Kansas Municipal News
Ellinwood park adds adjustable basketball goals with grant funding
Ellinwood Recreation Commission, the City of Ellinwood and Sunflower Bank announce the recent grant they received from the Golden Belt Community Foundation. The Ellinwood Community has been awarded The CPI Qualify of Life Barton County grant in the amount of $4,300, which will go toward new basketball goals at the city park. The money received will go toward two ultimate HangTime adjustable basketball systems with moveable extension arms to allow rim height adjustment from 7 ½ to 10 feet. Rim height adjustment can be accomplished by means of hand operated bevel gear crank located on the pole.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Kansas hospitals are short-staffed, forcing some patients to travel miles for care
Kansas hospitals are struggling to keep up with an increasing amount of patients, as they face staffing shortages. Cindy Samuelson, a spokesperson for Kansas Hospital Association, told The Kansas Capitol Bureau on Friday that nearly all hospitals in the Kansas City metro area have reported being understaffed, forcing patients to be transferred to other hospitals, sometimes several states away, for care. “We’re in a time of flux right now,” Samuelson said. “We’ve had patients going to states not bordering Kansas, which is, unfortunately, farther than we’d like patients to have to seek care.” It’s causing a strain on workers, but also on patients, as they struggle to find hospitals with enough space to take them, having to travel hours away from home for help.
Source: KSNT News
Homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse are often intertwined in Wichita
Micky Maddux encounters people who are homeless three to 10 times a day. She does not live or work in a shelter or sleep on a sidewalk. She’s the owner of an art gallery in Wichita’s Old Town Square. She’s cleaned their urine and feces off her gallery front in the morning, been accosted and heard their shouting. “Sometimes it’s not always aggressive,” Maddux said. “Sometimes it’s heartbreaking.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Fort Scott is having their Inaugural Downtown Spring Clean next week
Fort Scott City Officials are putting the focus on downtown beautification. The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will host its inaugural Downtown Spring Clean a week from Friday. The event was originally planned to take place in April, but rain postponed it, along with the make-up date. Next week, volunteers will paint curbs, clean up trash and debris and other projects.
Source: KSNF/KODE
New infrastructure will finally start to develop for the Columbus School District
Thanks to Tuesday’s election, a long awaited infrastructure upgrade will finally become reality for the Columbus School District. “They see the need, this is the same building that my parents went to school in, not much changed.” Says Taylor Spear, Central Elementary & Jr. High Teacher. On Tuesday, the Columbus School District’s proposed 14.75 million dollar bond project was approved. “Over 70 percent of the voters supported it. About six years ago they tried another bond issue and it failed. I think it was almost in reverse.” Says Brian Smith, Columbus USD 493 Superintendent. Officials say the success came from an open dialogue with the public about the safety benefits of turning Central Elementary and Jr. High School into an indoor campus.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Putting up a good front in Barton County
The Barton County Commission wants downtown property owners countywide to be able to put their best face forward, spark economic prosperity and to revitalize business districts. To this end, commissioners Monday morning will consider a proposed Barton County Facade Improvement Grant Program. “The goal is to provide financial assistance to businesses and property owners for downtown building front improvements to increase economic prosperity, accessibility, and quality of life in Claflin, Ellinwood, Great Bend and Hoisington,” County Administrator Phil Hathcock said. The county has determined communities’ retail centers are areas of “priority funding,” and maps of these defined districts will be available this week, should the plan be approved.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
KDOL office gets $11 million to help with call center efforts
The state is pouring millions more into the Kansas Department of Labor. It comes as the agency struggles to help unemployed Kansans. “A lot of our citizens are still trying to get help,” Representative Ron Ryckman said, R-Speaker of the House, and member of the State Finance Council. “The department is working through a lot of issues.” The council approved $11 million on Thursday to assist in the Kansas Department of Labor’s efforts to improve its call center response times and address a high volume of calls.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2021-2: Eudora Township Public Library Board must be appointed
Synopsis: Members of the Eudora Township Public Library Board must be appointed, not elected, pursuant to a joint resolution between the City of Eudora and the Eudora Township.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions
In wake of ‘boom’ in rural neighborhoods, proposed change would bar more housing near Lawrence until the city expands
Among the many factors working against the City of Lawrence’s efforts to have denser, more environmentally sustainable and ultimately more affordable housing is a development trend happening on land just beyond the city’s boundaries. Recent decades have seen a boom of rural neighborhoods with multi-acre lots near the city’s boundaries, precluding denser city expansion in those areas and creating other problems for both the city and the county. Newly proposed regulations would put a halt to such developments and encourage what planners say is a smarter way for the community to grow.
Source: LJWorld.com
Hays gets ready to open downtown market
Downtown Hays is thriving. Less than a handful of storefronts on Main Street are vacant. This is similar to Salina, where only three storefronts are available to rent. In September, Hays’ downtown will offer something new that is similar to Salina’s downtown – a small-town, locally- owned food market. Starting at the beginning of September, Kuhn’s Market will open its doors on Main Street in Hays. The market is attached to Philip Kuhn’s Blue Smoke Barbecue and will feature Kansas-grown produce and meats, as well as specialty cuisine, which includes Asian, Hispanic, vegetarian, gluten free and of course, barbecue items.
Source: Hutch News.
Winfield seeks feedback on backyard chickens
The City of Winfield wants to hear from the public about whether to increase the number of chickens residents are allowed to keep. The planning commission will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall to collect opinions on the keeping of chickens within the city limits. A local citizen has asked to change the current regulations that allows just one chicken to be kept for exhibit in 4-H or the county free fair, according to a press release issued by the city.
Source: CourierTraveler
Finney County sales tax referendum passes
The referendum addressing the continuation of the Finney County 1⁄4 percent sales tax passed in the Aug. 3 election. Unofficial results show 802 votes yes and 315 voted no. … Matt Allen, City Manager of Garden City, said although voter turnout was low, the result is “consistent with how this community choses to finance core general services like public safety, roads, parks and (in the case of the City of Garden City) a unique public facility like Lee Richardson Zoo. Since the 1990s, Finney County voters have approved ballot measures that shift the cost of the services and facilities more toward sales tax and away from property tax, which also capitalizes on our status as a regional center by sharing the cost with all who visit and shop from our multi-state trade area,” he said.
Source: GC Telegram
Ammo shortage affects Kansas police: costs rise, but cops have enough bullets for training
As a nationwide ammunition shortage frustrates gun owners and retailers, Kansas law enforcement agencies say they have sufficient supply to train officers as prices go up. “It’s just supply and demand at this point — everyone wants it, and we want it, too,” said Lt. Benjamin Blick, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. “So the price has increased.” Deputy Abigail Christian, a spokesperson for the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, said the agency has observed the price increases in the past year.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for August 5, 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.
Olathe schools vote for mask mandate for all students for upcoming school year
The Olathe Public School board voted Thursday night to expand its mask mandate to all students pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, joining other metro school districts. The decision comes just hours after the Johnson County Commission voted 5-2 to require masks in school buildings where students up to 6th grade attend. For more than an hour the school board heard public comments from people outspoken on both sides of the issue. “I am not a doctor, but I do know this, my grandmother died of COVID-19 and I spent four hours in a room with my grandmother on the day that she passed,” Amy Geiger said in support of masking in schools. “I was masked and I did not get COVID. I spent two hours unmasked indoors with someone who had COVID and four days later I had a positive test. Six months later we are trying to pick up the pieces.” “Masks are truly dehumanizing,” said Jill O’Connor. “They prohibit us from seeing people’s characteristics and physical traits. It erases parts of our facial expressions that could be positively reinforcing, encouraging, and reassuring.”
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Blue Valley schools will have mask mandate for K-8th grade students
Blue Valley Schools announced Thursday it will have a mask requirement starting Monday. It applies to all students, staff and visitors inside buildings for Kindergarten through 8th grade students. Masks aren’t required but are recommended inside high school buildings. Masks will be required on all school buses but won’t be needed when outside on school property. Johnson County commissioners voted Thursday to mandate masks for all elementary schools.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Wichita clarifies emergency rental assistance program concerns
The City of Wichita said its doing its best to work through more than 2,000 backlogged applications for its emergency rental assistance program (WERAP). Dozens of Wichitans have reached out to KAKE News since the program launched in February, weighing in on problems that they were experiencing. One of the most common questions KAKE received revolved around the wait time for assistance. Some Kansans reported waiting anywhere from three months for their funds, to still not having them at all. “I’m not sure how much they’re gonna help with,” said Jorge Garcia of Wichita. “If they’re gonna help with anything.” Many people have echoed Garcia’s comments, stating that even with the CDC’s new extension of the eviction moratorium they’re left feeling helpless.
Source: KAKE – News
Hazy skylines continue as Kansas firefighters head west to help
A four-person crew from the Hutchinson Fire Department spent two weeks battling wildfires in Idaho. Another team was sent to relieve them on Thursday. “They were really tasked with scouting the fire, providing lookout for those that were operating. This area, what they’re telling us is a very mountainous range, not much access with roads,” says Doug Hanen, HFD division chief of fire operations. Kansas firefighters were working to get anything that would burn out of the way. But many people in the area depend on the logs as their livelihood, so preservation is just as important. “It’s just helping out where we can. We got the resources and we’re not using them so it’s best to send them where they’re needed,” says Hanen. People in Kansas want answers about the smoke filled skylines, directly resulting from the wildfires.
Source: KAKE – News
Winfield PD, chamber to co-host Coffee with a Cop
The Winfield Police Department and the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce will co-host Coffee with a Cop at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 13 at the Chamber office, 123 E. Ninth Ave. Community members are invited to come together with police officers and administrators in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee. Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in Winfield’s neighborhoods. Information and applications for the upcoming citizens police academy will also be available at the event. The majority of contacts law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies, or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building with the community, and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Covid cases take major rise in Atchison County
Coronavirus continues to have a substantial rise in Atchison County with a staggering 140 cases reported as of Wednesday evening according to the Atchison Health Department. There are currently at least eight patients in the hospital with one new death reported. The department also stated that 58 cases were reported over last weekend. “This virus has devastated many lives and continues to rage on.” KDHE said. “We need to come together as a unit to help each other, stop the hate, and be kind to one another.”
Source: Atchison Globe Now