Kansas Municipal News
Lawmakers to seek federal, state relief for residents slammed by western Kansas wildfires
Kansas officials are in the process of seeking relief for residents impacted by wildfires which torched over 100,000 acres in four Kansas counties last week, killing two and burning houses, livestock and cropland. The fires were a result of historically high winds, some topping 100 miles-per-hour, which slammed Kansas last week, leaving behind a wake of property damage and thousands of residents across the state without power. All in all, 24 counties issued local disaster declarations as a result of the high winds. But the fires were most intense in Ellis, Osborne, Rooks and Russell counties.
Source: Salina Journal
‘It was burning so fast’: Recovery from Four County Fire may take years
This Four County Fire alone incinerated more than190 square miles. That’s an area larger than all of Wyandotte County (156 square miles) or the city of Wichita (166.5 square miles). But it wasn’t the only wildfire that the wind storm sparked. In all, the Kansas Forest Service recorded 16 wildfires in western and central Kansas that day, singeing more than 160,000 acres across 13 counties. Shawna Hartman, a Kansas Forest Service spokeswoman, said the destruction was so extensive that local fire suppression teams — which often travel to assist neighboring counties — were stretched thin.
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for December 23, 2021
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.
McPherson Hospital overwhelmed, asks public for help
The combination of growing numbers of Covid-19 positive patients and shortages of staff have proven to be a perfect storm for Kansas hospitals. McPherson Hospital is currently dealing with a surge of patients that has the hospital beyond capacity. McPherson’s Emergency Department is seeing an almost overwhelming volume of patients, while the ICU and inpatient medical/surgical units do not have enough available staff to handle any additional patients. “The public needs to be aware that their hospital and its staff are struggling to provide what the community needs right now. Our resources are stretched beyond what they were during the surge last year. This is a serious situation.” said Chris Stipe, President and CEO at McPherson Center for Health.
Source: McPherson Weekly News » Feed
Move to the Country?
I grew up in a small town but moved to the city to find fame and fortune (I found neither), which is a common American story in the last 80 years. About 13 years ago, I took a “temporary” consulting job in Southeast Kansas and fell in love again with the rural lifestyle I had left behind all those years ago. It wasn’t long before my wife (who also had rural roots) and I left city living behind, found our permanent home, and rediscovered country living. We are loving life in Bourbon County and have purchased our retirement home here.
Source: Fort Scott Biz
‘Major Scrooge move’: $5,000 damage done to Kansas sports field
The Riley County Police Department is calling the vandalism done to a soccer field a major “Scrooge move.” The police department posted photos to social media of the damage at Anneberg Park. The RCPD estimates it will cost about $5,000 to fix soccer field 5 at the park. According to authorities, similar damage was done last month. This means the field won’t be able to be used until the fall of 2022 or spring of 2023.
Source: KSN-TV
Arma fire department handing out free smoke detectors this holiday season
A local fire department is working to keep southeast Kansans safe by offering free fire alarms. The Arma Fire Department has partnered with the Kansas State Fire Marshall to provide and install free smoke alarms. This will only be for homeowners living in Arma and the rest of Fire District Number Two. Those who qualify can call the department from 9 AM until 5 PM during the week to schedule a time for the department to install the alarm. “Early detection is going to be huge in you getting out safely, if we can get people aware that there is a fire, the sooner that they can call 9-1-1, the faster that we can get there,” said Arma Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Justin Turner.
Source: KSNF/KODE
New Comprehensive Plan to help Parsons over next decade
In the state of Kansas, it’s required for cities to come up with a comprehensive plan (for zoning), which acts as a guide the city will follow for the next decade. The City of Parsons wanted to take this a step further, and thanks to collaborative efforts with its community, a new plan has come together. “Economic development used to be very specifically defined, those lines have blurred,” said Parsons Director of Economic Development Jim Zaleski. … the City of Parsons has come up with its most recent comprehensive plan. “It addresses everything in the city, from housing to retail, transportation, planning and zoning…We can refer to it, literally over the next decade.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
Lenexa’s new justice center will cost $8M more with rising construction costs
Lenexa’s new justice center is going to cost $8 million more than initially anticipated. That’s according to city staff and construction and design representatives on the project, who went over the conceptual budget with the Lenexa City Council last week at Thompson Barn. The city council on Tuesday unanimously approved a construction agreement with J.E. Dunn Construction Company based on the increased project costs. The city council also agreed to increase the budget for the project, which will now run at an estimated $73 million. Located on the southwest corner of Prairie Star Parkway and Britton Street, the Lenexa Justice Center will serve as a centralized public safety complex to include a new headquarters for the Lenexa Police Department and the municipal court.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Johnson County COVID-19 hospitalizations keep climbing, and officials say that’s still due to Delta, not Omicron
Local hospitalization trends in Johnson County and the Kansas City metro continue to show a troubling upward trajectory heading into the second Christmas holiday being celebrated under a pandemic cloud. The University of Kansas Health System said Wednesday that its number of COVID-19 patients continues to rise, topping 80, with all but two patients in its wards unvaccinated. Likewise, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission officials said in the last month alone they have doubled their number of COVID patients. As of Wednesday afternoon, 40 active COVID patients were in the hospital, said Morgan Shandler, AdventHealth Kansas City director of communications.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Manhattan government to reinstate mask mandate in city buildings Monday
Masks will be required in all Manhattan city government-operated buildings beginning Monday. The Manhattan city government announced the mandate on Thursday. This applies regardless of people’s vaccination status. The masking requirement is for people 2 and older. City manager Ron Fehr said this city’s decision is in response to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Riley County Health Department. “The Omicron variant is surging across the country as well as being more prevalent in Kansas which is putting a strain on local hospitals and medical providers,” Fehr said in a written statement. “Holiday gatherings and upcoming New Years’ events are likely to lead to even more spread.”
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article
Tonganoxie City Council approves liquor sale expansion
Tonganoxie City Council said yes Monday to an earlier start to Sunday liquor sales in the city. The council unanimously approved the change, which would mean sales could start at 9 a.m. instead of the current noon start. Recent changes in state law allows for cities to change operating times. Time must be allowed for any protest petitions, which means the new hours wouldn’t take effect for about two months.
Source: TonganoxieMirror.com stories
Applications Open for the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program
Governor Kelly announced that the application window for the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program has opened. She said the program is crucial to the state’s plan to address broadband gaps statewide, adding that funds will be targeted to areas unlikely to get broadband service without state or federal funding support. The program, which was launched last year, is poised to invest roughly $85 million over the next 10 years to bridge the digital divide in Kansas, with help from broadband modernization funding provided by the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Baldwin City mother’s challenge to Douglas County mask mandate fails in court
A Baldwin City mother’s challenge to Douglas County’s mask mandate for children has failed in court. Douglas County Judge Kay Huff recently ruled against Marie Taylor’s petition against the county’s health order, which argued that the order’s 90-day mandate was too long and must be reconsidered every 30 days. The petition was filed under the state’s new law, Senate Bill 40, which allows residents to challenge public health orders related to the coronavirus pandemic. Taylor’s challenge was considered by the Douglas County District Court, even though the law itself is in limbo and its legality is currently being considered by the Kansas Supreme Court.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for December 22, 2021
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.
Plans moving ahead for new riverfront development near downtown Wichita
Wichita City Council members have approved a preliminary agreement for the development of about two acres of land near Maple and McLean, adding new features to the area around Riverfront Stadium. A Memorandum of Understanding calls for Wichita Riverfront LP and EPC Real Estate to build a full-service hotel of at least six floors and at least 150 rooms. There will also be a 55,000 square-foot office building with at least 5,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. The project will also build a parking garage with at least 200 spaces that can provide public parking on evenings and weekends. There are also plans for public improvements along the west bank of the Arkansas River. The city will use Tax Increment Financing, supported by increases in property tax revenue, for the parking garage. The city is also setting aside $3 million in unallocated funds for the public riverbank improvements, but that will only be used if funding is unavailable through the state’s SPARK program, using funds from the American Rescue Plan.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
Newton Fire/EMS workers help those in Kentucky
Garrett McKinney and Kalin Johnson waited on Sunday afternoon at the local American Legion for people to bring non-perishable items. The items weren’t for them, however. They were for survivors of the recent tornadoes in Kentucky, and they planned to drive them there this past Wednesday. As soon as a person drove up to the Legion, McKinney and Johnson were out of the building, offering assistance to carry donations. And that’s what Newton Fire/EMS Department workers do on their days off—they still help people.
Source: Harvey County Now
Outgoing Bentley mayor looks back on accomplishments
After eight-and-a-half years as mayor of Bentley, Rex Satterthwaite will be chairing his final meeting on Thursday of this week. Satterthwaite’s career in public office in Bentley began in August of 2008 when he was appointed to the city council. He kept the seat during the 2011 election, and then was elected mayor in April of 2013. He served two terms as mayor before losing his seat this fall to Tracy Pribbenow. One thing that Satterthwaite said he was proud of about his time in office was his attendance record. He said he missed a couple special meetings and only two regularly scheduled meetings. “Both due to traveling with the Street Survivor Band,” he said. “We played the Downtown Casino near Joplin, Mo., on a Thursday night. The other time we played Padre Island on Friday and Saturday nights, and I had to leave Thursday afternoon. There were times the band would leave right after I was finished with a council meeting, and we would travel all night. I will always be grateful for the band accommodating me being mayor.”
Source: Harvey County Now
Johnson County receives part of opioid settlement
Johnson County Board of Commissioners agreed to a settlement to receive financial compensation from files claimed against pharmaceutical companies in 2019 for malpractice in the national opioid crisis. Fourteen counties and six other cities in the State of Kansas are also part of the settlement, Peg Trent, chief legal counsel, said at the Thursday December 16 meeting. Purdue, Johnson and Johnson, Cardinal, McKesson and Amerisource are the five pharmaceutical companies part of the settlement. Resolution 109-21 approves joining the Kansas Opioids Memorandum of Understanding between the Kansas Attorney General, the League of Kansas Municipalities and the Kansas Association of Counties. It also approves an agreement releasing Johnson County’s claims to the Kansas Attorney General. The Opioid Crisis Accountability Act of 2019 was passed by the U.S. Congress to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for dubious marketing and distribution of opioid products and for their role in creating and exacerbating the opioid epidemic in the United States.
Source: Gardner News
Parsons Police up reward in dog killer search to $30,000
Due to an abundance of support not just locally, but nationally, the Parsons Police Department has raised the reward to $30,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ranger’s killer. Ranger was a black, pure bred German Shepherd puppy owned by a PPD officer that was found dead in the owner’s backyard one afternoon earlier this month. “This could not have been done without the support of good people,” said Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks. “The support that has been shown to our officer is more than just humbling. It is honestly more than words can express. We just hope that we can make an arrest and put this family at ease.”
Source: KSNF/KODE