Kansas Municipal News
Beautiful Benches provide restful spots for public stops
Additional sights to behold around the communities are also offering more seating for the weary. The initiative is all part of the Atchison Art Association’s Beautiful Benches Public Art Program. “Pride” the second beautiful bench in Atchison is the most recent installment of the artful benches that was put in place Friday, Oct. 1 along the corner of Eighth and Commercial Streets. Angie Cairo, project manager, said the Pride concept arose after consultation with Gay Straight Alliance members of Atchison High School. The mosaic work of the bench depicts a Pride Flag waving amid blue sky and clouds. The Beautiful Benches project is a focus on the functional public art in the communities throughout the county to represent the life and organizations in the community. The benches not only enhance the landscape, but they offer a place to relax and rest a bit along the sidewalks.
Source: News | atchisonglobenow.com
Prairie Village may commit to plan that puts city on path to zero carbon emissions by 2040
The city of Prairie Village will soon consider committing to a UN-backed campaign aimed at getting cities, local governments and other institutions to take “rigorous and immediate action” against climate change. Specifically, Prairie Village is considering a commitment to the UN’s ‘Cities Race to Zero,’ an initiative that urges cities to strive towards reducing their carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030, according to city documents. Councilmember Ian Graves introduced the item this week to the city council committee of the whole — prior to discussing it with the council’s environmental committee — because, he noted, the city must enter into the commitment by the end of the month.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Overland Park considers extending e-bike pilot program and could also add rental scooters
Overland Park experiment with electric bikes received mixed reviews from residents, as the city’s 18-month pilot program nears an end this November. The pilot project allowed certain types of motorized bikes on trails throughout Overland Park. With the project’s end date approaching, the city council’s Community Development committee on Wednesday heard a report about the pilot’s impact, including citizen feedback. The report concluded that there are some concerns with how the e-bike program currently runs, but overall, seem to appreciate having the bikes in the area.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Oktoberfest leaves Germany and comes to Kansas
Junction City hosted its first-ever Oktoberfest, and they plan to make it an annual gig. People from all over the Sunflower State came to enjoy the German beer, food and live music at the event. Some people even took it the extra mile and dressed up in traditional German attire. One stand in particular, the Schnitzel Sisters, attracted all sorts of attention with authentic schnitzels. Ilona “Charlie” Swartz came to the Little Apple from Germany and has shared her love of German cuisine with Kansas ever since.
Source: KSN-TV
This Kansas town now has the 3rd largest school in the nation
The Junction City community is grateful and excited for a much-needed upgrade for their students in the form of a state-of-the-art building: Junction City High School. The school is now the largest one in Kansas and is said to be the third largest in the nation, finishing off at a quarter-mile in length. After two years of construction, the ribbon-cutting was on Saturday, October 9. The community, teachers at the school, special guests, students and alumni from the older Junction City High School came out to celebrate the new building for future students of Junction City. The band, the dance team and cheerleaders welcomed people as they came to the outdoor event.
Source: KSN-TV
Wichita city staff improving communication with non-English speakers after boil-water advisory
After this week’s boil-water advisory, city leaders now hope to come up with a more strategic plan to inform the public when an issue similar to this one occurs. Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said although he is very proud of how quickly essential workers stopped the water line break from becoming a bigger issue there is one thing the city has to solve. That issue is informing non-English speakers of critical issues like this one. He said even though the city was able to get a press release out in Spanish about the advisory around 15 minutes after the incident that is not quick enough. “We now need to be taking those steps further to systemize these alerts by using our current assets,” Whipple said.
Source: KSN-TV
Wellington council contemplates economic development incentives to getting college grads to return home
The Wellington City Council heard a proposal from the economic development commission that would provide incentives for college graduates to return to the community. The council tabled the matter to a later meeting to gather more input. At Tuesday’s council meeting, Sumner County Economic Development Director Stacy Davis said the city of Wellington is considered a “rural opportunity zone.” Wellington’s already been under that classification since 2014, and offers tax credits for five years to anyone who moves back to Wellington.
Source: Sumner NewsCow
Appeals court finds Johnson County overvalued Walmarts
Johnson County overvalued 11 big-box retail stores by about $60 million, a state appeals court has ruled, potentially firing up the ongoing debate over whether property should be appraised as if it’s vacant, or “dark.” The Kansas Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a decision by the state’s tax appeals board that found the county incorrectly valued a group of Walmarts and Sam’s Clubs by about $60 million in 2017 and $63 million in 2016. The new ruling comes several months after a separate panel of appeals court judges SSJ.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Haven Fall Festival
A burst of color filled the Haven skyline on Saturday morning. Bags of pigment thrown into the air rained on Haven residents as they began the first Haven Fall Festival Color Run. This year, the Haven Fall Festival included more than 20 parade floats, 25 vendors and almost the entire Haven population, with more than 1,000 attendants who visited Kansas Avenue to participate in a variety of activities as pancakes sizzled on grills outside of the Haven Senior Center for the Booster Club Breakfast.
Source: Hutch News
Municipal Bond Trends for October 8, 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.
What’s the buzz? Beekeeping, with limits, will be allowed in this Johnson County city
The Leawood City Council has agreed to allow beekeeping within city limits, but only on larger lots. Under an ordinance adopted in September, a residential property is allowed up to two beehives, which must be kept in the rear yard. The hives must be at least 50 feet from the boundaries of adjacent developed property, 75 feet from any building on an adjacent lot and 100 feet from the traveled portion of a street, pedestrian path or sidewalk. The hives can be no more than 5 feet tall, and a barrier must be installed to limit the area the bees can travel when they leave the hive to collect pollen and nectar. Such barriers, consisting of dense landscaping or a structure, are designed to limit the contact that adjacent property owners would have with the bees, Leawood Planning Director Mark Klein told the planning commission last summer.
Source: Joco 913 News
Lenexa makes an unusual hire to deal with a landscape problem.
The storm water drain in Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Par Park was teeming with invasive plants. Roughly 60% of the vegetation surrounding the drain was species considered to be threatening to the local ecosystem. Lenexa struck a deal with Goats on the Go KCMO to bring in a herd to tackle the issue. The four-legged eating machines moved across 2.5 acres of rocky terrain and steep slopes mowing through the vegetation. Now, in the wake of the visit, the area lays clear and free of invasive plants. Margaret Chamas of Goats on the Go KCMO oversees the goats and other livestock at Storm Dancer Farm in Smithville, MO. She takes on grazing projects across the Kansas City metro area.
Source: KCUR
There’s no legal weed in Kansas yet, but a new Cannabis Chamber of Commerce says that’ll change soon
Kansas is one of three states that has not yet legalized medical marijuana. But, banking on the idea that legalization is inevitable, one organization is gearing up to focus on what the growth of that industry will look like. “It (marijuana) isn’t something to be feared. It’s something to be regulated,” said Barry Grissom, a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas and member of the Kansas Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. “I’ll use Colorado as an example,” Grissom said on Up to Date. “In 2017, total cannabis related sales in that state was $1.5 billion. What that tells me as a prosecutor is that $1.5 billion didn’t go to criminals. It went to entrepreneurs who created 20,000 new jobs. Kansas should be able to do that.”
Source: KCUR News
Wichita’s water crisis brings aging water infrastructure issues to a boil
What happened Thursday could have been much worse. And it was no surprise. The water main break that threatened to contaminate the whole system, closing schools and hobbling restaurants was a crisis, but it could have happened at any time. The city of Wichita’s water system has been flirting with disaster for years. This time, the failure of a power pole’s insulator, one of the most common, cheapest and most reliable parts of an electrical system, was the trigger point in a cascade of events that broke a corroded, 52-year-old water main near downtown Wichita. A 2017 assessment found 99% of Wichita’s water treatment plant was in poor condition and the entire raw water pipe system was in very poor condition. The Eagle reported in 2019 that Wichita’s entire water system has a “significant risk” of failure and lacks redundancy, meaning if a major asset fails, it can’t be fixed without shutting the whole plant down.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Boil water advisories over for most Sedgwick, Butler county areas affected by pipe break
The boil water advisories for most areas in Sedgwick and Butler counties affected by a major water pipe break last week are over. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Sunday lifted advisories for Bel Aire, Derby, Rose Hill, Benton, Kechi, Valley Center, McConnell Air Force Base and Sedgwick County Rural Water Districts 1 and 3. The city of Wichita’s advisory was lifted Saturday. Residents in Sedgwick County Rural Water District No. 2, however, should continue to boil their tap water before drinking or cooking with it until further notice, the KDHE said.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Wichita water passes KDHE test, boil-water advisory over 36 hours after pipe break
In Wichita, it’s safe to drink the water again. A boil-water advisory that closed Wichita’s schools and hampered many of the city’s restaurants has been lifted, about 36 hours after a water main break that had threatened to contaminate the system. The advisory issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Thursday afternoon ended after all the city’s water samples turned up negative for contamination.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Galena makes way for new tradition to benefit city project
Downtown Galena was blocked off on Saturday to make way for a celebration as the first “Bloktoberfest” kicked off on Main Street. Proceeds raised from the event will be going towards the construction of a new splash pad in the city. Organizers from the “Galena Parks and Recreation Committee” also wanted to use Bloktoberfest as a way to bring community members downtown to shop locally. “We have quite a few craft vendors in the park. I think that it’s good to have everyone come out, especially on a beautiful day like this and check our stuff out,” says Renee Charles, Galena Parks and Recreation Board, “And we still have some of the businesses on main street open so people can go in and see the items and see what they have for sale.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
Utility disconnects for Kansas City, Kansas, residents will resume in November
The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities announced it will be lifting the moratorium on disconnects for its utility service for non-payments starting in November. As of Nov. 3, the BPU will start disconnecting those who have yet to pay their utility bill, according to a release. The board will work with customers who are behind on payments to assist them with payment plans. Utility disconnects have been suspended since March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began affecting people’s ability to pay their bills, with several businesses closing and others laying off or furloughing workers.
Source: KC Star Local News
‘Ready to go to war’: Wind power grows in Kansas and Missouri. Why do some oppose it?
Public officials are fond of pointing out that all of Kansas City International Airport’s electricity is now generated from wind — namely the Cimarron Bend wind farm in Clark County, in far western Kansas. But as wind power development grows across Kansas and Missouri, not everyone is happy. About an hour’s drive north of Kansas City, the Osborn Wind Project has divided neighbors since its 2017 opening. Here, one hears the familiar arguments about wind towers: Some call them eyesores, and some detest the constant noise and flickering red lights at night. Among the strongest opponents has been the nearby Shatto Milk Company, a local favorite known for its reusable glass jugs. The owners were concerned that the turbines could affect the health of their animals.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star
Saline County Sheriff’s K-9 and deputy win competition
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office announced that its K-9 unit was top dog during a regional competition. Sheriff Roger Soldan said Maggie and her handler, deputy Craig Norris, attended a certification hosted by the Heart of American Police Dog Association in Ankeny, Iowa that ended Oct. 1. “As part of the week that they were there, they had a patrol dog trophy run,” Soldan said. Soldan said Maggie and Norris were among 10 teams to be put through a scenario run of four disciplines.
Source: Salina Journal