Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

After outcry over Merriam pool, council votes to bump up size. But some still unhappy

For many longtime Merriam residents, the essence of summer has been hanging out at the 50-meter Vavra Park community pool that they consider the best in Johnson County, with its high-dive board and children’s play area.

So when they found out recently that the new $30 million community center and aquatics center would lead to a smaller outdoor pool with no high-dive board, they felt blindsided over what they considered to be a broken promise from the city.

Tina Cheatham and several other residents complained Monday to the City Council that reducing the outdoor pool wasn’t explained in campaign materials before voters approved the community center sales tax in 2016. That center will be built in Vavra Park, between Ikea Way and Slater Street. While the city plans to add an indoor pool, gymnasium, fitness area, walking track, classrooms, party room and other amenities, Cheatham told the city council, “That doesn’t mean you should take away from the people who enjoy outdoor swimming.”

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Hays to discuss annexation for potential development of Tractor Supply Co.

The Hays City Commission at its next regular meeting Thursday will decide whether to annex and approve a 6-acre piece of farm ground at 48th St. and Roth Ave. for development as a Tractor Supply Co. retail store.

The location is north of Interstate 70 catercorner from Sunflower Bank and just north of Wal-Mart on land called the Crawford Addition. The land is owned by Crawford Supply Co., Hays, which is seeking annexation to receive city services, rezoning from agriculture to commercial, and plat approval.

Tractor Supply plans to buy 3.6 acres. The remaining 2.6 acres continues up for sale, said Myron Erbert, Crawford’s real estate agent with RE/MAX in Hays. As with Tractor Supply, buyers of the land bear the cost of extending city gas, water and sewer infrastructure, Erbert said.

“I would imagine it will be pretty attractive to someone as a buyer,” he said. 

Tractor Supply, which is based in Tennessee and trades on NASDAQ as TSCO, has 1,700 stores nationwide, including 12 in Kansas. It bills itself as the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the nation. A typical store is 15,500 square feet of selling space, according to the company’s web site.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Valley Center residents could see an increase in recycling fees

On average 42.75 tons of recyclables are collected in Valley Center each month. The city says right now the recycling industry is changing and that could mean changes for Valley Center residents.

Jim Gilson, is one of many Valley Center residents, who supports recycling in his community, “I think recycling is a good thing. I just think it’s good for the environment, good for the economy. I think it’s the right thing to do.”

The recycling discussion started after the city received a number of phone calls about the Waste Connections recycling dumpster that was removed from the Leeker’s parking lot. According to the city, the company said the industry was shifting and had to discontinue because of costs.

Residents who want to recycle rely on Waste Management. Its truck picks up recyclables twice a month.

But recently, the company asked the city to add $1.63 to each customer’s bill. The company said there are a number of reasons for the increase such as its business with China. China, who is the world’s largest buyer of recyclables, put stricter quality standards on what it accepts. It has also banned accepting certain items altogether. Not only that, processing costs have increased.

Kristine Polian, Valley Center Assistant City Administrator, says in addition to WM’s business with China changing the company is now having to pay to unload at the Waste Connections transfer site. A $90-per-ton-fee was put into place to dump at Waste Connections site. In the past, Waste Management didn’t have to pay at all.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Salina city commission restricts use of electronic devices

The Salina City Commission voted 5-0 Monday to prohibit commissioners from using electronic devices, such as cellphones or computer tablets, for real-time interactive conversations during meetings.

Rules govern how commissioners speak to each other and people in the audience, Commissioner Trent Davis said. He and his fellow commissioners should not be communicating privately with each other, with people in the audience or with people watching on television, he said.

The use of electronic devices is prohibited in many situations, such as in doctors’ offices, church, airlines, classes, he said.

Commissioner Melissa Rose Hodges said she could get behind the idea of prohibiting interactive communication, “but we’re adults.”

She said she wanted access to her devices to do research, check on facts, bring up on old email or attachment, or in case of a family emergency.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Should the OP Farmers’ Market move to Santa Fe Commons Park? Crowd sends loud message

A large and vocal crowd reacted negatively last week to potential concepts for moving the Overland Park Farmers’ Market to a nearby park.

Many also were critical of the idea of major changes even without moving the market to Santa Fe Commons Park.

“Leave it like it is,” said Byron Townsend, one of about 100 people who attended a July 19 meeting to discuss possible improvements to the park, at 8045 Santa Fe Drive, between Santa Fe Drive and Overland Park Drive in downtown Overland Park. Townsend and others complained that they had suggested only modest changes to the park at a previous open house on the topic in June. The most outspoken attendees weren’t enthusiastic about the colorful and creative concepts aimed at making the park more vibrant. Omaha-based RDG Planning & Design landscape architecture firm consultant Bruce Niedermyer said he understood the public’s skepticism and resistance to moving the farmers’ market from its current location at 7950 Marty St.

“This is what we expected,” he said of the passionate public reaction July 19. But he noted the firm’s instructions from the city were to come up with four specific conceptual plans: two including moving the market to the park, and two park-only concepts without a farmers market. That’s what they did.

Shawnee approves plans to convert former Johnson County Museum building into office space

The former Johnson County Museum site in Shawnee is now zoned for professional office use, repurposing the 91-year-old building and putting it back on the tax rolls.

The Shawnee council on Monday unanimously approved the planning commission’s recommendation to rezone the former Johnson County Museum property from single-family residential to professional office use.

The new owner, Lackman Civic Center LLC, which recently bought the property from Johnson County, plans to convert the building at 6305 Lackman Road into office space.

The building is now vacant because Johnson County moved the museum to the former King Louie facility — now called the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center — on Metcalf last year.

Lackman Civic Center plans to convert the Shawnee structure to be used for general office space.

Reno County probably won’t replace bridge that collapsed in June

It appears Reno County will not replace the 108th Avenue bridge between Worthington and Woodberry roads on the Reno/McPherson county line. McPherson County officials decided they weren’t interested in contributing to the cost.

It’s estimated it would cost the two counties $455,000. Reno County would have paid 58 percent of that cost.

The bridge was recently closed after a tractor hauling grain caused it to collapse.

As it stands now, officials may close that road to through traffic. In 2006, the county did a traffic count and only 10 vehicles per day actually used that road.

No final decision was made. The commission wants to hear from residents who live in that area. The topic should come back for final action in two weeks.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Fate of recycling in the balance

The City of Valley Center could drop curbside recycling service.

The council on July 17 learned that the city’s franchise trash and recycling hauler, Waste Management, wants a monthly fee increase to cover the cost of recycling, even though its contract with the city through 2020 doesn’t call for one.

Ammon Taylor with Waste Management said the recycling industry underwent a seismic shift when the world’s largest purchaser, China, put clamps on the purity level of the recycling it would accept and banned certain products altogether at the beginning of the year, increasing processing costs and decreasing revenue.

Park City takes input on plan

The City of Park City, in conjunction with the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, is launching a Pedestrian Connectivity Plan process that will provide recommendations to guide the City’s development of its sidewalks and trail systems into destination-based networks. The City is looking for public input to help create connections and identify ways to enhance the overall quality of life in the City of Park City.

The feedback the City gains from the public will help to determine what needs and desires exist so that the vision and goals of the project can be set and improvements shaped to fulfil these needs and desires.

Public bike sharing program launched in Lakin, Deerfield

Fifteen white and baby blue bicycles are available for public use in Lakin and Deerfield as part of new bike share program developed by the Kearny County Wellness Coalition.

“The community has been incredibly excited about it,” said Krysta Harvey, KCWC chairperson, noting that the Coalition’s Facebook post about the new bikes last week was by far their most popular social media post ever.

In early June, the Coalition launched BikeShareMaps.com, a free bicycle rental service in Lakin and Deerfield.

Bicycles and special racks were put in place last week and are ready to go now.

BikeShare.Maps.com is available for immediate registration, and allows users to locate and rent, at no charge, a bicycle from one of five unique bike rack locations.

Currently, there are nine bikes available in Lakin and six in Deerfield. There are four bike racks in Lakin, including the hospital, the pool, library and an empty lot on the south end of Main Street, and one at the Community Rec Center in Deerfield.

To use the bikes, a person needs to register online at www.BikeShareMaps.com, a process that can be done using a phone or mobile device.

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Barton County road and bridge continues great relationship with City of Claflin

As it has for over a decade, the Barton County Road and Bridge Department will come to the aid of The City of Claflin.

The city requested assistance from the department with sealing of certain roads within the city limits. As an independent contractor, the county will receive no more than $6,750 for labor and equipment, County Works Director Darren Williams said.

Claflin City Attorney Robert Suelter developed the contractual agreement for the work.

It is against county policy for the county to compete with private contractors who may also bid for such projects. However, the work in Clalfin is on such a small scale that the city can’t get any company to bid on it, commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz said.

The county had worked with Claflin for over 10 years. “We are happy to do it,” Williams said, adding his department will have no problem fitting the work into its schedule.

“I think this is a great working relationship,” Commissioner Alicia Straub said.

Rosewood tax credit request tabled again in Barton County

The Barton County Commission once again tabled voting on a letter of support backing Rosewood Services’ application for the Kansas Department Of Commerce Community Service Tax Credit Program. This marked the second time commissioners delayed acting on the matter as they seek more information on Rosewood’s plans for the former E&E Glass building at 1117 Williams St.

However, Rosewood Executive Director Tammy Hammond said Rosewood’s deadline to have the letter approved was last week and she had requested the matter be removed from the commission agenda. Hammond said she had contacted county officials via phone, email and face-to-face.

Monday’s meeting

“I am a little disappointed that we haven’t received a copy of that application,” said Commissioner Alicia Straub. “Who benefits from this?”

And, she said, these credits involve tax dollars and may impact other county residents.

“Any time we request additional information, we do it for a valid reason,” commission Chairwoman Jennifer Schartz said.

Wichita works to put electric buses on city streets

The days of loud, diesel-fueled buses may be a thing of the past in Wichita.

Much like Dallas, San Francisco and Columbus, Wichita is working to replace its diesel buses with smaller, 100% electric buses

Mike Tann, Wichita’s transit direct, says in April, a grant was awarded for six buses to replace the trollies. Shortly after that, there was a release of no emission money that was available for transit departments to apply for, so the city did.

“We applied for those the final submittal was in June for another six, and just recently, we received notification of additional capital purchase of new buses,” said Tann.

In total, the city is looking to get about 18 buses.

The cost of buying electric buses is higher than diesel buses, but Tann says the city would save millions of dollars in the long run.

He estimates operating costs for six diesel buses over the course of 20 years would be $8,033,760 compared to $2,282,120 for six electric buses.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Reno County Commission OKs expanding DA’s office by one attorney

The Reno County Commission Tuesday approved the district attorney adding one more prosecutor to his staff and remodeling the fifth floor of the courthouse to accommodate the position.

Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder, who was not at the meeting, said later that while he appreciated being allowed to add an attorney, it wasn’t enough.

He requested two attorneys, Schroeder noted. He said even with adding two, his office would remain the most overworked in the state. Schoeder’s office carries one of the highest caseloads with some of the lowest funding per attorney in Kansas.

To get the additional help, Schroeder will give up $9,000 from elsewhere in his budget, because of cuts suggested by Commission Chairman Ron Hirst. Hirst noted that historically some of those line items have come in below budget.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

History from the town of Bucklin

This town came into existence by swallowing its neighbors.

Settlers platted Corbitt, two and a half miles north of the town in 1885, and the Enterprise Investment Co. established Colcord seven miles to the west. However, by May 1887, the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad planned to bypass both communities.

The Railroad, along with Enterprise, urged Corbitt and Colcord to move their businesses to the new town of Bucklin, named for a Rock Island civil engineer, James Magee Bucklin. Standing at the crossroads of two divisions of the Railroad, the new town was ideally placed for shipping and receiving goods from the farmers and ranchers in the area.

Businesses from Corbitt and Colcord and other towns were physically moved to Bucklin. Colcord was moved the seven miles overnight. It wasn’t until 1909 Bucklin gained incorporation. By that time it had 696 residents, two banks, two hotels, several retail businesses and the “Bucklin Banner” newspaper which had arrived 1901 as the former “Dodge City Reporter.”

(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)

Hays city offices to maintain new hours

City of Hays residents who need their city government administrative offices open either earlier or later are getting their wish.

The city announced Monday it will open 30 minutes earlier and stay open 30 minutes later Monday through Thursday beginning Monday, Aug. 6. The hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“We ran the traps to make sure there are no unintended consequences,” said City Manager Toby Dougherty, noting the change is permanent and not tied to any season. “We need to be consistent and steady. So this is a year-round deal.”

To keep the change from adding any cost to the budget, the offices on Friday will open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 11:30 a.m. for the day.

“This also works out well for our employees, who will get a jumpstart on their weekend,” Dougherty said.

The city’s shift workers — fire, police, parks service, solid waste — who keep odd hours will maintain their non-traditional schedules.

Traditionally the city’s administrative offices were open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Hiawatha city position to be on general ballot only

To clear up a little confusion, the candidate for Hiawatha City Commission will not be voted on until the November primary.

Brown County Clerk Melissa Gormley said there has been confusion in this matter due to the city/school elections being combined with other elections for the first time in 2017 – rather than separate in the spring as they had been previously.

She noted that city and school elections are non-partisan and so it would take more than three people running in the same party to require that position to be placed on the ballot for the primary election.

(Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Lenexa council approves tax-increment financing plan for City Center office and restaurant project

The Lenexa City Council unanimously approved a tax-increment financing (TIF) district development plan and the sale land as part of previously approved plans for a new restaurant, retail and office buildings project in City Center being developed by Copaken Brooks Commercial Real Estate.

At its meeting last week, the council approved the sale of nearly 4.5 acres on the southwest corner of Renner Boulevard and 87th Street Parkway, known as “restaurant row,” to AC City Center Lenexa LLC for an estimated $1.04 million. AC City Center Lenexa and City Center Lenexa LLC are related entities both connected with Copaken Brooks for the project, according to council documents.

The council also approved a TIF district development plan for construction of a two-story office building, surface parking and related infrastructure on roughly 2.6 acres west of Renner and north of 89th Street. A required public hearing on the proposed TIF district was held; no one from the public spoke.

Saline County to discuss street address policy

The Saline County Commission will consider changing its policy concerning street addresses Tuesday during its public forum that begins at 9 a.m. The change would allow residents to petition the commission to name a private drive if at least 75 percent of affected property owners sign the petition. Planning and Zoning Director David Neal said the change would reduce confusion for emergency responders and postal workers.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Reno County will discuss potential countywide nuisance code Tuesday

Responding to a recent petition from residents in a small housing subdivision east of Hutchinson about the blighted condition of an abandoned property, the Reno County Commission on Tuesday will open discussions about whether to develop nuisance codes for the county.

The overgrown property on Zolman Road, which is about 2/3 of a mile south of Fourth Avenue and just east of Kent Road, contains 1974 single-wide trailer that’s open to the elements, an old yellow school bus from Pretty Prairie on the back of the lot, and a trashed pickup-camper with shattered windows and stuffed full of junk in front.

Scattered around the nearly ¾-acre unfenced lot are deteriorating furniture and trash.

The owner of the property, who has a Haysville address, has been written several warning letters from the county, but has not responded, said County Commissioner Dan Deming, who is asking the commission to consider a code.

Perhaps, Deming said, the property owner recognizes that the county has no authority to force a clean-up, or they don’t care.

Neighbors have been complaining about the property for several years, Deming said, and recently filed a handwritten petition with 19 signatures asking the county to do something.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Hays wins Sister Cities International’s best overall program award

Hays has won the Sister Cities International 2018 Award for Best Overall Program for a city with a population of 10,000-25,000.

The awards competition, which is open to over 500 sister city programs nationwide, recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and community sister city programs that are promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.

In 2017, the Hays Sister City Committee welcomed residents from both its Sister Cities — Santa María de Fe, Misiones, Paraguay and Xinzheng, China — for Hays’ sesquicentennial celebration. A four-person delegation from Paraguay came to celebrate the occasion and the newly rekindled Sister Cities partnership. The committee worked with Fort Hays State University to include visiting students and faculty from Xinzheng, China in the festivities.

The impact of the visits was widely visible in the Hays community, as the city officially introduced guests at many events including a formal celebration and community barbecue.

The visit sparked many conversations with locals. Some conversations were light-hearted, and included teaching the rules of baseball at a local game, chatting about American cars at the car show, or small talk while browsing local vendors at the market and sidewalk sale.

However, there was also much more serious interaction, as people discovered common challenges between the sister cities: fostering business, stimulating growth, and retaining young people in the community after schooling.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Shawnee County Commission to consider purchase of armored rescue vehicle

The Shawnee County Commission plans Monday to consider awarding a bid to the company that submitted the highest of three bids received to enable the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office to buy an armored rescue vehicle. Commissioners plan to consider authorizing the sheriff’s office to buy an armored rescue vehicle from LENCO Industries Inc. at a cost of $311,826, including $211,826 in federal forfeiture money and $100,000 in capital outlay funding, which the commission approved last December for that purpose.

LENCO submitted the highest bid the county received. The others — submitted by The Armored Group LLC and International Armored Group US Inc. — would have brought total costs of $296,470 and $257,050, respectively.

But International Armored Group failed to meet several key bid requirements while LENCO provided the “best and most reasonable bid” of the other two, Sheriff Herman Jones told commissioners in a recent memo. He cited four reasons LENCO’s bid was considered the best.

Downtown Topeka Inc. asks artists to contribute to ‘active alleyways’ event in October

Last month, Vince Frye, president and CEO of Downtown Topeka Inc., revealed his vision for “active alleyways,” a concept to use the often overlooked space in between buildings.

The specific Topeka alleyway is the space between the historic Jayhawk Theatre and the future Iron Rail Brewery, behind the 700 block of S. Kansas Avenue.

Downtown Topeka Inc. and its partners have set an event date for Friday, Oct. 5, during the First Friday Art Walk, to host its “Activate the Alleyway” event, and are currently asking for artists to contribute to the beautification of the space.

“Right now we have about 15 artists, it could be a little bit more, and we’re asking them to paint 25-by-30 inch canvases that we’ll provide,” said Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield, director of marketing and membership for DTI. “The theme is basically the vibrancy of downtown and what does that look like to an artist.”

Pontoon boat manufacturer bringing plant to Chanute

Even without an incentive package, a pontoon boat manufacturer will bring an assembly plant with 50 jobs to Chanute.

Chanute Regional Development Authority Director Matt Godinez told board members Thursday evening that Xcursion boats plans to locate its assembly plant in the city industrial park on Ross Lane. The company negotiated with the city to also purchase the former Spirit AeroSystems plant on Cherry Street, along with the former Legacy Trailer building on Ross Lane.

Instead, the company will locate on Ross Lane even without a city incentive package.

Godinez said the company will begin hiring in 30 to 45 days and has begun making cosmetic changes to the Ross Lane building. The location will handle shipping and receiving as well as assembly, and will employ 50 people.

The company planned to use the Cherry Street building to manufacture, but that will be done in Fredonia and Iowa.

Godinez said other communities reached out to Xcursion after negotiations on the Cherry Street building fell through. Xcursion is part of the Coach Marine group.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Dodge City Airport receives infrastructure grant

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced the Federal Aviation Administration will award $659.8 million in airport infrastructure grants, the second allotment of $3.18 billion in the Airport Improvement Program funding.

The grants include a $5.09 million award to Dodge City Regional Airport for runway reconstruction. “The bids for the reconstruction were done in three phases,” Dodge City Regional Airport Manager Corey Keller said. “The first two phases were awarded grants in 2017 and this recent grant we received will be for the completion of phase three.”

The reconstruction of the runway is set to be completed by November 2019.

According to Keller, 95 percent of the funding came through grants by the FAA.

In total the reconstruction project came to $12,059,651 with the FAA covering $11,436,669 and the city of Dodge City matching funds with $602,982.

(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)

Atchison County to invite Senior Village prospects

County leaders expect to pick up discussions where they left off earlier in year with prospective buyers for Atchison Senior Village, the county long-term care facility. Commissioners have publicly entertained the possibility of selling Senior Village since November 2015. On Oct. 24, 2017, commissioners publicly announced their intentions to sell the county-owned facility. It was Nov. 1, 2017, when commissioners took the facility off the market for a 60-day period and entered exclusive negotiations with Recover-Care. Since then the exclusion period lapsed and negotiations ceased. Senior Village has been owned and operated by the county since 1961. When the county put the facility on the sale block it housed 52 residents. Seventy-four employees were employed there. The facility gained skilled nursing status in 2014. Medicaid certification was gained in 1989. The facility is located at 1419 North Sixth Street.

Throughout the past few years, the commissioners have sought public input on the matter as well as how to best utilize proceeds from a possible sale.

(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)

Cleanup, repairs continue in Topeka a day after ‘brief but violent’ storm

A storm described as “brief but violent” that moved through Topeka on Thursday left 200 downed power lines, streets littered with trees and limbs, and damage to area businesses.

Friday became a day of cleanup and repair. Businesses were left without electricity, including the North Topeka Walmart and Dillons stores, which had to close but reopened for business about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

“We do have backup generators, and then we also follow some practices inside the store to cover cases and then apply dry ice as necessary to help hold temperature,” said Dillons spokeswoman Sheila Lowrie. “It’s all about maintaining the integrity of the products. We had no product loss.”

Topeka Civic Theatre also lost electricity and was forced to cancel its evening performance of “Newsies.”

“With the brief but violent storm that moved through, we had about 200 reports of downed power lines, in addition to other storm damage,” said Westar Energy spokeswoman Gina Penzig. “This was a very damaging storm for the short duration. The damage that it did to the power system was pretty remarkable.”

Finney County network issues throw wrench in county services

Finney County’s computer network has been shut down twice over the last week in order to protect county data after malware and viruses attacked the network through emails, and with email and internet down, some county departments have been struggling in recent days to provide services.

The county network was shut down on Tuesday morning — the second time in a week — in an attempt to protect data while the malware was located, removed and until preventive safeguards could be put in place.

Because of the attacks, the Finney County Information Technology department requested assistance from the Department of Homeland Security Incident Response Team and Trend Micro, a locally installed anti-virus software company.

Trend Micro became involved on Thursday to create a custom package for the county to fight against the virus.

“With their assistance, we’ve been able to bring email service back to our department directors as of (Thursday morning), as well as a few other essential services, specifically in the clerk’s, treasurer’s, and appraiser’s offices,” according to a press release on Thursday from Sara McClure, the county’s communications specialist.

Ark City ponders dumpster business

The City of Arkansas City might get back into the large waste-hauling business, or require a fee for those who do it now.

A discussion led by City Manager Nick Hernandez on how to handle that service took place this week at the City Commission meeting.

Hernandez said currently four providers are operating within the city limits.

“These are people who provide services that we don’t, like the big roll off dumpsters and commercial dumpsters,” he said.

The city could establish a franchise fee or require a permit, charging a percentage of the haulers gross receipts.

Hernandez said the charges would basically be impact fees to help compensate for additional wear to city streets.

City Attorney Tamara Niles said the city code requires haulers to have a permit but a fee has never been established. After calling several other communities to find out how they handle independent haulers, Niles discovered that most offer the service themselves and do not permit independent contractors to operate within the city.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Consultants unveil 4 detailed concepts for future of Santa Fe Commons off downtown OP

An “iconic” performance space in the shape of a paper airplane was among the suggestions put forward by consultants for Santa Fe Commons Park in downtown Overland Park – a reference to the Strang Airfield of years gone by.

But whether any proposed changes to the park will fly with nearby residents was an open question Thursday night after a spirited meeting with the consultants and around 90 at Matt Ross Community Center. As the meeting opened, some in the crowd scoffed at the proposals, particularly the ones that put the Farmers Market into the park.

By the end of the consultant presentation, Jen Cross of RDG Planning and Design jokingly suggested participants could fold their comment sheets into paper airplane projectiles and sail them toward the dais, an idea that was met with good-natured laughter.

The consulting firm, hired by the city to plan a facelift for the 3.8-acre park, presented its first concepts after collecting ideas at a previous meeting. Four park layouts were put forward, two with a farmers market and two without.

Leavenworth School Board president says he can serve on County Commission

A candidate for the Leavenworth County Commission says he will not have to step down for his position on the Leavenworth Board of Education if he is elected to the commission.

Mike Carney is a Republican candidate for the Leavenworth County Commission’s 1st District. He will face three other Republicans in the Aug. 7 primary.

Carney also serves as the president of the Leavenworth school board.

During a meeting Wednesday, fellow school board member Nancy Klemp suggested Carney would have to resign from the board if he is elected to the County Commission.

Carney said Wednesday’s board meeting was not the time to discuss the matter.

“But you’re wrong,” he said.

Klemp said she had talked to an attorney about the matter.

Carney has said he plans to continue serving on the Leavenworth Board of Education if he is elected to the County Commission.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Ark City PD video goes viral

Ark City cops and locals recently participated in the LipSync Challenge and posted the video on the ACPD Facebook page, which attracted 81,000 views since it was uploaded on July 10.
During the creation of the video, they used 130 popsicles, locally popular mascot costumes such as Tiger the Tank from Cowley College, Daren the D.A.R.E. lion, Detective McGruff the dog and Sally the bulldog from ACHS.

Ark City officers did another popsicle patrol on Wednesday that caught the eye of Wichita news station KSN, which did a feature on the department’s community service.

Valley Center Fate of recycling in the balance

The City of Valley Center could drop curbside recycling service.

The council on July 17 learned that the city’s franchise trash and recycling hauler, Waste Management, wants a monthly fee increase to cover the cost of recycling, even though its contract with the city through 2020 doesn’t call for one.

Ammon Taylor with Waste Management said the recycling industry underwent a seismic shift when the world’s largest purchaser, China, put clamps on the purity level of the recycling it would accept and banned certain products altogether at the beginning of the year, increasing processing costs and decreasing revenue.

For example, Taylor said, the price recyclers got for a ton of mixed paper last year was $75. It dropped to 53 cents this year.

With crashing prices, Waste Management was forced to pay tipping fees for recycling, like it does for regular trash. Before a $90-per-ton fee was put into place in mid-June, Waste Management paid nothing to dump its recycling at a Waste Connections transfer station, because Waste Connections made money from the recycling it received. Not anymore.

To recoup the costs, Waste Management is asking the city to add $1.63 to each residential customer’s bill. Residents in Valley Center pay $15.25 per month for trash and recycling service.

(Read more: Valley Center Newswire)

Roeland Park council unanimously approves proclamation encouraging business to pay living wage

A proclamation encouraging Roeland Park businesses to pay a living wage to their employees was unanimously adopted during Monday’s city council meeting.

“Businesses who pay livable wages inspire worker loyalty and an improved business ethic, which in turn decreases turnover, increases sales and thereby contributes to a solid tax base,” the proclamation reads.

The proclamation was promoted by Roeland Park resident Michael Rebne, who also drafted the recently adopted proclamation supporting diversity and inclusiveness.

“This says these are the values of our community and we want to see people thrive,” Rebne said.

The proclamation is meant to benefit Roeland Park residents and employees of the city’s businesses, Rebne said.

“I think most certainly the folks that tend shop in Roeland Park and the folks that serve our hamburgers and help us with our lumber…whether or not they live here they are certainly part of the community,” he said.

The living wage in Johnson County for one working adult supporting two children is $26.79 per hour, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator. The living wage for a single adult with no children is $11.06 per hour.

Olathe wants your thoughts on city’s future

The city of Olathe has embarked on a strategic planning initiative that envisions what the community should be like in 2040 and helps prepare for changes that are coming to neighborhoods, the workplace, infrastructure and technology.

The city is encouraging the public to weigh in with ideas and concerns as part of the Olathe2040 plan. Residents and workers can visit OlatheKS.org/Olathe2040 for more information and how to get involved.

The site includes a survey with questions such as “What will Olathe be known for in 2040?”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Pratt County EMS requests new digs

Pratt County EMS may be heading to a new building. Pratt County Counselor Bob Schmisseur informed the Pratt County Commissioners that he filed a conditional use permit with the city zoning board for a one-half block parcel of land for future construction of a new emergency medical center that would house EMS, Fire and Rescue, Emergency Management.

Schmisseur presented the information to the commissioners at their July 16 meeting.

The permit now has to go before the Pratt City Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals on Aug. 16 for their approval. If that approval is given, the permit would go before the Pratt City Commission on Sept. 4 for their final approval.

The current EMS building has no place to expand with Pratt Regional Medical Center parking lot on the west, First Street on the north, PRMC land on the east and the big hill on the south, there is no room to grow. More space is needed to accommodate EMS growth as employees are added, Schmisseur said.

If the lot is approved, it would provide enough space for more vehicles, drive-through bays as opposed to back-in bays only, more office space to include emergency management and more space to accommodate men and women’s needs.

Sedgwick County’s 2019-2020 puts big focus on public safety

Sedwick County is working on a budget that includes a focus on public safety.

Sedgwick County Manager Michael Scholes says the growth of Wichita’s police force will have a ripple effect on the county as well and will require more growth for their already cramped quarters.

“The Wichita Police Department’s growth you saw just yesterday in the city manager budget. They will be having more police on the force, technological needs, body cameras, etc, that comes with requirements and has a ripple effect through the whole judicial system,” said Scholes.

The plan is to build onto the jail and move the rest of the sheriff’s office into the expanded space allowing the district attorney’s office to move into the vacated space within 18 months.

“You know space is extremely important right now, we are at capacity as far as investigations, things are getting more and more hard to investigate, more technical, so we need more equipment,” he said.

The commission still needs to find a new home for its administration. Scholes says he hopes for that decision next year.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Curbside trash at meeting in Ark City

Chairs, couches and other large curbside trash items have become an area of frustration for a local citizen, leading to a discussion among Arkansas City officials about how to handle such problems.

Ken Harader expressed his concerns during the regular Arkansas City Commission meeting Tuesday.

Harader asked commissioners to address the problem of large trash items being left curbside, often for weeks at a time.

He said a location near his residence on North First Street has left items piled up and untouched in front of the residence since March.

“We talk about the beautification of our town and making the community presentable so people will want to come,” he said. “I think the city needs to address this in some way.”

Mayor Dan Jurkovich agreed and said on top of being unsightly the items also create an environment for pests.“That’s also a concern,” he said.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Leavenworth City Commissioners discuss community festival

When they met this week, Leavenworth city commissioners discussed recommendations for a new community festival and ideas for improving the appearance of the city.

Assistant City Manager Taylour Tedder reviewed the latest recommendations from a festival advisory board that was formed last year.

City officials are looking at organizing a new community festival for 2019.

Commissioners first reviewed recommendations from the advisory board during a May 15 meeting. Following that meeting, board members met again to refine their recommendations.

Tedder said Tuesday that board members are recommending a community festival taking place on a Friday and Saturday in mid September of next year. Tedder said the board recommends First City Festival as a possible name for the event, and the festival could have a historical, wild west theme.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Lenexa approves expenditure of $98,000 on new public art piece for recreation center

Another piece of public art in Lenexa is officially underway after the City Council approved the final design and fabrication documents for “Splash” by San Francisco artist Shan Shan Sheng for the atrium near the Lenexa Recreation Center’s south entrance.

“Splash” comprises 31 pieces of cold-cast glass panels suspended 16 feet to 18 feet off the floor, the largest of which is about 6 feet long and weighs about 25 pounds, Parks and Recreation Director Gary Ristow told the council at its Tuesday meeting. The council unanimously granted approval; Ward 3 Councilman Dan Roh was absent.

The city had agreed to pay Sheng, through her business East West Art Studio, $98,800 for the artwork, according to council documents for its March 6 meeting. Parks and Recreation staff will install the art under Sheng’s supervision. Completion of its installation is tentatively scheduled for late September.

Johnson County park board questions proposal to add soccer fields at Lexington Lake near De Soto

A proposal to build soccer fields at Lexington Lake Park is getting a cool reception from Johnson County recreation officials who worry about the project’s cost and potential effects on boaters and other park visitors.

The city of De Soto asked the county’s Park and Recreation District last year for space in one of its parks to relocate the city’s recreational soccer program, which now operates in the city’s Miller Park.

The park district’s Board of Commissioners on Wednesday reviewed the results of a concept study looking at building soccer fields at Lexington Lake Park, 8850 Sunflower Road, just west of De Soto. Jeff Stewart, deputy parks director, said the district has no money budgeted for the project and De Soto has indicated it has about $150,000 to contribute. He said that the two sides haven’t begun formal discussions about the plan, including whether the city would lease the space from the district or if the city could cover more of the cost.

Regardless, board members were largely opposed to the plan.

(Read more: KC Star Local News)

Party in a parking garage Saturday for Wichita’s 148th birthday

No one hopes to be in a Wichita parking garage all day long. This Saturday, you’ll want to.

LevelUP is a nine-floor, dual-spiraled, 435-space curated showcase of Wichita— is happening Saturday on the city’s 148th birthday.

The family-friendly event is at the Sutton Place parking garage at 215 S. Market from 2-11 p.m. Guests will walk through the levels of the garage—each with a different theme—and end the night on the rooftop with a live DJ, drinks and a view of downtown Wichita.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Wichita police officer has new role involving animals

Heather Frazier, a 20-year veteran in the Wichita Police Department, used to be afraid of dogs. Now she’s the department’s “Dog Whisperer.”

When she was a young girl, she had a paper route for the Trinidad Chronicle, a small newspaper serving southeast Colorado and northeast New Mexico. This was before the internet, when newspapers had morning and afternoon editions, it was acceptable to keep a dog chained in the front yard, and people trusted each other enough to let their 10-year-old daughter deliver the paper by herself.

But Frazier was never exactly alone on her paper routes. Every day, saddled with a bundle of afternoon editions and rubber bands, she tossed papers onto porches while a big black mutt with a white head was running along behind her, following her as she made her rounds.

Frazier, who now works the west beat for Wichita police, would shy away, afraid the dog would attack her. “She would follow me, and she scared the crap out of me — she was huge,” Frazier said.

“We did that for a little bit — scaring the crap out of me — and then finally my mom was just like, ‘Why don’t you keep her? She likes you.’ “It was the right choice, and $5 later, she had her first dog, which she named Lady.

It’s Frazier’s love for animals, and what animals can do for humans, that drove her to become “expert certified” in investigating animal abuse at the University of Missouri, she told The Wichita Eagle . The Wichita Police Department recently announced she will be the lead on any felony-level cases involving animals.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

Topeka Police Department’s Citizens Advisory Council hears presentations on partner programs

During a Topeka Police Department Citizens Advisory Council meeting Thursday night, members listened to three presentations about programs that partner with the police department and work with kids in the community.

One of them, the OK Program, works with African-American children ages 12 to 18 and focuses on instilling a sense of empowerment and teaching them how to improve their community. Topeka police officer Tim Bell, who runs the Topeka chapter, said the program focuses on African-American children because statistics show that 75 percent of black households are single-parent households, and usually that is the mother.

The program brings in men who work in the community to talk to the kids, and Bell said they monitor the kids’ grades, make sure they are turning in their homework and that they have good relationships with their teachers.

Bell said there are currently 118 boys in the OK Program, which is also open to girls.

“Your environment doesn’t have to be an excuse for the way you act,” Bell said. “It’s all based off the merit of your character.”

Colyer administration settles on new marketing slogan: ‘Land in Kansas’

Gov. Jeff Colyer embraced formation of a new economic development marketing strategy Thursday shaped to convince investors that Kansas possesses opportunities for business expansion and to persuade outsiders it was appropriate to shed images of Kansas as a flyover state.

Under the umbrella of an initiative tagged “Land in Kansas,” the Colyer administration will begin by emphasizing a marketing pitch to draw potential investors to the state’s strengths in agriculture, aviation and a handful of other industries.

“We want people to come to our state,” said Colyer, who is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination for governor in the Aug. 7 primary election. “If we continue to work together, we will ensure that Kansas is no longer viewed as a flyover state. We want people to land in Kansas.”