Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Downtown Topeka leaders take steps to increase culinary tourism, hope to contribute to restaurants’ success

When Greg Fox in 2007 opened RowHouse Restaurant, an upscale establishment focusing on American-fusion cuisine in downtown Topeka, he was the only one working on such a concept.Twelve years later, Fox has more competition, but he is grateful for it.“You have to work harder for the dollars and now there’s someone running right behind you,” Fox said.

KDA seeks Marketing Advisory Board members

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s agricultural advocacy, marketing and outreach team is seeking talented Kansans to serve on the Marketing Advisory Board. The mission of the KDA marketing division is to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and deliver solutions designed to create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of the state’s largest industry — agriculture.

The Marketing Advisory Board will advise the program team on a variety of topics through the following sub-programs: agricultural business development, international agricultural development/trade, From the Land of Kansas, local foods and affiliated programs, agricultural workforce development and agricultural education.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Board finds Johnson County overtaxed Walmart by millions

Johnson County overtaxed Walmart and Sam’s Club by millions of dollars by overstating the value of the retailers’ property, the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals found.

The ruling on Friday could be more costly than it appears for the county, because Walmart isn’t the only large retailer that has protested appraised valuations, The Kansas City Star reports. Target and Home Depot are among other big-box retailers challenging Johnson County tax appraisals going back a couple of years.

Bajillion, ActionCOACH and MotoVike share their goals and plans for the future of downtown Topeka, their businesses

When Bajillion Agency decided to make its third move in three years due to a growing company, it knew it wanted to be where the community was at work doing great things.

“Downtown had the character that we wanted for our creative team,” said Andrea Engstrom, president of Bajillion, “and also, we were just really inspired by what’s happening in NOTO and what’s happening in downtown and said, ‘Let’s be part of that excitement in our community and the momentum that’s happening with the investment in downtown and the grassroots growth of NOTO.’ ”

Bajillion Agency, ActionCOACH and MotoVike Films celebrated their grand opening June 7 with a ribbon cutting, and the companies have dreams and aspirations for what they want to bring to downtown.

Top Kansas court: Cities can raise age for buying tobacco

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ highest court ruled Friday that cities can raise the age for buying tobacco products even though state law sets it at 18, bolstering a public health movement driven in part by concerns about teenagers’ use of e-cigarettes.

The state Supreme Court’s unanimous decision allows the city of Topeka to enforce an ordinance setting the age to buy tobacco products, e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine at 21. A company operating two local businesses, Vapebar Topeka and Puffs ‘n’ Stuff, sued just before the ordinance took effect in January 2018, and a lower-court judge blocked it.

The ruling had broader implications because 19 other Kansas cities have raised the age for buying tobacco to 21, and five counties have done so in areas outside cities.

Wind farm company doubts protest is valid

Developers of a proposed wind farm in the southern half of the county believe a protest petition filed at the county clerk’s office won’t be validated.

Pat Pelstring, CEO of the company developing Expedition Wind Farm, said the protest petition, with signatures of 64 people, does not appear to meet required criteria.

“We have reviewed the petition, and our analysis is that it does not meet the 20% standard to qualify as a valid protest petition,” Pelstring said. “We understand the county is also working to confirm whether the petition is valid.”

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

Police, fire departments busy as summer heats up

County and local law enforcement along with area fire departments have had a busy first few days of summer responding to many fire, medical, vehicle-accident and criminal calls in Cowley County.

Ark City Fire Chief Bobby Wolfe said they have responded to many calls in the past week but luckily none of them have been major events.

“I’m really grateful at how few of grass fires for this time of year we’ve had to respond to, this being probably the fewest in seven years,” due to the amount of moisture keeping the vegetation green.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Top Kansas court: Cities can raise age for buying tobacco

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ highest court ruled Friday that cities can raise the age for buying tobacco products even though state law sets it at 18, bolstering a public health movement driven in part by concerns about teenagers’ use of e-cigarettes.

The state Supreme Court’s unanimous decision allows the city of Topeka to enforce an ordinance setting the age to buy tobacco products, e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine at 21. A company operating two local businesses, Vapebar Topeka and Puffs ‘n’ Stuff, sued just before the ordinance took effect in January 2018, and a lower-court judge blocked it.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Hospital debt refinancing to save taxpayers millions

Taxpayers will save more than $11 million over the next several years under a restructuring of the construction debt for the South Central Kansas Medical Center.

The refinancing was approved Tuesday night by both the Building Commission and the City Commission.

The current amount due on the original bonds issued in 2009 to build a replacement medical center that opened in 2011 is $37 million, with combined principal and interest.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Opponents of wind project push for moratorium

ERIE – Controversy over the planned Neosho Ridge Wind project was calmer, or at least shorter, during Thursday evening’s Neosho County Commission meeting when commissioners heard from two people.

Lori Whitworth, a spokesperson for the opposition, addressed the commission on its decision to approve agreements with developer Apex Clean Energy. She said she thought she was participating in government, but what she witnessed was not open and transparent. She said the outcome was based on politics.

Whitworth questioned how long Commissioner Gail Klaassen studied the agreements before voting in favor of approval, and contrasted the length of the agreements with the moratorium motion Commissioner Paul Westhoff made June 13.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

City does not extend fireworks sales

OSAWATOMIE – A proposal to extend fireworks sales through July 6 failed to prompt a change in the city’s ordinance.

On Wednesday, June 26, City Council members voted unanimously not to amend the fireworks ordinance. A fireworks vendor had requested the city extend sales through July 6. The amended ordinance under consideration Wednesday night also tied use of fireworks to the same July 6 extension.

The current city ordinance will remain in effect, which allows fireworks to be sold from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 29 through July 4. Fireworks can be discharged in the community from June 29 through July 4, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 29 through July 3 and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Kansas Lottery launches program for vending machine sales

TOPEKA — The Kansas Lottery is launching a pilot program to test vending machine sales.

Lottery officials announced Wednesday that four self-service vending machines will be installed at retailers in Topeka.

The first pilot site was installed Wednesday, with the other three sites set to become operational next week.

The Kansas Legislature passed a law in 2018 allowing the lottery to sell traditional lottery tickets through vending machines.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Report: Nonprofit hospitals’ net worth soars as does Americans’ health care costs

The average family in the U.S. pays nearly $20,000 in 2018 on insurance premiums, deductibles and out-of-pockets costs, a new report produced by OpenTheBooks.com found.

At the same time, salaries for administrators and executives at hospitals were as high as $21.6 million. Six CEO’s earned between $10 million and $21.6 million.

“Charitable hospitals and their CEO’s are getting richer, while the American people are getting healthcare poorer,” the Open the Books report says.

Of the 82 hospitals surveyed, only eight executives earned less than $1 million at organizations including the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Foundation, Dignity Health, and Partners HealthCare. Last year, the CEO of Banner Health earned a salary of $21.6 million.

(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

Library celebrates 150 years of literacy

The Emporia Public Library is celebrating its 150th birthday in 2019.

A century and a half is a long time to be alive and, as such, the library is steeped in history. It plays a major role in Emporia’s past, present and future.

According to Lyon County History Center Curator Lisa Soller, though the library has changed over the years and its role is different than it was 150 years ago, it has always been an important community hub.

“It was access to learning,” she said.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

New K9 on the job for Greenwood County

After a lifetime of preparation, K9 Gilo (pronounced with a hard “g”) is ready to get to work as the newest member of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office.

The 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix dog and his handler, Deputy Mike Baumgardner, have completed obedience training and are actively patrolling the county.

The name “Gilo” has a special meaning to Baumgardner.

“My best friend in the Marine Corps was Carlos Gil Orozco, ‘Gilo’ for short,” he said. “He was killed in Iraq, and I named the dog in honor of him.”

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

USD 253 holds public meeting to discuss September bond election

Emporia Public Schools held its first in a series of town hall meetings Thursday on the subject of an upcoming bond election.

The district has been promoting the idea of a $78 million bond in hopes the public will vote in its favor.

Members of the public attended and participated in a discussion where they had a chance to ask questions of district officials.

Emporia Marc Fusaro, who serves as Associate Dean of Emporia State University’s School of Business, wanted to learn more about the scope of the project.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

It’s back to the drawing board after new Wichita rules fizzle in illegal firework enforcement

Ann Marie Buerkle of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission talks about fireworks safety. This video includes dramatic fireworks demonstrations. They suggest leaving professional fireworks to the professionals and celebrate safely. BY

Last year was the inaugural run of the new fireworks enforcement protocol in Wichita, but the promise of a $250 fine didn’t stop residents from celebrating the Fourth of July illegally. In fact, the number of firework related complaints were up last year, reports indicate.

The city ended up writing about 140 tickets. But, Fire Chief Tammy Snow previously said, the citations hardly made a dent in punishing illegal fireworks use. In all, Stuart Bevis, the Wichita fire marshal, said Sedgwick County received about 1,400 complaints about illegal firework use.

(Read more: Local News |)

Johnson County overcharged Walmart millions in property taxes, board rules

In a big loss for Johnson County, the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals ruled Friday that the county had overvalued Walmart and Sam’s Club properties by $60 million, charging them millions too much in taxes.

This is the latest in an ongoing legal battle between Johnson County and large retail stores to determine the proper way to measure the value of commercial real estate. At stake is tens of millions of tax dollars for schools and services. The case is one of a number filed by Target, Home Depot and other big-box stores in the county to challenge their property tax appraisals, which rose sharply from 2015 to 2016.

A final decision could be years away, as appeals could go all the way to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The order Friday was a summary decision, and both sides asked the board for a more detailed explanation. That will be provided in the next few months.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Kansas Supreme Court upholds Topeka’s ban on tobacco sales to under-21 customers

The Kansas Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday reversing a Shawnee County District Court’s injunction blocking enforcement of a Topeka ordinance banning the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to people under 21.The ordinance was challenged by Topeka businesses Vape Bar and Puffs ‘n’ Stuff, which argued the prohibition was unconstitutional and contrary to state law.

1,000 rental scooters will hit Wichita streets in the next couple of weeks

Rental electric scooters are about to make their debut on Wichita streets in a big way about a week from now

Two companies have applied for city permission to deploy 500 e-scooters each on city streets under a pilot program recently authorized by the City Council.

Of the two companies, one is a familiar name in Wichita. Boston-based Zagster already does business here, providing the bicycles you can rent through Bike Share ICT.

The other company is a newcomer to the Wichita rental mobility market, the Chicago-based VeoRide.

(Read more: Local News |)

DWAGFYS Manuf, Inc. vs. City of Topeka

From the Court syllabus:

1. A city may adopt ordinary ordinances when no state law exists on the subject or when a uniform law applicable to all cities exists on the subject but the Legislature has not expressed a clear intent to preempt the field and there is no conflict between the state and local law.

2. Legislative intent to preempt the field must be clearly manifested on the face of the statute. Courts will not find legislative preemption by implication.

3. The provisions of K.S.A. 79-3301 et seq., do not show a clear manifestation of intent by the Legislature to prohibit cities from enacting ordinances on the same subject.

4. When the Legislature has enacted a statute without preempting cities from acting in the same area, the ordinance will stand as long as the ordinance does not conflict with the statute.

5. In order for an actual conflict to exist, the state statute must expressly authorize what the ordinance prohibits, or expressly prohibit what the ordinance authorizes.

6. Ordinance No. 20099 does not conflict with K.S.A. 79-3301 et seq., because it does not prohibit what the statute expressly authorizes, nor does it expressly authorize what the statute prohibits.

Read the opinion.

County hires new directors for planning, parks and rec

The Shawnee County Commission hired replacements Thursday for two men who spent a combined total of more than 34 years running county departments.

Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook voted 3-0 to appoint Angleton, Texas, deputy city manager Randal S. “Randy” Anderson as Shawnee County planning director at an annual salary of $85,000 to replace Barry Beagle, who resigned last December after 15 years in that job.

They also voted 3-0 to appoint Tim Laurent as parks and recreation director effective Monday at an annual salary of $94,570.06 to replace John Knight, whose last day will be Sunday after more than 19 years as parks and recreation director.

Kansas Rural Center to host town hall in Emporia

Kansans are invited to attend the upcoming “Kansas Future of Farming & Food” Town Hall from 5:30 – 8 p.m. July 8, at the Bowyer Community Building at 2700 W. U.S. Highway 50.

The town hall, hosted by the Kansas Rural Center, will feature a panel of experts on the food system and farming, climate and energy and rural/urban community needs and how we come together to address these.

Following the panel comments, attendees will have time to respond, ask questions and share their experiences or opinions about the issues addressed to help identify what is needed to advance opportunities in their communities or the region.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Flooding issues continue for many Kansans

DERBY, Kan. (KSNW)- Issues continue for many residents in Kansas even weeks after their homes flooded for the first time.

Derby resident, Richard Bartel never thought he’d be working on a do-it-yourself project to keep water out of his home.

“I’m trying to channel the ground water out through this pipe to the fence and all the way back to where I’m draining all the ground water into the back ditch behind our houses,” said Bartel.

Ripped up carpets line the ends of driveways and many residents blame the high water table for their continuing flooding issues.

Bartel said the level of the water table is about three feet higher than his basement floor.

He said his sump pump is cycling every minute and with rain, that speeds up to every 26 seconds.

“You come in and see the sides,” said Bartel. “I’ve actually got two [sump pumps] that are still running. This water will not stop as long as the water table is up.”

(Read more: KSN-TV)

County to be named in Fire District No. 1 lawsuit

A hearing in a lawsuit involving Leavenworth County Fire District No. 1 ended Wednesday without a resolution in the case.

District Judge David King ruled that the Leavenworth County Commission should have been named in a petition filed by attorneys for the Delaware and High Prairie townships. King granted a motion to allow the attorneys to amend their petition to include the County Commission.

Attorneys for the two townships filed a petition for a declaratory judgment after Lansing city officials announced their intent to terminate an interlocal agreement that was used to establish Fire District No. 1.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Minutes add up for city PD’s payroll

When the City of Scott City decided to have its employees enter the times when they arrive for work and leave at the end of the day by computer software rather than entering them manually, it was a means of getting a little more accountability.

The city council got that . . . and a little bigger bill.

Police Chief Chris Jurgens attributes the new procedure for clocking in and out as a big reason behind an $8,000 to $11,000 increase in his payroll this year.

(Read more: Scott County Record RSS)

Kingman County to pay cash for jail/LEC project

KINGMAN – After ballots to build a new Kingman County law enforcement center and jail failed in 2013 and 2014, the Kingman County Commission is moving toward a cheaper addition/remodeling alternative that will be financed by cash and won’t require voter approval.

Commissioner Jerry Henning said the commission’s vote on the final plan should occur in mid-July and construction could start in the fall.

“It’s going to be better than we have by a long shot,” Kingman County Sheriff Randy Hill said of the improvements to be financed by a commission-set $5-million spending cap.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Wind development in Reno and Sumner counties

A 98-turbine wind farm that is to be located between Oxford and Wellington is moving forward after Sumner County officials last month signed an agreement with Wild Winds Energy Project LLC that would give the county upwards of $1 million a year in lieu of taxes.

The project has a lifetime waiver from property taxes because it obtained a conditional use permit for the project from Sumner County in October 2016, months before state law was changed to limit property tax exemptions for such projects to just 10 years.

Without an exemption, Wild Winds Energy Project would have incurred a property tax bill of an estimated $117 million over 30 years, or an average of nearly $4 million per year.

(Read more: Rural Messenger)

Osawatomie to discuss grocery equipment, fireworks Wednesday

City Council members plan to discuss the fate of city-owned grocery store equipment and a proposal to lengthen the number of days fireworks can be purchased and discharged during its 6:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday, June 26, at Memorial Hall.

The council moved the meeting up one day to Wednesday, because the Lights on the Lake parade will take place on what would have been the normal meeting date Thursday, June 27.

Equip-Bid.com, an online auctioneering company, is purchasing the building on Sixth Street that formerly housed Ron’s Country Market, which closed its doors in 2017. The company was to close on the building Monday, June 24, with First Option Bank, City Manager Don Cawby said Monday.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

WPD doubling efforts to help WFD enforce firework ordinance

If you plan to shoot off fireworks you better follow the rules or face paying a fine.

The fireworks ordinance has not changed but the enforcement is getting beefed up.

“We had actually axon video of crowds yelling at the officers, yelling at the firefighter who was just doing they’re doing their jobs,” says Deputy Chief Stu Bevis.

In one situation he says a firefighter and police officer were trying to write a citation and someone hit the firefighter with a firework. He says the firefighter was not injured.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

City of Clearwater discontinuing local emergency services

The City of Clearwater is closing its doors on their local emergency services.

This comes after a city council decision to not fund the resource in the 2020 budget, and save the city more than $250,000.

We talked to the mayor about the alternative, and what neighbors think of it.

The mayor says Sedgwick County EMS will serve the community, a service residents already pay for in taxes.

Some people say they accept the change, while others prefer it stay local.

Another shake up with emergency services in Clearwater. But this time, the city says they’re doing away with it, and turning it over to Sedgwick County.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Pretty Prairie water plant nearly ready

The city of Pretty Prairie’s new reverse osmosis water treatment plant should begin operating in July.

A ribbon-cutting for the reverse osmosis plant, near the corner of Santa Fe and Booth, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday, in conjunction with Final Friday’s Night on the Prairie. That’s a monthly celebration, from April through August, inaugurated this year.

For decades, the nitrate level in the city’s municipal water supply has exceeded desired levels. The federal and state limit is 10 parts per million. The most recent test results showed Pretty Prairie’s water sample at 23 parts per million.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Pittsburg adopts five-year financial plan

City Manager Daron Hall and Finance Director Jamie Clarkson presented the City’s five-year financial forecast at Tuesday’s Pittsburg City Commission meeting, highlighting various aspects of the city’s fiscal planning through 2023.

Prior to Tuesday’s presentation, on May 18, city commissioners and staff reviewed the financial forecast document, Clarkson noted. Following the presentation by Clarkson and Hall, the city commission voted to approve the plan, and Pittsburg Public Information Manager Sarah Runyon sent out a media release Wednesday summarizing it.

“A recap of the five-year plan shows a steady increase in sales tax revenues, a healthy balance in reserves, declining debt service, and an increase in assessed valuations,” the release notes.

(Read more: Pittsburg Morning Sun)

Vote makes mayor, council available to attend Gary Woodland event

Topeka’s mayor and city council on Tuesday changed the schedule for their meeting next week to enable them to attend a downtown block party for professional golfer and native Topekan Gary Woodland.

The Greater Topeka Partnership will throw a free outdoor block party from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 2 in the 700 block of S. Kansas Avenue to celebrate the U.S. Open championship Woodland won June 16 in Pebble Beach, Calif. Woodland is expected to attend.

Topeka’s governing body, consisting of the mayor and the nine city council members, had initially planned to meet at 6 p.m. July 2 in its chambers at 214 S.E. 8th.

Citizen simulators say increase Wichita police and fire services, cut golf and arts

Wichita’s fire and police departments got high scores while golf courses and cultural affairs departments suffered in budget simulations run by local residents, the city government said Wednesday.

The city released the results of the budget simulation drill during a social media town hall Wednesday.

About 1,400 residents responded to the invitation to complete the simulation, the first time the city has used that type of technology to help guide its spending decisions.

(Read more: Local News |)

Hospital debt cost shrink

Taxpayers will save more than $11 million over the next several years under a restructuring of the construction debt for the South Central Kansas Medical Center.

The refinancing was approved Tuesday night by both the Building Commission and the City Commission.

The current amount due on the original bonds issued in 2009 to build a replacement medical center that opened in 2011 is $37 million, with combined principal and interest.

The $11 million savings will occur with a drop in the interest rate on the new bonds to between 3 and 5 percent, compared to the previous rate of between 4 and 7 percent, according to a press release issued last week by the city.

Mini-Max grocery coming to Winfield to fill food desert

The new Mini-Max grocery and variety store set to open in Winfield later this summer is part of a chain of stores owned by Bill Johnson, a Muskogee, Okla.-based entrepreneur with a goal of opening stores in food deserts to help serve others.

The store in Winfield is scheduled to open around July 1, according to signs in the from of the former Save-A-Lot space at Winfield Plaza. Employees are currently being hired.

The former J.C. Penney store next door is also set to reopen as a Mini-Max variety store, offering discounted home products.

KDOT sets new “transportation stakeholder” meetings

The Kansas Department of Transportation is again scheduling a series of “stakeholder” meetings in August to receive input from community leaders around the state on project priorities and ideas for future transportation planning.
KDOT has scheduled meetings at eight locations during the last two weeks of August.
During the first hour of each meeting, according to KDOT news release, the agency will listen to local officials about specific projects and perceived transportation needs.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

County may seek federal aid for controlling mosquitoes

With thousands of Culex mosquitoes captured in traps in rural Reno County every week over the past month, local health officials are appealing for federal assistance to control the pest that potentially carries the West Nile virus.
Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti updated the county commission Tuesday morning on current efforts.

Swarm of mosquitoes
The number of Culex mosquitoes have continued to grow, both in numbers and as a percentage of the mosquitoes trapped at six locations in the county, since mid-May.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

JoCo parks board reverses course, will allow e-bikes on trails for 6-month pilot

People who need a little help getting up those hills will soon be able to ride their electric power assisted bicycles on Johnson County trails. The county park district board reversed its December denial of e-bikes and will now allow them for a six-month test period, beginning in early July.

The park board has contemplated e-bikes on the trails for almost a year – ever since one trail user asked whether he could ride his electric power-assisted unicycle on them, said Bill Maasen, county superintendent of parks and golf courses.

He still can’t. Unicycles are not included in the test. Neither are scooters, hoverboards, Segways or other powered vehicles. But people with Class 1 or Class 3 e-bikes will be able to ride them on all of the paved trails in county parks for six months while the park staff collects data.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Lawrence to consider 16-cent fee for plastic, paper bags

City of Lawrence leaders will soon consider whether to start charging people for disposable grocery and shopping bags in an effort to reduce plastic waste.

The city’s Sustainability Advisory Board voted last summer to make the issue of single-use plastics one of its priorities, and since then a committee has been studying a potential plastic bag ban. The committee has completed its review and is recommending that a fee for plastic and paper bags be imposed instead of an outright ban, according to the committee report.

Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Director Jasmin Moore, who is the staff liaison to the board, said the main consideration in the recommendation was how effective a ban or a fee would be at reducing plastic waste. Moore said that research has shown that in some communities retailers and grocers just shifted to thicker plastic bags that didn’t qualify as disposable but that some customers still threw away.

ACPD on horse poop trail

The Arkansas City Police Department is seeking information about people on horseback early Saturday morning who left a trail of horse droppings through downtown Ark City.

Several piles of waste were found downtown between the chamber of commerce office and the Burford Theatre, in Wilson Park, and several other locations, according to a city official.

In the video made public by police, horses and riders are seen climbing the stairs of the stage at the Wilson Park rotunda and trotting around on stage. No visible damage appeared to occur during the incident.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

City code brought into question

Questions regarding Sabetha’s City Code were presented at the Sabetha City Commission meeting held at 6 p.m. Monday, June 24. Present for the meeting were Mayor Doug Clark, Commissioners Julie Burenheide, Maridel Wittmer, Norm Schmitt and Nick Aberle, Assistant City Administrator Bill Shroyer and City Clerk Steve Compo. Guests present were Austin Wasinger, Bob Ruddick and David Herbster.

Wasinger presented documents to the commission regarding Sabetha City Code — saying he had questions regarding two members within the law enforcement department.

“My concern is with some employment policies, specifically within the law enforcement,” Wasinger said. “Some within city code and city code also references state law.”

The first two documents presented were taken directly from the City of Sabetha’s website at http://www.cityofsabetha.com/Codes%20and%20Ordinances.html and were in regard to the following codes:

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Reno County Commissioners make wind farm decision official

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission made it official by passing a resolution for the decision to not grant a conditional use permit to the NextEra Energy wind farm project near Haven.

It was nearly two weeks ago when commissioners held a special meeting at the Fox Theatre and failed to get a supermajority vote for the conditional use permit for the wind farm project.

Commission Chair Bob Bush and Commissioner Ron Sellers voted in favor of the permit, while Commissioner Ron Hirst, who represents the area where the proposed wind farm was to be built, voted against it.

Hirst talked about his reasons for the no vote.

“We had to determine whether it improved the comprehensive plan and the zoning regulations,” Hirst said. “What it all boiled down to, my constituents in that area, the majority had relayed that they were against that. I found lots of situations relating to the comprehensive plan as well as zoning regulations that I felt didn’t justify the conditional use permit.”

(Read more: Hutch Post)

U.S. House passes budget with no money for USDA move to Kansas City

The Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed an appropriations bill that contains no funding for the proposed relocation of U.S. Department of Agriculture research agencies to the Kansas City area.

Tuesday’s 227-194 vote looks to block a move that Kansas City leaders cheered for the 500-plus jobs it’s expected to move to the region but that has been criticized by some of the researchers who don’t want to leave Washington, D.C., and those who think the relocation is meant to diminish USDA research.

The appropriations bill, if passed in its current form, would take effect on Oct. 1. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue has said he wants initial employees to report for work in temporary work space in Kansas City in September, a tight timeline possibly meant to begin the move using current year funds. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, has accused Perdue of rushing the move to avoid congressional opposition.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)