Kansas Municipal News
Doug Gerber officially takes over as Shawnee City Manager next week
Doug Gerber officially takes over as Shawnee City Manager next week, taking the oath of office during the regularly scheduled Shawnee City Council meeting on Monday. Gerber previously served as a deputy and interim city manager in Topeka. Before that, he also held high-level leadership positions in Goodland and Beloit, Kan., and most recently worked with JEO Consulting Group.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Winfield will help cover sidewalk repairs
Winfield property owners can now be reimbursed by the city for sidewalk repairs after commissioners approved a rebate plan at their Monday meeting in a 3-0 vote. In the past, property owners were responsible for the full cost of repairing sidewalks on their property. According to a questionnaire community members filled out several years ago as part of the city’s comprehensive plan update, 50% of respondents said the city and landowners should split the cost of sidewalk repairs, 47% said the city should pay the full cost, and 3% said the landowners should foot the bill. According to a copy of the plan, owners can be reimbursed at $6 per square foot, or 50% of the estimated costs, for sidewalk removal and replacement on their property.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Barton County plans to rejuvenate the City of Pawnee Rock
For a small town, Pawnee Rock holds a lot of history. Sadly, the years have taken a toll on the once -thriving community. But, with the help of a $50,000 infusion approved by the Barton County Commission Wednesday morning, the Pawnee Rock Revitalization Committee hopes to change that. There are plans to rejuvenate the city’s park and make it a nicer home for its growing younger population. “If you let a city go and you don’t care about it, you might have what Pawnee Rock kind of looks like today,” said Denise Penn, longtime Pawnee Rock resident and member of the Revitalization Committee.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
What will Andover look like in 10 years? Here’s what city’s draft comprehensive plan says
Andover officials are looking to finish up the city’s new 10-year comprehensive plan soon, and residents and stakeholders have the opportunity to weigh in. The “Activate Andover” plan is set to begin in 2024 and go through 2034. The plan outlines future land uses and desired growth the city wants to accomplish over the span of the next decade. It is “one of the most important guiding documents the City utilizes,” according to a summary of the current comprehensive plan from an October 2021 city council workshop. Andover’s current 10-year comprehensive plan, which began in 2014, expires this year. That document guided the building of a corridor along U.S. 54, used for housing and business and led to the building of Redler Institute of Culinary Arts, which added more local educational opportunities, among other development achievements, according to previous Eagle reporting.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Fed hikes rates by a quarter percentage point, indicates increases are near an end
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday enacted a quarter percentage point interest rate increase, expressing caution about the recent banking crisis and indicating that hikes are nearing an end. Along with its ninth hike since March 2022, the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee noted that future increases are not assured and will depend largely on incoming data. “The Committee will closely monitor incoming information and assess the implications for monetary policy,” the FOMC’s post-meeting statement said. “The Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate in order to attain a stance of monetary policy that is sufficiently restrictive to return inflation to 2 percent over time.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Barton County joins prairie chicken law suit
While appreciating the plight of the threatened lesser prairie chicken, the Barton County Commission Wednesday morning approved participating in a Kansas Natural Resource Coalition lawsuit seeking to block a U.S. Fish and Wildlife rule protecting the bird. The LPC’s range covers much of southwest Kansas and nearby states, but it has yet to call Barton County home, commissioners noted.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
New sheriff’s dog attends Harvey County commission meeting
Harvey County Sheriff’s Deputy Skyler Hinton introduced the Board of Harvey County Commissioners on Tuesday to the department’s 2-year-old German shepherd, which he said was trained to detect narcotics and track people. Hinton said Max, who was born in Poland, was purchased with just shy of $25,000 in private donations the department raised. He said most of the commands for Max were in Czech, and any new ones for the dog are in English. He said Max so far had been involved with 50 deployments and 10 arrests. He said Max, who lives at home with his family, already had a decent social media presence.
Source: Harvey County Now
Museum to open Harvey County service station exhibit
The Harvey County Historical Museum and Archives is bringing back memories of service stations in the area—of a time when people pulled up to get gas and heard the familiar “ding, ding” noise alerting the attendant who would rush right out, fill up the tank, and check the oil and tire pressures. They’d even wash a window or two. The museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Fill’er Up: Service Stations in Harvey County,” officially will open on May 7. That’s the day Richard Hege will give a program at 2 p.m. at the museum on Newton service stations. The program is free for members and $5 for non-members. Hege has done extensive research on Harvey County gas stations and used to be on the museum board.
Source: Harvey County Now
Sheriff’s Association provides bullet proof vests to county
Recently, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office received bullet proof vests, which were donated by the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association (USDSA.) Sheriff John Merchant said throughout the years, the USDSA has provided many dollars in equipment and training not only to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, but many other law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. “USDSA has also provided many training opportunities such as active shooter and self-defense techniques to name a few,” he said. “USDSA also provides monetary donations to the beneficiary of any law enforcement officer in the US who gives their life in the line of duty.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
Jackson County to seek remedy for lost tax revenue
The Jackson County Commissioners have signed a one-year contract with Hartwell Capital Consulting LLC of Lake Ridge, Va. to help the county recoup funds from the federal government when property in the county is successfully reclaimed by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, put into USA trust and taken off county property tax rolls. The one-year contract is for $5,000 a month, or $60,000 annually, and will be paid using American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the county, it was reported. The consulting firm will lobby the federal government on the county’s behalf in an attempt to compensate the county for the loss in property tax revenue when county property is put into trust and the county can no longer collect taxes on it.
Source: Holton Recorder
State offers help, including $2M, to tackle JoCo homelessness
The state of Kansas says it is willing to offer support, including potentially upwards of $2 million in funding, to help Johnson County tackle issues of homelessness, affordable housing and mental health. The Good Faith Network, a local interfaith group of 27 religious congregations, helped secure that commitment from the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and also facilitated a recent meeting between the state aging department commissioner and Johnson County Chair Mike Kelly.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Pott County Appraiser notes soaring property values in monthly report
Pottawatomie County Appraiser Robin Knoblauch provided an update to county officials Monday, regarding the office’s work with taxpayers questioning or wanting to appeal their 2023 value notices. As of Monday, her office had 46 scheduled appeals. She says the major class of increase was residential, which according to the county wide index average was up 14.6%. Most small towns in Pottawatomie County also showed an index value much higher, by up to 6% or more.
Source: 1350 KMANEdit Live
Fort Scott Receives Waste Tire Product Grant from KDHE
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has announced the recipients of waste tire product grants. “These grants will help handle the costs of proper disposal of many materials scrap tires and assist many important local efforts to promote litter and waste reduction. KDHE applauds the creativity and innovation that our communities have in reusing materials that help support the mission of protecting the health and environment of all Kansans” said Janet Stanek, Secretary, Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The grants are funded by revenue collected through the tire excise tax, a $0.25/vehicle tire fee.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Volunteers ensure Topeka-area hikers, bikers and walkers have miles of adventure
The weather this time of the year is, well, predictably unpredictable for Kansas. One day, you’re outside enjoying a warm and sunny afternoon, and the next it’s snowing. For the miles of natural trails around Shawnee County, this change of weather can quickly become a problem. Just as potholes are created each year from vehicles traveling on asphalt during the winter’s freeze-thaw cycle, the same is true for the unpaved trails when wet used by walkers, runners and riders. “It’s going to take a lot of work,” Rick Bean, president of Top City Trails Alliance (TCTA), told The Topeka Capital-Journal last Sunday.
Source: CJonline
After three decades of service to Salina, Deputy Police Chief Morton ready to retire
After 31 years and moving up the ranks of the Salina Police Department, Deputy Chief Sean Morton is ready to hang up his police belt. Morton, whose final day on the job is Friday, has spent the past few weeks not only cleaning out his office, but also continuing to help lead the department, and assist new Police Chief C.J. Wise’s transition into the department. The deputy chief, who grew up in Marysville, said his reasons for first getting into law enforcement may sound a bit cliché. “I was so interested in getting into this profession,” Morton said. “It was serious that I wanted to help people.”
Source: Salina Journal
Derby data security incident could impact some residents
Following a full investigation of a computer network disruption that impacted the city of Derby starting Jan. 14, the city recently confirmed that a limited amount of information may have been accessed in connection with the incident. In response to the incident, the city has implemented additional security measures within its network and facilities. Following the Jan. 14 incident, the city immediately took action and worked around the clock to secure its network environment. The city also engaged a third-party forensic firm to assist with the investigation.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Firefighter, business owner made his mark on Derby
Dedicated. Friendly. Helpful. Committed. A loyal friend and passionate professional. Those are just some of the many words and thoughts that came to mind as the community remembers longtime Derby firefighter and EMT instructor Charles W. Little, who passed away March 7. “I never ever had a problem with him the whole time I knew him,” said former Fire Chief Pat Swaney. “I doubt that anyone else had a problem, either.” Little’s enthusiasm for his work and the city was unquestionable, Swaney said.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Old Ellinwood photos topic of historic program
The Barton County Historical Society will host Ellinwood native Robert Yarmer who will present “Early Ellinwood in Pictures” at 7 p.m., Monday, March 27, at the Barton County Historical Society, 85 S. U.S. 281, Great Bend. Admission is free for members of the society and $5 for others wishing to attend the program. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 7 p.m., light refreshments are provided. Yarmer has selected 140 photographs of Ellinwood history to discuss …
Source: Great Bend Tribune
How will Silicon Valley Bank collapse impact bank ownership of munis?
Municipal bonds remain a viable, high-quality source of liquidity for banks, experts say, although they are divided about whether the collapse of two regional banks will curtail or eliminate the sector’s ownership of municipal bonds. Following the collapse of California-based Silicon Valley Bank on March 10 and New York-based Signature Bank on March 12, experts differ on how this will impact their holding of municipal bonds. Some say it will continue unabated, others say it could peter off, yet others believe banks may alter their duration to avoid the pitfalls of SVB and Signature. “I do not believe banks will broadly reduce their ownership of municipal debt in light of the recent collapses of SVB and Signature Bank,” Chris Brigati, managing director of municipal investments at Valley Bank, said. Bank ownership of municipal bonds amounts to approximately 15% of the $4 trillion market, falling slightly during the COVID 19 pandemic, according to experts. … So far, there is little evidence that ownership of munis by banks — which hold about $540 billion of municipals, $140 billion of that is held by regional banks —will dwindle, according to Eve Lando, portfolio manager and managing director at Thornburg Investment Management. About half of that exposure is in direct loans, so it shouldn’t be part of a sell-off, Lando noted. “The total muni market is $4 trillion, so in isolation, the large bank numbers are a small fraction of the entire market and unlikely to flood the market,” she said in a March 21 report.
Source: The Bond Buyer
New Funding Available to Help Communities with Shovel-Ready Sites
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced new grant funding that will help communities gain valuable Certified Sites designation for shovel-ready industrial sites in Kansas. Kansas Certified Sites designation is issued when communities successfully demonstrate their property is primed for development and ready for investment, which is a huge advantage in recruiting and expanding businesses. The program is designed to reduce the risks associated with development. A Kansas Certified Site is attractive to investors and site selectors … as part of the new Certified Sites Grant program, the Kansas Department of Commerce will provide matching dollars up to $10,000 for eligible entities to use toward completion of a Kansas Certified Sites program application. Funding is available for non-metro counties with a population less than 50,000.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce