Kansas Municipal News
Back on the road again
Mark Griffith, Allen County’s new road and bridge director, stresses safety. He believes it’s important to listen to citizens about the problems they encounter on county roads. There’s a good reason why people care so much about county roads and bridges, according to Mark Griffith. “That’s what they travel on every day. That’s what they take their kids to school on,” he said. “Their homes may be their sanctuaries, but they spend a lot of time in their vehicles. They need to feel comfortable when traveling on our roads and bridges.” Griffith is the county’s new road and bridge director, and also will oversee the county’s rock quarry. He serves under Public Works Director Mitch Garner.
Source: Iola Register
Big plans for Smallville Comic Con
Clark Kent is headed to Hutchinson in June. So is the Batmobile. The 2022 Smallville Comic Con is going to take place in Superman’s “supposed” hometown – Hutchinson. From June 18 to 19, eight celebrity guests, more than 120 vendors and almost 60 exhibitors will attend the convention. “It is the largest year for our celebrities — we’ve never had any this large before,” said Troy Robinson, Smallville operations manager. Troy Robinson projected that this year’s attendance will surpass 5,000, which has remained the record for the last seven years.
Source: Salina Journal
New proposed transmission line draws concerns
Travis Wilson isn’t opposed to change in his southeast Kansas community. But for his 160-acre plot of land, there sure has been a lot of it in recent years. First came arrival of wind development in Allen County, dotting the landscape around Wilson’s property with turbines — a decision he respects, even though it means his house “sounds like a washing machine” if windows are open. But now the southern part of his land is directly impacted by a new kind of development: a proposed 89-mile transmission line from Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant in Burlington to another power station near Joplin, Mo.
Source: Salina Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for May 13, 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.
Epperson stepping away as Director of Finance
After two decades with the city of Derby, Director of Finance Jean Epperson is now counting down the days to her final budget workshop – set to officially enter retirement in mid-June. Epperson joined city staff in January 2000 after several years working in the private sector (Rohm and Haas, J.I. Case) and being an adjunct finance professor for local universities. She admitted the tight-knit nature of the department sold her. “I could’ve gone to work for what was Boeing at the time, but it’s such a huge company. What I like about the size of Derby was you take a project from start to finish and I really enjoy the people I work with; it’s my work family,” Epperson said. “There’s a team atmosphere here and you grow to really care about these people.”
Source: Derby Informer
Augusta hosting benefit concert for Andover
A dozen bands are taking part in a benefit concert to help people impacted by the Andover tornado. The concert is set for May 22, at the Augusta Theatre. Along with music, there will also be food trucks at the venue. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or in-person the day of the concert. Online Ticket Sales “When I asked these local musicians to help our friends and neighbors devastated by the tornado, they didn’t hesitate,” said Eric Birk, event organizer. “The music community loves to come together for a cause and give back.”
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Fed’s Mester backs half-point rate hikes in June and July
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester backed raising interest rates by half percentage points at the central bank’s next two policy meetings in order to tamp down surging inflation. “Unless there are some big surprises, I expect it to be appropriate to raise the policy rate another 50 basis points at each of our next two meetings,” Mester said Friday in prepared remarks for a virtual appearance at the International Research Forum on Monetary Policy. Central bankers raised interest rates by a half point at their meeting earlier this month and Chair Jerome Powell told reporters that similar moves were on the table at their next two meetings, in June and July.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Governor vetoes bill that would limit actions on infectious disease
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill from the Legislature that would prohibit governing bodies and public officials from taking certain actions related to infectious diseases, such as mask mandates. The bill also limits the powers of the state health secretary related to the enforcement of a quarantine and requiring student vaccinations. Senate Bill 34 was a response to actions taken by local government to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Rural housing grants available to prepare for future cheese plant boom
New state housing development resources have been made available since Governor Laura Kelly this month signed House Bill 2237 allocating $62 million for, among other rural housing support programs, the state’s Moderate Income Housing Program. This is good news for Dodge City and the surrounding regions where rural communities, like those in Clark, Hodgeman and Meade Counties, hope to meet the housing needs associated with the arrival of the Hilmar Cheese Company plant and the dairies destined to be a part of its supply chain. The plant is scheduled to break ground later this year, and with it as many as 12 new dairies within a 50-mile radius of Dodge City. “There will be up to 1,000 contractors in town at times and ultimately there will be 1,000 new permanent jobs created by this project,” Dodge City/Ford County Economic Development Corp. director Joann Knight said. “I’m concerned about rural housing. There has not been new development in those places in a long time. They need infrastructure development.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
Andover construction demand stressing already backlogged industry
It’s been exactly two weeks since the devastating Andover Tornado left hundreds of people without homes. Now, as insurance claims get sorted out and finalized, the next step might be a waiting game – trying to find a builder. Andover resident Garrett Owen didn’t know where to start after the tornado flattened his house. “I couldn’t get to the house. There were trees down everywhere,” said Owen. But instead of waiting around, he took matters into his own hands, renting a giant excavator and learning how to use it along the way. “Watching YouTube, and I talked to a couple of people that know how to do it,” said Owen. He’s now almost completely done cleaning up, but it’s the next step he’s worried about.
Source: KAKE – News
Record-setting Wichita housing market making it tough for Andover victims to find somewhere to go
While many areas of the country are reporting improvements in the housing market, it’s the complete opposite here in Wichita. New data from South Central Kansas MLS says the housing supply is lower than it’s ever been, leaving people like Andover Tornado victims who need immediate housing nowhere to turn. “That’s been a huge need. We have some families that have been displaced and have moved on to other family members, but we’ve also seen a lot of families that are temporarily housed in a hotel or motel,” said Dulcy Palnau with The Salvation Army. Palnau has been working with families every day since the Andover tornado, and right now, she says one of the biggest needs is housing.
Source: KAKE – News
Biden Administration Releases $45B for Broadband to States
The Biden administration on Friday made $45 billion in broadband funding from the bipartisan infrastructure act available to the states, emphasizing that they make sure any internet service that’s built is affordable not only to those with low incomes but to the middle class as well. “The internet is absolutely essential to every American’s success,” Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves told reporters on a call. “That’s why it’s unacceptable that in 2022, millions of Americans are still without it.” In addition, the department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration emphasized in its notice of funding opportunity that states should make the dollars available to cities and nonprofits, like farm cooperatives, that want to start a broadband service to compete with private companies.
Source: Route Fifty – All Content
Deputy commerce secretary: Kansas is moving into a new class in competing for companies
Kansas Deputy Commerce Secretary Paul Hughes on Thursday said that Kansas is moving into an entirely new class of competition for attracting big companies to the state. Hughes spoke at the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat, which was Thursday and Friday at the Manhattan Conference Center. The retreat is an event of the Manhattan, Junction City and Wamego chambers of commerce. Hughes’ presentation comes just weeks after Gov. Laura Kelly announced plans for a new $650 million manufacturing plant to come to Manhattan. But the state is looking at new ways to be competitive in attracting even bigger projects.
Source: themercury.com
Shielded for growth: Wichita leaders see promise in cybersecurity
One of the nation’s fastest-growing industries is finding a fast foothold in Wichita. The city in the past year has attracted cybersecurity companies from both coasts, attracted by the cost and availability of talent, and the growth of industry resources locally. And with data security taking on heightened importance in the post-pandemic age of remote work and differentiating resources already in play, local stakeholders see the industry as potentially emerging as one of Wichita’s best opportunities at economic diversification. “I think there has been a lot more awareness around it and intentionality (in attracting the industry),” says Adrienne Korson, director of economic development at the Greater Wichita Partnership. “We are getting better at learning what we have in our backyard.”
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Lawrence’s police review board approves new task force; conflict between law enforcement and DA’s office not addressed
The Lawrence Community Police Review Board on Thursday advanced a charter to create a new Community-Police Oversight Task Force. The CPRB has long wanted greater authority than the scope that city law currently allows — a scope so narrow that since the board was created in 2018, it has not reviewed a single complaint. The current ordinance only allows CPRB members to review appeals of the police department’s decisions in complaints about bias-based policing. Starting in 2020, at the direction of the Lawrence City Commission, board members began drafting an ordinance that expanded its duties. But an outside consultant’s review of the Lawrence Police Department, completed about a year ago, suggested that the CPRB and police department form a task force to determine the best way to move forward.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Wyandotte County court system still impacted by cyber attack
The cybersecurity threat that’s caused turmoil for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County is nearly a month old. It’s left many offices in Kansas City, Kansas, operating without computer systems — “old school,” so to speak — with no word on when computer access will be restored. County leaders first announced that an attack had taken place on April 16. One courthouse worker described this as “a pain.” Two people involved in this county’s judicial process confirmed trouble with their digital network is ongoing. This concern, which as FOX4 has reported, might be a ransomware attack, has Wyandotte County’s court system locked up for the moment.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Even with elimination of state sales tax, local governments must continue to tax groceries
Even when the state’s 6.5% sales tax on groceries eventually ramps down to zero, Lawrence shoppers will still be paying close to 3% in sales taxes on groceries. The overwhelming majority of Kansas cities and counties — Lawrence and Douglas County included — charge local sales tax in addition to the state sales tax, and state lawmakers ensured that would not change. The recently passed changes not only don’t affect local sales taxes on groceries, but also prohibit local governments from reducing or eliminating their local sales taxes on groceries.
Source: LJworld
It’s easy being green: Library branch in this JoCo city to offer an innovative roof
The new Johnson County Library branch in Merriam will be nothing like the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, but when you go there, you will want to look up. Why? Because the library roof, arguably the building’s most distinguishing feature, will be home to prairie grasses that will help insulate the structure and provide a visual extension of the landscape surrounding the Merriam Community Center, on which the new library is expected to open in early 2024.
Source: Joco 913 News
Kansas legalizes sports betting, then gets sued
Kansas has legalized sports betting. But the state was sued almost immediately Thursday by a state-owned casino operator over an unrelated part of the law designed to revive a long-closed greyhound track in its area. … The lawsuit is from the Kansas Star Casino operated by Boyd Gaming about 15 miles south of Wichita. The casino has a contract with the lottery and says that contract has been breached because the new law allows improper competition from new gambling devices at Wichita Greyhound Park.
Source: KSN-TV
Parsons PD adds a furry-faced officer to the team
The Parsons Police Department is celebrating a new addition. The department gained national attention at the end of last year after the brutal killing of an officer’s dog. “If the community is going to put forth the money to give us these nice things to enhance our performance, I’m going to do everything I can to do that performance as best I can,” said Christian Smith, Parsons Police K9 Handler. Morgan, the black Labrador, is the newest member of the Parsons Police Department. She completed her training earlier this year.
Source: KSNF/KODE