Kansas Municipal News
Resource costs lead Wichita public golf courses to consider membership fee increases
The City of Wichita Golf Board of Governors met on Tuesday to discuss an increase in membership prices for city courses. The decision is still pending an official vote. The plan is to raise adult individual membership costs by $12 and couples by $18. Another change would be increasing the annual equipment replacement fee from $37 to $50. “There’s not been money in the golf division to spend on the improvements that need to be made, so it’s really across the board,” said City of Wichita Golf Director Jesse Coffman. “We’re trying to improve all of the golf courses and all the facilities for all of our members.”
Source: KSN-TV
Wheat crop struggling with drought and high winds
This will be the second year in a row that some wheat farmers in Kansas will not have a crop. “You look out there, and it’s just a fog of dust across there,” said Brian Mitchell with Mitfarms. “It’s awful.” Mitfarms is in western Kansas and is not alone in seeing very dry conditions affecting the wheat crop. KSN Agriculture analyst John Jenkinson says the topsoil across the state is not good this year.
Source: KSN-TV
Wyandotte’s online tax auction may be hurting residents without internet
For some Wyandotte County residents, the area’s online auctions of property with delinquent taxes, otherwise known as virtual tax sales, have become an unwelcome tradition. The most recent sale was held online through a third party platform on March 28. Homes at least three years behind on taxes were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Commercial properties delinquent on taxes for at least two years and vacant lots delinquent for at least one year were also tax sale eligible. Critics say that holding the auction virtually instead of in person has hurt access for both elderly constituents and those with poor internet.
Source: KC Star Local News
Municipal Bond Trends for April 5, 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.
Fed’s Mester Says Rates Should Rise Above 5%, Stay for Some Time
ederal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester said policymakers should move their benchmark rate above 5% this year and hold it at restrictive levels for some time to quell inflation, with the exact level depending on how quickly price pressures ease. To put inflation on a steady path down to 2%, monetary policy needs to move “somewhat further into restrictive territory this year, with the fed funds rate moving above 5% and the real fed funds rate staying in positive territory for some time,” Mester said at an event Tuesday in New York with the Money Marketeers of New York University.
Source: Bloomberg
A food desert oasis: Grocery store in central Topeka still in very early planning
Planning continues as a local Topeka non-profit works to return a grocery store to central Topeka. Although the Central Topeka Grocery Oasis group last month signed a lease with GraceMed Capitol Health Clinic for one acre north of the clinic at S.W. 12th and Washburn, efforts to launch a grocery store in neighborhood are still in very preliminary stages. CTGO chair, Marge Ahrens said the group was grateful to GraceMed Health and those who have helped in the quest for a grocery store.
Source: CJonline
Buhler school’s $8 million bond falls in defeat
Buhler district voters rejected an $8 million bond that would build a new district office building, which included classrooms for the district’s Ad Astra Academy, a large community/board room and an indoor sports complex. The bond also included $800,000 going toward elementary school playgrounds. With 15.76% of voters weighing in, the unofficial total of all 26 precincts was 578 voting for the bond and 954 voting against it. With 1,532 votes submitted, the yes votes came in at 38% of the total cast, with the no votes totaling 62%.
Source: Hutch News
Downtown Pittsburg mural grants now available
The City of Pittsburg Downtown Advisory Board (DAB) has announced grant funding to bring more art to Pittsburg’s downtown district. The DAB is offering up to 50/50 matching funds, not to exceed $1,000, for murals in the downtown district and has allocated $2,500 for this year’s grant cycle. “The Downtown Advisory Board is excited to continue its commitment to arts in the downtown district,” says DAB Chair Sydney Anselmi. “Public art enriches the experience of both our residents and visitors to our community. Each little area we can brighten with public art easily brightens the areas surrounding it, and the goal is one day we have a colorful, vibrant, downtown corridor filled with art, businesses, and enriching experiences.” Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until August 2023 or until funds run out. Applications will be considered at the regularly-scheduled Downtown Advisory Board meetings, held on the third Monday of each month at City Hall.
Source: City of Pittsburg
Fitch Ratings: Debt for utilities would increase under proposed PFAS rules
According to Fitch Ratings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently proposed rule setting limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water would increase public water utilities’ debt burden as a result of the added costs of compliance. A recent press release from Fitch says the strong rate flexibility and capacity for additional debt exhibited by water systems is expected to limit the impact on credit quality, but will depend on the final scope of rule. EPA expects to finalize the rule by the end of 2023.
Source: Water Finance & Management
The Water Pipe Market Shifts to Sustainable PVC in Times of Growth & Drought
Cities across the United States are struggling with maintaining existing infrastructure with supply chain disruptions and rising costs of equipment, manpower and supplies. Likewise, developers are faced with many challenges to plan, finance and build basic infrastructure and housing units to allow for cities to continue to grow. If there is existing capacity in source water and treatment facilities, then underground pipe networks for water and sewer services need to be built before the streets, sidewalks and new homes.
Source: Water Finance & Management
People in Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka: You can get a good tree for killing a bad one
It’s the perfect time of year to do birds and butterflies a solid — by killing an invasive, ornamental and all-too-common pear tree. This April and May, if you live in or near Kansas City and Topeka and can destroy an ornamental pear on your property, you can get professional help picking out a free replacement tree guaranteed not to wreak environmental havoc. The annual Deep Roots KC program will give out hundreds of free trees. This year, the program includes a giveaway site in Topeka for the first time. In coming years, the group plans to expand to other Kansas cities.
Source: KCUR News
Wichita City Council rejects zoning change for College Hill parking lot, again
The Wichita City Council struck down a zoning change for Happiness Plaza on Tuesday that would have allowed its owners to build a new parking lot in College Hill. The zoning change, which was challenged by a protest petition filed by 27% of surrounding property owners, received a 5-2 majority vote but fell one vote short of the 6-vote majority needed to pass a contested zoning change. Council members Mike Hoheisel and Maggie Ballard voted in opposition. “I think my concern is the housing piece, the precedence that it sets for changing the residential zoning in a popular neighborhood for a parking lot,” Ballard said. “My personal opinion is I think it’s heading in the wrong direction to fill the housing deficit. We have to meet the need for all the new jobs coming to Wichita.”
Source: Wichita Eagle
Bill would curtail wind turbine lights
Flashing red lights atop wind turbines would be curtailed to improve nighttime views under a bill that has been sent to the governor. If signed by Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly, it would require installation of light-mitigating technology on new and existing wind farms, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports. The aircraft detection lighting system technology would turn off the lights except for when aircraft are near. Aircraft aren’t near a wind farm about 97% of the time the lights are blinking, said Rep. Lisa Moser, R-Wheaton.
Source: The Iola Register
Bitcoin mining’s future in Harvey County still uncertain
Sean Reese said the future the bitcoin mining operation run by his company, Print Crypto, Inc., in the southeast part of Harvey County remained in doubt. The Board of Harvey County Commissioners unanimously upheld the Harvey County Planning Commission’s decision to deny a rezoning request for Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., last week. The decision likely means Print Crypto will have to move trailers full of computer equipment used for bitcoin mining.
Source: Harvey County Now
April’s burn ban isn’t a ban on all fires
For over a decade, Kansas has implemented a burn ban for the 16 counties around the Flint Hills. Still, many Kansans have a misconception of what they can and cannot burn. The ban includes all open burning of any waste, including vegetation and wood waster, structures or other material on any premises, according to a recent news release by Sedgwick County. Exceptions include pasture, crop, range, and wildlife or watershed management. Among those 16 counties are Sedgwick and Marion. Brad Crisp, Fire Marshal for Sedgwick County Fire District #1, said they get calls from people asking if they can still smoke their brisket.
Source: Harvey County Now
Does your recycling really get recycled? Inside Kansas City area processing plants
Reduce, reuse, recycle. We’ve all heard it before. Many of us had it drilled into our brains in school growing up, or from family members or friends. Even though we’ve been told that recycling is the right thing to do, based on what The Star has heard from readers, there are still some pretty big questions lurking in the minds of Kansas Citians. Mainly: Is recycling even real, and is it worth it? The Star asked readers about what questions or concerns you have about trash and litter in the metro to help fuel a series of stories we’re starting to publish this week. Residents in at least 12 different ZIP codes around KC asked and shared doubts with us about the effectiveness of recycling.
Source: KC Star Local News
Pit bulls are still banned in towns around Kansas City. These dog lovers are fighting for a repeal
Around Kansas City, some municipalities had pit bull bans on the books for decades. But Independence[, Missouri] only passed its law after a handful of highly-publicized pit bull attacks in 2006. In Kansas City, Missouri, a pit bull killed a 71-year-old woman after it jumped a neighbor’s fence, and an Independence man was nearly mauled to death by three pit bulls the same year. Over the last five years, many local governments have removed breed-specific bans from their city and county charters. Wyandotte County instituted a pit bull ban in 1990 that threatened violators with jail sentences of up to 90 days or a fine of up to $1,000. Leaders repealed it in 2019. Overland Park, Liberty, and Excelsior Springs have also repealed their bans in recent years. A bill introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives this session would prevent cities from regulating dogs by breed.
Source: KCUR News
High costs continue to hurt Winfield hospital
William Newton Hospital saw an increase in patient revenue and decreased operating expenses during the first month of the year, although high contract labor costs contributed to a financial loss of January, WNH trustees learned during their meeting on Thursday. Total patient revenue for January was $8.7 million, an increase of about $169,000 from December. Total net patient revenue was $3.8 million, an increase of about $35,000. That was primarily because of increased outpatient revenue, hospital CFO Kara Goff said.
Source: The Arkansas City Traveler
Cap on short-term rental units to remain for now, Lawrence City Commission decides
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday decided to table a discussion on raising or eliminating the cap on the number of short-term rental units property owners may license in some parts of town. Following an increase in short-term rental units like Airbnbs in past years, commissioners discussed possibly changing the limitation of how many units can be licensed or owned for that purpose — currently three per person. Discussions surrounding the short-term rental industry in Lawrence have been ongoing for years. Tuesday night’s meeting agenda highlighted times when local policy was altered, including in 2020.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Municipal Bond Trends for April 4, 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.