Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Hutch City Council to consider new job incentive policy

The Hutchinson City Council will seek approval of a new policy for how it grants funds for economic development during Tuesday’s agenda session.

For the past few years, the City Council has provided cash incentives for economic development projects creating new jobs on a case-by-case basis. According to a memo from City Manager John Deardoff to the council, previous councils have been comfortable with this approach, citing more flexibility when looking at the various job creation projects that come before the council.

Other elected officials have cited the desire for a set policy like Reno County’s. For the past two or three years, the city has approved job incentive dollars equal to what Reno County provides based on its written policy that was originally adopted in 2010.

The proposed policy mirrors the county’s policy with a few exceptions.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Finney County Commission OKs CIP requests

With a consensus approval, Finney County commissioners approved the county’s list of requested capital improvement projects expected to be placed on 2020 department budget requests in June.

All county departments and Finney County District Court submitted requests in February for the Capital Improvement Program spanning 2020 to 2024. With the list of many projects approved, department heads will now submit a budget request to the county with the projects in mind.

County Administrator Randy Administrator pointed to a handful of projects at the forefront of the list, including a $200,000 expansion to the county’s fiber-optic network and $1.56 million in overlay work on Lear Road. The County Clerk’s Office would also receive $90,000 in new equipment for elections.

Manhattan moving forward with Joint Maintenance Facility

The City Commission has given approval to move forward with site acquisition and design of a future joint maintenance facility located on vacant land west of the Wastewater Treatment Plant off US Highway 24. The facility would consolidate and house hundreds of public works and parks and recreation employees.

Currently, operations are scattered across the community in aging and undersized facilities for parks and forestry, street, water/wastewater distribution, and fleet divisions. The joint maintenance facility will create greater operational efficiencies to maintain and grow a high quality of life for residents and meet the needs of the community.

(Read more: Manhattan – News Flash)

City manager: Street markings took ‘a beating’ this winter

The harsh winter in Hays was rough on the streets.

In addition to numerous potholes caused by freezing and warming temperatures, a lot of sand and salt was applied to the streets, and the snowplows were kept busy.

As the plows moved snow to the street edges, the machines were also scraping the street markings.

“Our street markings have taken a beating,” says Toby Dougherty, city manager, “especially on the arterials. They’re very rough and they degraded very quickly over the winter.” Typically, the city improves the street markings as they begin to deteriorate. Employees can do some thermoplastic applications and painting in-house.

This year though, given the scale of the deterioration, the Public Works Department and the city project planner are devising a project to bid “a rather large marking project,” according to Dougherty, “probably a $150,000 to $160,000 project to get all the arterials back into place with professionally applied paint and thermoplastic markings.”

(Read more: Hays Post)

Overland Park residents rally to try and save park gazebo

Neighbors are fighting to preserve a popular Overland Park, Kansas gathering spot.

They don’t want to see the gazebo in Santa Fe Commons Park, along Santa Fe Drive, be replaced. The Overland Park City Council is expected to vote on the plan to replace the gazebo and rename the park Monday night.

The City Council is expected to give final approval to the $3.6 million park renovation.

Neighbors say the gazebo, which is on the chopping block, holds a lot of history, and brings character to downtown Overland Park.

The gazebo was built in the early ’80s.

A grassroots effort to save it and attempt to incorporate it into plans for the renovated park are under way. However, city officials said wood rot and electrical issued don’t make that feasible.

(Read more: KMBC)

Parsons OKs joint drug enforcement task force agreement

The Parsons City Commission approved an agreement on Monday evening that will set up a joint drug enforcement task force.

The commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding with the Labette County Sheriff’s Department and Labette County Attorney Stephen Jones to set up the Kansas Combined Anti-Drug Task Force. The agreement outlines the scope, goals, staffing and budget implications to create K-CAT, a small force that will be devoted to drug enforcement.

Police Chief Robert Spinks gave the details of the task force during a Thursday work session, so the commission had no questions and quickly approved the agreement Monday.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Kansas cops to patrol 4/20 pot holiday: ‘Impaired driving is not a victimless crime’

Law enforcement agencies across Kansas will be patrolling for impaired drivers on the 4/20 marijuana holiday weekend.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said the special campaign against impaired driving will run April 19-20 — or Friday and Saturday — and involve cops from Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

“This has been an increasing epidemic for the past several years … Impaired driving is not a victimless crime,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

April 20, or 4/20, or 420, is the stoner holiday when some people tend to smoke more marijuana than usual.

(Read more: Local News |)

Effort to save downtown Overland Park gazebo fails as council votes to move forward with Santa Fe Commons project

A neighborhood group trying to save the 1980s-era gazebo in downtown Overland Park went away disappointed Monday after the city council voted to award a bid for construction.

Around 30 people holding “Save Our Gazebo” signs had hoped to stop or at least pause a complete redo of Thompson Park because of the gazebo, which was built with a similar look to the historic carriage house in the park. Council members, however, said they had plenty of chances to object during multiple public input sessions held since last summer.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Sharp Hike In Commercial Grain Elevator Valuations

Commercial grain elevator owners in Scott County are protesting a sharp increase in the appraised valuation of their facilities.
A change in the formula for determining the value of storage facilities has been put in place, effective with the 2019 tax year, by the Kansas Property Valuation Department.
It has added about $1.5 million to the value of the operations in Scott County. Appraisal values are up about $1 million in Wichita County.
As expected, the sharp increase in value – and the property tax bill that comes with it – has caught the attention of local operators.

Some Lawrence residents voice concerns as affordable housing board considers density increases

As the city embarks on a new venture in its affordable housing efforts — one involving the first changes to the local development code — some residents are asking questions about how those changes could affect neighborhoods.

If approved, the proposed affordable housing density bonus would be the city’s first land use rules connected to the affordability of homes. Though the draft code changes are preliminary, the concept is to allow two homes to be built on one lot as long as they are designated as affordable housing. That could mean a second home being added alongside an existing home or two new homes being built on a single lot.

Gardner dissolved airport committee, replaced it with advisory board

The city of Gardner has dissolved the city’s airport committee and replaced it with an Airport Advisory Board.
In a March 18 meeting, the council approved an ordinance change revoking the legal authority granted to the Airport Commission to form a non profit corporation to supervise the operations of the airport.
According to Amy Nasta, city clerk, the advisory board will consist of five members tasked with advising the council on matters pertaining to the growth and improvement of the airport.
The board will advise the council on acquisition of property, construction and reconstruction of airport facilities, the institution of programs and procedures which will increase usage of airport facilities and review and make recommendations on the airport master plan.

(Read more: Gardner News)

City of Edgerton to build community center

Edgerton residents attended an open house on a proposed “Greenspace” Community Center.
During the April 4 event at city hall, residents met with city officials and staff and discussed ideas on what they would like to see at the center. The city has set aside $4.1 million for the center which will be located on a vacant lot between the Edgerton Bank of Knowledge and the fire station.
According to Beth Linn, city administrator, the proposed building will include at least two floors of approximately 1,500 sq. ft. each with the possibility of a basement. Construction could begin as early as late August, 2019.
Among activities proposed during the event are a gym, a conference room, offices, an indoor sports facility for basketball, volleyball and other indoor sports, and a shelter in the basement.
During Edgerton’s State of the City address on Feb. 21, Don Roberts, mayor, announced plans for the city to build a new gathering place.
“Both the Downtown Edgerton Plan and the Parks Master Plan confirm what residents have always known. The Greenspace is the right place for the city to build a new gathering place for our community,” he said.

(Read more: Gardner News)

City seal design will remain on vehicles after new flag is unveiled

The city of Topeka government’s official seal adorns its letterhead and the sides of many of its vehicles.

And that won’t quickly change after the design for a new city flag is announced, said Molly Hadfield, the city’s media relations director.

City officials plan to retain the seal design on its vehicles, documents and social media while deciding over time whether to incorporate the new flag’s design into those images, she said this past week.

Hadfield added that city officials see Topeka’s seal — which is adorned with phrases that include “Golden City” and “The Capital City of Kansas” — as being representative of the city government and the new flag as being a symbol for the entire community.

The Greater Topeka Partnership plans Thursday to reveal the winner of a recent, week-long community vote to choose Topeka’s next city flag. The unveiling will take place during the annual State of the Community Event at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center in downtown Topeka.

Riley County Commissioners approve 13 CIP funded requests to improve county buildings and offices

Riley County commissioners gave their approval for 13 department requests to be funded by the Capital Improvement Fund.

The commission continued their 2019 first quarter CIP session from last week. The original estimate for all requests was $4.9 million out of the $5.3 million budget authority, but was reduced to $3.7 million. The total cost of the 13 requests is $990,700.

Most of the requests come from public works and are facility maintenance for county buildings and offices . A last minute request was made by Public Works Director Leon Hobson for a new truck. This was due to one of their fleet trucks being damaged from a rollover accident on Wednesday. This request was approved.

The list of the 13 approved requests includes:

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Johnson County micro-breweries hoping to see 30% sales from food requirement lifted

A proposal that would make it easier to run a brew pub in Johnson County is being discussed as a possible ballot issue in upcoming elections.

The Johnson County Commission are looking into how soon voters might be able to decide whether to continue a requirement that an establishment must make at least 30 percent of its sales from food in order to also sell alcoholic drinks. The rule has been in place since the mid 1980s and has been a major impediment to craft brewers, which have become a popular draw in other parts of Kansas City. The county’s fledgling micro-brewery scene and fans of craft beer are keen to get it changed.

Commissioner Becky Fast said she’s heard from over 40 people, many of them in their 20s and 30s, who would like to see the 30 percent rule gone. “People are excited about it,” she said. Fast and Commissioner Steve Klika said they would support putting it up for a vote.

The 30 percent rule is a vestige of Kansas’ strict alcohol regulations dating back to the 1880s. The state had prohibition until 1948, but eventually allowed counties the option of becoming “wet.” In 1986, Johnson County allowed public houses, but only with the 30 percent rule.

A conversation with Lawrence Mayor Lisa Larsen on city-county cooperation, a new fire chief, downtown growth

Would anyone who lives in rural Douglas County really care if the city and the county merged their information technology departments? Or their purchasing departments? Or their payroll offices?

Larsen’s best guess was that most residents wouldn’t object to that type of cooperation.

“I would think any citizen would want to have their governments continue to look for efficiencies,” Larsen said.

She said some of those administrative functions would be good places to consider for consolidation. After all, is overseeing the computer systems at City Hall really that much different than overseeing them at the Douglas County Courthouse? Such consolidation doesn’t require a new governing body. It simply requires a good, functional agreement between the city and the county.

City of Emporia discusses downtown sound system

City commissioners will soon decide on the installation of a new sound system for downtown Emporia.

Emporia Main Street Executive Director Casey Woods spoke to the city commission about the proposed project during a Wednesday morning study session. The system would be used to play music and relay messages downtown. It could also be used to announce emergencies during events.

“The downtown speaker system is a project we have been working on in Emporia Main Street for a number of years,” Woods said. “We initially worked on a speaker system with Ed Rathke, the former facilities manager, and the technology didn’t quite work out.” The initial purchase and installation would be paid for by Main Street, with an additional $25,000 coming from LifeTime Fitness, which owns the Dirty Kanza. Woods said he was not asking the city for money for the project, but wanted to have a conversation with the commission to make sure it could move forward. Under the current proposal, Woods said the sound system would be donated to the City of Emporia, but maintenance and repair would be handled by Main Street.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

City of Horton looking to take over nursing home

The Horton City Commission, during a special Wednesday evening meeting, took action as part of the process necessary to attempt to save the city’s lone nursing home.

It was a full house at the Horton Blue Building, and those in attendance, by a show of hands, indicated overwhelming support for the City to do whatever is necessary to keep the facility open.

The City of Horton was notified at the start of the month regarding the decision of the Mission Village Living Facility Board of Directors to close the facility. Mayor Bryan Stirton told MSC News it’s the City’s intention to keep the facility as a nursing home without relocating the residents. “The City has decided to take the next step to do some more exploring for different options,” he said. “We have two or three viable interests in the facility, so this allows us to continue to move forward. I worked really hard last week, reached out to some different companies that were interested. We still have some sorting out to do with them. It’s going to be a process, but hopefully it’s a timely process. We’ll need funds raised, how to finance, how we’re going to finance this transition, but it can be done with the community support that we just had tonight.”

(Read more: WIBW News Now)

Main Street grants fund new signs in Winfield

Mumford Kitchen, Bath and Flooring, at 715 Main St., has a new look thanks in part to a grant provided by Winfield Main Street.

The Mini-Grant Program provides money for businesses in the WMS core district that would like to improve the façade of their building and add or improve signage. A few other businesses that have recently received grants are Shiok!, Ginny’s Gifts and Get Branded.

To qualify for a mini-grant, businesses must be located in the WMS core district and must be a member of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Mulvane cancels school after car crash causes city-wide power outage

Power has been restored to thousands of Mulvane residents after an early morning car crash.
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The Mulvane School District has cancelled school Friday after a car crash caused a city-wide power outage.

Police say a car crashed into a power pole near 103rd and south Rock. The main line that feeds power was damaged in the accident.

Officers say the driver was able to walk home and have someone take them to the hospital for treatment. No word on the person’s condition.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Johnson County breweries, taprooms hope for changes to old law

Breweries in Johnson County are hoping to change an old rule, and now they’re asking the county commissioners to step in and let them vote.

If you plan on getting a beer in Johnson County, you may want to pick something up on the menu as well. Businesses like restaurants and breweries that serve beer or liquor are required to have 30% of their overall sales be food.

“At this point in time there has been no action in the last 30 years plus to make any changes in Johnson County, but several microbreweries, taprooms I would call them, have suggested that times have changed,” said Ed Eilert, chairman of the Board for Johnson County’s Board of Commissioners.

(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)

Hays, region could draw R9 water by 2022

It might be another four years before Hays draws water from its R9 Ranch 67 miles away in Edwards County.

But when it does, the city has promised the state of Kansas it will draw much less from the sandy soil than when the ranch was used for agricultural irrigation, according to Hays City Manger Toby Dougherty.

“We told them we had no desire to use this source in an unsustainable manner, and so we’ve actually agreed with a 30 percent reduction in our available water rights in order to get this done,” said Dougherty on Monday evening during a presentation on the project to the Ellis County Commission.

“We’re doing something that nobody else down there in the area is doing,” Dougherty said. “No other water right holders are lining up to take a voluntary 30-percent reduction of their water rights.”

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Neosho County wind project arguments focus on setbacks

Concerned residents of southern Neosho County on Thursday evening wanted to get back to the basics of their argument against a proposed wind energy project — the setbacks.

Lori Whitworth said during a regular county commission meeting that people concerned about the potential Neosho Ridge Wind energy project are just seeking responsible siting of the over 139 turbines measuring more than 600 feet tall.

Whitworth said the county should require setbacks in a road-use agreement that would force Apex Clean Energy, the project’s developer, to build turbines far enough away from nonparticipating properties to allow people to continue enjoying and using their land, to negate a potential loss of property value, and to allow people to live in their homes without health effects.

“I feel like we keep trying to get pulled into things we don’t want to argue about,” Dustie Elsworth said.

Elsworth, who along with Whitworth was on the commission’s agenda, said his main concern is requiring Apex to build its turbines a minimum distance from lakes and wetlands so they don’t disturb fowl.

NextEra reponds to 13 hours of public comment

The Reno County Planning Commission has nearly completed its public hearing on the application by NextEra Energy for a permit to build a 220-megawatt wind farm in southeast Reno County.

The board heard a 90-minute rebuttal presentation from a half-dozen NextEra employees and a participating landowner, and then the planning commission members asked close to 60 questions of the company over the ensuing hour.

Reno County staff, however, deferred presenting its rebuttal and final report until a later date, so the hearing was once more recessed, to resume at 5 p.m., either April 22 or 23 at Memorial Hall or April 29 at the Atrium Hotel. At that hearing, the board is also likely to go into executive session to discuss the application then return for a vote.

The date is expected to be announced next week.

In its presentation, the company attempted to address many of the concerns voiced by more than 100 residents who spoke during the 13-plus hours of public comment.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce absorbs downtown coalition

The Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce held its second downtown coalition meeting on Wednesday.

Chamber President Debra Teufel says the meeting was part of the continued process of absorbing the city’s downtown revitalization sector into the Chamber. “We’re kind of working through some of the transition as the downtown Hutchinson revitalization partnership becomes an entity within the Hutch Chamber,” Teufel said. “We had about 30 people in attendance, about the same attendance we had last month, and a lot of people passionate about the downtown.”

Teufel says the group has some specific goals for the coalition. “Really the goals of this coalition coming together are to continue to do great promotion of the downtown Hutchinson area and then keep the lines of communication open.”

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Judge orders Australian animal health firm to repay local incentives after abandoning its Lawrence offices

An Australia-based animal health company that received startup funding from both the City of Lawrence and Douglas County has been ordered to repay some of that money now that it has abandoned its local offices.

However, city officials say there’s no easy way for the local governments to collect what they’re owed, because the company appears to be defunct and the money is in a foreign country.

Last year, the two local governments filed a lawsuit against Integrated Animal Health in Douglas County District Court. The lawsuit alleges that the company breached its incentives contract, and the city and county sought to recoup one-third of a $100,000 grant provided to the company as part of the agreement.

Manhattan City Commission planning land acquisition for new joint maintenance facility

City officials will attempt to acquire agricultural land near the Wastewater Treatment Plant for a joint maintenance facility. The City Commission gave consensus to pursue the site off of Highway 24 at its Tuesday work session.

Commissioner Wynn Butler says they’re not building for buildings’ sake. They’ve run out of room for both Public Works and Parks and Rec maintenance staff and equipment in the facilities, and they need significant renovations as well. The net cost of the new facility is estimated at just under $12 million, divided in-part between benefiting department funds to reduce property and sales tax impact. The joint maintenance facility would be on a 36-acre plot in Pottawatomie County near the Manhattan Wastewater Treatment plant.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Marysville City Council restores Koester House Museum’s hours

Marysville City Council agreed Monday to restore the regular hours of the Koester House Museum & Gardens after reducing them at their last meeting.

At the March 25 meeting, Mayor Carla Grund asked council to cut hours, stating the museum didn’t draw enough paying visitors to justify paying a museum employee.

Council members agreed to cut two hours a day, going from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to new hours of noon to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays and 1 to 4:30 on Sundays.

At Monday’s meeting, Koester House advisory board member Sharon Kessinger and board president Ralph Balaun challenged the contention that the museum doesn’t merit the current staff hours.

The change came just as the museum was to open for the season and its marketing materials had been printed with the original hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Every bit of our publicity has said we’re open at 10, including a passport you can get at other museums,” Kessinger said. “Our hours are on the website and Facebook. People traveling through here look on their Facebook or the internet sites and see our hours.”

To replace all of these would be difficult, she said.

(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)

As election on property tax increase nears, advocacy groups spring up on opposing sides of proposed Shawnee community center

Tonight, representatives of the city of Shawnee will give the first of two public presentations regarding the mail-in ballot election to be conducted next month on whether the city will raise property taxes to pay for a proposed $38 million community center. But the city isn’t the only organization trying to educate Shawnee residents about the issue. With just weeks to go before ballots start hitting Shawnee homes, two advocacy groups have sprung up trying to sway voters to their position.

Ellis County Commission could look to sales tax for budget relief

As Ellis County officials wrestle with the potential for some difficult budget decisions in the coming years, commissioner support for a county-wide sales tax continues to gain traction.

At Monday’s county commission meeting, all three commissioners expressed interest in bringing a county-wide sales tax to the voters.

The county’s major source of revenue is property tax based on assessed valuation and a sales tax would serve as an alternative funding source. Any proposed sales tax would need to be approved by the voters.

County sales tax can be set in quarter-cent increments up to 1 percent.

County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes said Monday, based on tax collections in 2017, a quarter-cent sales tax would have generated about $1.55 million. Commissioner Butch Schlyer said he believes the county needs to do something.

“Following the next couple of budgets that we are going to be doing and the public sees the draconian cuts we’re going to be making, there might be more appetite for a sales tax with the voting public,” Schlyer said, “because it’s going to get bad before it gets any better.”

(Read more: Hays Post)

Nearly 4,000 votes cast in selection of next Topeka flag

Almost 4,000 votes were cast over a weeklong period in the selection process for Topeka’s next city flag, said Matt Lara, public relations manager for the Greater Topeka Partnership.

The winner will be unveiled April 18 at the annual State of the Community event at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center, 420 S.E. 6th, he said.

The Topeka City Council will then consider adopting the winning design, said Molly Hadfield, media relations director for Topeka’s city government.

The city was pleased with the number of votes cast, Hadfield said.

She said 4,000 people is more than the city usually hears from when it seeks input on matters of public concern.

City and Hutch Rec face challenges finding summer workforce

It is becoming more and more of a task for the city parks department to find part-time summer help to deal with the usual maintenance needed during the warmer weather. Justin Combs says the parks department is working to fill the 30 to 45 part-time positions needed each year. It’s getting harder to do. “Every year it seems like we struggle just to find folks willing to work,” Combs said. The jobs pay between $8 and $11 per hour. They include mowing, gardening and forestry, and marking and keeping care of ball diamonds.

Likewise, Hutch Rec is also looking for summer help, especially when it comes to the Salt City Splash. “As always, we’re always still looking for lifeguards,” Ted Nelson, superintendent of aquatics and wellness, said. “It’s a hard one to get. We’re not unlike other communities.” Nelson said that most teens do not want to go through the effort and expense of getting a lifeguard certification.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Dispute over wind farm proposal turns hostile: Cattle let out to escape ahead of zoning board meeting

As the county board of zoning appeals prepares to consider a conditional use permit for a proposed wind farm April 25, relations between landowners in the 22,000-acre area the wind farm would span between Florence, Peabody and Aulne are tense. Many landowners near the proposed wind farm have raised objections – so many the county held its March 11 meeting at Marion Community Center. That meeting, attended by more than 100 people, lasted five hours with comments from both supporters and opponents of the wind farm.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Marion County Commission talks trash after contaminated soil found

Contaminated soil found during construction of a new county transfer station will cost the county $24,060 more than originally anticipated for the project.
Refuse director Bud Druse alerted county commissioners to diesel contamination in February. At that time, no one knew how the problem would be resolved.
Now that Kansas Department of Health and Environment has assessed the contamination, it recommends the soil, which was excavated and piled southeast of the transfer station, be turned weekly to aerate it until the diesel fuel is cleared.
[MORE]

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

City to host dancing event for 150th

Derby residents are invited to join the city for a night of dancing and fun.

The Derby Dance-a-long is a first-time event for people of all ages. It represents one of many celebratory occasions for Derby’s 150th anniversary this year.

Kristy Bansemer, communications director for the City of Derby, said the event will be similar to dances held twice a month at the Derby Senior Center.

The dance will be purely for fun and will not include contests, she said. Some form of refreshments will be available.

Dancing will last from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 30 at The Venue at Madison Avenue Central Park, 512 E. Madison Ave.

Entry is $3, which helps pay for the live band.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Topeka council members show backing for ‘city-driven’ TIF districts

Four Topeka city councilmen said Tuesday evening they could support the city government’s seeking to use tax-increment financing to attract development to specific places where developers currently show no interest, such as White Lakes Center….
City manager Brent Trout asked the council for input about the concept of a city-driven TIF during the council’s weekly meeting, where members discussed available economic development incentives and how the city might take advantage of them.
Kansas statute allows government entities to create TIF districts at the request of developers to help offset development costs. Such districts are often driven by developers, who pay off costs over a period of up to 20 years using the increase in property tax and sales tax revenues generated by the properties involved.
State law also allows government entities to create TIF districts to try to attract developers.
Trout said Tuesday the city could identify blighted areas where it would like to see development, then establish TIF districts there “so that if someone was interested all they would have to do is bring to us a TIF plan for the redevelopment that they would like to do in that particular area.”

Commissioners disagree on jail options

Saline County Commissioners Jim Weese and Bob Vidricksen expressed different preferences Tuesday morning regarding how the county should respond to overcrowding at the Saline County Jail, following a presentation by consultant Jim Robertson Monday morning.

Weese said he would like to remodel the current Saline County Jail after taking additional steps to reduce the number of inmates locked up by the county, possibly by reducing the amount of time inmates spend in jail. Weese said he looks forward to receiving public input on the topic.

“I want to be reassured that the only solution is making more beds available,” he said. “Can we do other things to shorten this time to get our numbers down so they are manageable? Maybe a remodel with a smaller addition. I don’t know. I heard the report yesterday, but I can’t turn around today and say let’s build us a new jail. I’m just not there.”

“It’s important that whatever we do is the right solution for the long run,” Weese added.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

County Commission OKs grant application for Community Correction operations

The Reno County Commission on Tuesday approved the local Community Corrections office applying for a pair of state grants worth nearly $1 million to support its adult supervision and behavioral health programs. The primary grant, for just under $730,000, seeks about a 2.3 percent increase over current fiscal year funding, Community Corrections director Randy Regehr told the commission.

“This grant funds our adult supervision program,” Regehr said. ”(The Kansas Department of Corrections) is asking for a 3 percent improvement in our success rate last year. We ended the year at 80 percent (success), so we’ll try to reach 83 percent next year.

“One way we’re working to achieve that goal is improved contact between officer and clients, and to increase the amount of coaching for officers. We have a couple of good officers who will lead that up.”

Another area they will seek to improve, Regehr said, is ensuring clients are “connected to the right interventions. There are two things under that: improving how we refer to in-house cognitive behavior groups and our referral process for drug court.”

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

City manager’s first ‘Out and About with Trout’ event to be Monday

Members of the public will be able to meet in person with Topeka City Manager Brent Trout when he makes himself available for the first time Monday as part of a “mobile office” called “Out and About With Trout.”

Trout’s first mobile office will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Juli’s Coffee and Bistro, 110 S.E. 8th Ave.

Trout, who’s been Topeka’s city manager since October 2017, said he plans to make himself available once a quarter to interact with citizens and hear their concerns outside of City Hall.

Residents may schedule a 15-minute meeting by calling City Hall in advance at (785) 368-3725. Open time slots will be available for anyone wanting to drop in.

Four time slots remained available for sign up Tuesday, while additional time will be available for people who want to stop in without signing up, said Molly Hadfield, the city’s media relations coordinator.

Salina Airport Authority submits funding request to county for marketing; City approves their request

Tim Rogers, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority, submitted a request for $60,000 from the Saline County Commission for air service marketing Tuesday morning.

The Salina City Commission approved $60,000 for the Salina Airport Authority on Monday afternoon. The airport is asking for an additional $60,000 from the county commission and has budgeted $73,500 to pay for marketing costs.

Other governments have agreed to help supply funds for the same purpose, Rogers said.

“Your support would be greatly appreciated,” he said. “I really value the partnership we have had this past year and the chance to bring really truly transformative transportation options to citizens of our community, county, and our region.”

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Sabetha approves extraterritorial jurisdiction expansion

At the Sabetha City Commission meeting Monday, April 8, the commissioners – Mayor Doug Clark, Maridel Wittmer, Nick Aberle, Norm Schmitt and Julie Burenheide – approved Ordinance No. 1538, expanding Sabetha’s extraterritorial district.

This comes following a recommendation of the city’s Planning Commission to approve this expansion.

The new the extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction is now at the legal maximum distance, which is three miles from any property legally considered to be within Sabetha’s city limits — including Sabetha City Lake and Pony Creek Lake. In the cases in which the three-mile distance comes within three miles of another incorporated city’s potential three-mile jurisdiction, the City of Sabetha has only gone half the distance.

Since the City of Sabetha did not previously include property surrounding the two city-owned lakes as extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction, the new jurisdiction has expanded the city’s jurisdiction four-fold.

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Chanute City Commissioners talk ballfields, cereal malt beverage ordinance

Chanute city commissioners discussed ballfield and recreation center agreements during their comments after Monday evening’s meeting.

City staff and the Chanute Recreation Commission are negotiating use agreements for the recreation center and for the ballfields in Santa Fe Park in preparation to renovate the ballfields.

Commissioner Phil Chaney said he has not seen much action yet, and he wants to have a commitment from the CRC that the facilities will be put to use. City Manager Jeff Cantrell said there seems to be a tug-of-war over which facility would be addressed first.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Wichita council sends controversial cell tower proposal back to planning commission

The Wichita City Council has voted unanimously to return a proposal that would place an 80-foot wireless communication tower at 18th and Woodland to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission for further consideration. The vote Tuesday comes after more than 81% of surrounding property owners signed a protest petition against the T-Mobile tower.

North Riverside Neighborhood Association President Claire Willenberg told The Eagle the vote was disappointing because the council didn’t flat out refuse to approve a conditional use permit that would allow construction of the tower behind a vehicle repair shop on the northwest corner of the intersection.

But she also said it’s a positive move because residents will have another chance to argue their case to MAPC.

“Core neighborhoods — the older neighborhoods — really struggle to maintain a livable, vibrant community. … We work continuously trying to improve the visual environment,” Willenberg said, adding that some residents aren’t convinced they need the added data capacity the T-Mobile tower would bring to the area.

She thinks a smaller tower like other carriers use around town would be sufficient.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Mission Hills council weighs options for opposing LGBTQ+ discrimination

Mission Hills continued to wrestle with how to best apply non-discrimination language providing legal protections to LGBTQ+ individuals during this week’s council meeting. While governing body members generally agreed they support the spirit of having a non-discrimination ordinance, several questioned the necessity of an NDO in Mission Hills, as the city does not have commercial employers or multi-family rentals.

“We may end up without much of an ordinance because we have very little we manage,” said councilmember Bill Bruning.

Ellis County seeks city buy-in for countywide sales tax

Ellis County is looking at a countywide sales tax to fix its budget crisis.

But the question is whether it would share the money with cities in Ellis County.

That was the debate among the three Ellis County Commissioners at their regular meeting Monday evening, asking whether voters will approve a tax the county doesn’t share among the cities.

If shared, that would more than halve the amount of money the county gets from the tax.

But County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst was firm the county must share, when it comes to the cities.

“I’m not going to single out we’re going to take it all,” Haselhorst said. “Because I think that’s going to crash, quicker than you can imagine. If we’re going to say Ellis County is going to keep it all, it’s going to crash …. Because why would Victoria vote for it? Why would Ellis vote for it? Why would the city of Hays vote for it?”

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)