Kansas Municipal News
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
What Wichita can learn from a Michigan’s city path to seamless mental health care
Grand Rapids [has] a model that Wichita and Sedgwick County might seek to learn from as they work to create a more coordinated approach to addressing mental health, substance abuse and homelessness. Such an approach requires collaboration across a swath of government agencies and nonprofits. Grand Rapids appears to be creating a more seamless system even though it lacks a more centralized single location for social services that cities such as San Antonio have become widely regarded for. Officials in Wichita and Sedgwick County have been considering building a similar hub here. For the past five years, leaders in metro Grand Rapids have been brainstorming about how to improve services for individuals experiencing a mental-health crisis. Those talks – involving local hospitals, nonprofits that provide behavioral health services, law enforcement, city and county officials and even insurers – have led to new initiatives and expansions of existing programs.
Source: KLC Journal
Leawood tweaks pit bull ban, but keeps it on the books
Leawood’s pit bull ban is still on the books, but the way it’s enforced changed this week. The Leawood City Council on Monday unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s dangerous animal ordinance banning pit bulls. This is the latest step in the city’s efforts over the past year to determine what should be done with the ban. The altered ordinance now spells out the characteristics of a pit bull — such as the dog’s ears, eye shape and the length and shape of the dog’s head.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Prairie Village inks $50K deal with environmental consultants
Prairie Village is exploring ways to make its city operations more environmentally sustainable. The city council earlier this month unanimously approved an agreement with Keramida, an Indiana-based consulting firm, to create a sustainability program for Prairie Village. The move aims to help the city reach its commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 or sooner, according to city documents.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Family ‘hit the lotto’ with move to Iola
Max and Candice Grundy have lived in Iola for two years. And already, they take great pride in what they call “our town.” California transplants, the Grundys are known for their recent purchase of Iola’s abandoned water tower, which they envision turning into an Airbnb. Last week, Max, a commercial artist, attended an Iola council meeting where he suggested Iola adopt a flag, giving a dozen examples. Even though he regarded his presentation a “flop,” he thinks the idea of a flag promoting Iola is worthwhile.
Source: The Iola Register
KDHE Announces Recipients of Waste Tire Product Grants
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. The grants totaled $522,312.25, an almost 20 percent (19.8%) increase from 2022 were awarded to 45 organizations to fund projects that include the use of recycled tire products, including playground surfacing and picnic tables. Visit, kdhe.ks.gov/700/ for information about their projects and dollar amounts awarded.
Source: KDHE
Lenexa latest JoCo city to change building codes after firefighters injured
Lenexa is taking steps to protect firefighters responding to house fires after several first responders were injured last year trying to bring a Shawnee house fire under control. Earlier this month, the Lenexa City Council updated a series of home building codes that will require so-called under stair protection in new home construction.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Here’s everything the Federal Reserve is expected to do today
The Federal Reserve will close its two-day meeting Wednesday with a heavy air of uncertainty as the central bank moves forward in its efforts to bring down inflation and stabilize the troubled banking sector. At the moment, those two goals seem to be in conflict: Getting inflation down requires the same higher interest rates that have inflicted crisis-level effects on banks. Still, after much volatility markets seem to have coalesced around expectations that the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee will approve a 0.25 percentage point, or 25 basis point, increase. But that won’t be all that policymakers will have to address. They’re also on tap to update rate and economic projections, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell then will have to explain it all at his post-meeting news conference. Here’s a quick look at everything likely to happen.
Source: CNBC