Municipal News & Jobs

A hotel proposal to address the city’s needs for additional rooms to retain large events like the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is on the agenda for the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday. … According to agenda documents, the City of Hutchinson has been in need of additional hotel accommodations for the activities and events which occur within its City limits. Further, the City of Hutchinson is in need of a functioning conference center for meeting space for community groups and guests of hotel properties.
Source: Hutch Post

For the people of Lindsborg, learning about and taking part in the traditions of Swedish culture becomes second nature, and the St. Lucia Festival, coming up on Dec. 10, is no exception. Holly Lofton, director of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that while the festival, which commemorates St. Lucia of Syracuse, wasn’t widely celebrated in public in the city until the 1960s, the festival most likely was taking place privately much before that. “Because of the Swedish heritage of Lindsborg…it was celebrated, I know, many times in people’s home,” Lofton said.
Source: Hutch News

Dennis and Kristine Scott appeal the district court’s ruling in favor of the City of Leawood in a dispute that arose after the Scotts placed two stone columns in the public right-of-way of a newly constructed cul-de-sac that is required to be dedicated to the City as part of a residential construction project. Although the Scotts submitted plans and specifications to the City of Leawood for the cul-de-sac that depicted the required public right-of-way, those plans and specifications did not show that they intended to place stone columns in the right-of-way. Ultimately, the City of Leawood informed the Scotts that one of the two stone columns must be removed from the public right-of-way before it would accept dedication of the cul-de-sac. In response, the Scotts filed a petition in district court seeking a declaratory judgment and other relief. On appeal, the Scotts contend that the district court erred in concluding that a building codes inspector employed by the City of Leawood did not have authority to authorize the placement of the stone columns in the public right-of-way of the required cul-de-sac. The Scotts also contend that the district court erred in concluding that they had failed to exhaust administrative remedies. Based on our review of the record in light of Kansas law, we conclude that the building codes inspector did not have actual authority to authorize or approve the placement of the stone columns in the public right-of-way of the cul-de-sac to be dedicated to the City. As a result, it is unnecessary for us to reach the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies. Thus, we affirm the district court.
Source: Kansas Court of Appeals

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 and Beth Warren.

During a Reno County Commission meeting on Tuesday, a professor from Kansas State University told the commissioners the result of a child care survey in the county. He said Hutchinson is lacking in both childcare and housing, but he thinks housing can take care of itself through attrition. He also said enforcement of policies is an issue. Bradford Wiles, Ph.D. in human development, said the county needs to create a new position to help bring change and implement childcare practices in the county. He said this person should make from $80,000 to $100,000 annually. However, he said, the highest salary an in-home childcare provider would make each year is about $25,000. The average salary in Reno County is $33,000.
Source: Hutch News