Kansas Municipal News
Governor vetoes broad tax bill barring government competition against private sector
Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday vetoed a broad tax bill that prohibited governments from running businesses that compete with the private sector, a measure that critics said was intended to help one statewide business. The vetoed bill had 18 tax provisions, including one that would provide real and personal property tax exemptions for some businesses in cities where a government facility competes against a similar business.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Fed’s Bostic casts doubt on rate cuts this year even if there’s a recession
Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said Monday that he doesn’t foresee rate cuts at least through 2023, even if there’s a recession. “For me, inflation is job No. 1. We’ve got to get back to our target,” he told CNBC’s Steve Liesman during a “Squawk Box” interview. “If there’s going to be some cost to that, we’ve got to be willing to do that.” His comments came as the Fed has raised rates 10 times since March 2022 in an effort to bring down inflation that a year ago was running at its highest levels since the early 1980s.
Source: CNBC
Please don’t use guns to fish, Kansas officials warn
Officials from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks came across a fishy situation last Friday after finding a firearm allegedly being used to fish. A Finney County Game Warden seized a 9 mm handgun “that was being used to take fish in Garden City,” Kansas game wardens said in a Facebook post May 5. The wardens said that written violations were issued for “illegal means of take of fish” and “no fishing license.” They also reminded Kansans that “firearms are not a legal means to take fish.” While firearms can’t be used to fish in Kansas, it is however legal to fish with a bow and arrow or a crossbow.
Source: KAKE – News
‘It will look like it did in 1926.’ $5M grant expected to restore Jayhawk Theatre to former grandeur
A $5 million grant announced Thursday is expected to enable downtown Topeka’s Historic Jayhawk Theatre to be restored to its former grandeur. “For the untrained eye, you’ll be able to walk in there and it will look like it did in 1926,” said Scott Gales, a board member for that historic entertainment venue and chairman of the fundraising committee for its restoration project.
Source: CJonline
Our love affair with uniform landscapes kills trees. So Kansas and Missouri are going for variety
Each fall, as temperatures drop, people in this suburb can count on head-turning displays of richly hued maple leaves. But maples make up about one-third of the city’s street trees, and Overland Park has learned the hard way that too much of a good thing can mean fragility. So last year, the city put the kibosh on planting more maples. The emerald ash borer — a tiny, shiny green hitchhiker from Asia with a voracious appetite for a different beloved street tree — taught this city and others across Kansas and Missouri a painful lesson. Now some communities are hedging their arboreal bets and protecting local home values and tax bases by embracing variety. Streets with mature trees command higher home prices, temper the dog days of summer, and draw more people outdoors for fresh air, walks and chats with neighbors. “It is likely the emerald ash borer will kill all of Overland Park’s ash trees,” city spokeswoman Meg Ralph said in an email. “The more variety we have in our tree canopy, the more resilient it will be when the next invasive species or tree disease comes to our community.” Ash made up about a fourth of the city’s street tree canopy when the insect arrived a decade ago. In a thoroughly globalized world, the city has no guarantee that a bug with a taste for maple syrup won’t turn up next. So last fall, its forester dropped maples from the list of trees that people can plant along residential and commercial streets in the public right-of-ways — such as that strip of turf between street and sidewalk. For now, Overland Park won’t add more maples to any city property. It will steer developers away from those trees, too. Builders need city forester approval for their landscape plans.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Panel finds Wichita mayor violated city’s ethics policy at neighborhood cleanup
Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple violated the city’s ethics policy and will have to undergo ethics training for his role in an encounter with a Wichita police officer at a neighborhood cleanup. The officer stopped the mayor after he entered the wrong entrance to dump a load of trash from his rental property at a neighborhood cleanup event where residents can dispose of large objects like mattresses and tires for free.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Governor Kelly Announces $30 Million in Tourism Grants
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $30 million has been awarded to 18 recipients developing and improving tourism sites statewide. Funding was made available through the State Park Revitalization & Investment in Notable Tourism (SPRINT) program launched by the Department of Commerce earlier this year. “A thriving tourism sector is critical for the Kansas economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “These grants enhance attractions that draw visitors to the state and showcase what makes Kansas a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Iola to study sports needs
In his travels across the state, Iola Mayor Steve French occasionally makes note of how other communities have invested in their sports facilities. “Just go south to Chanute and look at their ball diamonds, and look at what other communities are pouring into their sports complexes,” French said at Monday’s Iola City Council meeting. French’s comments were sparked by conversations he’d had with a handful of local parents in recent days, wondering if it’s time for Iola to consider an upgrade.
Source: The Iola Register
Kansas legislation got ‘watered down’ but will help aquifer conservation efforts
Kansas state representatives this spring voted for “historic” legislation spending more than $50 million a year on preserving groundwater and restoring the state’s reservoirs. By the time the Senate finished with the bill, it was “watered down” but “a good start.” Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, D-Overland Park, said when lawmakers and farm and environmental groups come together, sometimes the least common denominator is all everyone can agree on. She said the legislation didn’t accomplish everything she hoped.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Kansas Main Street Selected for Rural Main Streets Entrepreneurial Program
Main Street America has announced that Kansas is one of 10 states selected to participate in the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Main Streets Program, supported by the Kauffman Foundation. The program aims to spur economic development in rural Kansas not just by fostering entrepreneurship but by building out entire ecosystems. Kansas Main Street has partnered with Main Street America (MSA) to put on a one-day statewide workshop on Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem building that will be open to any rural community to attend. The workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, in Great Bend.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Fed Official Signals Support for Further Rate Increases
A Federal Reserve official said the central bank should be prepared to continue lifting interest rates because inflation remains too high and the labor market is too tight, hinting at disagreements within the central bank’s rate-setting committee. Fed governor Michelle Bowman, in remarks prepared for delivery Friday at a banking conference in Germany, said she wasn’t confident the central bank was making enough progress slowing down economic activity and inflation even though she allowed that interest rates were now at a restrictive setting.
Source: WSJ.com: US Business
Wellington day care on verge of closing saved at last minute
According to Child Care Aware of Kansas, only 37% of child care demand in Sumner County is being met—that means nearly 700 kids are still in need of a spot. The county has three child care centers, one of which (Angel Wings Learning Center) was slated to close for good. When Jamie Sowersby, who owns an in-home day care called The Clubhouse, heard the news three weeks ago, she says she knew she had to step in. “There would be however many kids are here would need to find a new day care, and we knew that wasn’t going to happen,” Sowersby said.
Source: KSN-TV
Paola firefighters test their skills during Pittsburgh drill
Paola firefighters recently tested their abilities to work as a team to rescue fellow firefighters in tight situations during Pittsburgh drill training at the Paola Fire Station. Paola Fire Chief Andy Martin said the drill was developed in Pittsburgh, Pa., after three firefighters were killed in the Bricelyn Street fire on Valentine’s Day in 1995. The Pittsburgh drill involved Paola firefighters training on how to maneuver through tight spaces, how to work together to transport an incapacitated fellow firefighter, and how to move and utilize existing equipment to make the tasks easier.
Source: The Miami County Republic
Derby adopts new pet limit ordinance
At its May 9 meeting, the Derby City Council approved an update to an ordinance regarding the number of pets allowed in households – the first such change since 1974. With Derby’s status as a city of the first class, a decrease in total pets was initially discussed. Based on current pet ownership numbers, though, the council ultimately approved a new ordinance that will allow residents to license six dogs and/or cats up to a total of eight animals.
Source: Derby Informer | News
‘If there is a sacred place in Kansas, this is it’: Barton County Commission puts in temporary ban on solar farms
Barton County residents want the county to create tougher rules for solar farms. It comes amidst anger over plans for a solar farm that they say would hurt wildlife at the nearby Cheyenne Bottoms wildlife area. Even amidst a drought, if you ask some Barton County residents their thoughts on the Cheyenne Bottoms, they’ll rave about the wildlife area. “It’s a real special place, one of the most special,” said Great Bend resident Jerry Nye said. “If there is a sacred place in Kansas, this is it,” said Great Bend resident Bryan Witt. That’s why these two and others are concerned over a potential development south of the area.
Source: KAKE – News
Northeast Wichita residents express concerns about proposed truck stop
The city of Wichita is looking at putting a new Love’s location at the intersection of Interstate 135 & 21st St. But some who live in that area aren’t happy with what that could mean for their community. Northeast Wichita is known as the city’s industrial heart, where factories and former oil refineries can be found. Aujanae Bennett has lived in the area for most of her life and said that the industrial activity has damaged the area’s environment, and people’s health. She said that adding running semi-trucks to the mix will only make things worse.
Source: KAKE – News
Municipal Bond Trends for May 11, 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, Beth Warren or Henry Schmidt.
Salina allows more access for fiber internet installation
Providers of fiber internet will now have more options for where cable can be placed near homes in Salina after approval by the City Commission. During its meeting Monday, the commission approved a resolution to allow fiber optic cable to be placed in utility easements within the city in addition to the public right of way, which was already allowed. Assistant City Manager Shawn Henessee said a utility easement in Salina is typically located at the rear or side of a residence, whereas the right of way is typically located in front of a home. “The city has voluntarily allowed utilities, in the past, to access…the easement in the rear,” Henessee said.
Source: Salina Journal
Saline County continues work on vision outlined by commissioners
Saline County is making progress on workforce initiatives and community outreach efforts as part of an overarching campaign to see a culture shift in local government. County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes provided a brief overview Tuesday of some ongoing efforts in areas the commission has identified as top priorities going forward. Those mentioned were part of a broader vision the County Commission created earlier this year. At a study session style meeting at the end of January, the commission spelled out what it would like to work on and provide to the community during their tenure. They honed in on key focus areas that encompass more specific goals.
Source: Salina Journal
Corbett v. City of Kensington: City not liable for injuries of its independent contractor
Under these facts, the city of Kensington, as the employer of an independent contractor, is not liable for injuries caused by any negligence of an independent contractor. Expert witness testimony is necessary to show that an independent contractor hired to brush blast and paint a city’s water tower should have used different materials or a protective curtain to protect an adjacent landowner from injury. The standard of care for that work is outside the ordinary experience and common knowledge of a juror.
Source: Kansas Court of Appeals