Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

12 Kansas National Guard nurses go to provide hurricane aid

Twelve nurses, including eight from the Kansas Air National Guard and four from the Kansas Army National Guard, are going to provide emergency aid to North Carolina officials dealing with Hurricane Florence.

The nurses will assist North Carolina Public Health officials at local shelters in the area of Brunswick, N.C., said Jane Welch, acting director of public affairs for Kansas Adjutant General Lee Tafanelli’s office. Kansas Gov. Jef Colyer said, “We are grateful to the members of our Kansas National Guard for always being ready to lend a hand when called upon, and thank them for their willingness to assist the people of North Carolina with much needed hurricane relief.” Two other Kansas Guard members are in Washington D.C. providing support to the National Guard Bureau with military intelligence and logistics, while nine airmen from the 184th Intelligence Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard are in Wichita providing satellite imagery support, Welch said.

States and Cities’ Battle for Control of 5G Reaches the FCC

ack in 2016, several major phone carriers approached the city of McAllen, Texas, about building state-of-the-art 5G wireless networks. With the promise of ultra-fast internet connection speeds and an array of potential commercial and public applications, city officials eagerly entered into discussions about amending local ordinances to accommodate the necessary infrastructure. Months later, they were close to reaching an agreement on establishing a large-scale pilot program.

It all started to unravel, though, when McAllen and other Texas cities heard about a proposal in the legislature setting statewide rules for 5G installation and prohibiting local governments from negotiating their own deals. McAllen City Attorney Kevin Pagan says the wireless providers initially assured him they weren’t interested in asking for state legislative help. But then the bill started gaining traction. Company representatives stopped responding to Pagan’s emails about the licensing agreement, and he says he hasn’t heard from them since. Across the country, telecom companies are beginning to lay the groundwork for 5G wireless networks. The buildout often pits states against cities, as in Texas. But a proposal that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to vote on Sept. 26 would not only upend future local agreements, but also preempt states. If approved, localities across the country would have drastically less authority over 5G infrastructure. The key building blocks of 5G networks are small-cell antennas interwoven throughout city infrastructure, affixed to streetlights, utility poles or buildings. Providers typically describe them as the size of pizza boxes. But in actuality some of the antennas are much larger, while others are hardly noticeable at all. They generally need to physically connect to wireline fiber, so the first places expected to get 5G are densely populated urban areas with high consumer demand and existing fiber networks. One study conducted by the municipal advocacy group Next Century Cities, of jurisdictions considered to be leaders in technology, reported that 60 percent of communities with a wireline fiber connection to residences had small cells in place, while the same was true of only a third of those without existing fiber.

Unlike cellphone towers, small-cell nodes have limited range and poor ability to send signals through physical barriers. So telecoms may need to install hundreds of small cells to cover a relatively small area — an undertaking that becomes cost-prohibitive in less urbanized areas. For this reason, Blair Levin, a former FCC official who oversaw the National Broadband Plan, says 5G is likely to further widen the digital divide that has disadvantaged parts of rural America.

(Read more: GOVERNING.com)

New infrared laser technology to help Shawnee police work efficiently

New technology that could save some of your tax dollars is coming to the Shawnee Police Department.

The Shawnee City Council recently approved about $70,000 to buy a Faro 3D Laser Scanner. It will help officers map crime and crash scenes faster, with better accuracy.

The Faros are infrared lasers. They collect scene measurements on a cloud, with accuracy of plus or minus one millimeter. Essentially, it does all the work by taking “pictures,” and takes out room for human error, making for a more efficient process.

“If we put the scanner out there we can get all the data we need from the scene and all the evidence collected, we will be able to open up the road way quicker,” Sgt. Steve Walsh with the Shawnee Police Department said.

Right now, Shawnee PD is using the same system it had since 2002, a 2D system called “Total Station” that requires four or five officers to operate it for hours at a time.

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

Riley County police director injured in bicycle crash, taken to hospital, officials say

The director of a Kansas law enforcement agency has been injured in a crash while he was riding a bicycle, officials said.

Emergency crews were dispatched to a crash with injuries at around 12:55 p.m. Tuesday in the 2700 block of Moehlman Road, a rural area about 2 miles south of Manhattan, the Riley County Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Riley County police Director Brad Schoen was riding a bicycle when he was involved in a crash with another vehicle, RCPD officials said. He was taken to Via Christi Hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, RCPD officials said.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Open Streets ICT block party, a surprise hit last year, returns even bigger this weekend

It was just something that Wichita Park & Recreation Director Troy Houtman wanted to try, an idea he’d seen presented at a conference.

So last September, not knowing how it would work out in Wichita, he and his crew closed down four miles of Wichita’s main downtown thoroughfare, filled it with food trucks and entertainment and invited Wichitans to ride their bikes over to enjoy it.

He wasn’t sure anyone would come. But they did — by the thousands. By the end of the event, organizers Wichita Park & Recreation and the Wichita Park Foundation estimated, 18,000 people had biked or walked through the first Open Streets ICT event, and many had stopped to eat, dance, play basketball, hula hoop and toss Frisbees while they were there.

“It was a tremendous success,” said Matthew Martinez, the assistant recreation supervisor for the park department. “It was exactly what we wanted to see — so many people on their bikes. We did not realize how many people in Wichita had bikes. It was amazing and so much fun.”

People loved the event so much, Martinez said, that many told organizers they should put on an Open Streets event twice a year. Organizers are considering it, but in the meantime, they’ve put together another one.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Kansas Supreme Court-appointed committee presents recommendations on municipal court practices

An ad hoc committee appointed by the Kansas Supreme Court a year ago to review bonding practices, fines, and fees of Kansas’ municipal courts presented its recommendations at a news conference Wednesday.
The 18 committee members were appointed by Chief Justice Lawton Nuss in an order signed September 6, 2017. Of the 18 members, 16 are municipal judges, one a city attorney, and one an attorney from the League of Kansas Municipalities.
The Supreme Court directed the committee to study current municipal court practices, examine the practices in other courts across the country, and recommend best practices for Kansas municipal courts.
The committee’s report offered 18 recommendations. It was delivered to the judicial administrator of the Office of Judicial Administration and to the executive director of the League of Kansas Municipalities, as spelled out in the Supreme Court order.

Wheels set in motion to celebrate Belleville’s 150th anniversary in August 2019

A gala event to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of Belleville has been set for August 16-18, 2019.
More than 20 volunteers attended a meeting of the Belleville Community PRIDE organization Sunday to lay the groundwork for the event. By consensus volunteers agreed that the Mid-America Cruise-in at the Crossroads, traditionally held in June, and the Ag Heritage Festival staged the July 4 weekend will be rolled into the 150th celebration to focus funds and volunteers into one event.

Lawrence considers requiring licenses, inspections for Airbnb, other short-term rentals

The City of Lawrence could soon begin regulating the fast-growing short-term rental business in Lawrence.

Following direction from city commissioners last year, city staff has drafted regulations that would allow short-term rentals in all residential areas, but would require them to be licensed, to be inspected annually, to be insured to a certain level and to follow occupancy limits and other restrictions. Permits for short-term rentals where the property owner resides elsewhere would be an option, but not guaranteed.

Current city code doesn’t allow short-term rentals, but that hasn’t stopped the practice from occurring in Lawrence. Figures show the number of such rentals has been growing quickly in Lawrence over the past few years.

Read more: LJWorld.

Shawnee County commission OKs expenditure to ‘thwart low-life thieves’

Shawnee County Commissioner Bob Archer said Monday he felt irritated because Shawnee County needed to spend nearly $36,000 “to thwart low-life thieves” instead of on trails or parks equipment.

Still, Archer joined Commissioners Kevin Cook and Shelly Buhler in voting 3-0 to earmark that amount to buy a security system aimed specifically at deterring the theft of copper from baseball and softball fields at Dornwood Park, 2500 S.E. Highland.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to have to spend money on something reluctantly like this,” Buhler said.

Commissioners voted to use contingency funds to spend $35,982.04 to make the sole-source purchase of a security pulse system for the Dornwood Field lights from an Olathe-based company called Elecsys and to spend $9,933.13 to repair damage to lights resulting from copper thefts at Dornwood and at Shawnee North Community Center, 300 N.E. 43rd.

Monday’s vote came after Cook noted at a commission meeting last week that the theft in July of an estimated $200 worth of copper from the Kansas Expocentre grounds would ultimately cost the county about $100,000.

Topeka police chief: Dominique White shooting transformed law enforcement in city

Topeka police chief Bill Cochran said the department would handle the aftermath of a police shooting differently compared to nearly a year ago when Dominique White was killed.

White, 30, was shot Sept. 28, 2017, by officers Michael Cruse and Justin Mackey.

“Dominique White’s shooting did more to transform law enforcement in the city of Topeka and the state of Kansas than probably any other incident in a long, long time,” Cochran said.

The investigation was handed over to the Lawrence Police Department the day of the incident.

Cochran said the department didn’t know the status of the case as LPD investigated, but that in the future they would like to have some contact with the investigating agency so they can provide answers to Topekans. “I don’t think the public liked hearing, ‘Well, Lawrence has it and we don’t have any idea what’s going on,’” he said. The department is in discussions with other eastern Kansas law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation on handling police shootings so they are more “fluid.” One proposal is to have a team that can mobilize to investigate such incidents similar to the group Johnson County law enforcement agencies formed.

“We hope another situation like this never happens, but if something happens in the future, we want to be in a better position to be more responsive and accessible to the public,” Cochran said.

Olathe Police finding officer recruitment a struggle as city grows

Police departments across the country are struggling to find officers.

In Johnson County, Kan., it’s compounded by the region’s explosive growth.

Some estimates peg the population of Olathe to top 300,000 in the next 20 years. Finding officers to protect all those people is not easy. With over 70 active neighborhood watches, there’s still a strong sense of people looking out for each other. A big piece in keeping the community safe is its police force, and that’s a job that’s growing harder all the time to recruit for.

“We had a recent testing where we only had about 12 people come in and take the test. Fifteen years ago when I was hired, there were five positions and 200 people applied for it,” Olathe Police Sgt. Logan Bonney said.

The Olathe Police Department has got two extra challenges, a lot of officers are hitting retirement age and the city’s growing a ton.

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

Gathering ideas for Great Bend’s visioning project

A visioning project in Great Bend has spent time gathering information about the community in hopes of developing a plan to bring Great Bend into the future.

Great Bend’s population has declined 2.97 percent since 2010, there are 70 vacant housing units for sale, there are four employers that have over 300 employees, and 24 percent of the population is considered a millennial between the age of 15 and 34.

These statistics and many more were put together as a starting point for the master plan according to Sheila Shockey, founder and president of Shockey Consulting Services. Shockey Consulting Services was hired by the visioning group known as, “Great Bend, Better than Great,” through money from the Harms Trust. The process includes a steering committee that is meeting to discuss what they want to see in the future.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Hutch City Council seeks approval of new zoning ordinance

The Hutchinson City Council will take final action on the rezoning proposal that would allow for more condensed development in the older parts of the city during Tuesday’s agenda session. The changes were put in place after several public meetings and studies were done to see if the infill district would make property improvement easier. One of the biggest additions with the new zoning change would allow for the construction of a small apartment on property, such as a garage apartment.

Other changes include smaller setbacks and the number of parking spaces a property must have from two to one. The new residential zone covers an area of the city from 17th south, then east and west from K-61 to Cow Creek.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Great Bend to renegotiate contract with the Chamber of Commerce

The contract between the City of Great Bend and the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce was drafted in 1999 and there have been no changes to the agreement since.

City Administrator Kendal Francis felt it was time to renegotiate the contract with the Chamber to get better clarification of what the City wants from the Chamber and the economic development the governing body wants to pursue. The contract with the Chamber automatically renews January 1, and in order to renegotiate the contract the City must give the Chamber 90 days notice. The Great Bend City Council voted in favor allowing the City to move forward with the renegotiation. Part of the Chamber’s funding comes from the special city sales tax. Through the General Fund and transfers to the Economic Development Incentives Fund, the Chamber was approved $370,000 in the 2019 budget.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Hesston library adds wifi checkout

The Hesston Public Library is expanding online offerings — now allowing library users to check out one of 10 WiFi hotspot devices.

“They check out just like a book, DVD or anything else,” said Libby Albers, head librarian at Hesston Public Library. “You can take them on the road, take them camping or take them home.”

Albers said the first users include a family that has moved and is waiting for their home internet service to be connected, a family whose cable line was cut during construction and others.

“There are a lot of ways to utilize this,” Albers said.

The Library received $3,500 grant from the Hesston Community Impact Fund through the Hesston Community Foundation, an affiliate of Central Kansas Community Foundation, to provide a new “Digital Equity” mobile WiFi hotspot lending service to library patrons.

“We had the right grant, and the right scope at the right time, so we pursued that,” Albers said.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Parsons hires new police chief

The city of Parsons announced Monday the hiring of a retired Louisiana law officer as police chief, replacing Chief Jason Sharp, who took a job with Labette Community College.

City Manager Debbie Lamb announced the hiring of Robert L. Spinks of Lake Charles, Louisiana. His hiring followed an internal, regional and national search. He was among four finalists.

An official start date will be announced soon. Spinks and his wife, Connie, are preparing for the relocation from Louisiana.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Eureka City Council To Consider Grass Clippings Ordinance

At their regular meeting last Monday, Eureka City Councilmembers discussed implementing an ordinance that would prohibit residents from blowing grass clippings into city streets. “One of our biggest issues with storm drainage is cut grass,” explained city administrator Ian Martell. Councilman Michael Countryman added, “After this last rain I drove down the street and everybody had blown everything into the street.” Martell said that one of the city crews has done almost nothing but clean storm drains this entire year, adding, “It takes a lot of time away from our guys.” He said that other cities have ordinances prohibiting such actions, with penalties falling on the property owners. He added that he plans to propose a similar ordinance in the next month.

(Read more: Eureka Herald RSS)

City of Topeka to offer Clean Slate Day this Friday

Clean Slate Day will take place on Friday, September 21st from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Topeka Municipal Court.

Clean Slate Day is an opportunity for a fresh start for people with Topeka Municipal Court offenses. This allows them to begin payment plans for outstanding fines and fees, setting new court dates for outstanding warrants and getting old violations expunged all without the fear of arrest.

The Topeka Community Foundation has provided a $3,500 grant to help those who income qualify to pay their outstanding fees and fines. The funds are available on a first come first serve basis.

“I am glad to have the opportunity to continue offering Clean Slate Day to Municipal Court defendants,” said Municipal Court Judge Lori Dougherty-Bichsel.

(Read more: WIBW News Now!)

Lawrence City Commission to consider $67,500 settlement related to police chase injuries

At its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider approving a settlement related to a high-speed police chase that ended in a car accident.

William and Sandra Gibson, of Talmage, which is near Abilene, were injured in the accident and filed a lawsuit against members of the Lawrence Police Department earlier this year. The city attorney’s office is recommending the commission approve a $67,500 settlement agreement, according to a memo to the commission. The settlement states that it is not an admission of liability and intends to avoid the expense of future litigation.

Read more: LJWorld.

After nearly a quarter of renters rate housing conditions as poor, city leaders question rental inspection program

For every 20 rental units in Lawrence today, only one was inspected by city staff in the past year. After a survey found a significant number of Lawrence residents describe their housing condition as poor, some city leaders are asking whether the city is doing enough inspections.

The resident survey, conducted as part of the city’s recent housing market analysis, indicated that 24 percent of renters rate their housing condition as poor. That percentage is higher for renters with children, at 32 percent. During the City Commission’s discussion of the housing condition responses Tuesday, commissioners questioned what that indicated about the city’s rental inspection program.

City Manager Tom Markus, who has more than 40 years of experience in municipal government, told commissioners that Lawrence has the “least aggressive” rental inspection program that he’s ever worked with.

Read more: LJWorld.

Sedgwick County deputy killed during suspicious character call, sheriff says

A 12-year veteran of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed Sunday in western Sedgwick County.
Robert Kunze was shot while responding to a suspicious character call, Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said during a Sunday evening news conference. A second person, the suspect, was also killed.
“Tragedy has struck the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office,” Easter said. “A family member of ours has been killed in the line of duty.”

New chief of interpretation wants to tell Fort Scott’s story

A chance to help continue telling the stories behind a national park and protecting it as a resource has brought Carl Brenner to the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

Brenner, who is originally from St. Louis, is the new chief of interpretation and resource management at the fort, which is a unit of the National Park Service. He officially started in the position July 22.

“It’s nice to be in an area with so much potential,” he said. “Fort Scott has a tremendous story. I want to work with the community and help tell that story.”

Brenner said he oversees education and visitor programs at the historic site, and also makes sure its buildings and grounds are maintained and in compliance with federal preservation rules and regulations.

He brings a firm knowledge of the NPS and some of its sites across the U.S. with him to his new post.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Water extension to bring RO water to more customers in Clay Center

Work on the largest recent expansion of the city’s water system will continue into next year making RO water available to Prairie Meadows and the new housing addition east of town, Scott Glaves, PU superintendent told Rotarians Thursday noon.

The three mile long, 6-inch extension starts near the flat mile on 19th Street, runs east to Ottawa Road, then south to US-24 looping through Prairie Meadows then back west to the Meadowbrook addition.

In addition, the PUC will clean and repaint the blue east water tower inside and out. Glaves said the current paint job is 17 years old and has caused a mildew ring to appear around the outside of the water tower.

Glaves said putting 65 degree water into the tower in 100 degree weather causes the outside to “sweat” condensation, eventually leading to the dark mildew line about one third the way down from the top of the tank.

The project will cost about $250,000, Glaves said.

Glaves also introduced Heath Craig, a Clay Center native who was recently hired to manage the city’s $10 million reverse osmosis water purification plant.

JoCo city’s top administrator resigns

Cheryl Harrison-Lee, the top administrator for the city of Gardner, a fast-growing Johnson County suburb 30 miles south of Kansas City, has resigned, the city announced Friday.

On Friday, the city issued a press release saying Harrison-Lee had resigned effective Sept. 10. The announcement went on to praise her contributions to the city since she was hired in 2012, especially in the areas of strategic planning and economic development.

Gardner is one of Johnson County’s fastest growing cities, with a population of more than 21,000. It has recently attracted a new hotel and conference center, along with a multimillion-dollar manufacturing and distribution center for a California-based educational supply company.

“On behalf of the city, I want to thank Cheryl for her contribution in positioning Gardner for business expansion and economic growth,” Mayor Steve Shute said in a statement. “She helped set the framework, and we will continue to build upon her legacy to see our complete vision come to fruition.”

(Read more: Government & Politics News |)

Two Garden City videos win national awards

The City of Garden City has won two national awards for videos produced by its IT & Communications Department. The awards were given by the City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA).

3CMA is a national network of local government communicators. Each year during its annual conference, the organization hosts an awards competition called “The Savvy Awards” to recognize outstanding local government achievements in communications, marketing, engagement, and creativity. The City of Garden City received two awards at this year’s event, a Savvy for the video “Infinite Hope” and an Award of Excellence for the “IT Stormwater PSA.”

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Hays IT Director: ‘Cybersecurity keeps me up at night’

The city of Hays has a $2 million line of cyber liability in its commercial insurance policy with MPR (Midwest Public Risk), a group of public pooling entities across Missouri and Kansas.

Cybersecurity insurance is being sought by an increasing number of U.S. cities, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal.

Hays has two main data centers located at city hall and at the police department, with 48 network routers and approximately 248 PCs and servers in 11 locations.

The IT Department, which recently relocated from the downtown city hall to a larger space in the Hays Welcome Center, 2700 Vine, provides Geographic Information Services, telecommunications services and support for citywide software applications. The five-person IT staff also maintains the city’s website, www.haysusa.com, and online utility bill payments. One technician is dedicated to the police department and security; another technician takes care of everything else in the city. The GIS Specialist is a shared position with Ellis County.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Hutchinson picks Riley County PD captain as city’s next police chief

The Hutchinson Police Department Friday says following an extensive search process, the city selected its next police chief.

The city says Jeffrey Hooper will take leadership of the Hutchinson Police Department on Oct. 22. Hooper replaces Chief Dick Heitschmidt who’s retiring Monday after 26 years guiding the department.

For the past 27 years, Hooper served with the Riley County Police Department where he currently serves as a captain, a position he’s held for 14 years. His other roles with the RCPD included police officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant.

The City of Hutchinson says Hooper has a decree in sociology/criminal justice and is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy. Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff says Hooper’s education, leadership abilities and “broad law-enforcement experience” make him the right fit to be Hutchinson’s next police chief.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Chief Heitschmidt takes his last call

Responding to a police call a couple of years ago, Hutchinson Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt found himself the first officer on the scene – “with four or five young guys who were not behaving.”

“It ran through my mind that these guys could take a 60-year-old pretty quick,” Heitschmidt said last week as a reminisced about his years of service with the department.

He decided then perhaps it was time to cut back on the weekend night patrols, or at least arrive later. He still occasionally goes on calls – “I still feel capable of lending a hand if someone needs help,” he said – but he’s not been on the street much these days. In fact, his last duty was working the Hutchinson High School homecoming parade.

Heitschmidt, 66, will officially retire Oct. 1 as Hutchinson’s Police Chief after 46 years in law enforcement, including 26 years in the top spot.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

National Fireworks Association closes out convention in Andover

“We’re really excited,” said Alaina Dudley and Quinn Hamilton, who came to watch the fireworks with their families.

It’s all thanks to the National Fireworks Association. The annual convention has been in town all week shooting off fireworks and it finished off with a bang.

“I didn’t even know there was a National Fireworks Association so to hear that they do this every year is really, really cool,” said Krista Gerlach, who brought her family to see the fireworks.

As a thank you to the city, the association set off a huge public display on Friday night, featuring synchronized music.

“Synchronized fireworks is really hard because it’s not that often that you see fireworks synchronized to music,” Hamilton said.

Buyers and fireworks manufacturers came to Andover this week from all over the world to see and purchase fireworks for next year’s 4th of July.

The city says the final show was worth around $200,000, an amount of fireworks that not many have ever seen.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Licenses to grow industrial hemp in Kan. could be ready by spring

The Kansas Department of Agriculture hopes to start issuing licenses for farmers to grow industrial hemp in time for next year’s spring planting season.

Agency spokeswoman Heather Lansdowne said on Friday that proposed rules and regulations were submitted earlier in the week to the Department of Administration. That’s the first step in a long process required to establish an industrial hemp program in Kansas.

The program will initially allow growing hemp only for research. But officials said in an economic impact statement that a successful research-based pilot program may lead to the eventual legalization of commercial industrial hemp.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Neosho County continues to hear opinions on wind project

Residents of southwest Neosho County continued discussion of the pros and cons of a wind generation project during Friday morning’s county commission meeting.

Opponent Bryon Coover took issue with information presented at a town hall meeting in Galesburg and in letters to residents. Dale Jeffrey gave information about mutations and deformed animals near European wind generation areas because of low-level noise.

Opponent Andrew Burnett encouraged distributing a map of the footprint of the proposed area, and said some land owners do not realize they will be inside it. He also discussed declines in grassland bird populations near wind generation sites.

Leroy Burke also raised issues with tax exemptions on the property.

Galesburg Mayor Adam Tromsness said he has met with families who support the project.

“We’ve had a lot of questions and concerns,” he said, adding that the Galesburg council has not formally voted whether or not to support the project. Apex Clean Energy has proposed constructing 100 to 130 wind generator turbines in the area southwest of Erie and east of Thayer. The roughly 100-square-mile area is between Anderson and Pratt roads and between 140th and 50th roads.Apex is also planning a wind generation project in southwest Bourbon County and northwest Crawford County. Road and Bridge Director Mike Brown said he has heard that some residents in the Stark area are signing up for it.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Technology council forming to help retain and attract talent to Wichita

Few sectors are more coveted by any community working to grow its economy than the high-paying technology industry.

And in Wichita, an important new initiative is coming together that its stakeholders believe will give the city a new edge in retraining and recruiting the kind of tech talent that will help fuel regional growth.

A yet-to-be named technology council is in its formative stages that Dave Cunningham, CEO of Flint Hills Group and the board chairman of the planned council, says will provide the kind of overarching and unbiased connective resource that the industry has never had locally.

A nine-person board has been meeting every other week for the past six weeks now, as the group formalizes a name and incorporates as a nonprofit organization.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

Topeka mayor diagnosed with Lyme disease after tick bite

opeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla says she has been diagnosed with Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick.

She said she was bitten by a tick after exercising outdoors and hiking.

KTKA reports that in order to get better, De La Isla said she will be administered high levels of Doxycycline for a month. She will also undergo a spinal tap and other medical procedures to help her recover.

A new report shows that Lyme disease is on the rise in all 50 states, and even in areas where it has not typically been in the past.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Century II committee: Iconic building ‘past its useful life’

One of downtown Wichita’s most iconic buildings was described Friday as a crumbling, leaky and obsolete structure.

That was the general sentiment expressed during a Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center citizens steering committee meeting at the downtown facility.

“I speak for myself, but I think we’ve all felt that it has to be now,” said Mary Beth Jarvis, the committee’s chairwoman. “If you don’t change for the future now, when does your future start?”

During the hour-long lunchtime meeting, committee members seemed to agree that Century II has long since outlived its usefulness as a top-tier performance arts space. The committee is expected to present its recommendations to Mayor Jeff Longwell and the City Council later this year.

(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)

Douglas County Commission signals intent to raise age to buy tobacco products

The Douglas County Commission signaled Wednesday that it would pass an ordinance increasing the age to legally buy tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping liquids, to 21.

All three county commissioners said they favored the age increase. But commissioners said formal action would have to wait until county counselor John Bullock reviewed the measure, which was proposed by the LiveWell Lawrence Tobacco 21 task force and Resist, a Boys & Girls Club anti-smoking team.
Commissioners said the age increase would be mostly symbolic. There are only four stores in the county’s unincorporated areas that would be affected. One of the issues commissioners asked Bullock to review is whether the commission had any authority to regulate sales at Clinton Marina, which is within Clinton State Park.

Read more: LJWorld.

What should a cemetery look like? New draft rules would allow for additional decorations at Lawrence gravesites

City officials presented the first draft of new rules for grave decorations at the city’s cemeteries, which would allow plot owners more decoration options, including limited borders and ground cover.

The Parks and Recreation Department oversees three cemeteries — Oak Hill, Maple Grove and Memorial Park — and already has rules regarding decorations, but those rules have not been strictly enforced. The draft, which was discussed as part of a public meeting Wednesday, allows additional decorations, such as shepherd hooks, borders and personal items, as long as they are placed within 6 inches of markers and not on the side of the marker that borders the adjacent plot.

Read more: LJWorld.

Shawnee PD’s new 3D laser scanner halves investigation time

Shawnee police officers’ investigations of crashes and crime scenes just got more detailed and more than twice as efficient.

The 3D Scanner software produces a detailed and scaled map of a crash or crime scene, including a 360-degree perspective, according to Shawnee city records.

One officer utilizing a 3D Laser Scanner can record a scene in about 60 percent of the time required by four officers using a Total Station, the Shawnee Police Department’s current device. In fact, the city’s traffic safety unit recommended purchasing the FARO 3D Laser Scanner because it can record and measure a 150-meter area in roughly seven minutes.

Mayor Michelle Distler approved the purchase during the Monday council meeting.

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Clay County Commissioners approve ‘cow patty Bingo’ on the Courthouse Square

Clay County 4-Hers will be offering something new on The Square for Piotique.

Shannon Stark, Chamber Director, and two FFA members at Clay County Community High School, Logan Fickes and Alex Benson met with Clay County Commissioners on Monday to ask permission to use the Courthouse Square for Cow Patty Bingo during Piotique.

They will use a small bucket calf and a tarp to help keep the mess as minimal as possible. The event will help raise money for the FFA members to attend Leadership Conference in June. Commissioners granted them permission.

(Read more: www.ccenterdispatch.com)

The Highlands’ ballot lands on the green, 135-1

Residents told The Highlands City Council in July they would support a budget levying $60,000 in property taxes. They were true to their word.

In a special election Thursday, Sept. 14, voters in the small city built around a golf course voted 135-1 for the budget ballot, according to unofficial results. Four provisional ballots will be considered by a Reno County board of canvassers Tuesday.

The city mill levy could be about 14.5 mills under the $60,000 budget scenario, residents attending a July town hall meeting were told. Residents indicated they found a $60,000 budget more palatable than a $90,000 or $120,000 budget for the city established in mid-2017.

The state’s tax lid on local governments triggered the need for The Highlands City Council to secure voter approval. If the ballot had failed, the city would have had no budget for 2019.

“Basically, we wouldn’t have been a city,” said Mayor Mo Penny, if the ballot had failed.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

New Overstock distribution center to open in KCK

Overstock.com will open a new distribution center at 5300 Kansas Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas, according to an announcement today.

Overstock.com is a leading online home goods and furniture retailer.

According to a spokesman, about 100 jobs are expected to be created in the next two years at the distribution center.

The distribution center is not moving but is a new facility in the Overstock.com network, according to Ashlie Hand, vice president of communications for the Kansas City Area Development Council.

(Read more: Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!)

Johnson County approves adding more jobs, help at Mental Health Center

As the number of calls for mental health services continue to rise, so do the number of resources around the metro.

On Thursday, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners approved adding an extra dispatcher at the Johnson County Mental Health Center, two clinicians at the Olathe and Shawnee clinics and expanded two part-time positions to full-time.

The transportation program is one of many programs offered at the center. It allows clients to find a way to get to work, school or doctor appointments.

“It is going to help a lot of clients get to and from employment to work, school and medical appointments within the community. So it will have a lot of impact on a lot of people,” said Tanner Fortney, director of operations.

The new positions will cost a total of $326,000 annually. The majority of the money will come from the state through a community mental health centers contract.

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

Shawnee County Commissioner: $200 copper theft brings $100,000 in costs

The theft in July of an estimated $200 worth of copper from the Kansas Expocentre grounds will ultimately cost the county about $100,000, county commission chairman Kevin Cook said Thursday.

He asked what Shawnee County could do to deter copper thieves.

“I wish I knew,” replied facilities maintenance director Bill Kroll.

Commissioners Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer voted 3-0 Thursday to approve two proposals enabling Kroll’s department to pay costs resulting from the crimes.

Kroll said a security camera video showed burglars on July 17 entered the Expocentre grounds and tried unsuccessfully to steal copper from a 40-ton DX chiller unit near the south entrance outside the Agricultural Hall, but destroyed that unit.

The burglars also stole two 3.5-ton condensing units from outside a vacant former fire station the county owns on the Expocentre grounds at 1715 S.W. Topeka Blvd., he said.

Cook said the crimes happened in a “very public, very open area,” so he was surprised no witnesses reported seeing them occur.

The security camera video was turned over to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, which was investigating, Kroll said.

JoCo adds to parks: Big Bull Creek Park and one in the Stilwell area

Johnson County is celebrating two additions to its parks system this month: the colossal Big Bull Creek Park in southwest Johnson County and a playground in the Stilwell area that’s accessible to all children, including those with disabilities.

Officials will cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on Big Bull Creek Park, an expanse of about 2,000 acres at 20425 Sunflower Road in Edgerton. It is now the largest park in the county system, which also includes Shawnee Mission and Heritage parks.
According to a county planning document, the idea of acquiring land for the park dates to 1997 when a Citizens Visioning Committee recommended that action be taken to balance development with the preservation of open spaces.

The next year, voters approved a referendum that allowed the park district to acquire 1,334 acres for the park between 1999 and 2001. An additional 600 acres were acquired in 2005. Development of the park had to await a budget increase for the parks district in 2015.

The district’s website put the cost of the first phase of improvements at $6 million. Part of the long-range vision is to restore natural habitats to make the park more hospitable to wildlife.

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Shawnee dissolves TIF district for controversial development proposal at 62nd and Pflumm

Shawnee leaders have decided to dissolve a decade-old public financing district established in hopes of helping spur a housing project at 62nd and Pflumm.

Developers tried twice to move forward with projects at the northwest corner of the intersection, but they never got out of the ground.

In late 2008, the council had approved a project plan and redevelopment agreement with Cobblestone Village LLC for a mixed-use housing and retail project aimed at seniors. That project was never started because of the onset of the Great Recession, so the council terminated the project plan in January 2014 and approved a funding agreement for a new developer, QRivit LLC, to take over a similar plan.

But the updated project plan, which would have had a 14-building, 312-unit apartment complex in it, drew resistance from the neighborhood. The city council rejected it on a 3-5 vote in January 2016 — a move that spurred a lawsuit from the developer. A year ago, a Johnson County judge rejected the company’s claims that the project had been improperly denied and found that the city council had been justified in their actions.

Leavenworth County responds to petition in lawsuit

An attorney for the Leavenworth County Commission has filed a response to an amended petition in a lawsuit filed against the county by the city of Leavenworth.

At issue in the lawsuit are county plans for improvements at the intersection of 20th Street and Eisenhower Road.

An attorney for the city of Leavenworth filed an amended petition in the lawsuit late last month. The petition argues a 2016 agreement between the county and cities of Leavenworth and Lansing requires the county to pay for left turn lanes and traffic signals at the intersection.

In a response filed Tuesday by Senior County Counselor David Van Parys, the attorney for the County Commission argues “that the terms of the agreement between the parties entered into on or about March 21, 2016, speak for themselves and that the parties are bound by those terms unless otherwise amended by the parties.”

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)