Kansas Municipal News
Kansas legislators renew efforts to save Ogallala Aquifer
Saving the Ogallala Aquifer could mean economic trade-offs in the short-term, the chairman of the Kansas House Water Committee said Tuesday. But the state can make progress and still maintain the farming economy of western Kansas, said Rep. Jim Minnix, R-Scott City. “If I were a banker … looking at the value of agriculture in western Kansas, it makes all kinds of sense to me to try to preserve the aquifer to maintain the economy up there for as many years as possible,” Minnix said. Minnix, a farmer and livestock producer, is the newly minted chairman of the House Water Committee, which, last year, fell short of passing a sweeping bill overhauling the way Kansas regulates water.
Source: Kansas Reflector
After 20 years, Lenexa Mayor Michael Boehm won’t seek reelection in 2023
After two decades, Lenexa’s longest-serving mayor announced Tuesday that he will not seek another term in November. Mayor Michael Boehm was first appointed to lead the city in January 2003, when he was elected to serve the last three months of Mayor Joan Bowman’s term as she stepped away due to health concerns. He was elected in April 2003 and won four subsequent unopposed elections. In 2022, the League of Kansas Municipalities presented Boehm with the E.A. Mosher Excellence in Local Government Award, which honors officials who have shown exceptional service to their cities and the league as well as a strong commitment to local government.
Source: KC Star
Some Wichita roads will be redesigned, get bike lanes
On Tuesday, the Wichita City Council approved money to redesign several busy city streets. And one road that doesn’t get much use will be closed to any vehicles. The City’s Capital Improvement Project includes six makeover projects. Gary Janzen, City of Wichita engineer, told the council members what to expect with the redesigns. The first project he presented was for 143rd Street East from Kellogg to Harry. It is currently a two-lane asphalt rural section with ditches for drainage and no pedestrian accessibility.
Source: KSN-TV
City of Derby computer issue affects bills, emails
The City of Derby is on its third day of dealing with a computer problem affecting emails and billing. The City experienced a computer network disruption on Saturday. As a result, administrative and information technology (IT) staff began working with third-party computer specialists to investigate what happened. Derby says it notified federal law enforcement and is cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate what impact this might have on information stored in the City’s network systems.
Source: KSN-TV
Manhattan Fire Department saves dog from fire
The Manhattan Fire Department saved a dog this afternoon after responding to a house fire. The fire was reported at 2:35 p.m. on Tuesday in the 800 block of Pottawatomie Avenue. Firefighters reported finding smoke throughout the one-story, single-family dwelling and located a fire in a front room. No injuries were reported, and a dog escaped after firefighters opened a back door. Firefighters extinguished the fire within 10 minutes.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Emporia city officials explain processes to restore drinking water taste, odors to normal
Now that the issues have been addressed, city of Emporia officials believe the drinking water should be returning to normal taste and smell soon. Communications Manager Christine Johnson and Public Works Director Dean Grant … says a failure in a programmable logic controller had a big impact on the ozone disinfection system. Public Works crews worked with a vendor to resolve the issues and get the situation fixed by late Monday afternoon.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
USD 503 now has four therapy dogs in schools
School administrators and instructors are often digging into their pockets to provide for students’ personal or instructional needs, but perhaps one of the biggest investments of some Parsons USD 503 staff members has been to assist with students’ emotional needs by providing a certified therapy dog in school. All but one USD 503 school building has a therapy dog thanks to the staff committed to making it happen.
Source: Parsons Sun
Vape detectors are effective deterrents in Dodge City USD 443
Vape detectors are working to curb the bad habit some students had of smoking in the boys, and girls, bathrooms. The Dodge City USD 443 Board of Education voted in favor of purchasing more of the devices for use in Dodge City Middle School and Comanche Middle School at its Jan. 9 meeting. … The detectors, which notify chosen parties via app, email, text, web console, multi-color LED or audible means whenever the vaporizer sensor is triggered, have been in Dodge City High School bathrooms for a while now and have proven successful.DCHS Principal Martha Mendoza said there were far fewer offenders this semester than in the fall semester when they were first installed.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
Bird Scooters may not be back in Great Bend
There is a strong likelihood that the rental Bird Scooters, once a ubiquitous site around Great Bend, may not be back this year, Great Bend Community Coordinator told the City Council Monday night. After two years, the local investor spearheading the project has opted not to re-up with the company, leaving the city scrambling.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Mike Boehm, Lenexa’s longest-serving mayor, won’t run again
Mike Boehm, Lenexa’s longest-serving mayor, says he will not run for a sixth term later this year. During his 20 years leading the city, Boehm oversaw rapid growth and change in Lenexa, particularly the establishment of a new and centralized “downtown” area at Lenexa City Center near I-435 and West 87th Street Parkway. In a recent interview with the Post, Boehm said the city’s development over the past two decades hinged less upon his leadership and more on community support, excellent city staff and a forward-thinking vision.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Udall USD 463 hires new school superintendent
The USD 463 Udall Board of Education has announced the hiring of Heidi Perkins as the next superintendent. She will lead the district after the retirement of Dale Adams at the end of the 2022-23 school year. “As Mr. Dale Adams prepares to leave the district as superintendent after many years of dedicated service to our students, the USD 463 Board of Education is grateful for his ‘kids first’ contributions and wish him well in his retirement,” board president James Jirak said.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
City of Derby dealing with computer network disruption
On Jan. 14, the city of Derby experienced a computer network disruption. Upon discovering the issues, administrative and IT staff immediately began working with third-party computer specialists to investigate the incident. Federal law enforcement was quickly notified and the city is cooperating with those agencies while the investigation continues in an effort to determine what impact the incident had on information stored on city network systems. Staff reported the city of Derby constantly monitors network security, carries cybersecurity insurance and works with the appropriate agencies when or if there are any concerns. Currently, all public services in Derby (including core services such as police, fire response and water/wastewater utilities) remain operational.
Source: Derby Informer
10-Year Indicates Fed Is Close to Ending Rate Hike Cycle
The Federal Reserve is expected to lift interest rates again at the next FOMC meeting on Feb. 1, but the futures market is pricing in high odds that the increase will be trimmed to a relatively mild 25 basis points. Animating the softer outlook for monetary policy changes is yesterday’s encouraging news on inflation. Consumer prices fell 0.1% in December, the biggest monthly decline since the pandemic ravaged the economy. The year-over-year increase, although still elevated, continues to ease, too, slipping to 6.4% at the headline level, the lowest since Oct. 2021 and well below the recent peak of 9.0% in June 2022.
Source: Bonds Analysis & Opinion
Newton’s Old Mill survives in three centuries
The Old Mill is a Newton landmark, first starting out as a new mill in 1879. Its purpose was to process, package and ship wheat. Originally, it was called The Monarch Steam Mill. In 1886, owners were D. Hamill, Bernhard Warkentin, David Goerz, C.R. McLain, S. Lehman and Jacob Linn, who bought it and renamed it The Newton Milling and Elevator Co. It’s towered over Newton during three centuries now, and in 1973, it was just days from being demolished but was saved by Newton inventor Lloyd Smith and his wife Jackie. At the time, three-fourths of the Mansard roof had been removed.
Source: Harvey County Now
Newton school board learns about Enterprise Fleet Management program
There’s no long-term commitment for the school district if the board of education decides to utilize Enterprise Fleet Management. That’s what Brandon Scott, Enterprise Fleet Management account executive, told the board during its regular Monday night meeting at McKinley Administration Center in Newton. “The condition of our passenger and working fleet vehicles has been an issue as we have an aging fleet that is at times unreliable and requiring more maintenance,” according to agenda information given to the board as requested by USD-373 Superintendent Fred Van Ranken, Director of Human Resources and Business Services Jane Nichols, Director of Facilities/Maintenance Chris Schaeffer and Director of Transportation Sheila Zwahlen. “The information presented this evening will be in reference to a potential solution we will recommend through which we pilot leasing several passenger and working vehicles.”
Source: Harvey County Now
In an ‘unexpected’ move, KCK grocery store is closing after three decades
In a surprising move, Ball’s Sun Fresh Market in the Red Bridge Shopping Center will close. Officials with Balls Food Stores in Kansas City, Kansas, have not confirmed the closing, but store employees are telling customers the news. The landlord, Lane4 Property Group, said Friday that the closing was “unexpected” and that it would close by the end of the month. Lane4 purchased the south Kansas City neighborhood center in 2015 and then spent about $10 million to renovate it. … The closing will leave surrounding residents with few grocery store options within a five mile radius. Lane4 said they are in talks with another grocery store to take the Sun Fresh spot.
Source: KC Star Local News
Derby partnering on private street upgrades
Through some recent work on a joint fuel station project, the city, school district and Derby Recreation Commission began discussion of upgrades to some private streets in Derby that generate shared usage. As with the fuel station, a funding percentage split for the road maintenance was brought up, with the pavement rehabilitation project officially brought before the Derby City Council at its Jan. 10 meeting. … City Manager Kiel Mangus noted that as part of the discussion, the city offered to handle the pavement bidding, given its familiarity with such projects. The project will be included in the city’s 2023 pavement plan. A funding percentage split was also based on ownership, with a majority (77.7%) going to the school district with the facilities building and soccer fields located along those streets. The DRC (13.9%) and city (8.4%) would fund smaller portions of the project, which Mangus reported is estimated to cost $120,000 total.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Lawrence City Commission to revisit source of income discrimination following meeting for landlords
City leaders are set to revisit a proposed ordinance Tuesday that advocates say could significantly help people in need of housing. Proposed city ordinance changes would prevent landlords from denying someone housing just because a prospective tenant’s rent money comes from assistance such as vouchers, settlements, benefits, subsidies, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers and more. The Lawrence City Commission on Dec. 13 voiced general approval for the ordinance, which would also create a protected class based on source of income. Mayor Lisa Larsen said she was concerned about passing it without further engagement with landlords who own Lawrence properties, and commissioners delayed final approval in order to seek landlords’ feedback on the proposed tenant protections.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Garden City Police assists elementary school with Bat call
It’s the type of call that certainly seems fitting for Friday the 13th. Garden City Police were called to Abe Hubert Elementary School after a bat was found flying around inside. The department posted the incident to Facebook, stating that because they can bite and the chance of contracting rabies, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism was called in to assist in capturing the winged mammal. The bat was successfully captured by KDWP who will determine what to do next. Garden City Police say they are “hopeful the bat will be reunited with its kind or Batman.”
Source: KSN-TV
Emporia Water Treatment plant ozone system restored; residents may continue to notice strange odor or taste through Tuesday evening
After more than 48 hours, Emporia Water Treatment Plant staff and vendors have restored the plant’s ozone system. According to City Communications Manager Christine Johnson, the system was restored Monday afternoon after crews and vendors worked over the weekend to “sync” the system. The ozone systems issues were first reported Saturday morning due to the failure of a programmable logic-controlling unit. Due to the system’s issues, the city switched to chlorine as its main disinfectant mechanism. That decision led residents to notice an odd odor or taste in their water. Johnson says the taste and odor should return to normal by Tuesday evening and continues to assure residents that water quality was not compromised and is safe to drink.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio