Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

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)

Merriam City Council to vote whether to approve plans for a new community center

A big vote is scheduled in Merriam, Kan., Monday to approve plans for a new community center that many residents don’t want.

Last year, voters approved a sales tax to help pay for the $30 million project. It would include a gym, jogging track and indoor aquatics center.

A group called “Merriam Concerned Citizens” claims the swimming pool they’ve enjoyed for years is being replaced with a much smaller outdoor pool. They’re also unhappy that an additional $6.6 million would go toward a new parking garage.

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

Task force aims to create new off-leash dog park in or near Mission

For close to 18 months now, the city of Mission and private individuals have been researching the feasibility of creating an off-leash dog park in or near the city. Now northeast Johnson County residents are being asked to go to missionks.org and take a short survey on the idea.

The city said a Mission Dog Park Task Force was established in February 2017 and met six times last year. It toured six Kansas City area dog parks and heard from staffers at two other cities that already operate dog parks.

The Friends of the Mission Dog Park organization was formed in February of this year and in April renamed itself “Mission: Dog Park.” The group, which is seeking the survey feedback, describes itself as an organization of northeast Johnson County residents “on a ‘mission’ to locate space for, build and privately fund and maintain” a dog park in Mission or northeast Johnson County.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Hutch schools begin search for superintendent

Hutchinson USD 308 could have a new superintendent for 2019-2020 selected by January 2019. “The pool is much smaller than it was just three years ago,” Sechrist told the Hutchinson school board. A comparable school district – Salina’s – is conducting a superintendent search, too, spurring Hutchinson to keep its search process on a fast-moving timeline. Gary Price, a former USD 308 superintendent brought back to be interim superintendent, is in the second year of the interim period. His contract will end June 30, 2019. The next superintendent probably will be under an existing employment contract through this school year and would not be able to start here until July 1, 2019.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Fines up threefold for Shawnee County’s ambulance service for late response times

Shawnee County fined its ambulance service provider more than three times as much for late response times during the first six months of this year as it did during that same time period last year, figures show.

The provider, American Medical Response Ambulance Co., nevertheless remains in substantial compliance with its contract with the county, said county ambulance compliance officer Nelson Casteel.

AMR paid the county fines totaling $17,920 for the first six months of this year, compared to $5,821 for that same period last year, according to figures Casteel provided the commission.

Those figures said AMR was fined 403 times during the first six months of this year, compared to 205 times during the same time period last year.

AMR ran 11,595 calls during the first six months of this year, a 15 percent increase over the 10,060 during the same time period last year.

Holcomb reviewing ex-officer’s request for special concealed carry ID card

On Wednesday, the Holcomb City Council will revisit its review of a former Holcomb police officer’s request for a special concealed carry identification card, which the mayor and several councilmembers are concerned may leave the city liable in case of an incident through the officer’s work.

On Sept. 12, former Holcomb officer Joshua Tipton presented to the council his request for an H.R. 218 Identification Card, which allows retired or “separated” law enforcement officers to carry a concealed weapon in any state in the country. As the governing body over the HPD, Tipton’s most recent law enforcement employer, the decision to issue the card lies with the council, according to the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act.

Chanute weighs ordinance against meth problem

The Neosho County Attorney told the Chanute City Commission that the city’s limits on sales of precursor ingredients has dramatically reduced the incidence of methamphetamine labs in the city, if not the drug’s use.

“We obviously still have a meth problem in town,” Commissioner Phillip Chaney said during Monday evening’s discussion.

The commission reviewed the city’s 2013 ordinance on cold medications that can be used to make methamphetamine. The issue weighs the drug abuse problem against the inconvenience to cold and allergy sufferers seeking legitimate medication.

County Attorney Linus Thuston quoted a Kansas Bureau of Investigation official on the issue.

“Does Chanute want to become Montgomery County?” he asked.

The city of Parsons started the restrictions, which were passed countywide in Crawford and Cherokee counties. Iola also passed restrictions after Chanute.

Thuston said since the ordinance was put into effect, one meth lab was prosecuted in five years, compared to 12 to 25 a year previously. Thuston said the drugs now come from south of the border. In addition to cartels, the drug is made by people who get precursor chemicals from large chain pharmacies in Coffeyville and Independence.

Mom-and-pop pharmacies can limit sales of drugs including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, but Thuston said large chains are prohibited by company policy. He said a retail chain’s pharmacist opposed lifting Chanute’s ordinance.

Hoping to leverage Boeing Wichita’s legacy, Spirit positions for B-52 bomber work

At the height of the Cold War, the Air Force amassed a fleet of 744 Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses, each capable of delivering 70,000 pounds of bombs, including nuclear ones, thousands of miles from the U.S.

The airplanes, which can fly 650 miles per hour at 50,000 feet for 8,800 miles, were a key part of the nation’s nuclear deterrence strategy against its then-largest adversary, the former Soviet Union.

Many of those bombers produced between 1954 and 1962 were assembled at the former Boeing Wichita, now Spirit AeroSystems. In fact, 76 of the 102 B-52H models that remain in the Air Force’s inventory were produced on South Oliver in Plant 2, where Spirit now assembles nearly three-quarters of the Boeing 737 commercial airliner.

Now, the Air Force wants to extend the life of the B-52s that remain in its fleet to at least 2050. That means replacing each bomber’s eight original Pratt & Whitney jet engines.

Spirit AeroSystems, created from the 2005 sale of Boeing’s Wichita Division, would like to get some of that work.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

City of Gardner names interim city administrator

The City of Gardner has named Laura Gourley as interim city administrator, effective Sept. 17, 2018. A unanimous vote appointing Gourley occurred during Monday night’s regularly scheduled city council meeting.
Gourley has been a Gardner 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.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Civic leaders see growth in Leavenworth county’s future

Growth.

That is the operative word for the near future of Leavenworth County.

According to several civic leaders, the outlook is optimistic for the county for the next 10 years.

“Leavenworth County will continue to be a great option for businesses and individuals as more and more housing construction takes place in all parts of the county,” said Steve Jack, executive director of the Leavenworth County Development Corporation. “Certainly, the major road projects undertaken by the county will open up more areas for development, particularly residential.”

Jack said business parks located in Leavenworth and Tonganoxie “will likely be reaping benefits to the county from additional businesses and the employment opportunities they bring.”
“I anticipate seeing significant industrial, commercial and residential growth by 2028,” said Tim Vandall, city administrator for the city of Lansing. “I believe Leavenworth County’s proximity to the metro will continue to make it appealing to businesses and individuals. Significant transportation thoroughfares like 24/40, K-7 and I-70 make owning, expanding or starting a business in the communities of Leavenworth County appealing.”

McPherson pharmaceutical plant hiring 350

The Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in McPherson is kicking off a major hiring effort next week, with the goal of adding more than 350 new employees to its local workforce, according to a company news release. Some of the jobs available include production operators, engineers, quality assurance, skilled trades, operational excellence roles, scientific positions, and more.

Pfizer is the leading international pharmaceutical company, and McPherson, where it makes sterile injectable medicines, is a primary site in its global manufacturing network. The expanded hiring is a result of growing demand for Pfizer medicines, including growth in product lines at McPherson, Johnson stated.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

South Hutchinson box plant in midst of $3.5 million upgrade

A $3.5 million expansion at a corrugated-box manufacturing company in South Hutchinson will take the plant “from the stone-age to high-tech,” said Tony Schleich, president of the local plant.

Construction of a 6,000-square-foot expansion onto the existing 50,000-square-foot American Packaging plant at 400 W. Blanchard Rd., is expected to be completed within a couple of weeks, Schleich said. The plant will then be ready for delivery of the new multi-million-dollar high-tech equipment, which is now anticipated to arrive in January.

“We’re going from manually pushing carts with material around the plant to a fully-automated conveyor-system,” Schleich said. “The speed of the equipment itself is about 25 percent faster.”

The expansion and equipment upgrade won’t result in any new jobs at the plant, which currently employs 43, but will “ultimately make the existing jobs more secure,” Hill said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Garden City hosts alternative fuels workshop

Representatives from area municipalities, utilities and the alternative fuels industry attended a free workshop Wednesday in Garden City to learn more about the benefits and challenges of natural gas.

The workshop provided an overview of Garden City’s adoption of clean fuels and natural gas vehicles and infrastructure, and provided a forum for businesses and municipalities to talk about how to incorporate alternative fuels into their fleets.

Generally, the benefits for local governments like Garden City was in saving fuel costs both at a lower price than diesel and more stable price, and improving air quality by reducing the city’s carbon footprint.

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Shawnee county to take up matter involving solar street lights

The Shawnee County Commission on Monday will consider awarding a Louisiana-based company the bid to carry out a pilot project to install solar street lights in three parks the county operates. Commissioners will consider choosing Metairie, La.-based ClearWorld LLC to carry out a project to provide solar lighting to Little Oakland Park, Shunga Glen Skatepark and Skyline Park as part of a pilot project commissioners approved last December.

Salina City Commission violates Kansas Open Records Act

Following a complaint filed to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office by former Salina City Commissioner John Blanchard, the attorney general’s office ruled that the Salina City Commission violated the Kansas Open Records Act.

The finding comes after Blanchard in November requested copies of documents concerning a contract between the city and the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.

Blanchard said he received some of the requested documents but one contained redacted information.

“While we did not find a violation of the KOMA, for the reasons more fully described in our letter, we determined there was a KORA violation,” the attorney general’s ruling said.

The ruling also said the attorney general’s office has declined to pursue formal enforcement action, but requested the city commission release the unredacted copy of the letter Blanchard requested.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Pratt county estimates $250,000 in uninsured losses from Labor Day flood

Uninsured county losses from the Sept. 3 Labor Day flood in Pratt could reach $250,000. Tim Branscom, Pratt County Emergency Manager, presented the damage assessment to the Pratt County Commissioners at their Sept. 17 meeting.

Branscom said the damage assessment ranges from $225,000 to $250,000 and includes all non-insured losses to the county. Most of the damage was to country roads, Pratt County Veteran’s Memorial Lake and Lemon Park Lake that is part of the fish hatchery water system. The Lemon Park Lake will have to be drained and dredged because of pollutants from the flood.

The county threshold for submitting uninsured losses for financial assistance is $34,000 and the county will have no trouble meeting that, Branscom said.

Branscom said the estimated damage to Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism was $2 million. That included damage to the headquarters building and contents, fish hatchery, vehicles, fishing ponds, hatchery ponds and loss of fish. The fish loss was estimated at $50,000, Branscom said.

Butler Community College responds to Andover Mayor’s veto

Butler Community College issued a formal statement early Friday morning in response to Thursday’s announcement from Andover Mayor Ben Lawrence. Lawrence shared that he had formerly vetoed Ordinance 1679, concerning the Special Use Permit for the expansion of Butler Community College in Andover.

The statement reads, “Butler Community College leadership and Gravity Works Architects were surprised to learn of the veto on Thursday by Andover Mayor Ben Lawrence. The veto was issued following approval by the Andover Planning Commission on Tuesday. We are gathering information to work toward a resolution.
This process of a special use permit is related to a relocation of programs and services. It is not an expansion. The college needs to vacate the Andover High School premises because of the school district’s own construction projects which will include the demolition of Butler’s current space.”