Kansas Municipal News
Sedgwick approves design for murals in city park
Within the next couple of weeks Sedgwick residents should see painting on the new storm shelter at the city park. City Council approved a deposit payment of $2,500, half the total cost of the project, so work would begin in about two weeks. Randi Tolin, Sedgwick Connect President, said she thought the murals would be complete in about a week. Sedgwick resident Mickey Maddox will oversee the project. When done, all four sides of the shelter will contain murals, which were also approved by the council last week. Tolin said the city didn’t need to do anything to prepare for the painting. During its workshop portion of the meeting, the council discussed two items—their proposed downtown revitalization policy and a possible alcohol special permit for use in the pocket park.
Source: Harvey County Now
Fire and County leaders meet to discuss ways to mitigate fires, purchase requests
A passionate Fire Chief stood before the Reno County Commission asking for help after weeks of destructive and deadly wildfires torched the community. “It’s not the average homeowner just going out and starting one brush pile. We had one individual start 75 brush piles in one day… 75…,” Fire Chief Steven Beer with the Hutchinson Fire Department said. “A person can not manage that. It’s right in your ordinance they have to manage that burn pile and be on site to contain those issues.” Even though this study session was scheduled months in advance of the weeks of deadly and destructive wildfires Reno County has had, it was just as important as ever. Leaders are working to find ways to keep them from starting and spreading.
Source: KAKE – News
Wind and ice created power problems in Kansas
Thousands of customers lost electricity Tuesday morning due to strong wind and ice. As of noon, Midwest Energy said about 7,500 customers were still without power. Mike Morley, a spokesperson for Midwest Energy, said crews are dealing with 255 downed power poles and more than 100 broken cross arms. He said some of the power lines have two to three inches of ice on them are are “galloping” in 30-40 mph winds. Morley shared video of some ice-covered lines being hit with strong winds. The line at the bottom has shed its ice, and is largely unaffected.
Source: KSN-TV
Clay Center woman helps others from behind the scenes
Dana Rickley has been Clay County’s Health Administrator for nearly 25 years. Although she is the boss at the health department, that’s not the way she likes to think about it. “They tell me things that they want to do and then I find a way to make it happen and when we work together I become their employee,” Rickley said. Whether it’s checking in patients at a family planning clinic or doing COVID testing during the pandemic, Rickley was there for it all. “I’ve been out there doing the testing when it is snowing,” Rickley said. “I’ve been out there when you have to get the samples outside and then bring them inside because it’s too cold to do the controls.”
Source: KSNT News
Parsons: Dogs must have microchip when licensed
When registering a dog for a license with the city of Parsons, an owner must provide proof of a microchip in the canine. Parsons city commissioners Monday approved an ordinance requiring that dogs be microchipped for identification purposes. Commissioners said this was a good action to implement. City Attorney Ross Albertini explained to commissioners he has heard both positive and negative views about requiring microchips at the time of a license issuance, but he said he’s heard mostly positive things.
Source: Parsons Sun
Lawrence Mayor Courtney Shipley: ‘We know what we value’
Lawrence will always persevere, and we know what we value, Mayor Courtney Shipley said during her State of the City address on Tuesday. Reflecting on the past year, she spoke of lessons learned throughout the pandemic. “We hope COVID is waning, but the experience of the Unified Command has really taught us how to keep our relationships with our partners stronger in a way I don’t think that we ever have before,” she said. “So as unfortunate as it was, we learned some valuable lessons. We’re working smarter, not harder, with our partners.” Shipley noted the city’s multimodal transfer hub coming soon to Bob Billings Parkway and Crestline Drive, grants the city has received to purchase electronic buses, and unique bus stops. But there could be more transit updates still to come.
Source: The Lawrence Times
10-year Treasury yield hits the highest since 2019 after Powell’s remarks
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield topped 2.34% on Tuesday morning, following hawkish comments made by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in the previous session. … Powell said in a speech on Monday that “inflation is much too high.” He said the Fed would continue to raise interest rates until inflation is under control, and that hikes could get even more aggressive than last week’s 25 basis point increase.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Municipal Bond Trends for March 21, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Powell says ‘inflation is much too high’ and the Fed will take ‘necessary steps’ to address
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Monday vowed tough action on inflation, which he said jeopardizes an otherwise strong economic recovery. “The labor market is very strong, and inflation is much too high,” the central bank leader said in prepared remarks for the National Association for Business Economics. The speech comes less than a week after the Fed raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years in an attempt to battle inflation that is running at its highest level in 40 years. Reiterating a position the Federal Open Market Committee made in its post-meeting statement, Powell said interest rate hikes would continue until inflation is under control. He said the increases could be even higher if necessary than the quarter-percentage-point move approved last Wednesday.
Source: CNBC
RCPD looking to phased implementation of proposed department pay scale changes
Riley County Law Board members Monday reviewed a proposed new pay scale for Riley County Police Department employees, the adoption of which RCPD leaders say is imperative to department recruitment and retention. “Just within the next five years, we have the potential of losing 30 employees due to retirements alone,” says Human Resources Manager Christine Robinson. “Doesn’t mean everybody’s going, it’s just that that potential is there. “Adopting the salary survey is really going to be critical to not just filling our current vacancies, but it’s also going to be critical in relation to attracting good and quality employees to fill the upcoming vacancies as well.”
Source: 1350 KMAN
McConnell AFB strengthens ties with Mulvane
Colonel Nate Vogel, 22nd Air Refueling Wing commander, got the chance to present to community leaders during a recent presentation to the Mulvane Chamber of Commerce. Building and maintaining connections with people who live and work near military bases is key to mission success. Addressing the dozens of Mulvane citizens and community leaders provided a chance to express these goals, including what airmen contribute to the different communities they live in. Additionally, the discussion detailed how living in a stable, connected community is good for airmen and their families. The visit was intended to spark a more in-depth relationship with the town of Mulvane, military leaders and the support of both the airmen and their communities.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Thousands of acres burned in Sunday’s wildfire in Cowley County
According to fire crews, approximately 2,000 acres burned in Sunday’s wildfire in Cowley County. In a statement released by the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department, at approximately 4:20 p.m. Sunday, several agencies responded to a grass fire in the area of 191st Road and 292nd Road, east of Arkansas City. Due to the “red flag” conditions present, the Cowley County task force was deployed. The task force consisted of the Arkansas City, Atlanta, Burden, Cambridge, Dexter, Udall, and Winfield fire departments. Units from Belle Plaine, Elk County and Sumner County also assisted the task force. Assistance also was requested from the Kansas Forest Service, which dispatched a tanker unit. The Cowley County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol closed U.S. 166 due to heavy smoke conditions crossing the highway. The Cowley State Fishing Lake was also evacuated as a safety precaution. In total, 30 ground units and one air unit were on the scene for almost four hours battling the fire, which burned approximately 2,000 acres.
Source: KAKE – News
USD 259 students return to classroom with masks optional, first time since August
Students in USD 259 are returning to the classrooms Monday morning where masks are optional. The removal of the mask mandate officially happened March 11, the Friday before Spring Break. The mandate had been in place since August 2021. The Wichita School Board voted in late February to remove the mask mandate as positive COVID-19 cases are down in Sedgwick County. Stan Reeser, Wichita School Board president, said fewer masks are being seen around the community and the district is reflecting that. “We spent two years trying to make sure that our students, our buildings could stay open,” Reeser said. “We spent two years trying to make sure that learning continued and our staff and our educators and our parents and our students really rose to that challenge.” Reeser said they will continue to monitor the number of positive COVID cases and make adjustments as necessary.
Source: KAKE – News
Kansans claim $125M in rental assistance, funds still available
Funds are still available for Kansans who are facing eviction through the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program. According to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), funds are available to help households that have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic with rent, utility and internet assistance. “More than a third of Kansans rent their homes, and many have struggled to cover rent and utility bills since the pandemic began,” Ryan Vincent, Executive Director of the KHRC, said. “The financial repercussions are far from over for our most vulnerable families. This crucial assistance is still available to keep Kansans safely housed throughout our economic recovery.”
Source: KSN-TV
Part of McPherson street closed due to sinkhole
The City of McPherson closed part of South Maxwell Street Monday due to a sinkhole. According to the City of McPherson Public Works Department, the sinkhole developed over the weekend near the Turkey Creek Development. The hole is approximately eight feet deep and 6 feet wide. The road will remain closed until repairs can be completed. Barricades will stay in place around the hole. Residents are asked not to move the barricades and to avoid the area.
Source: KSN-TV
Now playing in Savonburg
Savonburg Mayor Aaron Wilson watched children slide, swing and climb around the equipment at the city park’s new playground on Sunday. He smiled. “That’s what it’s supposed to be. That’s the goal,” he said. It’s taken years for the playground to take shape, but the equipment is now in place with a rubber-mulch base. Volunteer crews have marked the path of a new walking trail and are spreading crushed limestone along the quarter-mile path. Still to come are benches and picnic tables. Next month, the community will have a ribbon cutting along with a recycling event.
Source: The Iola Register
JoCo cities are boosting lifeguard pay but still struggling with shortages
Pool operations across Johnson County could once again look different this summer due to some cities’ ongoing shortage of lifeguards. At the same time, some other cities that experience lifeguard shortfalls last summer have been boosting pay in an effort to avoid that situation again. Following limited operations in both 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some local municipalities — including Roeland Park, Prairie Village and Shawnee — adjusted summer pool hours in 2021 because of lifeguard shortages and other pandemic-related limitations. This summer, some cities say they are still struggling to fully staff pools, while others are on track to have enough staff with adjusted pool operations, extended time for applicants increases in pay rates.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Grocery stores in St. Paul, Iola and Mildred featured on CBS News [VIDEO]
Millions of Americans are facing a growing problem of so-called food deserts. With America’s rural population shrinking, grocery stores in many of those areas are closing. At least 40 million Americans live in food deserts nationwide. In rural areas, that means residents live at least 10 miles from a grocery store and 20% are low-income. Unlike many grocery stores in rural America, St. Paul, Kansas has one that will never shut its doors. James and Kelly Voorhies run the only local market, but the city owns it — a unique arrangement to keep food available.
Source: CBS News
Downtown Hutchinson continues to grow
About a decade ago, downtown Hutchinson had more empty buildings than full, with at least every other storefront without a restaurant, office space or retailer. Today, only a few buildings remain vacant or underdeveloped, with more than 50 new businesses moving in since 2017. The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce and multiple small businesses worked to continue the success of downtown, bringing out of town traffic and locals into their shops. “It’s been a great experiment in leveraging local support from the city. Our Chamber resources and partnerships who want to be part of making a vibrant place that people want to visit,” said Debra Teufel, president and CEO of The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce.
Source: Hutch News
Kansas school professionals in short supply
As a school psychologist in Olathe, Lina Kitson is part of the team of teachers, administrators and support staff that diagnose and intervene when a student might start showing mental or behavioral health issues. “People often miss mental health as being a part of our role,” she said. “But it’s a big part, and we provide mental health supports either directly or indirectly.” It’s a busy job, especially since she splits her time between two elementary schools, or about 800 students total. Even then, she knows she has it relatively easy, at least compared to some of her colleagues across the state. Other school psychologists in more rural Kansas are often assigned to cooperatives of several school districts that themselves transcend county lines. Those psychologists might be responsible to thousands of students.
Source: CJonline