Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Local pioneer helped found Salina, Minneapolis

A Salina road and a Minneapolis park are named after a pioneer who helped create the two cities in the 1800s.

Israel Markley served on the first Saline County Commission before he built a mill on the Solomon River that helped develop the area that would later become Minneapolis. He was an important public figure during the early years of Kansas, but few know much about him today.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Marion County attorney tabbed to be judge

Marion County attorney Courtney Boehm has been appointed district judge for Geary County, which is part of the Eighth Judicial District, according to Eighth Judicial District chief judge Michael Powers.

There is no timetable for finding Boehm’s replacement, but there will be after she officially resigns, Marion County Republican Party chairman Bob Brookens said.

Gov. Jeff Colyer chose Boehm to replace judge Maritza Segarra, who is retiring Dec. 31. Boehm will be sworn in and take office in late January.

She will work in Geary County, hearing a portion of the county’s felony criminal and domestic relations docket, and all child in need of care cases.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Developer told to lose his outhouse – or his whole house

An outhouse at a lake house has drawn fire from county authorities.

Garry and Sharlyn Dunnegan, Wichita, had a house built at 8 Horseshoe Rd. complete with a private well and an outhouse. Garry Dunnegan is developer of Saddle Creek Estates subdivision.

The county filed a petition in court Dec. 19 asking a judge to order the outhouse and well removed and the residence be connected to public water and sewer systems, or if not, everything including the residence itself be removed within 90 days.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Hillsboro Community Hospital may face utility shutoff

After a $10,247.96 check bounced in December and with two additional months’ unpaid utility bills totaling $18,396.35, Hillsboro Community Hospital is in danger of having utilities shut off Jan. 4 because it is $28,644.31 in arrears.

Hillsboro City Council met in special session Thursday to discuss the hospital’s unpaid bills.

Council members were told that city attorney Josh Boehm had sent the hospital owners a Dec. 21 letter demanding immediate payment of $18,534.66 in delinquent utility charges and a $9,000 deposit to secure the account.

The hospital’s December bill adds $9,280.98 to the amount owed.

Boehm’s letter was addressed to Health Acquisition Co. in North Kansas City, now owned by EmpowerHMS. As of Thursday, UPS had not delivered the letter because the company was no longer at that address.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Garden City sees highest single-day snowfall amount in nearly 10 years

Most of western Kansas woke up to a winter wonderland on Thursday morning, as blizzard-like conditions blanketed the ground. The weather caused many businesses’ and roads to be closed, while many were also without power.

“Our guys were out working all day long on the roads,” said Lisa Knoll, Southwest Kansas KDOT Public Affairs Manager. “A lot of people have asked why we didn’t treat the roads prior to the blizzard, but with the rain coming before it, we couldn’t have done anything about it. The rain would have just washed the melt away anyways.”

The National Weather Service reported Scott City received 9 inches of snow, while portions of Finney County received around 6-7 inches. It wasn’t just the snowfall that brought a lot of havoc, it was the wind. The NWS also said that areas of southwest Kansas had over 60 mph winds that caused a blizzard warning from midnight until 12 p.m. on Thursday.

Some places reported drifts as high as three feet in Finney County, while some places in Scott County saw even higher drifts.

(Read more: Western Kansas News)

County counselor says commissioner plans to resign; replacement will have to wait until Kelly is Governor

The 2nd District Neosho County Commissioner plans to resign at the end of January, the commission heard Friday morning.

County Counselor Seth Jones said during Friday’s meeting that Commissioner Jennifer Orr intends to resign. Orr has not notified County Clerk Randal Neely or the Kansas Governor, Jones said.

“Her job apparently won’t allow her to continue to come,” he said.

Orr has not attended commission meetings since Nov. 30, when she read a statement expressing frustration with a scheduling change of a previous meeting. She said at that time she did not intend to seek re-election.

Orr was elected in 2016 as a non-affiliated candidate and later affiliated with the Democratic Party. Jones said he does not think the party affiliation will matter, and mentioned a Topeka case where an official switched parties before resigning.

Under normal circumstances, the local party would nominate a replacement who would be appointed by the governor. Jones said that even if a notice went to the governor’s office today, Republican Governor Jeff Colyer would not have time to do anything in the few days before Democratic Governor Laura Kelly takes office.

“It’s possible but unlikely,” Jones said.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Lenexa uses hotel tax revenues to cover costs of Public Market operations

With the Lenexa Public Market wrapping up its first full year of operation, city staff and leaders are making plans to keep the space financially stable for the next few years.

The Lenexa council agreed in a 7-0 vote during its Dec. 18 meeting to make up the difference in Public Market revenues and expenditures for the rest of 2018 and all of 2019. Councilmember Thomas Nolte was absent.

The council’s action authorizes the transfer of funds from the Tourism and Convention Fund to the General Fund for Public Market operations for this year and next year.

Denise Rendina, communications director for Lenexa, said the council’s action “retroactively” makes up the difference in costs from 2018 and proactively covers the difference in 2019, Rendina said.

Costs have exceeded revenues, but city staff anticipate that as the Public Market grows in popularity, the difference will decrease.

City needs more housing starts

The Harvey County unemployment rate dropped as low as 2.8 percent in September. Recently, industry in the area has announced expansions and plans of having decent paying jobs, the kind that help pay mortgages on homes, if not support moderately priced rentals.

It’s no secret that housing, especially entry level housing for young professionals in the city, has been short. The City Office, in part, has tried to help alleviate the issues working with development companies to build moderately priced apartments.

Those apartments, such as Prairie Fire and Cottonwood Crossing, have filled up fast.

Looking at the influx of possibly hundreds of jobs in the area, Newton stands poised to whiff on its upcoming windfall.

All of our new employees are going to have nowhere to live.

Increased rooftops could be lifeblood to the city. Every house built means property taxes. It means residents living in the city, who are more likely to pot goods and services and pay sales tax.

It means more children, who are likely to use our schools and garner them additional state funding.

Should these people live elsewhere, we miss out on those things. They still drive down our roads. We still serve the business they work at, but somewhere else – perhaps Valley Center, Wichita or Park City — pick up benefits Newton has worked to help draw.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Goodwin’s to close after 66 years in downtown Hays

Saying it’s getting tougher and tougher for a small store to work with the big sporting goods companies, the owner of a long-time downtown Hays business decided it’s time to close the doors for good.

Terry Bright, owner of Goodwin Sporting Goods, 109 W. 11th, and his employees began preparing Friday for the store’s liquidation sale, announced in a flyer that arrived in many Hays mailboxes the day before.

“I was kind of on the QT for quite some time. My phone started ringing yesterday,” Bright said of the announcement.

The sale will begin Jan. 3 and run through Jan. 9, with further sales to be announced in advertising the following week.

The closing is not for a lack of business, but rather a large part is the growing complexities of working with suppliers over the last decade or so, Bright said.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult,” he said. “When I first started, you could have an account with a major company and you could purchase your needs to fulfill your customers.

“In this day and age, it’s not that way. Things have totally changed,” he said.

Now, companies like Nike have minimum order requirements and require orders six to nine months in advance.

“Then I wasn’t able to get access. They chose what I was able to buy style-wise. So I didn’t get the latest, the greatest, the early release stuff that the kids wanted,” he said.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Hutchinson Police handing out safety bands

Police are always concerned with the safety of citizens in Hutchinson, especially for bicyclists who are hard to see. They are now offering to give out some safety bands which are reflective and can be worn on any limb.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Shawnee County official: Traffic control ‘eating us up on costs’ for street project

Shawnee County is incurring considerable expense as a result of its commitment to accommodate motorists during a planned two-year project to widen S.E. 29th Street near Lake Shawnee, county commissioners were told Thursday.

“Traffic control is eating us up on costs,” deputy public works director Tom Flanagan told Commissioners Kevin Cook and Bob Archer.

The county could cut project expenses considerably if it shut down S.E. 29th altogether, Flanagan said at Thursday’s commission meeting, where Commissioner Shelly Buhler was out of town and absent.

County public works and solid waste department director Curt Niehaus told commissioners the county plans to accommodate motorists by providing at least one lane each for eastbound and westbound traffic for all but 81 days of the project being carried out in 2019 and 2020 to widen a roughly 1.2-mile stretch of S.E. 29th.

Big Bend Groundwater District #5/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge water plan bounced by official

The Big Bend Groundwater District #5 Rattlesnake Creek/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge Local Enhanced Management Area (LEMA) plan submitted less than two weeks ago to Kansas Chief Engineer David Barfield was bounced back last Thursday.

“I cannot complete a review of the proposed management plan because it contains no measurable goals and it is unclear if the proposed corrective controls would meet such undetermined goals,” Barfield stated in his two-page letter, throwing the ball back to GMD5 board members.

“Please also make clear if is it the intent of the Board of Directors that this management plan fully or partially solves the impairment of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge,” Barfield’s letter said.

“Additional information is also needed to determine how voluntarily conservation was taken into consideration as well as a clear definition of the proposed boundaries of the LEMA. I encourage you to revise your plan based on the comments contained in this letter so that your proposed management plan can be properly considered and that your full intent is clear and duly considered,” Barfield’s letter concludes.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

New treatment plant has Hiawatha water in the clear

The Hiawatha water treatment plant has been up and running for over two months, now, and the improved water quality has been earning rave reviews.

After years of unsafe nitrate levels, the plant’s ion exchange purification system has the city’s drinking water well within safe levels, and according to Hiawatha Water Superintendent Brad Scott, should keep them there for years to come.

Along with Sewer Superintendent Dave Grimm, Scott toured different types of treatment facilities in 2016, and after many meetings with engineering firm BG Consultants, settled on a final design, which was approved in 2017, with AHRS beginning construction on the $3.5 million project in late 2017 about 3 miles north of Hiawatha. Scott announced to the Hiawatha City Commission on Oct. 15 that the plant was up and running. The city’s nitrate levels immediately came down from a borderline to violation level average of 10 to 11 milligrams per liter to a safe level of 6 to 7 milligrams per liter.

“The plant will ensure the continuing quality for the citizens of Hiawatha for the foreseeable future,” said Scott, also noting that the plant allows the use of a high-nitrate well field that will take some strain off of other wells.

Dr. Julie Rosa’, M.D., of the Hiawatha Community Hospital, says the solution of the city’s nitrate problem means citizens can safely drink from the tap again.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

County to tackle bridge work in 2019

Miami County Road and Bridge plans to replace several bridges in 2019.

The Miami County Commission on Wednesday, Dec. 12, authorized Project Manager Matt Oehlert to solicit price proposals for construction inspection on four bridge projects as well as construction bids for three of those structures.

Kansas Department of Transportation will let bids for construction of a fourth bridge, which is located on 217th Street, 0.7 miles west of Waverly Road.

KDOT will fund 80 percent of the estimated $470,000 joint project, with the county responsible for covering the other 20 percent, Oehlert told commissioners at their study session Dec. 12. KDOT would like to let bids for the project in March, he said.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Miami County hires consultant to help develop new radio system

Miami County would not build a bridge without hiring an engineer first, Commissioner Danny Gallagher said.

Gallagher said he viewed hiring a professional consultant to help the county build an emergency radio system the same way.

“This is our engineer for the radio system,” Gallagher said. The other commissioners agreed, voting 5-0 during their meeting Dec. 19 to hire Tusa Consulting Services for $82,200 to help commissioners arrive at a radio communications solution that would allow all first responders in the county to communicate with each other.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Fire board governance debated at public hearing in Miami County

A possible shift in governance of Miami County Fire Districts No. 1 and No. 2 sparked a lively debate for 40 minutes Wednesday, Dec. 19, in the County Commission chambers.

County commissioners scheduled a public hearing to gather comments about a possible shift in governance from the fire districts’ current boards to the County Commission.

Paola Fire Chief Andy Martin said he thought it would be a mistake to eliminate the First District No. 1 board.

“They’ve come a long way and done a lot of long-range planning … and generally improving fire service,” Martin said.

Martin said the board may have “ruffled some feathers” for its decision to acquire 800 MHz radios for the Paola and Fontana fire departments without upgrading other departments.

“I think they were looking at the future and wanting to make sure firefighters were safe, and you can’t fault them for that,” Martin said. “They are a solid organization now, they are well led, and I think it reflects well what we’ve got done in the last year or so.”

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

South Hutchinson police chief talks of hiring officers

Although, there have been cuts made earlier this year to the South Hutchinson Police Department as the city council worked to get its financial house in order, South Hutchinson Police Chief Mark Thompson talked of making a hire despite those cut backs. He also gave advice for those who may want to enter law enforcement as a profession:

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Colby named among the state’s safest communities

After analyzing data that included the rate of violent crime and property crimes, home security company Safewise has listed one northwest Kansas community among the state’s safest.

Colby — the only northwest Kansas city to make the list — ranked ninth in the study.

Mission Hills and Hesston were named the state’s two safest communities.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Grant funds available for new swimming pools (60% grant / 40% local)

The purpose of this round of CDBG funding is to benefit Kansas cities by granting unobligated CDBG funds for an activity not normally funded through the annual CDBG program. Funds in this round will be awarded in a manner to be primarily invested in pools of water within a Neighborhood Center.
In selecting projects to be funded the State of Kansas shall give priority to projects that can award contracts based on bids within one year from contract start date.
Up to $20 million dollars will be made available under the Neighborhood Center round of funding to address an activity listed under eligible activities. Applicants may request up to $1,000,000 in grant funds. The required match is 60/40 (60 percent CDBG funds and 40 percent local funds). There is no minimum grant request. All applications are due by May 15, 2019 with an award announcement on or about July 1, 2019.

More information is available at KS Department of Commerce.

If you are interested in, or have questions about, this swimming pool grant, please contact Rose Mary Saunders for assistance.

Lenexa council changes city administrator’s title to city manager

Lenexa city leaders have taken first steps to change the city administrator’s title to city manager.

Discussion of the title change comes ahead of the pending retirement of Lenexa city administrator Eric Wade, who plans to stay on staff for a few months alongside his replacement to facilitate a smooth transition next year.

The Lenexa council in its Dec. 18 meeting voted 6-1 on an ordinance for the title change. Councilmember Bill Nicks cast the single dissenting vote. Councilmember Thomas Nolte was absent for the vote and council discussion.

Lenexa city attorney Cindy Harmison said that in a presentation earlier this month to the council, a search consultant with Strategic Government Resources suggested that the title change to city manager would best fit Wade’s current responsibilities and duties. The search consultant also found that the title change would widen the city’s search for Wade’s replacement and would be more likely to attract candidates.

The council’s ordinance change required a simple majority and goes into effect upon publication.

Tiny houses bring people home to Nicodemus

They broke ground in April, but then it rained for days, and then weeks. Then it flooded, then a bridge went out, and then it became impossible to find licensed and bonded building contractors willing to take on the work of building four tiny homes in Nicodemus.

“We’ve had one setback after another,” said JohnElla Holmes, leader of the Nicodemus Tiny Homes Project in Graham County. “But now we’re back on track.”

With dirt leveled, footings dug, and some concrete poured, it looks now like four people longing to move back home to the tiny town on U.S. Highway 24 will be able to do so by March 2019 to new 500-square-foot homes.

As Holmes explains it, the Tiny Homes Project helps people come home to the historic town that is beloved by its residents and their families. “It just blows my mind how many people want to come home but were discouraged by the cost and the difficulty,” said Holmes, who moved back recently after a career as a college professor at Kansas State University, Manhattan. Stumbling blocks include dead-end roads, badly platted lots, costly regulatory issues related to septic systems, and outdated and insufficient waterline designed and installed in 1979. Holmes and her helpers have had to work around the problems, like trading around lots to build in the most accessible spots.

“I do this so that Nicodemus will live on forever,” Holmes said, noting a population trend unusual for rural Kansas: The number of people in Nicodemus has increased from 15 in 2015 to 47 today.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Derby Rec Commission looks at esports

As part of its 10-year master plan, the Derby Recreation Commission wants to take part in the growing industry of esports.

Esports is a general term to describe video games played in a competitive setting. With the rise in popularity of video games across the nation, some players are gaining interest in playing them for sport.

Competitive leagues for games such as Fortnite, League of Legends, and Overwatch have been early pioneers in the sports industry. Though the DRC currently has no formal plans to purchase a facility or equipment for esports, Drum said the DRC was “intrigued” by the industry as it gains popularity in the midwest.

“I can tell you, we’ve had some discussions about evaluating the concept and potentially facilitating a tournament or a sports event in our rec center,” Drum said.

Esports are typically played on specialized desktop computers, but some are also played on traditional consoles like Xbox and Play Station.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Dollar Tree approved in Pratt

It’s official! Dollar Tree is coming to Pratt!
With the stroke of a pen and unanimous vote, Pratt City Commissioners Monday night set the stage for Dollar Tree management to move ahead with plans for a store off U. S. Highway 54 to the east of Hibbett Sports with entrances off Fincham Road to the east and Dale Road to the north.
Pratt Building Inspector Brad Blankenship presented the resolution which defined all the boundaries and other necessary requirements to commissioners. He reported that the Pratt Planning and Zoning Board had done due diligence in making sure all city ordinances and requirements were met.

(Read more: Kiowa County Signal)

E-bikes, other motorized vehicles voted down on JoCo parks trails

Electronic bicycles, scooters and other motorized vehicles will remain banned from Johnson County park trails for at least the near future.

The county Park & Recreation District’s Board of Commissioners on Wednesday voted against a proposal that would have allowed visitors to use e-bikes and electronic unicycles on the 15-mile Gary L. Haller Trail in Shawnee between March and June of next year as part of a pilot project.

District officials said the pilot would have shown them how much interest there was for people wanting to use motorized vehicles on the park trails and whether allowing the vehicles led to additional accidents or complaints from other trail users.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Bill to rename the Big Ditch on president’s desk

The Wichita-Valley Center Flood Control Project, known as the Big Ditch, is one step closer to being renamed after the man who designed it, M.S. Mitch Mitchell.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill the week of Dec. 20 naming the flood-control project; the House of Representatives passed the bill in September. The bill must now be approved by the President.

Mitchell, who died in March 2017, was a local hero, affectionately known as Big Ditch Mitch.

He was the flood control and maintenance supervisor for the City Council Flood Control Office for Sedgwick County and Wichita from 1958-63. He supervised the innovative flood-control project, which diverted excess water around Wichita.

(Read more: Area | derbyinformer.com)

Marion County splits cities in final district plan

County commissioners decided Thursday on a five-district map for addition of two commissioners.

Both Marion and Hillsboro will be split into two different districts, and two of the districts will not be contiguous, with some part of each district isolated from the remainder of the district.

Although state law does not require that districts be contiguous, it does require that they be as compact as possible, and numerous federal court rulings have struck down districting plans elsewhere that include non-contiguous districts.

Bryan Caskey, director of elections for the Kansas secretary of state’s office, said drawing district lines was entirely up to the county.

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

The University of Kansas Public Management Center announces graduates of Certified Public Manager Program

The University of Kansas Public Management Center has announced this year’s graduates of the Kansas Certified Public Manager program, who represent the 25th anniversary class.

The graduation ceremony took place last month in the House Chamber at the Capitol in Topeka. The 85 graduates, who began their coursework in January, represent local, county, state or federal agencies from across Kansas. They participated in classes held in Topeka, Olathe and the KU Edwards Campus.

Of these participants, 21 are graduates of the Law Enforcement Leadership Academy (LELA) Command School who completed their CPM certification through classroom instruction and online work. While they were recognized earlier in November at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Yoder, they were also included in the graduation ceremony in Topeka.

“The Kansas CPM program is a dynamic and engaging certification program of 300 contact hours that uses a capstone project as the final exam and course materials that inspire new ways of thinking and innovative approaches to solving problems,” said Terri Callahan, program manager. “This year was particularly special, as we also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the program.” The Kansas CPM program is a professional education opportunity for managers working in government agencies, nonprofits and organizations that contract to provide public services and meet community needs. CPM is a nationally accredited management program and certification in which participants develop and strengthen their management skills through a competency-based curriculum. Close to 1,800 CPM graduates have earned the nationally recognized emblem of management excellence through the Kansas program.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Ellis County needs residents’ input for planning

Ellis County wants input from county residents on a comprehensive plan being designed for the area, according to Karen Purvis, environmental sanitarian and zoning administrator for the county.

Ellis County has been working with Marvin Planning Consultants, Inc., David City, Neb., and MSA Professional Services, Ankeny, Iowa, since September. The project is now undergoing the countywide public participation phase.

In this phase, residents can guide the process with their thoughts and vision, including through a survey now available online.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Edgerton considers employees’ pay increase

There was spirited debate at the Edgerton city council meeting Dec. 13 over a proposed city staff pay raise.
Beth Linn, city administrator, presented the results of a compensation and benefits study that compared Edgerton’s city employees’ pay scales to those of employees in other cities in the region.
The study looked for cities that mimicked Edgerton in several categories including economic growth, workload and quality of life.
Linn told the council that Edgerton has unique characteristics that presented challenges in selecting the most comparable cities to conduct the study.
“Similar to the unique characteristics of having small town charm in our residential areas while being home to an international logistics hub, Edgerton staff experience the types and variety of work of both smaller and larger communities,” she said. The study compared Edgerton’s pay structure to those of Gardner, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee and Overland Park.
According to the study, there’s a huge disparity between Edgerton and other cities on assessed property valuation per employee and annual capital improvement budget per employee. Don Roberts, mayor, said the city needs to raise the pay for employees because the job market was tight, and it was becoming harder to attract and keep quality employees.
“There’s huge competition with the private sector, and what this study did was establish what the market is. We are able to see the market for what it is,” he said.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Salina City Commission selects Schrage to be city manager

Mike Schrage was chosen Friday to become Salina’s next city manager.

The Salina City Commission voted unanimously about 12:30 p.m. Friday to extend a job offer to Schrage, who in June was appointed interim city manager, and to authorize the preparation of an employment contract that will be part of the agenda for the commission’s next meeting Jan. 7.

Schrage said he looks forward to continuing to serve the city.

“I am very honored, and I know I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me,” he said. “I look forward to working with this commission and future commissions to move the community forward. I have enjoyed serving in my role for 13 years with the community, and I look forward to taking it to the next level in terms of responsibility and taking a leadership role in the community.”

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Cedar Point Fire Station construction continues

Steve Fillmore and Thom Kirk met with the Chase County Commission to provide an update on the Cedar Point Fire Station.

“By this time next year, we want it built,” Commissioner Tony Hazelton said. “Can you tell us where we are at?”

“We are working on the pad,” Kirk said. “I’m trying to get the pad built up to the elevation Steve wants. When we are ready we can make arrangements for the water lines.”

“We need to let the pad sit for a little bit, a couple months at least,” Steve Fillmore said.

Both men expressed they are making progress despite early weather delays. They aren’t anticipating any problems and feel the fire station is moving in the right direction.

“We want to do it right, but we want to make sure we are moving forward timely,” Commissioner Bill Fillmore said. “Those people have been without a fire station for too long. We want to make sure we get it done.”

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

County working to resolve issue with IRS

Neosho County officials are working to avoid a $61,000 penalty from the Internal Revenue Service.

Human Resources Manager Christy Hofer told commissioners Friday morning that the IRS notified her about the penalty for 2016 because of the Affordable Care Act.

The county is in compliance with the ACA, but Hofer said the problem stems from errors made in forms filed for the year that made the IRS think the county had not met requirements. She said she has received an extension and is working to resolve the issue.

Ottawa becomes first mindful city in the nation

City of Ottawa Fire Chief Tim Matthias wasn’t sure what to think when he first heard about a stress management program being offered in Ottawa. “Truthfully, I was hesitant to commit to the class because I did not know what to expect,” he said. “The first two classes that I attended, I still had that mindset of, ‘What does this have to do with me or for me?’ It wasn’t until the third class that I started to realize the true meaning of mindfulness and the benefits that can come from having this in your everyday routine.” In 2017, Matthias, along with other City of Ottawa department directors, participated in “A Stress Management Program Based on Mindfulness Meditation.” The eight-week program was a collaboration between the City of Ottawa and Ransom Memorial Hospital and was facilitated by William Hale, M.D., of Lawrence.

(Read more: News – The Ottawa Herald)

Former police officer sues Hutchinson

A former Hutchinson Police Department officer is charging the city of Hutchinson with employment discrimination and retaliation.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Topeka, Devin Berman said he was open with the city and the department about his disability, Tourette’s syndrome, when they decided to hire him in late 2013. However, he claims, he “quickly began experiencing acts of discrimination based on his disability.”

He “was incessantly made fun of at work by other employees in ways such as name-calling, mimicking, and being compared to disabled individuals, such as individuals with autism. No adverse action was taken against the employees for these actions and these actions continued throughout Devin’s employment, even after complaints were made by Devin to his supervisors,” the suit claims.

He was denied advancement and opportunities to move up in the department because of his disability, the suit charges.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Saying problems with voting system have been resolved, Election Commissioner recommends completing purchase

Convinced that problems with the new electronic voting machines have been resolved, Election Commissioner Ronnie Metsker told county commissioners that he is ready to sign the papers and cut the check to vendor ES&S.

Payment on the $10.6 million system is expected to go through as soon as the county legal and tech departments give it the final okay, Metsker said.

Metsker said his office is satisfied that the problems that slowed the vote reporting software to a crawl in the August primary have been successfully addressed. The coding problem that led to hours of delay in reporting vote totals was fixed for the general election, and equipment worked well even with an unusually high turnout, he said.

“We’ve all been very traumatized by the difficulty,” Metsker said. “To have a good outcome meant we had no bad media or negative comments within the community and we’re on our way to a successful recovery.”

Johnson County to pilot $250,000 micro-transit program in Overland Park, Merriam, Shawnee and Lenexa

The Bridj van-hailing service that debuted with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority two years ago ended in failure because of low ridership. Eventually, the company closed down. Nevertheless, KCATA and Johnson County are willing to give micro-transit another shot, this time with a similar test program in parts of Overland Park, Merriam, Shawnee and Lenexa.

County commissioners on Thursday approved spending $250,000 on a six-month pilot program to see if it will eventually provide a viable and more sustainable alternative to the full-sized city buses that now serve the suburbs. This time around, the micro-transit service will be offered through Transloc, a company owned by Ford.

The pilot program is basically a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft, except that large vans pick up riders instead of cars. Riders make arrangements on a Smartphone app or by calling a number. If, for instance, three riders appear to be headed to roughly the same place at the same time, a software program figures out the best route.

Mission prepares to take over animal control services for former NEACC cities

Mission has agreed to begin contracts with five neighboring cities to provide them animal control services.

In the wake of the dissolution of the Northeast Animal Control Commission earlier this year, Mission plans to provide animal control services to the cities of Fairway, Mission Woods, Roeland Park, Westwood and Westwood Hills. Those year-long contracts begin Jan. 1.

City administrator Laura Smith, who presented the prepared contracts for the Mission councilmembers during their finance and administration committee meeting Dec. 12, had indicated that Westwood Hills planned to participate in a contractual agreement. That agreement came up for approval in time for the council meeting Dec. 19.

Mission has already taken steps to hire two community service officers for the Mission Police Department; these two positions will be dedicated to animal control for Mission and the other cities and will also handle non-essential police functions such as parking complaints, traffic control for accidents and walk-in reports.

JoCo med examiner project prompts neighborhood outcry

Northwood Trails neighborhood residents are outraged that trees were cut down behind their homes.

Commission unable to agree on redistricting

County commissioners spent more than an hour and a half Monday discussing a new county redistricting proposal and proposing two additional ones, but ultimately chose none of them and set a work session for Thursday.

Commissioners have given much discussion to redistricting the county since voters approved creation of a five-member commission in November. No apparent resolution has been found.

The first proposal studied during Monday’s meeting left both Hillsboro and Marion intact as districts and divided the rest of the county into three districts.

“This is my proposal I’m presenting now,” commissioner Dianne Novak said.

(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)

Marion County faces backlash over administrator

County commissioners faced a packed house at Monday’s meeting — many of them there to vent their opinions on a vote to proceed with hiring a county administrator.

Former commissioner Dan Holub was among those who came to speak against last week’s split vote to move forward on seeking a county administrator despite a 2017 advisory vote in which voters gave a thumbs-down to the idea.

“I don’t want to get into an argument,” Holub said.

Holub said the county has no job description for an administrator, and existing employees will have job responsibilities taken away, resulting in pay reductions.

“Also, the cost of a five-member commission was not discussed before election,” Holub said. “I think you’ve lost your credibility. One, you’ve gone against the voters, and the other, you didn’t give out all the information.” Last week Commissioner Novak broached the subject of an administrator before commissioner Randy Dallke arrived, and after a brief discussion with commissioner Kent Becker, Novak made a motion to approve a resolution — not written yet — to hire an administrator. Becker seconded Novak’s motion. Dallke entered the commission room as the motion was made and seconded and asked if he gets to talk about it. He reminded Novak and Becker that the public had voted against hiring an administrator. Dallke voted against the motion and Novak and Becker voted in favor.

(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)

Collaboration key to business development in Pittsburg

New businesses abound in Pittsburg, according to the city, with nearly 40 new starts just in 2018.
According to officials at the City of Pittsburg, 39 new business licenses were granted in 2018, coming close to last year’s total of 41.
Along with several up and coming businesses, many startups up and down Broadway and beyond, have been in the works for a while, and in the past two years, have began to come to fruition.
Collaboration and partnership have been key to the growth according to City Manager Daron Hall, Deputy City Manager Jay Byers, Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce President Blake Benson and Director of Community Engagement Sydney Anselmi.
The city is emulating Pittsburg’s motto “Forward Together,” they said.
A few years ago the city gathered information from people in the area to pinpoint how to better serve local businesses.
“We are working on changing the ‘we’re a small town, we can’t do that’ to ‘yes we can,’ Pittsburg Public Information Manager Sarah Runyon said.

(Read more: Community – Morning Sun)

The city of Olathe has installed its first 3D painted crosswalk

The city of Olathe has installed its first 3D painted crosswalk, which gives the illusion of boxes on the street. Motorists will encounter it if they drive on Cherry Street from Park to Loula streets in the downtown area.

The 3D crosswalks are designed to draw attention to pedestrians who may be crossing the street. Drivers approaching the crosswalk will momentarily see what looks like boxes on the pavement, beginning from roughly 40 to 50 feet away. Pedestrians using the crosswalk see only blobs of colored paint.

The illusion is provided by an old artistic technique called a one-point perspective drawing, said Hallie Sheptor, communications specialist for Olathe Public Works. The technique gives a three-dimensional look on a flat surface.

Detour problems near Ark City trigger moves by state, county

State and local authorities are taking action after growing safety concerns caused by the detouring of traffic away from the closed bridge near Arkansas City.

A.J. Wilson, an engineer with Kansas Department of Transportation, was on hand at the Cowley County Commission meeting Tuesday night to address detour complaints caused by the closing of U.S. Highway 166 bridge. The bridge is being replaced and the project is expected to take 18 months.

Local roads, particularly Lovers Lane, have become favored detours for those vehicles used to traversing the Arkansas River over the bridge, which is being replaced and will be closed for an estimated 18 months.

At the Tuesday meeting, Ark City residents described vehicles, including semis, speeding on the roads; near-miss accidents and semis’ becoming stuck when they try to turn around in no-outlet areas.

Mission council passes non-discrimination ordinance on 7-1 vote

Two days after Prairie Village passed a similar measure, the Mission council on Wednesday approved a non-discrimination ordinance with legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents and employees.

The ordinance, which goes into effect Jan. 1, extends legal protections in the city to sexual orientation and gender identity, and also covers currently protected classes at the state and federal levels (such as race, ethnicity, military status, etc.).

The 7-1 vote drew a round of applause from the packed council chambers.

Because the ordinance covers currently protected classes in addition to sexual orientation and gender identity, the city of Mission can investigate all cases of nondiscrimination if a complainant so chooses, said city administrator Laura Smith. However, the city can also forward cases on to other sources such as the Kansas Human Rights Commission, if those cases involve instances of discrimination against classes protected at the state level.

The council’s vote also approved a penalty fee increase from $500 to $1,000, per the councilmembers’ discussion at committee level last week. Prairie Village also set its maximum penalty for a violation at $1,000.

Reno County Planning Commission to begin discussion on wind farm

The Reno County Planning Commission will begin discussion on a possible conditional use permit that is expected from NextEra Energy in regards to the proposed wind farm near Pretty Prairie on Thursday.

Planning Director Mark Vonachen says the commission will discuss various matters pertaining to the wind farm, including scheduling alternative meeting dates. The planning commission was left to make some of the major decisions on the wind farm after a moratorium that was requested by area residents failed to gain any support by the commission.

Vonachen says that once the permit is filed, the planning board will have to piece any concerns together. Once that is completed, a public hearing will be held, which is sure to draw a lot of attention. Once that is finished, the planning board will make their recommendation to the county commissioners for action.

(Read more: Hutch Post)