Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Newton to consider scientific priority survey

Everybody wants something for nothing.
A majority of Newton City Commissioners appeared to think that conducting a scientific survey to poll Newton residents on their priorities for the future would be a good idea.
However, a sticking point seems to be the price…that is, if the city can get it on the cheap or not.

The City Commission discussed the possibility of commissioning a professional community wide survey to get more reliable data on community priorities and what priorities the community would be willing to support.
Such a survey has been batted around by Newton City Commissions since 2015, with Commissioner Barth Hague being a proponent of the study.

“I think this would be a useful tool for us moving forward,” Hague said. “I feel like I don’t have enough information on what the entire community hopes for and is willing to support to make the best decisions I could make.” Hague said city staff researched such a survey and estimated costs to be around $22,000, though Hague said it might be possible to make such a survey cheaper, working with an organization like Wichita State University.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Hutch Housing Commission will address inspection program in October

The Hutchinson City Housing Commission will take a month before revisiting the rental registration and inspection program.

The Housing Commission got an update on the decisions made by the City Council to keep the program in place, but made major changes to the program. What those changes will be will come from the commission. Discussion about the future of the program began in August and came to a head when the commission first considered ending the program. At a later meeting, however, the commission decided to keep the program.

That was met with much discussion by the council, which eventually came to the decision to keep the program, but make changes.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Chairman of county commission argues against salary reduction

The chairman of the Leavenworth County is pushing back against the idea that salaries for commissioners should be reduced if the commission is expanded to five members.

Currently, the Leavenworth County Commission has three members. But in November, voters will be asked to consider increasing the number of commissioners to five.

Some have argued the money currently spent to pay salaries for three commissioners should be split five ways if the commission is expanded. This would reduce the salary for an individual commissioner.

But Chairman Louis Klemp has said he intends to propose a salary increase for members of the County Commission.

In a column published Tuesday in the Leavenworth Times, Marti Crow argued against an increase in salaries for county commissioners. She also argued in favor of expanding the commission to five members.

Crow is a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Great Bend celebrates new ownership of local healthcare provider

The University of Kansas Health System announced last April their intent of purchasing Great Bend Regional Hospital. The acquisition became official August 1, and Thursday afternoon a facility dedication happened with a “ribbon tying”.

The ceremony included speakers, all of which touched on the importance of the purchase that kept health care close to home for residents.

Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters noted the deal will not only keep healthcare access local but it will keep a strong employer for the community. The Great Bend hospital, now known as The University of Kansas Health System – Great Bend Campus, is part of a large string of hospitals including: St. Rose Medical Pavilion in Great Bend, Pawnee Valley Campus in Larned, HaysMed in Hays, and several more.

Jodi Schmidt serves as the Executive Director for Regional Development at The University of Kansas Health System but has been serving as the interim administrator at the Great Bend Campus since the acquisition. Schmidt says the combined effort and resources have already increased services in Great Bend.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Shawnee joins local fire departments’ effort to prepare to fight Kansas wildfires

After two devastating wildfires in Kansas in the past two years, Shawnee has decided to join the Kansas Wildland Task Force to pool resources with neighboring fire departments.

The Shawnee council agreed in a 7-0 vote to proceed with a memorandum of understanding between local fire response agencies in Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties, including Olathe, District 2, Gardner and Kansas City, Kan.

Fire chief John Mattox said Shawnee firefighters deployed twice in the past two years on wildfires in Kansas. “Part of the disaster was the organization of the deployment of crews in Kansas the last two years,” Mattox told the council at its Monday evening. “This is an effort to make that more coordinated and organized.”

The statewide effort, led by the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal, coordinates plans for mutual aid requests and responses across the state, an organized regional response force, and operational plans for those responding units.

Council considers safety measures for parades

The candy flew through the air during Louisburg’s Labor Day parade. Now, there is a call to put a stop to it.

The Louisburg City Council reviewed a proposal at its Sept. 17 meeting to change the way parades are handled in the city. While the council accepted some of the changes as suggested in the proposal, the members weren’t ready to make all the changes.

The proposal calls for an end to the throwing of candy from vehicles, allowing candy to be handed out by people who walk along with the floats. Under the proposal, construction cones and caution tape, and barricades at Broadway’s intersections with other streets, would also be placed along the route to keep parade attendees back from where the vehicles are traveling.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Osawatomie set to dedicate new fitness park

Brent Kaempfe works out on the two-person chest press on a crisp autumn morning.

It was the Osawatomie resident’s first opportunity to use the outdoor fitness park just north of the Osawatomie Pool. With the pool’s waterslide in the background, Kaempfe surveyed the 12 units of exercise equipment and liked what he saw.

“This is great for the community,” Kaempfe said. “A lot of people use the track [at Lynn Dickey Stadium, across the parking lot] and now they can come over here and use this equipment.” The 12 Greenfields outdoor exercise machines – some of which can accommodate more than one person at a time – include items like a two-person ski, four-person lower body combo, a cross-country ski, a rowing machine, a sit-up bench, four-person leg press and others.

The park will provide the public with free access to outdoor workout equipment that can be used around the clock.

“It’s 24/7, and it’s free for anybody to use,” Osawatomie Superintendent Gary French said. “It will have lights and security cameras. It will be fine this fall but in the springtime we plan to add some shade protection.”

This spring, the Osawatomie Rotary Club, along with the Osawatomie school district, were awarded $40,000 from the Baehr Foundation and Hawkins Foundation, as well as an additional $30,000 over the next three years from Olathe Health Miami County Medical Center to assist in the development of the fitness park.

Others have made smaller donations, bringing the total raised to $83,000, French said. The equipment, valued at $55,000, was purchased for $36,000, and that $19,000 savings is counted as part of the donations, he said.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Mulvane utility customers can now pay by phone

Utility customers in the City of Mulvane are now able to pay their utility bill balances over the phone. This service is for utility bills only. According to a release from the City of Mulvane, the automated phone system is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

City of Mulvane has received $1,233,106.79 YTD from Kansas Star Casino

According to The Mulvane News, the City of Mulvane received $155,051.97 from the Kansas Lottery Commission, which represents a 1 percent share of August’s gaming revenue.

The contract between the casino and the Kansas Lottery calls for the return of 1 percent of each month’s gaming revenue to the City of Mulvane, and to both Sumner and Sedgwick counties.

So far this year, Mulvane’s 1 percent share amounts to $1,233,106.79, which is more than 72% of the budgeted amount, according to The Mulvane News.

The E.R. and county jail becoming face of Kansas mental health care

Larned State Hospital has a wait time of one to two days. For Osawatomie State Hospital, it’s three to seven days.

Such were the matter-of-fact estimations of Heather Porter, chief clinical officer at Newton Medical Center. She has such estimates because, increasingly, Newton Medical Center functions as a makeshift mental ward, holding patients until a state bed comes open.

In the last three months, according to its own numbers, the hospital admitted 127 patients to the ER in need of mental or behavioral health care. Fifty-nine were discharged to home care. The rest went to mental institutions or other hospitals.

Porter said the hospital and its emergency room is holding behavioral health patients daily now.

“The challenge for the patient is holding them in an appropriate unit,” she said. “Our rooms are set up as an acute care unit. Those equipment make noises that can sometime agitate a patient. Acute care isn’t always the best setting for that.” Newton Dept. Police Chief Craig Dunlavy spoke about problems of violence that come with an increase in mental health care patients as he showed off a newly opened satellite police office in the hospital. He said that in the past year the department responded to the ER 50 times.

“Our nurses and doctors have to go from caregivers to combatants,” Dunlavy said to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who was present Sept. 20 touring the hospital.

During his tour of the hospital, Moran asked his tour guides if Osawatomie and Larned State Hospitals were keeping up with demand.

He was met with a short, involuntary laugh by Dunlavy.

“No. Absolutely not,” he said.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Hays budget can withstand flagging sales tax receipts

SSales tax receipts so far for 2018 on goods and services purchased in Hays are up only slightly over 2017, according to Kim Rupp, finance director for the City of Hays.

Right now, receipts are up only seven-tenths of 1 percent, after showing decline the first five months of the year, and then increasing slightly in June, July and August. Sales tax receipts supply money for public works, streets, parks, police, administration, municipal court, the fire department, the golf course, city swimming pools and the baseball fields, among other things.

“Basically it’s what runs the city,” Rupp said, referring to the city’s general fund. Sales tax revenue represents about two-thirds of the general fund for the city of Hays. Unlike most cities, Hays doesn’t have ad valorem, or property taxes, in the general fund.

The remaining third comes from franchise fees, liquor licenses, building permits, court fines, golf course revenue, pet permits and interest income. City administrators haven’t been able to pinpoint any one thing causing the change in tax receipts, but they do speculate on what might be the cause.

“We still think oil has something to do with it,” Rupp said. “Ellis County is the number one county in the state for oil production. So if the price is down, that’s pretty big for us.”

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Leavenworth City Commissioners advance proposed rate increases

When they met Tuesday, Leavenworth city commissioner reached a consensus to advance ordinances that would increase rates for city sewer and trash collection services. Public Works Director Mike McDonald said one of the ordinances will increase wastewater, or sewer, rates by 5 percent if approved. Wastewater rates are based on water usage. McDonald said most people in the city pay between $21.29 and $28.46 per month. With a 5 percent increase, these customers’ monthly fees will be raised between $1.06 and $1.42 per month.

McDonald said the city has been increasing sewer rates by 3-5 percent for the last few years. The other ordinance, if approved, will increase fees for refuse services by 8 percent.

According to McDonald, the current residential rate would increase from $16.87 per month to $18.22 per month.

McDonald said this increase is more than what city residents normally see.

The public works director said the city will see increased expenses next year associated with the purchase of a new refuse truck as well as changing the disposal location of garbage that is collected in the city.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Johnson County Election Office looking to recruit 400 more workers to staff polls in November

With six weeks to go until the general election, the Johnson County Election Office is making a push to get hundreds of new workers trained and ready to staff polling locations.

The election offices says it hopes to have 2,200 election workers in the field Nov. 6 — and increase of 1,000 from the 1,200 it had at the polls for the primary.

There were around 1,600 election workers signed up to work on Election Day before the Election Office’s recruitment efforts began earlier this month. So far, they’ve had just over 220 new applicants come in, bringing the total available for Election Day to around 1,800. That means the election office will need to recruit and train an additional 400 workers to meet its goal for November.

Plans approved for wastewater treatment plant in Louisburg

The Louisburg City Council received good news at its Sept. 17 meeting, including more than four million reasons to celebrate.

Laura Gray, an engineer with the firm Larkin Lamp Rynearson, said not only has the facility plan for a new wastewater treatment plant in Louisburg been approved by the state, but the city has qualified for low interest loan funding with principal forgiveness.

“It is estimated this will give you $4.275 million in principal forgiveness,” Gray said. “It is like a grant, but not quite. It is amazing, great news.” Mayor Marty Southard agreed, exclaiming that it was “fantastic.”

The loan forgiveness program could lower the city’s final price tag for the sewer treatment plant by about $4 million, dropping the city’s cost from $12.65 million down to about $8.4 million. If the estimates are realized, the city would not have to increase sewer rates any more to cover the cost of the plant, according to an official with the Kansas Department of Health and Enviroment.

(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

Townships seek road meeting with Marion County Commissioners

Liberty Township road and bridge representative Linda Peters appeared at Monday’s county commission to address the county’s road situation.

She requested an evening meeting to give township representatives opportunity to raise concerns and communicate with the Road and Bridge Department.

“I’m not blaming the graders in this area,” Peters said. “They have a monumental task after months of neglect. I want to apologize in advance for the anger and disgust they see in the eyes of residents, landowners, and taxpayers.”

Many residents want to hold another meeting, and wish to do so even without the commission’s blessing, she said.

“Others want to start a petition to recall all three of you,” Peters said. “They feel you commissioners have the power to change this mess and don’t. Then maybe the county needs to find commissioners who will. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Florence city council extends water negotiations

Florence city council held back-to-back executive sessions at Monday evening’s meeting to discuss a lease offered by the DeForest family for use of Crystal Springs.

The sessions were held for half an hour and 20 minutes, with the council, Mayor Bob Gayle, and city attorney Randy Pankratz present.

“At the recommendation of our attorney, we’re still in negotiations,” councilman Traycee Warner said.

The process has dragged on, but it needs to be solved properly, she said.

“It’s been physically and emotionally draining for me, but I agree all parties have to be protected,” Warner said. “That’s what negotiating the contract will do.” The matter fell to the council in the first place because the previous agreement did not receive final approval before the council members changed, mayor Bob Gayle said.

“If it had been taken care of by the last council, it could have been done, but it didn’t,” he said. “It fell over onto this council and this council has fresh eyes to look at it. They chose to go a different direction.”

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Old Settlers’ Day traces its history to 1881

Old Settlers’ Day is as rich in tradition and as filled with constant change and progress as the years past which it honors. Indeed, it is the careful blending of tradition with innovation that makes Old Settlers’ Day one of the best annual celebrations in Central Kansas.

Always county-oriented, Old Settlers’ Day began Jan. 7, 1881, with a reunion for all people who settled in Marion County in the 1860s. The old settlers gathered for a basket dinner and reminiscing in Marion.

Other “pioneer picnics” and old-fashioned Independence Day celebrations were conducted both before and after this affair, but Jan. 7, 1881, is generally cited as the birthday of Old Settlers’ Day.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Claws come out in debate over turning strays into ‘community cat colonies’

There’s a certain rakish romance to being a stray cat.

You go where you want, do what you want, hang out with your cat pals, make baby cats and live off whatever you can find or kill.

A Wichita board is seeking to enshrine that lifestyle — minus reproduction and rabies — in the Municipal Code.

But there is dissent from those who worry that the so-called “community cats” will be killing machines that will devastate birds and other local wildlife.

Wichita’s animal advisory board spent an hour and a half Wednesday evening pounding out proposed new regulations to encourage residents to trap, sterilize, vaccinate and release stray cats that they find on their property.

Such cats would then be considered “community cats,” free to live out their lives as part of “cat colonies” of stray and feral felines.

The community cats would be identified by “ear tipping,” having a notch cut in their ear, and would be exempt from capture and euthanasia at the city animal shelter unless they bite someone or otherwise cause a public nuisance.

(Read more: Local News |)

Smart City: Wichita prepares for 5G, new technology

City of Wichita leaders are talking about the future of technology here to make it a smart city…
Do you ever feel you hit every red light?

The city of Wichita began a pilot program that would look at synchronizing lights.They did so with 13 lights along Maple Street, and will be looking at the results in a couple weeks.

It’s not just your drive that could speed up: so could your phone. Adam Linthicum, of Wichita says he’s excited to hear the city of Wichita is preparing for a 5G network.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Historic Washington County Jail open for public viewing and tours

Over the years, the Washington County Historical Society took over management of the unused structure with plans to make it into a state law enforcement museum.

(Read more: Backroads News)

Washington County Commissioners say airport board no longer functioning

Road and Bridge Supervisor Justin Novak told the commissioners that the airport board needs to find a clerk. That comment unleashed a discussion that lasted the next 15 minutes.

“We don’t really have an airport board,” Commissioner Tim Mueller said. “Nobody [on the board] is doing a damn thing.” “When was the last time we got minutes?” Mueller asked county clerk Diana Svanda.

“I’ve never gotten minutes,” she replied.

Commissioner Tim Mueller said the airport board never submitted a budget this year, either. “I feel like the ball has been dropped a little bit,” Commissioner Gary Ouellette said of the airport board. Mueller said the Public Works manager is officially the clerk for the airport board and does the billing for the airport. A now-retired public works manager had been doing those duties before retirement, but those duties have possibly not been being done since that retirement more than a year ago.

Novak said the current manager has no idea that she is supposed to be doing those duties. Mueller said he would go to Public Works Monday afternoon and show the manager what airport duties she is in charge of.

Novak said he would like to see the airport board get their own clerk.

(Read more: Backroads News)

Grow Neosho County presents first loan

A local economic development committee presented its first low-interest loan to a business Monday.

Grow Neosho County presented a $45,000 low-interest loan to Consignment Affordable Style/Trend & Main, the first loan by the organization.

Grow Neosho County is a nonprofit partnership with the NetWork Kansas E-Community program. The E stands for entrepreneur, said Chanute Regional Development Authority Director Matthew Godinez.

The group provides loans funded through the sale of tax credits. The loans are meant to assist small business owners or start-ups in Neosho County.

Grow Neosho County has representatives from the cities of Erie and Chanute, Chanute Chamber of Commerce & Office of Tourism, Main Street Chanute, Community National Bank, Home Savings Bank, Bank of Commerce, Farm Bureau, Edward Jones, Jarred Gilmore & Phillips, Cleaver Farm & Home, and the CRDA.

Questions surrounding City of Haysville political sign ordinance

A question in Haysville comes about with the city pulling political signs out of the ground. This question is over a state law that appears to be in conflict with city law.

One political sign on Haysville City Council member Russ Kessler’s property isn’t the first sign this year, but it’s the first one he says has stayed in his yard.

“I know several people had their signs pulled during (the) primary election,” Kessler says. “I was one of them.”

The City of Haysville passed an ordinance last year putting political signs under the category of “temporary signs.” That change means political signs can only be in yards for 14 days prior to an election.

The problem with the ordinance was that a Kansas statute says no city or county can regulate or prohibit the placement or number of political signs during the 45-day period prior to elections, except for concerns relating to the size of the signs and safety.

The problem made its way to the Kansas vice chair of elections, Rep. Blake Carpenter.

(Read more: KWCH News)

At JoCo driver’s license offices, waits persist and tempers flare. Help may be coming

Two months after the Kansas Revenue Department promised better customer service at the driver’s license offices in Johnson County, long wait times and other problems persist. The Monday hours stopped after Labor Day. But a Revenue Department official announced Tuesday that a new schedule starts Oct. 15. At that time, the driver’s license bureau hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. That will apply to all offices statewide except for a few in western and southeast Kansas.

Revenue Department spokeswoman Rachel Whitten said Tuesday that the department has been working hard on hiring and training more employees and other making improvements to alleviate customer service complaints, but people will have to be patient a little while longer. “We absolutely see the need for additional services for people of the Kansas City metro area,” Whitten said. “It’s been a process to get to this point. We understand there’s been a lot of frustration along the way….We’re working to speed it as quickly as we can.”

Whitten offered some advice for people heading to the driver’s license bureau: Tuesdays are the busiest days, while Wednesdays and Thursdays are often the best time to go. Richard Olson, who lives near the Mission office said the state used to have a better appointments and wait management system, but now it doesn’t work very well.

Indeed, the Revenue department acknowledges on its website that the wait line management system poses challenges. People who check in online are warned, “You must check into the office when you arrive to officially be in line. Because of this, if the office reaches capacity before you arrive and are checked in, you may not be served that day.”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Two dozen cited during Hutchinson railroad crossing enforcement

Two dozen people were cited by local law enforcement on Tuesday during a three-hour joint railroad crossing enforcement at Avenue D and Main and on 17th Avenue near the mall.

The Hutchinson Police Department, Reno County Sheriff’s Office and the Union Pacific Railroad conducted the effort from 8 to 11 a.m., using six officers. The city tickets, handled through municipal court, carry a fine of $119, while the county citations will cost motorists $313 in district court. “Most people know that it is illegal to drive around crossing arms,” Hirt noted. “It is also illegal, however, to proceed through a crossing while the gates are on their way up or down, or to proceed while the lights are still flashing or bells are still sounding. Even after the gates have lifted these still send the alarm that the crossing isn’t safe.”

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Wahlburgers opens in Olathe to big crowd with surprise visit from its celebrity chef

Less than three weeks after Shake Shack entered the market with a new Country Club Plaza location, another specialty burger chain — this one owned by celebrity brothers — has joined the mix.

The first Wahlburgers restaurant opened in Kansas in Tuesday. The Massachusetts-based chain was founded by actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, along with another brother, celebrity executive chef Paul Wahlberg.

Their new Olathe location, at 11935 S. Blackbob Road, drew a line that nearly wrapped around the freestanding building before the 11 a.m. opening.

Jennison talks about first fair as general manager

As we told you on Monday, Robin Jennison took over the reins of the Kansas State Fair this week.

Jennison says his first look at the fair from an employee standpoint certainly gave him a different perspective. He says, for the most part, the fair went well. Although, he did receive a lot of feedback regarding the elimination of the trolley system this year. Jennison says the fair is staffed with good employees, but the grounds themselves and how they may change in the future will present some challenges. For the most part, Jennison says the fair is on solid ground, but did admit some things need to be changed.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Hutch City Council considers plan for Human Rights Commission

Hutchinson City Council is set to move forward on a plan to either enforce or amend the city’s policy on its Human Relations Commission, something the city hasn’t acted upon for the better part of the past decade.

Council members discussed the future of the 20-year-old commission during a study session Tuesday, although a majority acknowledged they couldn’t make decisions without input from affected groups in the city.

“While we represent the people of the city, we’re a group of white people, and I have a hard time speaking for those who are affected by this, because they have a different reality than I do,” said council member Jade Piros de Carvalho in an opinion echoed by the others. “I think we need to hear from those groups before we make any decisions.”

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

New park in Augusta will have soft surface in the future

Augusta City Council discussed the completion of the construction on the Dalton Palmer Memorial Downtown Park.
City Manager Josh Shaw advised that the recent rains had caused a 10 day delay, but additional crews assisted in getting the work done.
The mulch has been installed, but the Council decided the long term goal would be to install a rubberized surface.
Shaw shared that the wood fiber requires a small drainage system and timbers have been purchased, but in keeping with the long term goal of a softer surface, he asked if Council wished to proceed with the installation of the timbers or proceed with a concrete wall/curbing under fencing that will be needed for the soft surface.
Council consensus was to install the concrete.
The park will be open to use this weekend during Augusta’s big 150th Birthday Party, and the official ribbon cutting will be held on Friday, Oct. 5.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Abandoned property evolves into new venue in Wathena in Doniphan County

Kay Hewins had a vision for her corner of Doniphan County when she and her husband bought an abandoned building off U.S. Highway 36.

Last year, the couple took ownership of the old Bob’s Bargain Barn, a former thrift store that closed in 2011. After months of renovations, Hewins opened Glacial Hills Venue.

“I have always wanted this building and never told anyone, not even my husband,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to put something like this venue in here. Because there’s nothing over here in Doniphan County except for community buildings and they have one look and people may want a different look.” The large storefront facade is now a nice welcome sign to the small town.

The venue accommodates more than 200 people. The site’s first wedding and reception was on Aug. 24.

In the spring, Hewins would like her venue to be a spot for local farmers markets.

“I just want to make it something the community can use,” she said. “And I can pay the electric bill. I’m not going to gouge people.”

(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

Rural Riley County had $1.35 million in damage during flood

A flood on Labor Day caused $1.35 million in damage in rural Riley County.

County emergency management director Pat Collins told county commissioners during their Monday meeting that 28 homes outside of Manhattan were damaged.

Officials announced earlier that the flooding caused $17.2 million inside Manhattan city limits.

The Manhattan Mercury reports Collins said the Red Cross helped 327 people in 139 homes in the region and between 15 and 30 people stayed at their two shelters each day. Nearly 9 inches of rain fell during the Labor Day weekend, causing Wildcat Creek to overflow its banks and forcing more than 300 people to evacuate their homes.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Merriam council OKs smaller outdoor pool. Angry crowd boos councilman’s pep talk

A divided Merriam City Council has approved a new community center design with a smaller outdoor pool, despite a crowd’s pleas at City Hall to pause and reconsider the project.

Critics vowed Monday night to continue a petition drive in hopes of stopping the planned demolition of the existing outdoor pool, which could begin in early October.

Some people said that this summer’s community center debate has served to divide, rather than unite, the community.

Following an intense three-hour discussion Monday, the council voted 5-3 in favor of the proposed design for a new center, plus indoor and outdoor pools, in Vavra Park, to be built on the site of the existing summer pool that many residents cherish. More than 100 people packed the city council chambers. Some were very supportive of the design and said the new indoor pool with therapy area for seniors, plus gymnasium, fitness center and other features will be major enhancements for Merriam.

“I’m asking you to affirm,” Todd Boyer, a former City Councilman, urged the council, saying the new design reflects “a community center for the entire community.”

But the majority in the audience argued that the land allocated for a large outdoor courtyard, plus the emphasis on the indoor pool, takes away too much space from outdoor aquatics.

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Marion Interim EMS director introduced

The Marion County Commission introduced Robert “Bob” Church as its interim EMS director during the Monday meeting, and following the resignation of Ed Debesis, who served about 18 months as the director. Church said he was hired by Debesis in June 2017 to serve as a full-time paramedic in Hillsboro, adding he also is a registered nurse.

After accepting the full-time position in Hillsboro, Church said he split his time at Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in Wichita, where he worked for 11 years, before taking an RN job at St. Luke Hospital in Marion.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Goessel City to Erect Additional Stop Sign; discuss new welcome sign

The Goessel city council met on September 17 and discussed the intersection of Church Street and the baseball diamonds. Because of safety issues, west-bound traffic will now have to stop. The council authorized a stop sign at that intersection.

Turning their attention to another sign, the city discussed replacing the Goessel sign that is near the highway. The council expressed appreciation for the current sign, which was from the Goessel Lions Club, and has lasted many years. After all of those years, the sign is showing wear, and parts of it have fallen down from time to time and had to be put back up.

The council discussed various options for a new sign. They looked at pictures of what a new sign might look like and expressed their opinions on design and cost. They did not make a decision on a specific sign at this meeting but voted to spend no more than $8,000 on the sign. A slab will be poured to give a solid base for the sign.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Perpetual improvement: Seward County Community College invests $2.4 million in updates

Any homeowner knows maintenance goes a long way — until it doesn’t, and that long-deferred roof or plumbing upgrade can’t wait any longer. The campus of Seward County Community College, coming up on 50 years, is no different. That’s why the Board of Trustees set out to update, repair, and improve many areas of campus over the past two years, to the tune of $2.4 million.

Projects included necessary upgrades to heating and cooling systems, the college vehicle fleet and activity bus, and roofs. Some improvements were necessary for safety benchmarks, such as the new bleachers in the Greenhouse gymnasium, elevator lift for the Showcase Theater, and key-card entry system for the Student Living Center. Positive emotion continues with improvements made for the sake of a better student experience. From new laundry facilities — free of charge — for Student Living Center residents to the fire pit, sand volleyball court, and improved security, life as an on-campus Saint is significantly nicer. Improvements to the cafeteria and the addition of Louie’s Place cafe on the Industrial Technology campus spread the benefits around.

“In freeing up funds to do these important projects, we had to think long-term and explore all the options,” said Vice President of Finance and Operations Dennis Sander. “You never want to let the place go, but when capital improvement projects come up that are not yearly expenditures, and you have a static or shrinking revenue base, you have to work harder.” Some of the projects will be paid over a period of time, Sander said, while others were funded through cutbacks in other areas.

(Read more: Liberal First)

Reno County Commission voices support for Northwest Passage highway project

The Reno County Commission Tuesday approved a letter of support for continuing development of the K-96 Northwest Passage, which will be sent to a joint legislative transportation task force considering future highway improvement funding. The commission approved a letter to the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force – which was requested by the Hutchinson /Reno County Chamber of Commerce and drafted by Meagher – that indicates the county’s continued support for the project which would build a new super-two highway from Hutchinson northwest to Lyons, and eventually Interstate-70.

The project, which would have exits for Nickerson and Sterling, but otherwise route the highway outside those communities, was initially part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s last 10-year plan, but it got bumped after lawmakers repeatedly swept highway dollars to cover budget shortfalls.

The state has purchased the necessary right-of-way for the corridor between Hutchinson and Lyons, Public Works Director Dave McComb advised the commission, but the design isn’t done and no dollars have been authorized for construction.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Free WiFi in Wichita neighborhoods? It’s a definite possibility

City Hall is contemplating providing free wireless Internet service in some of the community’s poorer areas to try to close a digital divide between rich and poor neighborhoods.

Service could be piggybacked on the deployment of so-called 5G wireless technology.

The city is planning to use 5G — 100 times as fast as current 4G Internet service — as a platform for a plethora of new technologies such as street-light synchronization, parking control, real-time monitoring of air and water quality, and ultimately even autonomous vehicles.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

In Midst of China Recycling Crisis, American Cities Can Benefit

oday, the National League of Cities (NLC) released a new report, “Rethinking Recycling: How Cities Can Adapt to Evolving Markets,” which analyzes how city leaders can develop resilient local waste management systems in response to China’s stringent new regulations. The report, which marks the beginning of a larger effort to examine sustainability in solid waste management, is the first piece of literature to highlight how municipalities can effectively respond to – and benefit from – China’s upcoming ban. “In the face of adversity, city leaders have historically been our nation’s problem-solvers,” said Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director of NLC. “China’s new policy is a wakeup call that we need to think more critically about waste management, and cities now have the opportunity to strengthen domestic markets and chart a sustainable path forward.”

(Read more: NLC)

Cities Addressing FInes and Fees Equitably (CAFFE)

With support from JPMorgan Chase and Co., the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families has launched a two-year initiative that will help cities assess and address the negative impacts of municipal fines and fees on residents’ financial health.

Cities Addressing Fines and Fee Equitably Technical Assistance Project

NLC’s two-year project on municipal fines and fees will focus on a six-city cohort, which will receive grants and technical assistance to assess their use of local fines and fees and develop collections strategies that incorporate financial empowerment interventions. NLC will draw lessons from its LIFT-UP program model to help these cities connect utility debt collection practices with financial empowerment services and thereby improve families’ overall financial well-being.

(Read more: NLC)

Rethinking Recycling: How Cities Can Adapt To Evolving Markets

In 2015, Americans generated more than 262 million tons of waste, or nearly 4.5 pounds per person, per day. To handle this load, nearly every U.S. city has developed a solid waste management program that includes recycling. These initiatives have overall proved successful. The recycling rate has tripled in the last 30 years to approximately 25.8 percent in 2015, or nearly 68 million tons. The industry is both environmentally beneficial and economically significant. In 2007, the U.S. recycling and reuse industry accounted for 757,000 stable jobs, $36.6 billion in wages, and $6.7 billion in state, local and federal tax revenues.

But today, the recycling industry is in the midst of a global crisis precipitated by China’s latest waste import policy, National Sword. In January 2018, China implemented an import ban on certain commodity mixes, and in March the country began enforcing stricter limits on how much contamination can be present in recyclable materials. The ban specifically targets mixed paper and mixed plastics, the two most common types of materials processed by municipal recycling systems. Since China previously received more than half the world’s recyclable commodity exports, the move has unsettled global recycling.

Cities throughout the U.S., as well as private haulers and operators of materials recovery facilities (MRFs), must reevaluate their operations and policies in order to adapt and maintain viable municipal materials management systems.

(Read more: NLC)

City Council considers grant money to add firefighters in NE Wichita

It’s one of the fastest growing parts of town, and while that’s good for business in northeast Wichita, it’s putting strain on first responders.

Wichita firefighters are trying to keep up, and they could be getting some help soon.

Deputy Fire Chief Stuart Bevis says, with large buildings and homes going up, the city simply isn’t meeting its recommended response times.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Leavenworth launches podcast

Leavenworth residents now have the opportunity to hear from city officials through podcasts.

Leavenworth Mayor Mark Preisinger and City Manager Paul Kramer have recorded two of the audio recordings so far.

Kramer said city officials are looking for suggestions from members of the public regarding topics for future podcasts.

“We’re trying to get some public feedback on topics they want to hear about,” he said.

Kramer said the podcasts can provide more insight into topics than what people would receive from a city news release.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Chapel Hill, NC leaders see common issues, opportunities during Lawrence visit

Though Jayhawks and Tar Heels aren’t typically thought of as allies, the cities of Lawrence and Chapel Hill, N.C., are teaming up this week.

A group of 80 people, including Chapel Hill elected officials, business owners, nonprofit directors and university officials, arrived in Lawrence on Sunday for a three-day visit during which they hope to learn from local leaders.
And so far, Chapel Hill leaders are finding the cities share common challenges, including questions regarding growth, affordable housing and downtown vitality.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Secretary Aaron Nelson said one of the common challenges that progressive university towns like Chapel Hill and Lawrence faced was resistance to growth and development. Nelson said residents and former university students tended to have a fixed idea of what their towns ought to be.

Hutchinson CVB lands 2021 Shrine Bowl

The Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce CVB wanted the Shrine Bowl. On Monday, the Chamber announced it will indeed get the high school all-star game in 2021.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors voted to bring the Kansas Shrine Bowl to Hutchinson in June 2021. The annual Shrine Bowl is expected to bring thousands of fans to Gowans Stadium and over $2 million in economic impact to the Hutchinson community.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Buhler City Council to take action on annexation plan to relocate grocery store

The Buhler City Council will take the next step in the possible relocation of the city’s grocery store during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

The council will seek approval to annex a parcel of land on the northwest corner of 82nd Avenue and Buhler Road.

If all goes as planned, Hometown Foods would move from the downtown area to that location. Most of the planning and zoning issues have already been resolved. Part of the agreement calls for the city to annex what is currently an old farmstead.

City Manager Merrell Peterson could not give a timeline as to when any construction might begin for the new store. Peterson could only say it is a step-by-step process that is taking time.

(Read more: Hutch Post)