Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

No Douglas Design District issue is more polarizing than this one

Of all the differences of opinion in the Douglas Design District, no single issue seems to be more polarizing than the art.

“I know that there’s a lot of criticism about the quality of art,” said district executive director Renee Duxler.

“And there’s some people who love everything.”

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Irritating to some, art to most – Kansas roadside attraction preserved for the future

Two years after his death, M.T. Liggett’s legacy continues to spin, rattle and clink with the Kansas wind in a pasture along Highway 400 on the west end of Mullinville, Kansas.

Since his works began appearing in 1989, Liggett’s artworks have served as a landmark for travelers crossing western Kansas and a source of divisiveness among the locals in Kiowa County, who were often depicted in the “totem” sculptures Liggett welded and bolted together from spare pieces of farm equipment and various scrap metal.

Now, in an attempt to prevent Liggett’s artwork from rusting away in the equally harsh summers and winters of western Kansas, an effort is underway to preserve the sculptures for generations to come. The preservation work will also give visitors passing through a chance to stop and learn more about the art and Liggett himself.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

USDA makes safety net, conservation payments to Kansas farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Kansas Farm Service Agency is processing $215,661,515 in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage payments for the 2018 crop year, the agency said last week.

An additional distribution of $79,419,941 in Conservation Reserve Program rental payments will be made to landowners to support voluntary conservation efforts on private lands through the Kansas FSA.

“Our safety net programs help provide certainty and stability to Kansas farm families affected by fluctuating market prices,” said David Schemm, the agency’s state executive director. “When reviewing payments, it’s important to remember that ARC and PLC payments by county can vary because average county yields will differ.”

Prouse to serve as Lyon County Extension Agent

Emily Prouse will join the staff of K-State Research and Extension – Lyon County as a Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent, effective Sunday.

Lyon County’s office is located at 2632 West Highway 50.

Prouse earned her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from Tabor College and her master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Central Michigan University.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

October tax receipts in Kansas $36 million ahead of estimates

For the month of October, the state saw an increase in its total tax collections at $552.9 million; 7.1% or $36.8 million ahead of estimates. These collections amount to $41.5 million more than October of Fiscal Year 2019, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Individual and corporate income tax collections continued to be more than estimated. Individual income tax collections were $15.0 million ahead of the estimate at $260.0 million; $17.8 million ahead of the same month last fiscal year. Corporate income tax collections were at $26.2 million; $6.2 million more than the estimate and $6.7 million more than collected in October of FY2019.

Retail and compensating use tax collections were also ahead of the estimate. Retail sales tax collections were at $200.8 million; $8.8 million or 4.6% ahead of the estimate. These collections were $10.4 million more than the same month of Fiscal Year 2019. Compensating use tax collections came in $7.7 million or 22.6% ahead of estimates at $41.7 million; a $7.2 million increase from October of FY2019.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

By the Grace of God: A small Kansas town’s fight to save beloved church

There’s not much left in St. Peter, Kansas.

At the intersection of two unpaved roads about 12 miles north of Interstate 70 in Graham County, the unincorporated town is home to only one business – a drilling company.

Even the Post Office closed almost 100 years ago.

But a few residents have hung on and still call the town home, many are descendants of the original Volga German settlers who first came to the area in the late 1800s.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Galena Fire Dept. opens fire station up for tours on candy on Halloween

An area fire department gets ready to host little ghosts and goblins on Halloween.

It’s an annual event in Galena for kids that live in the Southeast Kansas community to tour their community’s fire department and get candy in the process.

Lieutenant Chad Stapleton says it’s a great way for fire fighters to get to know kids in a non-emergency atmosphere.

Bel Aire city hall not fooled by scam

This scammer couldn’t fool City Hall.

On Oct. 11, an unknown person using a Gmail account and Google Voice phone number posed as the mayor of Bel Aire and requested the Bel Aire court clerk to purchase $1,500 in iTunes gift cards as gifts for city staff. The scammer also contacted other city staff with the same request.

With each, the scammer instructed staff to keep the transaction “top secret” because the cards were secret gifts.

Neither the Bel Aire court clerk nor any other city staff fell for the scam.

USDA set to pay low rent on KC building after state, local incentives cut cost

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay only a fraction of the value of its lease when it relocates two research agencies to downtown Kansas City, a break in the rent made possible by state and local economic incentives.

The USDA officially informed employees Thursday of plans to move two research agencies to an office building at 805 Pennsylvania Avenue after considering locations on both sides of the state line.

Missouri and Kansas political leaders applauded the announcement as a win for regional cooperation on economic development. The two states submitted a joint bid to bring the Economic Research Service and National Institute for Food and Agriculture to the Kansas City region.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Historic figures brought to life on tour

A fun and unique alternative to the haunted houses typically reserved for this time of year was hosted by the Butler County Historical Center and Kansas Oil Museum and spearheaded by historical consultant to the museum, Ken Spurgeon.

On Saturday, cemetery tours at Belle Vista were given. Complete with tour guides and re-enactors, early citizens of El Dorado and Butler County were brought to life.

General Alfred W. Ellet, brought to life by Randy Edens, shared his military history and how he came to El Dorado.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Elementary school kids apply for various part-time ‘jobs’ at Olathe school

It would have been so easy just to tap a fifth-grader for each task.

School tour guide? Stylist to display lost-and-found items? News hound to help with daily announcements?

You. You. And you. Done.

But that’s not the way it happened this fall at Central Elementary School in Olathe. The school’s fifth-graders applied for various part-time “jobs” at the school, wrote resumes and submitted to interviews by the members of the Olathe School District’s human resources staff.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Shawnee County to acquire more than $550,000 worth of playground equipment

Swings, slides and climbing walls are among more than $550,000 worth of playground equipment Shawnee County will soon acquire for 11 local parks.

Commissioners Bill Riphahn, Kevin Cook and Aaron Mays voted 3-0 Thursday to approve an arrangement through which the county will use grant funding totaling more than $250,000 to help cover the costs for those play structures.

“I’m sure they’ll have tremendous impact on thousands of kids and families,” said Justin Long of Cunningham Recreation, which is helping with the acquisition.

Painting the town

Young artists are painting the town — literally. In recent years, young artists have been working with some seasoned artists to create murals throughout the Sabetha community and in Sabetha schools. For several years, murals and inspirational painting has been colorfully popping up, thanks to some creative Sabetha High School students. Beautifying an otherwise drab space is typically the goal when creating murals.

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Wellington women featured on USA Today website in ‘Taste of Wichita’ article

Two Wellington girls are featured in a national publication! The Brown Box Bakery and Board and Brush, owned and operated by Wellington residents Tami McCue and Ginger Wilson, were featured in USA Today Travel’s article “Taste of Wichita: The Best of 2019”.

The Brown Box Bakery, which is a mobile cupcake truck, and Board and Brush, which is a homemade craft sign company at 1108 E Douglas Ave, was one of the business enterprises featured in the article posted on October 28, 2019.

(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

County to consider $6.8 million radio system

Miami County Commissioners are poised to consider purchasing a $6.8 million 800 megahertz radio system from Motorola to replace a VHF radio system that has caused heartburn for many first responders, dispatchers and other county officials.

The conditions of the VHF system had deteriorated to the point where the County Commission declared a state of emergency Aug. 14 in order to seek immediate assistance.

County commissioners have already discussed plans to move to a state-of-the-art 800 megahertz system, and commissioned a study by Tusa Consulting Services in December 2018.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Regents name Jay Golden 14th president of Wichita State University

Today the Kansas Board of Regents voted to name Dr. Jay Golden as the 14th president of Wichita State University.

“The regents are excited to announce Dr. Jay Golden as the next president of Wichita State University,” said Regent Shane Bangerter, KBOR Chair. “The Regents are confident that Jay is the right president to lead Wichita State in the future and continue to advance the university as a leader in higher education and applied learning. I’m grateful to interim president Andy Tompkins for his leadership during this transitional period. I’d also like to thank the search committee for its outstanding work in identifying great finalists for the board.”

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Fed cuts interest rates, but indicates a pause is ahead

The Federal Reserve approved an expected quarter-point interest rate cut Wednesday but indicated that the moves to ease policy could be nearing a pause.

In a vote widely anticipated by financial markets, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee lowered its benchmark funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but is also tied to most forms of revolving consumer debt.

It was the third cut this year as part of what Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has characterized as a “midcycle adjustment” in a maturing economic expansion.

Along with the decrease came language pointing to a higher bar for future easing.

Landfill fire impacts air quality in McPherson

The McPherson Fire Department continues to monitor air quality after a fire at the landfill began Sunday.

On Sunday, the McPherson Fire Department received a report of a fire at the landfill, located at 1431 17th Ave. When the fire department arrived on the scene they found a large fire fully engulfed.

Chief T.J. Wyssmann said upon arrival the fire department began spraying the area with foam. He says fighting a fire in a landfill is particularly difficult and poses some unique challenges.

City employees will support Operation Holiday with “No Shave November”

The Derby Police Department, along with other city employees, will participate in “No Shave November” to raise funds for Derby Operation Holiday.

In order to sport a full beard from Nov. 7 to Dec. 7, city employees will need to donate $20 each to Operation Holiday, which provides food and toys to those in need within the Derby Public Schools district.

Aside from forgoing shaving, all police officers and other city employees who pay the donation will be able to wear a summer uniform, and civilian employees will be able to wear jeans every day.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Not forgotten: Years-long effort helps preserve county’s history

Not long ago, many of the county’s citizens worried that its
history was being lost.

Old cemeteries and burial sites were plowed over to make
way for farms. Records of the area’s early settlers were often
lost, destroyed, or simply nonexistent.

So the county commission asked then-clerk Marquette
Eilerts to take on a years-long project, a book that would list,
organize, and identify family and public cemeteries and grave
sites in the county.

“Family Cemeteries and Grave Sites Located in Marion
County” maps the locations of 85 cemeteries, including
township, church, and family burial plots.

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

USD 475 pursues grant funding for a new elementary school on post

Members of the OEA evaluation team, with Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Shrader, listen to a briefing concerning possible replacement of Jefferson Elementary School on Fort Riley.

Members of the Secretary of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment recently visited Geary County Schools on Fort Riley as part of their determination on whether to renovate or replace Jefferson Elementary.

“This can be characterized as part three of a four part process. Part one was a concept brief given to OEA last February. Followed by a formal proposal submitted in April.” stated David Wild, USD 475 Chief Operations Officer.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Seaman school board approves salary schedule, ensures every teacher receives $1,000 raise

The Seaman Unified School District 345 Board of Education voted Wednesday to approve an updated salary schedule for the district’s teachers — and ensured every teacher would get at least a $1,000 raise.

The approved salary schedule results in a new base salary of $40,000, up from last year’s $38,350. From there, teachers could see potential raises yearly based on teaching experience and increased education. The district’s salary cap now sits at $60,550.

Early Voting Numbers Up In Wichita Elections

With days to go before Election Day, early voter turnout numbers in Wichita are already up over the last mayoral election amid a highly contested race.

Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Tabitha Lehman says last week’s early voting at the county election office in downtown Wichita surpassed the total number of early votes cast in the 2015 city election.

She says there is also a 90 percent increase in the number of requests for mail-in ballots this year compared to the 2015 race.

(Read more: RSS Feed)

Leawood takes title of best small city in America for second year in a row; Shawnee and Lenexa fare well in rankings

For the second year in a row, the website Wallethub had named Leawood the best small city in America.

The website, which focuses on personal finance issues, released its annual rankings of cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 this week, and a variety of factors again put Leawood at the top of the mix.

Among the considerations that gave Leawood an edge among the 1,200 cities compared for the rankings were its exceptionally low levels of poverty, highly educated population and relatively affordable housing. Leawood scored second overall in the “affordability” categories, and finished among the top 100 in the “economic health” and “education and health” categories. It fared worst in the “quality of life” category, which measured things like commute time, entertainment options and access to fitness centers and parks, coming in at 722nd out of all the cities measured.

Shawnee changes charter ordinance to allow debt financing for purchase of streetlights

Shawnee leaders have agreed to add a provision to the city’s charter ordinances that will allow the city to borrow money to purchase the city’s streetlights.

The charter ordinance change permits the city to debt finance the acquisition of streetlights from Every Metro Inc. (formerly KCP&L) through the issuance of general obligation bonds.

City Attorney Ellis Rainey said he was concerned there was some misinformation about the charter ordinance change, so he wanted to provide clarification: By itself, it does not authorize issuance of any bonds or authorize any projects.

City submits application for federal loan essential to new water treatment facility

The city of Wichita has submitted its application to the Environmental Protection Agency for a federal loan expected to fund about half of the cost for the city’s new water treatment facility.

The city plans to secure $269.7 million in financing from the loan, which is nearly 55 percent of the total budget released Monday.

The financing, provided through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, could pay for the project’s design, construction, owner’s representative services and additional hard costs associated with the Northwest Water Facility, a news release from the city says.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

Dogs on the force in Hutch

Two Hutchinson police officers had a special request for new Police Chief Jeff Hooper. With help from Cause for Paws in Hutchinson, the request became a reality.

Officers James Sanders and Cory Schmidt man the two K9 units with the department. Their partners are Tank, a German Shepherd, and Nika, a Belgian Malinois. Sanders and Schmidt became interested in becoming K9 officers through two different avenues.

“Growing up in Newton, Kansas, I saw their K9 unit and it’s just something that always appealed to me,” Schmidt said. For Sanders, he found his love for working dogs and their service in the military. “My first experience with K9s would have been in the Marine Corps,” Sanders said. “I spent about 12 years doing combat arms, so I had the opportunity to see dogs work. It always interested me.”

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Pilot program in Wichita will permit federally deputized officers to wear body cameras

On Friday, Nov. 1, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas will launch a pilot program with the Wichita Police Department allowing local and state officers who serve on federal task forces to use body-worn cameras while serving arrest warrants, or other planned arrest operations, and during the execution of search warrants.

The pilot program, which will also go into effect in Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Oakland, Calif., was announced by the Attorney General on Oct. 28, 2019. It allows – for the first time – federally deputized task force officers to use body-worn cameras.

“Local and state officers are critical members of our federal task forces,” U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. “This policy recognizes and supports their contributions by respecting their policies regarding body cameras.”

(Read more: KWCH News)

Shawnee changes charter ordinance to allow debt financing for purchase of streetlights

Shawnee leaders have agreed to add a provision to the city’s charter ordinances that will allow the city to borrow money to purchase the city’s streetlights.

The charter ordinance change permits the city to debt finance the acquisition of streetlights from Every Metro Inc. (formerly KCP&L) through the issuance of general obligation bonds.
…
Mayor Michelle Distler said the city’s charter ordinances had authorized the city to issue general obligation bonds to pay for streetlights in 1955, but that authority was taken out in 1987.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Leawood takes title of best small city in America for second year in a row; Shawnee and Lenexa fare well in rankings

For the second year in a row, the website Wallethub had named Leawood the best small city in America.

The website, which focuses on personal finance issues, released its annual rankings of cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 this week, and a variety of factors again put Leawood at the top of the mix.

Among the considerations that gave Leawood an edge among the 1,200 cities compared for the rankings were its exceptionally low levels of poverty, highly educated population and relatively affordable housing.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Humboldt council member honored for community and League support

Annually, the League of Kansas Municipalities seeks to honor a special individual who has demonstrated outstanding service to their community and the League. This year, the League honored Aikins Aikins, city councilmember for the city of Humboldt.
“She has committed a lifetime of service to the Humboldt community,” said City Administrator Cole Herder, who nominated Aikins for the award. “She has been active in Dream Humboldt, a group working to revitalize Humboldt. She has been a dedicated member of the Chamber of Commerce, her church, and Humboldt Healthy Ecosystems. She was a driving force in the renovation of the Neosho River Park, starting with a safe fishing dock and stairs to the dam. She still continues to spend countless hours maintaining flower beds in the park.”

(Read more: www.chanute.com)

Preparing for Drones to Fly in Cities

Drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), are regulated for aircraft safety and flight operations under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Many cities, municipalities, and states add their own regulations related to their areas of traditional authority. Traditional city and state authorities include:

planning and zoning for land-use,

determining take-off and landing locations for drones,

law enforcement operations and community safety, and

privacy policies and considerations.

Cities will not be on the sidelines as drones take flight. Updates to current regulations and safety decisions at FAA are in progress, but to get ahead of the next transportation technology shift, cities should prepare and consider their role to make the most of this new technology.

(Read more: CitiesSpeak)

Resident suggests roundabout be installed to slow Yoder Road traffic

A Reno County man whose granddaughter’s car was rear-ended while waiting to turn left off of Yoder Road earlier this month asked the Reno County Commission to consider installing a roundabout at Yoder and Trailwest roads.“People drive like idiots,” said Leonard Yoder in making the request at the start of Tuesday’s County Commission meeting. “There’s got to be a way to slow down the traffic. …

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Substantial local, state incentives in play for the new USDA jobs in Kansas City

A combination of public subsidy from Kansas City and its port authority to assist in the relocation of two federal agencies to downtown could reach up to $26 million.

The USDA announced earlier this year that the Kansas City region beat out 135 other cities to host the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Research, which combined account for about 500 jobs.

The USDA, through federal the landlord, the General Services Administration, started scouting locations in both Kansas and Missouri. On Friday, The Star reported that an office building at 805 Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Kansas City was the likely destination for the USDA jobs.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Event center proposed to go up in residential area, homeowners not happy

The possibility of a new commercial development has some homeowners up in arms.

An entertainment district is being proposed near 37th and Woodlawn. It would go up right in the middle of a residential area.

That area is Janet Johnson’s sanctuary.

She’s surrounded by sounds of nature and wildlife…but that could be changing.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

KDOT announces projects selected under Local Bridge Improvement Program

Twenty-seven counties will receive a combined total of $5 million under the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Local Bridge Improvement Program. Requests for transportation funding outpaced available funds by nearly three times. The selection of the local bridge projects was announced today by KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz.

“Improving the overall transportation system in our state is important and that includes those structures under local authority,” said Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. “It takes partnerships between the state, cities and counties to move people and goods as efficiently as possible across Kansas.”

The bridge program was reinstated by the agency this summer to assist cities and counties by providing up to $150,000 toward the replacement or rehabilitation of a bridge on the local roadway system. In the FY 2020 budget, $166 million less will be transferred out of the State Highway Fund. This funding will allow KDOT to perform about $400 million in preservation projects, deliver five more delayed T-WORKS projects and enabled KDOT to reactivate the Local Bridge Improvement Program.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Good things are going on at Hillsboro USD 410

If you want to see excitement, ask Max Heinrichs what is going on in USD 410. His face will light up and he will talk for awhile about the “exciting things” going on.

“We have some good stuff going on,” said Heinrichs, as he shared on Thursday regarding the Gemini redesign that the district has been working on for a few semesters now.

The district has offered a wide variety of student activities that are presently meeting the needs of students and the community. Participation rates in middle school and high school activities continue to be high.

A “People First” mentality continues to be one of the major strengths of the district.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Commission OK’s fire district purchase, interpreter policy

The Reno County Commission on Tuesday OK’d a request from Reno Fire District 3 to purchase a half-dozen replacement air packs, facemasks and air cylinders for its firefighters.

The board also approved minor updated the county’s Title VI Policy, which outlines language interpretation services the county offers, based on the latest federal Census data.

The fire department, based in Nickerson, will make the $30,150 purchase using money from its equipment fund, which has about $630,000 in it, said Fire Chief Bob White. Most of the money is reserved for future fire vehicle replacements.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

KDA offers reimbersement to specialty crop growers

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has funds available for reimbursement to Kansas specialty crop growers who attend an educational conference with a primary focus on specialty crops. Qualifying conferences may include sessions about production practices, specialized equipment and technology, pest and disease management, specialty crop marketing practices, or business principles for specialty crop producers.

Applicants who apply for the reimbursement will be required to attend the conference and to complete surveys before, immediately after, and six months post-conference prior to payment being issued. Conferences not eligible will include those within the state of Kansas and the Great Plains Growers Conference. KDA will reimburse Kansas specialty crop growers up to $850 each in order to offset the cost of their conference registration, mileage/flights, hotel, meals, etc. The award is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for application is December 15, 2019.

Pott County needs state approval for courthouse changes

Changes to the Pottawatomie County Courthouse — including demolition — must first meet the approval of the Kansas State Historical Society.

Patrick Zollner, division director of cultural resources for the historical society, delivered this message Monday to the Pott County Commission.

Officials invited Zollner to Monday’s meeting to explain the commission’s structural authority over the courthouse and the nearby stone jail, both of which were listed early last year on both the Kansas and National Register of Historic Places.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Regents to name new Wichita State president Thursday

The Kansas Board of Regents will be on campus Thursday afternoon to name Wichita State’s 14th president, according to a university release.

The Regents will meet at 2 p.m. in the Rhatigan Student Center’s Santa Fe Room, 233. The board will ceremonially choose the president from an unranked list of finalists submitted by the presidential search committee.

(Read more: The Sunflower)

Should cities remove offensive comments from the public record? Shawnee thought so.

No one said anything when a former Shawnee city councilwoman, Tracy Thomas, referred to a Kansas City apartment building as the “Blue Jew” during a meeting in early October.

But two weeks later, the planning commission decided to remove Thomas’ comment from the public record, saying it was “offensive” and should not be included in the meeting minutes.

Thomas made the comment during a public hearing on Oct. 7, voicing opposition to a luxury apartment complex, Stag’s Spring, proposed for downtown Shawnee. She argued against the apartment’s facade being an “unappealing” shade of blue, comparing it to the Meyer West Condos in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Shawnee paves way for consideration of tax incentives for proposed luxury housing development downtown

After hearing from multiple residents both for and against plans for Stag’s Spring, the Shawnee council last night took first steps to look into public financing incentives for the proposed luxury apartment complex project downtown.

Several neighboring residents and business owners at the city council meeting spoke both in support and in opposition of the housing project, a 62-unit apartment complex which would be located along Roger Road just east of Old Shawnee Pizza.

Neighbors in support said they appreciated efforts by developer Kevin Tubbesing to create more density downtown and also use landscaping to create a buffer for their single-family homes nearby.

Fairway set to take up consideration of non-discrimination ordinance in November

Three months after the Fairway city council passed a non-discrimination resolution and the city council agreed to further explore a non-discrimination ordinance, the topic will be on the city council agenda in November, Mayor Melanie Hepperly said.

Neighboring municipalities, such as Westwood and Prairie Village, have already passed non-discrimination ordinances. Hepperly said the decision to pass a resolution versus an ordinance came at the recommendation of the administration committee, which is the same committee that was directed to look further into an NDO at the August city council meeting.

Winfield survey seeks public input on city plans

The City of Winfield will release a survey soon to gather input from residents on two new long-term plans for the community.

Surveys about the Comprehensive Plan Update and the Master Plan for Parks, Trails and Recreation will be mailed to residents within the Winfield city limits and the surrounding rural area next week. Completed surveys can be returned to Winfield City Hall or to any bank in Winfield. A digital version of the questionnaire will be available beginning Monday at the city website, www.winfieldks.org. Surveys returned by Nov. 12 will be entered to win free city utilities for the month of December. All responses will be anonymous.

The Comprehensive Plan Update will recommend goals and policies for the Winfield City Commission and offer guidelines for decision making on land use, community facilities, transportation systems and other issues.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)