Kansas Municipal News
When a Kansas county wants people to plant milkweed but a city makes them rip it out
Oliver Hernandez’s front yard hums with plenty of bugs for the 12-year-old and his friends to find. “It’s kind of fun just knowing that there are lots of caterpillars in the yard,” he said. About a third of the yard looks like a teeny swath of prairie, with wild indigo, bee balm and, until recently, a key plant for monarch butterflies: common milkweed. Last fall, the city of Overland Park told Oliver’s mother to rip the milkweed out of her pollinator garden. That bummed Oliver because it’s a plant where brightly striped yellow, black and white caterpillars would appear each summer, grow fat on leaves and transform into the feather-light marvels of nature most famous for what they do next. … Across the U.S., milkweed bans are disappearing. But this Kansas suburb and plenty of other towns and cities across the Midwest continue to define it in their city codes as flora non-grata. Sometimes city, county and state rules conflict, leaving homeowners to navigate mixed messages from local governments that can’t see eye-to-eye on whether to promote milkweed or kill it off.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita toy store owner asks City to change ordinance
If you want to open a secondhand store in Wichita, some City of Wichita requirements might discourage you. For example, the City says some secondhand stores must fingerprint people who bring in used items. Derek Sorrells told the City Council that’s a problem. He owns Let’s Go Build, 2684 N. Greenwich, a store that buys, sells and trades Lego bricks. “I’m asking a mother who brings in $20 worth of Legos to submit her fingerprint,” he said. “There were many odd looks. Many odd looks. And there were frankly people who walked out the door.”
Source: KSN-TV
Andover YMCA rebuild continues following tornado
Almost a year following the Andover tornado, progress continues to rebuild the heavily damaged YMCA in the storm. The April 30, 202, the EF-3 moved through the east side of Andover, causing extensive damage to homes, an elementary school and the YMCA. Cars from the YMCA parking lot were thrown into the lobby, the roof was removed, and glass was shattered. YMCA employees that night reacted and got everyone to safety before the storm hit. Since the storm, work has been moving to rebuild the facility. The walls outside are being rebuilt with 6,375 new limestone blocks, and 22,600 square feet of glass is being installed to replace the damaged windows.
Source: KSN-TV
Property appraisal appeals increase by nearly 300 percent
Backlash from Miami County residents upset about skyrocketing property appraisals led to a spike in appeals being filed this year with the county appraiser’s office. Property owners had until the end of March to file their informal appeal, and Miami County Appraiser Justin Eimers confirmed Monday, April 10, that his office received a total of 1,205 informal appeals this year compared to 303 in 2022, an increase of nearly 300 percent. “The appeals process gives property owners a chance to address questions and concerns to the County Appraiser’s Office,” Eimers said. “I see the appeals process as an opportunity for the Appraiser’s Office to make necessary corrections to property characteristics and make any valuation changes that are warranted. Our goal is to get the value right.”
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Inflation rises just 0.1% in March and 5% from a year ago as Fed rate hikes take hold
Inflation cooled in March as the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases showed more impact, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The consumer price index, a widely followed measure of the costs for goods and services in the U.S. economy, rose 0.1% for the month against a Dow Jones estimate for 0.2%, and 5% from a year ago versus the estimate of 5.1%. Excluding food and energy, core CPI increased 0.4% and 5.6% on an annual basis, both as expected.
Source: Economy
Treasury yields fall after inflation comes in cooler than forecast in March
U.S. Treasurys were little changed on Wednesday ahead of the release of key March inflation figures that could impact future Federal Reserve policy moves, including its interest rate hiking campaign. As of 5:17 a.m. ET, the 10-year Treasury was trading at 3.439% after rising by less than 1 basis point. Meanwhile, the yield on the 2-year Treasury was down marginally at 4.054%. Yields and prices have an inverted relationship. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01%.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Finney County Historical Museum exhibit celebrates first Hispanic mayor
Garden City reached a unique milestone 50 years ago, on April 11 of 1973, when the community’s first Hispanic mayor was elected, and the Finney County Historical Museum has just opened a new exhibit telling the story of Mayor D.C. Garcia. Entitled “Making a Difference,” the display is located in the museum’s Front Door Gallery, where exhibits change four to six times each year. It is comprised of nearly 10 large-format photographic images, as well as a small collection of artifacts loaned from the Garcia family and others.
Source: Greater Garden City
Overland Park councilmember floats getting rid of city food sales tax
Overland Park City Councilmember Faris Farassati is looking to reduce or potentially eliminate the city’s sales tax on food. He says doing so would provide much-needed relief to residents dealing with a rise in property taxes, with the average home appraisal value in Johnson County up by 12% from last year. But city officials say cutting the local sales tax on food would have practical ramifications on Overland Park’s budget and may not even be possible under state law. Another councilmember called the proposal patently “illegal.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for April 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.
Medicine Lodge is purchasing and re-opening local drive-in theater
Source: William Daily, City Administrator
Garden City’s Downtown Plan receives update at meeting
The Garden City Commission approved an update for the Garden City Downtown Plan at its regular meeting on April 4. The plan presented was an update on the 2013 Downtown Plan, which goes along with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and focuses on development and improvements in the Center Business District. It also establishes goals for the downtown for the next 10-20 years. Britt Palmberg, director of planning with RICK Engineering Company, presented the updated plan. … One conclusion from the meetings and engagements is that people saw the downtown as the heart of the community, Palmberg said. “They want to bring it to life, they still see it as the heart of the city and really there is a need for assorted amenities and programs to help retailers and those visiting businesses downtown,” he said. “Also, people see the need for vitality and character both inward and outward, which again, speaks to redevelopment of the downtown and to stimulate areas that lead to the downtown.” The point of the plan is not to just look at creating new, shiny objects and events in the downtown, Palmberg said, it’s also about stimulating and helping the existing retailers to “get over the hump and get to the next level.”
Source: GC Telegram
Taking a closer look at a bitcoin mining operation in Harvey County
Print Crypto, Inc., has more than 900 computers mining bitcoin at the Butler Rural Electric Cooperatvie substation at 8399 S.E. 84th St., at least for now. Sean Reese said his company, of which he is part owner, had taken every one of its units out of the storage trailers and replaced it with those belonging to customers who rent space from Print Crypto. He said his customers paid $2,000-$6,000 per month to rent the space, and Print Crypto covers the cost of electricity, storage and maintenance. He said his company kept adding customers, but it hadn’t added any machines to the site since Print Crypto and Butler Rural Electric became embroiled in a zoning dispute with the county. Print Crypto’s mining operation has been the source of noise complaints by neighbors due to the constant sound of whirring fans that cool the computer equipment. The Board of Harvey County Commissioners denied Butler Rural Electric’s rezoning request on March 28. Commissioners will decide what the county’s next step is at its meeting this Tuesday.
Source: Harvey County Now
Municipal Bond Trends for April 10, 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.
Wichita to host U.S. Figure Skating event for the third time
Wichita will again be a host city for the Synchronized Sectional Championships for U.S. Figure Skating. The event is scheduled at Intrust Bank Arena from January 24th through the 28th, with practices taking place at the Wichita Ice Center. Wichita previously hosted the Midwest Sectional Championships in 2018 and 2020. Visit Wichita and the Wichita Figure Skating Club will provide local support to host the competition. The competition will attract more than 127 teams, 1,800 athletes and over 350 coaches and team personnel.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Riley County legal team combing through logistics of proposed changes to animal control
Legal questions are swirling as the City of Manhattan continues toward a plan of privatizing its animal shelter and shifting animal control to the Riley County Police Department. Deputy Riley County Counselor Craig Cox clarified Thursday why the City of Manhattan has stopped enforcing animal control services in Riley County, which the county noted earlier in the week it had been paying for under a resolution. Cox says the City of Manhattan intends to maintain control of the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter. But legally it’s unclear how that impacts the RCPD consolidation. By statute, under the 80/20 split, Riley County is in charge of maintaining facilities for RCPD.
Source: 1350 KMAN
City of Horton recognized as ‘Most Improved Wastewater System of the Year’
When Horton City Administrator John Calhoon registered to attend the 54th Annual Conference of the Kansas Rural Water Association held this last week in Wichita, he had no idea he would be on stage and on camera in front of hundreds of people accepting an award. But he was – as the City of Horton received the award for “Most Improved Wastewater System of the Year” in ceremonies last Wednesday evening in the Century II Convention Center. The City of Horton’s original wastewater treatment plant was constructed in 1956 and, although there had been many improvements since, the 65-year-old plant was having trouble meeting the modern, much stricter permit limits. In October of 2021, construction began on a 6.3-million-dollar facility upgrade.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
Johnson County revokes COVID-19 resolutions to align with national end to emergency declaration
Two Johnson County COVID-19 resolutions will come to an end soon. The local resolutions will end with the national emergency declaration, which is set to end on May 11, 2023, but may end earlier. The Board of County Commissioners revoked both resolutions during its business session on Thursday, March 30. On March 13, 2020, then Chairman Ed Eilert issued a declaration of state of local disaster emergency for Johnson County, Kansas because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration was extended for 60 days, then extended indefinitely.
Source: Johnson County Kansas |
Pittsburg sales tax continuance up for April 11 vote
Pittsburg voters will decide whether or not to continue a public safety sales tax tomorrow. The special election is today… The question on the ballot is: “Shall a retailers’ sales tax in the amount of one-half of one percent (0.5%) continue to be levied in the City of Pittsburg, Kansas effective on January 1, 2024, with the proceeds therefrom to be used for the purpose of public safety for a time period not to exceed ten (10) years from the date such additional sales tax is first collected?” … The tax went into effect in March 2014.
Source: KOAM News
Belle Plaine celebrates the silencing of train horns
The people who live and work around Belle Plaine say train horns have been a loud part of their day for years. The City of Belle Plaine says more than 50 train horns sounded each day at 98 decibels. But the town is now an official Quiet Zone. So as of April 5, train horns are silent as trains approach three crossings in and near the Sumner County town. For Belle Plaine, it took nearly 10 years to get the federal Quiet Zone designation.
Source: KSN-TV
De Soto clears path for massive solar farm
The City of De Soto is figuring out how it’ll handle what could be the largest solar farm in the nation, which City leaders expect to eventually pop up near Panasonic’s $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant that is under construction right now. On Thursday, City leaders approved a permitting process to allow a Utility-Scale Solar Facility (USSF) of up to 3,000 acres that could create between 600-800 megawatts. Industry experts say that much energy could power roughly 500,000 homes at the same time.
Source: KSN-TV