Municipal News & Jobs

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

Kansas Municipal News

‘The buzz is amazing’: KU football hype is energizing Lawrence, boosting business

The Kansas Jayhawks football team is 5-0, ranked 19th in the Associated Press poll and angling for its first postseason bowl game appearance since 2008. And the team’s surprising success on the field is rippling through the community. From stadium ticket sellouts to packed bars, restaurants and parking lots, KU’s winning season is boosting the local economy in tangible ways. Just ask Willie Johnson, who has rented game-day parking spaces to KU football fans on his property in the 900 block of Mississippi Street for six years. In past seasons, Johnson offered parking for $10 per car and hoped to fill the dozens of spaces he has on three lots. This season he’s getting an average of $40 per space, and sometimes as much as $60.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Governor Laura Kelly Joins Pratt Industries For Grand Opening of Park City Plant

Today Governor Laura Kelly joined officials from Pratt Industries as they opened their new state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing corrugated box plant in Park City. The plant represents a $200 million investment that will create 58 new high-paying, quality jobs in Sedgwick County over the next five years. This announcement comes during Governor Kelly’s ‘Prosperity On The Plains’ tour promoting economic development. The Governor took a tour of the plant and gave remarks celebrating the company’s investment. “Pratt’s continued investment in our state shows that when we support workers and businesses, Kansas thrives,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Now, 58 more Kansans will have high-paying jobs and $200 million will be brought into Park City – reinforcing that we all benefit from our growing economy.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Catalpa Park is going to the dogs

Catalpa Park… in Arkansas City, will soon become a safe place for dog owners to take their pets and allow them to get some exercise. The city’s Municipal Project Manager Nick Rizzio said the cost will be minimal and the renovation is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Overland Park approves $49.3 million in STAR bonds for Bluhawk’s first phase

Vertical construction can begin on the $1 billion, 300-acre Bluhawk development now that it has won a key financing approval. On Monday evening, the Overland Park City Council approved Overland Park-based Price Brothers Management Co.’s request for $49.3 million in sales tax revenue (STAR) bonds for vertical construction on the multisport complex’s $72.7 million first phase. The development is located at 159th Street and U.S. Highway 69. The City Council also approved the issuance of economic development revenue bonds (EDRBs) that will not exceed $113.6 million to build the entire complex in multiple phases.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

Shawnee city manager resigns

The Shawnee city manager announced Sept. 26 that he’ll resign at the beginning of November, according to his resignation letter which says he and the city council disagree on a “path and vision for the future” for the city. Nolan Sunderman, who started as assistant city manager in 2016 and was promoted to city manager in 2018, said he will start a new job in public service later this year. His last day will be Nov. 1. During his tenure, Sunderman worked to create two major city development plans that sought to prioritize diverse housing options, thriving businesses and inclusive communities among other issues, including the Imagine Shawnee Strategic Vision and the Achieve Shawnee Comprehensive Plan.
Source: KC Star Local News

Local police depement is supporting October’s Best Cancer Awareness Month

The Parsons Police Department is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink mourning bands over their badges. These bans are reserved for officers that have passed or were killed on duty. “A normal mouring band is black in color but with pink being the color for breast cancer awareness it is fitting for this month that our mourning bands are pink,” according to Deputy Chief Dennis Dodd.  Breast Cancer Awareness Month was created to spread awareness and raise funds for research, prevention, treatment, and finding a cure. The Parsons Police Department is raising awareness to help fellow staff members that have been affected by this deadly disease.
Source: KOAMKOAM

‘They don’t expect it’: Kansan builds an antique park in his backyard

Imagine a six-story treehouse overlooking a nearly-life-sized dinosaur and a man-made pond. An Augusta man’s dream of collecting and sharing historical pieces with the world has become a reality. “You know, as a kid, you always want a big playground. I never had a big playground, so I decided, what the hell, I will build my own and go from there,” said Jason Lee Bradley. Bradley, a professional landscaper, started working on what he calls Preservation Acres six years ago at his home a couple of miles east of Augusta.
Source: KSN-TV

14 Kansas towns want Tank of the Year title

Some Kansans towns are very proud of their water towers, and they hope people will vote for them in a national contest. Tnemec, a company that makes protective coatings, is holding its annual Tank of the Year contest. The entries come from across the U.S., including 14 in Kansas: Augusta, Baldwin City, Beattie, Pittsburg, Hugoton, Johnson County, La Crosse, McPherson, Neodesha, Preston, Russell, St. John, Tonganoxie, Valley Center. People can vote online until Oct. 14. You can vote daily. On Oct. 17, the company will announce the tank that won the People’s Choice nomination. Then, a Tnemec committee will choose 11 other finalists. The committee will then decide which water tower becomes the official Tank of the Year. It will make the announcement on Oct. 21.
Source: KSN-TV

Topeka park improvements added to general election ballot

Gage Park could see new improvements starting as early as January. Shawnee County kicked off its Vote Gage Park campaign. As part of the General Election on Nov. 8, voters have the chance to decide whether to change how the county pays for improvements, renovations and even some additions in Gage park. If voted on, the campaign will replace property taxes with a sales tax at an increment of .02% of a penny. These taxes would fund all improvements for the park, zoo and the Children’s Discovery Center.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Prairie Village amends housing recommendations in response to mounting opposition

The Prairie Village City Council on Monday unanimously voted to amend controversial housing recommendations, altering one of the item’s language around multi-family housing, as opposition to the recommendations — which have yet to be publicly acted on — continues to mount among some residents. The council on Monday voted on an item brought forward by Councilmember Ian Graves, the chair of the city’s ad hoc housing committee that originally crafted the recommendations, which proposed that references to multifamily housing in the first recommendation be removed.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Johnson County hopes to display 1951 time capsule contents

Following its discovery last year and official unveiling in May, Johnson County is working to put together a potential museum display of items recovered from a 1951 time capsule. The 71-year-old time capsule was discovered during the demolition of the former Johnson County Courthouse last year. The time capsule, which came in a small copper box, was originally placed in a wall of the old courthouse on May 7, 1951.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Public safety career fair attracts many from area

Approximately 200 people attended the Public Safety Career Fair on Sept. 29 on the Southwestern College campus. Students from Augusta, El Dorado and Udall, visited the exhibits along with Southwestern students. Many area agencies were represented, along with the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Internal Revenue Service Investigative Unit.
Source: The Arkansas City Traveler

Paola USD 368 conducting survey about failed bond election

Paola USD 368 is conducting a survey that school district officials hope will bring more clarity as to why a majority of mail-ballot voters chose not to support the district’s recent $40 million bond proposal. The proposed projects included a variety of improvements and maintenance work at each of the school district’s aging buildings, but the bond proposal failed by 77 votes. There were 1,583 “No” votes and 1,506 “Yes” votes in the September special mail-ballot election.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

USDA Seeks Applications to Improve Solid Waste Management for People in Rural Areas

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that the department is accepting grant applications to reduce water pollution in rural areas through improvements to solid waste management.

Applications are being accepted under the Solid Waste Management Grants program. USDA provides these grants to organizations that offer technical assistance or training to help rural communities manage solid waste sites and eliminate water pollution. The program is one of the many ways USDA promotes a healthy community and environment with loans and grants that ensure people, children and families have clean water and safe sewer systems to prevent runoff and pollution.

Eligible applicants include public bodies, nonprofit organizations, federally recognized tribes and academic institutions in rural areas and towns with 10,000 or fewer residents. Special consideration may be given to projects serving areas with fewer than 5,500 or 2,500 people, multiple states or lower-income populations.

USDA expects to make approximately $4 million available through the program. Funds may be used to:

  • Evaluate current landfill conditions to identify threats to water
  • Provide technical assistance or training to enhance the operation and maintenance of active
  • Provide technical assistance or training to help communities reduce the amount of solid waste coming into a landfill.
  • Provide technical assistance or training to prepare for the closure and future use of a landfill

Projects must be completed within 12 months.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 31, 2022.

USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help communities create more and better market opportunities, advance equity and combat climate change. These extra points will increase the likelihood of funding. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

Salina airport hosts U.S. Aerobatic Championships

Some of the best pilots from across the nation have returned to Salina to compete in the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships this week. Each year, the event brings in pilots to compete across five different categories with opportunities to earn spots in flight teams that compete further, and a shot at being named the United States National Aerobatic Champion.
Source: Salina Journal

Final configuration of Old West Lawrence traffic-calming project to be installed soon

A much debated traffic control effort in Old West Lawrence continues, with the third and final configuration of the pilot program set to be installed soon. The revised configuration of traffic calming devices results in fewer turn restrictions and adds other new features, such as planters that take up a portion of the driving lane. The new configuration will be installed next week, weather permitting, according to an announcement in the city’s newsletter. The third configuration is based on the recommended plan from the members of the Old West Lawrence Traffic Safety Team, according to the project website.
Source: LJWorld

New recycle trailer for City of Claflin arrives early

Last week, the City of Claflin received a welcome Christmas gift a little early. Robert Gunder, who has been assisting the city with obtaining a new trailer for its recycling program, said that while they were expecting delivery around December or January, the trailer arrived this week. It is currently parked in front of the Claflin City Building and a plan to get it pressed into service as quickly as possible is being discussed. Claflin Mayor Mike Urban credited Gunder with getting the ball rolling on the project earlier in the year.
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Lisa Lewis: New Fort Scott City Clerk

Lisa A. Lewis, 56, is the new Fort Scott City and Municipal Court Clerk, as of Oct. 1, when Diane Clay retired. Lewis and husband, Tony, are new to Fort Scott. The Lewis’s came in 2021, having lived in Chicago and raised their four children there. From 2019 to 2021 they lived in Queen Creek, AZ but  decided they liked Midwest living better than the desert, so decided to move to Kansas, she said. She started working at the city of Fort Scott as administrative support in January of 2022 working with Jackson Tough and Tourism as well as City Hall.
Source: Fort Scott Biz

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