Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Commission votes put Washburn Tech East site on track to open by summer

Two Shawnee County Commission votes taken Thursday were expected to put Washburn Tech East on track to offer classes beginning next summer out of its planned permanent site at 2014 S.E. Washington.

Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer voted 3-0 to enter into a contract that county counselor Jim Crowl said resolved all issues resulting from the county terminating its agreement with the initial general contractor, Champion Builders.

Commissioners then voted 3-0 to enter into a contract through which the county will pay Kelly Construction to complete the project. The company accepted responsibility for finishing it by May 1.

Washburn Tech East is being developed by Washburn University, GO Topeka and the Joint Economic Development Organization, a body of Shawnee County and city of Topeka elected officials.

Wyandotte Co. sues opioid industry, joining other Kansas, Missouri localities

Wyandotte County joined the parade of local governments lining up to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors Tuesday, filing suit in federal court against 14 industry giants and their affiliates.

Wyandotte County is at least the 20th local government in Kansas and Missouri to file suit against the companies, accusing them of getting rich by hooking people on pain meds while costing citizens large amounts of money in health care and law enforcement to deal with drug addiction, diversion and overdoses.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

High-tech incubator that the Lawrence and Douglas County purchased for $3M in 2010 now ‘bleeding cash’

Local governments made a nearly $3 million investment into a high-tech incubator space in northwest Lawrence that city leaders now say is losing more than $400,000 per year.

In 2010, Lawrence and Douglas County spent $2.9 million to purchase and renovate the former Oread Labs building, 4950 Bob Billings Parkway. The University of Kansas Bioscience and Technology Business Center operates the building’s lab and office space as an expansion facility to its main building on west campus, but BTBC leaders say the facility is struggling financially and needs more money from the city and county.
The city and county made the unusual deal to purchase the building in 2010 with the idea that it would retain CritiTech, a Lawrence-based pharmaceutical company that local leaders feared would leave the community without the lab space, the Journal-World reported at the time. CritiTech remains in Lawrence but left the BTBC expansion facility about five years ago.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Douglas County approves subsidy for new psychiatrists, discusses Fire Medical negotiations

The Douglas County Commission meets in the historic courtroom on the second floor of the county courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.
The Douglas County Commission agreed Wednesday to subsidize the hiring of three new psychiatrists for $350,000 — a move that one official said would allow about 1,100 more people to get the mental health treatment they need in 2019.

The subsidy will allow Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center to hire a new full-time psychiatrist and will allow Lawrence Memorial Hospital to hire two psychiatrists who will work part of the time on contract for other agencies, said Bob Tryanski, the county’s director of behavioral health projects, at the commission’s meeting. One of the new psychiatrists at LMH will spend 50 percent of his or her time working for Bert Nash, while the other new LMH hire will work 50 percent of the time for Heartland Community Health Center, he said.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

City Commission in Junction City grants Community Partnership Empowerment Program request

The Junction CIty Commission has approved a request from the Community Partnership Empowerment Program for the use and waiver of fees at the 12th Street Community Center on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of 2019.

City Manager Allen Dinkel said, “They’re trying to offer another program to help people help themselves in this community and they just want to have a place where they can get together. Counsel people from job searches and everything else. I think it’s a great thing to serve people in our community.

The program will be designed to allow participants to get those resources needed to empower them in areas ranging from hospital clinic assistance to spiritual help.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Hiawatha City Commission votes to move forward on brick streets

Monday night marked the final meeting of the year for the Hiawatha City Commission, and with all commissioners present, the group voted to authorize KDOT to move forward in awarding the bid for the Brick Streets Project to Amino Brothers Company, Inc.

There was some concern among commissioners, as Amino Brothers was the State contractor for the walking trail, and there were some issues during that construction. Despite those concerns, the commission understood that with state funding— minus the $177,000 that the City must pay before the end of January — there is little they can do about the State-selected contractor, so they approved the authorization. City Administrator Mike Nichols reminded the commission that despite some extra time and corrections, the overall workmanship of Amino Brothers was good, and that the final product turned out great.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Olathe Council OKs plans to revamp Great Mall site, despite competing OP project

Olathe City Council members on Tuesday signed off on a developer’s plan to request $69.5 million in Kansas state tax incentives to build a hockey arena and a mixed-use development at the former Great Mall of the Great Plains site.

The 6-1 vote came despite the concerns of at least one resident and even some of the council members themselves that the project, called Mentum, could be on a collision course with a proposed development 10 miles away in Overland Park that is also seeking more than $63 million in state incentives and would also include a hockey arena.

“I’ve spoken to a number of financiers, and they agree that only one will probably be built in Johnson County,” said Mayor Michael Copeland. “The community can’t support two.”

Ellis County projects it will end year under budget

The Ellis County Commission is projecting it will end the year under budget and approved a series of transfers of the unused funds Monday.

The county intends to keep $2.925 million in unencumbered cash in its general fund account. This is about 15 percent of the county’s expenditures less transfers, Phillip Smith-Hanes, county administrator, said.

Smith explained the county’s general fund is like the county’s checking account, and the unencumbered cash is extra money to help with the county’s cash flow and to use in case of emergencies.

The two departments that had the largest surpluses in 2018 were the Road and Bridge, and Sheriff’s departments. Road and Bridge saved money because the cost of diesel was less than budgeted. The department also spent less than expected on road commodities.

The jail had days this summer when its prisoner population was low. This meant the Sheriff’s Department didn’t have to spend as much money on housing prisoners in other counties.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Bus shelters coming to South Hutch in 2019

The Reno County Commission on Tuesday approved a licensing agreement with the city of South Hutchinson that will allow placement of two Reno County Area Transit bus shelters in that city.

The board also approved the transfer of a van that will allow the Department of Aging to set up a grocery delivery service for the elderly, OK’d disposing of two aging RCAT buses on an auction site, and heard a report on bus driver wages.

Both shelters will go on Main Street in South Hutchinson where there are existing concrete pads that city previously set up with benches, Reno County Transportation Director Barbara Lilyhorn advised the commission.

That is if the sites – at 8 N. Main and 309 S. Main – are approved as ADA compliant.

One other caveat on approval was that the agreement drafted by the city requires the county “meet the maximum liability under state and federal law.” The two shelters are among 16 to be constructed along RCAT routes in 2019 using a $76,600 state grant. The project has been in the works since early this year, but it was delayed by a state requirement all the sites had to be individually engineered.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Valley Center hires former long-time Derby Rec Commission superintendent

Former DRC Superintendent Frank Seitz will work as a consultant for the Valley Center Recreation Commission Board. According to The Ark Valley News, the board approved a contract with Seitz at its Dec. 10 meeting.

Hired in 1980, Seitz was the first superintendent for the Derby Recreation Commission and served until his retirement in 2017. Chris Drum, current DRC superintendent, started working in the role in November of the same year.

Seitz’s hiring comes two months after the board fired longtime recreation director Steve Geddes, claiming he had fractured relationships with other Valley Center governmental agencies.

Derby Rec Commission moves forward in acquiring arts center

In a move that advanced its acquisition of the building, the Derby Recreation Commission approved a donation agreement for the Hubbard Arts Center. The agreement, approved at the DRC board’s December meeting, provides formal structure for the deed of the property located at 309 N. Woodlawn. The agreement was established by the DRC, the city, and the Derby Historical Society. It is not a final lease agreement.

As part of the deal, the historical society will donate the Hubbard Arts Center to the DRC, which will pay for building insurance and utilities for both the museum and the arts center.

The DRC will not be responsible for liability insurance on the contents of the museum nor the operations of the historical society.

City land sale will square up lot

The City Council approved the sale of a small portion of park land to a private party. Mark Fritze and his wife, Kourtney Fritze, asked to buy 3,600 square feet of city-owned land at the very east side of the Woodland Valley Park, which is adjacent to their residential lot at 1231 N. Wild Turkey. The sale price is $1,800, or 50 cents a square foot.

“While the city does not generally favor selling its park lands, because this particular piece of the park is an odd shape, selling this small area would be of little to no consequence to the public use and enjoyment of the park,” City Manager Kathy Sexton said in a report to the council. With the sale, the lot would square up with the adjoining lot line and enable the homeowners to construct a fence.

Development needed says city manager, but planning and zoning board vote against senior development

In the coming month, the City of Newton Commission will face a vote to override its planning and zoning board and allow for the development for senior citizens, but actual details on the proposed development are short.

Redwood Developments, out of Joplin, Mo., is in the early stages of working on a development of a 6.7 acre retirement development, available for those 55 years and older that would be built near Sand Creek Golf Course along S. Anderson Drive and north of Summer Drive.

To make the development happen, the zoning of the property needed to be changed from single family to multi family residential.

Of the nine members of the zoning board, five were present for the presentation, and voted against the proposed change, 3-2, following concerns from area residents that the development could lower property values.

With a looming vote on the issue by the commission, Newton Now attempted to gather more information on the possible development.
However, Redwood Developers returned no phone calls on the possible development.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Garden City to change practice with repeat offenders

The Garden City Commission on Tuesday directed the Garden City Police Department to revise its existing practices regarding “Own Recognizance,” or OR, bonds for people who have violated the city’s code of ordinances, changing the language relating to repeat offenders.

Suspects issued an OR bond are released with only explicit instructions to appear in court at a certain date and time, rather than posting a payment or other surety.

Since July 2016, the GCPD has released people arrested on non-warrant arrests for municipal charges on an OR bond almost immediately, unless they are considered a danger to the community or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in which case they are held for an additional six hours, City Prosecutor James Dummermuth told the commission.

The practice has resulted in some people being arrested for another charge within the same day, said Garden City police Capt. Courtney Prewitt. Someone could be arrested for criminal trespass, for instance, be released on an OR bond within an hour, per the practice, and then immediately trespass on the same property again, he said. The result, he said, was a persisting safety issue.

“From the law enforcement perspective, the safety of the community, the safety of our officers and even the safety of the suspects is important,” Prewitt said.

Over the last year, the department has arrested a person for a second charge within a 12-hour period about 25 times, Prewitt said, sometimes arresting individuals up to three times in relatively quick succession. With every repeated arrest, interactions become more confrontational between officers and jail staff and the suspects, he said.

Topeka Mayor, city manager hold final joint news conference of 2018

Mayor Michelle De La Isla and city manager Brent Trout conducted their final joint monthly news conference of 2018 on Tuesday morning at City Hall, discussing accomplishments that have taken place over the past 12 months and challenges awaiting the city next year.

Early in her comments, De La Isla noted the city had balanced its budget this year. She said the city also has enjoyed a smooth working relationship with Shawnee County, something she said hasn’t always been the case.

She praised the Topeka Police Department for its role in “some really difficult conversations in our community,” particularly in the aftermath of the fatal police shooting of Dominique White in September 2017 on the city’s east side.

With Police Chief Bill Cochran in the audience, the mayor said, “It’s been amazing to see how the police have stepped up and to see how we have really dug into our community and really built better relationships.”

North Newton residents now can get leak credits

North Newton City Administrator John Torline told council members on Monday night one resident had a huge water bill because of a leak, and there was nothing he could do to help that person pay for the water bill.

He said the leak was between the meter and the structure, which resulted in the large water bill. He said his response was to say, “Sorry, we don’t give a leak credit.”

“We think it’s time to amend the policy,” Torline said.

The council agreed, voting unanimously to give a “50-percent adjustment to the cost associated with the leak” if the leak is on the customer’s side of the meter and occurs before entering the structure. However, certain conditions must be met before the adjustment is given.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Barton County set to welcome new County Counselor

In addition to having a new County Attorney, Barton County will also soon have a new County Counselor who will assist Commissioners on legal issues.

Current Counselor Carey Hipp will soon be leaving to become a District Judge in the 20th Judicial District after winning that spot in the November general election.

Commissioners voted 5-0 Monday to name Pat Hoffman with Sherman, Hoffman and Hoffman from Ellsworth to take over the position. That is the same law firm that Carey Hipp worked with during her time as Counselor.

Commissioner Alicia Straub said she liked the idea of having an outside voice to guide the board on legal issues.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Dispatchers detail highs, lows of being first contact in emergencies

Sitting in a dim room lit by the glow of several computer screens, the communications center at the Riley County Police Department bustled with activity as dispatchers took nonstop service, officer and 911 calls.
Stationed with five monitors before her, Ryan Francis, a dispatcher of two years, handled the main radio frequency for all working police officers. Each screen displayed a different function — radio channels, maps of the counties, locations of officers and more.
When the center received a service call, Francis was responsible for assigning officers to cases.

Prairie Village council passes LGBTQ measure to applause, cheers

The Prairie Village City Council on Monday approved an ordinance that shields LGBTQ individuals from many types of discrimination within the city.

It’s a decision that culminates more than three months of sometimes contentious public debate on the issue and paves the way for other Johnson County municipalities considering similar legislation.

The measure passed by a unanimous vote, which was greeted by applause and cheering from a council chamber filled mostly with supporters of the ordinance. “I’m hopeful that the vote we take tonight will emphatically say to everyone in the LGBTQ community that we see you, we love you and you are welcome here in Prairie Village,” said council member Tucker Poling, who introduced the ordinance with council member Chad Herring and spent almost a year working behind-the-scenes to get the issue before the board.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

After test, Liberal makes hours change permanent

After much discussion and a multi-month trial period, it has recently been confirmed there will be permanent changes with the City of Liberal.
In response to complaints from the public earlier this year, new hours of operation for Liberal City Hall and the Liberal Municipal Court facilities (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Fridays) were tried out beginning in September and due to the extremely positive response, those hours will now be made permanent.
“It’s been completely positive. People can get in here at 7:30 a.m. and pay their bills before work if they need to, they can see anyone in the building they need to early in the morning or if that doesn’t work, they can get in here as late as 5:30 p.m. and talk to whoever they need to,” Liberal City Manager Calvin Burke said. “We haven’t had really any negative response to this at all.”

Great Bend staying more informed of Chamber’s activity with new contract

In September, the City of Great Bend gave the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce its notice of intent to renegotiate the agreement for economic development services. City staff worked with the Chamber over the past few months to develop a contract that better outlines the scope of services.

The Great Bend City Council approved the new contract that started December 18, 2018 and ends December 31, 2019.

City Administrator Kendal Francis says one change from the new contract will include monthly goal progress and prospect reports. The Chamber will also establish measurable goals and develop action plans to achieve those goals. Francis admitted there is no way to pin the Chamber down and require a certain number of retail businesses by a given date, but there are other ways of determining their success.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Roeland Park council moving forward with plan to end year-round pool operations

The Roeland Park Aquatic Center will shift from being a year-round pool to a summer-season only facility, members of the city council tentatively agreed Monday.

The council unanimously signaled its support for moving forward with a summer season that would span from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The new schedule will come up for a final and formal vote during a January council meeting.

Pool Advisory Committee member Tom Madigan said the committee had considered an option that would keep the pool open until October, but the alternative was voted down after determining the low usage during those additional months did not warrant the expense.

“There was very low participation,” Councilor Madigan said. “….because of that it would be a high subsidy for each individual that did show up.”

Lawrence to join study to determine racial breakdown of police stops and searches

City leaders have approved funding for a study that will determine the rates at which local law enforcement agencies pull over and search people of color.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with Douglas County, Eudora, Baldwin City and the University of Kansas to fund and conduct the study. The city’s share of the costs would be $84,000 over two years.

A team from Northeastern University in Boston will assist the law enforcement agencies to develop and implement a program for documenting the racial breakdown of motorist and pedestrian stops and searches. The team will then make recommendations to address any disproportionate minority contact, and law enforcement agencies will be able to use the program going forward.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Geary County Health Department receives funding to monitor community health status

Monitoring health status to identify and solve community health problems is one of the ten Essential Public Health Services, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Geary County Health Department has been funded to do just that.

According to Health Department Director Tammy Von Busch, the ESSENCE multi-county regional pilot funding of $10,000 from the CDC and Kansas Department of Health and Environment will assist the Health Department in working with regional partners to monitor community health status. ESSENCE is an acronym for Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics. The software enables public health departments at the state and local level to analyze emergency department data submitted by hospitals. The system can track infectious disease and the impact of disasters.

The collaborative project will also include Pottawatomie, Riley, Clay and Dickinson counties, offering an opportunity to expand public health partnerships in the Wildcat Public Health Emergency Preparedness Region and beyond.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Riley County Commission hears ambulance response comparisons, update on Pawnee Health Services facility

Riley County EMS presented ambulance call for service comparative numbers to the Riley County commission on Monday.
The totals showed an increased total cash collection by more than $350,000. EMS Director David Adams presented the total numbers of calls for this year compared to last year. Adams says the majority of calls from northern Riley County came from the Madison Township, with an average of 33 percent of the total calls. He also added they had 86 calls with an average response time of around 18 minutes. Adams said they also need to take into account the type of calls received, whether they be emergent or non-emergent, since they do not use lights and sirens for non-emergent calls. As for the month of November, Riley County EMS fielded 411 calls for service, with 30 of those being from northern Riley County.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Wichita City Council to discuss $200K loan for drive-in

The Wichita City Council approved a $200,000 loan for the Starlite Drive-in on Tuesday.

The money comes from the sale of the Hyatt Regency hotel in 2016. It will be used to buy two new projectors.

The drive-in closed in mid-October, but an investment group recently acquired the land.

The group agreed to lease the facility to a Tulsa drive-in owner who says he expects to re-open the drive-in by late March.

New Starlite Drive-in owner Blake Smith says the business’s previous owner sold the digital projects. Smith says the cost of a projector is similar to the cost of a small home.

“We’ll do the best we can to get the best projector within our budget,” Smith says.

Once the projectors are in, Smith says he can focus on pinning down an opening date for the drive-in at 3900 S. Hydraulic.

“The Starlite has always been a fantastic drive-in,” he says. “It’s always done really well. It’s absolutely beautiful, the grounds are beautiful. “We’re going to do our best to keep that going and look forward to getting open.”

(Read more: KWCH News)

Ellis County to start building rainy-day cushion in 2019

The way County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes explains it, creating a cushion in the Ellis County budget for a rainy day is like leaving a little extra money in the family checkbook over and above normal expenses.

Without one, there’s no safety net.

If all goes well, no problem, Smith-Hanes explained Monday to The Hays Daily News.

If it doesn’t?

“Then we could be in a really difficult position, because we’re not carrying enough cash year to year to be at a comfort level,” he said.

That will change in 2019.

The Ellis County Commission on Monday evening at its regular meeting at the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main, approved a recommendation by Smith-Hanes to build up a reserve of at least $2.925 million starting the coming year.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

3 Ways Tax Reform Has Impacted the Muni Market

When Congress passed the tax overhaul last December, some worried that it would ultimately hurt the way governments finance major infrastructure projects by making the municipal bond process more expensive.

In some ways, it has. But there have also been some pleasant surprises. Overall, 2018 has been a good year for governments issuing bonds.

(Read more: GOVERNING)

Cowley County election official agrees with others, there is no voter fraud problem

An American Civil Liberties Union survey has found that county-level election officials in Kansas reject the notion that voter fraud is either a major or minor concern.

The report released Friday contradicts claims of widespread voter fraud by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Election officials in 85 of the state’s 105 counties partially or completed responded. Sixty-six of them said voter fraud was “not a problem at all.” None deemed it a “significant problem.”

Cowley County Clerk Karen Madison said she does not recall receiving the survey, but indicated that voter fraud hasn’t been a problem in Cowley County.

She said there are a few instances of people attempting to vote twice.

“But honestly those seem to be what I would call memory mishaps,” Madison said. “An older voter forgets they voted by mail and tries to vote in person.” Madison added, “we have not had questionable voter registration drives or other instances that would lead me to believe fraud is occurring in Cowley County.”

Work toward ordinance to handle Wichita’s feral cat population continues

People in Wichita Monday met to discuss proposed changes for a Trap, Neuter (or spay) and Release (TNR) program for feral cats in the city.

A proposed ordinance would allow people to register with the city and maintain cat colonies once feral cats are trapped and spayed or neutered. Under the proposed rules, caregivers would be allowed to maintain eight cats in one colony.

Wichita’s Animal Control Advisory Board held the meeting Monday to discuss proposed changes with the public. The board says it wants to find a balance with people who are enthusiastic about the program and those who don’t want feral cats in their neighborhoods.

“I think the ordinance that has been proposed has gotten better. I think the public, once they learned about it being formed, they were able to come in and oppose certain things and ask for certain things to be done,” says Wichita resident Richard Ruth about TNR rules in the city. “There are some issues I’m concerned about, but I think we’ve made a good first step.”

(Read more: KWCH News)

Douglas County Commission to consider $350,000 subsidy to hire 3 psychiatrists for Bert Nash, Heartland

The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will consider a proposal that would add three new psychiatrists to the county health system in 2019.

The proposal would have the county subsidize the cost of hiring three new psychiatrists at a cost of $350,000, said Bob Tryanski, county director of behavioral health projects. The positions would be funded from the $1.9 million the County Commission allocated in the 2019 budget for behavioral health initiatives.

The proposal is a modification of a $900,000 line item that County Commissioners approved for the 2018 budget, which was to have added four new positions through the hiring of a psychiatrist and behavioral health nurse practitioner at both Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and at Heartland Community Health Center. That goal was not realized because of the difficulty in recruiting and retaining the professionals, Tryanski said.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Tomorrow! …. Utility Rates & Financial Planning Workshop (in Topeka) … Sign up now!

The Kansas Department of Health Environment (KDHE) Capacity Development Program, in partnership with Wichita State Environmental Finance Center (EFC ), Ranson Financial and Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU), encourages representatives from your utility to attend an upcoming rate setting and financial planning training. The session provides participants with an understanding on major considerations when setting rates; rate structure options and pricing objectives; financial planning considerations; and strategies for communicating rate information to your board and community. The training will provide classroom instruction as well as interactive participant exercises and discussion.

Training is approved for 1 CMC Experience or 1 MMC Advanced Education point for city clerks.

Learn more and sign up here.

Lawrence planning commission discusses new comprehensive plan, voicing support for new annexation policy

As Lawrence continues to grow by about 1,000 residents per year, not everyone agrees with proposed development policies that would favor infill development over expanding the city’s borders.

Plan 2040, the proposed comprehensive plan for Lawrence and Douglas County, lays out policies that will shape how the city grows for the next 20 years. Under the current plan, land bordering the city is open for annexation into the city limits, but the new plan prioritizes development within the city’s borders and puts more restrictions and requirements on annexations.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Half of Wichita’s new police review board failed to meet training requirements

More than half of the people on Wichita’s new police review board have failed to meet a city requirement, but they may not be removed if the City Council changes the rules.

The city formed the Citizen’s Review Board in part to increase transparency with the Wichita Police Department and improve community relations. People on the board are required to go through the department’s Citizens Police Academy within a year of appointment.

But fewer than half of the 13 appointees to the board have done so as the January deadline approaches. The City Council on Tuesday will hear a proposal to change that requirement, and other modifications to the ordinance creating the police review board.

The Citizen’s Review Board is a group of people intended to “advise and assist the City of Wichita and its police department in policy development, education, community outreach and communications related to police community relations,” according to city ordinance.

All appointees to the board must be enrolled in the department’s Citizens Police Academy within 90 days of appointment and complete the academy within a year, among other requirements. Appointments were made in January.

But only five of the 13 people appointed as members or alternates on the board appear to have completed the requirement to go through the academy. Only one of the five likely met the 90-day enrollment deadline.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

Roeland Park asks Mission to de-annex small sliver of land near Johnson Drive and Roe Boulevard

Roeland Park has asked Mission to consider redrawing its city limits to de-annex a half-acre piece of land divided by Johnson Drive. The land currently within Mission’s limits would connect the property on the north side of the street to the rest of Roeland Park.

Mayor Mike Kelly and city administrator Keith Moody of Roeland Park discussed the city’s request at the Mission community development committee meeting Wednesday.

City limits are often drawn along major dividing lines, such as streets and waterways. After the Kansas Department of Transportation realigned the northeast corner of Johnson Drive at Roe Boulevard, it created a small section — about .7 acres of property — that is divided by Johnson Drive but technically still belongs to the city of Mission.

To simplify the process for future development of the area, Roeland Park has approached Mission to request it to de-annex the property between Johnson Drive and Mission’s city limits. That parcel of land is already part of a 2.7-acre lot owned by Roeland Park.

Sumner County Commissioners unanimously vote to change Planning Commission regulation wording

The Sumner County Commissioners voted unanimously to change the Planning Commission wording in its regulations that will return the board to its original ‘advisory” role when it comes to issuing Conditional Use Permits.

The commissioners voted to strike the word “and” from the regulation language, after it was interpreted by Judge William Mott in Sumner County District Court to read that in order for Conditional Use permits to be issued it must get the approval of both the planning commission and the Board of Commissioners. A Conditional Use permit allows a property owner to use his land in a way not otherwise permitted within the particular zoning district.

The vote reaffirms a recommendation from the Planning Commission that also voted 5-2 to remove the word “and” from the regulations.

(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Final piece of save-the-Starlite deal to go to Wichita City Council on Tuesday

The last piece of the deal to save the Starlite Drive-In is about to fall into place.

The Wichita City Council is poised to lend the operator $200,000 to purchase new digital projectors, the key to reopening the Starlite in late February. Money to fund the loan will come from a $1 million allocation to the south Wichita council district of Councilman James Clendenin.

Each council member was allocated that amount for district improvements when the council sold the city-owned Hyatt Hotel in 2016.

Clendenin said he has no doubt the five-year, 1 percent interest loan will get paid back. Starlite supporters have already pledged $50,000 to the cause.

“I was getting calls from drive-ins from around the country saying the Starlite is really one of the crown jewel drive-ins in the nation,” he said. “It’s well-kept, well supported, it makes money, it’s clean.”

Clendenin said he’s seen the books and the Starlite has made a yearly profit for decades. Also, the new operator, who has a drive-in in Tulsa, has given the city a personal guarantee to make good on the loan, Clendenin said.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

Incoming county commissioners say safety net, changing demographics are top priorities

They’re sitting quietly amongst other spectators and staffers in the county commission hearing room, listening and taking notes as money is allocated to human service funds and transit contracts.

In just a few weeks, Becky Fast and Janeé Hanzlick will be in the same hearing room, looking out from the dais as newly elected county commissioners.

Both women defeated incumbents in the November election. Both have backgrounds in social services. And both say they’d like to see the county focus more sharply on the needs of the vulnerable – mental health clients, the elderly and those who are being pinched by high housing prices. “In order for Johnson County to continue to be a quality place to live we have to make sure everyone is moving forward, including the most vulnerable,” Hanzlick said. “We have issues that mean that not everyone is enjoying the same quality of life. How do we make sure to bring them along?”

As JoCo breaks ground on new facility, commission approves coroner staff changes

County breaks ground on new autopsy lab, approves staff moves at coroner. Johnson County will have the beginnings of a new system for dealing with unexpected or suspicious deaths when Dr. Diane Peterson takes over next month as county coroner and medical examiner. The county commission appointed Peterson, currently chief medical examiner in Jackson County, Mo., to head Johnson County’s medical investigator team. The commission also appointed Dr. Robert Prosser, who has been county coroner for 21 years, to be one of seven deputy coroners. The appointments are part of an effort to update the county’s coroner system as the population grows.

Topeka’s water main break total for 2018 its third highest on record

Topeka has seen 42 water main breaks this month, bringing the city’s total for the year to date to 849, city manager Brent Trout said Monday in his weekly report posted on the city’s website.

In contrast, the city had 393 water main breaks by this time last year, Trout indicated.

The city’s record for water main breaks in a year is 1,009, set in 2000, according to Capital-Journal archives. The second-highest total was 984 in 2012, those archives show.

Topeka’s fourth-highest number of water main breaks for a calendar year was 2011, with 651.

The city maintains about 850 miles of water mains.

Lawrence city leaders to consider joining study to determine racial breakdown of police stops and searches

Years since the idea was originally proposed, a study could soon be underway to determine the rates at which local law enforcement agencies pull over motorists of color.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider entering into an agreement with Douglas County, Eudora, Baldwin City and the University of Kansas to fund and conduct the study. The city’s share of the costs would be $84,000 over two years, and funding for the study has already been included in the city’s budget for 2019.

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, which was established by the county commission in 2016, is recommending the study. The council has been researching disproportionate minority contact in Douglas County’s criminal justice system for the past two years, according to a letter from the council.

Read more: LJWorld.com.

Topekans ask Supreme Court to intervene in business relocation dispute with City Hall

Two tenants who lost business leases to accommodate a city of Topeka drainage project urged the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday to interpret state law to require payment by the government of relocation expenses to displaced renters even when a landlord sold property without imposition of eminent domain.

Tenants Charles Nauheim and Hal Richardson filed a lawsuit after the city encouraged the landlord in 2013 to complete negotiations of the sale in a manner avoiding condemnation proceedings by the Topeka City Council. The deal was closed and the tenants moved out, but the city argued it wasn’t obligated to pay relocation benefits because eminent domain wasn’t used.

A judge in Shawnee County District Court threw out the case and sided with the city, but the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled Richardson and Nauheim should be granted a trial on whether the city’s discussion of condemnation, a possibility raised in emails from the city attorney’s office to the landlord, was enough to trigger payment of benefits.

Commissioner says JoCo should end non-partisan commission races

Political parties were so active in this year’s county commission election that Commissioner Mike Brown says the county should drop the pretense of non-partisanship. To that end, Brown is trying to get the county commission to amend the charter and end the non-partisan aspect of elections that have been in place since the county charter was crafted in 1999.

Brown said he expects to get a discussion going at next Thursday’s commission meeting, though he doesn’t know if he’ll have enough votes to get anything done. The commission can amend the charter with a supermajority of four-fifths, or 6 votes. But voters would still get the final say in a referendum if the commission approved. Putting a D or R on the county commission races would mean a change to the county charter, a document that sets up how the county is run. The county charter is up for review every 10 years. The last review was in 2011. But Brown said he’d prefer not to wait for the next review because another election cycle would have happened for commission races by then. Brown’s seat will be one of three up for the 2020 election, along with Steve Klika and Jim Allen.

Oswego police to get new weapons

Oswego police will soon carry stun guns.

The Oswego City Council on Monday approved the purchase of five of the guns at a cost of $4,385, according to City Clerk Carol Eddington.

The PhaZZer Enforcers are similar to the Tasers that law officers carry in many jurisdictions. They send an electrical pulse into combative suspects that knocks them to the ground, but the surge does not cause permanent injury.

Some officers will need to go through training before the devices are put into full use.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Neosho County discussion revolves around wind project

Neosho County Commissioners continued to hear comments about the proposed Neosho Ridge wind generation project Thursday.

The commission heard from a half-dozen opponents and supporters during a half-hour public forum, then continued to take discussion from Lori Whitworth and Dustie Elsworth for more than an hour on the regular agenda.

Apex Clean Energy has proposed building an electrical generation facility of 100 to 130 wind turbines on an area of approximately 41,000 acres in the southwest portion of Neosho County. Opponents Cheryl Burk and Shirley Estrada read prepared statements.

Ron Vyhlindl asked the opinion of Commissioner Paul Westhoff, whose district covers the project. Westhoff said he has concerns about the length of the proposed setback. Vyhlindl also said local business owners are reluctant to voice opinions in favor or against the project because of fears of backlash. Whitworth discussed the possibility of zoning and what steps the county might take to prevent construction.

“This is an exceedingly complicated issue,” Counselor Seth Jones said, noting that implementing zoning would mean getting a comprehensive plan of land use, appointing a planning commission, public hearings, and working with cities that have zoning outside their city limits.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)