Kansas Municipal News
Emporia considers new water tower designs
How should Emporia present itself to the heavy traffic that passes through on I-35 every day? That was the question put in front of city commissioners Wednesday morning. The water tower at the corner of 12th Avenue and Lakeview Street near Dillon’s is set to undergo a rehabilitation project, and as part of that, the commission has the opportunity to put something new on it. What that something new is, though, is still undecided. Prior to Wednesday’s study session, the commission received a few mockups of potential designs for the water tower, including one heralding Emporia’s reputation as the founding city of Veteran’s Day, another featuring the logos of Emporia High School, Flint Hills Technical College and Emporia State University side-by-side as well as one devoted exclusively to ESU. And of course, there there was a fairly standard design bearing the city’s name.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Overland Park working out system for residents to more easily track city councilmembers’ votes
People who want to know sooner rather than later how individual councilmembers voted in Overland Park may get some help this year. A city council committee recently sent instructions for staff to work out the nuts and bolts of including voting records on the city’s website within a day or two of a meeting, rather than later in the approved minutes.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for January 26, 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.
10-day isolation order for Cowley County affirmed by court
A district court judge in Arkansas City on Wednesday upheld a health order issued by the Cowley County Public Health Officer last week sticking with a 10-day isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19. The isolation period is longer than the latest CDC guidance of 5 days isolation, plus 5 days of masking, and two Ark City residents sued Langer claiming he did not have the authority to issue such an order and argued that it curtailed business. Langer said the appointed county health board supported the 10-day period, and that it applies only to people with the virus, not the general population.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Yes, ARPA can pay for that
Allen County commissioners learned the final guidelines from federal officials on coronavirus relief funds will allow them more flexibility to use the money however they want. They’ll now prioritize county projects when spending the $2.4 million. “Can ARPA pay for that?” has become a common refrain as county leaders debate how to best use $2.4 million federal COVID-19 relief funds. On Tuesday, Allen County Commissioners got the answer: in most cases, yes. They can use ARPA for just about anything. But with requests for the money more than double what the county has, commissioners now want to prioritize county projects over others.
Source: The Iola Register
State legislation seeks to alleviate strain on health care system
Gov. Laura Kelly has signed House Bill 2477 which allows staffing flexibility at health care and long-term care facilities throughout the state to address staffing shortages that continue to strain the health care system, according to the governor’s office. The bipartisan bill signed by the governor Friday, Jan. 21, extends provisions in Executive Orders 22-01 and 22-02 until Jan. 20, 2023. “This legislation will mitigate the shortage of health care providers while we deal with the Omicron surge,” Kelly said. “I want to thank the Legislature for their bipartisan support and swift action to get this bill to my desk. Our front-line health care workers have been overwhelmed by the highly contagious Omicron variant, and they need our support now.”
Source: Local News | republic-online.com
Kansas bills eliminating food sales tax offer different approaches to addressing food insecurity
A pair of bills aimed at eliminating the food sales tax on food and groceries in Kansas will help reduce rising food insecurity and aid families in getting food on the table, supporters say. House Bill 2484 would exempt food and food ingredients, including products sold at restaurants, from state retail sales and compensation use tax beginning Jan. 1, 2023. The bill would not include alcoholic beverages or tobacco. The second measure under consideration Tuesday, House Bill 2487, would exempt Kansans beginning July 1. The measure excludes prepared food from the exemption, unlike the first bill, and provides an exemption for sales of farm products sold at farmers’ markets.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Federal Reserve points to interest rate hike coming in March
Facing both turbulent financial markets and raging inflation, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday indicated it could soon raise interest rates for the first time in more than three years. In a move that came as little surprise, the Fed’s policymaking group said a quarter-percentage point increase to its benchmark short-term borrowing rate is likely coming soon. It would be the first increase since December 2018. The statement comes in response to inflation running at its hottest level in nearly 40 years. Though the move toward less accommodative policy has been well-telegraphed over the past several weeks, markets in recent days have been remarkably choppy as investors worried that the Fed might tighten policy even more than expected.
Source: CNBC
Wichita names interim police chief
Deputy Police Chief Lemuel Moore has been announced as the Interim Police Chief for the City of Wichita, starting in March. Chief Gordon Ramsay announced in December that he would be stepping down as of March 1st to focus on family. He had served as chief since 2016. The city is starting an extensive search process to find the next chief. Moore is a 30-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department and he has served in a number of capacities, starting as a beat officer in Patrol East and moving into the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain. He became a Deputy Chief this month for the Administrative/Support Services Division.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Newton sees flurry of industrial sales
The Newton City Commission voted to sell 117 acres to one developer, 15 to an existing company, as well as an airplane hangar, for good measure. Oh, and the ABI building is back on the market. The flurry of activity began with the 5-0 approval of a sale of Kansas Logistics Park property to developer Louis Robelli. Robelli originally requested 180 acres from the city and offered to pay $7,250 per acre. The city office and he negotiated and landed on a sale of 117 acres for $8,000 per acre. According to the city memo tied to the deal, Robelli plans on building at least one 50,000-square-foot warehouse as well as a possible $3 million laydown area next to a rail line to be built. The property he bought at the KLP can be connected to an existing rail spur.
Source: Harvey County Now
New project in Parsons park would serve those with physical and sensory needs
An effort is underway in Parsons to create a park that everyone can enjoy. The Parsons State Hospital and Training Center has partnered with the City of Parsons to upgrade Railroad Park. The new project would turn the existing area into an inclusive sensory park for those with physical, sensory, or other needs. Right now the project is focused on generating at least $150,000 in funds through grants and community support. “We’ll have to do fundraisers, of course, and private donations will always be accepted. We have volunteer help with the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, I’ve had churches that are very interested in helping,” said Marlys Sohmber-Jones, Parsons State Hospital Program Consultant.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Dog owner appeals ‘pick up, pay up’ order
A Peabody woman who three times has been accused of letting her dogs run free is appealing a ruling that she pick her dogs up from boarding and not return them to Peabody or else they will be adopted out. Terri Tucker was ordered Jan. 12 to pay $265 for having two dogs at large. She pleaded no contest in exchange for dismissal of two charges of no proof of vaccination and two charges of having dogs with no city tags.
Source: Marion County RECORD
Manhattan city government struggles with staffing shortages
The Manhattan city government is struggling with a lack of staff, according to various department leaders. Department heads on Tuesday updated the Manhattan City Commission about the things they accomplished in 2021, challenges to their departments and goals for 2022. They provided updates as a lead-in to the commission’s retreat on Friday. All departments mentioned being short-staffed, and the city is working on updating its compensation package in hopes to retaining and hiring employees. According to exit interviews, human resources director Tammy Galvan said the top five reasons people left were lack of advancement, under compensation, performance evaluation, training and leadership.
Source: themercury.com
Wichita Set To Host Best Professional Bull Riders In Major Tour
The best bull riders in the world have April 23rd marked on their calendars as a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) tour returns to Wichita, Kansas. It’s the PBR Nexgrill Invitational of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, according to Kacie Albert at the Wrangler Network. “For one night only, top bull riders will battle the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown,” Albert promised.
Source: WIBW News Now
Bleeding Kansas Series Planned Six Sundays At Historic Lecompton
History of troubled times in Kansas before statehood and during the Civil War are being relived. It’s the Bleeding Kansas Program Series featured the next six Sundays at the Constitutional Hall State Historic Site in Lecompton. ‘We’ll have six different programs starting January 30th through March 6th,” announced Paul Bahnmaier of the Lecompton Historical Society. “On Sundays at 2 o’clock, there’ll be dramatic presentations about Kansas’ violent times from 1854 through 1865,” Bahnmaier said. Kicking off January 30th is the Kansas Day program with faces of the Free State House. It’ll feature the first general assembly of the territory of Kansas legally elected by the people.
Source: WIBW News Now
Municipal Bond Trends for January 25, 2022
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Ortiz has City Manager aspirations
Becoming a city manager has been the dream of Olivia Ortiz since she was seven years old. It may seem young to have aspirations, but when your father is a city manager that all changes. “My father used to take me to functions and I got to know some of the other city managers. The programs were very interesting,” Ortiz said. Her father served as the city manager for Eudora, Kansas but has since retired. … At this time Ortiz is working for the City of Atchison, but she told the story of how she started. “I talked to Justin Pergont, interim city manager, and told him I would love to work for the city,” Ortiz said. “He told me that unfortunately there wasn’t money set aside for an intern. I responded that I didn’t care I wanted the opportunity to serve.”
Source: Atchison Globe Now
City and County Combine Tourism
In a continuing effort by Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott leadership to combine services, the city’s tourism department will come under the Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc. Jackson Tough, the City of Fort Scott’s Tourism Director moved his office into the Bourbon County REDI office at Landmark Bank today. The city’s tourism department is funded through a Transient Guest Tax, Harrington said. “Any money left from the transient guest tax, after the administrative stuff, payroll, FICA, and any incumbrances…will come to REDI for marketing.”
Source: Fort Scott Biz
CNBC Fed Survey forecasts more aggressive Fed tightening
The CNBC Fed Survey shows market expectations have turned aggressive for Federal Reserve policy tightening this year and next, with respondents looking for multiple rate hikes and significant balance sheet reduction. The first hike is now firmly seen coming in March, compared with a June expectation in the December survey. Respondents expect 3.5 rate hikes this year, showing that three are agreed but there is debate over whether there’s a fourth. Half of the 36 respondents see two or three hikes this year, and half see four or five. An additional three hikes are expected next year. That makes the forecast for a funds rate of just over 1% this year, compared to around zero now, 1.8% in 2023 and a terminal rate, or the end-point of the hiking cycle, at 2.4% reached in March 2024.
Source: CNBC
Muni 5-year hits 1%, 10-year at a high not seen since April 2020
Municipals faced more cuts to triple-A benchmark yields with the five-year hitting 1%, a level not seen on Refinitiv MMD’s curve since May 2020 and the 10-year at 1.34%, a rate high not seen since April 2020 when the market was in recovery from the initial COVID-induced selloff. U.S. Treasuries were slightly weaker while equities ended in the red after paring back much larger losses earlier in the day ahead of Wednesday’s much-anticipated FOMC meeting.
Source: The Bond Buyer