Kansas Municipal News
Kansas opens vaccine booster to all eligible adults
The State of Kansas has announced that it’s opening vaccine boosters to all eligible adults. We spoke with the Crawford County Health Department about the announcement. On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced the COVID booster shots will be open to all vaccinated Kansans ages 18 and up. Teddi Van Kam with the Crawford County Health Department says “It puts the decision you know, to the individual themselves, for them to kind of assess what their, what they feel like their exposure risk is at home, at work, out in the community.”
Source: KOAMKOAM
Parsons to remove pit bull ban
Parsons city commissioners plan to revoke the city’s ban on pit bulls. Commissioners on Monday unanimously agreed to remove the section of the animal ordinance that states pit bull dogs are prohibited. “This is something that’s been brought up a time or two over the past several months. … My hope is, anyway, that we could remove the breed-specific ban on pit bulls,” said Mayor Tom Shaw at the beginning of the discussion.
Source: Parsons Sun
All Ark City schools will close to quell COVID outbreaks
Arkansas City schools will take a 10-day wellness and mental break, hoping to slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout the district. At a special meeting Tuesday night, the school board approved adding Friday, Monday and Tuesday to the Thanksgiving break starting Wednesday (Nov. 24). All school sports and activities can continue as normal. Students will return to class Nov. 29. Superintendent Ron Ballard said the extended break would be the equivalent of the standard 10-day quarantine. “We have COVID going on at a pace that takes us all the way back to last year, and perhaps above in terms of the speed that it is increasing.” he said.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
TIF District approved for bare land
Finney County Economic Development Corporation is working with Western Kansas Corridor LLC on the development of property located at the northeast quadrant of the north interchange of U.S. Highway 50/400 and U.S. Highway 83. … Lona DuVall, President/CEO of the FCEDC said the Western Corridor TIF is … primarily a way for the developer to pay for the cost of establishing infrastructure in a bare piece of agricultural ground by way of utilities, roads, water runoff, etc. … the way Kansas law is written in regards to creating a TIF is the city has to make the termination that the property is either blighted or not producing as much as it could … “With this property being on the intersection of a very highly trafficked highway interchange, we would believe that it has the higher value than just what it’s being currently used for,” she said.
Source: Garden City Telegram
Lawrence-Douglas County continues discussion of solar farm regulations
As part of its meeting Monday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission continued its discussion of new zoning regulations for rural Douglas County for commercial or utility-scale “solar energy conversion systems,” or solar farms. A committee has been working with planners to make revisions to the draft regulations, and committee chair Jim Carpenter said they were taking great care in that process. “We’ve not seen a text amendment come forward like this before that is of such big scale or duration,” Carpenter said. “We are trying to work out the rules here to allow industrial scale solar out in the rural parts of the county that could be in place for 30, 50 or more years.”
Source: LJWorld.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for November 16, 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.
TikTok 911: Lyon County dispatch draws a crowd
TikTok isn’t only for teenagers and milk crate stacking anymore. It’s now used by Lyon County first responders. The Lyon County Emergency Communication Center launched its own TikTok feed in late August. It’s now approaching 4,800 followers. “See a new side of dispatch,” a Facebook post about the feed said this past week. The first TikTok post was serious, marking “National I Am 911” Day. Other videos are humorous, with several “education bloopers” available.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Gov. Kelly Announces Legislature Will Reconvene Nov. 22nd
Governor Kelly announced Friday that she will use her constitutional power to reconvene the Kansas Legislature for a special session on November 22. This after the Legislature filed a petition with 86 signatures from members of the Kansas House and 29 members of the Kansas Senate, surpassing the two-thirds majority needed for a legislative petition. The focus of the special session will be the Biden administrations string of federal vaccine mandates and ways to protect Kansas workers who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
U.S. 69 toll lane project to expand, with Overland Park paying an extra $10 million
The Overland Park City Council on Monday agreed to add an additional $10 million in local costs to the U.S. 69 toll lane project, which will now include the reconstruction of the 167th Street interchange. This past spring, the council approved the first phase of the U.S. 69 expansion, to widen the highway to six lanes from 103rd to 151st streets — a $300 million project paid for in part by making one lane in each direction an express toll lane. Drivers could choose to pay a toll for a faster commute. The other lanes would remain free. Now, thanks to the passage of the federal infrastructure bill, the state will receive new funding to dedicate to the project, said Lindsey Douglas, deputy secretary with the Kansas Department of Transportation. And that will help accelerate work to improve the 167th Street interchange, from Metcalf Avenue to Antioch Road. Plans call for U.S. 69 to eventually be expanded south to 179th Street.
Source: Joco 913 News
Health officials concerned over COVID-19 uptick as holidays approach, mask mandates end
The rolling average of new COVID-19 cases in the Kansas City area continued to increase for the second consecutive week, raising the concerns of health officials ahead of the holidays. The upswing in cases has health officials concerned what will happen in the coming months as mask mandates have been allowed to expire and people head indoors for the winter months and for holiday celebrations. “When you start taking off masks and you go indoors, people are going to get sick again and we’re going to see the increasing rise of COVID-19 numbers,” said Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System. “And that’s exactly what we’re starting to see and I’m concerned.”
Source: The Kansas City Star
Lawrence community celebrates new mural at Cottin’s Hardware
A crowd gathered Sunday to celebrate the completion of a new mural at Cottin’s Hardware, 1832 Massachusetts St. Artists Dave Loewenstein, Ardys Ramberg and Missy McCoy got started on the mural, “Tiempo de la Tierra,” on Sept. 7, just after the Lawrence City Commission gave it final approval. Loewenstein, conservation leader Brett Ramey, a member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, and Haskell Indian Nations University Professor Daniel Wildcat, a Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma, spoke eloquently and with passion about the mural, our community, the global community and the precarious situation our earth is in, Tom Harper wrote of the event. “We were also reminded of the beauty that surrounds us & good people making meaningful contributions to make the world a better place. In our town, everyone involved in the mural and yesterday’s gathering are shining examples of this truth,” Harper wrote.
Source: The Lawrence Times
“A Bolder Humboldt” initiative aimed at making the town a vibrant place to live and visit
Ten years ago, Humboldt, Kansas, was a lot like thousands of small towns across the United States. Economic and social shifts had left the once-booming downtown feeling eerily abandoned. Walmart stores had opened up to the north and south of town, “sucking the life out,” as one local man put it. A highway bypass had been built. And, because of mechanization, the many farms in the area required fewer workers. As a result, many storefronts were empty and the town population was dwindling. But the residents of this town of 1900 people didn’t give up. The area economy was actually quite sound. There were three successful industries—farming, a cement plant, and a fast-growing trailer hitch company. It was the downtown and the sense of wellbeing that needed a shot of adrenaline. That boost is now being provided by Joe Works, the founder and CEO of B&W Trailer Hitches, and a group of young people, mostly made up of his children, who launched an initiative called A Bolder Humboldt aimed at making the town a vibrant place to live and visit. “Why should people have to move elsewhere to enjoy the nicer things in life? Why can’t they have all those things in a small town in the Midwest?” says Joe.
Source: Pivot Projects
Save Century II activists want safeguards to prevent renaming the center for money
The Century II Convention and Performing Arts Center will be Century II for the foreseeable future, but City Hall and its recently approved private management company could seek to rename parts of the facility for those who are willing to pay. City Manager Robert Layton said Tuesday that the city would be unlikely to get any bids for renaming the entire Century II, but there could be some opportunities to sell naming rights within the facility. Layton gave that update in response to questions raised by supporters of the Save Century II movement at Tuesday’s council meeting and in an earlier teleconference meeting with city officials and officials of ASM Global, which will take over the management of the now publicly run center in January.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Atchison Approves COVID Premium Pay from ARPA Funds
City Commissioners approved a one-time payment of $1,000 per employee for front-line employees who were deemed essential and forced to continue to work during the shutdown during the height of the COVID pandemic panic during Monday’s regular meeting. To be eligible for the payment, the employee must have started working with the City in 2020 or before and still be an employee of the organization. Department heads and those who were able to work remotely during the shutdown in 2020 are not eligible. The money is an allowable use of American Rescue Plan Act funds, of which the city is receiving nearly $1.6 million.
Source: www.atchisonglobenow.com
Johnson Drive through downtown Shawnee is going down to 3 lanes
Shawnee’s pilot project to reduce lanes and slow down traffic on Johnson Drive through the downtown area is now underway. Crews have begun re-striping a stretch of Johnson Drive between Flint and Goddard streets. Work is slated to wrap up by Friday. The project, also known as a “road diet,” reduces that part of Johnson Drive from five lanes (two lanes going both directions, with a shared left turn lane) to three lanes (one lane going both directions with a shared left turn lane).
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Roeland Park lets Johnson County’s last citywide mask mandate expire
The last city in Johnson County with a face mask mandate has let its order expire. Roeland Park was the only remaining city that required masks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. On Monday, the city council voted 5-4 to allow its current masking resolution to expire at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16. Mayor Mike Kelly broke the tie. The resolution had taken effect Aug. 24 and was initially set to expire Oct. 19, but the city council later extended the expiration date. The order required masks for all people indoors in places accessible to the public or in crowded outdoor public places, with some exceptions. Roeland Park was the second Johnson County city to enact a mask mandate in the absence of a countywide order after Prairie Village imposed one on businesses starting Aug. 24. The Prairie Village City Council allowed that city’s mandate to expire on Oct. 31.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Bus stop issue resolved
The issue of motorists having to stop for school buses along U.S. 54 just outside LaHarpe has been resolved. LaHarpe City Attorney Fred Works said Monday the Iola school district has reached an agreement with a family allowing buses to use the family’s driveway for pick-up and drop-offs. The bus will no longer stop along the highway. At least three motorists have been ticketed in recent weeks for passing the stopped bus from the opposite direction along the four-lane highway. Motorists must stop for a school bus from both directions if its red lights are flashing and its stop sign is extended. The only exception is when a motorist is approaching from the opposite direction along a four-lane highway divided by a grass median.
Source: The Iola Register
How will Kansas spend $1.6B in COVID aid? Charities, sheriffs, theaters make their pitch
Help for the homeless. Grants for movie theaters. Hydroelectricity. As Kansas prepares to allocate $1.6 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, business groups, non-profit organizations and civic advocates from across the state are pushing a sweeping range of proposals for spending it. They are all angling for a piece of the one-time funding that could prove transformational for a host of programs and initiatives. The money holds the potential to ultimately touch residents in all corners of the state through dollars for affordable housing, business start-ups, new and improved public buildings, better access to higher education and faster broadband internet. How this funding is spent largely rests with a panel of state, civic and business leaders who have been touring the state, listening to local CEOs, non-profit executives and residents make their case for their particular project. Known as SPARK (Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas), the committee will produce recommendations that will go to the State Finance Council, a body made up of Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leaders, for final approval.
Source: The Kansas City Star
$420K COVID grant will aid purchase of hotel for domestic violence shelter in Wichita
Money from a federal COVID-19 grant will be used to help the Wichita Family Crisis Center buy a hotel and transform it into a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. The City Council on Tuesday approved spending $420,000 from the city’s CARES Act money to complete the purchase of the hotel. The council earlier approved $800,000 for the project. Following the approval of the funding, the center’s executive director, Amanda Meyers and about a dozen staff and supporters celebrated in the hallway outside the council chambers. “Truly, we are over the moon,” Meyers said. “It was so needed for so long.” The Family Crisis Center has only been able to provide about eight safe bedrooms for domestic abuse victims and families. The center used to be able to house more people, but the COVID crisis reduced capacity as clients had to be spread out more to reduce transmission of the coronavirus.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Municipal Bond Trends for November 15, 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.