Kansas Municipal News
Local governments adjusting for inflation, rising fuel costs
Gas prices are no doubt causing adjustments in personal budgets, but what about local governments? Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr says they fully expect inflation and record-high fuel costs to create challenges in developing next year’s budget. As for any adjustments in the current operating budget, Fehr says the city has been fortunate to grow its reserves over the last couple years, and is seeing to-date sales tax revenues coming in higher than expected. Fehr says supply chain issues are also causing challenges at the city’s water treatment plant and in some cases the substitute additives in stock are also rapidly gaining in costs.
Source: 1350 KMAN
New urbanist housing development proposed for construction in Derby
Courtyards at Crosswater would be a 105-lot single-family residential development, located directly east of the St. Mary Catholic Church property on 40 acres of undeveloped agricultural land along Meadowlark Boulevard. It is a new venture for the developers in Derby, who do have other local properties, and unlike any recent projects that have come before the commission. “It is designed in a way that is different, quite frankly, than anything we have developed in Derby in a very long time,” said City Planner Scott Knebel. “The proposal is for what’s called a new urbanist development, which is a style of development that promotes walkability, human scale design as well as a traditional neighborhood design.”
Source: Derby Informer | News
Ellinwood impresses County Commission
Barton County commissioners left a joint meeting with the Ellinwood City Council last Wednesday night impressed with what is happening in the community. The gathering was a topic during the commission’s meeting this Wednesday morning. “There was some wonderful conversations and I love the vision of the City of Ellinwood and what they want to do to grow that community,” said District 4 Jon Prescott. “It also affects the growth, in a positive way, for the entire county. So it’s pretty exciting.” … District 1 Commissioner Kirby Krier said Ellinwood City Manger Chris Komarek presented three available shovel-ready projects to his City Council during the meeting. “I think he has a handle on all three. It looks good, Here’s a huge shout out to Chris Komarek’s great leadership there.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Bentley Police have successful fundraiser
The Bentley Police Department raised $801 for its reserve program at a fundraiser breakfast, last Saturday morning. “We had a really turnout,” Chief James “Tim” Bryan said. “A lot better than I anticipated for the first time.” About 100 people came out to enjoy a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs that morning. After accounting for supplies, Bryan said they should net $650 in profit from the fundraiser for the reserves. His goal was to replenish the fund for the police reserves so they don’t have to draw from the general fund for that. Needs for the reserve program include some new holsters and making sure each reserve has a dress uniform and a soft uniform. He’s also interested in a 50/50 matching grant for bulletproof vests since all his officers are wearing hand-me-downs right now.
Source: Harvey County Now
Kids catch a lot of fish at Sedgwick PD’s derby
The Sedgwick Police Department held its first annual kids’ fishing derby on Sunday with 45 participants, according to Police Chief Brian Daily. Daily estimated they had over a hundred total in attendance. Six-year-old Callen Leiker won two categories—the most fish caught (6) and the largest fish caught (4 pounds, 10 ounces). Bradyn Hansen (13 years old) won the smallest fish category with his 14-ounce catch. Daily said the highlight for him was seeing the kids having a good time. “It’s been an interesting journey because we just started with a pond dredging and from that, it’s turned into all these other opportunities,” Daily said. “It was just seeing the kids engaged.
Source: Harvey County Now
Stalled train makes ambulance re-route
A 60-year-old woman having trouble breathing Saturday in Ramona had to be taken to Salina Regional Health Center because a railroad crossing was blocked by a stopped train. The ambulance originally was headed to Hillsboro Community Hospital, but after waiting 10 minutes for a slow-moving Union Pacific train to clear the crossing, ambulance attendants saw that a second track was blocked by a stopped train. “We did get hold of dispatch, and dispatch got hold of UP,” emergency medical services director Travis Parmley said. “UP said there were more trains to come. With the condition the patient was in, it was better to go to Salina than wait for all those trains.”
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Wichita looking to improve notifications in times of crisis
The City of Wichita said they are working to improve notifications following recent boil orders and the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, the city relies heavily on media partners and social media accounts to spread the word in times of crisis. Jim Jonas, director of communication for the City of Wichita, joined the news conference Wednesday to talk about the work to improve the city’s website and said immediate access to information for residents is vital. “We are working towards a revised, updated, better website that will build in some of these capabilities with text and email so we’ll be able to get those communications out to residents immediately.”
Source: KSN-TV
Dighton pool reopens after cleanup from beer party
The City of Dighton said the swimming pool reopened Tuesday after it had to be drained and swept. Late last week, the sheriff’s office says several beer bottles were broken during an after-hours party. The damage was discovered when lifeguards and the pool manager arrived Saturday morning. The pool was drained, swept and refilled within just days.
Source: KSN-TV
Andover tornado victims can apply for mortgage and rent assistance
Victims of the tornado that hit the City of Andover on April 29 can now apply for mortgage and rent assistance through The REALTORS of South Central Kansas (RSCK). RSCK is collaborating with the National Association of REALTORS’ REALTOR Relief Foundation (RRF) to provide the support. A grant totaling $300,000 has been awarded to RSCK to give to tornado victims. A maximum of $2,000 will be provided to each qualified household. The assistance is for housing relief only and will go toward covering one month of mortgage or rent payment. According to RSCK, assistance will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis until the funds from the grant are fully disbursed or until the grant deadline on July 31.
Source: KSN-TV
Udall opens up new community building
Decades after a tornado wiped out a Kansas community, it is growing. Udall cut the ribbon on its new community building on Monday. Inside the million-dollar building is a library, fitness center and medical center. The mayor tells KSN News is a game-changer for the area. “So having the clinic here where you can see a provider, and you don’t have to leave town, you can go to the fitness center, and you don’t have to go to Winfield or Wichita or Derby to have those amenities. I think that’s a big draw for folks,” said Mayor Kenny Alt.
Source: KSN-TV
Judge sets Golden bond at $3,500
During a hearing in Miami County District Court conducted via Zoom on Monday, June 6, District Judge Steven Montgomery set bond in the Golden appeal at $3,500 and scheduled an in-person bench trial for October 2023. In October 2021, the County Commission voted 3-1 against incorporation of a proposed city of Golden in northern Miami County. Jennifer Williams, who filed the initial petition to incorporate about 9 square miles north of Hillsdale Lake into a city to block the march of intermodal warehouses into Miami County, is named as one of the plaintiffs in the case along with Golden supporter Charlie Koch. Their appeal of the commission’s 3-1 decision was filed Nov. 12 by attorney Doug Patterson with The Property Law Firm in Overland Park.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Johnson County cleans up after possible tornado, 95th Street closed in Leawood
Downed trees, fallen tree limbs and snapped power lines from last night’s storm had forced the closure of 95th Street between Mission Road and Lee Boulevard in Leawood Wednesday. … A powerful line of storms barreled through the Kansas City metro early Wednesday morning, producing at least one tornado in Johnson County. At 1:25 a.m. Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service’s Kansas City field office tweeted that “radar confirmed a tornado” moving east near Leawood. Other local forecasters also preliminarily concluded later Wednesday morning that a tornado had formed in Johnson County around 95th Street in Overland Park and Leawood. According to meteorologist Julie Adolphson with the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill, preliminary findings are showing that the tornado was a low-end EF1 tornado.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Salinans voted on ordinance to limit the commission’s powers. That ordinance is now void
Months after citizens in Salina voted in favor of it, an ordinance that put limits on the power of the City Commission was struck down after review by a judge. The ordinance stopped the commission from imposing restrictions on citizens and businesses if a state of emergency was declared by the county or the state and was brought about after citizens’ concerns about the city adopting mask mandates and other restrictions placed on the city and its residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the vote in November, the commission voted to send the ordinance to district court for a summary judgement in addition to allowing it to be placed on the ballot. On May 31, 28th District Court Judge Paul Hickman issued that judgement, saying the ordinance, as written, was void.
Source: Salina Journal
Douglas County leaders to consider replacing a chapter of construction codes for unincorporated areas of the county
Douglas County leaders will consider repealing and replacing an entire chapter of county construction codes this week. If approved by the Douglas County Commission at its Wednesday meeting, construction codes for the unincorporated areas of the county would be updated to align with the 2018 International Code Council series of construction codes, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Other changes would include a new permit fee methodology assigning valuations for new residential, commercial and accessory building construction, and the adoption of appendices allowing for light straw-clay construction, straw-bale construction and tiny-house construction.
Source: LJWorld
Municipal Bond Trends for June 7, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Severe weather hits Johnson County Wednesday morning
Tornado sirens sent Johnson Countians scurrying to their basements and interior hallways early Wednesday morning as a line of severe thunderstorms that appears to have produced at least one tornado rolled through the Kansas City metro.
Source: Prairie Village Post
State and local government workforce facing worst challenges in 50 years
State and local governments are experiencing recruitment and retention challenges not seen on this scale in fifty years. That’s according to panelists at the Government Finance Officers Association’s annual conference on Sunday, where panelists discussed the widespread challenges the public sector is facing with respect to recruitment and retention experienced since the onslaught of COVID-19 beginning in February 2020. “Simply put, what we’re seeing right now is one of the most challenging single workforce situations in the past 50 years,” said Joshua Franzel, managing director, research and thought leadership, MissionSquare Retirement. Outgoing GFOA President Michael Bryant recently said that GFOA is hyper focused on addressing the challenges associated with the great resignation, and incoming GFOA President Terri Velasquez highlighted talent recruitment as one of GFOA’s highest priorities in the coming year.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Wichita to offer program to boost ownership of single-family homes
Wichita City Council members have voted unanimously to approve a two-year program that is aimed at improving access and affordability for housing in the community. Interim assistant city manager Kathy Sexton told the council Tuesday that the current housing market is being challenged by low supplies and a rapid increase in home prices, and the market has had a very short supply of homes available for sale. Wess Galyon, executive director of the Wichita Area Builders Association, said the biggest challenge in the market is entry-level housing. The new program is intended to improve the affordability of newly-constructed single-family homes in new developments.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Political signs not allowed on highway right of way
It’s a sign of the season – political campaigning and the posting of campaign signs. The Kansas Department of Transportation reminds the public that all political campaign signs or billboards are prohibited from being placed on state right of way. By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes. When KDOT maintenance crews find political or business advertising on state right of way, the signs will be removed immediately and without notice. All such signs will then be taken to the closest KDOT Subarea office. Political campaign signs not retrieved from the Subarea offices will be disposed of after the election.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Communities In Schools Programs Receives Grant to Assist Students
Two Bourbon County school districts recently received a $10,000 grant each for student support from Walmart to help with the Communities In Schools programs. The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, according to https://www.communitiesinschools.org/. The name of the grant is the Walmart Community Grant – Communities In Schools Programming in Uniontown and Fort Scott, Kansas. Rhonda Hoener is the Student Support Coordinator for Communities In Schools at Uniontown, and wrote the grant proposal.
Source: Fort Scott Biz