse in terms of damage compared to other severe storms Prairie Village has experienced, noting that the city’s police and fire departments responded to 196 emergency calls in the first 24 hours after the storm hit on Friday afternoon.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Leawood PD and HappyBottoms team up to give out free diapers
The city of Leawood is collaborating with Kansas City nonprofit HappyBottoms to help local parents in need. The Leawood Police Department has begun a partnership with the organization to distribute diapers to families who cannot afford them. The nonprofit works with hospitals and social service agencies to identify parents in need of diapers. Through HappyBottoms’ programs, families can qualify for either 50 disposable diapers or 30 training pants per month. The organization’s “Bundles of Joy” program also allows new mothers in need at hospitals to receive 75 diapers right after the birth of their child. “We started in 2009, and since then, we’ve distributed more than 21 million diapers into the Kansas City area,” said Ashley Allison, marketing and communications manager for HappyBottoms.
Source: Prairie Village Post
New bill aims to simplify federal grant applications, boost funding for underserved communities
Lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that proposes to streamline the federal grant application process while increasing access to funding opportunities for under-resourced communities and local governments. Applying for federal grants can be a lengthy and complicated undertaking that often includes bureaucratic red-tape and requires a multifaceted understanding of the process. The Streamlining Federal Grants Act would task the Office of Management and Budget with developing guidance for all federal agencies on how to modernize and simplify their grant applications. The legislation also calls for agencies to update the software and systems used to manage their grant application processes and implement common data standards for grant reporting.
Source: Route Fifty – All Content
Barton County storm siren systems malfunctioned, officials say
Storm sirens malfunctioned in Great Bend when officials tried to set them off during the Sunday night storms. Great Bend Fire Chief Brent Smith said dispatch attempted to set off the alarm ten times but had no success. “Trying to identify some of the problems or where the problems occurred, we discovered the fail safes that were in place had also not allowed the sirens to go off,” explained Smith. The storm caused the main power grid to go out, so the tower couldn’t receive the signal to sound the sirens. Smith explained they have two backups for when the power goes out, the first one being a system powered by battery in a metal building near the tower that receives the signal, but the batteries in the backup weren’t working.
Source: KAKE – News
Viega to expand production capacity in McPherson
Plumbing and piping manufacturer Viega LLC plans to spend $70 million over two years in expanding its production capacity at its 1 million square-foot facility in McPherson, the company said this week. The first wave of investment is planned for $14 million and will increase the company’s ProPress pipe-fitting production ability. “As we continue to grow the business, we are bringing more production to the United States,” president and CEO Markus Brettschneider said in a statement. “These investments in our U.S. footprint will further support demand and leverage the talented U.S. manufacturing workforce, starting with the expansion of production capacity in Kansas.”
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Indoor pickleball, commercial kitchen part of $13.7M project named for former Wichita mayor
The Carl G. Brewer Community Center at McAdams Park will see major upgrades in 2024. The Wichita City Council has approved a major expansion of the Carl G. Brewer Community Center at McAdams Park, bringing the project cost from an initial estimate of $8 million to $13.7 million. The expanded recreation center at 17th Street and Wabash will include a nearly 25,000-square-feet addition to the existing 10,800-square-feet building recently renamed to honor Brewer, Wichita’s first African American mayor elected by a citywide vote (A. Price Woodard, Wichita’s first African American mayor, was elected by city commissioners in 1970).
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for July 18, 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.
Phillipsburg woman loves her new town, benefits from rodeo funds
A Phillipsburg transplant is a walking billboard for her new hometown. And she’s also benefitted from Hope in the Heartland funds. Laura Flores, who moved from Kansas City to Phillipsburg two years ago, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in September of 2022. … She’s always felt a sense of belonging in Phillipsburg. Laura had become good friends with Lacie Shields, another Phillipsburg resident, when the two lived in Kansas City. After Lacie moved back to Phillipsburg in February 2019, Laura visited her the next year. “I came to visit one weekend, and then it turned into another weekend, and another weekend, and I fell in love with the town, and then her brother,” she said. She is engaged to be married to Derek Shields, Lacie’s brother. Laura loves Phillipsburg. “I really enjoy the slow pace here, and the community has just been amazing. I feel like for the very first time, in a long time, if not ever, that I feel like I’m home. I just love it. Everybody’s been so amazing and friendly. It didn’t take me any time at all to feel like I belonged here.”
Source: Hays Daily News
Harris finds Great Bend open to newcomers
Maggie Harris has worked at Barton Community College for over 12 years but is fairly new to her role as its chief communications officer, a job she stepped into last September. Born and raised in Dodge City, she attended Sacred Heart Catholic School, Dodge City High school and Dodge City Community College before attending Washburn University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass media and public relations. “I was recruited to a position in the Admissions Office at Barton Community College as an admissions representative and fell in love with the community at Barton College and the Barton County area,” she said.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
The Bond Market Gets Less Scary
The yield curve is getting less inverted, mostly for good reasons. The yield curve is still looking scary, but not quite as scary as it was as recently as a few weeks ago. Wednesday’s benign inflation report from the Labor Department looked like good news to investors, and one of the places it manifested itself was in the U.S. Treasury market. With growing optimism that the Federal Reserve will raise rates just one more time later this month, and then call it quits, yields fell across the board. Notably, the yield on the two-year note fell 0.15 of a percentage point to 4.74%. The yield on the 10-year note fell by less, declining 0.12 of a percentage point to 3.86%. With that, the 10-year yield is now 0.88 of a percentage point below the two-year.
Source: WSJ.com: Markets
Great Bend council hears Sunday storm update
New Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson told the City Council Monday night that he had its update prepared for the meeting, but “obviously my report changed quite a bit at about 6:30 yesterday.” He was of course referring to the supercell thunderstorm that roared through the community late Sunday afternoon and into the evening, leaving extensive damage in its wake. “I was so impressed with our community,” he said.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Kansas gambling, Crosswinds casino expanding
Sedgwick County is seeing multiple new additions for gambling. The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission approved the license for a Historic Horse Racing Facility in Park City. Also, Crosswinds Casino in Park City is expanding to Class 3 Gaming. After Senate Bill 84 passed in 2022, the door opened for HHR and sports betting. “I think it’s good,” Government Manager for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission Randy Evans said. “I think it’s an exciting time to be in the business with the different types of gambling, sports betting, typical Las Vegas style casinos, and now HHR parimutuel.” But, the bill was very specific about where the HHR facility was.
Source: KSN-TV