Kansas Municipal News
Harvey County ups broadband funding for expanded project
One week after the Board of Harvey County Commissioners agreed to provide $75,000 in funding toward broadband infrastructure as part of an IdeaTek grant proposal, commissioners upped their contribution to $250,000. James Krstolich, community relations manager of IdeaTek, opened his pitch for more funding by thanking commissioners for the county’s commitment of $75,000. He said he understood the need for expanded broadband in Harvey County and how bad some areas were. He noted that the original grant proposal planned to provide service to 150 homes, but his company expanded its proposal to include the City of Walton. Its new proposal could provide service to 672 homes or businesses.
Source: Harvey County Now
Emporia enters into agreement to design new city logo
A new logo design for the city of Emporia is now in the works according to an announcement Wednesday. Emporia City Communications Manager Christine Johnson in an email Wednesday stated the city has signed a contract with Lot and Ilk to produce a logo to be presented during a meeting in September. The announcement follows the city commission’s recent meeting last week where commissioners chose to purchase two crowdsourced logos for $600 and submit those to Lot and Ilk for additional refinement.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
Barton County helps Ellinwood with water, sewer projects
To help the City of Ellinwood to move forward on two key development projects, the Barton County Commission Wednesday morning approved offering $300,000 to defray the cost of materials of water and waste water improvements needed for the new hospital and a planned housing addition.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Police departments in Cowley County to provide protection from catalytic converter thefts
Several police departments in Cowley County are providing CATETCH kits or kits that prevent catalytic convert thefts. A CATETCH is a label that is easily installed onto a catalytic converter. According to mastergard.com, the label is laser cut with a unique code and the URL of a secure, accredited database and installed on a catalytic converter. It will break into pieces if an attempt is made to remove them. In addition, a fluid that etches into metal is applied to the labels so that even if they are removed, the code and URL will remain clearly readable.
Source: KSN-TV
KDHE to hold meetings in western Kansas for public water supply lead and copper rule implementation
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) will be holding public meetings in western Kansas in September to inform communities and public water supply systems about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Lead and Copper Tule Revision (LCRR). According to the KDHE, under the LCRR, public water supply systems are required to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials. The inventory will be submitted to the KDHE by Oct. 16, 2024. The KDHE is inviting public water supply system decision-makers, operators and the public to attend its public meetings to learn more about the inventory requirements and actions that can be taken to reduce lead exposure risks in drinking water.
Source: KSN-TV
New solar farm construction begins in Shawnee County
Construction has begun for a new solar site in Shawnee County as part of a partnership between Evergy and FreeState Electric Cooperative. The new solar site, the FreeState Crooked Post, is located at Southwest 41st and Auburn Road. This will be the largest of three FreeState Solar projects. Evergy was selected by FreeState to access renewable energy from solar for all of their customers at a competitive rate.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Wellington Council taking serious look into adopting a ‘Land Bank’ system to help with urban blight
The Wellington City Council could soon be voting on an ordinance that would establish “land banks” – a practice in which the city of Wellington could purchase property, redevelop it, and then sell/donate it to prospective developers. Land banks are used to address development issues as well as urban blight. They are set up through city ordinances and give the city leverage as to what is done with the properties while also reducing the number of absentee landowners. The City would be obligated to mow and maintain the land bank property until sold or developed. Land Banks could define the standards for the property and abate the back taxes.
Source: Sumner NewsCow
Blue Valley, Blue Rapids celebrate town’s new internet connections
Blue Rapids and Blue Valley Technologies joined Aug. 16 with state, federal and local officials to celebrate the town’s newly upgraded internet connections. Tech connections enjoyed by Blue Rapids today are something sought by rural communities across the country as the web now serves as a critical highway for doing businesses and connecting people for multiple needs.
Source: The Marysville Advocate
Manhattan considering a foundation to support parks and rec
City officials are considering creating a foundation to support the parks and recreation department. That was one of several solutions posed Tuesday to solve the department’s recent struggles. The Manhattan City Commission and parks and rec advisory board are looking to outside entities to increase funding for the parks and recreation department. At Tuesday’s commission meeting, they identified three possible funding sources: sponsorships, partnerships and a foundation similar to Friends of Sunset Zoo, which is an entity separate from the city government.
Source: themercury.com
Municipal Bond Trends for August 23, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Wichita interim police chief announces his retirement
Wichita Interim Police Chief Lem Moore said Tuesday he is retiring after serving 31 years in the police department. Moore has been serving as interim chief since March, when Gordon Ramsay stepped down to return to his home state of Minnesota. Moore is planning to retire within the next couple of weeks. He had previously expressed interest in taking over the department after Ramsay’s departure. Chief Moore recently announced disciplinary steps that were taken against several officers because of inappropriate text messages exchanged between them and a Sedgwick County deputy. Eight officers either resigned, were suspended or received reprimands after an investigation into the texts.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Residents to consider expansion of Pottawatomie County Commission in November, following successful petition
Pottawatomie County residents will consider expanding the commission this November after a successful grassroots petition effort was waged by a member of the Planning Commission. It’s the second ballot question for voters to decide on Nov. 8. Earlier this month, the commission unanimously approved a resolution asking voters to consider a quarter percent sales tax to be levied to help fund county road and bridge projects. According to County Clerk Dawn Henry, a total 1,011 valid signatures were confirmed, which was more than the 892 necessary. Voters will be asked whether the governing body should be increased from its current three seat commission to five seats. Doug Kern, who started the petition, stated in an interview to KMAN back in February what motivated him to petition the county.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Emporia Public Library’s mobile kitchen brings food literacy to community
The Emporia Public Library made an exception to the “no food in the library” rule recently, thanks to the addition of a mobile kitchen. Using funds donated by Friends of the Library, EPL recently purchased a Charlie Cart mobile cooking station to provide culinary, nutrition and food literacy programming to residents of Lyon County. … Housed in a rolling cabinet, the mobile kitchen has a working sink, convection oven, hot plate, grill, pots, pans, mixing bowls and all the utensils needed to prepare just about any type of food. EPL has hosted classes in the library’s meeting room and taken the mobile kitchen to the Emporia Senior Center and the Farmer’s Market to host classes on-site.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Grant Opp For Rural First Responders
Governor Laura Kelly today announced $3.2 million in grants that will be used to assist rural first responders combatting opioid abuse. The grants will fund training regarding carrying and administering approved medication for emergency reversal of opioid overdose. “The opioid crisis impacts families across Kansas, which is why it’s crucial that our first responders have the support and training they need to save lives and bring relief to our communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This funding will be instrumental in helping struggling Kansans access appropriate treatment and recovery support services.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) First Responder-Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (FR-CARA) grants, administered by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), are open for application by rural first responder agencies and members of other key community sectors at the state, tribal, and local levels.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Kansas mental health hospitals are so overcrowded that patients have to wait in hallways
Patients facing mental health crises are waiting in a Wichita hospital hallway because psychiatric wards are full. Inmates in the Sedgwick County Jail wait up to a year to get transferred to the Larned State Hospital simply for evaluations. And hospital workers get choked, kicked or yelled at by people who can’t get intensive mental health care. Hospital administrators told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday that a lack of mental health services and overcrowding puts both patients and health care workers in danger at hospitals in south and central Kansas. “The money we’ve spent and the space we have created has been grossly overwhelmed in recent years with the need,” said Robyn Chadwick, president of the Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. “We do need help.”
Source: KCUR News
Farmland prices soar, making it even harder for young farmers to break in and grow
Farmland values have been rocketing up across the Midwest, for the last year and a half. Farms in Iowa have sold for as much as $25,500 an acre with values increasing 26% in the state over last year and 18% in Illinois, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. On average, prices rose 25% in Nebraska, and 23% in Kansas over the last year, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The high farmland values are making sales competitive, not just between farmers, but also with investors. But sky high prices can make it especially hard for young and beginning farmers to grow their business on land they can call their own.
Source: KCUR News
Local artist speaks about his multi-wall mural; hopes to add more to the vibrant display in Fort Scott
A local artist today spoke about his new mural on display at the Fort Scott Water Treatment Plant. After about a month and a half, 8 gallons of primer, 60 cans of spray paint, and 30 hours of diligent work, artist Stephen Toal says he’s still not done. “I wanted the mural to be fun and bright and I loved working on it. My intentions were to get more people to Gunn Park and hopefully get school tours to check out the treatment center, said Toal. “I remember as a kid going to the water plant here in Fort Scott and I thought the whole process was pretty cool”. Toal says he wants to add to the mural by painting whales on the giant west wall.
Source: KOAMKOAM
19 new law enforcement officers graduate from KLETC
Nineteen new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Aug. 19 at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium. Kalaeb Bratton, game warden with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Todd Ackerman, director of the Augusta Department of Public Safety. … Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority of municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita Public Library to eliminate overdue fees
As the Wichita City Council approved their budget for 2023 on Tuesday, included was the elimination of overdue fees at the Wichita Public Library. “Effective Tuesday, August 23 by the end of the day, borrowers will not be charged overdue fines for Wichita Public Library materials,” the Wichita Public Library website said. According to their website, past fines will be forgiven. Here’s the breakdown on their website: Aug. 23: Moving forward, Wichita Public Library accounts will not accrue overdue fines. It’s important to return overdue materials, though. If materials are not returned within 30 days of the due date, you will be responsible for paying the cost to replace the material plus a $7 processing fee. …
Source: KSN-TV
Overbrook cooks up plan to build downtown historical museum
A cookbook featuring more than 350 homegrown recipes from members of the Overbrook community is now available for purchase, with proceeds from the sale going toward the effort to build a historical museum in downtown Overbrook. The ”Don’t Overcook Overbrook” cookbook features a wide assortment of recipes for appetizers, soups, desserts, main dishes, salads, and more. The book was published by the Overbrook Historical Society, and is dedicated to the memory of three local women who in their lifetimes fed a large proportion of the Overbrook community…
Source: Osage County News