Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Rolla offers free rent to help fill teaching positions

For some areas, school starts next week, and for many Kansas communities, the struggle isn’t bringing students into the schools but the teachers.

USD 217 Superintendent John Barrett has worked all summer to fill two teaching positions.

After making some adjustments, he said they finally found someone.

“We decided, in order to attract people, we started out with six months free rent, and we’ve since then increased it to a year,” said USD 217 Superintendent John Barrett.

CenturyLink is closing its JoCo office after getting millions in Kansas tax credits

Telephone and internet service provider CenturyLink received millions of dollars in Kansas economic development incentives. But apparently it wasn’t enough.

CenturyLink informed employees in July of its decision not to renew a longstanding lease at 600 New Century Parkway in Gardner’s New Century AirCenter. The lease will expire on June 30 of next year.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Hutchinson Police target repeat offenders with selective enforcement

Thursday night, the Hutchinson Police Department completed their first selective enforcement operation, resulting in multiple drug arrests, warrant arrests and citations.

It was a combined effort with the department’s Repeat Offender Unit, two K9 teams, detectives and members of the traffic bureau. Teams of two conducted multiple traffic stops, subject stops and warrant checks.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Officer, television news reporter injured by visitor fleeing Sedgwick County jail

Three people were arrested Friday afternoon after a chaotic car chase across Wichita that started at the Sedgwick County Jail.

Victor Walker, 28, was at the jail to pick up property from an inmate Friday afternoon when Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies realized he had an active warrant for his arrest, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Myers said.

Deputies had Walker cuffed behind his back and were processing his property when he took off, Myers said.

(Read more: Local News |)

Towns near the Flint Hills Trail hope breweries and festivals will draw in visitors

Visitors to one of the state’s newest parks can hike or bike over rocky streams and travel through hills, wetlands, tallgrass prairie and hardwood forests.

But the Flint Hills Trail – the longest nature trail in Kansas- also serves as an artery to rural Kansas that pumps economic development into towns left behind when the railroads stopped coming through.

Now several towns along the trail in east central Kansas are planning music festivals, opening breweries and bike shops, and converting old buildings to Airbnbs to serve visitors.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Local truck traffic regs a hot issue

The ordinance regulating truck traffic through Arkansas City was brought under fire Tuesday during a city commission meeting.

Jim Sybrant, owner of Ark City Warehouse on West Madison Avenue, brought his concerns and asked the commission to consider several revisions.

Sybrant, who operates a trucking firm, said he was informed by a local officer that on Wednesday officers would be stopping all trucks going through Arkansas City. He said the move was intended to encourage drivers to make use of the U.S. 77 Bypass instead of entering the city.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Historic theater celebrates the 80th anniversary of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with 3-D movie

The Augusta Historic Theatre is celebrating the 80th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” movie this weekend with three screenings of the 3D version of the musical film based on L. Frank Baum’s fantastical book about a Kansas farm girl.

“We are the only theater in Kansas showing ‘Wizard of Oz’ in 3D,” said Gwyn Birk, a board member on the Augusta Arts Council, which operates the theater.

Organizers hope that fact, along with the opportunity to see a classic movie in a classic venue, will attract fans of the film. The movie is being shown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with an additional screening at noon on Saturday. All shows cost $8 per person. Proceeds from ticket sales are used for operational costs.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Former employee sues Unified Government for harassment after jury convicts her boss

A former employee has sued the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, not quite two weeks after a jury convicted her boss of misdemeanor battery against her.

Madeline Waldeck sued the UG on Friday for discrimination, harassment and retaliation stemming from its handling of her complaints that former director of general services, Dennis “Tib” Laughlin, created a hostile work environment toward her, culminating in a 2018 incident in which he grabbed and pushed her.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Appeal period still open on amended Reno County floodplain map

State officials are reminding Reno County residents of the ongoing appeal period for a proposed new federal flood plain map.

The proposed map updating the 100-year flood plain for certain portions of Reno County — including the cities of Hutchinson, Nickerson, South Hutchinson and Willowbrook — was released for public review in April 2018.

FEMA and the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources developed the maps using data produced as a result of recent local efforts to re-certify flood levees along the Arkansas River.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

JoCo commission approves $1.25 billion budget that holds mill rate steady — but worries about revenue linger

With no small amount of angst, the Johnson County Commission approved a $1.25 billion budget Thursday.

Commissioners repeated their concerns about upcoming court cases involving the property valuations of commercial properties that are under appeal, but ultimately gave a final okay for a budget that keeps the taxing rate steady at 26.013 mills as property values have increased.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)

Holcomb plant down indefinitely after fire, but Tyson promises to continue weekly pay for employees

First responders fought and a community rallied this weekend in the wake of a fire that for hours burned through Finney County’s largest employer, Tyson Fresh Meats.

As the flames were fought and extinguished in the dead of night and following morning, the governor took notice, Tyson promised to support its employees and local nonprofits and businesses showed up with supplies and support.

The Finney County Communication Center received a 911 call from an operations manager at 8:35 p.m. Friday reporting a fire in the west end of the Holcomb meatpacking plant, the portion of the building used for harvest, where the animals are slaughtered. Tyson later confirmed in a statement that the fire started in the box shop.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

Out-of-county hazardous waste no longer accepted at Pratt recycling center

It’s costing more to get rid of household hazardous waste so Pratt City Commissioners have decided to end any acceptance of out-of-county HHW.

A combination of low prices for recyclables and high costs for handling household hazardous waste has resulted in the Pratt Recycle Center to stop taking out-of-county recyclables and HHW material from individuals. The decision was made at the Pratt County Commission meeting Aug. 5.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

Transportation Commission proposes pilot study for electric scooter rentals; two companies requesting to bring them to Lawrence

Before any companies are allowed to bring rentable electric scooters to the streets of Lawrence, the city’s Transportation Commission wants a pilot study to be conducted.

Two companies have already requested permission to bring scooter rental businesses to Lawrence, and the Transportation Commission voted during its meeting this week to create a subcommittee to develop a pilot program to test out scooters. Transportation Commission Chair Steve Evans told the Journal-World that the safety of the electric scooters, or “e-scooters,” would be a key concern for the subcommittee when recommending rules for the pilot study.

“What we don’t want to do is just throw 50 e-scooters on the streets and see what happens,” Evans said. “We need to know what does this pilot study look like, who is engaged in it and what will be the rules for the pilot study.”

Lawrence Public Library installs pay phone in effort to ‘not leave people behind’

It’s not an announcement many would expect to see in 2019, but the Lawrence Public Library hopes the addition of a pay phone will help those who may need it.

On Monday, the library announced that it had installed a brand new pay phone within its walls to allow people to make calls whenever they need to. While the announcement received several “LOLs” and jokes on the library’s Facebook page, library director Brad Allen said the purpose of the phone is to fill a need that many people may not realize exists.

“Public libraries are in a place where we have to figure out how to anticipate new trends, and we also have to hang on a lot longer to trends that are fading away,” Allen said. “A lot of people who have the most barriers to access also don’t have the most modern, newest things. It’s important to not leave people behind.”

Czech Capital of Kansas keeps heritage alive

You see it and hear it, as soon as you get to town!

Czechoslovakian culture is everywhere, with polka music piped out of speakers on Wilson’s main street.

It’s the legacy of immigrants who settled here in the late 1800’s.

“I would say 80% of the people living in this town were Czech,” said Melinda Merrill, who points to old black-and-white photographs. “This is my grandfather and my two great aunts. These people and these people all lived in the house that my daughter is living in now.”

Merrill and others in Wilson are helping to preserve that history. She bought the Midland Railroad Hotel, built in 1899.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

McPherson mom likes smaller Inman schools

Toni Ollenberger, of McPherson, has been impressed with the USD-448 Inman School District since entering her daughter, Gracie, into preschool at the southern McPherson County district.

“It’s awesome,” Ollenberger said. “It was the smaller schools, the teachers and the students.”

Ollenberger was among the many parents who went to Inman’s onsite enrollment on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Inman High School Library.

Originally, Ollenberger said she was just going to have her daughter attend preschool at Inman and then begin home-schooling her for kindergarten.

“We saw how awesome it is here,” Ollenberger said. “We decided to stay.”

(Read more: McPherson Weekly News » Feed)

Lenexa terminates TIF development agreement for Renner 87 mixed-use project in City Center

The city of Lenexa has decided to terminate a TIF development agreement with Renner Housing LLC in City Center over the company’s failure to acquire necessary financing or the property to build Renner 87 Flats at City Center.

The mixed-use project, officially titled “Project Plan 4C,” would have been located in the City Center Redevelopment TIF District. It included 250 multi-family units and about 10,000 square feet of retail on 7 acres in the northeast corner of Renner Boulevard and West 87th Street Parkway.

The city council had approved the disposition and development agreement in December 2018. The city amended the agreement in April to allow the developer more time, but the developer failed to acquire the property and financing for the project by the deadline set out in the agreement: June 28, 2019.

Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office to use drones to fight crime

Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill’s office announced Thursday it will begin flying drones over public roadways and pathways in areas of unincorporated Shawnee County that have seen increases in burglaries and thefts. It is important that the sheriff’s office “be proactive in trying to find these criminals,” sheriff’s Maj. Shane Hoobler said at Thursday’s meeting of the Shawnee County Commission.

Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play announces partnership with Topeka, Shawnee County

A Silicon Valley-based company with global reach has decided to put down roots in Kansas.The Greater Topeka Partnership announced Thursday in the Capitol rotunda that California-based Plug and Play — an innovation company aiming to find, invest in and advance startup companies — has entered into an agreement with Topeka to bring startups to the area. According to key players in pulling the agreement together, the deal’s impact will reach far beyond Topeka …

Proponent of Sunday liquor sales in South Hutch says he has enough signatures on petition

A South Hutchinson liquor store owner says he has enough signatures on a petition to bring Sunday liquor sales up for a vote.

Greg Dovel has been collecting signatures of South Hutchinson residents trying to drum up support for the vote.

Dovel had tried unsuccessfully to get the city council to pass a resolution allowing the sales just as he opened a new business selling alcohol and tobacco products.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Group gets Atchison’s backing to aid victims

After several months of uncertainty following the closure of a regional domestic violence shelter last fall, the local government has found a new partner to provide aid to the victims of perhaps more than 300 domestic disturbance cases in the town each year.

Those in need of aid or shelter after experiencing abuse at the home in Northeast Kansas have gained a new partner in the last year in the form of The Alliance Against Family Violence. The Alliance, which recently re-formed after a closure in 2017, operates a single shelter supporting several rooms with five beds each at an undisclosed location in Leavenworth.

The City of Atchison governing body moved via a 5-0 vote on Monday to endorse The Alliance as the municipality’s official domestic violence shelter provider, replacing the defunct Domestic Violence Emergency Services (DoVES) facility.

(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

New banners going up soon in the downtown Hutchinson area

Some new banners will start showing up in the downtown area soon.

Recently the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce took on the role of promotion for Downtown Hutchinson. In an effort to engage all downtown stakeholders, a Downtown Coalition was formed and meets the second Wednesday of each month.

One item that arose from those meetings was the need for new streetlight banners along Main Street.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Tax on out-of-state internet sales coming in Kansas

Kansas businesses may not have to compete against online retailers much longer.

People in Kansas have to pay state sales tax at six and a half percent, but not all out of state internet purchases have had that charge.

“The main street retailer in Kansas being at such a competitive disadvantage and when you figure state and local rates you could have a ten percent differential, and that makes a difference,” Department of Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart.

The state will require out-of-state internet purchases to be taxed as well. Now supporters say in-state and out-of-state businesses will be on the same playing field.

“Companies are systematically soliciting customers from Kansas and to the disadvantage of in-state companies and to the state of Kansas because revenue is not being properly collected,” Burghart said.

Burghart said this could add $20 million to $40 million in state revenue. This comes after last year’s Wayfair v. South Dakota Supreme Court case allowing state taxes on internet sales.

10-year treasury yield drops under 1.6%, 30-year yield nears record low as collapse in rates accelerates

Investors again rushed for the safety of government bonds and dumped stocks on Wednesday, exacerbating the August exodus away from risk assets as traders around the world settled in for a U.S.-China trade war without an end in sight.

The flight to safety sent the yield on the 10-year Treasury note — used as a benchmark for mortgage rates and auto loans — falling to a low of 1.595%, the lowest since autumn 2016. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond bottomed around 2.12%, near its all-time low reached in 2016. Yields pared some of their declines later in the session, but held steady near multiyear lows.

New rules create uncertainty in mayor vote

Election Day may be over but the votes are still coming in at the Sedgwick County election office. That’s all because of a change in state law. And it’s creating uncertainty in a race where just 160 votes can decide who moves on to the general election.
… at the election office downtown votes continue to arrive, more than 425 mail-in ballots and counting. A state law change a couple years ago means the elections office has to accept mail-in ballots until Friday, as long as the postmark is no later than Election Day.

The question is, will one candidate manage to dominate the mail-in vote enough to move the final percentages?

(Read more: KAKE – News)

KDOT program to replace and rehabilitate deficient bridges on local road system

KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz announced the program Wednesday at an event in Butler County joined by leaders from the Kansas Association of Counties, the Kansas County Highway Association and the Kansas Contractors Association.

The Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program is a $5 million state-funded program that helps cities and counties by providing up to $150,000 toward the replacement or rehabilitation of a bridge on the local roadway system. To qualify, bridges must be rated as deficient, have a daily vehicle count of less than 100 and be 20 to 50 feet in length. Cities and counties can garner an additional $50,000 by closing a deficient bridge. Local jurisdictions that are awarded funds must provide a 10 percent match.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

JoCo cities looking at caveats on tax incentives for big box retailers who make ‘dark store theory’ appeals

Should cities continue to give generous tax incentives to big retailers even if it means those businesses will eventually challenge their property valuations, demand several years of tax refunds and leave homeowners and school districts holding the bag?

Some Johnson County cities are beginning to say no. As the news has begun to sink in that yet another corporate discounter – Walmart – recently won an appeal of its property values, a few cities are already looking at ways they can protect themselves. And the idea of the day seems to be tax incentive agreements that can rake back some of the money if retailers get their way in a tax appeal.

Gardner and Lenexa may be the first Johnson County cities to try such a thing, and Shawnee is considering it. Gardner had an agreement written into its Main Street Market Place development for a Price Chopper grocery store. Lenexa’s is for the City Center Hotel development for a Hyatt.

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Lenexa updates code to allow golf carts on some public residential streets

After Lenexa residents posed questions on proper usage of golf carts on residential streets, the city council updated city regulations to make them more easily understood and enforceable.

Before the city updated the code, golf carts were generally not allowed to operate on city streets.

City staff reported receiving numerous questions from residents regarding the use of golf carts on public streets.

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Garden City celebrates National Night Out with local first responders

Kids surfed down inflatable slides and slurped on snow cones as the heat beat down on Garden City Monday afternoon, taking advantage of a “night out” with their families, neighbors and, notably, local first responders. Dozens of residents took to the streets, driveways and front yards Monday for National Night Out, the local celebration of a national event aimed at building community relationships with law enforcement and reducing crime across the country.

Revised bridge program could be boon for county

Marion County might benefit from the reinstatement of a state program designed to reduce the number of deficient bridges on local roads.
County engineer Brice Goebel told commissioners Monday that the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement program will pay $140,000 per location to build local bridges.
“It does not have to meet federal guidelines,” Goebel said.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Wichita Police Department shows off its two new police horses

The Wichita Police Department’s mounted unit now has two new members – Hero and Keeper.

The Mounted Unit’s eight horses, 14 officers and two sergeants were featured at a news conference Wednesday afternoon in Old Town Farmer’s Market to introduce its newest partners.

Becca Boldra, Wichita Police Foundation executive director, said the “Horse for Heroes” fundraising campaign allowed the department to purchase the Clydesdales and introduced the horses to the community.

(Read more: Local News |)

High speed fiber laid in Greensburg’s northwest sector

Haviland Telephone Company is working to bring Greensburg residents up to speed with a three-layer process to provide residents with high speed fiber optics cable in city limits.

Some Greensburg residents are already experiencing the joy of high speed internet as provided by Haviland Telephone Company’s new fiber cable, but most are patiently waiting for their turn to get linked into the new internet option made possible by city leaders.

(Read more: Kiowa County Signal)

Kansas imposes toughest online tax collections in the nation

Kansas plans to impose what some tax experts said Wednesday would be the nation’s most aggressive policy for collecting state and local taxes on online sales, possibly inviting a legal battle.

The state Department of Revenue issued a notice last week saying any “remote seller” doing business with Kansas residents must register with the department, collect state and local sales taxes and forward the revenues to the state, starting Oct. 1. It cites a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year allowing states to collect sales taxes on Internet sales.

Most states now have policies to collect such taxes, but almost all set minimum annual sales or transaction thresholds to exempt small businesses, according to groups tracking tax laws. Kansas is the first to attempt to collect the taxes without exempting any businesses, they said.

(Read more: Little Apple Post)

Marshall County Commissioners interested in funding local development

Marshall County commissioners plan to decide soon on funding for economic development in the 2020 budget. All three board members have expressed interest in increased funding….

Commissioner Keith Bramhall says he’s in favor of allocating $25,000 in 2020 funding for the Marshall County Partnership for Growth, a countywide economic development organization. The county is currently funding the group at $2,500 per year.

Bramhall also said he wanted to revisit Commissioners Chairman Dave Baier’s proposal for the county to provide $20,000 in grant monies for new businesses.

(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)

Tour of local housing sparks discussion, ideas for Marysville

Republic County economic development director Luke Mahin visited Marysville Monday for a housing development tour with Marshall County Partnership for Growth director Ellen Barber and Partnership president Nic Stoll.

Mahin said he noticed that Marysville has many housing issues that are similar to Belleville’s.

After the tour, Mahin had lunch with Barber, Stoll, Bulldog Apartments manager Mary Kueny and Partnership board member Rob Peschel. Mahin was joined for the tour and lunch by Kansas State University architecture student Harley Schuster, who is interning this summer with Mahin’s group.

Schuster said that during the tour she saw lots of opportunities for housing, especially rentals.

Mahin said he was impressed with Stoll’s and his father’s effort to construct rental homes in Marysville to replace vacant or rundown properties. The Stolls are currently working on their sixth housing project.

(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)

Report: Kansas farm real estate values up 6% from last year

A government report shows farm real estate values went up 6% in Kansas from last year.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Tuesday that the value of all land and buildings on Kansas farms averaged $1,960 per acre for 2019. That is $110 per acre higher than last year.

The report is a bright spot as Kansas farmers struggle with mounting debt, lower crop prices and trade challenges.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

U.S. 77 bridge in Cowley County to be repaired

The deck on a U.S. 77 bridge in Cowley County will be repaired, with a tentative start on Aug. 12.

The bridge is in northern Cowley County, 2.5 miles north of the junction of U.S. 77 and K-15 and just south of the town of Rock.

The Kansas Department of Transportation project involves patching the bridge deck with a quick-drying concrete so traffic can be allowed sooner.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Walgreens to shut 200 US stores as part of cost-cutting plan

Pharmacy chain Walgreens plans to close 200 stores in the United States as it seeks to cut costs.

The company said in a regulatory filing Tuesday the closings are part of its previously announced plan to trim costs by $1.5 billion in a few years. In May, the company announced plans to close 200 stores in the United Kingdom.

The Deerfield, Illinois-based company operates over 18,000 stores worldwide. In June it reported a 24% decline in quarterly net income and predicted that annual earnings would be roughly flat with the prior year. Walgreens has been hit by challenges including reimbursement cuts and lower price increases for branded drugs.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Wichita City Council approves 17th Street redesign

The Wichita City Council approved a plans to redesign a portion of McAdams Park on 17th Street and pay homage to baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

McAdams Park is the home of League 42, a community baseball program for inner-city and low-income youth, named in Robinson’s honor.

The city’s redesign will include widening 17th Street from I-135 to Broadway, a new baseball crosswalk, and a sculpture of Robinson that will be unveiled on League 42’s Opening Day in 2020.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Merriam dedicates new public art, playground relocated to Waterfall Park

Merriam residents had a double celebration on a hot and humid Tuesday night at Waterfall Park.

City leaders and staff last night dedicated an area of the 15-acre park to be the new site for playground equipment formerly at Vavra Park. City officials also officially dedicated a new, $95,000 sculpture of a caterpillar and butterfly on the northern side of the park abutting Merriam Drive.

The sculpture, “Hmmm…” is designed by Colorado artist Joshua Weiner, who attended the dedication ceremony. The 9-foot tall caterpillar stands next to a 12-foot cairn, stack of granite river boulders, with a butterfly perched on top.

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Hillsboro hospital bankruptcy proves costly

The $4,118 legal bill paid by the city of Hillsboro Tuesday is only a spit in a bucket of money the city has paid since a court battle over a hospital bankruptcy began in January.
Bank of Hays in January filed a petition for mortgage foreclosure against Hillsboro Community Hospital and seven co-defendants including the city and its Public Building Commission.
The bank is seeking a court order that the sheriff sell the hospital building and its contents, then distribute the proceeds first to Marion County to cover $322,322 in unpaid property taxes, and next to Bank of Hays toward more than $9.8 million owed on the mortgage, interest, and costs of the lawsuit.

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

Haven school district and teachers meet with mediator on Monday

The Haven school district and its teachers will go before a mediator during another negotiation session on Monday. This comes after the board declared an impasse with teachers on a new contract.

The board declared the impasse during a special session to consider what the district’s teachers say was their final offer when it comes to an increase in base pay for next year. The issue is one of the last sticking points in a new contract for the approaching year.

After starting $4,000 apart in their offers the two sides had come to within $1,500 of an agreement but could not come to a compromise.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Mulvane Old Settlers Days celebrates American Legion post with theme

Mulvane’s oldest and largest annual event, Mulvane Old Settlers Days, will return next weekend with a patriotic theme.

The festival is held the third weekend of each August, this year from Aug. 16 to Aug. 18. The 2019 theme is “Centennial of Honor,” representing 100 years since the American Legion was founded in the United States.

Mulvane’s American Legion post is one of the oldest in the nation. The Paul Stewart Irwin Post 136 was first granted a temporary charter in November 1919, only months after the very first post was chartered in Washington, D.C.

Merriam launches interactive map to view construction projects

The city of Merriam has launched a new, interactive construction map for city projects.

The digital map, which is publicly available to view, allows residents to learn more about what public works projects are going on across the city.

Jenna Gant, communications and public engagement manager, said the interactive map provides a comprehensive look at what construction is currently happening in the city, from public works projects to capital improvements from contract workers.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Nemaha County Commission approves wind farm term sheet, site plan

Following months of meetings and discussion, the term sheet and site plan for the proposed Soldier Creek Wind Farm in southern Nemaha County were unanimously approved by the Nemaha County Commission on Wednesday, July 31, at the Community Building in Seneca.
The documents – and project as a whole – have created some heated debates for many months, all while county residents remained unsure of how the commissioners … would vote in the matter.
More than 100 county residents and NextEra Energy representatives were present during the meeting when commissioners gave their approval of the project, which is to be located in the southern half of Nemaha County. The project is supposed to house up to 132 wind turbines, which includes 120 primary sites and 12 alternate sites.