Kansas Municipal News
Cities assess ‘widespread’ storm damage — 8K in JoCo still without power
The lingering impacts of Friday’s severe thunderstorms were still being felt Monday, with stubborn pockets of power outages affecting thousands of residents in suburbs clustered in northeast Johnson County. The severe storm on July 14 uprooted trees, downed power lines and, at one point, left more than 180,000 Evergy customers without power. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Kansas City field office told the Post that the metro was hit by a “squall line,” a phenomenon when multiple thunderstorms combine, resulting in higher and more concentrated wind gusts that, in this case, averaged between 50 to 60 miles per hour.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Great Bend community helps each other out after powerful winds brought major damage
Residents in Great Bend woke up bright and early to start clearing out debris after straight line winds up to 85 mph caused trees to fall all around the city. “The definition of people helping people, come to Great Bend. You’ll see, everyone’s coming out to help everybody,” said life long Great Bend resident Gary Parr. Gary drove throughout different neighborhoods in his golf cart offering people an extra hand, chainsaw, and cold drinks. Residents said this is the Great Bend standard. “Pretty much nobody asked. It was just as soon as we seen the damage we all started helping and pitching in,” said Bridgett Arnold.
Source: KAKE – News
The end of Mission Gateway? Johnson County city pulls funding for beleaguered project
The Mission City Council on Monday terminated its redevelopment agreement with Mission Gateway, yanking away millions of dollars in tax incentives the developer argued were necessary to get the project done after nearly two decades of broken promises. A likely death knell for the stalled project, the council voted unanimously to toss out the deal — its fifth iteration for the long-plagued development — because the property owners failed to pay nearly $450,000 in taxes due in May. The city sent a default notice on May 15, giving the property owners, Aryeh Realty, 60 days to pay up. That deadline expired over the weekend.
Source: Joco 913 News
Governor Kelly Proclaims Rural Road Safety Awareness Week
Governor Laura Kelly has proclaimed July 17-21 as Rural Road Safety Awareness Week (RRSAW) in Kansas to call attention to the high number of traffic fatalities on rural roads. The weeklong observance is part of a nationwide campaign spearheaded by the National Center for Rural Road Safety and includes the participation of the Kansas Department of Transportation. With one of the main causes of rural crashes being speeding, this awareness campaign is driving home the need to slow down. “Raising awareness about rural road safety will save lives and put the state of Kansas on the path to ‘Drive To Zero’ traffic deaths,” said Governor Kelly, referring to the state’s ongoing safety awareness initiative. “This safety campaign stresses the importance of obeying speed limits, never driving impaired, and wearing your seatbelt, every trip, every time.”
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Students can spread their wings at Fowler Grade School, where Goldbugs learn to lead
Fowler sprang to life last week for the 42nd annual Fowler Threshing Days community festival. Under the coordination of a dedicated team of volunteers, many organizations throughout the community collaborated to provide family-oriented festivities all week long with an “Adventures in the Great Outdoors” theme. Fowler Grade School appreciates the work that these team members and organizations do to provide memorable experiences for the local children, Principal Corri McDowell said. Through the USD 225 school-wide leadership program, McDowell said students learn what it takes to lead the next generation of local volunteers and community leaders that will keep the community spirit and Fowler Threshing Days tradition alive for many years to come.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
Municipal Bond Trends for July 17, 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.
Overland Park tourism rebounds to ‘pre-pandemic levels’
A new report shows tourism in Overland Park saw a spike in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. Data put together by international advisory firm Tourism Economics shows 4.7 million visitors came to Overland Park in 2022, spending more than $850 million and generating some $95 million in local tax revenues. “Overland Park’s visitor economy has rebounded beyond pre-pandemic levels,” said Warren Wilkinson, president of Visit Overland Park, the city’s tourism and marketing bureau. “While these results are fantastic, we must continue to compete with other communities to expand our position as a great place to visit, live and work.” Overall, year-over-year visits in 2022 were up more than 12%. It comes after a concerted effort to direct funds towards promoting the city in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city spent $500,000 in federal pandemic relief funds in each of the past two years on marketing efforts.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Lenexa wants to add more ‘missing middle housing’
Lenexa is hoping to add more midrange housing options — including potentially townhomes and affordable starter homes — to areas of the city still open for development. This type of housing, often called “missing middle housing,” tends to be more dense and attainable cost-wise, though it’s lacking in many communities where there might be a market for it, Community Development Director Scott McCullough said. Encouraging these new housing options has so far been a major focus of the city’s comprehensive plan update process. Exactly what the end result of this process will look like for Lenexa is unclear at this stage, though McCullough said it could ultimately require the city to consider changes to city code and a reevaluation of some of the city’s long-range residential development plans.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Water transfer battle continues in Wichita hearings
A hearing is scheduled to begin next week in Wichita District Court, allowing a non-profit Central Kansas water advocacy group to present additional evidence why it opposes a plan by the cities of Hays and Russell to implement a water transfer from a location in Edwards County to Ellis County in the Smoky Hill river basin. The evidentiary hearing, set to begin July 19, results from a remand order by the Kansas Supreme Court in June that places the challenge issued by the Water Protection Association of Central Kansas back within the confines of the district court to consider supplemental additions to the court record. While the hearing continues, the Kansas Supreme Court retains jurisdiction over Water PACK’s appeal challenge. Currently, both communities are seeking to construct a 70-mile long pipeline that would transfer approximately 4,800 acre-feet of water per year for their municipal use. The measure invokes the Kansas Water Transfer Act that stipulates all desiring to transfer more than 2,000 acre feet are limited to a distance of 35 miles, unless granted state approval.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Tap water in Kansas was tested for ‘forever chemicals.’ Here’s where they were found
Forever chemicals, also known as polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, have been detected in recent years in drinking water in the Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan and Wichita areas, according to a study published July 5 by the U.S. Geological Survey. The federal agency collected tap water samples from 716 locations across the country, including water from public supplies and private wells. The agency modeled that data and found at least 45% of drinking water could contain at least one PFAS. Some of the PFAS, which have been linked to health problems, found in Kansas water exceeded proposed limits. Those samples were taken from 2016 to 2021. Megan Lovely, a spokeswoman for the City of Wichita, said they began testing for PFAS in 2021 as a proactive measure. Lawrence does not routinely monitor PFAS, but will begin to as new EPA guidelines go into effect, said Trevor Flynn, assistant director of environment, health science and treatment operations for the City of Lawrence. Those results are expected to be part of a consumer confidence report published next May.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Russell community reacts to vandalism at new park
A brand new Historic park, splash pad, and visitors center opened July 8th and by July 14th three different instances of vandalism had already occurred at the facility. “I just don’t even understand why anyone would do that. I mean, it’s just absolutely disheartening,” Russell community member, Jeannine Byers-Long. This is the sentiment echoing throughout Russell, Kansas as they work to get to the bottom of an ongoing vandalism problem. “There has got to be something more fun and more entertaining for people to do than to ruin and vandalize property,” said Byers-Long. “There was some damage in the restroom facilities so we’ve had to close off the restroom facilities until that can be fixed,” said Gloria Homeier, a member of Russell Rotary. People visiting the park Friday were also disheartened by the vandalism.
Source: KAKE – News
After school shutdown, rural Kansas community tries to divorce district
Barton County residents will decide whether to break up with their school district and “start fresh” following heartbreak and anger over the closure of a rural community’s high school. The change could result in hundreds of students displaced and three more schools shut down. The Aug. 1 disorganization vote is a test case for rural communities that increasingly have to make decisions to shut down or consolidate as populations dwindle and schools face financial strain. “This is brand new territory for the Department of Education, for the State Board of Education and basically every district in the state of Kansas,” said KSDE general counsel Scott Gordon during a June 27 meeting in Claflin. Dissolving the district is likely to have widespread consequences for all district schools and likely will increase residents’ taxes, according to opponents of disorganization.
Source: KAKE – News
Wheat Festival wraps up in Wellington
The 123rd Kansas Wheat Festival came to a close over the weekend. Saturday was about teaching kids the process of wheat harvesting as well as more information on elements of the farming community. “We had the southwest dairy farmers down there this morning, and they had wheat threshing demonstrations and just a lot of tractors on display, and it was just really neat and really cool, and it was popular,” said Valerie Earl, executive director of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
Source: KSN-TV
Johnson County feels lingering impacts of storm
For Midwesterners used to sudden summer storms, Friday night still felt unusual. “That … was terrifying,” one Kansas City area resident said on Twitter, echoing the sentiments of many others in the aftermath of a powerful storm system that downed tree limbs, uprooted whole trees and knocked out power to tens of thousands. As of Sunday afternoon, Evergy said nearly 90% of metro customers had power restored. But more than 16,000 Johnson County customers were among those who remained without power and officials with the utility warned it could be into Tuesday before all customers’ power was back on. “It’s going to be a long road,” said Chuck Caisley, Evergy’s chief customer officer, on Saturday. “This is the largest storm [Evergy] has had. This is a big restoration.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
Olpe Downhome Days celebrates community improvements
Since the Olpe Downhome festival was reinstated in 2003, its purpose has been fundraising for improvements at Olpe’s Jones Park. Multiple activities on Saturday provided a day filled with family-oriented fun, from a 6:30 a.m. breakfast provided by the Methodist church to a street dance lasting until midnight. “This is our 21st year,” Joyce Wilson, festival organizer and Olpe City Clerk, said. “There was no event in 2020, due to COVID. We actually had celebrations sporadically through the 1980s and early 1990s–originally, the festival was put on by the fire fighters to raise money.” Wilson and her husband brought the festival back to life. “We just needed a community event,” she said. “It’s had its ups and downs. The park flooded at least one time, and we’ve had torrential rains.” An afternoon parade lined up at the school, featuring tractors, bicycles, ATVs, a horse-drawn buggy, fire trucks, and police vehicles proceeding through downtown Olpe. The firemen’s barbeque drew a hungry crowd and led to even more downtown events like bed races, military service personnel appreciation, and a street dance with DJ Chuck Torres. The Olpe Fire Department Equipment Fundraiser featured a drawing for three separate firearms, with a limited number of tickets available for purchase. A 20-year class reunion was also held in conjunction with the Downhome festival.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Marion’s new city administrator is settling in
Marion gained a new city administrator on May 1. Marion City Administrator Brogan Jones graduated in May with his Masters in Public Administration from Wichita State University. He just turned 28 at the end of June. This is his first time being a city administrator, but he lived in and worked for the city of Lyons in code enforcement building inspections so there is some crossover for him. Jones, who is married with a child on the way—his wife is due in August—is happy to be settling into small town Marion. He and his wife moved there recently and enjoy many things about it. “We like that it’s not too far from home. It’s just an hour away. It’s still a small town like we’re used to. So we get out, and go on walks,” said Jones. “It’s quiet where we bought our house. So it’s just a nice small quiet town, and it’s got a lot of character that we don’t have back home. Everything back home is straight lines and boxes, but it’s not like that here.”
Source: Hillsboro Free Press
Kansas has record high teacher vacancies. But are schools finally at a turning point?
The number of teacher vacancies in Kansas schools remains at a record high, but state education officials have reason to believe a tide of increasing educator attrition is starting to turn. Kansas, as of earlier this spring, had 1,634 teaching vacancies, as reported by school districts to the Kansas State Department of Education’s licensure division, said director Shane Carter. That’s compared to 1,628 vacancies in fall 2022. Comparatively, school districts reported 1,381 vacancies in spring 2022, and 1,253 vacancies in fall 2021.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for July 14, 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.
Indigo Moo’d offers ice cream and a place for Lindsborg residents to gather
With memories of grabbing a cone as a child, and realizing the city didn’t have an ice cream shop, one woman decided to open one in downtown Lindsborg. Alison Replogle, who owns and operates Indigo Moo’d, said that when she and her husband, Shawn, would take walks in downtown Lindsborg, they would talk about how there weren’t many places open in the evening for families and other people in the community. “It’s (here) to have a place for people to gather and celebrate,” Replogle said.
Source: Hutch News
Engage Dodge Program: Connecting citizens to Dodge City
The City of Dodge City is excited to announce the launch of the 2023 Engage Dodge Program, an interactive educational opportunity designed to introduce citizens to City services, programs, and the dedicated employees who serve the Dodge City community. This program aims to enhance awareness, understanding, and engagement in local government, creating stronger connections between residents and the city they call home. The Engage Dodge Program consists of eight evening sessions, held on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., starting Aug. 8 and concluding on Sept. 19.
Source: Dodge City Globe