Kansas Municipal News
Merriam City Council gets first look at new $136M concept to remake former Kmart site
The Merriam City Council on Monday got its first look at a development concept that could remake the abandoned Kmart property on Shawnee Mission Parkway. After some uncertainty over the property’s future, Overland Park-based Drake Development appears to be holding steady on its plans to turn the long-vacant lot into a mixed-use development. But several more steps must occur before any plans for the prominent site are finalized.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Tuesday marks 30 years since devastating F-5 ‘Andover Tornado’
Today marks 31 years since of one of Kansas’ most devastating tornadoes. Known as the Andover Tornado, the F-5 caused damage across Harper, Sedgwick and Butler Counties on April 26, 1991. That twister claimed 17 lives — most of them taken from the Golden Spur mobile home park. It began with a touchdown in Harper County and then tore across Sedgwick and Butler counties. In Sedgwick County it grew to F-3 intensity and tore through parts of south and east Wichita, making a direct hit on McConnell Air Force Base. Four people were killed in Sedgwick County. The tornado then grew to F-5 intensity and went through the community of Andover in Butler county. Anyone not watching television or listening to their radio when the storm hit received no warning that day. The town’s only siren had failed to sound. Major damage was incurred and 13 people were killed.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita officials looking at steps to protect, replace trees in the community
Wichita City Council members are looking over a proposed new policy to promote tree planting and protect existing trees in the community. The proposal was presented during a workshop meeting Tuesday. The city’s park and recreation director, Troy Houtman, said the city is in a situation where it is having a net loss of trees. He said a number of trees are dying because of disease or because they have reached the end of their life span. He said the proposed policy will protect trees that are in good health. It would set up a review process to avoid tree loss and it would have a plan for replacement of lost trees. The policy will apply to city development projects on city property and on rights-of-way. There will be a minimum number of trees for each site, and a plan will be created for each development to maintain and protect the trees. There will also be a program where the city and the public can apply for a tree to be designated as a “Heritage Tree” as a protective status.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Co-living rentals banned in Shawnee after unanimous council vote
On Monday, a Johnson County city unanimously voted to ban a living arrangement aimed at helping tenants decrease the amount of rent they pay. The Shawnee City Council voted 8-0 to ban co-living, becoming among the first Kansas City area municipalities to prevent the practice, which has gained popularity in recent years as rent and home prices have soared. The new ordinance defines a co-living group as a group of at least four unrelated adults living together in a dwelling unit. The ordinance stated that if one adult is unrelated to another adult, then the entire group will be classified as unrelated.
Source: KC Star Local News
Voting begins for $143.5 million Hays school bond
Early voting began Monday on a school bond in Hays. The bond totals $143.5 million. With it, USD 489 hopes to renovate two elementary schools, renovate the current middle school into a new elementary, construct a new high school and move the middle school to the high school. One older elementary school and administration center would be closed. “I’m expecting a big turnout and that is just because there’s been a lot of push for this bond issue. There’s been a lot of things in the news, signs all over our town so you know I’m expecting a big turnout,” said Ellis County Clerk/Election Official Bobbi Dreiling.
Source: KSN-TV
Dodge City named Most Charming Small Town in Kansas
In its 150th year since it was established, the city of Dodge City was named the Most Charming Small Town in Kansas by the travel website Trips to Discover. “Once considered to be the wildest town in the Wild West, with a cast of colorful characters, including gamblers, cowboys, and prostitutes, Dodge City offers plenty of historic charms,” author K.C. Dermody wrote about the small community in southwest Kansas. “Boot Hill Museum focuses on its heritage with entertaining historical exhibits, and there are trolley tours of historic sites, along with mock gunfights complete with costumed cowboys. Grabbing a drink in one of the saloons is a great way to soak up the atmosphere,” said Dermody.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita’s City Council: Leave TIF district policy as is for transparency sake
During a workshop meeting Tuesday, Wichita’s City Council explored potential changes to the criteria for tax increment financing districts — an economic development tool that captures the incremental increases in property taxes within a district’s boundaries to cover certain costs of private development. The strongest message delivered Tuesday by three members of the Council, though, was to leave it be. I like the TIF language as is,” Council member Brandon Johnson said during the meeting. “… The proposed one I get, but I just know that other taxpayers really want to see final effort and everything’s been exhausted.”
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Does the ‘Future of Work’ Open a New Growth Horizon for Small Towns?
With the changing shape of remote and hybrid workplaces, and the continuing spread of high-speed internet access in rural areas, new options are opening up for bringing small-scale jobs and companies to towns all over the map. More specifically, with $65 billion for improvements to rural high-speed internet access in President Biden’s infrastructure plan, the potential for a renaissance and reinvention of small towns looms large. Leveraging that potential in a way that creates sustainable growth, will take a multi-dimensional approach.
Source: KLC Journal
Overland Park city workers rescue 11 ducklings caught in spillway at South Lake Park
Friday afternoon rescuing a troop of ducklings that had gotten into some trouble during a swim lesson at South Lake Park. A total of 11 of the fluffy little creatures accidentally swam into an overflow spillway in the park’s lake, basically a 20-foot hole. “The spillway has a kind of gate cover so that obviously no one can fall in there, but the ducks were able to swim through there,” said Mike Burton, Overland Park parks project coordinator.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Accessibility updates to Pittsburg City Hall
Much needed change is coming to Pittsburg City Hall. Construction will be soon underway to improve the accessibility of City Hall. These changes include new steps and a new ramp in front of the building. The main entrance to City Hall is closed. Residents can use the east and west entrances to enter City Hall as needed. “All the departments, you can still get up to the front desk in City Hall to do any business you need to conduct as regular through either the west side or the east side of the building,” said Matt Bacon, Director of Public Works Pittsburg KS.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Johnson County public transit may fall under county control once again
Four months after committing to several major changes that will expand public transit, Johnson County commissioners are now considering dropping out of a management agreement with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to run its services. Background: The interlocal agreement, in which KCATA manages contracts of the entities that run the county transit system, has been in place for seven years. The change was proposed so the county can keep a closer eye on several pilot projects that will begin to be phased in next month, according to a staff memo. But the county system will remain a part of KCATA’s RideKC brand and system, and riders will not notice any change, the memo said.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Kansas school districts anticipate growing shortfalls in special education funding
A creeping budget shortfall, that’s the situation described for Kansas school districts trying to figure out how to make up state funding shortfalls for special education. The issue has been in conflict for more than a decade and has been brought up once again as lawmakers mull over the matter in Topeka, Kansas. The situation, however, is also being talked about locally as local school districts look at their budgets and try to figure out the ebb and flow of finances for the next few years. At a recent meeting of the Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education, district officials laid out how special education funding, or SPED funding, has become a bigger divot year-to-year.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
U.S. News ranks KCK high school best in Kansas, among top 50 in nation
A Kansas City, Kansas high school has once again been ranked No. 1 by U.S. News as the best high school in the state of Kansas, Kansas City-area, as well as one of the top in the nation. Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences was ranked by U.S. News as the number one high school in Kansas and ranked 32 in the nation. The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Inman USD 448 bond issue for new sports complex up for vote
New sports facilities and improved drainage at Inman High School are up for vote next week for a bond project for Inman USD 448. The special election on Tuesday, May 3 will feature a bond project worth $5 million that will include the construction of new baseball, softball and football fields – all with natural grass – and a new track around the football field. The construction will also include drainage improvements in the vicinity of the athletic complex. … This is not the first time Inman has pushed for new sports facilities. Three years ago, voters rejected a proposed $8.6 million bond issue to help improve sports facilities. Friesen said the school board has talked about improving facilities “for a number of years.”
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for April 25, 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.
Small town big community spirit after tornado
After the latest tornado to roll over Sharon Springs, the community of 751 wasted no time getting together to clean it all up. “I would say it just wasn’t even a second thought,” said Aften Gardner, assistant EMS Director for Wallace County. “Our fire and EMS are already volunteer, completely. And we’ve got amazing responders to begin with. I wasn’t surprised at all.” In October of last year, like the tornado over this weekend, the town was hit by an EF1 twister. And just like six months ago the volunteers found broken windows all over town. They found roofing that collapsed and papers from a local business scattered as well.
Source: KSN-TV
City of Wichita employee gets surprise honor
A City of Wichita employee got a big surprise Monday during what he thought was just a work-related meeting. The Wichita city manager, mayor and council members showed up and presented Reginald “Reggie” Davidson with an Excellence in Public Service Award. The awards go to three public service employees each year – a City of Wichita employee, a Sedgwick County employee, and a Wichita Public Schools employee. We will find out the County winner on Wednesday and the WPS winner on Thursday. During a meeting of some Wichita Parks and Recreation personnel, City Manager Robert Layton called Davidson, superintendent of recreation, to the front of the room and shook his hand.
Source: KSN-TV
How a dropped phone became a Garden City power outage
The people in southeast Garden City may be wondering why they lost their electricity for a couple of hours Sunday afternoon. Police say it is because someone in a pickup crashed into a power pole in the 1500 block of East Fulton Street over the noon hour. The pole was sheared off and suspended in the air by electric cables. Witnesses told police that the driver had fled. With the help of the Kansas Highway Patrol, police identified the driver as a 71-year-old Garden City man.
Source: KSN-TV
Fort Scott National Historic Site draws visitors for Civil War Encampment weekend
Fort Scott gets transformed back to the 1860’s. This weekend was the “39th Annual Civil War Encampment Weekend” at the Fort Scott National Historic Site. A surgery demonstration was held at the historic hospital on the grounds. Small arms demonstrations were performed as attendees learned about different firing techniques, while the canons were brought out for artillery demonstrations. A quartermaster showed people about the different kinds of food that was served over 150 years ago.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Leavenworth welcomes Bird e-scooters this week
Electric scooters are gliding into Leavenworth this week. The city will eventually have between 50 and 75 of the electric scooters available for anyone over the age of 18 to use. But Kansas law prohibits electric scooter use on all highways, including Fourth Street, Spruce Street and Metropolitan Avenue. Riders need to download Bird’s mobile app. Once activated, a map in the app will show riders where scooters are located. The app also provides information about pricing and fees for users. Bird says it offers community pricing for low-income riders and free rides for healthcare workers and emergency personnel who apply for a specific program in the app.
Source: KSNT 27 News