Kansas Municipal News
Hot housing market spurs increase in appraised value
A hot housing market is fueling an increase in appraised property values in Marshall County this year. Sale prices on new and existing homes have experienced large increases nationally and Marshall County is no exception, county appraiser Francine Crome said Tuesday. The county’s total appraised values in 2022 were $880,728,700, an increase of more than $42 million over 2021’s total of $838,522,620. The total includes commercial, residential, agricultural and exempt properties. Crome plans to meet with county commissioners Monday to discuss the latest figures in more detail. Her office sent out 9,922 annual appraisal notices to county property owners March 1. “Everything went up due to the market,” Crome said, adding that the national trend in home prices had “definitely impacted us as well.”
Source: The Marysville Advocate
Unique elements of North Lawrence make up new welcome sign
A new sign celebrating a few of North Lawrence’s distinct features now greets residents and visitors just past the intersection of North Second and Locust streets. Designed by North Lawrence resident and graphic designer Wade Kelly, the sign prominently features a bald eagle in flight above the slogan “Colorful Past. Bright Future.” The North Lawrence Co-op Elevator’s massive grain bins, Kansas River waves and a tiny sandrat – all features of North Lawrence – round out the sign’s distinctive facets. Don and Sarah Benda donated the sign, and the City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department installed it recently just south of the Lawrence Visitors Center and Union Pacific Train Depot. Ideally, a spotlight and landscaping will round out the project, Don Benda said.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Inflation rose 7.9% in February, as food and energy costs push prices to highest in more than 40 years
Inflation grew worse in February amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine and price pressures that became more entrenched. The consumer price index, which measures a wide-ranging basket of goods and services, increased 7.9% over the past 12 months, a fresh 40-year high for the closely followed gauge. The February acceleration was the fastest pace since January1982, back when the U.S. economy confronted the twin threat of higher inflation and reduced economic growth.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Can you vote on saving Century II, former library? Appeals court hears arguments
Will Wichitans ever get a vote on saving Century II, the former Central Library and other historic city buildings? That question will be decided by the Kansas Court of Appeals and judges there peppered both sides on Wednesday with hard questions about whether to allow a citizen initiative signed by 17,000 Wichita voters to proceed to a vote. If approved by voters, the initiative would require a public vote to tear down, sell or lease any prominent city-owned, historically significant buildings.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for March 9, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Interim chief: Wichita police need to change mental health, juvenile arrest policies
Interim Chief Lem Moore says Wichita police need to change how they respond to mental health crises and interact with juveniles. Moore said community calls for reform prompted him to meet with representatives from the City Council, the city manager’s office and legal department about what the police department can do better. “There are things that are going on that can’t wait, that need to be addressed right here and right now — especially with mental health,” Moore said in an interview Tuesday. He replaces Chief Gordon Ramsay, who stepped down March 1 to return to Minnesota.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County to provide funding to help museum with relocation
Sedgwick County commissioners have approved funding to help the capital campaign for The Kansas African American Museum in its effort to find a new building in a new location. The county will provide $450,000 over a five year period toward the campaign. The museum’s executive director, Denise Sherman, said significant progress is being made in the effort to create a new museum and cultural center, and a formal announcement is planned this summer.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Public shares thoughts on saving Fort Scott brick streets
About 20 people attended a Fort Scott Street Advisory Board meeting to share their thoughts on preserving the city’s brick streets. The advisory board will make a recommendation to the city commission. Board President Charles Gentry said board members will review their notes and discuss what recommendation they will make during their next meeting…
Source: Fort Scott Tribune
County Commission gives nod to salvage yard
Coming off a Tuesday afternoon meeting where the Barton County Planning Commission and tow truck operator Larry Marshall hammered out a compromise, the County Commission Wednesday morning OKed rezoning and conditional-use permit allowing Marshall to operate a salvage yard in a rural residential area west of Great Bend. “This reminds me of why I am so proud to be a Barton County resident,” said commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson, District 3, who attended the Planning Commission meeting a day earlier. “Because when neighbors get together, it doesn’t matter how far we’ve been driven apart, there’s always some common ground that can be found.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
County to end recycling program May 1
The Board of Harvey County Commissioners eliminated the county’s recycling program Tuesday morning on a 3-0 vote. The change will take effect May 1. County Administrator Anthony Swartzendruber presented commissioners with additional fee structures that would be more affordable for those choosing to recycle. The suggested fees cost $12 for residents to bring in 100 pounds or fewer of recyclables and $36 for up to 300 pounds. Under the first proposal presented to commissioners last week, residents would have had to pay $48 for up to 500 pounds. Commissioner Randy Hague asked if the county would hold off on purchasing any equipment for the recycling program until the City of Newton decided whether to continue accepting recyclables. Swartzendruber said the county would make staffing and equipment decisions once it was aware of the volume of recyclables it could be receiving from the different municipalities. He said Solid Waste Director Justin Bland was making plans to continue hauling recyclables to South Hutchinson.
Source: Harvey County Now
Housing shortage touches Jackson County, northeastern Kansas
For potential homebuyers — not just in Jackson County or in northeastern Kansas, but anywhere in the nation — the inventory of available residences for sale is low while the price tags attached to those residences are high. But while many real estate markets have seen the prices rising and the inventory sinking during the COVID-19 pandemic, some realtors — including Roger Hower of Kellerman Real Estate — believe the current housing shortage issue began well before the coronavirus was on anybody’s mind and has more facets to it than just those related to the pandemic. Some steps have been taken to alleviate this shortage locally, such as the Banner Oaks subdivision currently being developed at Holton’s southern edge. But Hower said it will take more than just the construction of a few new homes to build up an inventory of houses that he and other local realtors can sell. That’s a problem, he said, especially now that Topeka and the surrounding area has been declared “the third-hottest market in the United States.”
Source: Holton Recorder
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: 100,000 borrowers are eligible so far under new rules
The Department of Education said Wednesday that it has so far identified 100,000 borrowers who are eligible for student debt cancellation due to the changes the agency made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in October. The cancellations for those people are expected to total about $6.2 billion in federal student debt relief. Not all of the eligible borrowers have been notified of their debt relief yet. They are being notified on a rolling basis, and the Department of Education could not provide a date when all of them will have been contacted.
Source: KAKE – News
Inman cafe using verenika to help Ukraine
An Inman cafe is donating some of its proceeds from the sales of a dish that’s native to Ukraine to help the people there. Inman Harvest Cafe has been an existing restaurant in Inman since 1955. Cafe manager Katy Reinecker told KAKE News that her family took over the small business 14 years ago. “It’s been a wild ride,” said Reinecker. She said she started off as dishwasher at the business and over the years has seen the cafe through its many ups and downs. She told KAKE News she had been most thankful for the community’s support over the years. “They don’t feel like customers, they feel like extended family,” said Reinecker. “They’ve helped me raise my kids.” Reinecker said she’s thankful to get the opportunity to give back to them with warm conversation and food that customers KAKE News spoke to said that they loved.
Source: KAKE – News
De Soto could issue $100M of industrial revenue bonds for a commercial facility
Industrial development near the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in De Soto continues as Prairie Village-based Flint Development’s commerce center picks up steam. De Soto’s City Council will hold a public hearing on the issuance of $100 million worth of industrial revenue bonds as an incentive mechanism for Flint Commerce Center’s construction at the northwest corner of 103rd Street and Edgerton Road. In a December memorandum of understanding, officials agreed to provide property tax abatements for 3.5 million industrial square feet of Class A warehouses. The rezoning for 371 annexed acres also was approved in January, alongside a 5,877-acre tax increment financing district for the nearby Sunflower plant.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
‘A lot more art’: Lawrence leaders express interest in reexamining workings of public art program
Lawrence city leaders expressed interest Tuesday in reexamining how the city funds public art, selects artists, and places public art around the city. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission reviewed the city resolution governing the long-standing Percent for Art program as well as related city administrative policy. The resolution allows city leaders to set aside up to 2% of a capital project’s budget for public art, and the policy sets out a process for selecting art or artists.
Source: LJWorld.com
Western Kansas home of state’s first Black female mayor
The town of Stockton, Kan., is the county seat of Rooks County. It’s also where Kim Thomas became the first Black female mayor in the state and one of the longest-serving mayors. “Stockton has always been kind of, they’ve always welcomed black people. It hasn’t been like some places where you weren’t welcome,” said the former mayor. Thomas’ career in politics began in the 90s. “You know the first time I ran for city commission, I didn’t make it, but I tried again. I wasn’t defeated,” recalls Thomas.
Source: KWCH
Municipal Bond Trends for March 8, 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.
Applications Open for Community Service Tax Credit Program
Governor Laura Kelly today announced that applications are currently being accepted for the Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP). CSP provides an opportunity for private, non-profit organizations and public health care entities to improve their ability to undertake major capital campaigns for projects involving children and family services, non-governmental crime prevention, youth apprenticeship and youth technical training and health care. “The Community Service Tax Credit program is an incredible opportunity for nonprofit organizations to create lasting, meaningful changes for people across Kansas,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “These tax credits will foster local solutions to local challenges, and they will help improve the quality of life for Kansans now and into the future.” Under this program, the state authorizes nonprofit organizations to offer tax credits to donors making contributions towards approved projects. Proposed projects should be unique or one-time in nature and create a lasting value for charitable organizations. For example, projects might include a capital campaign, major equipment purchase, major renovation, capacity building, etc.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Riley County Fire District #1 tests new technology for emergency response
Riley County Fire District #1 will be using new technology for emergency response. Emergency Management Director Russell Stukey says the fire district is conducting a test for a startup company for a new program. Maps, personnel and apparatus resources, weather conditions, and incident pre-plan documents will be available in one location with this new program. Stukey says the pilot program as of now isn’t costing the department any money. The software pilot test started in February and will continue for the next several months.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Grants available for Edgerton residents, businesses
ElevateEdgerton! has announced the creation of a new grant program for residents, property owners and small business owners within the City of Edgerton. The Encouraging Development and Growth in Edgerton (EDGE) Grants are designed to support residential and commercial improvements and small business growth within the City of Edgerton. The program offers two options: The Residential and Commerical Beautification Grant and the Small Business Attraction and Expansion Grant. The Residential and Commercial Beautification Grant provides financial assistance to homeowners, renters, small business owners and property owners located anywhere within Edgerton city limits. The reimbursable grants award 50% of the total project cost up to $500 for projects that improve the front exterior of properties in Edgerton. Qualifying projects include landscaping, exterior painting, or façade improvements.
Source: Gardner News