Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Approval granted for STAR bond district changes in Derby

Changes are coming for Derby’s STAR bond district. At its Oct. 9 meeting, the city council authorized the second reading of an amendment to the development agreement

The initial reading was passed on Sept. 11 and then sent on to the Kansas Department of Commerce, which approved it.

In a letter to the city, Robert North, interim secretary and chief counsel of the department, said that he granted the approval using the criteria of its prospect for long-term profitability and significance as a travel destination, among other factors. The state and council’s actions mean a new attraction, the Sport Zone, is now set to be built.

Marc Abbott, representing Derby Destination Development, LLC, said the new active sports and restaurant concept should be ready for customers next spring, likely in April.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Lawmakers concerned on rural broadband

The two U.S. senators from Kansas, along with all four U.S. representatives from the state, on Monday wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging that he “restore sufficiency and predictability” to the Universal Service Fund High Cost program.

The program helps provide funding to companies working to increase broadband capability to parts of the country with little or no access.

“These services are necessary if rural communities are to compete in a global economy,” the lawmakers wrote to the FCC head.

“The insufficient and uncertain USF budget continues to hamper rural providers’ efforts to invest in rural broadband at a time when the federal government has made (this) a national priority.”

Broadband infrastructure has a lesser price tag for Americans living in more urban areas. Like the rural electrical dilemma of an earlier day, the farther reaches of the nation — to the so-called “last mile” of coverage — cost more to serve because of extended physical facilities and a less concentrated customer base.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Entities pull together to find health care solutions after Mercy’s closure

City and county officials are joining forces to address the future of local healthcare.

On Oct. 4, two days after Mercy Hospital Fort Scott officials announced the hospital would be closing its doors by Dec. 31, city and county officials announced a process had begun to form a task force that will research and identify potential health care solutions after the hospital’s closure. The first Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott opened in 1886.

“City and county officials continue to meet to strategize a collaborative approach to the future of healthcare in Bourbon County,” an Oct. 4 news release said. “Officials remain optimistic about the quality of life, access to healthcare, and continued economic growth.”

After the announcement, city and county officials also began talking about plans to find health care solutions, such as options for replacement of the ambulance service.

Fort Scott Director of Community Development Robert Uhler will lead the task force, which is to eventually be comprised of representatives of the city, county, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, USD 234, USD 235, Fort Scott Community College, area businesses, Bourbon County Economic Development Council, Inc., and the financial community.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Great Bend rezones real estate to help owner sell the property; was “wrongfully” zoned to begin with

The City of Great Bend approved a rezoning request for a house on 21st Street to help the owner sell the property.

Dray Meredith requested 2547 21st Street be rezoned from C-2 (general commercial) to R-2 (two family). Meredith entered a contract to sell the real estate but the lender would not approve a loan on the property since it is currently zoned commercial and its current use is residential.

Great Bend City Attorney Bob Suelter says the Planning Commission approved the change. Suelter added the property was wrongfully zoned in the first place as the structure has always been used for residential. Suelter says the majority of the structures around 2547 21st Street are zoned R-2.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Levee system in Hutch sprouts a few leaks, but otherwise holds up against flooding

They are still waiting for the water to fully recede, but Hutchinson Public Works says — for the most part — the city’s levee system held up to some of the largest flooding in more than 10 years. City Engineer Brian Clennan says they will have to wait for the Arkansas River and Cow Creek to fully recede to completely inspect the levees.

Clennan says they did have some damage done to the levee on the South Hutchinson side when water began to flow through the dike around several 48-inch pipes that drain into the river. That area was repaired. Clennan also says several drainage gates that lead into the flood canal were blocked off by high water, which caused them to back up and damage a few areas. Clennan says the city used sand bags to hold the water in check in those areas.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Moran talks airport expansion, health care with Fort Scott leaders

City and county officials met with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Monday to discuss the planned airport expansion and how it ties in with health care in the wake of Mercy Hospital Fort Scott’s announcement to close on Dec. 31.

Moran toured the Fort Scott Municipal Airport, then went into a closed-door meeting with local officials and leaders of businesses that use the airport. Moran spoke to the Tribune following the meeting.

He said Monday’s visit was a result of a town hall meeting held in August in Fort Scott, when one issue raised was the airport.

“Folks in this community, particularly the Chamber and the city, wanted to make certain I saw what it is they have here and that I understood what they wanted,” Moran said. He said what stands out is Fort Scott has a business community that, with the ability to utilize the airport, would have an opportunity to remain in Fort Scott and grow.

He said he met with the Central Region of the FAA in Kansas City Monday morning so he could better understand and be of more help to Fort Scott in it’s effort to improve the airport.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

A small Kansas town gets its own bakery and cafe in an unexpected spot

Hesston, population 4,000, isn’t exactly overrun with restaurants.
So when a slick new one opened, it got some attention.
But the fact that Hesston Bakery & Cafe is the small town’s only bakery isn’t the only thing that makes it unique. Its location is a bit unusual, too.
The cafe has opened at Schowalter Villa, an assisted living community owned by Bluestem Communities. And while its managers hope that it will enhance the lives of its residents, they stress that the bakery is a business like any other and is open to the public.

Water drops and so does number of rescues, road closures in Reno county

First responders were called to a possible water rescue on Tuesday in the 2500 block of North Pennington Road and to people trapped on top of a pickup truck in flood waters the day before at 56th and Pennington roads.

Water levels of Cow Creek and the Arkansas River on Tuesday afternoon showed at least a 2.5-foot drop from the peaks last Thursday. First responders need the levels to drop even further before the damages can be assessed.

Reno County Emergency Management listed 37 road closures on Thursday, but the dangerous situations that led to six water rescue calls last Thursday have diminished. Hutchinson Fire Department chief Steve Beer called the effort of first responders a success. He said the emergency operations center, used during all severe weather dangers, allowed first responders from all Reno County agencies to coordinate together in one room.

The partnership helped navigate first responders around flood waters and to victims.

“The information out of the EOC … proved to be a great benefit during the incident,” Beer said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

NASA astronaut and Hoxie native describes close call following failed launch

The NASA astronaut who survived last week’s failed launch and emergency landing knew he needed to stay calm.

Air Force Col. Nick Hague, a native of Hoxie, Kan., on Tuesday described the closest call of his career: His space capsule violently ripped from his damaged rocket shortly after liftoff, then with lights flashing and alarms sounding, plunged steeply back to Earth with punishing force.

Hague said he and his commander, Russian Alexei Ovchinin, were flung from side to side and shoved back hard into their seats, as the drama unfolded 50 kilometers (31 miles) above Kazakhstan last Thursday. One of the four strap-on boosters failed to separate properly two minutes into the flight to the International Space Station and apparently struck the core rocket stage, resulting instantaneously in a rare launch abort.

It was the first aborted launch for the Russians in 35 years and only the third in history. Like each one before, the rocket’s safety system kept the crew alive.

(Read more: McPherson Sentinel)

Garden City Commission OKs input plan for Big Pool

Changes in some capacity are coming to the Big Pool after its 2019 season, and the City of Garden City is turning to the public to see exactly what those might be.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Garden City Commission unanimously approved a long-term community input process that will gather feedback from community members and local entities regarding the future of the historic, though ailing and expensive, Big Pool.

Following up on her report on the pool earlier this month, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Cunningham told the commission that last summer the pool cost approximately $3,337 per day in utilities over 139 days, $1,019 of which paid for the 200,000 gallons the pool loses daily. Including capital and electricity costs, the pool’s 2018 expenses were over $780,000, compared to approximately $91,000 in revenue, she said.

The pool, which opened in 1922, is a Garden City landmark and billed the world’s largest outdoor concrete municipal swimming pool. As the city’s only public pool, its $2 admission offers a cheaper alternative to other swimming options. Regardless, the pool’s age bears consistent, costly structural problems, including an unidentified leak to blame for the hundreds of thousands of lost gallons each day.

St. John grocery store opens for business

Loyd Ratts cruised down the aisles of White’s Foodliner in St. John, Kansas, and thought of his childhood.

Ratts was the first customer of the new grocery store, which opened Wednesday morning. The grocery store is the two-year culmination of efforts by community groups, led by Stafford County Economic Development, operator of the new establishment.

Funding for the $3 million project came through a sales tax approved by voters and multiple grants, including a $780,800 federal grant from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which the county received a year ago.

“I think it is an important part of a town — maybe not up there with a school, but the next step down,” Pat White, owner of the Kingman-based White’s Foodliner, said. “They’ve made a heck of an investment here. This is incredible.”

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Chanute Chief of Police and Neosho County Attorney address concerns about homeless camp north of Chanute

Why are there so many people living in tents on the north side of town and why won’t the police do anything about it? Is there criminal activity going on there?

According to Chanute Chief of Police Raymond Hale, both city and county law enforcement are aware of the situation. The location of the tents, on North Washington Ave., is outside of Chanute city limits and the county has no specific zoning that says people can’t camp or live there.

Neosho County Attorney Linus Thuston noted that the original owners of the land are deceased and at least one of the people living there is supposedly related to them and may have permission to be there. He also said that some of the 18-35 living in the tents on a regular basis have had interaction with law enforcement, usually for failure to appear or other outstanding warrants. He said there has been no apparent current crime in the tent area.

Both Hale and Thuston pointed out that there is no current solution for homelessness in Chanute. Faith House, the former sole shelter in town, closed down for lack of funding, and the Chanute Housing Authority has a waiting list.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Wichita City Council extends deadline on Downtown Hilton after pool takes 8 months

The developers of the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Wichita asked the city council for an extension on its project completion date and the ability to get more money after a late-addition rooftop pool shut down the project for eight months.

Wichita Downtown Hotel LLC also asked city council to lift the $930,000 cap on incentives because of the costs of the re-design, which includes the pool, a rooftop bar and commercial space on the first floor of the Hilton at 401 E. Douglas.

City council approved the extension to March 31 but left the cap in place. This is the second deadline extension for the hotel. Its original completion date was March 16, set to align with the NCAA tournament in Wichita, which it missed. The city granted a six-month extension to the developers, but the project was not completed on Sept. 16 like it was supposed to be.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Wichita’s new ball park expected to fit thousands more fans than Lawrence-Dumont

By the end of the year, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium will be a pile of rubble, clearing room for a ball park that will fit thousands more fans, according to a draft agreement awaiting city approval.

Wichita’s yet-to-be named stadium will have seating for 10,000 fans, the agreement says. That’s 3,600 more than 84-year-old Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Of those seats, 6,500 to 7,000 will be fixed seats. “Party and group” areas will fit 3,000 to 3,500 more fans, moving the number of available seats to around 10,000 for minor league baseball games, the draft agreement says. Seating, financing and a rough timeline were among the topics covered in a discussion of the agreement by Wichita City Council on Tuesday. The city council will take action on the agreement next week.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

New Hutchinson police chief begins duties Wednesday

The new police chief for the city of Hutchinson begins his duties Wednesday.

Jeff Hooper will take over the department from Dick Heitschmidt, who recently retired.

Hooper has served as a captain with the joint Riley County-Manhattan Police Department. That included 27 years in law enforcement and 14 as captain.

He was actually a finalist for the chief’s position with that department, but withdrew his name from consideration to take the job in Hutchinson.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Is there hope for Brookridge? OP Council raises serious doubts about incentives

The fate of the massive Brookridge golf course redevelopment remains in serious doubt after the Overland Park City Council decisively trounced a proposal Monday night to negotiate tax incentives to make the project a reality.

The Council voted 8-4 against a request to have city staff negotiate a tax-increment-financing and STAR bonds package for the huge office, apartment and retail development, which is planned southeast of 103rd Street and Antioch Road on the golf course property.

It was a significant defeat, because any final vote on incentives would require nine of the 12 council votes, and this early rebuff showed supporters didn’t even have a simple seven-member majority.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Before divided crowd, PV council advances LGBTQ anti-discrimination policy

The City of Prairie Village is advancing a proposed LGBTQ anti-discrimination ordinance after hearing from more than two dozen residents and other speakers Monday night, most of them in favor of the measure.

The City Council voted 9-3 to schedule a Nov. 19 vote on the ordinance, which would extend legal protections to members of the LGBTQ community when it comes to housing, employment and receiving public services from businesses.

Councilman Tucker Poling, who co-sponsored the measure with Councilman Chad Herring, said that the 30 days would give the city’s legal and administrative staff time to review the proposal’s language for problems and necessary revisions, which he said could require the council to delay a final vote.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Blanchard, Salina city commission discuss sanctioning of former commissioner during meeting

For more than an hour, the Salina City Commission and former commissioner Jon Blanchard discussed whether or not Blanchard should have been sanctioned while on the commission.

Commissioners at the time voted 3-2 to reprimand Blanchard for releasing unredacted documents to the Salina Journal that had been considered confidential. The Journal first received documents in June 2014 in response to an open records request, but much of the information was blacked out, or redacted. The documents concerned a contract between the city and the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.

In the documents, city leaders gave reasons for not paying to the chamber the entire amount called for in the contract.

Blanchard gave unredacted copies of the documents to Journal reporter Tim Horan in October 2017 without gaining permission from the rest of the commissioners. The Journal published stories using that information.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Finney, Scott and Kearny counties considering Extension district

Representatives from Finney, Scott and Kearny counties met last week to discuss potentially districting their and Wichita County’s Kansas State University Research and Extension offices, a decision that would combine the resources of the four offices under an area governing board to expand the services available to all counties.

Finney County commissioners Larry Jones, Dave Jones and Bill Clifford discussed how the decision could affect the county and its taxpayers during the commissioner report section of their meeting Monday. Commissioners Duane Drees and Lon Pishny were not present.

Larry Jones said he thought the district route would bring Finney County residents better services, compared to the county’s “pretty woeful Extension service in the last few years.” If approved, the district, managed by a governing board of elected county representatives, would move Extension expenses out of the counties’ budgets and become its own taxable entity, with a mill rate equal to each county, said Jim Lindquist, associate director of KSU Research and Extension. Dave Jones said it may mean taxpayers would be liable tor an additional three-quarters of a mill.

Sedgwick County makes history with more than 300,000 registered voters

More than 300,000 people are registered to vote in Sedgwick County. It’s a record for the county and the total is expected to increase by Tuesday’s deadline.

Ahead of the Nov. 6 midterm elections, people are making sure their voices are heard. Some are making minor corrections to make sure their information is up to date while others are registering for the first time.

The turnout to register to vote in Sedgwick County was so high, the election office extended its hours to meet the demand. The 300,000-plus registered voters in Sedgwick County is about 25,000 more than the last midterm election in 2014.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Redeveloped Great Mall in Olathe could have hockey arena, apartments, entertainment

The former Great Mall of the Great Plains property could have a new lease on life with Salt Lake City-based Woodbury Corporation’s plans to buy the 100-acre site and redevelop it for sports and entertainment.

Woodbury announced Tuesday that it is under contract to purchase the property at Interstate 35 and 151st Street, with a concept for a $300 million mixed-use project called Mentum.

The site is envisioned to have a 4,000-seat arena and community ice center for youth hockey, to be operated by an affiliate of Loretto Sports Ventures owned by Lamar Hunt Jr. It is also expected to include about 250,000 square feet of entertainment, retail and restaurant venues, plus 200,000 square feet of office and medical spaces, 300 apartment units and two hotels, according to a press release from the company.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Prairie Village council delays decision on proposal that would protect LGBTQ community

Members of the Prairie City Council need more time before voting on a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance.

Monday evening, during a scheduled council meeting that lasted close to 3 hours, the council voted 9-3 to consider the ordinance and possible adoption at its Nov. 19 meeting. It will allow staff to bring in any revisions to the ordinance and allow for more legal review.

The nondiscrimination ordinance, introduced by Councilmen Trucker Poling and Chad Herring, would make it illegal to refuse someone a job, housing or services based on their sexual orientation.

Kansas does not have any laws at the state level offering such protections to the LGBTQ community, so it’s left up to cities. It’s modeled after similar measures that were passed in Manhattan and Roeland Park. Megan England served on the Roeland Park City Council when the city passed its ordinance in 2014.

“Everybody on the council wanted to make sure that the mechanism that we created was fair and that it didn’t overly side for the accuser and overly side for the accused,” England said.

She urged the Prairie Village City Council to pass the ordinance because “it’s good for business and community.”

(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)

Great Bend City Council grieves the passing of long-time deputy city clerk

The Great Bend City Council took time Monday night prior to the start of the meeting to remember Deputy City Clerk Judy Manning. Manning passed away October 12 from cancer. Born in Ellinwood, Manning served as the Deputy City Clerk for Great Bend for 22 years. The City of Great Bend will be closing City Hall and The Front Door from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday for Manning’s funeral.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Research, focus groups underway regarding potential ban for plastic bags, straws, other plastic products in Lawrence

A local committee considering a city ordinance to reduce the amount of disposable plastic products used in Lawrence is coordinating outside research and focus groups to inform its decision.

The city’s Sustainability Advisory Board voted in July to make the issue of single-use plastics one of its priorities. Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Director Jasmin Moore said after that decision, there was a lot of public interest and some concerns.
“A lot of people have made contact and expressed interest in being a part of that conversation,” said Moore, who is the board’s staff liaison. “And so the group intends to make sure that different types of stakeholders are included in that process.”

Shawnee County picks new public works director who was construction manager for Kansas Expocentre project

Shawnee County commissioners on Monday hired a new director for the county’s public works and solid waste departments and picked a company to serve as construction manager for a high-dollar Kansas Expocentre renovation project.

Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer voted 3-0 to appoint Curt Niehaus as director of public works/solid waste effective Oct. 29, at an annual compensation of $117,000.

Niehaus “rose to the top” as commissioners interviewed several candidates for the job, Cook said. Tom Flanagan has held the position on an interim basis since Tom Vlach, who previously held the job, left last month to take a position in Des Moines, Iowa.

Niehaus has been working as Topeka Metro engineer for the Kansas Department of Transportation. He said Monday he has lived in Shawnee County for all but six years of his life, and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Kansas State University.

Reno County deputy recognized for saving teen from floodwaters

A Reno County Sheriff’s deputy is recognized for taking “heroic actions” to save a Buhler High School student from floodwaters.

Monday, the Reno County Sheriff’s Office shared a message from the teen’s mother, detailing what happened.

Wednesday morning (Oct. 10), the 17-year-old girl was on her way to school, traveling east on 82nd, about half of a mile west of Buhler Road.

The teen didn’t see the road was flooded and upon hitting the high water, her pickup “careened into the ditch.”

Deputy Jeremy Vanwey responded to the scene.

“And although there was about 1-2 feet of swiftly-moving water across the roadway, he rushed in and pulled my daughter from the truck and carried her to his patrol vehicle,” the message from one of the teen’s parents says. “Without his swift actions and dedication to his duty to protect and serve our community, we could have lost our daughter in the floodwaters. I would like to commend him for his service and bravery.”

This isn’t the first time Deputy Vanwey’s received recognition for a rescue effort. In August 2017, Vanwey helped an injured dog he then adopted.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Divided Shawnee County Commission OKs comprehensive land use plan

After more than two years of discussion, the Shawnee County Commission voted 2-1 Monday to approve the county’s first-ever comprehensive land use plan.

Commissioners Kevin Cook and Shelly Buhler voted in favor of the nearly 200-page plan, which will guide decision-making about the physical development of the county’s unincorporated areas for 20 years while serving as a blueprint for future growth and the preservation of agricultural land. Cook described the plan as being a “compromise” between various interests.

Commissioner Bob Archer dissented, saying the plan had little or no public support and he didn’t trust much of the data it contained. The plan seeks to guide orderly growth that balances environmental values and reasonable development demand. Commissioners Cook and Buhler had said it was important for the county to enact a comprehensive plan because owners of land in a 3-mile jurisdiction just outside Topeka city limits in unincorporated Shawnee County have no representation when the city’s governing body makes moves to regulate planning and zoning in that area.

The county’s approval of a comprehensive plan will give those landowners representation by giving the county a say in those matters, they said.

Barton County continues to formulate plan for needed repairs to courthouse

Barton County Officials know what the structural issues are with the courthouse, now they must finalize a game plan to take care of those issues. Last December, Barton County Commissioners authorized WDM Architects to perform a structural analysis of the 100-year old building which found the four outside corners separating from the center of the structure on the 4th floor.
While monitoring is taking place, Hathcock says the plan is to re-seal the roof to keep moisture out of the building. After that the plan is to use strapping to shore up the integrity of the outside corners of the courthouse.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Lawrence City Commission to consider initiating code changes for smaller homes, other affordable housing

City planners could soon begin drafting changes to city code that would allow for more affordable housing options, including dividing existing residential lots to build smaller homes.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider initiating a city code amendment process for affordable housing, including a proposal to allow developers or nonprofits to build two smaller homes on a single lot as long as they are permanently designated as affordable housing.

Jail time for owners whose dogs bark loudly? One Ohio city councilman thinks so

The Akron City Council has scrapped legislation that could have imposed jail time on dog owners whose pets bark loudly.

City Council on Monday voted to follow the recommendation of its Public Safety Committee to not approve legislation calling for the increased penalties. Councilman Russ Neal Jr.’s proposed legislation included increasing nuisance barking from a minor misdemeanor with a $100 maximum fine to a fourth-degree misdemeanor with a $250 maximum fine and up to 30 days in jail.

Councilman Donnie Kammer says the citywide conversation about loud barking dogs will continue, but says he does not expect legislation coming back to the council any time soon.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

New BravoTV series “Welcome to Waverly” brings “seven professionals from major metropolitan areas” and transports them to the small town of Waverly, Kansas, population 563

Get ready to break out of your bubble. Bravo’s new four-part event series, Welcome to Waverly, will open your eyes to new people and experiences when it premieres every night at 10/9c from Monday, October 22 through Thursday, October 25.

Welcome to Waverly will explore a major issue facing the United States today: the country’s divide among big cities vs. small towns and how to bridge that gap. How will this new series accomplish such a seemingly huge undertaking, you ask? Well, we’re taking a diverse group of seven professionals from major metropolitan areas and transporting them to the small town of Waverly, Kansas, population 563. For six weeks, they’ll live and work alongside a local counterpart in their respective industries.

Buckle up, because this experience is sure to be a bit bumpy when the incomers of all different types of backgrounds and political beliefs come together with the residents of Waverly, a town with a mayor that has held office for the past 16 years and where 99 percent of the population is white and nearly all identify as heterosexual. Along the way, there will be moments that will make you laugh, cry, and hopefully foster a better understanding of your fellow Americans.

Learn more, if you dare: Welcome to Waverly.

Garden City responds warmly to documentary

More than 120 people gathered in the Garden City High School auditorium Wednesday for the world premiere of “Strangers in Town,” a documentary about Garden City from out-of-town filmmakers, getting a taste of the layers of the area’s blend of cultures and getting a glimpse of their city as viewed from the outside.

The documentary, created by co-directors Stephen Lerner and Reuben Aaronson and director of photography Jim Jewell, explored the immigrant experience in Garden City, from the diverse school district local children grew up in, to what the city, police department and other local entities did to offer support, to the stories of individual families or individuals, such as a student who returned to El Salvador rather than be deported.

Lawrence city leaders plan to continue conversation about consolidation of city and county governments

The city’s interest in consolidating city and county governments has created some tension between the two governing bodies, but Lawrence city commissioners plan to continue the conversation.

Lawrence city commissioners raised the topic with Douglas County commissioners during a joint meeting last month, but county commissioners said they were not interested in the possibility and that they didn’t think county residents who live outside Lawrence would support it. City commissioners, though, would like the two governing bodies to have an informed conversation about the pros and cons of unification and how it might benefit all local taxpayers.

City satisfies requirements for ADA compliance; File closed

Independence Safety and Code Enforcement Director David Cowan has received official notification from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) acknowledging the city’s successful compliance with the department’s mandate for Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements.

The original “Project Civic Access” (PCA) settlement agreement dated April 29, 2011, required a major city-wide improvement effort to improve accessibility to sidewalks, municipal buildings and facilities. With the help of grant funding and City of Independence investment, a multi-year phased project was implemented with ongoing progress reporting to the DOJ. The ADA projects to date total more than $3 million, and have included more than 650 ramps and sidewalk repairs and remedial improvements to city owned buildings.

Salina to reconsider reprimand of former commissioner

City commissioners also are scheduled to reconsider the 2017 sanction of former commissioner Jon Blanchard. According to meeting packet information, at the commission’s September 17, 2018, meeting, city staff was directed “to assemble a factual record of the ethics sanction given to former Commissioner Blanchard in 2017 and schedule a reconsideration of the sanction” for Monday’s meeting.

On November 20, 2017, the city commission, by a 3-2 vote, approved reprimanding “Blanchard based on a violation to the City of Salina Ethics Section 4(e)(2),” according to the minutes from the November 20, 2017, meeting. At the time, Blanchard was accused of violating the city’s ethics policy because following a candidate forum on October 17, 2017, he released unredacted correspondence between city officials and Salina Area Chamber of Commerce that detailed the city’s concerns about the way former Chamber CEO Dennis Lauver handled economic development initiatives. At the time, the city had only released redacted copies of some of the correspondence.

At issue now is whether Blanchard deserved the reprimand given that the Kansas Attorney General’s office has determined that the City of Salina violated the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) by not releasing full documents of the correspondence between the city and the chamber when such were requested.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Dodge City Boot Hill Museum plans expansion project

Groundbreaking for an expansion project at the Dodge City Boot Hill Museum is scheduled for Nov. 1.

Plans are to construct a new 12,000-square-foot building to house nine new exhibits, a gift shop and a 3,000-square foot temporary exhibit hall.

Daily gunfights, shows, and dinners will continue during the summer season as they have for more than 60 years.

The museum expansion project will have an estimated cost of $5.5 million. STAR bond money will cover about 78 percent of the new building, leaving the museum to fund the rest.

The museum has raised $1 million to fund most of the interior costs of the new building. It will be the largest expansion project in the history of the museum, which opened in 1947.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Letter carrier drives onto freshly laid road surface in Prairie Village causing thousands of dollars in damage

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor clearly marked traffic barrier was going to keep one U.S. Postal Service worker from delivering the mail in Prairie Village yesterday.

Road crews had recently completed a road microsurfacing project on 72nd Street east of Nall Ave. on Thursday when a mail carrier looking to make deliveries on the street arrived. The crews had put up barricades to keep traffic off the street while the thin layer of fresh asphalt emulsion cured.

The driver apparently didn’t think those barricades were applicable to the U.S. Postal Service vehicle, though, and maneuvered around the barricade leaving tire marks in the fresh surface for hundreds of feet.

“The postal employee drove on the surface before it had cured,” said Prairie Village Public Works senior project manager Melissa Prenger, noting that curing time for a microsurfacing installation varies based on temperature and humidity.

Public Works Field Superintendent James Carney said the police officers were able to identify the driver who caused the damage.

“PVPD officers did a great job of locating the driver and vehicle after the incident, so I expect the USPS to be paying for the repairs,” he said.

Certified voting machines?

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s office failed to produce records this summer showing it had certified the voting equipment used by hundreds of thousands of Kansans.

Kansas statute requires the Secretary of State to certify equipment before counties purchase it and to keep such certification on file. But the office, responding to a Kansas Open Records Act request in June, could provide only two letters of equipment certification that Kobach issued in the past five years.

Yet some counties – including Reno and Finney, as well as Sedgwick, Wyandotte, and Shawnee – have purchased systems since October 2013 that were not the systems mentioned in the two certification letters in Topeka. Counties individually choose their election machines. The list of what system a county is using was last revised on the Secretary of State’s website in October 2007. A survey is gathering current data from county clerks. The new list, however, may not be available until after the election.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

City of Leavenworth auctions old vending machines

When the Leavenworth City Commission purchased a vacant downtown building this summer, the city inherited dozens of old vending machines.

The machines, which were in the basement of 301 Delaware St., are now being sold by the city through an online auction service.

“We’re not looking to make a lot money or anything on it,” said Mike McDonald, public works director for the city of Leavenworth.

But McDonald said it would be a shame to dispose of the machines without giving collectors an opportunity to bid on them.

There are 34 vending machines. Nineteen of them were designed for hot or cold beverages. Fifteen are snack or cigarette vending machines.

McDonald believes most of the vending machines are from the 1970s and early 1980s. He said there may be some machines from the 1960s.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Grievance policy makes comeback in Winfield

A new grievance policy could make its way back into the City of Winfield employee handbook after the previous one was removed earlier this year.

Winfield city commissioners were presented with recommendations for a proposed policy by Human Resources Director Jamie Chism at their Thursday work session. Chism said members of the city’s Employee Action Committee made changes to the previous policy, then took it back to their respective departments for feedback.

“We didn’t want to just put the old one back in,” Chism said. “We wanted to make it the employees’ policy.”

Chism said the feedback from other employees on the revised policy has been good.

Chase County’s handbook discussion covers residency and paid time off vs. sick leave and vacation

The Chase County Commission continued discussion on suggested updates to a county employee’s handbook during a meeting earlier this week at the courthouse.

The commissioners have been discussing edits to the publication for several weeks with Deputy Clerk Tiffany Harshman, who has been in charge of the project. Department heads were invited to bring concerns to the discussion before the handbook undergoes its next round of edits.

Some of the proposed changes include dropping residency requirements for county employees, which would open the pool of prospective workers to include people from outside of Chase County. Department heads agreed with the change, saying it had the potential to attract more people to positions they haven’t been able to fill. Commissioners also discussed allowing new employees to take vacation days after their 90-day introductory period had concluded. Commissioner Bill Fillmore said he believed this would also attract quality employees to the county and reward them for their work. Committee chair Chris Burton suggested that instead of offering sick leave and vacation time, to switch to a paid time off system that would allow employees to earn time based on their length of service to the county each month.

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Gardner has new management team

Gardner has a new management team on board, with at least one familiar face to long-time Gardner residents.
Laura Gourley was named as interim city administrator, effective Sept. 17, 2018.
Gourley is the granddaughter of Melvin Argo, who was Gardner’s mayor from 1957-1959. One of Gourley’s first jobs was working as typesetter for The Gardner News while still in Gardner Edgerton High School. She recalls typing into a machine and the type printed out on long, white sheets that was pasted to the page. She and Ruth Lundy, formerly of the Gardner Police Department, would then proofread, she said.
Gourley has been a Gardner city employee for nearly 30 years, spending the past 13 years as the finance department director. During her tenure, she has played an instrumental role on numerous projects and initiatives, including but not limited to, developing the annual budget and first biennial budget, evaluating incentive packages to support economic development projects, serving on strategic planning teams, and helping the city maintain an AA- bond investment rating through refinancing and wise investments. As the finance director, Gourley oversaw the accounting, utility billing, and municipal court divisions as well as the city’s grant program.
Gourley attended Baker University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, graduating summa cum laude.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Justice Center construction on track in Gardner

Countdown for completion of Gardner’s new justice center is on track.
Gardner voters approved a new justice center by about 71 percent and issued 13.75 million in bonds to construct the facility near 167th and Moonlight in August of 2017.
It will house both the police department and municipal court.
Originally scheduled to open in August, 2019, it may squeak up to July, according to Sgt. Steve Benz, public information officer for the Gardner Police Department.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Bourbon County Commissioners get volunteer fire fighters input on ambulance service

As Bourbon County Commissioners continue to work on a solution to bring an ambulance service after Mercy Hospital closes its doors Dec. 31, on Tuesday, they heard from officials from the Bourbon County Fire District 3.

District 3 Chief Delwin Mumbower, Hiattville Fire Chief Lou Howard and volunteer firefighter Shawn Wyatt attended the meeting to share their concerns on the future of ambulance services in Bourbon County.

“We’re not an ambulance service by no means, but I think we provide a valuable service out there in first response,” Mumbower said. “You know, we spend a lot of time with a patient out there waiting on an ambulance. We have a lot invested in it.” “I think my concern, personally – and a lot of those in our department – is when it comes to private services, you don’t have a say,” Mumbower said. “And some of them don’t necessarily involve a first responder.”

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Newton City Commissioner speaks at rail summit

About a hundred people gathered at Great Overland Station for the Kansas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Summit to talk about the state of, and future of, passenger train service in the area.

Barth Hague, former mayor and city commissioner of Newton, was the morning keynote speaker. If Amtrak can keep the Southwest Chief, and extend the Heartland Flyer, Newton would become a rail hub.

Hague spoke of the regional need to see an extension of the Heartland Flyer, and why cities along the proposed line have banded together.

“There is a real attitude of what is good for one is good for everyone,” Hague said. ”… It is almost more critical for our region for Wichita to have this than it is for Newton to be a connection for the Southwest Chief.”

(Read more: Newton Kansan)