Kansas Municipal News
Lawrence to host workshops to gather input on Downtown Master Plan
Residents who want to weigh in on the master plan that will shape downtown Lawrence for the next 15 to 20 years will soon have an opportunity to do so.
As part of the development of the master plan, the city will be hosting a series of workshops the week of Feb. 4, according to a city news release. The workshops will be broken into three groups: one for downtown and adjacent neighborhoods; one communitywide meeting; and one for downtown business owners and developers.
The new master plan will replace guidelines that have not been updated in 20 years and will cover topics such as land use, development, parking, transportation, infrastructure and streetscapes.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Barton County Commissioners approve construction of equipment storage shed
Barton County Commissioners Monday approved the construction of a 40′ x 50′ pole barn at the Ellinwood sand pit. The board approved the low bid of $18,728 from Lyle Bryant Construction from Ellinwood, one of four bids that were received for the project.
County Works Director Darren Williams explained the need for the structure. Commissioner Jennifer Schartz was in agreement with Williams that the county needed to protect its investment of expensive equipment at the location. The contract calls for construction to be complete no later that March 31 of this year. The money for the project will come out of the capital improvement and fixed equipment budget.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Shawnee opens fourth fire station, signifying growth west of I-435
Shawnee city staff and residents last week celebrated the grand opening of the city’s fourth fire station — a testament to the city’s growth west of I-435.
“This new station — starting this morning at 7 o’clock — will provide an improvement in response time to nearly 6,000 homes and 17,000 residents,” said Fire Chief John Mattox at the grand opening ceremony Thursday afternoon. “So, from the men and women of the Shawnee Fire Department, a heartfelt thank you to the community and to our governing body for your support.” Located at 5300 Woodsonia Drive, Fire Station 74 is a 9,220-square-foot facility included in Shawnee’s 2017-2022 capital improvement plan. In lieu of a ribbon cutting, Shawnee firefighters, city leaders and project team members conducted a “hose uncoupling.” Mattox said they are carrying on the 150-year-old tradition that occurs when firefighters open a new fire station.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Great Bend weighing options with contractor work as complex hydrant repairs continue
Repairs are ongoing with two hydrants on 24th Street in Great Bend. The hydrants at 24th Street & Washington and 24th Street & Adams are receiving major repairs after the City of Great Bend discovered valves that do not allow the City to shut the water off.
APAC out of Hutchinson has handled the repairs. City Administrator Kendal Francis says the Public Works Department is unable to handle the complex assignment.
APAC is already in Great Bend as they work to complete the $6 million water line replacement project.
Great Bend City Council member Jolene Biggs asked Francis if this type of project is something the City will always have to contract out or if they will eventually be able to handle some of the work in-house.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Project Wichita talks about master plan
Project Wichita is a community engagement process to discover the community’s vision for Wichita and the region in the next 10 years.
(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)
Shawnee County could gain $100K-plus in taxes after approval of contract for aerial imagery showing property changes
Shawnee County could reap more than $100,000 in additional property taxes as a result of a contract with a company that will provide aerial analysis of changes made to parcels of land in the county.
Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook voted 3-0 at Monday’s meeting to approve an $11,400 contract with Minneapolis-based Pushpin, the company that will provide the service.
Shawnee County Appraiser Steve Bauman said Pushpin will provide “aerial imagery” that will show changes made to parcels between 2014 and 2018. The aerial imagery, produced by photos taken from airplanes, will show specific changes to properties throughout the county, ranging from new decks to swimming pools to home additions to outbuildings.
Bauman said Pushpin will compare the aerial photos to determine if changes have been made to a property. Pushpin also will check county records to determine whether permits for the changes had been filed.
Changes identified by Pushpin could result in higher taxes for property owners in cases where building permits hadn’t been filed, Bauman said.
(Read more: Political – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
New video series teaches motorists, cyclists how to share the road
A new series of educational videos aims to help both motorists and cyclists learn how to share the road.
City of Lawrence staff and 28 volunteers created a series of eight new safety videos called “Lawrence in Gear,” according to a city news release. The release notes that bicycle safety education has historically focused on teaching bicycle riders how to navigate the roadways safely but that the video series aims to educate motorists about how cyclists use the roadways.
The city produced the videos as part of the development of the Lawrence Bike Plan, according to the release.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
$11 Million in Community Development Block Grants Awarded for Community Improvement Projects
The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced that 23 communities will receive federal grants for a variety of community improvement projects, including sewer and water projects, housing rehabilitation and community facilities improvements. These communities will share a total of $11,019,485 in federal grants.
Through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, 12 Kansas communities will share a total of $6,806,637 in federal grants for water and sewer projects, two Kansas communities will share $600,000 for housing rehabilitation and nine communities will share $3,612,828 for community facility projects.
(Read more and view the full list of grant recipients: Kansas Department of Commerce, KS – News Flash)
Lawrence wants public input on trap-neuter-return for feral cats ahead of City Commission discussion
Whether Lawrence should allow feral cat colonies — and the effects that could have for neighbors, wildlife and the cats themselves — will soon be discussed at City Hall, but the city is looking for input from the public before that.
On Friday, the city put out an online survey, via the Lawrence Listens platform, to gather input from the public about the proposed “trap-neuter-release,” or TNR program, under which cats would be caught, neutered, vaccinated, and then returned to where they were collected and allowed to roam free. The Lawrence City Commission is scheduled to consider the issue at its Feb. 19 meeting, and the community feedback gathered in the survey will be provided to the commission.
Though the proposal has raised some concerns among the public, leaders with the Lawrence Humane Society say a TNR program is the best choice for cats and neighbors.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Upgraded version of Lawrence city bus app provides detailed real-time tracking of buses, new alert system
Riders of the Lawrence bus service can now use their cellphones to track the location of their bus in real time and to notify them when they need to head to their bus stop to catch it.
The city, which coordinates its bus service with the University of Kansas service, recently upgraded its bus app with an improved real-time tracking and notification system, according to a city news release. The upgraded app, My Bus Lawrence, is available for free via the app store for both Apple and Android smartphones.
Lawrence Transit Administrator Bob Nugent said, though the app’s old platform provided some real-time tracking information, new technology on the buses themselves and a different platform for the app provides riders more functionality and more detailed information.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
County residents asked for input on county’s future
City of Ellis Mayor Dave McDaniel wants Ellis residents to have a say in updating the plan for Ellis County’s growth and development. So he asked for a Town Hall meeting for the city’s residents at 8 a.m. Thursday at Ellis City Hall.
“I requested to have one in Ellis because not a lot of people will want to drive over to Hays,” said McDaniel, speaking from his Trio Home Center business in Ellis on Friday. The hired consultants pulling together the plan are Marvin Planning Consultants Inc., David City, Neb., and MSA Professional Services of Ankeny, Iowa. Starting in December, residents of Ellis County have been asked to fill out either an online survey or paper survey asking for feedback on everything from housing costs and quality of education to priorities and concerns about water quality, taxes, entertainment and rural development.
As of a few weeks ago, said environmental sanitarian Karen Purvis in the Ellis County Environmental Office, about 200 people had filled out surveys.
“I have been surprised with the number of surveys taken,” Purvis said. “I didn’t think it would be that many. Even our consultant was surprised.”
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)
Doc’s hangar is a symbol of Wichita’s place in world history, Mayor Longwell says
Not everyone was impressed Saturday by the new permanent home for Doc, one of two World War II-era B-29 Superfortresses in the world that can fly.
Doc’s new hangar is a state-of-the-art, 32,000-square-foot interactive facility that cost $6.5 million to complete. The building has a glass front that faces South Airport Road at Eisenhower Airport.
Sitting in the middle is the mirror-finished World War II bomber that survived 42 years in the Mojave Desert and was flown in 2016 for the first time since 1956 — Doc. Kendell Reimer, 11, said there’s probably not a big enough — or flashy enough — hangar to do Doc justice.
“Not to be disrespectful,” Reimer said. “But this plane is what led us to win World War II and ended it. This plane ended that war, and I think it deserves to be the main attraction in this city.” Doc serves as a reminder of that history, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell said. He said he hopes it will pass that legacy on to future generations, like Reimer’s.
“Doc is more than a plane,” Longwell said. “He’s a symbol of Wichita’s history as the Air Capital of the World. He’s a symbol of our community coming together and sacrificing support for our country in its time of need. He’s a reminder of the part Wichita played and continues to play on the world stage.”
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
League of Women Voters report: Here’s who can’t afford to live in Johnson County
According to a new report by the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, anyone working full-time as a retail sales clerk, janitor or home health aide cannot, on their own, afford to rent or buy a home in any of the county’s 20 cities.
Only in Edgerton can a paramedic, school social worker or firefighter afford to own a home without devoting more than 30 percent of his or her income to housing, which experts say is the maximum a household can afford without becoming “cost-burdened” with housing.
And in only six cities, the report said, are rents affordable for a paramedic or school social worker. By taking a formal position, the League of Women Voters will then be able to encourage local governments to promote affordable housing, said Lee Rowe of Overland Park, who co-chaired the League’s 10-member committee that studied the issue.
“I care about people who work here,” she said. “As we walk around or do business here, we know that the people who are helping us are probably not able to live here. They have to come in from elsewhere.”
The report noted that affordable housing enables communities to thrive.
“Safe, stable, affordable housing is essential to civic life. Without a place to call home and a sense of community, people cannot participate in civic life, including local politics and voting,” the report stated. “Housing that is affordable to workers – including those entering the job market and baby boomers still working – can spur economic development, and in turn enhance a community’s appeal to residents of a variety of incomes and ages.”
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
Project could be windfall for Galesburg
A Galesburg city council resolution approved in December may provide $100,000 a year to the city of Galesburg from a controversial proposed electric generation project.
The resolution, discussed at Thursday evening’s community forum about the Neosho Ridge Wind project, is included in the latest draft agreement sent to the Neosho County commission. That agreement has yet to be approved.
Apex Clean Energy has proposed constructing an array of electricity-generating wind turbines in southwest Neosho County.
The 300-megawatt project would have 139 windmills on 44,000 leased acres, which would be exempt from property taxes for 10 years under Kansas law.
Apex has offered to pay the county $2,000 for each megawatt of total capacity in lieu of taxes during the exemption period.
The offer to Galesburg would be part of the total $600,000 payment to the county.
The funding allocation was part of a resolution the Galesburg city council approved in December. The resolution supported the Neosho Ridge project, contingent on the funding and on Apex working with WiNexus, a Galesburg-based internet provider.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)
Ousted county manager falsified HR review, misused employee’s time, investigation says
Former Sedgwick County Manager Michael Scholes had county staff falsify a personnel record to help a friend get a job and misused county resources by having a public employee produce photos of him and his family for their personal use, according to an investigation that eventually cost him his job.
Those actions violated county policies and were considered to be the most damaging evidence against Scholes, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation and its aftermath. The findings on Scholes are from a report by lawyer Stephanie Scheck, who was hired by the County Commission as an outside counsel to investigate complaints from county staff members about Scholes’ management style.
Dozens of county employees, city officials and other community stakeholders were interviewed about their interactions with the manager.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)
Rezoning request approved; triggers examination of procedures, notification
A unanimous vote to approve a rezoning request in east Hays was preceded by discussion among city commissioners Thursday night about rezoning procedures and notifications to the public. A unanimous vote to approve a rezoning request in east Hays was preceded by discussion among city commissioners Thursday night about rezoning procedures and notifications to the public. Oborny said he feels the requirement for notification of property owners within 200 feet of the rezoning request “isn’t very far” and should be increased. “We would like Wheatland Avenue to remain residential.”
Speaking to the city commissioners before they voted, Oborny said he and his wife Kristy were not notified of the public hearing by the planning commission and felt they should have been contacted.
Mayor Henry Schwaller noted the planning commission is a legally separate entity from the Hays city commission.
“We can’t tell them what to do but they could consider a bigger notification area,” Schwaller said.
“They can,” confirmed John Bird, city attorney. “That makes sense to me,” added Schwaller. “[Oborny’s] house is not very far away.”
(Read more: Hays Post)
Financial analysis of fiber models presented to Spring Hill’s Broadband Task Force
The Broadband Task Force delved further into researching potential fiber options in Spring Hill last week.
CTC Technology and Energy — a consultant hired to conduct a fiber feasibility study of a potential fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network — met with the Task Force via conference call Dec. 12 at the Community Center to present the financial analysis of several FTTP models. A feasibility study seeks to accomplish two goals: Is the idea possible, and should you move forward with it?
(Read more: City of Spring Hill news)
New details revealed on Hillsboro Community Hospital’s plight
A new document filed in the lawsuit between the Bank of Hays and Hillsboro Community Hospital
revealed that there are even bigger financials issues facing the hospital than just utility bills, making
payroll and paying back a bank loan.The document lists a number of concerns, including the hospital lab being closed last month due to lack
of supplies, ambulances being diverted from the hospital to other hospitals, employees losing benefits,
missing financial records and more.This morning, the Bank of Hays filed a report in the Marion County District Court from the new
management at the Hillsboro Community Hospital. This document is the latest in regard to the petition
for foreclosure filed by the Bank of Hays on Jan. 8.
(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)
Winfield sells part of electric facilities
Winfield city commissioners have agreed to sell a 65-percent interest in the city’s electric transmission facilities to GridLiance High Plains, LLC, as part of a partnership that would lead to increased revenue for the city and assistance with electric transmission projects.
The decision was approved in a 3-0 vote at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
The city will receive $1.1 million for the sale, according to Winfield utilities director Gus Collins. The city will also receive regular community contribution payments and the ability to participate in future transmission projects. The city will continue to be responsible for operations and maintenance of the transmission system.
Collins said the transition will be seamless, and Winfield electric customers will not notice any difference in service or rates.
“We think this will be a great opportunity for the community for the next 20 years,” Collins said.
GridLiance and the City of Winfield are planning to release more details on the sale in the near future, Collins said.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Carbondale earns $600,000 federal grant to assist library construction
Carbondale will receive $600,000 in community development block grant funds for constructing a public library. The city will contribute $901,754 in matching funds to obtain the grant. Through the Community Development Block Grant program, 12 Kansas communities will share a total of $6,806,637 in federal grants for water and sewer projects, two Kansas communities will share $600,000 for housing rehabilitation and nine communities will share $3,612,828 for community facility projects. Other communities receiving grants of varying amounts included Assaria, Beloit, Bird City, Brewster, Caney, Chanute, Downs, Frankfort, Girard, Greenleaf, Gridley, Junction City, McPherson, Neodesha, Oberlin, Phillipsburg, Russell, Strong City, Tipton, Troy, Turon, and Washington.
Pratt volunteer fire department excited about new fire truck
The Pratt Volunteer Fire Department is getting a new (to them) ladder truck, approved unanimously by Pratt City Commissioners at their regular Monday meeting.
Fire Chief David Kramer had been given the green light at the last commission meeting to proceed with checking out a 2002 American LaFrance ladder truck with four stabilizers that was being retired by the Creve Coeur Fire District, a suburb of St. Louis, MO, at an asking price of $75,000.
“We made an offer of $50,000, pending commission approval, and they were amenable to the offer because they needed the space for their brand new unit,” Kramer told commissioners.
Upon inspection, Kramer said, “We were thrilled! It was much better than we expected. It’s a million dollar rig, if it were new.“
(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)
Shawnee County Commission may create new sheriff’s office technology job
Shawnee County commissioners plan Monday to consider Sheriff Herman Jones’ request that they create a new unclassified job in his office for a business technology coordinator, who would be paid $34.32 per hour. Jones told county commissioners in a recent memorandum that human resources director Angela Lewis and information technology director Pat Oblander support his proposed creation of the business technology coordinator’s job in his office.
The person holding that job would “administer to our agency’s business and information technology needs,” the memo said.
“The creation of this position would enable the Coordinator to perform in-house system analysis, which is essential to our daily operations,” Jones wrote. “Enhancing inter/intra-agency business and IT capabilities for users would facilitate agency-wide professional development in this functional area of agency operations.”
Money from the sheriff’s office’s 2019 budget would be used this year to cover the position’s salary and benefits.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
With polling site added in Dodge City, ACLU files motion to dismiss voting access case
Plaintiffs in a voting access case filed a motion Friday to dismiss their lawsuit after Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox earlier this week announced the opening of two polling sites in Dodge City.
The federal lawsuit, brought in October, challenged Cox’s maintenance of a single voting location and her decision to move it outside city limits for the November midterm election. Dodge City is one of the state’s few majority-minority cities, with more than half of its population identifying as Hispanic.
The city has about 13,000 registered voters.
Cox on Tuesday said two polling sites would be established in Dodge City for future elections starting this year.
“Given defendant’s public announcement specifying the number and location of polling sites for the 2019 election, plaintiffs now move to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice,” the ACLU wrote in the motion filed Friday. A case that is dismissed without prejudice means it could be re-filed in the future.
(Read more: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS)
Hutchinson’s first police dog reports for duty
Hutchinson’s newest police officer was introduced to the public Thursday morning at the Reno County Courthouse.
While he didn’t have much to say, Tank, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd cross, did provide a few autographs – in the form of stamped paw prints – and demonstrated his skills.
Issued badge number 109, K-9 Officer Tank also already has his own Instagram page, @hpdk9tank.
Since the day he started as Hutchinson’s new police chief, said Chief Jeffery Hooper, he’s frequently heard concerns about Hutchinson’s drug problems. Having witnessed the impact of a K-9 program in Riley County, where they have two dogs, he planned to implement such a program here.
Because of the cost, however, he figured it would take at least a year to do. Then he was approached by Patrol Officer James “Jimmy” Sanders, who told him a lot of officers were interested in it and suggested the department start a program. He told the officer “go for it,” Hooper said.
(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)
Shawnee County Commission OKs alcohol at adult softball complexes
Shawnee County will allow the sale and consumption of alcohol at its four adult softball complexes, but only after the county commission approves a contract with a vendor.
Parks and recreation director John Knight says he intends for any such contracts to benefit taxpayers by arranging for the county to receive a percentage of the sales revenue.
Signs will be put up to identify the areas in those complexes where alcohol will and will not be allowed, Knight said Thursday to Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook.
Commissioners voted 3-0 that morning to approve a home rule resolution Cook sponsored opening the door for alcoholic beverages to be sold, served, possessed and consumed at any parks and recreation park, building or facility hosting an authorized special or regular event.
That includes the adult softball complexes the county maintains.
(Read more: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
EMS response down in Harvey County
Emergency medical services make up the front lines for Harvey County residents when they have a medical emergency. And according to Harvey County Emergency Communications, the number of total EMS responses has dropped for the third year in a row.
Response calls for EMS in the county totaled 4,170 for 2018, a four-percent decrease from 2018 and a nearly 10-percent decrease from 2016.
Hesston and Newton both saw decreases in service calls, according to numbers provided by the county. Calls to transfer patients, the most common EMS-related call into dispatch, dropped by nine percent to 708 for the year.
While overall calls decreased, some specific categories of calls increased for county-wide EMS services.
The county took 208 suicide attempt calls in 2018, 19 more than in 2017 and an increase of 83 from 2015. Calls to respond to people who were sick jumped from 415 to 515 over the year, and EMS responded to 37 more reports of seizures than the prior year.
In total, 911 calls decreased by 12 percent.
(Read more: Newton Now)
Design for Wichita’s new ball park raises questions about parking
The City of Wichita released images of the proposed design for the new minor league baseball stadium downtown on Wednesday. But they seemed to raise one main question from Wichitans.
Where’s the parking?
Mayor Jeff Longwell says there will be limited parking at the stadium, but most fans will have to park and walk see a game at the city’s new baseball stadium.
“There may be a river in your way. You may have to walk across a bridge, but the parking is actually closer than if you went to Arrowhead Stadium,” he said.
Longwell says there are already 5,000 spots within a ten-minute walk of the new stadium, and Vice Mayor Jeff Blubaugh says that extra walking will be good for business.
“Stop at a restaurant before or after the game and maybe do a little shopping along the way,” said Blubaugh.
Sarah Leslie, the owner of Leslie Coffee Company says foot traffic is good for her business.
“That would be great for us if people walked up and down Delano as they were heading to an event or another place,” she said.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Hillsboro hospital in receivership
Temporary administrators for Hillsboro Community Hospital are going through records and shaking their heads, Hillsboro city administrator Larry Paine said Tuesday.
A Friday court ruling put the hospital under management of Shawnee, Oklahoma-based Cohesive Healthcare Management + Consulting.
Geary County district judge Ryan Rosauer’s ruling came after an ex-parte hearing with lawyers for Bank of Hays and the City of Hillsboro. Both parties filed a joint motion late Thursday afternoon asking that Cohesive be appointed receiver.
Rosauer wrote in his order “this court specifically finds that immediate and irreparable harm is likely to result if a receiver is not appointed to operate and manage the Hillsboro Hospital in order to ensure that it remains open and retains as much of its value as possible.”
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
Sweeping changes reviewed to clean up properties in Newton
ity engineer Suzanne Loomis and city manager Bob Myers rolled out a broad and ambitious city beautification plan that would do everything from raise utility rates to pay for free bulky item trash pickup, to establish a land bank for the city to manage nuisance properties it’s foreclosed on, after owners are unable to pay the city’s clean up fees.
“We wanted to see what your take was, before we spent so much time on those changes,” Loomis said to the Newton City Commission at its Jan 22 work session. The city had 1,077 property compliance issues in 2019, with 27 percent being nuisances, 24 percent being pruning, 19 percent being weeds and 10 percent being off-street parking, 10 percent inoperable vehicles and 10 percent in a miscellaneous category.
Loomis said the city could also organize various volunteer groups to help improve and work on run-down properties. Both Commissioners Barth Hague and Commissioner Glen Davis said they’d like to see the costs associated with all of the plans.
(Read more: Newton Now)
Researchers share process, goals of countywide law enforcement contact study
Douglas County’s pursuit of a study on law enforcement contact is unusual, a researcher told roughly 25 people who attended a presentation Thursday evening at Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Jack McDevitt, of Northeastern University, has conducted similar studies in cities in Vermont and Missouri, as well as in Seattle and Boston — where data was gathered on 2.4 million traffic stops. But most of those have come after a lawsuit or an allegation of police misconduct. That wasn’t so in Douglas County, he said.
“Agencies got together and said, ‘We want to know. We want to be proactive,’” McDevitt said. “‘If it’s happening, we want to know ahead of time and not be reactive to a suit.’”
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence planning commission recommends approval of city’s first short-term rentals where owner lives off-site
Permits for the city’s first short-term rentals where the property owner lives elsewhere received their first approvals at City Hall on Wednesday.
At its regular meeting, the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission voted to recommend for approval the first nonowner-occupied short-term rentals under the city’s newly created licensing program. Commissioners considered four permit requests and recommended that all four be approved.
In September, the Lawrence City Commission voted to begin regulating Airbnb properties and other short-term rentals, including a process that would require a review from the Planning Commission and the City Commission before a property owner who resides elsewhere could operate such a business.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Attorney General Opinion No. 2019-1: County Commissioners—Powers of Board of Commissioners; Control of Expenditures
Synopsis: A district attorney is an elected official who is not subordinate to the board of county commissioners (BOCC). As the county’s chief prosecutor, the district attorney has several statutory and ethical obligations, including a duty to manage his or her workload so that each matter can be handled adequately. Although the BOCC has general authority over county expenditures, it has a statutory duty to provide reasonable sums necessary for the district attorney to meet his or her statutory duties of office. The Kansas Supreme Court has held that a BOCC must approve an elected official’s expenditure if the expense is necessary for the official to fulfill his or her statutory duties. The Court also held that mandamus is the appropriate remedy if the BOCC fails to approve the necessary expenditure. Therefore, if the BOCC refuses to appropriate funds that the district attorney believes in good faith are necessary to fulfill his or her statutory obligations, the district attorney’s remedy is to file a mandamus action against the BOCC.
Attorney General Opinion No. 2019-2: Restrictions on Carrying Concealed Handgun; Sign Requirements; Dormitory
Synopsis: A one-story dormitory-type structure having a series of living/sleeping units, each with a separate exterior door, is a “building” under K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 75-7c10. The Personal and Family Protection Act requires that signage for such a structure be posted near all exterior doors of the building. Therefore, signage would need to be placed near the exterior door of each living/sleeping unit.
Winfield sells part of electric facilities
Winfield city commissioners have agreed to sell a 65-percent interest in the city’s electric transmission facilities to GridLiance High Plains, LLC, as part of a partnership that would lead to increased revenue for the city and assistance with electric transmission projects.
The decision was approved in a 3-0 vote at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
The city will receive $1.1 million for the sale, according to Winfield utilities director Gus Collins. The city will also receive regular community contribution payments and the ability to participate in future transmission projects. The city will continue to be responsible for operations and maintenance of the transmission system.
(Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results)
Winfield grievance policy passes
Personnel policies, including a new grievance policy, were approved 3-0 by the Winfield City Commission at their Tuesday meeting.
The policies go into effect immediately, interim city manager Brenda Peters said Wednesday.
An earlier grievance policy was removed from the City of Winfield employee handbook last year, supposedly because it was rarely used. The policy removal caused issues after a police officer was fired last year. He wanted to appeal the firing to city officials, but was told no avenue existed to do so.
The new policy outlines successive steps city employees can take if they have a problem that needs to be resolved, including having the grievance heard before a panel of city employees, including one chosen by the employee filing the grievance.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Florence water rate decided by mayor’s vote
With the city council split, Florence’s discussion on 2019’s water and sewer rates Monday came down to the decision of mayor Bob Gayle.
He voted to keep water rates as they are, but he also expressed concern that the city’s water and sewer expenses will increase in the next few years due to aging equipment.
“I know the other side of this thing,” he said. “We have some pretty severe expenses coming up.”
Councilman Matt Williams was not heavily opposed to the decision, but he wanted to keep the door open to review the matter later in the year.
“Honestly, I’m not in favor or against it,” Williams said. “I think we need to take another look at it down the road.”
(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)
Enthusiast hopes to build Hillsboro disc golf course
A disc golf course could come to Hillsboro if its community foundation grants money to the man who wants to develop it.
Jerry Schwelling, who moved to Hillsboro with his wife in the fall, is an avid disc golf player who wants to bring the sport to his new community.
Schwelling requested the city allow the course, if he gets funding for it, to be built in the city park.
“I think if we get a good portion of the grant money I requested, we could put in nine holes,” Schwelling said.
Recreation director Doug Sisk also came to Tuesday’s council meeting in support of Schwelling’s request. Mayor Lou Thurston asked who would maintain the disc golf course, and Sisk said the area proposed for the course is already mowed, which is all the equipment needed.
Council members voted unanimously to permit the course to be constructed in City Park if funding is available for the project.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
City of Parsons reinstates pay raises after 10 years
Some city workers this year will receive pay raises that have been frozen for a decade.
City Manager Debbie Lamb said Tuesday during a city commission meeting that staff is working to give employees the step raises that they would have received if the increases weren’t partially frozen 10 years ago because of budget constraints. Newer workers can look forward to receiving step raises as they reach yearly milestones.
Since late 2008 city workers have received only two step raises, one after six months and the other after 12 months of being hired or promoted to a new position. They didn’t receive the other two step raises that previously were awarded to city workers after 24 months and 42 months on the job. All workers did receive cost-of-living wage increases but those have been sporadic.
Lamb said the step raises again will be awarded this year, with some restructuring. The raises now will be divided into 10 steps instead of five. This year, some workers’ wages will go up one or two steps. All city employees also will receive a 1 percent raise. Lamb said all of the raises can be given while staying within the budget city commissioners set for 2019.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)
Is TIF Always Bad?
Tax increment financing (TIF) is a financing method used by local governments, often to redevelop blighted or disinvested areas where market-rate development is seen as unprofitable without assistance. A TIF agreement incentivizes a developer to work in a designated geographic area (TIF district) by subsidizing a portion of the development costs through the sale of bonds to investors, and then gradually paying them back out of increased property taxes over the next 20 or 30 years.
Any increased property taxes above the pre-development level are set aside in a TIF fund. That fund is reserved for gradually paying back the TIF investors. Once the investors are reimbursed, local governments can use the future property taxes for anything—road maintenance, schools, etc.
In the short-term, local governments often see TIF as a positive: the area wasn’t generating much property tax revenue beforehand—now, the TIF district is redeveloped and, eventually, they can use the increased property taxes however they’d like.
In the long-term, however, TIFs can create tax revenue issues for local governments. They could’ve used the property taxes over the past 20 or 30 years for city-wide projects. Instead, they may need to raise citizens’ taxes or take on additional debt to complete needed projects.
Does the TIF perform well, creating a flourishing area with tax-paying businesses and residents where one would not have otherwise existed? Or does it perform poorly, creating a huge loss of tax revenue?
(Read more: Strong Towns Blog)
Clearwater adding positions to keep EMS services in town
The City of Clearwater makes a decision about what to do with the city’s EMS Department after receiving a warning from the state about the number of volunteers.
The city says volunteers are hard to come by and it’s adding four paid positions to keep EMS services in the city and meet state regulations. City officials say although there’s an increased cost, this is a step in the right direction.
Marvin Schauf was Clearwater’s fire chief for 53 years. He retired in 2017, but his son and grandson are first responders in town. Schauf says volunteer departments are getting harder to manage as the state has added several regulations throughout the years.
“Nobody wants to do it anymore,” Schauf says. “All the training they have to go through, it just takes them away from their regular jobs. They get burnt out on it.”
(Read more: KWCH News)
With 40 percent of trash now recycled, Olathe refocuses its efforts
The city of Olathe says its residents diverted 40.03 percent of waste from landfills in 2018, well above the national average of 34 percent and the Kansas City area average of 36 percent. It’s slightly above the Johnson County average of 39 percent.
“Our residents continue to make a positive impact on the environment by participating in the Olathe recycling program,” Public Works Director Mary Jaeger said in a news release.. “This year, more than ever, we focused on educating residents to not just recycle, but to recycle clean.”
Olathe said it shifted its education focus last year in response to changes in recycling regulations. China, where most recycled materials are sent for repurposing, became stricter about the quality and cleanliness of the materials it would accept.
(Read more: KC Star Local News)
Groups ask Westar, KCP&L to lower rates, implore Legislature to order new study
Advocates intent on lowering electric utility rates in Kansas appealed Thursday to state legislators, asking for an independent study that delves into ways to lower rates.
Jim Zakoura, spokesman for the Kansas Industrial Consumers Group, which has been a leading voice in criticizing Kansas City Power & Light and Westar Energy for high rates, also challenged those two companies to show a good faith effort by immediately lowering rates by 10 percent. Zakoura’s request for a rate study that shows options the state can take to reduce electric rates was echoed by David Nickel, consumer counsel for CURB, or the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which represents residential and small business customers in rate cases.
Nickel said CURB doesn’t see the need for a comprehensive rewrite of the way Kansas sets rates, but added that significant changes have occurred to cause rates to surge in the last decade, necessitating the need to look more closely at what can be done to lower those rates.
(Read more: State Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
City back on the hook for IRB payments on airport building
On Tuesday, city manager Bob Myers had some bad news for the city commission — a new company at the City/County Airport is struggling, and the city is back to paying bond payments on a building.
“Kansas Chemical Coatings is not currently able to meet its rental payment obligations under the lease, and the city is providing the funds necessary to ensure that the bond payment obligations on the building continue to be met,” Myers said.
KCC is the second company in the building that has struggled to make the rental payment. The building, constructed for ABI Chemicals in 2014, cost $5.24 million to build.
ABI opened the chemical coating plant at the Newton City/County Airport in 2014, and things have been difficult for the company, leading to the city of Newton to pay on debts associated with construction of the building.
The construction of the building was funded by Industrial Revenue Bonds. Industrial Revenue Bonds were established under state statute, K.S.A. 12-1740. While cities and counties issue the IRB, the bonds are financed by a trustee, typically a bank. The bonds for ABI Chemicals were issued to the Harvey County EDC and were the only IRBs guaranteed by the city in about 30 years. The result was a 20,000 square foot building.When the project launched, it was projected that about 12 people would work at the new facility within its first year, growing to an estimated 20 employees by the fifth year.
(Read more: Newton Kansan)
Cargo container use debate continues in Miami county
Miami County officials are debating whether or not cargo containers should be allowed to be used as residential building material.
The topic was discussed by Miami County planning commissioners during their Jan. 8 meeting, and Planning Director Teresa Reeves gave a report on the meeting to Miami County commissioners Jan. 9.
The discussion was initially brought up by an individual who was interested in the possibility of using cargo containers as building components for the construction of a dwelling. Reeves said the planning commissioners are split on the topic, with the main opposition being the issue of aesthetics.
Cargo containers currently are allowed to be used for storage, but they must be screened, and there is a limit of three per property, Reeves said.
The county’s zoning regulations would need to be modified to allow the units to be used as residential structures.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
Louisburg offering grant money to residents to improve homes, businesses through FLIP (Facades of Louisburg Improvement Program)
Elisha and Jess Reed spent a few weekends last year sprucing up the front of their home on Third Street, behind City Hall in the downtown district.
The upgrades cost about $2,500, Elisha Reed said. The couple received $250 from the city of Louisburg that offset a portion of those renovation costs, according to city records.
The Reeds obtained the funds by participating in the city’s Facades of Louisburg Improvement Program . The program provides money to homeowners, renters or businesses that make improvements to the fronts of their homes or businesses, according to a city of Louisburg news release. FLIP is open to any resident in Louisburg whose home is valued under $175,000 or any commercial property inside the city limits.
Under the residential program, residents get a dollar-for-dollar match up to $500 for improvements that range from new doors and windows to exterior siding and painting, according to the release. Concrete work such as a new driveway, stoop or sidewalk or foundation repair is also eligible as is landscaping or lighting, according to the release.
The Louisburg City Council has extended FLIP into 2019. The residential program is open on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is depleted, according to the release. The council set aside $5,000 for the residential program.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)