Kansas Municipal News
Kansas juvenile justice reform effort left major flaws in system, officials say
Stabbings, 16-year-olds with guns and violent attacks: Officials working with young offenders in Kansas say they need lawmakers to step up and fix flaws within the state’s juvenile justice system. The debate centered around Senate Bill 367, which was implemented in 2016. The bill was passed with the intention of reducing youth incarceration rates and reforming the juvenile justice system in the state. The legislation shifted practices away from holding youths in group homes or state custody, instead funneling money into community programs and treatment. The legislation included limits on probation and case lengths, making it less common for youths to be detained or sent to correctional facilities.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Fed’s Brainard sees economy improving, flags concerns around housing
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard sees economic conditions moving in the right direction and sees room for a so-called ‘soft landing’ for the economy after a year of record-high inflation. Speaking at an event at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business on Thursday afternoon, Brainard, the second-ranking member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, said inflation has largely subsided in most spending categories aside from housing costs and non-housing services. She also noted that a cooling labor market has led to slower wage growth, but the overall employment picture remains strong.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Governor Kelly’s tax cut plan introduced in the Kansas Legislature
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said Thursday that all three elements of her tax cut plan have been introduced in the state House and Senate. The first part of the “Axing Your Taxes” package calls for the complete elimination of the state sales tax on groceries, as well as the sales tax on other essentials like diapers and feminine hygiene products, which were not part of a bill approved last year. The second part of the plan calls for a four-day state sales tax holiday in August on the purchase of school supplies.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Emporia discusses possible rental registration program
The City of Emporia discussed the possibility of a rental property registration at its meeting Wednesday afternoon. Director of Building and Neighborhood Development Kory Krause and Housing Specialist Jeff Lynch presented commissioners with a proposal for the rental registration program, on behalf of the Community Housing Board. Lynch said the board believes a registration program for rental properties in the city will provide accountability from the city’s landlords and help the city better communicate with landlords and tenants about current codes. The housing board previously debated the need for a registration program in June of last year, citing a string of issues with rental properties in the city.
Source: Emporia Gazette
City Attorney selects new commission member after split vote
After the four sitting members of the Hiawatha City Commission could not come to a consensus on the next Street Commissioner, the vote was left in the hands of City Attorney Andy Delaney at Thursday night’s Special Meeting of the commission. With Toni Hull and Laura Tollefson each receiving two votes, motions to elect Bob Rahe and Tom Martin were put forth, but died for lack of a second. No more motions were made, and Mayor Becky Shamburg announced that the procedure dictated that the City Attorney would make the selection, and it was Hull who received Delaney’s endorsement.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
‘Those are pot-bellied pigs’: Experts say no evidence of feral hogs in Garden Plain, credit state’s strict no-hunting law
He says if hunting them was legal, it would just scatter them, causing a multitude of new population pockets. “With most wildlife populations, if we’re trying to reduce abundance, we want to use hunters as tools for wildlife management. It’s efficient, it’s cheap, and that sort of thing. Because the hogs are so prolific, that doesn’t work very well,” said Ricketts. Ricketts says the proof is in the pudding – unlike neighboring states that allow public feral swine hunting, Kansas is the only one with fewer hogs now than in 2004.
Source: KAKE – News
Mission Gateway’s new $268 million proposal cleared its final hurdle
The latest iteration of the $268 million Mission Gateway project is moving forward following a key vote Wednesday night. Now the question is: will developers finally complete it? The Mission City Council on Wednesday approved changes to the tax increment financing plan and Community Improvement District ordinances, as well as a final redevelopment agreement for the fifth version of the project. With those hurdles now cleared, work could finally resume later this year on the site at the intersection of Johnson Drive, Shawnee Mission Parkway and Roe Avenue. The ordinances approved Wednesday terminate a previous TIF project plan and CID and institute new ones.
Source: KCUR News
New Wichita water treatment plant reaches construction milestone
The new water treatment facility under construction in northwest Wichita has reached a milestone. The City of Wichita says crews are now installing the connection line to the raw water pipeline from Cheney Reservoir that will connect to the facility. The plant is under construction near 21st Street North and Hoover, north of the Sedgwick County Zoo. The city says water customers should see no impact in service during installation. The new facility is replacing the current treatment plant, which is 80 years old and will not be able to meet future demands as the city continues to grow.
Source: KSN-TV
Emporia Land Bank considering acquisition of Urbanside Park to spur additional future development
The Emporia Land Bank is looking to foster additional local development with the potential acquisition of a local park. During the Emporia City Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday, City Community Development Coordinator Jeff Lynch delivered the annual land bank report. Lynch noted that in 2022 the land bank managed to sell off three different properties. The annual report comes as the land bank is considering the potential acquisition of Emporia’s Urbanside Park located in east Emporia. According to Lynch, the land bank would like to acquire the 1.3-acre tract for potential development use, however, the exact details are still being ironed out. Lynch says the land bank is hopeful the acquisition and use of the property could spur developers to begin work on a tract located directly to the west.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
Leawood turns 75 this year — How the city will celebrate
This year, Leawood will celebrate 75 years as a city. In honor of the anniversary, the city has a number of commemorations in the works for the coming months, including public events and a new public art sculpture. This summer, the Leawood Historic Commission will host scavenger hunts and tours for kids and adults based on historic sites across the city. The commission is also planning a 75th anniversary trivia night for early November, at either the Ironwoods Lodge or the Leawood Community Center’s Oak Room.
Source: Prairie Village Post
ACPD brings in new K-9 officer
There is a new face at the Arkansas City Police Department, and it is adorable. K-9 Sal is a police dog of a different breed. His assignment does not include sniffing for drugs or running a track on a fugitive. Sal’s primary assignment is to support the men and women of the Arkansas City Police Department and area first responders. “K-9 Sal was acquired by the department last year after Crisis Intervention Officer Cori Tuxhorn and Lieutenant Jason Legleiter approached me about an incredible opportunity to enhance employee wellness in the department. Four County Mental Health Community Co-Responder Jamie Lovell, who works alongside Officer Tuxhorn, approached the two officers with a proposition to bring an English Bulldog puppy into the PD family,” Police Chief Eric Burr said.
Source: The Arkansas City Traveler
Sesquicentennial Celebration is Planned for City of Lakin
A Sesquicentennial Celebration is being planned for the City of Lakin. A planning committee met last week to begin preparing for the celebration this summer of the 150th year of Lakin. … Lakin began as a railroad town. The United States government made a grant of land to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. By law the A T & SF acquired the title to all their lands within the ten mile limits as fast as they could complete and operate the road, that is, taking it in subdivisions of twenty miles in length of the road.
Source: The Lakin Independent
Fed policymakers call for further rate hikes to beat inflation
Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday signaled they will push on with more interest rate hikes, with several supporting a top policy rate of at least 5% even as inflation shows signs of having peaked and economic activity is slowing. “I just think we need to keep going, and we’ll discuss at the meeting how much to do,” Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said in an interview with the Associated Press. The remarks appeared to reflect a widely shared view among her fellow policymakers, most of whom as of December had penciled in a 5.00%-5.25% policy rate in coming months. Mester said that for her part she expects the Fed’s policy rate to need to go “a bit higher” than that, and stay there for some time to further slow inflation. The Fed’s benchmark overnight lending rate currently sits in a target range of 4.25% to 4.50%, and investors expect the Fed to lift that rate by a quarter of a percentage point at the end of its Jan. 31-Feb. 1 meeting. But slowing spending, inflation, and manufacturing – all reported earlier on Wednesday – have helped stoke expectations that the Fed will end its current round of rate hikes sooner than Mester and most of her colleagues expect, with the policy rate just shy of 5%.
Source: Reuters
USDA to Create Plan to Expand Recreation Economies and Help People Thrive Across Rural America
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will create a plan to expand recreation economies to help people thrive across rural America. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, USDA Rural Development, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Forest Service will partner to develop an annual plan to expand economic opportunities related to recreation in communities surrounding America’s national forests. The annual plan will outline the ways the agencies will partner to conduct program outreach, host informational sessions and workshops, and develop toolkits to help people access the resources they need to thrive in recreation economies. To learn more, read the full Stakeholder Announcement.
Municipal Bond Trends for January 18, 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.
IdeaTek sweeping across the area
IdeaTek began their internet service in Colwich a week ago. Soon, IdeaTek’s service will start in Hesston, and right behind them will be Halstead. Both towns are expected to be up and running by early spring, according to IdeaTek’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Amy Bickel. Sedgwick and Burrton recently entered into franchise agreements with IdeaTek to bring their internet service to their towns. Bickel said they’re also constructing fiber in a residential portion of McPherson. IdeaTek, which is based out of Buhler, is already in the other area towns of Inman, Moundridge, Andale, Haven, Mount Hope, Yoder, and Goessel, according to Bickel.
Source: Harvey County Now
Sedgwick County employees to get one more holiday this year
Sedgwick County Commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday in February to the calendar for county employees. Commissioners had removed the holiday in November in order to add Juneteenth to the calendar. Commissioner Ryan Baty said it’s important to restore the holiday to show employees that county leaders are concerned about morale and stability of staff. Baty said it makes financial sense to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday. Commissioners David Dennis and Jim Howell are concerned about the $800,000 impact of adding the holiday, in light of projected deficits for 2024 and beyond. Commissioners agreed to make the change for this year and have staff look at the concept of a floating holiday for county employees next year. County Manager Tom Stolz said those discussions are underway.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Markets fully price in quarter-point interest rate hike in February as inflation slows
Markets are nearly certain the Federal Reserve next month will take another step down in the pace of its interest rate increases. Pricing Wednesday morning pointed to a 94.3% probability of a 0.25 percentage point hike at the central bank’s two-day meeting that concludes Feb. 1, according to CME Group data. If that holds, it would take the Fed’s benchmark borrowing rate to a targeted range of 4.5%-4.75%. While the probability is little changed since late last week, economic data Wednesday helped solidify the idea that after a succession of aggressive hikes — four consecutive three-quarter point hikes in 2022, at one point — the Fed is ready to take its foot off the brake a bit more.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
State to apply for federal dollars to extend AMTRAK line to Newton
The next step to Newton becoming a rail hub is in the works. It’s just not been completed as fast as originally expected. A feasibility study to update costs and needs to extend Amtrak service from Oklahoma City to Newton was expected to be completed in December 2022. The study updates a 2012 feasibility plan and will be used in a competitive federal grant process for $7 billion allocated to long-distance rail projects. “The feasibility study is still in progress and not complete or available,” stated Tim Potter, a public affairs manager with KDOT. Grant applications for the Corridor Program are due March 20. “The timeline of the effort has been altered to align with the Federal Railroad Administration Corridor ID Program, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” Potter said KDOT has been focused on the application process.
Source: Harvey County Now
Peabody library featured in podcast
Peabody Township Library is featured in the first Sunflower State Small Libraries podcast of 2023. In a 32-minute program, Rodger Charles, librarian since 2011, talks about the library and the difference it makes in the community. Although Peabody’s population is about 900, the library serves a township population of 1,100. Established in 1874, it was the first free public library in Kansas. The town’s namesake, F. H. Peabody, donated the first building, which now sits behind the library building, Charles said. In 1914, the library got a Carnegie Foundation grant and built the present building. The building is on the National Historic Register.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal