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Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2018-08-05T16:28:50-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

Housing a big topic during Salina conference

The outlook for the economy in the Salina community is relatively good, and with the help of more housing, it can look even better. That was the general mood Thursday as several people from the area and around the state offered insight at the 2022 Salina Economic Outlook Conference Much of the reason for a positive outlook on the future of the Salina community is because of economic developments that have been happening over the past few years, including the Schwan’s pizza plant and Great Plains Manufacturing expansions on the south side of town.
Source: Salina Journal

In face of job dissatisfaction, Kansas teacher vacancies continue to rise

A staffing crunch continues for Kansas K-12 schools as superintendents and principals struggle to staff classrooms with adequately licensed personnel. The number of reported vacancies surged from 1,253 in fall 2021 to 1,628 in fall 2022, according to the Kansas State Department of Education’s seasonal Teacher Vacancy and Supply Report.
Source: Salina Journal

Finney County business leaders discuss workforce; how to grow it

Finney County Commissioners, Garden City Commissioners, Finney County Economic Development, USD 363 and 457 staff, Garden City Community College staff, business leaders and others met Wednesday to discuss the workforce situation in Finney County. Bob Kreutzer, a Finney County commissioner, led the meeting. The purpose of the gathering was to bring stakeholders together to inform everyone on the workforce situation within the county and how to link that to the educational system and the business community. “I think if we can figure out a way to link the talent that we have on both sides of that fence, really good things could happen,” he said.
Source: GC Telegram

On its 10th anniversary, Reams pleased with growth at Great Plains Industrial Park

Great Plains Industrial Park Director Brad Reams is pleased with the progress and growth at the park over the past 10 years. On Wednesday, the park celebrated its 10th anniversary as companies announced intentions to come to Great Plains. Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, local officials, company directors and operators attended the celebration at the park Wednesday. “It meant a lot to have the support of the community,” Reams told the Sun Thursday. Reams said he was happy for the board members of Great Plains. He said their dedication has paid off.
Source: Parsons Sun

Treasury yields fall as markets digest hotter-than-expected inflation data

U.S. Treasury yields fell on Friday as markets digested Thursday’s higher-than-expected consumer price index reading and kept a close eye on the U.K. economy as the Bank of England’s emergency bond-buying program is due to end. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 3.9197%, down by 3 basis points at around 4:40 a.m. ET. It had briefly surpassed the 4% mark on Thursday following the release of the inflation report…. Markets continued to absorb Thursday’s consumer price index reading, which showed that inflation had risen more than expected in September. The price of goods had increased by 0.4% for consumers last month and was up 8.2% from a year ago. The Federal Reserve has been hiking interest rates to push back against persistent inflation, despite investor concerns about this leading to a recession. Analysts are expecting another 75 basis point rate hike to be announced at the central bank’s next meeting in early November.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Old Olathe elm was taken down and new sculpture emerged as symbol of Kansas

A peaceful place is easy to find on a bench close to a sculpture in one Johnson County city. The Olathe Cemetery Memorial Tree, carved from a dormant elm, is a symbol of life past and present. The sculpture, which stands along a path in the cemetery, is a gift from the city’s public art program. Once among the most popular of American shade trees, the cemetery’s tree was killed by the spread of elm disease in 1960s and beyond. Thought to be 100 years old, it is no longer a tree of branches and green leaves. It now represents history and continuity of life in the home state of Kansas. Deep roots and images of butterflies, a heart and sunflowers are etched into wood.
Source: Joco 913 News

Mournful and hopeful, an emerging photo project portrays rural Kansas newspapers

Jeremiah Ariaz has traveled Kansas to visit and then photograph the offices of small-town newspapers: The Russell County News, Downs News & Times, The Winfield Daily Courier. A photography professor at Louisiana State University and a Kansas native, Ariaz brings a mixture of reverence and urgency to the project. His collection — still in progress — mixes portraits of the small-town journalists and print shop laborers with dusty still-life images of newspaper artifacts. Ariaz’s images situate the industry facing great challenges while hoping that the papers receive a vital lifeline. On Oct. 6, Ariaz visited the University of Kansas to show his images to my media photography class. He explained how vital rural newspapers are to our democracy. And he told the stories of editors who refuse to let their newspapers gather dust.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Prairie Village City Council votes down strategy for affordable housing

After a public outcry, the Prairie Village City Council has gone on record against putting duplexes, apartments and other multi-family developments in single-family residential areas as part of an affordable housing strategy. Signs had gone up around the city protesting recommendations from an ad hoc committee tasked with finding ways to diversify Prairie Village’s housing stock so more people can afford to live there. Council member Piper Reimer said residents are concerned that regulations might be changed “in a way that would allow the developer or builder to come in and potentially take down the house next door to you and put up some sort of multi-family unit.”
Source: KC Star Local News

Labette County to lose vital staffer

A longtime county employee is leaving for a new job in a neighboring county, 911 Director Brandy Scott reported to Labette County commissioners Wednesday. One of Scott’s supervisors — who has worked for 17 years for the county — gave her two weeks notice to Scott. This is a blow to the department, Scott indicated. The person, who was not named, got a job in Montgomery County. The job, Scott said, has better benefits and less responsibilities for the person.
Source: Parsons Sun

Olathe Fire Department adds extra staffers because of red flag warning

The Olathe Fire Department has increased their staffing because of a red flag warning thanks to the windy conditions in our area. A red flag warning means the weather conditions increase the risk of fire danger. “There’s plenty of stuff out there that can burn. A lot of people think we’re in the suburbs. we’re in these little cities, but these cities, butt up to undeveloped land that is full of things that can burn,” said Capt. Mike Hall, of Olathe Fire Department.
Source: KMBC.com

Most of Marion County blacked out for an hour

A massive power failure affecting thousands of businesses and residences blacked out most of Marion County for almost exactly an hour early Thursday. Customers receiving power from Evergy or city utilities using Evergy in Florence, Peabody, Marion, Hillsboro, Lehigh, and Tampa were without power from 1:52 a.m. until 2:51 a.m. At least one Marion resident had to call for an ambulance after a vital oxygen supply failed during the blackout.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

‘Incredibly sad’ situation leads to removal of more than 80 cats, 2 dogs from Emporia home

Animal cruelty charges are pending after Emporia police and volunteers removed 83 cats and two dogs from a house in Emporia Wednesday morning, after initial reports stated around 50 cats were inside of the home. Humane Society of the Flint Hills director Stephanie Achille told The Gazette that conditions at the home were worse than expected, with feces, urine and maggots covering almost every surface. The house is also infested with fleas.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Overland Park neighbors push back against rumblings of new Deer Creek apartment plan

Residents in one Overland Park community have long fought against an apartment complex going in their neighborhood. Now, there’s been recent chatter that the idea has resurfaced, and neighbors in Deer Creek are not happy. Overgrown and untouched for about six years, the Deer Creek golf course doesn’t make a great back drop for a back porch. Jorge Cadenas said the vast majority of neighbors want the greens and golf course revived, but building an apartment complex on the property would be a swing and a miss.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF

Developer looks to bring indoor go-kart course to Overland Park’s Aspiria campus

A national go-kart chain is racing to open its first location in the Kansas City metro. Monday, the Overland Park Planning Commission unanimously approved a final development plan for Andretti Indoor Karting & Games. The Florida-based company, named for championship race car driver Mario Andretti, plans to create a new entertainment hub within the Aspiria campus in south Overland Park.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF

Overland Park considers boosting school crossing guard pay to $25 an hour

Overland Park is looking to increase the hourly pay for school crossing guards as the city continues to deal with a shortage of people willing to fill the position since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Driving the news: On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to recommend a proposed amendment to the city’s crossing guard contract, increasing guards’ hourly rate from $21.75 to $25.01 per hour.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Johnson County certified ‘gold’ for environmental sustainability efforts

Nearly two years after it, the new Johnson County Courthouse in downtown Olathe is on track to achieve a green-building certification for sustainability under the internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, design standards. This comes as the county itself also recently received notification that its countywide operations have also been LEED-certified by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council for having environmentally sustainable practices in a number of areas.
Source: Prairie Village Post

City of Marion to host food and school supply drives

The City of Marion is celebrating Public Power week by hosting a food Drive and a Teacher School Supply Drive. Bring items to Margo Yates at the city office and enter the drawing for a chance to receive $25 off your City of Marion bill. Please bring nonperishable food items only. Suggested items for teachers are sticky notes, paper towels, white paper plates, ziplock bags in gallon and quart sizes, small packages of Kleenex, fun band-aids, sidewalk chalk, crayons, washable markers, pencils, glue, craft paints, peppermints, Tootsie rolls, M&Ms and skittles.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

Inflation increased 0.4% in September, more than expected despite rate hikes

Prices consumers pay for a wide variety of goods and services rose more than expected in September as inflation pressures continued to weigh on the U.S. economy. The consumer price index for the month increased 0.4% for the month, more than the 0.3% Dow Jones estimate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a 12-month basis, so-called headline inflation was up 8.2%, off its peak around 9% in June but still hovering near the highest levels since the early 1980s. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, core CPI accelerated 0.6% against the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.4% increase. Core inflation was up 6.6% from a year ago.
Source: CNBC

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