Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

WPD joins hundreds of police forces partnering with doorbell-camera company Ring

The Wichita Police Department has joined a growing number of law enforcement agencies nationwide partnering with Amazon-owned doorbell camera company Ring in an effort to make neighborhoods safer.

Lt. Patrick Leon said Thursday that the department’s involvement with Ring began in February. But starting in September, Ring , based on information it receives from its customers, will able to send alerts to the police department’s community policing officers notifying them of crimes in Wichita neighborhoods.

The officers will then be able to ask Ring to contact subscribers to the company’s video-recording service to request copies of any footage that doorbell cameras may have captured of an event.

(Read more: Local News |)

McPherson City Commission annexes land and considers CID

Land development was the hot action item during the McPherson City Commission meeting, Monday morning.

Commissioners first considered a motion to annex an area of land in the Eastlinks Development, Premier Subdivision and Barnstormers Development. Nick Gregory, city administrator, explained the city is in the process of spreading special assessments on several of the lots in the developments. During that process, it came to their attention that additional property needed to be annexed in the city of McPherson for the city to spread and collect special assessments.

Commissioners reviewed a map of the requested area to be annexed and approved the motion. Gregory also advised the developer, Strawn Development, Inc., has begun to plat the property being annexed so the properties can be developed. They are working with a surveyor to develop plats on both parcels.

(Read more: McPherson Weekly News » Feed)

KDOT seeking applications

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is announcing a call for projects for the 2021 Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program.

KDOT’s TA Program provides funding for a variety of alternative transportation projects. These include the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation, projects that enhance safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders, projects that improve scenic or environmental assets in the state, Safe Routes to School projects and more.

Momentum 2022: Developing, retaining educated workforce key factors for community success

One of the key components to the Greater Topeka Partnership’s Momentum 2022 idea is developing homegrown talent. Doing this requires two key elements: One is creating an educated workforce, the second is keeping educated workers in Topeka.

“Cities continue to prosper on the ideas and work of the next generation,” Washburn University president Jerry Farley said. “Topeka’s graduates today are the interns and new hires of tomorrow that businesses need to continue operating and to keep generating new ideas. Topeka’s school districts constantly strive to enhance educational opportunities for all students to not only provide a holistic, quality education but because those administrators and educators, who live and work in Topeka, know those children are the future of our community.”

Johnson County Mental Center offering free mental health education in schools across county

The Johnson County Mental Health Center this week announced a new program to bring mental health education to all public and private schools in Johnson County.
Introduction of the digital resource, Mental Wellness Basics, is a direct result of efforts by the #ZeroReasonsWhy initiative, a collaboration of school districts in Johnson County to address the growing issue of teen suicide.

Starting this fall semester, the mental health center will be providing the program at no cost to schools.

Tim DeWeese, director of the Johnson County Mental Health Center, said an education component has been part of the strategic plan for the #ZeroReasonsWhy initiative.

Overland Park in the top five in WalletHub survey

The personal finance website WalletHub has released its 2019’s Best Real-Estate Markets and a Kansas community did very well.

“We looked at over 300 cities of varying sizes across the United States,” said analyst Jill Gonzalez. “A lot of Kansas cities did pretty well. Overland Park, Kansas did the best. It came in at number 3 overall.”

The real estate market is about more than just price.

(Read more: WIBW News Now)

Wichita Leaders, Community To Celebrate Improvements To 9th Street

State and local leaders will join with Wichita residents this weekend to celebrate improvements made to Ninth Street from Hillside to I-135.

The $3.5 million project completed over the last year includes paving, drainage and pedestrian upgrades throughout the corridor. More than 100 residents also collaborated with local artist Ellamonique Baccus by painting and placing tiles on a Kwanzaa Plaza and a new mural titled “Cultivating the Seeds of Our Future.”

(Read more: RSS Feed)

Douglas County Commission approves program to offer tax relief for homes damaged in May tornado

Some Douglas County residents whose homes were damaged during the May 28 tornado will receive tax relief from the county government.

The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday approved the creation of a program that gives County Appraiser Steven Miles the ongoing authority to process and approve applications for tax abatements to those residents. The program is slightly different from what the commission was originally considering, which would have called for the commissioners themselves to give final approval to batches of applications.

The abatements, which are property tax reductions, vary for each property based on the amount of their assessed damage. To qualify for the abatements, Miles said a property’s estimated repair cost must equal at least half of the property’s fair market value.

New signs for Marion County roads

All Marion County road signs will be replaced because many are missing or in poor condition.
County engineer Brice Goebel said emergency medical services director Travis Parmley has asked for replacement signs because missing and rotated signs confuse many drivers.
Goebel said signs along Mustang Rd. are a problem because people take down the signs for themselves.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Newton moves forward with Sunday sales election

There will be a vote on whether or not alcohol can be sold by retailers on Sundays by Newton businesses. The commission approved a resolution more than two months ago that could allow for Sunday sales of alcohol. That resolution was subject to a 60-day protest period. During that period, a valid protest petition was filed with the Harvey County Clerk’s Office — meaning that if Sunday sales are to become a reality, it will require a public vote.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Shawnee updating sign code, design guidelines for downtown district

Shawnee is in the process of updating its sign code and design guidelines after a downtown business requested city approval for a projecting sign.

Pegah’s Family Restaurant in June had requested approval from the planning commission on a new projecting sign at its downtown location, 11005 Johnson Drive. City staff and planning commissioners were concerned that the sign was “too large and out of scale for the building facade,” according to city documents.

The planning commission’s approval of the sign at the time called for a reduction of the overall size of the sign. The planning commission then directed city staff to review the city’s projecting sign requirements.

Winfield, Ark City to continue recycling despite rising costs

Local recycling programs are continuing even as other cities are abandoning the service due to market changes and rising costs.

Earlier this year, the cities of Winfield and Arkansas City announced they are working together to continue their joint recycling program after recycling collector Waste Connections announced a rate increase.

The cities also requested a proposal for a longer-term contract with Waste Connections that would specify the rate structure and necessary notification time frames for any future rate changes.

The costs have risen as China, once the primary market for recyclables, has stopped taking materials from the United States, Winfield Community Development Director Patrick Steward said.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Neosho County commission discusses public comment moratorium

Neosho County Commissioners backtracked Thursday evening on the issue of public comments and heard from a frequent critic of the Neosho Ridge Wind project.

After attending a seminar in Independence on open meetings and talking to other counties about how they conduct meetings, commissioners last week discussed removing public comments from the agenda. This week, Commission Chair Gail Klaassen had a copy of a resolution passed in 2010 that sets a public comment time. Although the discussion Thursday did not mention any time requirements, it left certain matters to the commission’s discretion – such as whether many of people on the same topic could be represented by one spokesperson.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

City of Garden City Receives $30,000 ‘Meet Me at the Park’ Grant to Increase Access to Local Play Spaces

The City of Garden City has been selected to receive a $30,000 play space grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Walt Disney Company. This investment supports NRPA and Disney’s combined goal of providing one million kids and families with greater access to play.

As part of the national Meet Me at the Park Play Spaces grant program, park and recreation agencies across the country were invited to share their best ideas on increasing access to play spaces for children and families in their communities. Agencies with the most innovative
and impactful project ideas were chosen to receive $30,000 grants to build their projects.

(Read more: Western Kansas News)

Judge dismisses lawsuit to block wind farm plans

A district judge has dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit seeking to block development of a wind farm in Marion County.
The lawsuit, originally filed May 16, was against wind farm developer Expedition Wind, the board of county commissioners, and the county clerk.
A dismissal with prejudice means the plaintiffs cannot bring another lawsuit based on the same claims.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Durham resident buys post office building

Durham resident Wendel Cook has purchased a flood-damaged building to keep the town from losing its post office.
Durham’s post office, damaged by four feet of flooding July 4, could be in business again as early as a month from now.
Former building owner John Ratzlaff, who lives six miles from Buhler, said he didn’t want to have to renovate and restore the building.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

County commissioners fed up with road conditions

County commissioners, tired of roads in the Diamond Vista wind farm area not being maintained to their standards, discussed taking action against the company Monday.
Damage from heavy rains has led to a dispute over whether the county or the wind farm company should be responsible for repairs. Enel Green Energy, the company developing Diamond Vista, considers the heavy rains to be an unforeseeable event not in the scope of their responsibility.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Rules for dollar stores in Hutchinson could stir debate

Hutchinson city staff received the go-ahead to draft rules for future dollar stores that could affect their proximity to each other and spell out how much floor space they should dedicate to fresh food.Hutchinson Planning and Development staff took the idea Tuesday night to the Hutchinson Planning Commission. It voted 5-1 to direct staff to draft dollar store regulations.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Cherokee County leaders discuss possibility of land bank at Monday night’s meeting

Some structures that stand in Cherokee County were bustling years ago, but now stand vacant and deteriorating.

County leaders are looking for a solution.

“We have had some general interest in creating a land bank in the county, but didn’t have a lot of information,” explained Janet Miller with Cherokee County Economic Development. “So, we’re hoping to learn directly from people that have been down that road before.”

Who better to hear from than leaders from Pittsburg and Fort Scott, as both cities have their own land banks?

These land banks work to help a city or county acquire deteriorating or vacant structures in hopes of repurposing them.

Johnson County Commissioner says collaboration is key to increasing housing options

Housing affordability is a critical issue in Johnson County and in larger metropolitan areas across the nation. Johnson County’s cost of living has grown by double digits across all household sizes since 2014 according to the Economic Policy Institute. Housing costs is a key component of this increase.

If these trends continue, will young adults and families be able to rent an apartment or buy a home? Will longtime residents be able to retire here? First time home buyers in my First Commission District are met with “sticker shock” when greeted with an average sale price well over $300,000 in some portions of my district and few homes available for under $200,000.

Johnson County Chair Eilert discusses role of county commissioners

There are two different responsibility areas: state-mandated activities and basic community services. Some responsibilities might fall in both of those categories. For instance: sheriff’s office, jails, community corrections, district attorney office and district court services are state mandated but are also public safety services we cannot function without.

County treasurer, records and tax administration, appraiser’s office, department of motor vehicle, public health department, election office are other examples of state required services. The state government does provide funding for some of those services but in most areas, it requires significant local tax dollars.

Neosho County recognized as ‘Community Supporting Breastfeeding’

Neosho County is now one of the 24 counties that have received the Community Supporting Breastfeeding designation from the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, Inc.

The designation was presented by Brenda Bandy, the executive director of the KBC, which is a statewide nonprofit that works to promote breastfeeding by helping those that provide clinical support to breastfeeding moms.

The Community Supporting Breastfeeding designation was created in 2014. According to Bandy, they designed the program around a vision of what a “breastfeeding utopia” would look like.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Marion County Commissioners discuss various security measures

The county’s courthouse will get a security upgrade, but what it will look like is anyone’s guess.
The district court requested security upgrades months ago, and commissioners decided to table the subject for further discussion.
Commission chairman Kent Becker said he believes security upgrades would be good for both the courtroom floor and the courthouse as a whole.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

The Codes Administrator issues a reminder about business signs for closed businesses

The Code Administrator / Fire Chief for the City of Junction City, Terry Johnson, has released a statement for all property owners of vacant commercial businesses. He noted that it’s the city’s responsibility to tell all property owners of the requirement to ensure compliance with city code ordinance.

The Code Enforcement Division has received concerns from citizens and property managers about the magnitude of signs in the community for closed businesses is a nuisance. City ordinance puts the responsibility of each property manager, business and citizen holding a commercial property that is no longer in business to remove or change the signage to meet the city code ordinance.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Garden City names NDS director

The City of Garden City has named Carol Davidson as the next Neighborhood & Development Services Director.Davidson is currently a senior planner with the City of St. George, Utah, and had previously worked for the City of Garden City from 2013 to 2017. She served as the Assistant Director of Neighborhood & Development Services under former Director Kaleb Kentner who resigned in July 2019, to become the Director of Development & Neighborhood Services in Weatherford, Texas.

KDOT holds meetings on future of Kansas transportation

he Kansas Department of Transportation held a meeting in Wichita Tuesday for people to voice their opinions on the future of Kansas transportation plans.

They highlight a 25 year plan that will start for the fiscal year 2020. Included are projects in and outside of the Wichita area for smaller communities. Money is a big topic in the discussion according to one department of transportation official.

“We’ve identified over $18 billion worth of wants and needs by communities,” said Julie Lorenz, secretary for the Kansas Department of Transportation.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Key yield curve inverts to worst level since 2007, 30-year rate under 2%

Long-term Treasury rates added to their monthlong slide Tuesday, aggravating a key yield curve inversion and sending the 10-year yield to its lowest level against the 2-year rate since 2007.

The yield on the benchmark 2-year Treasury note, more sensitive to changes in Federal Reserve policy, fell to 1.526%, 5 basis points above the 10-year note’s rate of 1.476% after closing inverted on Monday. Before August, the last inversion of this part of the yield curve was the one that began in December 2005, two years before the financial crisis and subsequent recession.

The spread between the 3-month Treasury yield and that of the 10-year note — the Fed’s preferred inversion metric — slumped to -52 basis points, its lowest since March 2007.

The 30-year bond yielded 1.955% and was poised to close below the 3-month bill yield for the first time since 2007.

Developer wants to light up OP with huge digital display. But city could pull the plug

Overland Park artist Jeff Hanson has seen his bold, textured paintings in People magazine and on the side of a NASCAR race car. He’s even sold one to Elton John.

But he’s never seen his artwork displayed on a massive digital board, animated in multicolored LED lights. Until Tuesday night.

Developer Kenneth Block lit up the display and demonstrated what he hopes will be a permanent addition to one of his new office buildings at CityPlace. He said the digital art adds some life and color to his new stone and glass WellSky Corporate Office at 11300 Switzer Road in Overland Park.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

City of Wichita asks KDOT to consider improving Kellogg and I-135 interchange

Drivers who depend on Kellogg and I-135 for their daily commute know all too well some of the traffic issues.

“When you get off Kellogg and you’re going south bound on 135, the merge lane is so short,” said Amber Herbel of Park City. “So sometimes you have to slam on the breaks because drivers don’t have the etiquette to get over when there are people trying to merge.”

“There’s a lot of accidents there. said Devry Jeffress of Goddard. “There’s a lot of issues with people getting on and getting off the freeway right there.”

The city said the interchange is reaching its capacity of 100,000 vehicles a day and that number is expected to continue to grow. They expect it to increase to 125,000 vehicles a day on US-54 and 115,000 on I-135 by the year 2040.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Maize residents overwhelmingly pass bond issues

Maize residents overwhelmingly passed two bond issues to make improvements within the district.

Proposition number one included two new intermediate schools for fifth and sixth graders, improved safety and security throughout the district and upgrades to both high schools.

The proposition passed by a vote of 2,549 to 437.

The second proposition will allow the district to build an indoor pool and auditorium, upgrade playgrounds and add a STEM lab at the elementary schools.

Proposition number two passed by a vote of 2,292 to 684.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Atlanta to celebrate Labor Day

A cornhole tournament is a highlight at the 134th Labor Day celebration in Atlanta, which begins Saturday.

In addition to the annual horseshoe and softball tournaments, the new cornhole contest on Monday will pit teams of two against each other, with the winners earning a prize. Those interested in competing in the cornhole tournament can call Chuckie Kidd at (620) 741-4815 to sign up.

“The more the merrier,” Labor Day chairman Darren Blackburn said.

The theme for Labor Day this year is “Raising the Roof on Atlanta, Kansas,” referring to the recent renovations at the Atlanta Community Building. Atlanta has “raised the roof” on the improvements.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Prairie Village prepares to kick off ‘Village Vision 2.0’ comprehensive planning process

Twelve years ago, the Prairie Village City Council adopted Village Vision, a wide-ranging comprehensive plan that set priorities for the investment of time, energy and resources in the coming years.

Many of the priority items that plan identified have since been either partially or wholly addressed. Corinth Square, which had fallen into a state of some disrepair at the time, has been largely renovated — and redevelopment of the center continues. The city has updated its building codes to encourage home renovation while maintaining the character of neighborhoods, and it’s enacted a program to encourage residents to improve aging homes. And work has been done to improve the 75th Street corridor — though those improvements fall short of the “boulevard” concept identified in the plan.

Pottawatomie County major projects submitted to KDOT for funding

Pottawatomie County has submitted two potential major road projects for state funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Prior to his presentation at a local consult meeting in Topeka, Public Works Director Peter Clark shared highlights with the county commission Monday. One of the projects would see an interchange constructed at Hwy 24 and Flush Road. If approved, it would include a new 200 foot bridge over the highway, in addition to a new tighter diamond interchange design and improvement to the vertical and horizontal geometry of the intersection. Clark says the reason this project was selected was for improved safety and improved traffic capacity and travel times.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

County pledges $5,000 support to Big Kansas Road Trip

The Brown County Commission has pledged $5,000 toward the costs of hosting the Big Kansas Road Trip in May 2020.

Linda Duesing and Connie Werner, co-chairwomen of the BKRT Brown County committee, approached the commission earlier this month and asked for funding of $8,350 to cover marketing and other expenses related to bringing the Road Trip to town next May.

In its third year, the BKRT will encompass Nemaha, Brown and Doniphan counties May 7-10, 2020. The announcement was made during this year’s Big Kansas Road Trip (BKRT) that took place May 2-5 in the northwest Kansas counties of Cheyenne, Sherman and Wallace. The inaugural BKRT was held the year prior in Barber, Comanche and Kowa counties.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Sedgwick County Sheriff seeks to rename Lake Afton Park after Dep. Kunze

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office wants to rename the former Judge Riddell Boys Ranch space at Lake Afton Park after Deputy Robert Kunze.

Deputy Kunze was killed in the line of duty in 2018.

Sedgwick County sent out a Facebook post soliciting names for the park, which was recently refurbished to include baseball and softball fields and other recreational areas.

The Sheriff’s Office suggested “Robert Kunze Memorial Activity Park,” saying Kunze spent a lot of time at the park fishing during his personal time.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Kansas State Fair launches new mobile app

Want to find the nearest cheese curds? Need a bathroom in a hurry? Searching for a product — may be a new mop or a fancy grill — to help make your life easier? Or, perhaps, you just don’t want to miss any of the Kansas State Fair action.

The answers — plus more — can be found in the Kansas State Fair’s new mobile app. The app, sponsored by Mattress Hub, is free to download for both iPhone and Android devices. It will help plan your day at the Fair. It will also send real-time notifications — such as when the next calf at the birthing center is being born.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Economist sees Kansas government spending as too much in light of potential recession

An economist with the Sandlian Center for Entrepreneurial Government at the Kansas Policy Institute is concerned about the level of government spending in light of economic indicators that could point to a recession in the near future.

“The economic siren has flashed red,” said Michael Austin. “The U.S. could see a recession in roughly about two years. Unfortunately, the worst part about it is that state government is overspending, like a drunken sailor and, trust me, I don’t think Kansans are prepared for when that hangover hits.”

The interest rates on short-term bonds are higher than interest rates paid by long-term bonds. This phenomenon has happened before a recession for every recession since 1969.

(Read more: WIBW News Now)

JoCo Courthouse ‘topped out’ at ceremony on Aug. 13

Johnson County has marked a milestone in the construction of its courthouse in downtown Olathe.

During a “topping out” ceremony on Aug. 13, crews raised the last steel beam 238 feet to the highest point in the courthouse’s structural framing, which is now completed.

“Nail by nail, beam by beam, and now we’re really starting to see the vision of what this landmark will look like,” Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland said at the ceremony. “It’s already changed the shape of Olathe’s downtown.”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Edgerton gains 4,500 employees. But tiny JoCo town has almost nowhere to eat or live

At the start of each day, the city of Edgerton’s population nearly triples.

Around 4,500 employees travel to the community at the southwest corner of Johnson County each day — jumping off of Interstate 35 or driving along green farm fields and waiting for trains to pass — on their way to one of the fastest growing business parks in the country. Along with a new workforce, in the past six years Logistics Park Kansas City has attracted $1.1 billion in private investment, from industry giants such as Amazon, UPS and Hostess.

But community leaders say there’s not much keeping those thousands of employees around after they clock out.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

KMUW to host mayoral debate as part of Engage ICT: Democracy on Tap

KMUW 89.1-FM will host a mayoral candidate debate at the September Engage ICT: Democracy on Tap, in partnership with the Wichita Eagle and the Kansas Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The debate will be held Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Roxy’s Downtown. The address is 412 1/2 East Douglas. Appetizers begin at 5:30 p.m. The debate will begin at 6 p.m.

To submit a question, email info@kmuw.org or use the Two-Way Radio feature on the new KMUW app to send a voice message.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

New wastewater plant gives Moundridge room to grow

Moundridge Street and Wastewater Supervisor Mike Strausz was eager to show off the city’s new wastewater treatment plant at an open house celebrating the facility’s completion on Aug. 22.

Planning for the new plant began five years ago, with Strausz and others touring various facilities to determine what design would work best for Moundridge.

The city’s previous wastewater plant was built in 1982.

Mulvane Police Department to get new body cam system

The Mulvane Police Department is set to receive a new body-camera system after receiving council approval.

The city council voted unanimously to approve the department’s request for 14 body cameras and seven car-camera systems, totaling $72,490 before installation costs. A storage server, training and on-site setup are included in that price.

“In today’s world of policing, cameras are a must-have piece of equipment,” Mulvane Public Safety Director Gordon Fell said. “Cameras greatly assist in prosecution of criminal cases, as well as increasing safety for both the citizens and the officers.”

(Read more: Area | derbyinformer.com)

Wichita elementary student holds hand of crying classmate with autism on first day of school

An 8-year-old boy is being commended after showing his compassion for a classmate on the first day of school.

According to a Facebook post from Courtney Moore, her son, Christian, saw another boy crying in the corner and befriended him. It happened at Minneha Core Knowledge Elementary School in Wichita, Kansas.

Photos from Moore showed Christian holding hands with his classmate, Connor, to help comfort him.

(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)

Plainville doctor named as Top 25 Innovator by Modern Healthcare

Dr. Jen Brull, Rooks County Health Center, Plainville, has been named a Top 25 Innovator by Modern Healthcare.

Brull leads Aledade’s accountable care organization (ACO) in Kansas.

A key innovation she’s implemented is the “Roadmap to Awesomeness.” It’s an improvement tool for practices to assess data and follow best practices. The ACO is able to tap into real-time data to address gaps in patient care.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Ford County Sheriff urges caution with letter

In a news release from Ford County Sheriff Bill Carr, a letter has been received in the mail calling for recipients to sign up for a program called Nextdoor.

Carr in the release raised concerns with the letter stating, it does not provide a name of the sender; does not provide a return address; does not provide a phone number/email to contact the sender; states it’s 100% free and private; not sure it is “private” to whoever is on the receiving end once you sign up; the letter was sent to an entire neighborhood without name, just addresses; it was mailed from Buffalo, Wyoming and there is not a company letterhead.