Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Horton city official says hospital will close Tuesday afternoon

The Horton city administrator says he expects the town’s struggling hospital and clinic will close Tuesday afternoon.The closing of Horton Community Hospital would follow weeks of speculation about the viability of the facility, which employs 40-50 in the small northeast Kansas town. Staff at Horton Community Hospital haven’t been paid since Feb. 15, said John Calhoon, the acting city administrator and chief of police.

Pottawatomie County, Wamego to discuss commerce route agreement

Pottawatomie County and Wamego City Commissioners will meet in joint session next Monday to come to terms on an agreement to help fund the industrial commerce route around the southeast portion of Wamego. Both the city and the county agreed last year to commit up to $750,000 each for the project — the local match required by the $4.35 million grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation to fund construction. The industrial commerce route project will create a truck bypass around Wamego by widening Valley Street, Balderson Boulevard south of Military Trail Road, and Military Trail Road east to the south entrance of the Wamego Industrial Park. A companion project — widening K-99 south of Wamego — would mitigate truck access from Wamego’s industrial area to Interstate 70 and, at the same time, divert heavy truck traffic from the downtown area.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

City of Topeka reports patching nearly two-thirds the number of potholes as its 2018 total

Topeka’s city government by late February had already repaired two-thirds as many potholes as it did in all of last year. The city had patched 8,395 potholes as of Feb. 26, city media relations coordinator Molly Hadfield said Tuesday. In comparison, the city patched 12,275 potholes in 2018 and 23,302 in 2017, she confirmed. Hadfield attributed the plethora of potholes to Topeka having seen a harsh winter characterized by considerable precipitation. Topeka has recorded 27.1 inches of snow so far this winter compared to 19.6 inches in the previous three winters combined, according to the National Weather Service. “Because of the multiple rain, snow and ice events, damage to city streets has been more severe,” the city said on its website. “Damage occurs during and after the freeze-thaw cycle.”

Reno County Commission adopts policy eliminating public comment when it considers zoning changes

The Reno County Commission adopted a policy Tuesday that halts public comment at the county commission on zoning and land use issues when the planning commission conducts a public hearing. Instead, the commission will base any decision on zoning changes strictly on recommendations from the planning commission and county staff, as well as any forwarded information the planning board received when it conducted public hearings required by state law. The policy, which includes two exceptions, was prompted by the anticipation of a pending conditional use permit sought by NextEra Energy for a wind farm in southeast Reno County. The policy, however, will apply to all future applications for zoning amendments or conditional use permits.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Hays looks at design for second waterline under I-70 to north

There is only one 16-inch line providing water to properties north of Interstate 70 in Hays. The city is planning to build another 12-inch water main for redundancy. There were only a few businesses to be served in the area when the 500,000 gallon water tower was built and city water was extended north of I-70 in 1993. Since then, many businesses vital to the economy and daily needs of Hays residents and the surrounding area have located north of I-70, and more new businesses are planned.

“The economic impact of being without water service north of I-70 for any length of time would be significant,” said John Braun, project manager. “A failure of the current water main could have catastrophic consequences in case of fire.”

(Read more: Hays Post)

Butler County participates in review of Hazard Mitigation Plan

Butler County and 10 other counties in South Central Kansas are participating in a project with the State of Kansas to update the Region G Multi-Hazard, Multi-Jurisdictional Mitigation Plan that is expiring on May 30, 2019. The purpose of the plan is look at local hazards and historical disasters and identify ways to lessen or eliminate the impact of future disasters. In addition to having an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan, it makes participating areas eligible to apply for funds under FEMA’s grant program.

(Read more: Augusta Gazette)

Sabetha Planning Commission tables decision on extraterritorial jurisdiction expansion

The Sabetha Planning Commission postponed a decision regarding the proposed expansion of the City of Sabetha’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. This comes after the Thursday, March 7, public hearing on the matter, during which members of the Planning Commission heard public comment from 15 individuals.

Earlier this year, the Sabetha City Commission prohibited commercial wind generation facilities within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction, which at that time extended approximately 1-1/2 miles from the City’s contiguous city limits. This prohibition was recommended following a hearing by the Sabetha Planning Commission. At the Planning Commission’s meeting on that topic, members of the public asked if the extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction’s border could extend farther than it does currently. They were informed that it could, but this would require a change to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, in which the current extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction is specified.

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Wichita plans to take steps to ensure e-scooter safety

Wichita could be the next city across the United States to have electric scooters on its streets. City officials are speaking out about safety initiatives after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched an investigation in the rise of e-scooter injuries. “Some of the bad issues that have popped up over the last couple of years for scooters is the fact that they’ve just come into cities, and then dealt with the problems afterwards,” said Wichita Transit director Mike Tann. Transit officials want to take a proactive approach when it comes to rider safety. “We’re looking at every opportunity and every example to make sure we hone this down to something that’s both workable and acceptable,” Tann said.

(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)

City of Manhattan to administer 2019 survey

How do you like Manhattan? You might get a chance to let city officials know as they roll out the 2019 Community Survey. City administration will be randomly sampling about 5,000 households to receive an invitation to participate in the survey — which will ask residents their thoughts about quality of life in the city and how satisfied they are with city services. The survey will be distributed via email, though 1,000 households with no listed email will receive a mailed postcard with the link and residents can also request a paper copy. Surveys will be sent out March 18th, responses will be kept confidential.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Wichita working to ensure drainage system ready for floods

How is the city working to tackle those drainage issues – and how can you help? Areas like 1st and Bleckley have been problems for years. That area is near Hyde Elementary and Robinson Middle School. The drainage system is meant to help with heavy rain, but people in the area say they still deal with significant flooding. The city says money for drainage projects on Bleckley will be allocated during this year’s budget discussions. They say it takes time to come up with funding for a project as large as the one on Bleckley.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Kansas tax on groceries among highest in nation. Why that’s not changing anytime soon

Kansas would still tax food more than just about anywhere else in the United States, even if a proposed reduction before the Legislature becomes law.

For all the talk among lawmakers this year about taking a bite out of the cost of groceries, the plan closest to passing amounts to a nibble. Annual savings for many families would likely add up to less than $100 — $1.92-per-week.

A proposal to cut the food sales tax rate from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent sits in Senate Bill 22, a large, highly-controversial measure that makes numerous changes to the state’s tax code. The House approved the bill last week; the Senate could vote anytime to send it to Gov. Laura Kelly.

A really close neighbor: Affordable housing board interested in allowing two homes to be built on single city lot

Members of the city’s affordable housing board want to allow two homes to be built on one lot as long as at least one is designated as an affordable home or rental.

As part of its meeting Monday, the Affordable Housing Advisory Board reviewed a preliminary draft of changes to the city’s land use code that would allow two homes to be built on a single lot under certain conditions. One of the homes would have to be permanently designated as affordable housing and both homes would need to meet existing design standards for residential neighborhoods.

Planning Director Scott McCullough explained that keeping the design requirements in place is important for emergency access and would help preserve the character and look of neighborhoods. He said each unit would also have to meet existing off-street parking requirements.

Lawrence City Commission to review city manager applicants

The Lawrence City Commission will hold a two-hour executive session instead of its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. The session will last approximately two hours and will be used to discuss applicants for the city manager position.

There are no other items on the commission’s agenda.

City Manager Tom Markus announced in September that he planned to retire, and has since said he will leave his position around June. The city hired California-based search firm Ralph Andersen & Associates to conduct a national search for Markus’ replacement.

Huge Islamic center planned for south Overland Park. Neighbors aren’t happy

A plan for the Islamic Center of Kansas to construct a multi-faceted religious facility for Muslims from both sides of the state line gained preliminary approval from Overland Park planning commissioners Monday.

But its location near West 163rd Terrace and Roe Avenue — between Blue Valley Middle School and the Cottages at the Wilderness subdivision — has galvanized neighbors who say the size and scope of the proposed 110,876-square-foot facility make it a bad fit for the area.

“It was understood to be the kind of religious facility that could find a home within a neighborhood,” said attorney Doug Patterson, who spoke on behalf of roughly 50 residents of the adjacent subdivisions who attended Monday’s meeting.

McPherson City Commission tries new meeting time

The McPherson City Commission will try something new in April. They will be holding their meetings at 5:30 p.m. rather than 8:30 a.m. in an effort to be more accessible to the community. The April 1 meeting will be at 8:30 a.m., but following that, the rest of the meetings in the month will be held in the evening. All will be held on Mondays and in the normal meeting place at the Municipal Building, 400 E. Kansas Ave. in the East Board Room. All meetings are open to the public.

(Read more: McPherson Sentinel)

New proposed transit: Round trips from Salina to Manhattan for $4

A new transit could be coming to Salina that will make traveling to Manhattan and other communities more cost efficient. “I go to Manhattan probably every weekend, especially in the Fall,” Kansas State Salina student Joseph Morse said. “I buy a football pass and hang with friends.” But he said those weekend trips can be pricey. “It’s not fun paying for gas all the time,” Morse said. Later this year, the North Central Kansas Coordinated Transit, along with the Kansas Department of Transportation and other partners said there could be another travel option. “We’re working on getting a route that goes from Salina to Manhattan,” Claire Mullen with the North Central Kansas Coordinated Transit said. “Monday through Friday, possibly four round trips a day.”

(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)

Brown County Commission votes in sales tax resolution for hospital

The Brown County Commission voted 2-1 Monday morning to pass a resolution that would set a special election to implement a half-cent county-wide retailers sales tax for 10 years with proceeds to benefit the Hiawatha Community Hospital to provide health services in the county. The vote came after nearly an hour of discussion by the commissioners, County Attorney Kevin Hill and representatives of the city and hospital. It also comes after a joint advisory committee – working to help the hospital manage its financial crisis – gave its recommendation to help the hospital after almost two months of meetings and conducting research.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Barton County set to begin first phase of courthouse repairs

After a structural analysis and plenty of discussion, Barton County is ready to proceed with repairs the 100-year old Barton County Courthouse. Commissioners Monday voted 5-0 to accept the bid from Mid-Continent Restoration out of Fort Scott that will address the exterior problems that the building is facing. Administrator Phil Hathcock says a study last year by WDM Architects found that water infiltration around the edge of the roof through deteriorating caulking was causing plaster to pop off walls on the fourth floor. In addition to that, decorative work on the outside of the building was falling off.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Counties could share road costs

Labette County commissioners on Monday discussed setting up an agreement with commissioners in Craig County, Oklahoma, for sharing costs on bridge maintenance and inspections on Nation Road. While the bridge does not require replacement now, the Federal Highway Administration requires governing bodies in state border counties to have agreements on file related to the maintenance and inspection of bridges on state lines. The bridge that brought the issue forward is on Nation Road just east of Jackson Road, which is four miles south of Edna on the Oklahoma-Kansas state line.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Newly incorporated city, The Highlands, gets good news from Revenue

The Kansas Department of Revenue’s phone call gave the city of The Highlands an unexpected message.

“We had super good news this week,” The Highlands City Councilmember Bonnie Teel told the council at its Thursday night meeting, conducted at Nickerson City Hall. It soon will see a deposit of $853.60 in the city’s account, income from the Reno County sales tax.

Officials for the city launched last year thought The Highlands would not receive its share of Reno County sales tax proceeds until later in 2019 after the city had a state-certified population. Under state law, incorporated cities get a portion of a county’s general sales tax revenues based on a formula using city population and the local mill levy.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Neosho County official objects to often late night meetings

Has the Neosho Ridge Wind project debate itself become hazardous enough to public health for a county official to step in? Not really, but there is something worrisome going on. Actually, the concern expressed by Health Department Administrator Teresa Starr at Thursday evening’s Neosho County Commission meeting was about the late meeting hours devoted to the issue. “We’re staying until two in the morning,” Starr said. “It’s hard for everyone the next day.”

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Council member on downtown Wichita child care: ‘Right now there isn’t much availability’

Finding affordable child care is a challenge according to parents living and working in downtown Wichita. KSN asked people about the need and a city official, who says its been a concern in the area for some time. “I’m trying to cut my driving time down and so driving to a daycare and then driving to work, I don’t want to have to drive too far out of my way,” said Maria Rogers, Wichita. Rogers has been looking at child care options for her daughter. She says the search has been a challenge. The lack of day care downtown is an issue city council member Cindy Claycomb has noticed. She says especially with the growth in the area. “With all the new apartments and people moving downtown, seems like there’s a need for that, but right now there isn’t much availability in the downtown core area,” said Claycomb.

(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)

Edgerton renews their trash contract

Gardner Disposal Service will continue providing trash service to residents of Edgerton after the Edgerton City Council renewed a $128,000 contract with the company. The company’s $15 per dwelling per month bid was the lowest. City regulations call for the city to pay 50 percent of the cost per dwelling reducing the cost to $7.50 for residents.
Two other companies- Republic and Waste Management- also bid for the business. Scott Peterson, assistant city administrator, told the council that the city has been satisfied with the service offered by Gardner Disposal.

“We already work with them, and we have a great relationship,” he said.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Kansas considers relaxing rules on rural ambulance drivers

A proposal before the Kansas Legislature would allow people without medical training to drive ambulances in rural areas.
The bill is in response to a statewide shortage of trained personnel for ambulances in rural areas. One person with medical training — such as a nurse or an EMT — would still be required to be on board ambulances.

Supporters cite places like Norton County, in northwest Kansas. The county’s 5,400 residents has six full-time ambulance workers and nine volunteers to respond to all 911 calls and take patients from one hospital to another.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

No slowdown in Hays’ water conservation programs despite abundant rains

Last year was the third wettest year on record for the city of Hays. In 2018, Hays received 37.55 inches of moisture, just a quarter-inch shy of 37.99 inches that fell in 1993 – the second wettest year. Official daily records have been kept by the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town since 1868. Still, the abundant moisture does not mean an end or even slowdown of the city’s water conservation programs started in 1992.

“We’re in really great shape right now. The seasonal drought outlook is good for us showing no drought at least through April,” said Holly Dickman, Hays’ water conservation specialist. “The soils are very saturated right now.”

(Read more: Hays Post)

City of Gardner may ask for KDOT grant to maintain 56 Highway

Gardner is considering applying for a state grant to fund repairs and maintenance of Highway 56 between Sycamore street and Moonlight Road. Michael Kramer, public works director, told the city council during a meeting March 4 that the road qualifies for Kansas Department of Transportation funding up to $1 million a year with a 10 percent matching contribution by the city. Kramer said the road is maintained by the state including snow removal but added there could be additional funding from the state through the proposed funding mechanism. He said that funds for any such matching grant have not been budgeted in the city’s current fiscal year. Lee Moore, council president, wondered why the state would come back and ask the citizens of Gardner to pay more to maintain a road that is already the responsibility of the state.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Clearwater residents look for change at dangerous intersection

Clearwater community members are fed up after another accident at the intersection of 135th and 71st. Nine people were hurt Wednesday morning after investigators say a driver failed to stop at a stop sign. “Anyone coming to and from town is going to take 135th street,” says Casey Richwine, who drives this stretch of road often.

Community members are hoping changes will come in the form of rumble strips or a stop light. City and county leaders are already working with citizens to make improvements.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

South Hutch pulls out of K-96 corridor group

South Hutchinson, the north anchor city for the K-96 Corridor Development Association, will not pay 2019 membership dues to the nearly 15-year-old association.
“We weren’t sure what we were actually getting out of that membership,” said City Councilmember Mandi Blumanhourst.
The council voted 5-0 Feb. 18 not to renew membership. Dues have been $2,000 annually. The council left the door open to consider rejoining the association in the future.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Century II one of many big items on city’s plate, Emerging Leaders say

A baseball stadium under construction and performing arts and convention venues under consideration make for a year to think big at City Hall.

Thursday’s Emerging Leaders roundtable participants all want Wichita to think big in terms of those projects, though they had different confidence levels. What helped them think through the process were two colleagues with careers in the construction business.

Eddie Fahnestock, who’s in business management at Key Construction, and Jeff Mullen, CFO of Dondlinger & Sons Construction, talked about the details and prospects for a performing-arts venue.

A performing-arts venue is one of many big-ticket projects facing the city, and more than what first meets the eye. In addition to the stadium ($75 million), recommended performing-arts venue ($175 million) and recommended convention space, a project not getting as many headlines is a $500-million water treatment facility that’s in the design stage.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

Ellis parks to soon feature community book exchange program

Visitors to three parks in Ellis will soon be able to enjoy a community book exchange program.

City council members Monday approved the provision of materials and installation of the boxes by the Public Works Dept.

Todd Keller of the Washington Grade School PTO presented the idea to the council during their meeting. The PTO helped finance the cost of the materials for the boxes, and a woodshop class constructed the boxes.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Shawnee County breaks from past practice, pays moving expenses for new employee

The Shawnee County Commission broke from past practice Thursday by agreeing to pay moving expenses for Jeremy Myers, the county’s incoming parks operations director.

Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook voted 3-0 to pay any moving and travel expenses Myers incurs coming to Topeka from Hudsonville, Mich.

The contract involved doesn’t specify a monetary amount. A document in the agenda packet for Thursday’s meeting indicated the county has agreed to pay “the actual reimbursable moving expenses verified by receipts” or “the amount of moving expenses for moving 12,000 pounds of household goods by commercial carrier,” whichever is less.

Cook suggested Thursday’s move might mark the first time the county had agreed to pay a new employee’s moving expenses since he joined the commission in 2013. He said county parks and recreation director John Knight was making arrangements for the county to potentially put in place guidelines it could apply to similar situations.

Archer said he supported Thursday’s move because if the county is going to continue to have a world-class parks and recreation department, it will need to attract people like Myers.

No slowdown in city of Hays water conservation programs despite abundant rains

Last year was the third wettest year on record for the city of Hays.

In 2018, Hays received 37.55 inches of moisture, just a quarter-inch shy of 37.99 inches that fell in 1993 – the second wettest year.

Official daily records have been kept by the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town since 1868.

Still, the abundant moisture does not mean an end or even slowdown of the city’s water conservation programs started in 1992. “We’re in really great shape right now. The seasonal drought outlook is good for us showing no drought at least through April,” said Holly Dickman, Hays’ water conservation specialist. “The soils are very saturated right now.”

She presented a wrap up of the water conservation programs in 2018 to city commissioners last week and talked about what will be done in 2019.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Kechi re-forms economic development group

The Kechi City Council on Feb. 28 unanimously voted to re-form an Economic Development Committee. It will consist of nine members.

“At our recent retreat, one of the top priorities the council identified was economic development for the city moving forward,” said City Administrator Bob Conger. “Given the current state of affairs in the city, I took the liberty of updating the (committee) policies with the city attorney. They haven’t changed a great deal.”

Kechi had an Economic Development Committee but it had been active since 2004. Some changes were made regarding the composition of the committee on Feb. 28. Previously, each council member was responsible for appointing two Kechi residents to the 10-person committee.

Shawnee looking to create regulations for microbreweries

One month after Shawnee’s first microbrewery opened up across the street from city hall, the city is looking into creating regulations for breweries and distilleries.

Stephanie Malmborg, deputy community development director told the planning commission on Monday that community development staff is currently researching regulations of those types of businesses by other cities and also looking at best practices from the American Planning Association.

“We’ve found that there’s a lot of interest in those types of uses, and it can be a great entertainment type use in some of our neighborhood commercial and commercial zones,” Malmborg said. “I think it’s important that we find some regulations that open up some possibilities for that type of use in some areas.”

Utility solution far more complex than lowering rates

tility rates are artificially inflated to pay for more than the cost of utility services.

That’s the truth that the city has openly acknowledged. And on the surface, the practice isn’t wrong, if the city is up front about it.

For 2019, the city projects $14.83 million in utility revenues and plans to transfer $3.55 million of those revenues into its general fund. That means nearly a quarter out of every dollar that comes in on utility revenues goes in the city’s general fund.

$1.6 million pays for personnel the city says have parts of their job related to utility service but not paid for directly by the separate utility service funds. At $65,000 a person, that would pay for 24 full time employees.

$1.2 million goes to helping keep property taxes down, according to the city manager. It should be noted that we had no difficulty obtaining these numbers from the city office, who have answered all our requests for information in a timely manner.

This information shows why Newton pays higher utility bills than surrounding communities.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Lawrence City Commission denies couple an Airbnb permit, citing incompatibility with neighborhood

City leaders have denied an Overland Park couple a permit to use a house in Lawrence as an Airbnb short-term rental property, citing a protest petition from neighbors and other factors.

The Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Matthew Herbert opposing, to deny the permit as part of its meeting this week.

In explaining her vote, Mayor Lisa Larsen cited both the protest petition and the incompatibility of an Airbnb property with the surrounding neighborhood.

911 bill at statehouse could cost county

A handwritten bill proposed last week by a Wichita state representative could end up costing the county $11,000 in its 911 fund.

“We’re going to take a hit, a very significant hit,” Communications Director Don Gruver told the Harvey County Board of Commissioners on Monday.

State Rep. John Carmichael, a Democrat representing the 92nd District, presented his amendment to House Bill 2084, which would change the proposed fee on phone bills from 60 cents a month to 82 cents. His amendment passed the House on a 64-56 vote.

Gruver said most of the increase would go to the Kansas 911 Coordinating Council, and the county’s share for the phone fees would drop from 60 to 58 cents, which comes to about $11,000. That funding accounts for the county’s entire training budget. The county currently collects 94 percent of the fees, but that number would be reduced under Carmichael’s plan. County Administrator Anthony Swartzendruber said rural counties would see their annual stipends from the state increase from $50,000 to $60,000. The Kansas Association of Counties is lobbying for no county to get a reduction in its Public Safety Answer Points funding because the funding is used for critical local services.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Public meeting scheduled to discuss Garden City’s upcoming U.S. 50/83/400 bypass

The Kansas Department of Transportation will host a public meeting regarding the upcoming U.S. 50/83/400 bypass project in Garden City which is expected to begin on March 18. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12 from 5 – 8 p.m. at the KDOT District Six office at 121 N. Campus Drive in Garden City.

The project is a preservation project which will replace over 3.5 miles of concrete and asphalt on the Garden City bypass beginning at Third Street and continuing to the east and south to the U.S. 50/Fulton Street interchange.

(Read more: Western Kansas News)

Reno County Commission eyes disallowing public comment when considering planning recommendations

The Reno County Commission spent nearly an hour Tuesday discussing how it would approach receiving recommendations on NextEra Energy’s application for a permit for the Pretty Prairie Wind Farm.

A majority of the commission indicated support for taking no further public comment on the issue, relying solely on the recommendation of the Reno County Planning Commission and any evidence submitted to that board during the April 4 public hearing, now set to begin at 3 p.m. at the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center.

The commission, however, pressed by Commissioner Ron Hirst, left the door open to potentially considering “new information” not known when the planning commission makes its decision. That would follow a hybrid policy developed by the Wichita County Commission.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Starting a Youth Council

Youth councils or youth advisory boards can provide an effective way to engage youth in city government. Youth councils provide a conduit for youth voice to city leadership, help promote civic engagement and community service, and foster an understanding of how municipal government works.

This strategy guide offers the basics for forming a youth council in your city, as well as examples of the way different cities have configured their councils.

(Read more: www.nlc.org/contents/rss-feed)

Wichita could have disclosed development deal with baseball team sooner, mayor says

Wichita city officials could have told the public sooner about a side deal to help bring a Minor League Baseball team to town, Mayor Jeff Longwell said Thursday. Earlier in the week he said he couldn’t because of league rules.

Over the course of 18 months, the owners of the New Orleans Baby Cakes, led by Lou Schwechheimer, negotiated a deal with city leaders to move to Wichita, but the city had to build a stadium and offer it land to develop around the stadium.

That the move was contingent on the development deal was not made public until Monday, months after Lawrence-Dumont Stadium was torn down and as a new stadium is being built. The existence of the side deal was undisclosed until its details appeared in The Sunday Eagle. The city has said it intended to post the agreement online as part of its meeting agenda packet Friday, but the website was down until Monday.

(Read more: Local News |)

Public invited to meet Gardner administrator finalists

Public can meet Gardner administrator finalists Gardner’s search for a new city administrator has reached a milestone now that the list of applicants has been winnowed to three finalists. Community members are invited to meet the candidates from 5 to 6 p.m. March 11 at City Hall. They are:

Nicholas Edwards, assistant city manager in Lee’s Summit.

James Pruetting, Gardner’s police chief.

Brian Wilson, village administrator of Belleville, Wis.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Commission discusses goals during day-long retreat

On Wednesday, the Garden City Commission spent the day in their annual goal-setting retreat at the Finnup Center, discussing a myriad of issues and progress on previous goals with an eye toward fining tuning the whole thing into what will eventually be shaped into the city’s roadmap for the next 18 months.

The city uses the retreat and goal setting session to assist the commission in its work on the annual budget. Work on the 2020 budget will take place now through the spring and early summer before being finalized.

A preliminary draft of goals will be prepared by administration and staff before being reviewed by the commission. Eventually, the goals will be finalized and approved at a regular commission meeting, which in the past has occurred in April.

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Cowley commissioners: Let wind farms spin in flint hills

The Cowley County Commission has written a letter to Gov. Laura Kelly asking her to reverse the moratorium on wind farms in the Flint Hills imposed by former governor Sam Brownback.

Cowley County is considered a “gateway to the Flint Hills,” which is why it was affected by the moratorium, county appraiser Lucas Goff said.

Commissioner Wayne Wilt said the county should go after the wind farms as a source of revenue that could “help everybody:” the county, landowners and individual job seekers. The commissioners also stated that it is local residents, not the state, which should determine the suitability of wind mills for a particular area.

Goff and Wilt said they know of several counties that have benefited from the wind mills.

A letter from the commissioners of Elk County asking Gov. Kelly to reverse the moratorium stated that the one wind farm they do have brought in just more than $1 million this past year.

“That may not seem like much,” the letter states, “but the County’s total budget is only $6.7 million.”

City of Hays may exercise its option to buy land north of I-70

Hays city commissioners Thursday will discuss exercising the city’s option to purchase property near Interstate 70 and Commerce Parkway.

In April 2018, the commission purchased an 18-month irrevocable option to buy 91 acres in the northeast corner of the 27th Street and Commerce Parkway intersection at the east I-70 Exit 161. That option expires September 19 of this year.

The property, currently owned by the Cathy A. Braun Revocable Trust of Hays, has significant potential for future retail, commercial, and business park development.

According to a memo from City Manager Toby Dougherty, the cost to exercise the option is the original price of $800,000, less the credited option payment of approximately $17,500 if paid the day following the regular March 14 commission meeting, and prorated taxes of $108. The total remaining purchase price would be $782,608 plus shared closing costs and title insurance.

Staff is recommending the city commission approve the purchase.

(Read more: Hays Post)