Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

New development planned for old Mission Mall lot

ears after the demolition of the Mission Mall, Roe Avenue and Johnson Drive will finally see new tenants. Prep work has started on what will be the new Mission Gateway.

Crews have started to lay the groundwork for a multi-million dollar project that has been more than ten years in the making.

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“If something about retail patterns or living habits change, we have something that can really ebb and flow with changing times,” said Emily Randel with the city of Mission.

The Mission Gateway project will be built in three phases, and will include retail, hotels, apartments, office spaces, and a parking garage.

Celebrity Chef Tom Colicchio is also creating a buzz with a food hall concept he’s developing within the space.

“I think that will draw a lot of people spending their leisure time there,” said Randel.

Plans and activity around the new design are re-energizing the area and its residents.

(Read more: KMBC.com)

Kansas Turnpike toll prices to increase beginning in October

Drivers on the Kansas Turnpike will pay more beginning Oct. 1.
The state announced Wednesday that tolls on the turnpike will increase about 5 percent for passenger vehicles with a K-TAG pass. Commercial vehicles with a K-TAG may see an increase because electronic fares will be rounded to the nearest nickel.

Fees for passenger vehicles paying cash will increase about 12.5 percent, while commercial vehicles paying cash will see a 10 percent increase. All cash fares will be rounded to the nearest quarter.

The turnpike authority says about 40 percent of customers pay cash, while 60 percent use an electronic system such as K-TAG.

State officials said the turnpike system is financially sound but the toll increases are needed to pay for preservation and modernization projects without issuing new debt.

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

Grievance policies vary among cities

Neither the City of Winfield nor the City of Arkansas City has any sort of formal grievance policy for employees wishing to challenge a firing or other issue, although other local government entities have such policies on their books.
The issue has come to the forefront after the City of Winfield denied former police officer Sean Skov’s request last month for an appeal process and the city attorney told Skov he found no basis to allow a hearing before the commission.
Skov was fired May 24 after a video of a traffic stop involving Jeremy “Rudy” Samuel went viral, prompting claims of racism and violation of Samuel’s Fourth Amendment rights. Samuel has sued the city for $1 million, while Skov’s attorneys have argued that the former officer acted lawfully.

The grievance section of the City of Winfield employee handbook was removed because the policy was “antiquated and rarely used,” according to Jamie Chism, City of Winfield human resources director. The changes were not protested, and there is no mandate from the state or federal government to provide a grievance process.

Kansas governor announces 11-mile expansion of Highway 69 project in Crawford County

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer announced Wednesday that 11 miles of Highway 69 in Crawford County will be expanded into a four-lane expressway in a $57.4 million project scheduled to begin in 2019.

Colyer visited the admissions office of Pittsburg State University, where he announced the project expansion in a room crowded with Highway 69 supporters, state senators, city officials and PSU representatives.

The 11-mile expansion of Highway 69 will take place north of Pittsburg and will connect Kansas Highway 47 with the “Arma connection.” The “Arma connection,” which is an ongoing Highway 69 project, widens a six-mile stretch south of Fort Scott to the Crawford County line into a four-lane expressway.

(Read more: www.joplinglobe.com)

Kolb set to bid farewell to Great Bend

George Kolb was hired last October to become the Interim City Administrator for Great Bend after a tumultuous summer that saw the city lose it’s previous Administrator of 36-years along with the Police Chief. Now he is getting ready to see his time in Great Bend come to an end. Kendal Francis was officially hired Monday to become the next City Administrator and will begin his new duties on July 30th. Kolb says he feels good about his time in Great Bend as he helped calm the waters after a firestorm of controversy that also saw the addition of a new Mayor and newly elected council members. Kolb says his only plans right now are to enjoy being back home in Wichita with his family, spending more time with his grandchildren and playing plenty of golf.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

City gives initial approval of contract for Tonganoxie Public Library land

Tonganoxie is one step closer to having a new library.

The City Council approved Monday a resolution of the first amendment to the contract between Tongie 5, LLC and the city on 2 acres of land where the elementary school campus once was.

The sale and price is expected to be final with a closing next month.

Plans call for the library to be built on the south end of the property. The remaining 2.5 acres is expected to be developed, but there are no specific plans as of yet.

(Read more: TonganoxieMirror.com stories)

McCue: ‘No confidential info’ lost in hack threat at Ellis Co. EMS

No confidential information was obtained during last year’s alleged denial-of-service attack against computers hosting the Ellis County Emergency Medical Service (EMS) administrative voice lines, according to county health administrator Kerry McCue.

“There were no administrative phone calls overheard and no patient information was obtained or lost from our possession,” McCue said Wednesday afternoon. “There were no HIPAA concerns or violations.” McCue wants to assure the public that “no confidential information” was accessed by the alleged computer hacker.

A Larned man, Michael D. Golightley, 34, is charged with seven counts of damaging a protected computer and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March 2017 in Ellis County.

(Read more: Hays Post)

Fashionable new face brings fresh perspective to city planning in Newton

After growing up in a Silas, Ala. — a small, southern town of close to 400 residents — Ryan Sellers is adjusting to “big city” life in Newton.

“This place is huge for me,” Sellers said. “In my hometown, we had one stop sign and maybe two mom and pop restaurants.

Sellers made his move to Newton last week after being hired as the City Planner, a position that was recently created.

The adjustment hasn’t been hard, he said. He has already found a new favorite restaurant — Back Alley Pizza.

“I read in a magazine that it was one of the best places to eat in the entire state,” Sellers said. “It was delicious.”

In his new position with the city, Sellers will work closely with the Newton Historic Preservation Commission and the Newton-North Newton Planning Commission, as well as the city’s engineering department.

The City Planner position opened up recently when the city cut an engineering inspector position. The roughly $35,000 per year position is funded through the city’s engineering budget — split between the general fund, water fund and sewer fund.

Sellers is the first person to hold the position for the City of Newton. A task, he said, he doesn’t take lightly.

(Read more: Newton Now)

Grant helps city of Ottawa put new tables in Forest, Goppert parks

Eight picnic tables in two Forest Park shelters and two tables at Goppert Teen Park were replaced last week through a grant from the State of Kansas Health and Environment Department and matching funds, city officials said Tuesday.

The grant of $4,425 and matching funds of $2,985 were provided to partially fund the purchase of products made from waste tires. Nearly 3 million tires are generated as waste annually in Kansas, according to a city news release. The program is intended to stimulate the market for recycled rubber products rather than landfiling or other illegal disposal practices.

This is the third time the city has partnered with KDHE to enhance city parks with a goal to have all shelter amenities made of waste tire products as a part of the city’s Park Master Plan, city officials said.

(Read more: News – The Ottawa Herald)

NCAA Tournament’s women’s Elite Eight is coming to Wichita for the first time

Wichita extended its winning streak with the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday.

The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight are coming to Wichita, as the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee selected Intrust Bank Arena as one of four regional sites for the 2022 women’s tournament March 25-28, 2022. The bid was led by WSU, Visit Wichita, and Intrust Bank Arena. “We showed the world that our community is championship-caliber,” said Brian Hargrove, Visit Wichita’s executive director of sports development. “Now we get to do it again and keep this momentum going.”

The event marks the fourth successful NCAA Tournament bid for Intrust Bank Arena, which hosted first- and second-round games of the 2011 women’s tournament as well as this spring’s men’s tournament. The city also has won a bid to host first- and second-round games for the 2021 men’s tournament. Wichita State University will once again serve as host for the 2022 games.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Sedgwick County plans worker pay hike, upgrades to health and emergency services

Sedgwick County’s employees could be in line for a raise, and there may soon be more of them providing mental health and emergency services.

The county’s proposed budget released Wednesday includes a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase in employee pay, plus a 1.5 percent pool to give one-time bonuses to high-performing employees. That means some employees will make up to 4 percent more next year than this year, officials said.

It also includes funding for adding mental health professionals in suburban public schools, along with more emergency dispatchers and health coordinators. The fairly rosy county budget was released Wednesday morning, a day after the city of Wichita put forth an austere 2019 spending plan proposing the closure of two libraries and a golf course.

Overall, the budget submitted by County Manager Michael Scholes covers just short of $440 million in spending, including the general county government and the fire district that serves the unincorporated county.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

City of Derby, rec commission and school district partner on new LED sign at Woodlawn and Madison

The Derby Recreation Commission, City of Derby and USD 260 are proposing a partnership to put a new LED sign on the southwest corner of Woodlawn and Madison.

It would fall on the same intersection as Firestation 81, which is currently under construction. The proposal would split the cost between the three entities, giving each a $16,700 bill.

USD 260 superintendent Heather Bohaty and City of Derby communications director Kristy Bansemer presented the information before the school board at the July 9 meeting. Bohaty shared that discussion began at the intergovernmental meeting on June 25. The sign would be two-sided, facing north and east.

“We could use it for announcements whether it be no school or upcoming conferences,” Bohaty said. “It gives us an opportunity while people are driving to have one more form of communication.”

The two other signs, which are located by the high school on Rock Road and on James Street next to Rock River Rapids, are run by the communication staff of the city. Bansemer said that the city is currently updating their LED sign guidelines to reflect the addition of a new sign next year. It also would be built to the same specifications of the other screens at 4×8.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Lenexa advances Sonoma Plaza project planned for last major vacant swath of land inside I-435 in JoCo

The Lenexa City Council on Tuesday approved holding a public hearing at its Aug. 21 meeting to consider establishing a community improvement district (CID) for the Sonoma Plaza retail center on one of the last substantial tracts of vacant land inside the Interstate 435 loop in Johnson County.

The CID, requested by developer Sonoma Plaza Inc., would levy a 1 percent retail sales tax on all property within the roughly 29-acre area at the southeast corner of 87th Street Parkway and I-435 starting July 1, 2020, according to a Tuesday memo to the council from Assistant City Attorney Sean McLaughlin. Sonoma Plaza Inc. is a unit of Lenexa-based Oddo Development. On June 5, the council approved tax-increment financing (TIF) plans for Sonoma Plaza and the multifamily residential development Sonoma Pointe. The 20-year TIF plan would reimburse the developer using up to 40 percent of the TIF increment for up to 12 years for a maximum of $4 million, after which the city would be entitled to receive 100 percent of the increment and any balance for the remainder of the 20-year TIF term.

TIF is public financing tool by which a developer of a blighted property is reimbursed for eligible development and infrastructure costs using the increment of new property or sales tax revenue generated by the development. Consideration is given to whether a development wouldn’t be financially feasible but for TIF.

The council also approved on June 5 the city’s issuance of up to $20 million in industrial revenue bonds for the project.

Commissioners review Basehor law enforcement proposal

When they met Tuesday, Leavenworth County commissioners reviewed a proposal for the Sheriff’s Office to take over law enforcement services for Basehor, an idea that previously was rejected by the Basehor City Council.

The Basehor City Council voted unanimously to reject the idea during a May 7 special meeting. The vote came after a written proposal prepared by Sheriff Andy Dedeke appeared on an agenda for the Leavenworth County Commission.

Despite the earlier rejection, Commission Chairman Louis Klemp said Tuesday that there is a proper procedure to follow. He argued that the Basehor City Council rejected the idea without reviewing it during a meeting.

“I just thought it was an outstanding presentation,” Klemp said of the written proposal.

Dedeke questioned why the matter was being brought up again.

“I think the city of Basehor has made their wishes known,” he said. “I respect that.” Lloyd Martley, former Basehor city administrator and police chief, said the “proposal should be removed from the agenda and trashed as it should have been in the beginning.”

Martley addressed commissioners during a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

He argued that public safety is an important factor in a city’s growth. He said if criminals found out that the Basehor Police Department was shut down, there would be a windstorm of additional criminal activity in the city.

(Read more: Leavenworth Times)

Continuing momentum in revitalization of downtown among priorities for new Shawnee city manager

For a city split down the middle — between the city’s original neighborhoods on the east and the booming new subdivisions on the west — development and, in many cases redevelopment, are challenges.

Managing that geographical divide is among the issues that will be a focus for Nolan Sunderman, who was named the city’s new city manager last month after serving as assistant city manager for two years.

“I think people feel a little bit of a physical divide in crossing [Interstate] 435, and we have a lot of development west of [Highway] K7 that some people don’t even realize is there as well,” said Sunderman, citing Shawnee’s geographic size of 42 square miles. “We are obviously an east-west community in terms of how we’ve developed.” Sunderman previously worked as assistant to the city administrator at Prairie Village and, before that, as economic development director at Lansing, Kan. He earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from Missouri State University in Springfield.

He’ll have opportunity to use both his economic development and administration experiences in his new role.

Could an area transit service be in Derby’s future?

If Derby were to get a public transportation connection to Wichita, a possibility would be a 14-seat passenger van running on an hourly basis. That was one of the alternatives proposed by experts undertaking a transportation study concerning connections of area cities with Wichita.

They appeared at a transit study town hall meeting July 11 at City Hall as part of the Connecting Communities project.

Along with Derby, they studied Andover, Haysville and Maize to evaluate the demand and support for transit service in a study sponsored by Wichita Transit and funded by the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Planners say as the participating cities continue to grow and change, requests for transit service have also increased. BreAnna Monk, administrator for the Derby’s on-call transportation bus, the Derby Dash, was pleased with the study’s progress.

“I think it is beneficial. It’s a positive outlook on transportation and we can see what the options are,” she said.

Florence looking for levee certification for FEMA

The Florence City Council continues searching for the best options to fix or buy some costly items in the near future.

One of the most expensive endeavors could be levee certification and accreditation by two federal agencies, and last week Council member Trayce Warner said the city met with three different engineering firms to get the process going.

“Each of these three firms,” she said, “will provide certification that the levee is capable of withstanding a 100-year flood, and once they sign off on the certification, then it is up to FEMA to certify the levee is safe.”

According to information from these engineering companies, Warner said that if the council chooses not to go ahead with the certification, anyone owning property with a government supported mortgage, or purchasing a new property, or a business downtown, all would be required to purchase flood insurance.

“FEMA would map Florence as having no flood protection as if there was no levee present,” she said.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Bourbon County looks at alternative to free landfill dump event to prevent dumping in ditches

With the free landfill dump days approaching, Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday discussed other options that they hope will prevent individuals from dumping unwanted furniture and trash in county ditches.

The county is sponsoring free landfill dump days from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Public Works Director Jim Harris was given permission to start the process of implementing a landfill voucher program. Each resident would be issued one voucher good for dumping at the landfill at no charge.

The idea was discussed after Commission Chairman Lynne Oharah said he heard from one resident who suggested in lieu of having established free dump days, each Bourbon County taxpayer be allowed one free dump day each year. The reasoning is people have projects or plans to replace furniture at other times of the year, and it might eliminate people dumping old furniture in county ditches. Oharah said.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Hutchinson City Council recognizes neighborhood as major milestone approaches

A proclamation was also handed out to recognize a neighborhood that is preparing to celebrate its centennial anniversary.

The Farmington Park area has been a staple of the city for many years. The Hutchinson Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative began working with the neighborhood in 2017. Shortly after choosing to highlight the neighborhood, the initiative found out the 100th birthday was coming Aug. 8. The Hutchinson Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative is a collaborative approach to improve the marketability of neighborhoods in Hutchinson and make them attractive, better places to live.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Dog park named, approved by Spring Hill parks

The dog park at the new Veterans Park has received a name: Melvin Murry Dog Park.
At their May meeting, the Spring Hill Parks Advisory Board approved the design of the new dog park and its name. The dog park is planned to feature fire-themed items to honor the former, longtime Spring Hill fire chief, who died in 2014. The Murry family was present at the meeting in support of renaming the park.
Currently, in a different city park is named after Murry — Melvin Murry is located in the Woodland Ridge subdivision. The Parks Advisory Board agreed to move the name to the new dog park because of its more prominent and well-traveled location. The board plans to discuss renaming the ponds in the Woodland Ridge subdivision, formerly known as Melvin Murry Park.

(Read more: Gardner News)

City makes proposal to Hutchinson Arts Center for Sculpture Walk program

The future of the Hutchinson City Sculpture Walk program is sitting inunknown territory.

The city-financed program, which provided an avenue for artists to show their goods and provide decoration for downtown, is no longer funded by the city. Outgoing Assistant City Manager Meryl Dye, who has spearheaded the arts program since it started in 2012, is hoping the Hutchinson Arts Center will take over. Dye says the city is drawing up a contract for the center to consider. Dye says she will also volunteer her time and efforts to keep the program going. Patrick Calvillo of the Hutchinson Arts Center wants to make sure the center can take on the project. Before making any decision on the city’s proposal, Calvillo wants to ensure the other activities the center helps with are going strong.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Hutch and Reno County asked to do road maintenance on fairgrounds

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County and the City of Hutchinson have been asked by the Kansas State Fair if they would consider doing road maintenance for the streets on the fairgrounds.

Commissioner Dan Deming had concerns over the potential cost. County Administrator Gary Meagher and Commission Chair Ron Hirst attended a couple of meetings where this request was brought up.

Meagher told the commissioners about the numbers thrown out by Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff based on cost the city spends for street work. For any chip seal on roads, it’s estimated the cost would be around $7,300 for every quarter mile. For any overlay, the cost would increase to $22,600.

No decisions have been made by either the city or the county. The idea is only in the discussion stage.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Farewell Reception for Salina City Manager Jason Gage

The City of Salina will host a farewell reception for Jason Gage honoring his 13 years as Salina City Manager.

The City of Salina would like to invite the public to attend his farewell reception on Friday, July 27, 2018 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Tony’s Pizza Event Center, Heritage Hall, 800 The Midway, Salina, Kansas.

(Read more: Salina KS News)

Land rezoned for multi-million dollar nursing home in Great Bend

On a night where the City of Great Bend announced the appointment of Kendal Francis as next City Administrator, the majority of the packed crowd Monday at City Hall was there to discuss a rezoning request.

Scott Reddig requested rezoning the real estate located southwest of the City from R-M (multi-family residential) to LM-SC (light manufacturing – service commercial). The Great Bend City Council approved the rezoning recommendation from the Planning Commission for the purpose of building a nursing home. Now rezoned, Reddig plans to sell 10 acres of land to Sunporch, a not for profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life for elders in rural communities. The continuing care retirement community program would consist of a nursing home, assisted-living apartment complex, and an independent senior living apartment complex. The $12 million project would employee 50 to 70 people. The facility would be located on Patton Road, near the USD 428 District Education Center. Along with the acreage for the nursing home, there are about 30 extra acres of Reddig’s land that will be rezoned to LM-SC.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Art Park owner is ‘nauseous’ over new Sedgwick County Art Park name

The sign is for an outdoor art installation in the works at the west-side park and is not related to the east-side Art Park, which is a collection of mostly art-related businesses geared toward children on 29th Street between Woodlawn and Rock Road.

“I’m nauseous, honestly,” says Charles Baughman, who owns the 12-year-old business with his wife, Kate Pepper. Baughman says they’ve “tried to handle this quietly for six months.”

Pepper says she’s been talking with John D’Angelo, the city’s manager of the division of arts and cultural services.

D’Angelo referred questions to the county, which referred questions to artist Terry Corbett, who is facilitating the art installation.

“It started out first with a county proposal,” Corbett says. “It was called the Art Garden. . . . They wanted family-friendly environmental art.” County spokeswoman Kate Flavin says county representatives don’t know when that was.

“Clearly nobody remembers . . . how the Art Park got its name.”

Regardless, she says, “We don’t feel that there’s any confusion.”

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Saline County, City of Salina discuss radio needs

Assistant County Administrator Andrew Manley said city and county officials are continuing to discuss radio needs in Saline County. Last month, a study of Salina and Saline County’s emergency communications equipment, used by firefighters, law enforcement and emergency medical services, revealed problems with coverage and reliability.

Manley said he has been in discussions with Emergency Management Director Hannah Stambaugh; Communications Supervisor Wayne Pruitt, who manages the 911 Communications Center; and County Administrator Rita Deister to discuss upgrading Saline County’s radio infrastructure. Manley said they discussed cost estimates, bonding options and how to divide costs between Salina and Saline County.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Close two libraries, cut economic development, add police, says Wichita budget plan

City Hall’s new proposed budget would shutter two libraries and slice economic development by a third, while adding police officers and increasing spending for street maintenance.

Public libraries in two of Wichita’s lower-income neighborhoods — Evergreen and Linwood — would close over the next two years under the proposal from City Manager Robert Layton.

The plan would cut economic development funding by a third, with all of the remaining money going to the Greater Wichita Partnership, a public-private consortium.

The budget also would add 32 positions to the police department next year. And it would increase the street maintenance budget to $10 million, $2 million more than this year. Layton also has proposed changes at CityArts, Old Cowtown Museum and the animal shelter, in which private or nonprofit groups would operate those facilities while city staff would provide maintenance and oversight.

Layton made the recommendations Tuesday as the Wichita City Council got its first public briefing on the annual budget.

Among the key proposals:

(Read more: Local News |)

Hutch and Reno County absorb surprise hit from state on internet sales tax distribution for June, July

Hutchinson and Reno County officials learned last week that the state was cutting their sales tax distributions for June and July due to apparent overpayments made to local government entities more than five years ago.

The state did not notify officials of the decision, but after the county’s allocation for its Compensating Use Tax – which is the tax collected by retailers on Internet and catalog sales – showed up as 0 in the June allocation report, County Administrator Gary Meagher called the Kansas Department of Revenue to find out what was going on.

“I talked to several people before I finally got to the people I needed to,” Meagher said. “They said an audit was done, which indicated there were three quarters in 2012 and 2013… in which the wrong amount of sales tax was distributed.”

“So my next question was, is that going to carry over into the July distribution,” Meagher said. “The answer was, ‘yes, some.’”

State officials wouldn’t detail the amount withheld for June, but said the total would be $61,386.77 withheld, Meagher said.

“This would have impacted all the entities that receive sales tax distributions in Reno County, not just us,” Meagher said. “The city of Hutchinson received a reduction and so did all the small cities that receive a distribution.”

Officials did not explain to him how it made an over distribution, Meagher said, or why it took five years to discover it.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Wichita to close golf course, libraries, add officers

Changes are coming to the City of Wichita and it all has to do with money.

As a part of the 2019-2020 budget, the city will close Clapp Golf Course, Linwood Library and possibly Evergreen Library. The city will also change the way it handles animal services.

City Manager Bob Layton says Wichita is collecting less sales tax because of internet shopping and gathering less cable and landline phone franchise tax because people aren’t using them as much.

He says the budget is moving Wichita into the 21st century. A group came to Tuesday’s city council meeting concerned about cuts to CityArts.

“It was disbelief that they were going to cut that much, and in particular, they were going to cut out the galleries and the boutique. The school, I understand, was to be largely left intact,” said Denise Irwin, an artist and former art educator.

Layton says the city will provide classes at CityArts but volunteers should tend to the gallery.

“I think it is a good model especially as we struggle with balancing the budget and making sure we put money into police, fire and streets. We’re going to look for more creative ways to partner with other organizations,” said Layton.

The city will look at more public private partnerships including with the Greater Wichita Partnership and having a private operator run the animal shelter.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Topeka voters to consider 10 more years for half-cent sales tax

Topekans will vote Nov. 6 on whether to extend the citywide, half-cent sales tax used to finance street work for 10 more years, through Oct. 1, 2029.

City governing body members voted 8-2 Tuesday evening, with council members Sylvia Ortiz and Jeff Coen dissenting, to approve a resolution scheduling that election. In expressing her objections, Ortiz noted that the question that will go on the ballot would arrange for revenue from the renewed tax, like the current one, to be spent only to cover “costs of maintenance and improvements of existing streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, alleys and street lighting.”

She said she wanted the word “existing” removed, as it keeps the city from using revenue from the tax to widen streets or put in curbs, gutters, sidewalks or concrete where those things don’t currently exist.

That’s not fair to residents in underdeveloped council districts like the one Ortiz represents who often don’t have such things as sidewalks, curbs and gutters, she said.

“We want what everybody else gets,” she added.

Governing body members heard seven members of the public speak on the proposal Tuesday evening. Four of those advocated seeking to make the tax countywide and using the additional revenue that would bring to address Shawnee County parks and recreation deferred maintenance needs. However, no governing body members made any effort to go in that direction.

Cuba, Kansas: A Place for Life … New photo exhibit to document ‘tenacity’ of town at 150th celebration

It’s the town that refused to die. That was photographer Jim Richardson’s goal some 40 years ago–to document the demise of a rural community in Kansas. He picked Cuba-just down the road from his hometown of Belleville.
Richardson photographed the everyday life of the town through his tenures at the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Denver Post, and later for National Geographic magazine.
But the community refused to cooperate with Richardson’s plans.
July 20 and 21 the community will celebrate its 150th birthday during the Cuba Harvest Festival. One of this year’s features will be an exhibit of 60 of Richardson’s photographs set up in the Cuba Community Hall-a hub of the community that underwent a half-million dollar renovation a few years ago.
Richardson titled his exhibit Cuba, Kansas: A Place for Life.

New development planned for Delano district

Christopher Parisho has lived in Delano for the last ten years and with two kids at home, he’s made it his mission to make sure the district he knows and loves stays family friendly.

“We were trying to get them to just change the uniform,” Parisho said.

With a new sports bar, called ‘Tight Ends,’ going in to the Delano district on the northeast corner of S Seneca and University, Parisho has some concerns—mainly what the waitresses have to wear.

“At first they seemed willing to listen but then when it came down to it, they were just like, ‘Well, we’re going to do what we’re going to do,” Parisho said.

The restaurant is a franchise from Texas. The waitresses dress in clothing compared to the uniform of Twin Peaks or Hooters. City Councilman Jeff Blubaugh, whose district includes Delano, said this is the first he’s heard of anyone being against the restaurant.

“I think any kind of nice, commercial development like that is gonna be welcome and I really think once people find out more information, it’s gonna be a nice add to the neighborhood,” Blubaugh said.

Parisho likes the idea of more development, but he wants it wholesome.

“As a member of the community, I want to have businesses come in here that I can be proud of,” Parisho said.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Salina city commission looks at fees, taxes

Salina city commissioners Monday took a look at a 2019 budget that could include a property tax increase of up to nearly 3 mills, fee increases of 2 to 3 percent and raises for city employees of between 2 and 5 percent.

The final budget will be set in August.

As a working proposition, the commission consensus was to consider increasing the city’s property tax levy to 29 mills, from 26.129 mills. Property tax valuations are usually stagnant in a strong economy, Gage said. Sales tax collections, which the city also uses to fund projects, typically increase 1.5 percent to 2 percent a year. Most city fee increases are projected to increase 2 percent to 3 percent, he said. Some won’t change and some, such as building permit fees and planning fees, will increase more.

Water and wastewater utility fees will be set in the fall, he said, because the city will have a better idea then of summer usage. Landfill tipping fees are expected to increase.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Barton County Commission hesitant to give nod to project request for tax credit program

The building where E&E Glass once operated may have a new life soon, should Rosewood Services succeed in acquiring a grant from the state to offer tax credits to fund its renovation. But, a request for a letter of support backing Rosewood’s application for the Kansas Department Of Commerce Community Service Tax Credit Program was tabled until next week in order for commissioners to look further into who exactly will benefit from the proposed renovations.
If approved, the tax credit program would be used to remodel the property at 1117 Williams St., and open the Rosewood Creations Center, said Anna Hammond-Bodine, director of development for Rosewood.
According to Hammond-Bodine, the proceeds of the tax credits would be used to remodel the old E&E Glass building on Williams Street. “Who would receive the benefits of renovating that building,” Commissioner Straub asked. “In other words, who has ownership of that building?”
“Right now Rosewood Services leases it from another entity,” Hammond-Bodine replied.
“So, any improvements to that building would be retained by the owner of that property, correct?,” Straub asked. Hammond-Bodine replied in the affirmative.
“Okay, I just want to make sure the public is clear that these tax credit programs don’t necessarily benefit just the non-profit organization as they should,” Straub said. “They also benefit the private entity that owns the real estate that the improvements are being done to.”

Ford County talks transportation task force

At Monday’s Ford County Commission meeting, County Engineer Jon Halbgewachs brought the commission’s attention to a recently-created task force which could impact area roadways with its work. “My understanding is that their duty is to then, throughout the summer and going into the fall and winter, set up kind of town hall meetings across the state like they did in the last (Kansas Department of Transportation) transportation program when they did the listening tour, if you will,” Halbgewachs said.

Either Dodge City or Garden City are typically stopping points for such tours, Halbgewachs said. “Where I’m going with this is this committee’s going to be presenting a recommendation to the legislature next year on where Kansas needs to head in transportation,” Halbgewachs said. “When we find out when those town hall meetings are, certainly the county and the city of Dodge City want to be involved in that so you can get your voices heard on what’s important to this region.”

Locally, the task force’s recommendations could determine for better or worse the outcome of certain area roadway projects.

“Part of that is the Highway 50 project, which is on the books, the four-lane expansion between Dodge City and Cimarron, but is has been put on hold because of funding issues,” Halbgewachs said. “So if there’s a desire to get that project finished that voice needs to be heard as well.”

Right now, Halbgewachs said, that project is in haitus.

(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)

Federal Reserve Chairman backs more rate hikes as economy growing ‘considerably stronger’

The U.S. economy is running at a fast enough pace to justify continued interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday.
Powell is delivering his semiannual testimony to Congress this week, starting with an appearance Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
In remarks he provided ahead of a question-and-answer session, Powell painted a largely positive picture of the economy, which he said is expanding at an increasing pace and is being boosted by aggressive fiscal policy on Capitol Hill.

“Overall, we see the risk of the economy unexpectedly weakening as roughly balanced with the possibility of the economy growing faster than we currently anticipate,” Powell said.
“The unemployment rate is low and expected to fall further. Americans who want jobs have a good chance of finding them,” he added.
Powell spoke as the central bank is in the process of gradually raising interest rates. The policymaking Federal Open Market Committee has hiked the Fed’s benchmark rate twice this year in quarter-point increments, and is expected to approve two more increases before the end of the year.

City of Gardner imposing mandatory water restrictions starting Tuesday

The City of Gardner is imposing mandatory water restrictions after usage at its treatment facility reached high levels this week.

The city said the Hillsdale Water Treatment Facility has operated at more than 90 percent capacity for more than five consecutive days. As a result, the city has reached a Water Warning Stage as part of its Water Conservation Plan.

Usage restrictions go into place Tuesday, July 17. The city said outdoor water use, including lawn watering and car washing, will be restricted to before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m. on the assigned days.

Refilling of swimming pools will only be allowed one day a week after sunset. Privately-owned pools not filled already may not be filled until after the water warning is lifted.

The city also said bulk water sales will be suspended, and waste of water will be prohibited.

(Read more: KMBC)

Wichita’s newest dog park will offer agility area, interactive features and fountains

Wichita’s dogs are getting a new park to run around in.

The proposed dog park in W.B. Harrison Park, 1300 S. Webb, will be constructed within the year, Troy Houtman, director of Park and Recreation, said.

The dog park will be located in the east corner of the park near the rugby field and include a large dog area, a small dog area, an agility park and a renovated parking lot.

“There will be areas to wash the dogs and some really fun amenities for the dogs to play with, like hoops to jump through and an obstacle course,” Houtman said. A conceptual design map depicts a large dog area and a small dog area with features such as shade structures, areas for open play, benches, tables, hillside fetch and fountains. The agility area includes a teeter totter, weaving posts, hurdles, crawl tube, a ramp and climb, and more.

Construction will be completed in the winter or early spring, Houtman said. The park is near Webb and Harry.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Douglas Design District given Wichita Community Foundation grant

The Douglas Design District has been awarded a grant to help add public art and other enhancements to the burgeoning neighborhood east of downtown.

The award of $84,500 from the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation was announced Monday night at the From Perception to Action forum at Central Standard Brewing.

The grant will go toward the district’s 2020 Vision campaign, a two-year, $215,000 project that includes enhancing or adding public art, establishing a business improvement district for long-term sustainability and civic engagement for accelerating a streetscape plan. “This grant is going to really help us pass through some of these speed bumps and hurdles that have slowed us down” in the efforts to help the district blossom, Janelle King, president of the Douglas Design District board, said Monday night. The money will allow the district to “make the next step forward.”

The board and executive committee for the design district worked hard to “have a very clear vision of creating public art and space along Douglas that will not only engage the community but continue to attract business, industry and talent” to the area, King said in a statement released earlier Monday.

(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Audit explains budget changes in Finney County to comply with new state tax lid

Lewis, Hooper & Dick, LLC, owners Theresa Dasenbrock and Kristin Sekavec presented the audit to commissioners, who accepted it at their meeting. The county’s general fund revenue and expenditures dropped significantly from the previous year, with 2017 revenue totals equaling $8,691,619, compared to 2016′s $15,643,831. Expenditures in 2017 added up to $9,535,250, compared to 2016′s $15,499,749.

Dasenbrock said the change was due to the sheriff’s office moving out of the general fund and into a separate fund, a move made to keep accounting separate under a tax lid that has an exception for emergency services. The move caused several million dollars in tax receipts and public safety expenses to be filed under the sheriff’s office fund instead of the general fund.

Regardless of the change, the county’s expenditures surpassed its revenue by $843,631. The deficit remains despite the county spending over $400,000 less and earning over $1.2 million more than was budgeted. Partington said the county expected and planned for general fund revenue to come in under expenditures in 2017, and would offset the shortage with unencumbered cash from the end of the previous year. The county often feeds prior years’ cash into the next year’s budget so residents are not overtaxed, he said.
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New behavioral health crisis stabilization facility coming to Salina

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) has signed contracts to provide funding to Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in Salina and Manhattan for the creation of two new crisis stabilization facilities to care for individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, according to a media release from the KDAADS.

“Kansas communities face the continual challenge of helping those who are struggling with mental illness as families deal with the ongoing anxiety of trying to maintain stability and safety, while also meeting the needs of their mentally ill loved ones,” Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., said. “Crisis services such as these will allow communities to divert those in mental crisis from emergency rooms, county jails and the state hospitals to a setting where they can be properly cared for and diagnosed.” With funding flexibility provided through the CMHCs, KDADS has contracted with Central Kansas Mental Health Center in Salina to serve Saline, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Lincoln and Ottawa counties, and Pawnee Mental Health Services in Manhattan to serve Riley, Potawatomie, Geary, Clay, Cloud, Washington, Republic, Mitchell and Jewell counties. KDADS is providing $85,000 to fund the facility in Salina, and $725,000 for the Manhattan facility.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Capitol Federal, Evergy donate $5M to build Topeka’s downtown plaza

Capitol Federal and Evergy both will donate $2.5 million toward the construction of a downtown plaza, the two companies announced Monday morning.

The $5 million is more than half of the funds needed to build the plaza, which is expected to cost between $8 million and $9 million, said Vince Frye, president and CEO of Downtown Topeka Inc.

Capitol Federal sits on the southeast corner of 7th Street and Kansas Avenue, across from where the plaza is expected to open in March 2020 on the north side. CEO John Dicus said Monday his company is proud to be part of revitalizing an area of Topeka it has called home for 125 years.

“You can do so much more when there’s a group of you than you can by yourself,” he said of his partnership with Evergy and Greater Topeka Partnership. “We still need others, so hopefully this will be something that kickstarts that and gets other people to be involved. The new plaza will not only be the heart of a vibrant downtown district but the cornerstone of the entire Topeka community.”

Topeka citywide sales tax suggested to go countywide to help parks and rec

Shawnee County needs a consistent, long-term source to meet the $20 million worth of deferred maintenance needs existing in its parks and recreation department, a Topeka businessman told Shawnee County commissioners Monday.

Joseph Ledbetter, a Topeka lawyer, asked Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer to help arrange for the county to accomplish that by teaming up with Topeka’s city government to turn its citywide half-cent sales tax into a countywide tax, while extending it for 10 years.

The tax would raise an estimated $17.5 million annually, of which $14.5 million would continue to finance street-related purposes while $3 million would cover deferred maintenance costs in parks and recreation, Ledbetter said at the commission’s morning meeting.

“This is really not a tax increase, and yet it solves a terrible shortage of maintenance funds for Shawnee County Parks and Recreation,” he said.

New bowling alley owner in Parsons gets city retail grant

The new owner of the local bowling center plans to make improvements to the business.

The Parsons City Commission on Monday evening approved a $5,000 retail recruitment grant for Roosevelt Draine, who is in the process of buying PK Bowl, 103 Main, from Community National Bank and Trust through a limited liability company bearing his name. Roosevelt Draine LLC must match the grant with at least $25,000.

Community National has owned the bowling alley since repossessing it from William and Kathy Farr after they declared bankruptcy in 2016. The Farrs had operated the business as Parsons Bowl. The 12-lane bowling alley had been called Tower Bowl for many years prior to the Farrs buying it in 2010. Helen Brooks managed the bowling alley for the bank under the name PK Bowl.

According to Draine’s business plan submitted to the city, the new name of the bowling alley will be Parsons Family Fun Center.

“I think this is something that will move toward bettering the community,” Jim Zaleski, the city’s economic development director, said.

Zaleski said after the meeting that Draine will have Brooks continue to manage the bowling alley because he knows that she has done well with the business. Brooks worked for Tower Bowl and then Parsons Bowl off and on for 20 years for three different owners.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Labette County discusses senior meals program

Labette County commissioners on Monday discussed several budget requests, including funding for the program that helps feed senior citizens in Southeast Kansas.

Cindy Lane, executive director of the Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, discussed the Labette County allocation Monday. The original request was for $63,775, but commissioners added another $3,000 to the budget and asked Lane to get back with them soon on how to change the allocation to the meal sites in the county.

The agency provides up to four hot meals a week to seniors at participating centers and another three frozen meals to seniors who want them. Lane said she recommends that seniors donate $1 per meal received. Because no Mound Valley representatives attended the June meeting, the board voted to divide the community’s allocation between Altamont’s meals program and the Area Agency on Aging.

Besides Mound Valley, meals programs operate in Altamont, Chetopa, Edna, Oswego and Parsons. Chetopa, Edna, Oswego and Parsons own these meal sites. Altamont’s senior center owns its meal site and pays for the building and activities inside it.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)