Kansas Municipal News
Municipal Bond Trends for May 24, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for May 23, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Kansas communities begin cleanup, damage surveys after storms rip off roofs, down trees
The National Weather Service had survey teams out Monday assessing storm damage in Halstead, Newton and Russell after severe storms hit central Kansas on Sunday night. Those storms brought rain, large hail, strong wind gusts and a few reported tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. The strongest wind gusts in the state were recorded at 100 mph at the Salina airport. The Newton and Halstead areas saw 60 mph winds gusts, according to the NWS. The NWS received 15 reports of tornadoes Sunday in Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado, with six of those reported in Russell, Ellsworth, Lincoln and Osage County. Halstead fire and EMS posted on Facebook Sunday that it had been hit by a tornado. “We are evaluating [the] situation,” the agency said. NWS Wichita meteorologist Ken Cook could not confirm if a tornado hit Halstead but said the survey team will make that assessment.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Evergy says economic development will push it to boost electric generation plans
An economic development boom in Kansas and Missouri will drive Evergy to more than double its renewable energy generation while also adding more natural gas plants in the next 20 years. The Kansas City-based utility said its new resource plan includes 1,900 megawatts more in generation capacity than its 2023 plan. The plan, filed Friday with the Kansas Corporation Commission, outlines the company’s intention for serving customers in the next 20 years. Evergy said it will need to increase electricity generation to keep up with economic growth and the need to feed more electricity to the regional power grid. “In Kansas and Missouri, economic development was the biggest driver of change to our short- and long-term generation plans. We will grow our diverse energy portfolio by adding renewable and dispatchable resources to meet customers’ needs,” Evergy CEO David Campbell said in a release.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Munis in midst of correction as yields rise further; 10-year tops 3%
Municipals sold off Thursday with more cuts across the curve as a correction has ensued for the asset class just ahead of the summer reinvestment season. U.S. Treasuries saw losses and equities were also in the red. Municipal bond mutual funds saw the second week of outflows as investors pulled $217.6 million from the funds after $546.2 million of outflows the week prior, according to LSEG Lipper. High-yield continued to show strength, though, with inflows of $206.5 million after $125.7 million of inflows the previous week. The market correction may have finally begun, as triple-A yields have risen as much 13 to 17basis points on the front end and belly of the curve since Monday, noted Barclays strategists Mikhail Foux and Clare Pickering. Due to this, muni-UST ratios have risen more than 5 percentage points on 10 years and in with a smaller rise longer out the curve, climbing to highs last seen in late 2023, they said. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Thursday was at 67%, the three-year at 67%, the five-year at 67%, the 10-year at 67% and the 30-year at 84%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3 p.m. EST read. ICE Data Services had the two-year at 67%, the three-year at 67%, the five-year at 68%, the 10-year at 68% and the 30-year at 85% at 3:30 p.m. Supply is the primary reason behind the selloff, “hardly a surprise as we had around seven $10-plus billion supply weeks in a row,” Barclays strategists said.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Governor Kelly Announces $6.65M for Rural Road Safety Improvements
Governor Laura Kelly today announced that $6.65 million in federal funds will go to 10 rural projects to increase the safety and efficiency of local roadways. The effort is part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program. “Our rural roads are important to the local and state economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Programs like this enable commerce to flow smoothly and improve safety for Kansas families as they travel our state.” The HRRR program is federally funded through the Highway Safety Improvement Program and is designed to improve rural road safety. An additional $2.37 million in local funds will be used for the selected projects. This year’s 10 HRRR projects were selected from 46 applications seeking $40.5 million in federal funds. “Data shows more than 60% of fatal and serious injury crashes occur on county-owned roads and highways,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed. “These funds assist our rural partners to increase roadway safety by using low-cost and proven countermeasures.” Projects in this program fall into one of two categories: Systemic (encompassing a local roadway network) or Site Specific.
Source: Governor of the State of Kansas
Appraiser estimates $2.6 million in damage from Westmoreland tornado
It’s been three weeks since a tornado devastated Westmoreland and damage estimates are coming more into focus. According to the Pottawatomie County Times, Pottawatomie County Appraiser Robin Knoblauch noted at Monday’s weekly commission meeting that through her own investigation, the estimated loss in value to the city is around $2.6 million. This included 17 properties that were total losses and 10 properties that were extremely damaged and are non-livable. In addition, about 43 other properties sustained minor to major damage. Four parcels just beyond the Westmoreland city limits also sustained an estimated $400,000 in loss, including one property that was a brand new build completed in March. Emergency Management Director Jennifer Merrow told commissioners also Monday that the Small Business Administration toured Westmoreland and concluded that 33 properties would qualify for SBA low-interest disaster loans, with representatives on hand this week to answer any questions from concerned citizens.
Source: 1350 KMAN
As a 750-acre solar farm awaits answers, lessons learned from a Maize solar initiative on a much smaller scale
The project from Chicago solar energy construction company Invenergy, called the Chisholm Trail Solar Energy Center, is on hold as the county works on zoning and planning regulations for solar projects of a large scale. Maize, in fact, is not a stranger to solar projects. In 2019, propelled by the work of Maize High chemistry and physics teacher Stan Bergkamp and the Maize Solar Initiative, the city had a 720-panel solar project that went live outside of the Maize Career Academy. Bergkamp, who is also a landowner and farmer with solar panels in his shop in Kechi, was influential in generating $300,000 for solar development at Maize High. Bergkamp told the WBJ that comparing the Chisholm Trail project and the scale of its development to the solar project at his school is like “comparing apples to oranges.” He said that the major concern has been the scale of the project and the public anxiety about the effect on local development. However, he sees an alternative solution to the power problem in Maize — staying within regulations by utilizing parking lots and roofs that are available in the city. He feels that the focus of the county should be to find a balance for local and county-level growth.
Source: Wichita Business Journal
Federal Reserve minutes indicate worries over lack of progress on inflation
Federal Reserve officials grew more concerned at their most recent meeting about inflation, with members indicating that they lacked the confidence to move forward on interest rate reductions. Minutes from the April 30-May 1 policy meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee released Wednesday indicated apprehension from policymakers about when it would be time to ease. The meeting followed a slew of readings that showed inflation was more stubborn than officials had expected to start 2024. The Fed targets a 2% inflation rate, and all of the indicators showed price increases running well ahead of that mark. “Participants observed that while inflation had eased over the past year, in recent months there had been a lack of further progress toward the Committee’s 2 percent objective,” the summary stated. “The recent monthly data had showed significant increases in components of both goods and services price inflation.” The FOMC voted unanimously at the meeting to hold its benchmark short-term borrowing rate in a range of 5.25%-5.5%, a 23-year high where it has been since July 2023.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Immigrants stopping population loss in parts of rural Kansas, but few are reaping benefits
…immigration has redefined southwest Kansas over the past 40 years. The communities that have embraced their diversity have seen their population stabilize, bucking the trend of rural areas losing population. And this new diversity might end up being what saves these rural communities from deterioration.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for May 22, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Get paid to move to Kansas?: County shares effort to draw new residents
Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation will pay someone to move there. It’s a part of a growing trend in rural America. The county, of 2,899 people in 2022, is looking to grow, and it will pay someone $4,500 to do so. “Rural Kanas, rural America has been losing population for many, many years,” said Kelly Gourley, director of Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation. “If we want to grow, we have to have more people.”
Source: KWCH
Municipal Bond Trends for May 21, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for May 20, 2024
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Lt. Governor Toland Announces $500,000 in Tourism Attraction Development Grants
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $500,000 has been awarded in the latest round of Attraction Development Grant funding. … The Attraction Development Grant funding will be divided among 14 new or enhancing existing tourism attraction projects. Grant recipients will invest almost $1.4 million in matching investments toward the approved projects.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Two tornadoes touched down and knocked out power Sunday night in Johnson County: NWS
At least two EF-1 tornadoes caused damage as they tore through Johnson County, Kansas Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. The first tornado started near Mill Valley High School in Shawnee around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a storm survey from the National Weather Service. It crossed the campus of the high school and moved northeast across Monticello Road, fizzling out around 10:36 p.m. on Johnson Drive.
Source: Joco 913 News
Walmart moves Johnson County warehouse operations to Topeka, offers 318 workers transfer
Walmart is relocating its e-commerce distribution operations in Edgerton’s industrial park to its warehouse in Topeka, a company spokeswoman said Monday, adding that its 318 employees have been offered the chance to transfer. Spokeswoman Camille Dunn said Walmart plans to move its operations in Edgerton to its fulfillment center in Topeka, which opened at 1303 S.W. Innovation Parkway in 2021.
Source: KC Star Local News
Kansas communities begin cleanup, damage surveys after storms rip off roofs, down trees
The National Weather Service had survey teams out Monday assessing storm damage in Halstead, Newton and Russell after severe storms hit central Kansas on Sunday night. Those storms brought rain, large hail, strong wind gusts and a few reported tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Overland Park considers setting up property tax rebate pilot for 2025
Overland Park could soon join the ranks of other Johnson County cities that offer some kind of property tax rebate for lower income residents. The Overland Park City Council’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday voted 4-2 to recommend the creation of a rebate pilot program for next year. … The vote suggests to the rest of the city council that the city of Overland Park budget $200,000 to start up a first-come-first-served property tax rebate pilot program likely intended for some of the city’s lowest income homeowners. Merriam, Mission, Olathe, Prairie Village, Roeland Park and Shawnee all administer some sort of property tax rebate program with different parameters for eligibility.
Source: Johnson County Post
Crawford County passes moratorium on wind / solar farms
Friday morning, Crawford County Commissioners passed a moratorium on further wind and solar development in the county in front of a full house. While supporters of the moratorium wanted at least a full year, commissioners decided on a December 31, 2024, deadline with the option to extend if needed. The commission will begin updating its comprehensive plan in the next few weeks once a consultant has been confirmed. Two agencies offered their proposals, one of which gave a completion date of December 31. The commission’s decision on the moratorium was based on this estimate.
Source: Morning Sun