Kansas Municipal News
Councilmember, petition call for Shawnee’s new co-living ban to be revisited
Shawnee’s new rules on the number of unrelated adults who can inhabit a single living space are unclear enough that one city councilmember suggested Monday that they need to be revisited and better explained. “For me, I got this one wrong,” said Councilmember Jill Chalfie during the meeting’s final minutes. Chalfie was part of the unanimous vote in favor of the ordinance April 25. However, there is no indication that the rest of the council would be willing to take another look at the new regulation. Chalfie’s remarks came after a week in which Shawnee drew national news and social media attention, much of it negative, over the new restrictions governing co-living arrangements.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
You could save up to $30 a month on high-speed internet under federal program
The Biden Administration unveiled its plan Monday to increase the availability of low-cost, high-speed internet for families across the country. The government secured agreements with 20 internet service providers to reduce monthly service costs by up to $30 a month (or $75 a month on Tribal lands). About 48 million households—40% of the U.S.—qualify. Participating companies include AT&T, Comcast/Xfinity and Spectrum, among others. It’s called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and is part of bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed last year.
Source: KSN-TV
Biden announces program offering discounted internet service
President Joe Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy. “High speed internet is not a luxury any longer. It’s a necessity,” Biden said at a sun-drenched rose garden event with representatives from participating companies, as well as members of Congress. The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on internet service for millions of lower-income households.
Source: KSN-TV
Kansas effort to improve computer science education signed into law
A new law signed Tuesday by Gov. Laura Kelly seeks to promote computer science education in Kansas schools. The measure enacts the Promoting Advancement in Computing Knowledge Act, which requires each secondary school to offer at least one computer science course beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Alternatively, those schools operating under a school district can submit a plan to the State Board of Education describing how the district intends to offer a computer science course and when they intend to offer it. In addition, House Bill 2466 requires the State Board to submit an annual report to the Legislature each January until 2025 detailing the success of the programs.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
Starbucks plat approved for Newton
The City Commission approved a final plat for a Starbucks coffee shop to be built on the south end of Newton. Harvey County Now has published multiple stories in recent months about the upcoming development. The City Commission meeting marked the first time the City confirmed its knowledge of the development in an official capacity. “The developer is ready to build the building and it’s going to be a Starbucks,” City Engineer Suzanne Loomis said at the Tuesday commission meeting. The approval of the plat marks the last bureaucratic hurdle for development of the chain coffee shop in Newton. It’s planned to be built in a section of Walmart’s existing parking lot directly south of the Subway restaurant located along South Kansas.
Source: Harvey County Now
Voters approve bond issue to improve Hays schools
Hays will build a new high school thanks to voters who passed a bond issue. The $145.3 million bond passed by 526 votes. Voters also approved a half-cent sales tax to pay for the bond. The money will go towards a new high school. The money will also be used to renovate the current high school into a middle school and the middle school into an elementary school. Two other elementary buildings will also be renovated.
Source: KAKE – News
Andover homeowners question city code
The City of Andover could keep up to 15% of the insurance claim settlements on a home that suffers at least 75% loss following the recent tornado. Some homeowners say that doesn’t seem right. “I am amazed. I, ah, I don’t even know what to say,” said Andover homeowner Janice Eden. “I don’t see how that’s possible.” Turns out state statute allows municipalities to write the issue into city code. Andover has just that on the books. “In the years I’ve been an insurance agent, I’ve never seen it happen, but I have talked to some contractors who said it does happen,” said Cy Wiggans with Wiggans Farha Insurance Group. “Wichita does it on a sporadic basis. Some people in Andover might be getting hit with that. The main purpose of it is to make sure that the contractors complete the job.”
Source: KSN-TV
STAR Bonds in Derby passes 8-0
The STAR Bonds in Derby passed 8-0 on Tuesday during Derby’s City Council meeting. According to the City of Derby, the Final Phase for the STAR Bonds development consists of a family entertainment and multi-sport area that includes: A man-made public access lagoon with beach activities (scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports), an aerial park, and indoor and outdoor event venues. 6-acre glamping site, offering glamorous camping on permanent platforms with amenities such as running water, plumbing, electricity, etc. A 150-room hotel offering exclusive beach access and an indoor pool.
Source: KSN-TV
AT&T launches new 911 location service
AT&T launched a new 911 location service Tuesday intended to improve emergency response for the public. The company says 68% of adults don’t have a landline in their homes, and over 80% of 911 calls now come from mobile phones. Typically, when a call is placed to 911, the wireless phone is routed based on the closest cell tower, which can cover up to a 10-mile radius. This means that sometimes callers are transferred from one dispatch center to another when seeking help, causing delays when an emergency response is needed.
Source: KSN-TV
Shawnee loosens rules for shooting off fireworks around Fourth of July
The Shawnee City Council Monday night made changes in its municipal rules that permit other types of fireworks for recreational use and will eventually allow pop-up firework stands within its city limits. Councilmembers decided to wade slowly into the idea of loosening up restrictions on fireworks. Under the new rules, the use of fireworks would be limited to July 3rd and 4th until 11 p.m. The noise ordinance was also adjusted to exempt the use of fireworks on those days. The city, like many others in Johnson County, currently only allows relatively low-risk fireworks like snaps, snakes and sparklers that are rated below 1.4G, said Deputy Fire Chief Corey Sands.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Medical marijuana bill stalls in Kansas Senate
Medical marijuana legalization in Kansas has once again stalled this year. A joint plan from the House and Senate that would legalize cannabis medically, is now stuck in the committee after a meeting was held to go over differences of both chamber’s proposals. As the legislative session comes to a close, lawmakers have now found themselves still in the early stages of carving out the piece of legislation. According to a spokesman for Senate leadership, Mike Pirner, the bill is not likely to gain any momentum when lawmakers meet again on May 23 to officially end the session.
Source: Western Kansas News
Where can apartment renters get the most for their money? In Wichita, study finds
Apartment renters in Wichita get the most bang for their buck when it comes to square footage compared other large cities in the U.S., a recent study has found. Wichita ranked No. 1 on a list of America’s 100 largest cities where you can rent the largest apartment on a budget of $1,500 a month. The study, published in March by RentCafe.com, a nationwide apartment search website, found that renters in Wichita can live in a 1,597 square-foot, four-bedroom apartment for $1,500 a month. That’s about one square foot of space for every dollar.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Topeka grapples with intersection rules
Topeka’s city government in January 2020 banned pedestrians from interacting with vehicle occupants at 23 specific Topeka intersections. But people on foot still sometimes ask drivers for money at those crossings, according to members of the Topeka and Shawnee County News & Police Scanner Facebook group.
Source: CJonline
Topeka USD 501 network under attack
It was a normal spring school day in Topeka USD 501 when district technicians noticed something suspicious in their network activity. The districtwide computer network that allows the district’s students and teachers access to the internet was seeing a huge spike in traffic. Normally, Topeka USD 501’s bandwidth can easily handle the average network load of students turning in online assignments and teachers checking email, with the district rarely using up more than 30% of its bandwidth, said Scott Gowan, chief information officer for the district. But there was no mistaking the signature of the spike in activity, and after the surge brought down the district’s internet access for about five minutes, the technicians were sure of one thing. The district was under a DDoS attack.
Source: CJonline
Hutchinson-area homes for sale rise in price to $99,900
A typical Reno County home listed for $99,900 in March, up 5.3% from a month earlier, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows. The median list home price in March was down about 7.7% from March 2021. Reno County’s median home was 1,464 square feet for a listed price of $81 per square foot. The Reno County market was busy, with a median 36 days on market. The market added 64 new home listings in March, compared with the 64 added in March 2021. The market ended the month with some 49 listings of homes for sale.
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for May 9, 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.
Most top Kansas schools are in Johnson County, but KCK high school ranks No. 1: Report
Seven of the top 10 high schools in Kansas are in Johnson County, according to a new national ranking, but once again, the No. 1 school in the state is in Kansas City, Kansas. Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, was named the top school in the Kansas rankings, compiled by U.S. News & World Report. Nationwide, Sumner placed 32nd, making it the highest ranking public high school in Kansas or Missouri. Sumner has regularly landed at No. 1 in Kansas in recent years, including in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Source: Joco 913 News
Atchison Intern Earns Scholarship for Public Administration Program
Current City of Atchison intern and Benedictine College senior Olivia Ortiz was awarded the Virgil Basgall Scholarship for next year as she is preparing to attend the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration. Ortiz has been a management intern with the city since Spring of 2021. Ortiz is planning to pursue a Master’s in Public Administration, with an emphasis on city/county management. “This is a well-deserved honor for a fantastic intern who will no doubt make a great city manager one day,” Atchison City Manager Amy Finch said. Ortiz has taken on such tasks as running the city’s Citizen’s Academy, supporting and filling in for the city clerk, researching policy issues, and teaching staff newer technology.
Source: Atchison Globe Now
Tourism on the Rise in Fort Scott
Tourism is the act of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while using commercial services, according to Britannica Dictionary. Local tourism is looking healthy as evidenced by the transient guest tax from 2015 through 2022, which just completed its first quarter, Jackson Tough, Fort Scott’s Public Relations and Tourism Director said. “Transient guest tax is probably the most common form of raising funds to promote tourism in a given community,” Tough said. “It’s simply a tax on hotel/motel rooms that visitors pay when they stay in Fort Scott.”
Source: Fort Scott Biz
Residents push back on Shawnee’s controversial ‘co-living’ restrictions
Shawnee resident Val French said she first learned about the city’s controversial co-living restrictions by scrolling through Twitter. She said she was upset. She didn’t get a direct notice from the city or her councilmember and was concerned her housing would soon be in jeopardy. French currently lives with her blended family of five, including herself, her husband, her son, her stepson and her son’s girlfriend, who are all over 18. The recently passed ordinance states that “co-living” is defined as four or more “unrelated” people living together. It also states that if one person in a group is unrelated to another adult, the entire group will be considered unrelated.
Source: KC Star Local News