Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Derby firefighter bestowed with statewide honor

For Kenneth Linot, the major reward in his job as a Derby firefighter is clear: helping people in need and giving back to the community.

Linot, who has been with the department full time since 2012, was selected as the Kansas VFW 2018-19 State Firefighter of the Year.

He was presented with the award by VFW officials at the March 12 City Council meeting.

Linot said he is “very humbled.”

“It was unexpected,” he said. “Just something out of the blue.”

Linot was nominated for the award by Fire Chief Brad Smith, who cited Linot’s many career activities and accomplishments including being part of a team that rescued an elderly resident from his burning home in November 2016.

It was hard to pick out one individual in the department, Smith said, because “everyone carries the load,” but Linot is a solid representative of the staff.

“He’s a good reflection of what the department is all about,” he said. “It does make you proud.”

Derby’s priority list updates include free paper ban, e-cigs and more

The city’s “to-do” list has changed.

Known as the list of priorities, the blueprint provides a guideline for city staff on which projects to tackle first – and which ones to move to the back for more effort later.

City Manager Kathy Sexton went before the council at its March 12 meeting explaining the changes and asking for its approval, which it gave.

As she said, agreeing on priorities makes the best use of staff time. The list includes enhancement projects to be worked on as time allows amid other responsibilities, she said.

The last update to the list was Nov. 27 and since that time, work has progressed on many of the 13 projects. Due to “substantial completion,” Sexton recommended that four of the items be removed. She also suggested combining one item on what is known as the Watch List with one on the Priority List.

That deals with converting Derby to a city of the First Class and include updating the Charter Ordinances.

As Derby approaches a population of 25,000, it needs to convert its city status to First Class.

That action hasn’t happened in Kansas in years, so it’s a process that requires much research and legal legwork.

There are seven items on the Watch List.

Among them is a suggestion to research and develop a policy on e-cigarettes that would add e-cigs and tobacco products to the indoor air ordinance.

“The intent would be to ban the use of e-cigarettes in indoor spaces by amending the city’s Clean Indoor Air ordinance,” she said.

Also, a new suggestion deals with drawing up an ordinance to ban throwing free newspapers and advertising in driveways or front yards.

Sexton said the intent would be to “clean up the look of neighborhoods.”

It also would reduce efforts required of city staff to clear out excess debris from stormwater inlets and pipes.

Both the e-cigarettes and tossed publication ban were moved up to the priority list.

City of Pittsburg engages team to continue public power initiative

Following commission meetings held earlier this year, the City of Pittsburg has been given approval by commissioners to continue to move forward with creating a public power utility for Pittsburg.

The City commission wants to continue to explore the economic viability, benefits and risks of public power and outline the steps that will be necessary if a public power utility is to be established. As such, the City has engaged a qualified, experienced team to conduct negotiations and a detailed analysis of the technical, legal and financial aspects of creating a public power utility for Pittsburg. Daron Hall, Pittsburg City Manager, says, “We are following an expert recommendation on behalf of the citizens, businesses and industries of Pittsburg. The team we have engaged are specialists in their respective fields and we look forward to working closely with Evergy to create a win-win for everyone.”

(Read more: City of Pittsburg)

Concrete company in Miami County likely to relocate following Planning Commission decision

Miami County planning commissioners have recommended revoking the conditional-use permit (CUP) for Concrete Strategies, but the Miami County Commission will make the final decision next week. 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 the CUP stays with the land not with the owner.

Neighbors have submitted a petition to revoke that CUP based on the claims that the business has intensified in use. A public hearing was held during the March 5 meeting to debate the issue.

The planning commissioners were tasked with determining if the use has substantially expanded from the original use that was in place in 1991 and whether the use has operated continuously, or was there a period of inactivity of at least 365 days?

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Fed holds line on rates, says no more hikes ahead this year

The Federal Reserve decided Wednesday to hold interest rates steady and indicated that no more hikes will be coming this year.
In a unanimous move that coincides with market expectations and demands, the central bank’s policymaking Federal Open Market Committee took a sharp dovish turn from policy projections just three months earlier.
After the announcement, 10-year Treasury yields fell to their lowest level in a year.

Committee members had estimated in December that two rate hikes would be appropriate in 2019 after four increases in 2018. They also pointed to at least another one before ending a round of policy tightening that began in December 2015.

However, there now appears to be no likelihood of a hike unless conditions change significantly. In its post-meeting statement, the FOMC indicated it would remain “patient” before adopting any further increases.

OP City Council votes to change penalty to incentives carrot for long-delayed project

A downtown Overland Park project that actually was approved as the city’s first tax increment financing deal in 2007 is back in the spotlight.

According to the Shawnee Mission Post, the original Market Lofts TIF project never got started as the Great Recession took its toll. However, developer Paul Goehausen, managing principal for Goehausen & Co., has been working to keep the project at 80th and Marty streets going for more than a decade.

The Market Lofts development, which includes 36 apartments, 5,700 square feet of retail and an underground parking garage, started moving toward construction again in 2015. That’s when Merriam-based general contractor 2Point Construction Co. signed on to be the general contractor for the $8.9 million apartment building and retail space.

As the developer neared its July 31, 2018, deadline for completing the project, the Overland Park City Council opted to deliver a warning shot by reducing the project’s incentives cap.

Citizens express support and concerns over ballpark development deal

Wichita can now sell its land to a mostly undisclosed group of developers for $1 an acre.

The Wichita City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to sell approximately 4 acres around the new $75 million baseball stadium to Wichita Riverfront LP.

That company is connected to Lou Schwechheimer, the principal owner of the New Orleans Baby Cakes. The team already has a management agreement and a facilities agreement, but the land sale was the “third leg of the stool” in a deal to lure the Baby Cakes to Wichita, City Manager Robert Layton said. What land will be purchased has not been finalized, but it would have to be within the 24 acre footprint of the new stadium and south of Texas Street along McLean, according to an agreement signed by Mayor Jeff Longwell and Schwechheimer on Wednesday. City officials said fair market value of the land is between $750,000 and $800,000.

(Read more: Local News |)

Small business owners take issue with TIF district in Garden City

Local small business owners approached Garden City commissioners on Tuesday with concerns about the proposed establishment of a redevelopment district for a planned commercial project on East Kansas Avenue.

The commission approved a memorandum of understanding with developer 2107 E. Kansas LLC in January to turn 11 acres of undeveloped land near the intersection of Campus Drive and Kansas Avenue into a commercial development anchored by a new First National Bank. About five to six other commercial or retail buildings are included in the project.

Tuesday, the commission held a public hearing before unanimously passing an ordinance that would establish the area as the Campus and Kansas Redevelopment District, marking the area as “blighted” and making it eligible to become a Tax Increment Financing District.
During the public hearing, Henk Rijfkogel, owner of Henk’s Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning at 3025 Commercial Ave., and an employee at Western Irrigation at 2990 Morton Road, asked questions about and showed distaste for the process. The Western Irrigation employee did not give his full name when addressing the commission, and declined to give The Telegram his name.

The crux of their concerns was ultimately adjacent to the issue at hand. They and their neighboring small town business owners, several of whom watched from the audience, have seen large increases in property taxes over recent years and, as Rijfkogel told commissioners, were looking for relief.

Altamont goes dry until new state law takes effect on April 1

Altamont is temporarily a dry town, due in no part to any law prohibiting the sale of alcohol.

Rather, the town is being dually impacted by the new Kansas alcohol laws allowing stronger beer to be sold in grocery and convenience stores beginning April 1, and the closure of its only liquor store, the Liquor Shack, 1018 E. Fourth St., last month.

Shelves that contained beer with up to 3.2 percent alcohol content by weight now sit empty, and the city’s two convenience stores have not ordered more, as they were awaiting the arrival of deliveries of beer of up to 6 percent. At The Corner Store in Altamont, employees said the last shipment came into the store around the first of the month and quickly sold out.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Altamont hopes for downtown face-lift

An empty grocery building with its windows papered over sits near the corner of Huston and U.S. 160.

Across Huston to the east is an old gas station that while quaint in its old architecture is used now only for storage.

The two empty buildings are what people first see as they look down Altamont’s main street downtown. A quick glance down Huston and one sees barren sidewalks, plain, discolored metal facades, peeling paint, damaged awnings and dirty windows marking businesses and empty buildings alike that line the street.

U.S. 160 is fairly well traveled, and questions are being pondered as to what can make the difference in people driving by Altamont and people seeing something that makes them want to turn off and explore.
“You go around to some of these local towns and they are doing a lot to spruce up. I was just in Galena over the weekend and they’ve done a lot. Parsons is another, with huge improvements done there. To me, signage, awnings, even if you come up with semi-permanent benches with planters on them. To me that’s a facade improvement.

Altamont City Administrator Christina Schlatter explains, “It’s just something we thought was kind of important, to spruce up downtown and make it more presentable. We have a lot of people traveling through on the highway, so its a pretty main thoroughfare. We’ve got people traveling to get to (Kansas Highway) 101, Big Hill (Lake), Independence, families traveling for sports games, and have people visiting here because we have the largest school district in Labette County. We used to drive through and we’d always see people out on their bikes and people walking. People are really getting into the walking thing here. I just think it would be great to spruce things up. Spring’s coming and summer’s coming, so we thought it was time to do it.”

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Approved KDOT Agreement means $1 million for street project in Eureka

The Eureka City Council approved an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) during a routine meeting last Monday, March 11. This agreement made the highly discussed River Street project official. The project is slated to begin in 2020. With the city being awarded $1 million from KDOT, they will bond the remaining $3 million. There are several options the city has to repay the bonds, which would require a repayment of approximately $200,000 annually for 20 years. With the pool
and library bonds sun-setting last year, the council could ask the public to support a new one or half-cent sales tax for River Street. Another option would be to implement a surtax on city water bills. Unlike the sales tax, a surtax would not require a public vote. No decisions were made regarding River Street funding and discussion will continue at future council meetings.

(Read more: Eureka Herald RSS)

In Wyandotte County, Housing Is Eating Up Paychecks And Harming Health

It’s no longer news that when it comes to its residents’ health, Wyandotte County ranks near the bottom of Kansas counties and Johnson County ranks at the top.

Nor is it news that the health disparities between the two adjoining counties have less to do with individual behaviors than with socioeconomic factors like income levels, jobs, education and long-standing practices such as redlining and predatory lending that discriminate against people of color.

What may come as a bit of a surprise is that housing costs – and the financial burden they impose – factor pretty heavily into the mix as well.

It turns out that nearly one in six Wyandotte County households spend more than half their income on housing, compared with just one in 11 Johnson County households. In Kansas as a whole, about one in 10 households spend more than half their income on housing costs.

(Read more: )

Ellis County launches budget talks with 1.5 percent in cuts

Department heads in Ellis County have managed to cut 1.5 percent from their 2020 budgets so far, the first steps in helping avert a future county budget crisis.

Ellis County Commissioners previously asked every department head to make the cuts, with the goal being to cut $2 million out of the budget.

County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes presented the first round of proposed budgets to the Ellis County Commissioners during their regular meeting Monday evening at the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main.

“Obviously this is just the start, this is the tip of the iceberg, for what we need to get taken care of,” said County Commissioner Dustin Roths. “I think I can speak for my fellow commissioners when I say we’re not willing to watch this thing go bankrupt. We’re going to do what we need to do.”

With a 1.5 percent cut, General Fund expenditures for 2020 would be $1.86 million more than revenues.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Garden City hears results of Big Pool community input survey

The Garden City Commission heard the results Tuesday of a two-month process to gauge public opinion regarding the future of the nearly 100-year-old Big Pool, taking in a summary of thousands of resident comments and, surprisingly, what the input said about the city itself.

Assistant City Manager Jennifer Cunningham, who spearheaded the process, spent weeks holding in-person presentations about the upcoming project for more than 6,000 people, including every student from third to 12th grades in Garden City, high school students in Holcomb, Lakin, Deerfield and Cimarron, the Garden City USD 457 Board of Education, Finney County Commission, Neighborhood Learning Center, Spanish radio station, over a dozen local organizations and the public.

“This is the results of the Big Pool community input process. Obviously, that sounds really simple. It was not simple, but it was enlightening,” Cunningham told commissioners. “I can’t say that there’s probably too many other people who’ve had that much exposure to that many people across our community that quickly, and so I got to learn a lot about a lot of different people.”

Topeka OKs TIF District to benefit former Villa West property

The tower at southwest Topeka’s former Villa West Shopping Center will be torn down as part of a redevelopment project aimed at helping that center get a fresh start and shed the notoriety of its past, which includes having deteriorated while being owned by developer Kent Lindemuth, Topeka’s governing body learned Tuesday evening.

The demolition will be part of an $18 million project Overland Park-based 29th Street Partners, LLC, plans to carry out in multiple phases to redevelop the property on 14 acres at the northwest corner of S.W. 29th and Wanamaker Road while renaming it “Sherwood Crossing,” said Ferd Niemann IV, that company’s director of development.

Topeka governing body members voted 9-1 late Tuesday to establish a tax-increment financing district to potentially benefit the proposed project. Councilman Tony Emerson cast the lone dissenting vote while questioning whether Tuesday’s move was consistent with the policy the city has in place regarding TIF districts.

Prairie Village city government considering wind power for electric needs

The Prairie Village City Council on Monday approved an agreement with Kansas City Power & Light that potentially could result in a significant portion of the city government’s electric needs coming from wind energy.

The agreement pledges that the city will buy power from an as-yet unbuilt wind farm in the region for 20 years. It still hinges on whether KCP&L can persuade enough local governments and other large electric customers in northeast Johnson County to follow Prairie Village’s lead.

Drew Robinson, the company’s manager of renewable energy, told the council he needs at least 100 megawatts of dedicated monthly peak demand to make building a new wind farm financially sustainable. Prairie Village has an average monthly peak demand of around 400 kilowatts.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Wyandotte County at same place on new County Health Ranking list

Wyandotte County came in again at No. 99 on the County Health Rankings list in Kansas published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

The list has Johnson County as the healthiest in the state, and Chautauqua County as the least healthy. Wyandotte County was No. 99 last year, and it has raised its ranking from even lower in some previous years.

The County Health Rankings are not just about physical health. They also include factors such as crime rates, education levels, incomes, children living in poverty, and housing.

“The County Health Rankings have demonstrated that some counties in Kansas have consistently enjoyed better health, while others have consistently struggled, and we see this once again in 2019,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, senior fellow with the Kansas Health Institute, in a news release. “However, we also know that there are longstanding inequities in health within counties. Even in counties that have historically enjoyed higher overall rankings, we see substantial differences in health — by race, by ethnicity, and by neighborhood. So, it is important to look beyond what is happening at just the county level.”

(Read more: Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!)

Reno Co. Commission starts the process of eliminating a half-cent sales tax

With little discussion, the Reno County Commission on Tuesday approved a resolution for the payment of bonds used to build the Reno County Correctional Facility, improve the Reno County Jail Annex and improve security at the courthouse.

The next step will be to provide notice to the Kansas Department of Revenue that the county intends to sunset the sales tax used to fund the bond repayment. Notification will be made by April 1, and the tax will sunset on July 1.

The county expects to save $879,400 in interest and have as much as $1 million from the sales tax collected that won’t need to be spent on the project.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Hutchinson City Council agrees to tear down a historic building

After a public hearing Tuesday, the Hutchinson City Council agreed to tear down the old Sugar Mill building in the 600 block of East First.

The building suffered a partial collapse in February, and owner Ted Robinson wants to tear down the rest of the structure.

“You know I hate to see the building get torn down, honestly. But, at this point, I don’t see that there are any other options. I don’t have the funds to correctly rebuild it,” he said.

The cost to repair the structure would come to around $204,000, but to bring the structure to the point that it would be usable space is estimated to be around $2 million, according to statements made by officials at the meeting.

There was some discussion of trying to save some of the materials from the building that could be used to remember it. Robinson was open to the suggestion and said he would work with the Landmarks Commission.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Salina City Commission discusses tree removals and benefits

Park Operations Manager Brett Lamer told the Salina City Commission Monday afternoon that trees have many benefits for city residents and taxpayers.

Lamer said two projects have been removing trees on Ninth Street: along North Ninth Street, the North Salina Community Development Group partnered with Westar Energy to remove trees that endangered nearby power lines.

Along South Ninth Street, trees were removed that wouldn’t be able to remain healthy and stable following road maintenance, as well as trees with roots that damaged driveways, curbs, or the street.

During his presentation, Lamer said trees have many under-appreciated benefits.

Studies have found areas with large trees have lower rates of violent and property crimes, Lamer said, adding that people are more likely to be outside in shaded areas, which makes crime less likely.

Other studies show people drive faster on streets without trees, Lamer said, and that shaded streets have lower maintenance costs.

Salina resident Melanie Terrill said she was disappointed so many trees have been removed in recent years.

Lamer said the city of Salina tries to replace the trees it removes.

“Last year, even with this project, we replaced almost every single tree we removed,” he said. “Unfortunately, they weren’t in the same location.”

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

City of Horton sets public forum on healthcare options

The City of Horton has set a community forum for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Horton High School auditorium.

The purpose of the meeting will be to inform local residents of healthcare options that have been explored by Mayor Bryan Stirton, Commissioner Wade Edwards and City Administrator John Calhoon. City officials were planning a presentation as an option to acquire a comprehensive primary and preventative healthcare program.

The meeting was planned as informational only, to listen and gather feedback from residents from Horton and the surrounding areas interested in future healthcare option in South Brown County.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Some landlords in Hutchinson says inspectors go too far in regulating them

Some landlords say the city is going too far in regulating them, even claiming inspectors are peeping into windows of homes.

Now, landlords are hoping the city will change the way inspections are done.

…

“We don’t want to freak people out, that’s not why we’re there,” said Trent Maxwell, a Hutchinson Building Official.

Maxwell insists they’re doing what they can to help tenants.

“We get calls every week from tenants complaining about their living conditions, open holes in the wall, whatever it is,” said Maxwell. “We never will go inside a rental that no one wants us inside.”

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Company hasn’t submitted financial info for tax abatement in leased federal building in Parsons

Parsons Fertilizer LLC has yet to provide financial information needed to continue its property tax abatement with the State Board of Tax Appeals, Labette County commissioners heard Monday.

The company wants to manufacture a premium-grade fertilizer at the Great Plains Industrial Park east of Parsons and was in the process of renovating Building 920 at the park when fire destroyed half of the leased building on March 4.

Parsons Fertilizer leased 48,539 square feet of space in areas 903, 904 and 920 at Great Plains and was to make an initial $1.2 million investment. Starting off, the company would produce 5-pound and 40-pound bags of fertilizer and then within a year and a half would manufacture 1,000-pound totes for larger agriculture bases. Sales of the product are to be targeted within Kansas, the U.S. and potentially internationally. This information was reported in the Sun in 2017 when the lease was announced.

In 2018, the Kansas Legislature approved property tax abatements for companies that lease buildings in federal enclaves, including Great Plains, which is in the former Kansas Army Ammunition Plant. Parsons Fertilizer received that exemption and was to renew its paperwork for the second of a 10-year exemption period.

Commissioners heard that County Clerk Peggy Minor had not received all the documents necessary for a complete application to BOTA for that renewal.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Great Bend and public library work out how future maintenance issues will be handled

A heating and air conditioning system that came with a somewhat unexpected price tag north of $900,000 in 2015, left some uneasiness with the Great Bend Public Library’s spending the past few years. A new director and increased communication has improved the relationship between the library and City of Great Bend. Another public display of that occurred Monday night as the Great Bend City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the library concerning maintenance of the facility.

Library Director Gail Santy felt like the new memorandum brings clarity of who is responsible for tasks.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Commissioners OK Sunday alcohol sales

Parsons city commissioners approved an ordinance Monday evening that will make the sale of alcoholic beverages legal on Sundays.

The commission approved the ordinance on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Tom Shaw dissenting.

The sale of packaged alcoholic beverages has been legal in Kansas since 2005, but individual cities and counties must approve measures to make it legal or voters must approve it at the polls. Neither has happened in Parsons, although the commission has discussed the issue twice over the last several years. Other towns such as Erie and St. Paul have allowed Sunday sales for several years.

Kevin Cruse reintroduced the issue to his fellow commissioners in late January, and they have had a few discussions about it since then. Cruse said on Sundays, some people have driven to other cities to buy beer or liquor, meaning Parsons is losing out on sales and alcohol tax revenue. Additionally, some of those people head out on the highways after they have started drinking but run out of alcohol, creating a danger for themselves and other travelers.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Do Corporate Tax Incentives Work? 20 States, and Most Cities, Don’t Know.

The aircraft manufacturer Boeing has received roughly $1 billion in tax incentives and credits from Washington state over the past four years. That includes tens of millions of dollars for activities in 2017 related to production equipment for the 737 MAX jets, all of which have been grounded in the past week after two fatal crashes.

That information is known because Washington state has one of the more well-established tax incentive evaluation programs in the country. As corporate tax breaks — like the ones used to lure Amazon’s HQ2 — have come under increasing scrutiny, more states are tracking them and attempting to ensure that the businesses that receive them are holding up their end of the deals. But, 20 states still don’t regularly assess their corporate giveaways at all, and few cities have established systems to routinely track these incentives.

(Read more: GOVERNING)

Overland Park council resets deadlines, tax incentives for Market Lofts project

Saying it was better than having unfinished building in the heart of downtown, the Overland Park City Council approved a new set of deadlines that would partially restore some tax incentives to the Market Lofts project at 80th Street and Marty Street.

One after another, the 12 council members said they weren’t wild about a compromise that was worked out last month in committee. And they warned that if the new deadlines requiring the exterior work be done before the Farmers Market begins are not met, the city should call a default on the tax increment financing deal with developer Paul Goehausen.

However, “the ultimate goal of everybody on the committee is to get this project done,” said Councilmember Dave White, who is chairman of the council committee that worked out the new deadlines.

The developer, who has repeatedly missed deadlines for more than a year, will lose about $200,000 of TIF money no matter what happens.

Drone helps Park City police find, catch burglary suspects

Security cameras and a drone were deployed to help stop two suspects who were allegedly breaking into Insurance Auto Auctions in Park City early March 8.

…

Bel Aire, Kechi, Park City, Valley Center, Maize and Colwich police as well as the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office sent officers to assist in the search for the suspects. The suspects exited the lot through the fence when a K-9 unit showed up.

The sheriff’s office deployed a drone, equipped with night vision, to search for the suspects. It spotted the two hiding in tall grass in a field near the facility. The drone hovered over the area until officers were able to take them into custody.

Former Park City city hall to be senior housing

The Park City council unanimously approved the rezoning of property at 6110 N. Hydraulic from business district to multi-family residential March 12, making way for a senior-focused living facility. The building is the former location of City Hall.

The building was recently sold for the express purpose of senior housing. Assistant city administrator Dana Walden said the location’s proximity to the Park City Senior Center was important to the developer.

Baby Cakes owner pitches baseball dream, says this is Wichita’s ‘moment in time’

With a New England accent and penchant for colorful detail delivered without taking a breath — at least when he’s in sales-pitch mode — Baby Cakes owner Lou Schwechheimer is in Wichita to sell a dream.

Whether Wichita’s buying is yet to be seen.

In Schwechheimer’s telling, the return of affiliated Minor League Baseball to Wichita means the return of the simple joys of a “magical” ballpark serving a slice of “Americana.” He weaves his own “only-in-America” narrative into the story. “I remember as a kid growing up in the projects,” several of his stories begin.

He talks about playing baseball in the streets from early morning until so late in the day he could no longer see the ball.

“That’s kind of the magic that baseball had for me.”

He says he didn’t go to a professional baseball game until age 12 when he won a newspaper contest for selling the most subscriptions to the Daily News of Newburyport in Massachusetts.

He, his father and a busload of kids went to Fenway Park, where Schwechheimer said they walked up a ramp to a sea of people — more than he’d ever seen in one place — and a burst of color in the form of the famous Green Monster wall high in left field.

“I was in awe of that moment.”

Schwechheimer is equally adept at redirecting a conversation he’d rather not have.

Can he understand widespread criticism that the deal to lure him and his team from New Orleans has not been as transparent as it could or should have been?

“I want what’s best for the city of Wichita. We’re in Wichita because we want to be there.”

That’s what he told New Orleans, too, in 2016 when he purchased the Zephyrs, which he renamed the Baby Cakes.

Another group had tried and failed to move the team to Houston.

“Asked if he was going to keep the Zephyrs in New Orleans, Schwechheimer said, ‘Absolutely,’ ” according to an April 2016 story in the New Orleans Advocate.

Lawrence City Commission to consider lowering fines for marijuana possession

Lawrence city leaders will soon consider whether to move forward with changes that would decrease the city’s penalties for possessing marijuana, which currently amount to hundreds of dollars.

Last month, Lawrence city commissioners expressed support for lowering the fine for the possession of small amounts of marijuana to $1 for first and second convictions. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider amending the city ordinance that lays out the penalties for marijuana possession.
Mayor Lisa Larsen told the Journal-World that for her, lowering the fines for marijuana possession is about criminal justice. Larsen noted that studies have shown that people of color are arrested for marijuana possession at much higher rates than white people.

Lawrence City Commission will discuss budgeting $250K for study to improve city’s stoplight timing

Those frustrated that their commute across Lawrence includes significant time spent behind a stoplight could soon see some relief.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will discuss amending the 2019 budget to include $250,000 for a city-wide traffic signal coordination and timing study that aims to improve travel in the city.
In a memo to the commission, city staff state that the city’s current systems are inadequate and outdated, and that staff believes they do not meet community expectations. Specifically, staff notes that the time it takes to drive across the city and the frequent stops required have been cited as a source of frustration by many residents in citizen surveys, letters to the editor and correspondence with city officials.

Emporia’s dedicated animal welfare fund paid for dog park

A visitor to the Buck Fund Dog Park recently asked me to provide additional information about the Buck Fund.

They knew the Buck Fund was associated with the dog park but wanted to know more about how community members can support the Buck Fund and what the Buck Fund does for animals. The H. Dale Buck Animal Welfare Memorial Fund, commonly known as the Buck Fund, was named after the brother of Dorothy Matile, who started the fund after her brother died.

The Buck Fund has been involved in many projects related to animal welfare. The Buck Fund donated money for two dog runs at the Emporia Animal Shelter and assists the shelter in transporting animals out of town to shelters.

The Buck Fund did raise the funds necessary to build the dog park located at 2920 West 24th Ave. The land, known as Dryers Park, is owned by the city, but the Buck Fund raised the funds to provide the fencing needed to transform the open area into a safe place for dogs to play and run.

“It’s a city park, but we buy the poop bags,” Kelley said. “Years ago, we raised all the money for the fencing, that’s why we got to name it the Buck Fund Dog Park. We opened in 2006.”

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

With flooding possible, experts issue reminders to keep your family healthy, safe

While families keep an eye on the Missouri River levels, health experts are offering reminders about possible flood water concerns.

The Johnson County Health Department is stocked up on tetanus shots. They said if you get a cut or have a wound that comes into contact with standing water, and if you haven’t had a tetanus shot in 3-5 years, go see them or call your doctor.

Of course, experts say the best idea is just to stay away from and out of the water.

“Little children are tempted by it,” said Mary Beverly, Johnson County Health Department’s deputy director of health and environment. “They think, ‘Oh that’s something fun to go play in.’ But there could be something sharp in the water. There could be the bacteria, chemicals, all kinds of things — hazards that they could get into and they don’t even realize it.”

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

Owner of Triple-A baseball team: ‘We’re staying in Wichita’

The majority owner of the Triple-A baseball team headed to Wichita says his team is committed to coming in 2020.

“We are here for the long haul. And you heard it here first on Channel 12,” said Lou Schwechheimer.

He sat down with Eyewitness News Monday afternoon ahead of a controversial vote by the Wichita City Council regarding private development for the new baseball stadium which will house the team.

Schwechheimer said a stall in the vote to give four acres of land to that developer will not affect his team’s decision to move to Wichita.

The city moved its council meeting from Tuesday morning to Tuesday evening to allow for citizens to come out and voice their concerns regarding a deal. Schwechheimer says he plans to be there.

“I look forward to meeting folks with questions,” he said. “I look forward to us having a chance to tell a little bit more about our story of how we came here and about our 40+ years previous to coming to Wichita so that people have their questions answered they have a right to know.”

(Read more: KWCH News)

Shawnee County Commission votes 2-1 to fund traffic circles landscaping

After a lengthy discussion, Shawnee County commissioners on Monday morning voted 2-1 to approve $43,000 for a landscaping project that will enhance traffic circle “islands” in the historic Potwin neighborhood of west-central Topeka.

Commissioners Kevin Cook and Bill Riphahn voted for the project, which was awarded to Topeka Landscape. Commission chairman Bob Archer voted against it.

The project, which will include installation of irrigation systems and new vegetation in all eight Potwin traffic circles, will be overseen by Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, which has been responsible for the circles’ upkeep since the city and county parks and recreation departments were consolidated in 2012.

The vote came after Archer questioned Parks and Rec director John Knight about why the county was being tabbed with taking care of the traffic circles, as they were the property of the city of Topeka.

Knight responded by saying the upkeep of the Potwin circles — which serve as roundabouts in the middle of brick streets in the tree-lined neighborhood of Victorian houses — had fallen to the county-run Parks and Rec department as part of an agreement in its consolidation with the city’s parks and recreation department, which took effect Jan. 1, 2012.

Archer said he thought the county being responsible for the maintenance of the Potwin traffic circles “begins a trend that’s not good,” noting that other areas in the county, such as Clarion Woods and Clarion Lakes, also have a number of traffic circles and green space for which homeowners had assumed responsibility.

Department of Commerce announces speaker lineup for Rural Opportunities Conference

Registration is still open for this year’s Kansas Rural Opportunities Conference in Dodge City.

The Kansas Department of Commerce hosts this conference annually to provide useful information about rural Kansas living, as well as to engage in a dialogue with rural Kansans to determine how the Department can bolster its efforts to improve the well-being of rural communities in the state.

The Conference will take place at the Boot Hill Casino & Conference Center in Dodge City on April 2-3.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Butler County jail employees to receive incentives

PIn response to County Detention Facility financial difficulties, the Commission adopted the “Detention Facility Revenue Incentive Policy” in 2017 to: ”…align the Detention Facility operations with county tax payers by incentivizing the Detention Facility and its staff to focus of housing revenue generating inmates in a safe and efficient way.” The policy goes on to state: “all Detention Facilit(ies) employees will be offered a bonus payment based on the total actual non-tax, fee related Detention Facility revenue that was received in the prior year (budget year) compared to the budgeted amount for the prior year…” Additionally, the policy calls for a calculation each February after the audit is completed. The first year of this policy was applicable to is 2018.
The willingness of jail management to increase revenue inmates was at least partially due to turnover in a few key management positions. No doubt reversing the low revenue numbers of the first quarter took much planning and effort by all jail staff, especially considering the effects of low, although better than before, staffing levels, which resulted in mandatory overtime. Because of these unique circumstances, it was recommended to remunerate the County Jail, in the amount of $20,000,to be distributed per the Detention Facility Revenue Incentive Policy.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

City looks to ditch Westar as legislature considers mandating rate study

On Tuesday, as the City of Pittsburg reviews two potential contracts related to a plan to take over electric utility service from private provider Westar, the Kansas House of Representatives has a hearing scheduled for a bill which recently passed the State Senate and which would mandate an independent study of electric utility rates.

“There’s been a lot of pressure on Westar to lower their rates,” Deputy City Manager Jay Byers told the Morning Sun on Friday. But the bill — if passed would require a bipartisan legislative council to select an outside organization to complete an electric utility rate study by 2020 “doesn’t really affect what we’re doing right now,” he added.

Byers pointed out that there are currently 118 public electric utilities in the State of Kansas. According to Kansas Municipal Utilities, an organization representing such providers as well as municipal natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications utilities, this means Kansas has the 4th highest number of public power providers of any US state, with 1 in 6 Kansans served by a municipal power utility. The median size of such power providers, however, is a utility serving just 832 customers, while Pittsburg is a city of more than 20,000 people.

(Read more: Pittsburg, KS – Morning Sun)

JoCo leaders plan summit to address the future: A metro area rocked by climate change

When a United Nations report detailed the irreversible and long-lasting effects of global warming, Shawnee Councilwoman Lindsey Constance found herself fixating on the future of her 8-year-old daughter, Lucy.

The Weather Channel had ranked Kansas City fifth of 25 U.S. cities most likely to be affected by climate change. Scientists say more days above 90 degrees, extreme drought and heavier rains are in store for the metropolitan area.

“I flipped in my head to 2030,” said Constance, referring to the year her daughter graduates high school. “To me it was terrifying to think about the fact that we might not have much of a hopeful future.” After an international group of scientists issued the climate report in October, Constance teamed up with the city of Roeland Park and its mayor, Michael Kelly, to rally local leaders around addressing climate change in the Kansas City area.

What started off as a one-time workshop in December for those interested in studying the problem has since transformed into the Metro KC Climate Action Coalition, which received national recognition this month as it prepares to host a Climate Action Summit it hopes will draw up to 1,000 people in September.

Merriam is taking no action on petitions regarding new community center process

The city of Merriam has determined that it will take no action regarding three petitions it received earlier this year from Merriam residents about the city’s process for building the new community center.

The petitions contained a list of requests from a group of Merriam residents regarding design of the new aquatics center, the sale of land in Vavra Park and how money is spent from the city’s I-35 tax increment financing (TIF) district fund. The group who submitted the petitions — the self-named Merriam Concerned Citizens — is made up of Merriam residents who submitted the petitions in January, citing concerns with the new community center process.

City Administrator Chris Engel said that, per state statute, the city is not required to take action on any of the petitions as submitted.

How Southwest Kansas could get the college grads it needs

Check out Dodge City.

A new $12 million waterpark. A shiny new craft brewery — not far from the new whiskey distillery. And, yes, that trendy new downtown cafe.

A nearly $6 million addition to Boot Hill Museum just kicked off last fall. That’s about when Dodge City wrapped up $86 million in renovations and expansions to its schools.

Much of rural Kansas is withering. Not Dodge City. It offers a growing anchor in the state’s southwest, grounded in the meat industry and energized by the thousands of people who work at its slaughterhouses.

But the town’s success story risks hitting a 21st-century ceiling. It lacks a four-year college.

That complicates upward mobility for blue-collar workers, costs the town services it sorely needs and hinders efforts to diversify the local economy.

Some residents leave the region to chase the schooling that leads to higher-paying jobs. Others can’t afford to. Meanwhile, plenty of middle-class jobs in the region go unfilled, such as teaching positions and better-paying health care work.

That’s why community leaders dream of bringing four-year college to this icon of the Old West.

“It’s the only way,” said Joann Knight, head of economic development, “to really address our health care issues and the lack of education out here.”

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Hoisington wanting pets vaccinated by March 31

The City of Hoisington recorded 20 bites from dogs or cats in 2018, a number that was three times higher than a year before.

For Hoisington Code Enforcement Officer Dolores Kipper that number is alarming, but could be less alarming if owners take their pets to get vaccinated. Kipper encourages pet owners to get the vaccinations prior to March 31 because after that date the price will double. Those dog and cat owners that do not get their animals vaccinated by March 31 will receive a reminder letter from the City of Hoisington. Kipper says if owners ignore the letters, a citation will follow.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Topeka officials consider banning arrow signs

Saying they make the city look bad, Topeka’s planning and development department recommends prohibiting the portable, marquee-type signs seen at various locations in Topeka.

“Please ban the arrow signs,” requested one anonymous respondent to a survey the city recently conducted using the SurveyMonkey website.

Another wrote about those signs: “They have been institutionalized in this community and I HATE them. Boyles Joyland’s sign business was protected for many years and the result is the blight we see today. Is it possible to get the horse back in the barn? I hope so!”

Doing away with those types of signs is among various proposed changes to city sign laws the Topeka Planning Commission will talk about Monday.

Ballpark developments aren’t so promising, economists say. But some cities disagree

As Mayor Jeff Longwell touts everything a baseball park can do for Wichita, he points to several cities where he says new Minor League ballparks successfully spurred development.

Sports economists say that’s not usually what happens.

“In general, the idea that if you build it they will come — and if you build a sports facility and development will spring up around it — is a myth,” said sports economics journalist Neil deMause. Yet there’s no question that there’s thriving development around the ballparks that Longwell uses as his top examples. There is a question, though, if the ballparks can claim credit.

“Politicians have a way of selling what they’re trying to do, and many times they sell that . . . with promises of future benefits,” said Craig Depken, professor of economics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“It’s not the politicians promising,” Longwell said of Wichita. “It’s the developers that are putting their money in.”

Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Durham, N.C., are some of the top places Longwell cites as development success stories when discussing a deal to lure Lou Schwechheimer and his Baby Cakes team from New Orleans.

The deal includes, in part, a $75 million stadium that the city would build where it has already demolished the longtime Lawrence-Dumont Stadium and several acres that the city would sell for $1 an acre to Schwechheimer and an unnamed investment group to develop. Longwell has previously said that without that part of the deal — which is not finalized — the team won’t come.

The city would pay for the ballpark by borrowing money through issuing bonds. It would use a mix of financing tools such as STAR bonds, tax increment financing and a community improvement district, which would allow the city to direct sales and property tax money generated in the area to help pay off the bonds.

“It doesn’t sound to me like a promising project,” said Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College in Massachusetts.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)