Kansas Municipal News
KS House passes expansive voucher-like program, ties it with Kelly’s top education priority
The Kansas House narrowly passed the largest school choice program in state history while tying it to special education funding long sought by public school advocates and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. … The House fell far short of a veto proof majority setting up a major uphill battle if the policy reaches Kelly’s desk. But supporters are hoping the inclusion of one of Kelly’s top education priorities will earn her signature. Last week Republicans tied together the controversial voucher-like program to special education funding, essentially daring Kelly to either approve a program she has long opposed or veto additional funding for special education, which has been a key part of her second term platform. Kelly asked for $72 million in funding next year followed by an additional $72 million increase for the next five years.
Source: KC Star Local News
Assessing the state of the city, county and school board
Growth and development were two common themes during the annual State of the City Breakfast in Paola. About 50 people attended the breakfast, which was organized by the Paola Chamber of Commerce and took place at the Paola Country Club on Tuesday, March 7. Jeremy Smail of First Option Bank served as the moderator. Attendees listened to officials from the city of Paola, Paola USD 368 and Miami County give updates.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Parsons: Food truck rules vital for health, safety
The city of Parsons enacted a new food vendor ordinance earlier this week, and it’s elicited feedback from residents on social media who wonder why it is necessary. City officials say it is necessary for the health and safety of food truck owners and patrons who eat at them. “It makes legislative sense; it makes safety sense,” said Jim Zaleski, economic development director for the city of Parsons. … Zaleski said this ordinance is needed no matter what. He said it is positive for business with keeping the health and safety of everyone intact. “It’s not about doing what’s popular. It’s about what’s doing what’s right for the residents,” Zaleski said.
Source: Parsons Sun
This river that starts in Johnson County is in trouble, but people are trying to help it
On a warm morning last April, several hundred people fanned out along a waterway in Kansas City. In the span of a few hours, they collected about 30 tons of garbage along the Blue River. The annual effort takes on the visible scars of overdevelopment and neglect, removing nearly 2,000 tons of litter and illegally dumped trash over the past three decades. Volunteers will again roll up their sleeves this year — on April 1 — for Project Blue River Rescue, a tradition that began with the Friends of Lakeside Nature Center and a local chapter of the Missouri Stream Team program.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Johnson County mayors oppose bill to end local food sales tax
Twenty-two Johnson and Wyandotte County mayors raised their collective voice this week in alarm about a proposal in the state legislature that would eliminate local sales taxes on food – a move they say could halt construction projects already in progress and endanger their cities’ bond ratings and budgets. The mayors, members of the Johnson and Wyandotte County Council of Mayors, also warned that ending their ability to collect sales tax revenue on food would likely result in property tax increases to make up for lost sales tax revenue.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Cities, counties oppose Senate president’s food sales tax proposal
Cities and counties came out Wednesday against a proposal by Senate President Ty Masterson to fill a budget hole caused by a bill that would eliminate millions of dollars in local sales taxes on groceries. While they liked the intent of the Masterson’s proposal, they said they were disillusioned by years of promises from the Legislature to reinstate revenues that it’s taken from local government.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Lawrence announces tentative location for Pallet Shelter Village: North Michigan Street
The City of Lawrence on Wednesday announced the location for its planned Pallet Shelter Village site: 256 North Michigan St., pending Lawrence City Commission approval. “The City is committed to working with the surrounding neighborhood to make the Pallet Shelter village a successful addition,” according to a news release. In December, the Lawrence City Commission approved using $4.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act money — federal COVID-19 relief funds — to purchase the modular homes for people experiencing homelessness from Pallet, a “Public Benefit Corporation.”
Source: The Lawrence Times
Johnson hired as new USD 264 Clearwater superintendent
Jason Johnson has been announced as the new superintendent for Clearwater USD 264. The announcement was made Tuesday morning. Johnson was chosen at a Monday night board of education meeting. The search for a new superintendent culminated with interviews last week with four finalists. The Kansas Association of School Boards assisted in the search. Johnson will replace Chris Cooper, who will retire at the end of June. Johnson will take over on July 1, although it is common for new hires to do some work ahead of time to acclimate themselves to their new districts. Cooper came to Clearwater from the Abilene School District.
Source: Times-Sentinel Newspapers
Wakefield City Council discusses “Big Sexy Summer” concert in park
Council members discussed plans they have been presented for a summer concert event in the park called the “Big Sexy Summer” planned for July 21-23. The event calls for three days of music in the park with seven bands performing on stage from 2 to 11 p.m. No official acts or plans were presented but city council members discussed logistics such as alcohol sales and camping rentals. Despite the risqué sounding title, Mayor Chris Dumler said that he had been assured in an email by organizers that the event would be family friendly though he himself still had concerns regarding the name.
Source: www.ccenterdispatch.com
Municipal Bond Trends for March 15, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.
EPA Proposes Limits for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on so-called forever chemicals in public drinking water, a move that is expected to cost water utilities billions of dollars to filter out substances that have contaminated the water supplies of millions of people. The EPA is proposing maximum allowable levels for two compounds in a class of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Known as forever chemicals because they take a long time to break down, they were used for decades in carpeting, clothing, food packaging, firefighting foam and other consumer and industrial products. Once prized as innovative substances that could resist stains, water, grease and heat, PFAS are increasingly viewed as a threat because they persist in the environment and have been found in roughly 99% of the U.S. population. The move represents a seismic shift in the regulation of the nation’s drinking water, and will require sweeping changes for thousands of water systems that will have to test for and treat a group of chemicals that have been the subject of growing concern among public health officials and people worried about the safety of water coming from their taps.
Source: WSJ.com: US Business
Early returns are positive for new sign in Halstead
The new sign is up at City Hall and so far the response has been all positive, according to the Halstead City Manager Ethan Reimer and the Halstead city council. “I don’t think the crew had been gone ten minutes and we started getting calls and people stopping in to say how great they thought the sign was,” Reimer said.
Source: Harvey County Now
Wichita OKs changes to tobacco ordinance
Wichita will no longer criminally penalize people under 21 for possessing tobacco products, although police can still confiscate cigarettes, vapes and chewing tobacco seized from minors. The legal age for purchasing tobacco products will remain 21 under the revised ordinance approved by the City Council on Tuesday, but the biggest enforcement shift aims to hold tobacco retailers accountable for underage sales rather than penalizing individual employees. Under the previous ordinance, clerks found to have sold to minors were charged with a misdemeanor but tobacco license-holders and store managers were not punished. Wichita’s municipal court saw 25 cases of selling to minors in 2022. Now, license holders and store managers can be charged with a class B misdemeanor, punishable by a $200 minimum fine, if they are present when the illegal sale takes place. Clerks, on the other hand, will only be charged on a second or subsequent offense.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Analyst says Fed unlikely to hike rates in March given banking turmoil
Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi thinks the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates at its March meeting as there is a “boatload of uncertainty” around the recent bank failures. The financial turmoil of the past few days will certainly affect monetary policy decision making when the Federal Open Market Committee meets next week, he added. “I think they’re focused on the bank failures that roiled the banking system and markets over the last couple of days,” Zandi told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Wednesday. “There’s a boatload of uncertainty here,” as a result the Fed will want to be cautious, he added. “I think they’re going… [to] decide not to raise interest rates at the meeting next week.”
Source: CNBC
Municipal Bond Trends for March 14, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.
Missouri and Kansas lawmakers want to limit who can buy farmland
Tense relations between China and the U.S. are trickling down into agriculture and more scrutiny into who owns farmland. It became a hot topic after the U.S. Air Force determined that a proposed Chinese-owned corn mill in North Dakota would be a significant national security threat. Now there are proposals restricting foreign ownership of farmland making their way through Congress and many state legislatures, including Missouri and Kansas.
Source: KCUR News
Chick-fil-A plans new $31M distribution center in Johnson County, opening next year
Chick-fil-A Inc. is planning a new $31 million distribution center in Olathe. Chick-fil-A Supply, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Atlanta-based company, will be at the Lone Elm Commerce Center off 167th Street, and and will service Chick-fil-A restaurants in the region. “The Kansas City area is a prime location to invest in our business, create jobs, and grow our supply chain operation,” Josh Grote, executive director of Chick-fil-A Supply, said in a statement. “The region has a deep pool of skilled talent that we know will excel in serving the franchise Operators, licensees and team members delivering an authentic Chick-fil-A experience at each of our locations.”
Source: KC Star
Saline County landfill fires caused by ‘few dozen’ batteries
Officials have determined the cause of several small landfill fires that popped up at the Salina Municipal Landfill on Monday. A news release from Salina Public Works says the fires were caused as a “direct result of a few dozen Lithium, Ni-Cad and alkaline batteries” that were disposed of in one load at the landfill. The release says Lithium batteries have a tendency to start fires when they are impacted by the machinery at the landfill or in the sanitation trucks as they are being hauled.
Source: KSN-TV
Meet the new Paola Rec Director
Wesley Joy is the first director of the recently formed Paola Recreation Commission. Joy, who previously served as the sports and special services director for the Winfield Recreation Commission in Winfield, Kan., was introduced during a recent Paola City Council meeting and again during the State of the City Breakfast at the Paola Country Club. Joy said he is originally from Burlington, Kan., and is familiar with the Miami County area. Before his recent stint in Winfield, Joy said he worked in the parks and recreation field in Colorado.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
City of Topeka awarded $90,000 to help people get internet access
A grant that will be awarded to Topeka aims to help spread awareness and increase participation in a program that helps households get better internet access. City of Topeka spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will award Topeka with a grant to boost participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program provides qualifying households with a discount on broadband and a one-time discount on connected devices. Those who qualify are eligible for a discount of up to $30 a month on internet service and up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers.
Source: KSNT 27 News