Kansas Municipal News
“Sunflower Summer” returns, free student access to venues
This summer, “exploration” is the name of the game in Kansas. The “Sunflower Summer” program will make a return. It was started last year by the Kansas State Department of Education, funded by Federal COVID-19 Aid. It’s designed to provide students from pre-K to the 12th grade free access to Kansas museums, landmarks, and events across the state. The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott was part of the inaugural program last summer, and will be again this summer.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Federal disaster declaration granted for state of Kansas
Governor Laura Kelly’s request for a federal disaster declaration in Kansas has been granted by President Joe Biden. The request comes after severe winter storms passed through the state back in late March. Each storm produced sticky wet, heavy snow combined with strong winds of 50 to 70 mph that damaged power poles and power lines, causing power outages. Biden ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected. “This federal disaster declaration will enable rural electric cooperatives to access the funding they need to get back on their feet,” said Kelly.
Source: KSNF/KODE
ACLU sues Kansas over excessive wait times at understaffed Larned State Hospital
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the National Police Accountability Project are suing Kansas over delays in mental health evaluations at the chronically understaffed Larned State Hospital. The class action lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court, says individuals who face criminal charges have had to wait behind bars for as long as 13 months before getting a pretrial competency evaluation. In some cases, that is more than the time they would serve if they were convicted. The state hospital has been a flashpoint of controversy for years because of long wait lists for mental health treatment. The ACLU said the facility only fills 65 of its 120 beds because it lacks the staffing to cover shifts in the unit, and more than 100 people are currently on the waiting list.
Source: www.chanute.com
SculptureTour underway: Salina helping make the city an art destination
Leaders in Salina want the city to be known as a destination and not just a place to drive through, and one project that is in its 12th year is helping do just that. The 2022 edition of SculptureTour Salina began this month with an unwrapping party on May 7. Sylvia Rice, director of Visit Salina, said things like the tour happening in Salina enhances that notion of the city being a destination. “(It may) allow people to take a look at what we have and make a decision to visit here as opposed to someplace else for the weekend,” Rice said.
Source: Salina Journal
Hutch neighborhood looks to unity and community involvement
SW Bricktown is working hard to form community. Along with forming a committee, neighborhood members also started festivals and helped with. The Hutch Rec helps organize six neighborhoods, including SW Bricktown… Hutch Rec Neighborhood Development Coordinator Adam Stewart said out of the six neighborhoods, SW Bricktown is what he called “one of the best examples.”… In September last year, the SW Bricktown committee organized the neighborhood’s first SW Bricktown Fiesta to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at SW Bricktown Park.
Source: Hutch News
Hutch councilmembers discuss water, sewer rates: residents vs business
A couple of Hutchinson City Council members Tuesday asked a consultant who prepared studies on future city water and sewer rates to look at shifting more of the cost of proposed increases onto residential customers rather than commercial and industrial users. At-large Councilwoman Sara Bagwell first proposed the change, voicing concern the proposed rates would impact the ability to recruit new industry to Hutchinson…. Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho voiced concern that residents on Social Security or fixed income, a significant portion of the local population, will have more difficulty responding to rate hikes than commercial businesses, which can adapt.
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for May 25, 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.
Southwest Kansas wheat devastated by drought
Last week saw much needed rainfall across the state, but areas in southwest Kansas missed out on it once again. Much of southwest Kansas has gone nearly 300 days without an inch of precipitation. Annual average rainfall is about 12” in southwest Kansas, and much of the area has seen about 1/3 of that over the past year and less than an inch since wheat was planted in the fall. There are several counties in the far southwest corner of Kansas where very little wheat will make it to harvest. Farmers have already been in touch with their crop adjusters, and fields are being adjusted from zero to 5 bushels per acre across the area.
Source: Pratt Tribune
Fed minutes point to more rate hikes that go further than the market anticipates
Federal Reserve officials earlier this month stressed the need to raise interest rates quickly and possibly more than markets anticipate to tackle a burgeoning inflation problem, meeting minutes released Wednesday showed. Not only did policymakers see the need to raise benchmark borrowing rates by 50 points, but they also said similar hikes likely would be necessary at the next several meetings. They further noted that policy may have to move past a “neutral” stance where it is neither supportive nor restrictive of growth, an important consideration for central bankers that could echo through the economy. “Most participants judged that 50 basis point increases in the target range would likely be appropriate at the next couple of meetings,” the minutes stated. In addition, Federal Open Market Committee members indicated that “a restrictive stance of policy may well become appropriate depending on the evolving economic outlook and the risks to the outlook.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Wichita City Council approves revised contract for towing impounded vehicles
The Wichita City Council voted unanimously in a special meeting Wednesday to approve a contract with three towing companies for impounded vehicles and the fees that will be charged. The council deadlocked last week on a proposed contract with nine companies out of concerns for low-income families that might not be able to pay fees to recover their vehicles. The new contract sets up a payment plan that will allow a person to pay a $600 fee over 24 months, and the city’s $30 administrative fee would be reduced to $5. The city had asked the towing companies for their best and final offers and received eight proposals. Staff recommended a contract with Kidd Towing, Tow All and Arrow Wrecker. The payment program would be for eligible vehicle owners who are unable to pay fees from impoundment.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Lack of lodging worrying to some in Newton
Newton’s hotels are low on vacancies. That’s according to the front desks of both the Holiday Inn Express and The Comfort Inn. “We’ve been full pretty much all season,” said Cat Olson, front desk manager for The Comfort Inn, 1205 E 1st St, Newton. Olson said, for the Comfort Inn, much of the demand was being driven by regular events, such as school activities, weddings and funerals. She said corporate stays or bookings for staff did account for some of the stays at the hotel, but it varied by week. The front desk of the Holiday Inn Express reported a good number of long-term stays at the hotel, with much of those stays housing crews employed at AGCO, and that the hotel had been tight since around July of 2021. The tightness of hotel lodging has made it harder for groups to host conventions in Newton. Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, said that they barely found enough room in Newton for their upcoming convention.
Source: Harvey County Now
Burrton EMS purchases CPR device, thanks to grant
Fire and EMS workers in Burrton learned how to use a new piece of life-saving equipment last week. The department recently received a KRAF grant from the board of EMS to purchase a LUCAS, which is an automated CPR machine. The grant paid for 75 percent of the approximately $15,000 cost, with the department matching the remainder. EMS Director Cherie King said the LUCAS is something their department has really needed for a while. “We applied last year and didn’t get it, but last year I think there was a lot that didn’t get funded because of COVID,” King said. Halstead and Newton already have LUCAS machines. “We’ve seen it with Halstead, but we’ve never put it on. Halstead’s always done it,” King said. “As you can see, it brought a lot of people out.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Turbine suit in Marion County could end soon
A lawsuit filed a year and a half ago seeking approval for a third county wind farm could be over in six weeks if a judge who hears arguments July 19 dismisses the case. Roger Buller at Stonebridge Investments LLC, filed suit Sept. 25, 2020, claiming county zoning director Sharon Omstead was wrong when she deemed Buller’s company did not have standing to install wind turbines in an area once planned for wind farm development by Rex Savage. The Doyle 4 development was planned for south of US-50 near Florence. Savage eventually sold the project to Stonebridge and others. Stonebridge purchased rights to conditional use permits held by Windborne Energy in 2015.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Holton switching to electronic ticketing
Traffic tickets and other police citations will soon be issued in Holton using an electronic ticketing system instead of traditional paper tickets, according to action taken on Monday by the Holton City Commission. Commissioners approved a “pay-for-use” contract with Saltus Technologies of Tulsa, Okla. for police use of two DigiTicket mobile electronic ticketing systems, which are also in use by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol, as Holton Police Chief Steve Frederick told commissioners. The monthly contract will entail the use of two DigiTicket systems at a total cost of $812 per month, or $9,744 per year…
Source: Holton Recorder
Grant approved for Paola broadband internet project
An option for faster and more reliable internet will soon be available to residents and businesses in northern Paola after it was announced Friday, May 20, that KwiKom Communications and the city were able to obtain a state grant. It was the culmination of a group effort that began earlier this year when KwiKom Communications identified Paola as an ideal community for the Kansas Office of Broadband Development Acceleration Grant. The 50-50 state grant allows for up to a 50 percent co-investment of the matching funding, and KwiKom asked the city of Paola for a co-investment commitment of $250,000, which is 25 percent of the project’s nearly $1 million total.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Wichita City Council strikes new deal with tow companies, sets up repayment plan
The city of Wichita struck a compromise with three towing companies on Wednesday that avoids rate increases for people whose cars are impounded by police. The City Council also approved an ordinance that would allow economically disadvantaged people to get their cars out of impound without breaking the bank. Under the repayment plan, the city would carry the cost — up to $600 — of returning vehicles to their owners. The vehicle owner could then pay back the city $25 a month until the debt is paid off. The plan also offers a one-time waiver of up to $600 for people who are registered with the city as homeless. Mayor Brandon Whipple, who spearheaded the repayment plan, said the new contract is a “win-win-win” for the city, the tow companies and for vehicle owners who get their cars impounded.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Lenexa approves special taxing district, grant to convert former Kohl’s into furniture store
Calling it a “win-win,” for the company and the city, the Lenexa City Council last week gave unanimous approval to a special taxing district and economic development grant that will help developers convert the former Kohl’s department store into Living Spaces, a furniture store company mostly active in western states. Council members approved the two development incentives quickly and with little discussion. Mayor Mike Boehm said the area will be “enhanced by having a big building not sitting empty, not to mention the property taxes they will pay. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
Waterville gets electric vehicle charging station — first in county
Waterville recently became home to an electric vehicle charging station thanks to the Kansas Power Pool. The power pool, provider of electricity to the city of Waterville, installed the station on the east side of Kansas Street across the street east of the historic Weaver Hotel. Anyone is welcome to use it.
Source: The Marysville Advocate
Pott County once again tables permits for two rural tourism projects
For several weeks, the Pottawatomie County commissioners have been mulling over whether to approve two rural tourism conditional use permits. The commissioners are new to the process of approving or denying CUPs, as this is something that previously was done solely by the planning commission. … Greg Ferkol is requesting a CUP for a children’s playground and an event center at his apple orchard along Myer’s Valley Road. The planning commission has already approved the CUP and there are no protest petitions, therefore only a simple majority from the commission is needed.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article
Nearly a third of Manhattan’s road in ‘poor’ or worse condition
About 32% of city roads are in “poor” or worse condition, according to the city government’s pavement condition findings. This puts the city’s roads in worse condition than they were in 2017, when a sales tax intended to repair them was enacted. The majority of the city commission on Tuesday indicated support in renewing the tax. Public works director Rob Ott on Tuesday spoke to the Manhattan City Commission about the pavement condition index (PCI), which it is measured between 0 and 100. The last PCI assessment in 2017 showed that 26% of Manhattan roads were poor or below, with an overall average of about 73.6. The current assessment shows that 32% of roads were poor or below, with an overall average of 66. This is based on pavement distress, including distress type, and the severity and density of stress.
Source: themercury.com