Kansas Municipal News
Fed officials see smaller rate hikes coming ‘soon,’ minutes show
Federal Reserve officials earlier this month agreed that smaller interest rate increases should happen soon as they evaluate the impact policy is having on the economy, meeting minutes released Wednesday indicated. Reflecting statements that multiple officials have made over the past several weeks, the meeting summary pointed to small rate hikes coming. Markets widely expect the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee to step down to a 0.5 percentage point increase in December, following four straight 0.75 percentage point hikes. Though hinting that smaller moves were ahead, officials said they still see little signs of inflation abating. However, some committee members expressed concern about risks to the financial system should the Fed continue to press forward at the same aggressive pace.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
City leaders consider adding new Kansas Turnpike interchange
Topeka City leaders are are moving forward with plans to give Topeka commuters more options on the Kansas Turnpike. Topeka City Council is pairing up with the Kansas Turnpike Authority to create a concept study to add an interchange to the turnpike near 29th and California Ave. This project is estimated to cost around $20 million. At their last meeting, Topeka City Council approved paying $125,000 to the Kansas Turnpike Authority to help fund the study. This would be one of two interchanges proposed for the Topeka area.
Source: KSNT 27 News
More Prairie Village residents could get city property tax relief
More Prairie Village residents may soon be eligible for property tax relief offered by the city. Catch up quick: The City Council Committee of the Whole on Monday unanimously approved raising income thresholds connected to the city’s property tax rebate program, making households with higher incomes potentially eligible. The program reimburses residents for the city’s portion of their property tax bill, which amounts to about 16% of residents’ annual bill in Prairie Village.
Source: Prairie Village Post
An inside look at the North Lawrence camp for people experiencing homelessness
As the Lawrence community considers different strategies for a citywide response to the homelessness crisis, residents of a temporary campsite are living through the reality of the situation day to day. Lawrence city leaders have been getting heat from community members ranging from business owners to housing advocates to local residents, both housed and unhoused, sharing numerous concerns about safety issues within and surrounding the camp. Some are advocating for more resources to be put into the camp’s management, to help support Jenn Wolsey, homeless programs coordinator for the city’s Homeless Initiatives Division, who has been running the site. Others believe the city should be putting the funding for the temporary campsite toward a more permanent housing solution altogether. Wolsey said in a recent interview that the ultimate goal is to help those experiencing homelessness to find housing, but it could take years for the city to have enough affordable housing stock in place. “So in the short term, we do have to focus on the emergency service part just to keep people alive to get to that point,” she said.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Home ownership program fills slate of applications
All 10 requests have been filled for the Washington County Home Ownership Pilot Loan/ Grant Program. The final spot was filled Nov. 3 with a home in Clifton. Because all 10 spots will have loans that will be closed by the Dec. 31 deadline, there will not be a queue established in Washington. Washington County received $125,000 to be split among 10 homes purchased in the county this year. The first two homes received their $12,500 allocation on June 20.
Source: www.backroadsnews.com/rss.xml
County administrator search continues
The Unified Government continues to move ahead with a search for a county administrator. According to Bill Johnson, Board of Public Utilities manager, who is co-chair of the UG search task force, meetings were held last week with a new search firm, gv HR. The other task force chair is Bonner Springs Mayor Jeff Harrington. Johnson spoke at the UG Commission meeting Nov. 17. Cheryl Harrison-Lee was appointed the interim UG county administrator after former UG administrator Doug Bach retired Jan. 6. Bach had served as administrator since 2014 and was deputy county administrator from 2003 to 2014.
Source: Wyandotte Daily
Panasonic gives De Soto first look at site plan for $4B electric-vehicle battery plant
With site selection, incentives and more streamlined zoning lined up for its $4 billion electric-vehicle battery plant, Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd. soon will ask De Soto to approve a doozy of a development plan, one piece at a time. The company anticipates submitting its first of three phased pieces — a preliminary site and mass-grading plan — for the city’s Planning Commission to review in late December. The factory’s architectural elevations then could follow in January, culminating with final plans for grading, landscaping, signage and lighting in April.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal – The Business Journals
Topeka Metro set to launch on-demand transportation
The Topeka Metro is gearing up to launch a new microtransit on-demand service in the southeast area of Topeka early next year. The new service is called “Metro On-Demand.” MOD will let customers request curb-to-curb transportation in specific areas. Passengers will also be able to request a ride that would arrive in 15 minutes. “As we continue to look for new ways to improve, we believe the more personalized nature of microtransit will be a great addition to our service,” said Bob Nugent, Topeka Metro general manager. “Microtransit has been around for a while and has proven to be a more expedient and cost-effective way for folks to travel to where they need to go.”
Source: KSNT 27 News
County to move forward on sales tax direction
Since voters approved a measure to lower the countywide 1 cent sales to .75 percent to fund solid waste and joint communications, county leaders took action to clarify and ensure a solid path forward. Vice Chairman Casey Quinn brought the issue to the forefront Nov. 22 when she told fellow commissioner she thought it best to repeal Resolution 2014-1390 sooner than later in preparation the new sales tax rate becomes effective April 1, 2023. goes into effect. Quinn expressed her concern the document currently in effect would only be one be replaced by a new one without thought and communication with the public.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
Area eco devo agency staying busy for city
In an update to the Great Bend City Council Monday night, Bob Wetmore, co-director of Dodge City-based Great Plains Development Inc., said his agency continues to work for the community as he outlined the services GPD provides. This is a non-profit economic development agency that works with cities and counties by helping with loans to them as well as entrepreneurs.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Speaker tells of historic preservation efforts
Randy Greeves, a recently appointed Historic Preservation Officer for the Unified Government, was the speaker at the annual meeting of the Wyandotte County Historical Society Sunday, Nov. 20, at the Wyandotte County Museum. About 40 persons attended. Greeves explained that the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 sets federal policy for the preservation of our heritage. The law allows federal, state and local governments to operate and cooperate in historic preservation efforts.
Source: Wyandotte Daily
City Manager Mitchell finds home in Hoisington
… As City Manager, Mitchell understands that being in charge doesn’t mean backing away from a project. “Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing,” he said. … Mitchell got his first taste of community service when the United Way director asked him to be her intern. After graduation, he attended Kansas State University with a major in public relations, “because that was what she went to school for,” Mitchell recalled. Later as he was interning at United Way, he was approached by the Junction City city manager who asked what he thought about working with him. “I didn’t think that sounded that cool,” he said. “But I realized how much of a difference you can make working for the city.” He worked in the Junction City city office for four years, then followed up with his master’s degree in public administration “because that was what the city manager there had.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Democracy, Civility, and Rural America: An ICMA blog post by Russell city manager Jon Quinday
While often referred to as flyover states, rural America can be the calm and example for “of the people, by the people, for the people.” … We often hear of rural decline, which is true in some areas but not all in the rural Midwest. Listen to the conversations; some folks believe that rural decline is inevitable, with the belief that as older generations age and pass on, the younger generations are moving to big cities. In some instances, this is true. Take a closer look, and you see the younger generations returning to rural Kansas. Whatever their reason, it is a spark. Something or someone has drawn them back home, back to where their values and beliefs were formed, and are still alive and well today. So rather than talking about everything wrong with the community, rural life, or Kansas, let’s celebrate the progress our community and rural communities across Kansas have made despite being viewed as a relic of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Read the full post at ICMA.
Municipal Bond Trends for November 25, 2022
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 and Beth Warren.
Municipal Bond Trends for November 23, 2022
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 and Beth Warren.
Municipal Bond Trends for November 22, 2022
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 and Beth Warren.
Saline County signs mental health responders program into action
A new program will go into effect after final county approval Tuesday, allowing for mental health co-responders to assist local law enforcement on calls which involve or potentially involve subjects in need of mental health services. The move comes at a time where similar programs are gaining popularity nationwide, and as policing methods adapt to those trends. … “Saline County has been looking at this program for a while and when the ARPA funding became available, this is one of the things that we wanted to target,” County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes said.
Source: Salina Journal
Fixed cameras that read license plates are coming to Salina
Nearly two dozen cameras with the ability to scan license plates will soon be installed across the city after the Salina City Commission approved a request from the police department. The unanimous action by the commission means that the city will enter into a three-year agreement with Flock Safety for the installation and leasing of 22 fixed automatic license plate readers (ALPR). Sean Morton, interim chief for the Salina Police Department, said ALPRs, which can alert law enforcement to vehicles of interest, are not a new technology for the department, which bought two mobile readers in 2015.
Source: Salina Journal
Hidden History: Superior townsite fades away with founder’s Kansas dreams
The very first attempt at a settlement in what is now Osage County was called Council City. But Council City had a problem. The settlement company that funded and planned it was disorganized, and no one could quite decide where the best location should be – or even if it should be called Council City! After multiple attempts at establishing a location, in an area that covered nearly half a township between Switzler and Dragoon creeks, principal settlement seemed to find a resting place at approximately where Burlingame is today. At the head of the Council City enterprise in the earliest days was James Winchell.
Source: Osage County News
Andover tornado recovery drags on amid supply chain, labor issues
Supply chain delays and labor shortages have dragged out recovery in Andover after an EF-3 tornado tore through the area on April 29. “It was about the worst time in terms of lead times,” said Justin Smith of Smith Builders, who’s in the process of rebuilding 11 homes in the Reflection Lakes neighborhood. On the ground for 21 minutes, the tornado damaged roughly 300 to 400 structures in portions of Sedgwick and Butler counties and injured four people, officials have said. But recent headwinds in the construction industry have posed challenges for homeowners and businesses wanting to rebuild.
Source: Wichita Business Journal