Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

AG Schmidt announces upcoming open meeting, open records training

TOPEKA – (July 3, 2019) – Free training sessions on Kansas open government laws will be offered later this month across Kansas, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government announced today.

“Open access to the functions of government is important to self-government,” Schmidt said. “As our office investigates complaints of violations of open government laws, most often we find the violations were inadvertent and can be avoided through better education. I encourage public officials, candidates for public office, staff, members of the media and the public to participate in these training sessions to learn more about how these laws work.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

The home of baseball legend receives preservation grant

KANSAS CITY, Mo (KSNW) – National Trust for Historic Preservation is handing out grants to several major sites in African American history including one in Kansas City.

The historic home of black baseball legend Satchel Paige in Kansas City, Missouri was one of only a few sites to receive a grant.

Paige was a Negro League pitcher and National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Lindsborg celebrates 150 years with first Living Dala

For many, July 5th means bustling back to work, cleaning up after an Independence Day party the night before, or even enjoying a four-day weekend — but for residents of Lindsborg, it’s a day to celebrate the Living Dala.

On Friday, Lindsborg, Kansas, known as Little Sweden, celebrated 150 years of township by creating a live dala horse — a typically wooden-carved, rounded and painted horse, and known Swedish icon — in an aerial photo.

About 450 community members of all ages gathered in white or red t-shirts at 10 a.m. to get into position to create the Living Dala.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Cost savings found for Great Bend Airport runway reconstruction

With a partnership between with the Federal Aviation Administration and Kansas Department of Transportation, the City of Great Bend was able to save money on the reconstruction of Runway 17/35 at the Great Bend Municipal Airport. Airport Manager Martin Miller says a switch to cement underneath a portion of the runway resulted in approximately a $100,000 savings.

“Instead of fly ash which was called for in the specifications, the contractor tested and was approved by the FAA to have cement used to treat 12 feet of dirt below the existing runway,” Miller said.

With the FAA paying for 90 percent of 5,500 feet of the runway and KDOT paying for 90 percent of the remaining 2,351 feet, Great Bend’s 10-percent savings will be roughly $10,000.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

City renames central fire station for longtime chief

The City of Garden City on Tuesday officially renamed the central fire state as the Allen Shelton Central Fire Station, in honor of longtime Fire Chief Allen Shelton’s 44 years of dedicated service to the department and the city.

Shelton retired on July 1.

“I’m very honored that the Central Fire Station will bear my name. There’s no words to express how grateful I am. I am very grateful,” Shelton said during Tuesday’s Garden City Commission meeting. “Thank you all very much. The City of Garden City has been fantastic to me over the last 44 years. Just a great place to work and live.”

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

How Wichita ballpark got $40 million in state incentives

Wichita doubled what it would pay to build a new baseball stadium — to $75 million — during private negotiations with a Triple-A baseball team.

It also doubled what it sought in state incentives to help pay for the stadium and nearby amenities — to $40 million — without conducting a feasibility study on the more expensive stadium.

City and state officials approved the new price tag quickly.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Celebrating Our Small Cities

Each year, the National League of Cities celebrates our cities with populations of 50,000 or less. Across the country, our small towns, villages, and cities are the heartbeat of communities. While a large proportion of the United States continues to be urban, a growing majority of Americans live in small towns with populations between 2,500 and 50,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These are the places where government is personal and strong foundations for community are built.

(Read more: CitiesSpeak)

Study: Kansas saves more money from federal disaster grants

A study has found that Kansas saves more money, on average, than any other state that uses federal grants to mitigate natural disasters.

The Pew Charitable Trusts analysis shows that for every $1 of federal funds spent on protecting against flood and tornado damage, Kansas avoided $6.81 in potential recovery costs.

The Kansas News Service reports that Missouri trailed close behind, with each federal dollar saving $6.72.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Flooding still causing problems at El Dorado Lake

Officials with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism say Independence Day is one of the busiest weekends for state parks all year long. They say the lake is still recovering from flood waters.

Five of it’s six boat ramps are still under water, and several campgrounds still closed.

Thousands of people were forced to use one boat ramp, causing traffic and congestion on the lake. Some say they have never seen that before.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Dodge City approves Sidewalk Cafe ordinance

During the Dodge City Commission meeting Monday, city commissioners approved a sidewalk cafe ordinance for downtown restaurants.

“We received requests from restaurant owners within the Heritage District downtown to allow alcohol and food be allowed onto the sidewalks,” Dodge City legal counsel Brad Ralph said. “The restaurants would be allowed to have tables in front of the premises for patrons.”

Ralph said after seeing similar ordinances in areas throughout the state, the city amended the ordinances based off two concerns.

Wamego’s Fourth of July celebration attracts up to 50,000 people

On most days, Wamego has a population of about 4,800 people.You’d never know it on the Fourth of July, however, when as many as 50,000 people — possibly more — crowd into this Pottawatomie County town located about 45 miles northwest of Topeka.For many people, Wamego’s Fourth of July celebration is as good as it gets: a slice of Americana with scenes that Norman Rockwell could have painted 75 years ago.

Manhattan’s flag design contest

Manhattan officials have announced on the City website that seven finalists have been selected from 120 design submissions in the City’s new flag design contest. You can vote on your favorite concept either online or in person at city hall. Only one entry is allowed from each computer IP address and only one ballot per person can be otained at the customer service window.

To cast a vote online, please visit www.cityofmhk.com/flag. or to fill out a paper ballot in person, go to the customer service window at City Hall, located at 1101 Poyntz Avenue.

(Read more: Little Apple Post)

NextEra files suit against county seeking to overturn denial of its permit

NextEra Energy and some six dozen owners of land in Reno County filed suit in district court this week. The group seeks to reverse the county’s denial of a conditional-use permit for a proposed wind farm in the southeast part of the county.

The suit was electronically filed by Pretty Prairie Wind LLC, the Kansas limited liability company NextEra created to develop the project. It also lists as parties to the suit individuals, businesses or trusts that have contracted with Pretty Prairie Wind to lease land for the proposed 80-plus turbine project.

The 14-page lawsuit alleges problems with a protest petition that forced a unanimous Reno County Commission vote to approve the permit and contends there was no legal basis for denying the permit.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

‘Big Ditch’ renamed in honor of man credited for saving Wichita

Following an act of Congress, the 60-year-old flood-control project credited for literally saving the city of Wichita is renamed for the man credited for its creation.

Rep. Ron Estes and Sen. Jerry Moran visited Wichita Wednesday to take part in the ceremony recognizing the official renaming of the Wichita-Valley Center Floodway — known locally as “The Big Ditch — to the MS Mitch Mitchell Floodway.

The project, completed in 1959, diverts water from Chisholm Creek, the Little Arkansas River, and the Arkansas River around the heart of Wichita and empties the water back into the river downstream of the city.
Estes discussed a few of the floods that nearly devastated Wichita before Mitchell pushed for the long-term solution.

(Read more: KWCH News)

JoCo parks system giving e-bikes a trial run

Electric bicycles — the kind that work only when the rider is pedaling — are now permitted on the recreational trails operated by the Johnson County parks system.

Reversing a position taken late last year against e-bikes, the county’s Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners voted last month to permit electric bikes on trails for a six-month trial period that runs through the end of the year.

A primary goal is to promote fitness by getting more people on bicycles and exercising, even those who are limited by age, physical infirmity or excess weight. They are particularly useful in helping riders scale the Kansas City area’s many hills.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Flooding in central Kansas forces evacuations in small town

Flooding in central Kansas has forced evacuations in a small town along the rain-swollen North Cottonwood River.

The flooding resulted from heavy rains Thursday morning. Parts of Saline County received more than 8 inches of rain, while 6 inches fell in Marion County.

KAKE-TV reports that about 10 homes in Durham in northwest Marion County along the North Cottonwood had to be evacuated. Mayor Mike Sorensen said the downtown in the community of about 110 residents was under 3 feet of water.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Gadner police department reunites cat, owner

When Gardner Police Department’s Animal Control Officer Alexis Rivera was called to pick up a wandering cat, she followed her normal process of taking the wandering animal to the city shelter for found dogs and cats.
Rivera noticed how happy and healthy the cat appeared, and she decided to scan it for a microchip. The cat had previously had a microchip injected just under the skin.
Rivera contacted the microchip company and learned the name of the owner that had purchased the microchip originally. She then began attempting to contact the owner.
At the same time, the microchip company sent a text message to the registered owner, telling them the Gardner Police Department had located their cat. Thanks to the microchip implant, ACO Rivera was able to unite the cat with its owner after being missing for three years.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Topeka Metro Bikes program nears end of road

A lack of available funding has the Topeka Metro bus service planning to end its Topeka Metro Bikes bicycle sharing program effective Dec. 1, says the chairman of the board for the Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority, which oversees that agency.That program is among casualties of cuts included in the budget the seven-member TMTA board approved for its fiscal year that began Tuesday and runs through June 30, 2020….

Frontenac approves legal action against Pittsburg over disputed road

dispute between the cities of Pittsburg and Frontenac over a section of Wild Red Road connecting to East Atkinson Ave near the Pittsburg Highlands housing development continues to escalate, despite a recent offer from Pittsburg attempting to resolve the issue.

…Frontenac City Attorney Tim Fielder … said Kansas cities have control over their own territory under what is known as home rule. The construction of the disputed section of road “constitutes both a trespassing and a taking, … The trespass was contemplated by Pittsburg as early as November 28, 2017, when it allowed the platting of Pittsburg Highlands.”

(Read more: Pittsburg Morning Sun)

City of Lawrence welcomes new city manger Craig Owens

The City of Lawrence has officially welcomed new City Manager Craig Owens aboard.

Owens began his employment with the city on Monday, and Tuesday was his first City Commission meeting. Owens replaces Tom Markus, 68, who retired after about three years as the city’s top administrator.

Mayor Lisa Larsen opened Tuesday’s commission meeting with a brief recognition for Owens.

“It’s just great to have you aboard,” Larsen told Owens. “It’s something we’ve been obviously waiting for for some time. I know it’s been a lot going on for you, trying to transition, but we’re really looking forward to it.”

Read more: LJWorld.com.

‘It’s putting everybody here at risk’: Residents and City of Wichita urging property owners to clean up blight homes

The City of Wichita is asking some property owners to clean up or pay up. A total of 13 property owners have until July 12 to get their homes and land in order or could be taken to court and face a fine. It’s an effort to cut down on blight and nuisance properties in the area.

Blight is the term for land that is unsightly, unsafe, and in dilapidated conditions.

“We always do our best to combat blight and focus on areas in need given the resources available to us,” said Chris Labrum, Director with the city’s Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Recycling contamination causing issues in Harvey County

Waste Management and Harvey County are renegotiating contracts, looking closely at recycling services in the county.At issue, according to county administration, are not only the fees charged but also how much material that is not recyclable is winding up in recycling bins.The current county ordinance prohibits grass clipping, leaves and household hazardous waste from being placed in the waste stream. It also prohibits recycling materials in the waste stream.

Garden City discusses changes to food truck license fees

Garden City’s Neighborhood and Development Services staff on Tuesday broke down proposed changes to its local itinerant business licenses, permits that determine whether food trucks, door-to-door contractors and other mobile businesses can legally operate within city limits.Garden City’s current policy offers separate itinerant business licenses for non-local and local businesses, the latter defined as a business that has operated a 1,000-square-foot permanent physical …

Prairie Village, YMCA and JoCo Library looking to field feasibility study on community center idea

The city of Prairie Village, the YMCA of Greater Kansas City and the Johnson County Library have agreed in principle to jointly field a high level feasibility study on a possible community center project, Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson announced Monday.

In remarks at the city council meeting last night, Mikkelson said he expected that city staff would have a memorandum of understanding between the three parties to present in the coming weeks, perhaps as soon as the next council meeting. The agreement would authorize the expenditure of up to $50,000 on a market study with the cost split among the three parties.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Developers, city leaders celebrate grand opening of The District at Lenexa City Center

Developers and Lenexa city leaders last week celebrated the grand opening of The District at Lenexa City Center.

The District at City Center Lenexa is a mixed-use development featuring retail, corporate, residential, civic and recreational components located at West 87th Street and Penrose Lane, across the street from the Public Market and the new Lenexa City Center Library.

In his opening remarks Thursday, Copaken Brooks Principal Keith Copaken welcomed the crowd to “downtown in the making.”

“This is the next generation of suburban mixed use,” Copaken said. “There’s not another development in Kansas City that combines all these pieces of the puzzle together, and that, in large part, is due to the city. I can’t think of another project that has put all this in one place — let alone done it as successfully as Lenexa has.”

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Tonganoxie residents urge emphasis on city code enforcements

Some Tonganoxie residents are asking the city to continue to look at ways to improve blighted properties and other areas that might need addressed.
Former Tonganoxie City Council member Jamie Lawson gave a presentation in front of the council and roughly 50 other residents at the June 3 council meeting that discussed concern about residences in the community that could be cleaned up, including properties that have been repeat offenders when it comes to ordinance violations.

(Read more: TonganoxieMirror.com stories)

Shawnee County hopes to address food insecurity through creation of new council

Shawnee County Health Department is looking to create the area’s first local farm and food council in an effort to address food insecurity among county residents.

Craig Barnes, manager of the department’s Health Outreach and Planning Division, announced such plans in a presentation Monday morning to the Shawnee County Commission.

According to Barnes, impending creation of the council is one of four initiatives the health department expects will promote healthier living in Shawnee County. Two of those — development of the Shawnee County Farm and Food Advisory Council and investment in a “health planner” position — are already underway, Barnes noted. The recently hired planner’s name is Susan Caman.

Wakefield to begin fining residents with unclean gutters

Starting in July, the City of Wakefield will begin issuing $25 tickets to residents who failed to keep their street gutters clean.

The City of Wakefield posted that the fines will begin to be issued after annual cleaning of streets, which takes place in July. CleanRite, with whom the city has a contract to clean the streets, will be coming for three to four days to clean and sweep the streets.

Lawrence city leaders want cap on how many whole-home Airbnbs a single owner can operate

City leaders expressed interest Tuesday in putting a cap on the number of whole-home Airbnbs and other short-term rentals that can be operated by a single owner.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2, with commissioners Stuart Boley and Leslie Soden opposing, to have city staff draft changes to existing regulations that would establish a licensing process for all short-term rentals, including whole-home rentals where the property owner lives elsewhere. The license program would allow all types of short-term rentals by right citywide, but would allow the licenses to be revoked for just cause. The commission also directed staff to investigate a potential provision to limit how many whole-home short-term rentals one individual can operate.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Dual roles are called ‘incompatible’

Marion’s long history of city council members serving on its planning board is not specifically prohibited, but a 1977 attorney general’s opinion calls the two roles “incompatible.”
Readers asked the Record to investigate after noting that John Wheeler, Marion city councilman and candidate for mayor, serves on both the planning commission and the airport authority. His current three-year term on the planning commission will expire in December 2021.
Mayor Todd Heitschmidt said a council member had been on the planning board for the 13 years he’s been on the council.

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

Century II or something new? Group seeks answers to Wichita’s riverfront questions

A coalition of Wichita boosters working to shape the future of the city’s riverfront has announced its first — tentative — public meeting date.

The group says it wants to put the community’s vision for the future of the east bank of the Arkansas River downtown on paper as the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan. A primary focus will be connecting the east bank with the ballpark development on the west bank, downtown and development to the north to the Keeper of the Plains.

It’s inviting members of the public to attend a meeting, scheduled tentatively for July 31. It plans other meetings to collect ideas.

“Because the sensitivity of this area, because so much of it is public land, we really believe the public needs to go along the entire journey and hear all of the discussions,” said Jon Rolph, co-chair of the Greater Wichita Partnership.

(Read more: Local News |)

Downtown Topeka is getting livelier, residents say

Downtown Topeka has gotten much livelier since Julian Jenkins and Marcelino Gomez III moved there last June, they say.

A year ago, Gomez said, he’d be greeted by silence and a general lack of activity whenever he went out front after 5 p.m at their second-story apartment in the 700 block of S. Kansas Avenue.

“But now we go outside and there’s people hanging out, kids hanging out,” he said. “There’s people walking up and down ‘the av.’ We call it ‘the av.’”

CDC warns outbreaks from ‘Crypto’ parasite found in pools on the rise

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of a rise in a parasite that can live for days in swimming pools and water playgrounds, officials said in a report released last week.

Cryptosporidium, or Crypto, is a parasite spread through fecal matter of infected humans or animals. Cases of Crypto have been rising 13% each year from 2009-2017.

Crypto causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea that can last for weeks, according to the CDC. Older people, younger children and those with compromised immune systems are at most risk when they contract the parasite, as it could lead to malnutrition.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Downtown Topeka crowd cheers U.S. Open champ Woodland

Topeka native Gary Woodland’s extended family has traveled across the country to watch him play.

So it was no surprise Tuesday evening when those close to him — Gary and Wanda Bond, Yolanda McKeever and Payne Mendenhall, among others — joined Woodland in downtown Topeka for a block party celebrating the professional golfer’s June 16 win at the U.S. Open.

Gary Bond said he and his wife watched the tournament “every step of the way.”

“We were all screaming and cheering when he won,” Wanda Bond said.

“We’re his fans,” McKeever added.

KDOT names new regional public affairs manager

After a long career as a Wichita-based journalist, Tim Potter has been named a regional public affairs manager for the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Potter is based in the Hutchinson office of KDOT’s District Five, which spans 18 south-central Kansas counties: Barber, Barton, Butler, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rush, Sedgwick, Stafford and Sumner.

For the past 22 years, working as a staff writer for The Wichita Eagle, Potter reported on a variety of public safety issues, including traffic safety. “It’s fitting for me to work for KDOT because safety is a huge part of its mission,” he said.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

New law allows Kansas drivers to refuse field sobriety tests

WICHITA (AP) — Kansas drivers can no longer be charged with a crime for refusing a field sobriety test under a new state law.

The Wichita Eagle reported that a change in state law that took effect Monday means police can’t ticket suspected drivers for not taking the test, but refusal to comply comes with a yearlong license suspension — the same as the longest suspension for failing a breathalyzer or blood test.

(Read more: Hays Post)

HAWVER: Supremes’ census decision will have impact on Kan.

This census/congressional reapportionment issue breaks a lot of ways for Kansas, and the U.S. Supreme Court decision last week that tossed, at least for now, a question about legal residency in the U.S. splashes into Kansas in several ways.

The high court decision was basically that there is no persuasive constitutional reason for the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census to require folks in the U.S. to reveal whether they are lawfully in the United States. Practically, most are, but millions aren’t.

The likely result? If the decision holds, millions of immigrants who aren’t formally U.S. citizens will fill out the census form, and we’ll know how many people we have in the nation and in each state and where they are and just what federal and state government needs to do to keep them safe, healthy, educated…basically living a decent life in the United States. If residents who aren’t formally citizens don’t fill out the form, fearing deportation, well, that has other effects that might or might not favor Kansas.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Four Geary County projects are on the list of KDOT approved bids

Bids for three bridge projects and one sidewalk – bicycle path project have been approved by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

They include

–Bridge repair on U.S. 77 over Rush Creek 1.41 miles north of the north K-57 junction. B & B Bridge Company LLC, St. Paul, KS was awarded a $1,295,015.93 bid for the project.

–A culvert for a reinforced concrete box bridge on I-70 2.88 miles east of the Dickinson / Geary County line. Reece Construction Company Inc., Salina was awarded a $376,186.50 bid.

–Bridge repadir on two I-70 bridges over East Street 3.1 miles east of the K-18 / I-70 junction. Bettis Asphalt & Construction Company Inc., Topeka was awarded a bid for $416,242.00.

–Trail connections at West 8th Street and Eisenhower Drive in Junction City. This involves pedestrian and bicycle paths for a seven-tenths of a mile stretch. The bid of $582,593.25 goes to Bryand & Bryant Construction Inc. of Halstead.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

De Soto City Clerk Lana McPherson, MMC, Succeeds To President Of International Institute of Municipal Clerks

Lana McPherson, MMC, City Clerk, De Soto, Kansas succeeded to the IIMC Presidency during the Organization’s 73rd Annual Conference in Birmingham, AL, on May 22, 2019. She will serve a one-year term, culminating in May 2020.
McPherson has been the City Clerk for De Soto, KS, since 1998. She is the quintessential City Clerk advocate. Known as Clerk Mom – McPherson has devoted her professional career to unselfishly supporting other Clerks – as well as serving her City and community.
She has been involved in her State Association’s committees and has instructed various classes ranging from Ethics to preserving a City’s Heritage. Her State Association recognized her in 2010 with the Mildred Vance Clerk of the Year Award – the State’s highest honor to a Municipal Clerk. From 2005 to 2007, she served as Chair for the City of De Soto’s Sesquicentennial celebration. McPherson also serves on the Kansas Board of Directors for the Midwest Public Risk Municipal Insurance Pool and is a current member of the League of Kansas Municipalities Public Officers and Employees Policy committee.
McPherson is a past IIMC Region VII Director and an Athenian Fellow. She is a true champion of the “I” in IIMC. In 2014, McPherson was a co-winner of IIMC’s Region Director Membership Challenge and gave her complimentary Conference registration that year to one of the Organization’s International members from the Netherlands. In 2016, McPherson received the Organization’s highest honor – the Quill Award, recognized by her peers as an individual who always surpasses what is expected of them in her profession and her community. She is the consummate team player and an inspiration to many Clerks.
Founded in 1947, IIMC is a professional nonprofit association with more than 15,000 members throughout North America and 12 other countries, representing municipalities with populations of 1,000 to more than 10 million. IIMC prepares its membership to meet the challenges of the diverse role of the Municipal Clerk by providing services and continuing educational development opportunities in 46 permanent college-and university-based learning centers. IIMC offers Municipal Clerks a Certified Municipal Clerk Program (CMC), a Master Municipal Clerk Academy (MMCA) Program and other opportunities to benefit members and the government entities they serve. A 26-member Board of Directors governs IIMC.

Lawrence treating water for unpleasant taste and odor caused by algae

The City of Lawrence is treating water from Clinton Lake for an unpleasant taste and odor caused by algae.

Lawrence has two major sources for its drinking water: the Kansas River and Clinton Lake. The Clinton Water Treatment Plant is currently treating water with elevated levels of geosmin, a byproduct of blue-green algae, the city announced in a news release Monday. The geosmin poses no health risk to residents, but it may cause an earthy smell and taste in the water. The city has increased treatment to eliminate as much of the smell and taste differences as possible.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence City Commission to consider allocating additional $250K for bike boulevards

City leaders will soon consider whether to move forward with Lawrence’s first bike boulevards, even though the project is significantly over budget.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will again consider approving the final conceptual designs for the 21st Street and 13th Street bicycle boulevards and a potential $250,000 increase to the project’s budget. In June, commissioners deferred taking action on the project, requesting instead to review the project’s finances to see whether one of the two boulevards could be delayed to keep the project within budget.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence City Commission to consider banning certain Airbnbs and other short-term rentals from neighborhoods

Lawrence city leaders will soon consider changes to the city’s recently established rules for regulating Airbnb properties and other short-term rentals, including an option to ban certain rentals from neighborhoods.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider revisions to the short-term rental program, a component of which was suspended this spring after commissioners expressed concerns about how it operated. Specifically, commissioners have discussed replacing or revoking the permitting process for whole-home short-term rentals, where the property owner lives elsewhere.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

An exit interview with departing Lawrence City Manager Tom Markus

We are really nice but not that rich.

That is one takeaway I had from my final interview with Lawrence City Manager Tom Markus as he ended his tenure at City Hall last week. Markus noticed the Lawrence friendliness in the grocery store and other places where he was out and about around the community.

Markus, who has been in public administration since 1973 and most recently came to Lawrence after serving in the top spot at Iowa City, said he had less anonymity in Lawrence than he did in the other communities he’s served. People would come up to him often while out in public.

“It didn’t bother me, and part of the reason why it didn’t is because everybody is so damn friendly,” Markus said. “They’ll tell you what they think of you, but most people have been genuinely friendly. About the best thing you can say about any place is the people are darn nice people.”

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Early success of Cyrus Hotel helping build momentum for downtown Topeka

Business has been brisk at the Cyrus Hotel since it opened in late January in downtown Topeka.Buoyed by a flurry of five-star customer reviews on the TripAdvisor website, many out-of-town guests are finding the Cyrus to be their hotel of choice for overnight stays in the capital city. Local residents also are availing themselves of the Cyrus and its many offerings, whether for a company meeting, a staycation in one of the expertly appointed rooms or for dinner or a drink …

Country Stampede required coordinated effort

When the city of Topeka and Shawnee County found out Country Stampede would be moving to Topeka due to flooding at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, it had three weeks to organize an event that usually takes a year to plan.Despite the short notice, Shawnee County Emergency Management director Dusty Nichols said the process wasn’t hectic, but focused and deliberate."We made sure we had all the pieces that we needed put together and got it done," Nichols said.