Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

After denying new CUP, Miami County votes to keep concrete company operating at current location

Despite a recommendation from the Miami County Planning Commission to revoke the existing conditional-use permit for Concrete Strategies, Miami County commissioners last week voted 4-1 to modify the CUP so the business can remain at its current location.

Concrete Strategies is located on Cedar Niles Road south of 231st Street and north of Hillsdale Lake.

Last year, the Planning Commission and County Commission both agreed to deny owner Joe Vitale’s request for a new CUP for Concrete Strategies. The business currently is operating under a CUP that was used by the previous property owner and proprietor, Stahl Excavating. Stahl was grandfathered in when the county went to countywide zoning in 1991, and Vitale purchased the property in 2017. The CUP stays with the land, not with the owner, so Concrete Strategies began operating under the same CUP.

After last year’s denial of the new CUP request, neighbors submitted a petition to revoke the existing CUP based on claims that the business has intensified in use.

Multiple neighboring landowners spoke during the March 5 Planning Commission meeting and said large trucks are now making deliveries, more vehicles are being stored on site and more noise is coming from the business.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Disc golf ready to go in Marysville

Spring is starting to warm the air and green up the parks in northeast Kansas, and Kyle Goracke is ready for some disc golf.

The Marysville resident recently installed 10 disc golf baskets in Marysville City Park as part of a new nine-hole pocket course. The course is to have a test period over the next several months. The baskets were purchased with funds raised from local businesses after Goracke sought community support for a new course.

A 10th basket was placed as a practice basket. It was donated by Innova Discs, a national disc golf equipment company.

Last year, City Council argued about whether to place the course in the park, with some members saying it posed a safety threat because it wound its way near park camping areas and play areas.

Other members said the park is full of recreational activities which all pose some risks and disc golf is no different.

Crowds showed up at council meetings in support of the course, saying the park is a good, central venue for all ages to play disc golf and that it encourages physical activity.

The council ultimately gave the course a chance with a six-month test period.

(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)

Overland Park council thinks redevelopment of convention center parking lot could revive College Boulevard ‘dead zone’

With spring and an approved concept plan, Overland Park officials said Monday they’re eager to take the first steps toward an improved College Boulevard corridor they hope will bring life back to what is becoming an entertainment dead zone.

Council members endorsed the first action steps of their new College and Metcalf corridor plan, allowing staff to start work on it as early as this month. Some members were particularly enthusiastic to take a look at how the convention center parking lot could be better used.

With the vote, they set in motion plans for a traffic and engineering study — to look at the feasibility of reducing the number of lanes on College – plus a parking analysis. Those two projects, budgeted for $175,000 altogether, could begin this year.

City of Topeka defers action on City Hall renovations, capital improvement budget

Topeka’s governing body postponed action Tuesday evening for one week on proposals to increase the amount budgeted to renovate City Hall and to approve capital improvement plans proposed by city manager Brent Trout.

Toward the end of a meeting that lasted four hours and 15 minutes, members voted 7-3 to defer action until their April 9 meeting on whether to earmark nearly $3.86 million in additional funding to carry out the first phase of a project to renovate the building at 215 S.E. 7th and 214 S.E. 8th, which houses City Hall, Topeka Municipal Court and the Topeka Performing Arts Center. Trout’s proposed CIP would total $791,284,687, said Nick Hawkins, the city’s budget and performance director.

Wellington City Council unanimously approves biofuel plant’s request to rezone property at U.S. 160 and Seneca for $100 million facility

By a 6-0 vote tonight, the Wellington City Council passed an ordinance rezoning property located in the southwest quadrant of the intersection of U.S. 160 Highway and Seneca Road that could pave the way for a new biofuel plant in Sumner County. The 145-acre tract has been rezoned from HCP – Planned Highway Commercial to heavy industrial, I2. This was a huge victory for those hoping to build a biofuel plant on the property.

The zoning change comes on the request of VERBIO North America which is proposing to build a renewable natural gas production facility on a tract of land currently owned by Charter Equities II, a company of local investors. Greg Northrup, President/CEO of VNA North America, has previously said the proposed methane-only plant will be the first of its kind in North America.

(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Topeka OKs two communications tower permits, denies a third

The Topeka City Council and Mayor Michelle De La Isla on Tuesday evening OK’d two permits allowing tall communications towers to be put up in separate parts of the city but denied a proposed permit for a third. The city’s planning staff had recommended the mayor and council approve the permits for the properties on Fairlawn and S.E. 29th but deny the one for the property on S.W. Taylor.

Planning and development director Bill Fiander said the latter area is economically distressed and the tower’s presence could discourage investment there.

Still, city attorney Lisa Robertson warned that the city might face a lawsuit if it rejected AT&T’s application for that permit.

For small-town Johnson County, internet service isn’t a given

Something was very wrong in De Soto, and Kevin Honomichl knew it. Then came the incident that drove the point home.

His son was collaborating with classmates on a team project, but the kids couldn’t meet just anywhere in De Soto. So Honomichl hauled the boy to McDonald’s, one place in town where everyone could tap into the internet at once.

Honomichl lives south of Kansas 10, an area of De Soto that has lacked land-based internet service of any kind. Businesses simply haven’t found it profitable to serve that part of town.

Internet options are better in other parts of town, officials said, but haven’t reached the level that families and businesses demand.

“Broadband has achieved a point of being critical infrastructure, just like water, just like sewer, just like electricity,” said Honomichl, whose passion for the issue prompted him to run successfully for the City Council.

“We’re reaching a point where communities with robust broadband access — to essentially everybody — are communities that are going to thrive economically.”

De Soto isn’t the only outlying community in Johnson County to face this difficulty. Spring Hill and Gardner, too, are tackling the issue.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Leavenworth County, city hosting cleanup events

Now that spring has officially started, many people may be wanting to get a start on spring cleaning.

The Leavenworth County Transfer Station has started a year-long cleanup event for county residents. And the city of Leavenworth is having its annual Spring Cleanup this Saturday.

The annual Leavenworth County Community Cleanup will run through April 1, 2020 at the Transfer Station, according to Tammy Saldivar, solid waste superintendent for the county.

The Transfer Station is located at 24967 136th St. in Lansing.

Leavenworth County residents can drop off one free load per household during the year-long event.

“It’s one free load with a two-ton limit,” Saldivar said.

She said residents will have to show identification.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

South Hutchinson City Council declines Sunday liquor sales

Most residents expected the South Hutchinson City Council to decline the proposal for Sunday alcohol sales. The council did just that. The rejection came on the same day grocery and convenience stores in Kansas were stocking their shelves with stronger beer.

The request came from South Hutchinson businessman Greg Dovel, who wanted to sell alcohol on Sunday.

Jeff Dovel, who is on the city council and is the brother of Greg Dovel, abstained from voting. However, the rest of the council voted in favor of the ordinance banning the sale of any type of alcoholic beverage on Sunday within the city of South Hutchinson.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Wichita approves $100,000 for Water Conservation Rebate Program

The Wichita City Council has approved funding continuation of a program that encourages households to purchase water-saving devices by offering rebates.

According to a news release, $100,000 has been approved for the Water Conservation Rebate Program. Applications will be accepted at the Environmental Health office at 1900 East 9th Street north. The City strongly recommends bringing a printout of the qualifying appliances for reference when shopping. There is a limit of five rebated items per water customer account. Rebates will not exceed the purchase price.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Finney County to buy LEC security camera system

Finney County commissioners on Monday approved a roughly $341,000, unbudgeted spending request by the Finney County Sheriff’s Office to buy new security camera equipment for the Law Enforcement Center that will replace aging, failing equipment and upgrade video surveillance in the 37-year-old building.

Finney County Sheriff Kevin Bascue told commissioners the need to buy new equipment became urgent as it became increasingly difficult to rebuild or refurbish failing equipment, leading to security concerns at the LEC, specifically in the jail area.

“We just felt that for security reasons, we just needed to get a new system,” Bascue said in a separate interview Monday.

The sheriff’s office plans to buy the equipment from Johnson Controls of Wichita. Equipment in the company’s $341,701 quote includes 48 cameras, three network recorders, two video monitors, multiple mounts for the monitors, a controller board and various other equipment. Bascue said he didn’t have a specific timeline for when the new system would be installed.

What’s in store for your neighborhood library in $3.7 million improvement plan?

A $2.3 million expansion of the Westlink Library and finding a new home for the Linwood Library are among the highlights of a master plan for what to do with satellite branches, now that the new downtown library is up and running.

In contrast to earlier plans that envisioned shrinking the library system and closing the Linwood and Evergreen branches, the new plan envisions putting at least $185,000 into each of the six satellite libraries.

The overall cost is just short of $3.7 million. The plan was presented publicly for the first time during a joint meeting of the City Council and the Library Board on Tuesday.

Drafted by a subcommittee of the two boards and city staff, it was also the first look for most of the members of the panels.

They seemed to like what they saw.

“I think it’s good we’re looking at expansion and improvement of the libraries instead of closing them, which is where we were a year ago,” said Library Board member Jonathan Winkler. “It does the best we can within the financial constraints.”

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Lyon County commission tables cell phone tower discussion

The Lyon County Commission tabled a discussion about a communications tower last week and sent the application for it back to the county planning and zoning board.

This discussion has been ongoing since February.

AT&T and Network Real Estate have requested agricultural land on Road 190 be re-zoned to allow the tower to be placed there.

The commission removed the discussion from the table and put it back into play.

Chair of the Lyon County Planning and Zoning Board Sam Seeley addressed the commission about the tower. He said the county planning and zoning board had voted 2 to 1 in favor of allowing the tower.

According to Seeley, the tower, if it were to go up, would be located about a quarter mile west of the intersection of Road 190 and Road E, in the southeast corner on a 100-by-100 square foot parcel of land. The tower would be a 180-foot tall, self-supporting structure, he said, in a fenced compound and a fall radius that would prevent it from landing on anyone else’s property or the road.

Landowners in the vicinity of the would-be tower have complained, fearing the possibility the tower will cause health problems and lower the value of their properties.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Roeland Park citizen satisfaction has trended upward over past decade, new results show

Roeland Park residents are very happy overall with their city and its services, according to a recent citizen satisfaction survey, with 97% of respondents rating Roeland Park as an excellent or good place to live. Satisfaction with Roeland Park services rated at the same level or higher than 51 of the 59 KC Metro areas assessed. Overall satisfaction with Roeland Park increased 1.8 points since 2016 and 7.2 points since 2008.

“Roeland Park received excellent ratings,” said Ryan Murray, project manager at the ETC Institute, the group that performed the survey.

Citizen Satisfaction Surveys were sent to every household in Roeland Park and more than 600 surveys were completed.

Sabetha officials “disappointed” with Brown County decision to exclude Sabetha Community Hospital from proceeds of healthcare sales tax

The Brown County Commission has denied a Sabetha Community Hospital request for a share of any sales tax revenue generated for healthcare in Brown County.

Three weeks ago, on March 11, the Brown County commissioners approved Resolution 19-07 — calling the question for a 10-year, 1/2 percent sales tax question to support healthcare services in Brown County — to an election on May 21. At that time, the stated use for the generated funds would be to first pay industrial revenue bonds obtained through the City of Hiawatha for $2 million, then subsequently be directed to Hiawatha Community Hospital as general tax support for the hospital. If approved, the sales tax would be implemented on Oct. 1.

This decision by the county commissioners came after months of meetings of a joint advisory committee that included officials from the Hiawatha hospital, as well as Brown County and the cities of Hiawatha and Horton. The committee, which did not include any City of Sabetha or Sabetha Community Hospital representatives, was formed after the urgent situation at Hiawatha’s hospital was brought to light.

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Overland Park council denies permit request for Two Dogs and a Cat pet day care on Metcalf

In a victory for neighbors but a setback for pet owners in new downtown apartments, Overland Park denied a permit for a pet boarding facility and day care with outdoor play area close to downtown.

The facility proposed for 7620 Metcalf Avenue, would have been a second location for Two Dogs and a Cat, owned by John Cavalcanti. He said afterward he would start looking for a different location rather than remove the outdoor play area, which had been the main sticking point.

Council members took an hour and a half and four votes to turn the project down. Several neighbors, who had filed a valid protest petition, also waited through to the end of an otherwise long meeting to urge denial vote.

Shawnee councilmember Stephanie Meyer leading delegation of American political leaders on trip to East Timor

Shawnee councilmember Stephanie Meyer is gearing up for her second political trip overseas to represent the United States as a democratic country.

This month, Meyer will lead a group of seven American political leaders on a weeklong trip through East Timor, a small Southeast Asian island country north of Australia. Meyer and her colleagues will talk with the country’s leaders about the initiation of their democratic process. The relatively new country gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.

“I’m excited to talk to them about how the last 17 years have been and what struggles they still have,” Meyer said. “Hopefully, we can provide areas where we can be helpful in our insight, being in a little bit older democracy than they are.”

The politicians’ trip is part of an initiative by the American Council of Young Political Leaders, a nonprofit organization in part supported by the U.S. State Department that provides political leaders under 40 with the opportunity to share democratic ideas and best governmental practices with other countries. It’s also an opportunity for participants to practice diplomacy.

Old bridges of Ellis County require close monitoring

While seven of Ellis County’s more than 200 bridges are in poor condition, they don’t need closed, but new heavy vehicles will force weight limits on more of them in coming years.

“My estimate right now is that 50 to 60 percent of the bridges that we inspect will have to be posted some way or another,” said civil engineer Jordan Dettmer with Penco Engineering, Plainville, who inspected the county’s bridges in November 2018. “You guys are currently at 21.2 percent of your bridges are posted. So that will double; something to be aware.”

Kansas Department of Transportation requires the inspections every two years. In a report Monday evening at the regular meeting of the Ellis County Commission, Penco’s Dettmer referenced a new federal standard that defines a structurally deficient bridge as one having a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert in poor condition.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Missouri River continues to recede in Leavenworth area following rain

After plateauing over the weekend, the Missouri River has resumed a slow recession in the Leavenworth area.

At 1 p.m. Monday, the river was at a depth of 22.88 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

The river remains in a flood stage. But floodwaters have been receding since the river reached 31.3 feet on March 23.

The river leveled off over the weekend around 24 feet following rainfall in the area. But by Sunday afternoon, floodwaters had started to recede again.

A NWS forecast on Monday predicted the river will drop below its flood stage of 20 feet on Wednesday.

One of the areas that has been impacted by the flood is Second Street in Leavenworth. A portion of the street was closed because of flooding.

But floodwaters have receded from the road. Leavenworth Public Works Director Mike McDonald said city personnel were reopening the street Monday afternoon.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

County Commissioners To Assist Greenwood County Hospital

Representatives of the Greenwood County Hospital (GWCH) board of trustees once again expressed the need for county funds, during the Greenwood County Commissioners meeting, on Monday of this week. With the half-cent sales tax not going into effect until April 1, GWCH will not see the benefit until early summer, which has put the hospital in a bind. Board President Pam Brown and Treasurer Randy Cox expressed the urgent need for approximately $32,000, which will go towards two supply vendors. President Brown shared that during their recent board of trustees meeting (see related article), CFO Melody Curnutt stated they have made great strides in cost savings measures; however, two vendors were requesting immediate payment. The board has been utilizing their funds, as well, to help pay down accounts payable, but do not have the needed funds to pay those accounts in full. President Brown stated the board was willing to pay back funds, if that was needed; but they were in need of $32,172.58 to appease two vendors.

(Read more: Eureka Herald RSS)

Great Bend City Council members reflect on Washington D.C. trip

The Great Bend City Council meeting Monday night was the first meeting following the Western Kansas Congressional Delegation in Washington D.C. Great Bend sent City Administrator Kendal Francis, council members Cory Urban, Jessica Milsap, and Andrew Erb, and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters to the nation’s capital to discuss topics of interest to the western part of Kansas with elected officials.

Urban spoke of the experience as a great chance to talk with counties making similar improvements to their communities. The delegation was March 23-25 and the Great Bend representatives were able to speak with Senators Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts and Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall. Urban says the Great Bend group was also able to talk with the officials’ staffs and developed contacts for future projects or assistance both locally and federally.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

City gives resident OK to keep bees

The Salina City Commission approved a request Monday afternoon from a Salina resident to keep bees in the city to pollinate her vegetable garden.

City staff received a request from Lynn Grinage to keep bees in two bee hives next to her vegetable garden located at 1000 W. Walnut St. She also plans to use the bees to pollinate apple, peach and orange trees.

David Dupy, a health officer from the Saline County Health Department found no public health concern from the request. Dupy and Jason Tiller, director of the Saline County Health Department, granted their approval to the application.

The commission voted 4-0 to approve Grinage’s request. She plans to collect the bees in Falls City, Neb., in May.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Fire calls down in Geary County

The number of fire calls for the Geary County Rural Fire Department are down so far this year.

The Geary County Commission received an update on Monday, with Chairman Charles Stimatze providing the numbers. “Year to date fires for 2019 are 27. In 2018 they had 48 at this time, eight just in March alone.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Montgomery County and Coffeyville Resources issue settlement on decade-long tax dispute

A decade-long tax dispute filed by one of Montgomery County’s largest industries was declared settled and resolved on Monday.
The Montgomery County Commission announced that a settlement had been reached with Coffeyville Resources concerning the property tax appeal filed by the company regarding the valuation applied to its nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2008.
Under the terms of the settlement, Coffeyville Resources will forego an immediate refund of $7.9 million to which it would be otherwise be entitled under a decision rendered by the Kansas Court of Appeals in September 2018. Montgomery County sought to have that decision reviewed by the Kansas Supreme Court, which has yet to rule on the request. This settlement resolves the appeal.

Wayne Developers files petition against Shawnee for invoking eminent domain

After the city of Shawnee moved to use eminent domain to plan for the conversion of a piece of private property into a new building for a parks and recreation facility, the property owner has filed a countering petition against the city, urging the Johnson County District Court to enter a restraining order and prohibit the city from pursuing its claim.

The private property being contested in Johnson County District Court is located at 18570 Johnson Drive in western Shawnee and is owned by Wayne Developers LLC. Wayne Developers, which is affiliated with Republic Services Inc., a provider of solid waste collection, purchased the land in August 2018, intending to develop the site as a multimillion-dollar transportation facility for collections vehicles.

The city is claiming it must acquire the property, which is adjacent to the city’s public works facility, by eminent domain in order to build a parks and recreation facility. Melissa Hoag Sherman, an attorney with Spencer Fane LLP who represents Republic Services and Wayne Developers, said the city of Shawnee knew that the private property was for sale last year and could have purchased it then.

Public to vote on designs for next city of Topeka flag

Three designs have been chosen as finalists for the next city of Topeka flag, out of more than 300 submitted.

Now the public will vote to pick the winner, with ballots being cast by going online to topekaflag.com or sending text messages to (785) 425-4393, according to a document in the agenda packet for Tuesday’s Topeka City Council meeting. Voting will be open until 11:59 p.m. April 9, that document said.

City council members plan to hear a report on the Topeka Flag Redesign Initiative when they meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in their chambers at 214 S.E. 8th.

Forge, the city’s young professionals association, last July announced it was holding a competition to redesign the city flag.

The city included on its website as part of the meeting’s agenda packet a copy of the report that will be given at that meeting. It includes visual images of the three finalist designs and information about the symbols they portray.

Pothole ruin your car? Cities, states can help pay for repairs but good luck with that

Stuart Hall is still livid over the Kansas City pothole that ate his car — blew two tires, bent one rim — and left him with a $410 bill, towing not included.

“I’m still pissed,” he said.

That was over a pothole not from today, with thousands of them in the wake of a harsh winter still pockmarking roads from Liberty to Olathe, turning the Kansas City area’s streetscape lunar. It’s from six years back, when a crater-like pothole opened at Brookside Boulevard and 50th Street, rattling the bones of his then wife, Christina, along with the undercarriage of their Mazda 6. Equally rattling is what happened when Hall tried to get the city to pay him back for the damage: Nothing.

Even after a formal appeal, he received not a dime. Not a penny. But applicable to every pothole-pounded driver thinking of holding their city accountable, he did receive a valuable lesson:

“This year and every year since,” said Hall, 48, and now of Grain Valley, “I feel 100 percent certain that if we hit a pothole and we’re damaged, we are on our own. … I would love to know how often they (a city) would pay out a claim.”

Answer: Hardly ever.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Wichita works to catch up with potholes: ‘It’s worse than I’ve seen it in a while’

There may or may not be a lot more potholes after this year’s wintry winter, but it sure seems like we’re dodging more of them, and more of them certainly are being reported.

“We definitely have received more calls than we typically do,” said Aaron Henning, maintenance engineer for the city of Wichita. The city usually receives about 1,000 pothole reports a year; by the third week of March the number was already more than 700.

In addition to filling potholes that have been reported, the city scouts them out, too, and about 11,000 of them were patched in January and February this year. That’s a lot more than last year in that time frame — 8,400 — but less than in 2017, when just more than 12,000 were filled in January and February.

Henning is not sure what’s up.

“We have seen a huge uptick in the number that are being reported. It might be because we have a lot of different and probably more convenient ways for citizens to report potholes now. It could also be we have more in areas that are perhaps more visible, I don’t know.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Goodland to host Livestock Emergency Response workshop

Livestock owners face numerous challenges, including natural disasters like flooding and wildfire and the threat of foreign animal diseases like African Swine Fever and food-and-mouth disease, which have impacted other countries. The Kansas Department of Agriculture works to help Kansas livestock owners, from large feedyards to families with show animals, in preparing for the impact any of these disasters could have on their lives. This spring, KDA will host eight regional workshops to assist Kansans throughout the livestock industry with emergency preparedness.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Kansas imposes burn ban for 16 counties for the month of April

City of Wichita officials want to remind residents that open burning in certain areas of the state, including Wichita, is restricted during the month of April.

This burn ban is imposed in 16 counties through the month of April. Restricted activities include burning trees and brush from land clearing, crop residues, construction debris, yard waste, and the use of backyard chimineas and fire pits.

The following counties are included in the ban: Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Geary, Greenwood, Johnson, Lyon, Marion, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Sedgwick, Wabaunsee and Wyandotte.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Reno county officials say damage to wall at Harding Memorial will be repaired

County officials are aware of damage to the rock wall on the President Harding Memorial west of town and plan to make repairs, said Public Works Director Dave McComb.

County officials first discovered the extensive damage to the southeast corner of the wall on March 13, McComb said. There were no reports to law enforcement, however, about an accident there.

“We are familiar with it, but we don’t know what happened,” McComb said. “We are going to contact someone to get bids to go in and fix it, but it might be a little while before it’s done.”

The wall is within the county’s right-of-way on West Fourth Avenue, so the county is responsible for maintaining it, McComb said.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Lawrence City Commission to consider settlement in housing discrimination lawsuit involving emotional-support dog

City leaders will soon review a proposed settlement in a housing discrimination lawsuit against local landlords that requires the landlords to attend a seminar on housing laws and make a donation to a local nonprofit.

The lawsuit, brought against the landlords by the City of Lawrence in 2016, claims that the landlords discriminated against a prospective tenant based on his use of an emotional-support dog. The Lawrence City Commission, as part of its meeting Tuesday, will consider approving a settlement agreement resolving the lawsuit.

The city claims that the landlords, Lyndon and Kathi Mullis, of KanMar Management, discriminated against Christopher Evans — whom the city identified in the lawsuit as a veteran with a mental disability — based on his disability and his use of an emotional-support dog. At issue was whether the landlords violated a local ordinance and federal fair housing law when they allegedly turned Evans away based on their pet policy for Ashbury Townhomes, 925 E. 14th St. The landlords denied the city’s claim and alleged in return that the city failed to establish that Evans has a disability covered by the Fair Housing Act and other housing discrimination regulations, among other claims.

Shawnee County interim sheriff doesn’t think transition will be difficult

Phil Blume, Shawnee County’s incoming interim sheriff, doesn’t think his office’s deputies will have much trouble adjusting to the abrupt change in leadership they’re about to experience.

“This is probably more of an adjustment for me than anyone else,” Blume said Friday. “People have their job duties and assignments, and that’s not going to change. We’re going to push forward and continue our operations as we have.”

Blume, 54, will become interim sheriff next Wednesday after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday that Herman Jones, Shawnee County’s sheriff since 2012, will replace Col. Mark Bruce as head of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Jones, 60, takes over that agency in the wake of the resignations of Bruce and his second-in-command, Lt. Col. Randy Moon.

Jones had been among the two finalists for the KHP superintendent’s job in 2015, when then-Gov. Sam Brownback chose Bruce.

Committee continues to examine Topeka camping ban proposal

In just over a month, 19 people who were living on the streets in Topeka have gained housing, it was announced at Friday’s public health and safety committee meeting.

On Feb. 25, the city of Topeka adopted a Housing First approach, which provides housing without other barriers, said Corrie Wright, the city’s director of housing services.

“This is something amazing,” she said.

Although participants aren’t required to participate in such services as mental health or substance abuse treatment, they are doing so, Wright said.

Michal Enloe was one of three people who received keys to their apartments Friday.

“It was awesome,” he said.
The city in June first proposed a ban on camping, which was the major topic discussed at the meeting.

Wichita is the only major city in the region not to get ‘Hamilton’ tour. Here’s why.

Back in 2017, theater-loving Wichitans got their hopes up.

The massively popular Broadway show, “Hamilton,” was expanding its national tour and cities like Kansas City and Denver were among the first regional markets to secure the show.

Mark Edelman, then-president of Theater League — which brings traveling Broadway shows to cities across the country — told The Eagle at the time he was “optimistic” the musical would come to Wichita eventually. “I’m sure the season will come — not soon — but I’m sure the season will come when ‘Hamilton’ plays Century II,” he told The Eagle then.

Emphasis on “not soon.”

Four times in the past three years, a major touring Broadway show — in this case, “Hamilton” — has decided to skip Wichita, and officials are pointing the finger at Century II.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Pratt County Veterans Memorial Lake drainage begins next week; will repair inlet and outlet valves

The first steps to repair damage to the inlet and outlet valves at the Pratt County Veterans Memorial Lake will involve lowering the Ninnescah River and draining the lake.
Doug Freund, county road and bridge supervisor, said Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is scheduled to start drawing down the Ninnescah River on Monday, April 1 in preparation to drain the lake that is scheduled to start on Tuesday, April 9.
Staff from KDWPT will use electro shock and seine nets to remove as many game fish from the lake as possible.
Start time for repairs on the inlet and outlet valves will depend on when the water reaches the necessary level and when the company doing the repairs can begin.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

Parsons to streamline nuisance process

The city of Parsons will streamline its nuisance abatement process if commissioners approve an ordinance Monday evening.

During a regular meeting, the commission will consider an ordinance that would amend the current nuisance code, simplifying the abatement process by changing notification rules.

The ordinance would make notice requirements consistent with state law while also allowing the city manager to hear appeals instead of the city commission. It also would modify the mowing fee the city charges. Under the current ordinance, when people have created a nuisance such as storing inoperable vehicles in their yards or leaving an abundance of trash or debris laying around, the city must send a certified letter or pay a personal visit each time. Oftentimes, certified letters are never claimed or are rejected, and the city has to wait until the postal service tries to deliver it a couple more times before moving on in the process. Under the new ordinance, the city could forgo a certified letter or personal visit if a letter was refused or undeliverable within the last two years. The new ordinance also would eliminate the need for a commission resolution to grant the authority to tow a vehicle.

Gartner said the city now must wait 30 to 60 days to tow inoperable vehicles, but under the new rules, the city could tow some after only 10 days. The new ordinance also should cut down on the time the city must wait before mowing tall grass and billing the property owner.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Safety changes made to Clearwater intersection

Clearwater community members say they already feel safer at the intersection of 71st and 135th.

“You can just see the amount of traffic that has slowed tremendously. People don’t go flying by you at the streak of lightning. It’s a lot slower pace now,” says Casey Richwine, who lives in the area.

That’s because the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s office has increased the number of deputies patrolling the area. Several weeks ago, two cars collided at the intersection, leaving 9 people injured.The community went straight to county leaders after, asking for safety changes to be made.

“This community is asking for something. They’re not asking us to move a mountain. Something as simple as rumble strips,” says County Commissioner, Michael O’Donnell.

The county listened, immediately making changes.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Greenwood County Sales Tax to increase Monday

Purchases in Greenwood County will cost a bit more as of Mondy as the sales tax will increase by .5 percent.

The half-percent sales tax increase, passed in last November’s election, is designated to the Greenwood County Hospital to pay off its accounts receivable. This is in addition to a 1 percent county sales tax that is currently in place for GWCH, making the total county sales tax 1.5 percent.

The state sales tax is 6.5 percent. With the additional half-percent added, most locations in Greenwood County will now pay 8 percent sales tax on purchases. The City of Eureka has its own sales tax of 2 percent. With the full 1.5 percent county tax, its sales tax will increase to a total of 10 percent on purchases. The City of Severy has a 1 percent city sales tax, making its total tax 9 percent as of Monday.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

KBI arrests Geary County Sheriff for alleged felony theft, again

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested Anthony J. “Tony” Wolf, 44, the Geary County Sheriff, just after 2 p.m. Friday at the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, 826 N. Franklin St. in Junction City. According to a KBI media release, Wolf was arrested for two new counts of felony theft. The charge alleges Wolf used county funds to purchase items that were then sold for personal profit, or maintained for personal use. On Friday he appeared at a pre-trial conference regarding the charges he was previously arrested for on Oct. 18 that accuse Wolf of giving a county-owned firearm as a gift to a third party, and for misuse of public funds. The misuse of public funds allegation asserts Wolf used public dollars in a manner not authorized by law.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Brown County Commission moves forward on amended resolution for countywide sales tax

The Brown County Commission voted Friday to move forward on an amended resolution pertaining to a special election for a proposed half-cent sales tax to benefit the Hiawatha Community Hospital.

The vote came after much discussion between the commissioners and members of the Hospital Joint Advisory Committee, along with John Broberg, interim CEO of the Hiawatha Community Hospital.

The language of the Resolution NO. 19-0, which the commission unanimously approved, reads as follows:

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Merriam creates operations supervisor position for facilities in preparation for opening of community center

The Merriam City Council voted unanimously to create a new position within the city’s Public Works department during Monday’s city council meeting.

The newly created position is for a Facility Operations Supervisor who will oversee citywide building maintenance.

“Recognizing that staffing levels will drastically change with the new community center, it is important to maintain efficient operations,” Parks & Recreation Director Anna Slocum told the council. “The maintenance needs of the new community center will be considerably different from that of the existing facility.”

The vacant facility maintenance position was part of the Parks & Recreation Department. The Facility Operations Supervisor position will become part of the Public Works department.

Lenexa developer wins incentives for new headquarters

Lenexa has agreed to issue $19 million in industrial revenue bonds and to offer a property tax abatement to help finance a new headquarters for Oddo Development at 105th Street and Lackman Road.

The company plans to build a 92,000-square-foot office/warehouse facility — it’s third relocated headquarters — down the street from its current headquarters, the Shawnee Mission Post reports. As part of the incentives, Oddo will be required to invest $15 million in the project and be a dues-paying member of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, among other requirements.

(Read more: Kansas City Business News)

Lawrence City Commission to consider increasing community input for downtown master plan

After Lawrence city commissioners criticized the process, commissioners will soon consider increasing the amount of community input gathered for the development of the Downtown Master Plan.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider revising and expanding the community engagement component of the development of the plan. The proposed changes would add $37,070 to the $110,000 contract for Houseal Lavigne Associates, the consultant helping the city to draft the plan, according to city staff memo to the commission.

The proposed expansion to the community input component calls for adding outreach activities for youth and college-aged community members and a mechanism for community groups to host their own workshops to gather input, according to the memo.

Law allowing Kansas grocery stores to sell full-strength beer takes effect today

As of Monday, employees at grocery stores across the state will be stocking shelves with a product they’ve never been allowed to sell before — full-strength beer.

Elsewhere, liquor stores will also begin to stock shelves with new nonalcoholic products, although some liquor store owners say the changes are a bit of a mixed bag.

On Monday, a law that was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2017 will go into effect and allow grocers and convenience stores to sell beer with an alcohol content of up to 6 percent alcohol by volume, or ABV. Under previous law, they could only sell beer with up to 3.2 percent ABV.

“It can’t come soon enough,” said Sheila Lowrie, a spokeswoman for Dillons Food Stores, which has four stores in Lawrence.