Kansas Municipal News
Overland Park leaders researching changes to pit bull ban
In Overland Park, Kansas, city leaders are now researching changes to a possible ban on pit bulls. Currently, it’s illegal to own a pit bull inside city limits. Several residents have been working to change that. Critics call the ban subjective since animal control officers have to relay on how a dog looks to identify the dog’s breed. The city’s ban defines pit bulls as any dog that’s a Staffordshire terrier breed, any American pit bull terrier breed, as well as dogs “which have the appearance and characteristics” found in those breeds. Kansas City’s NPR Station, KCUR, reports at least 25 people spoke at last week’s Overland Park public safety committee meeting about the ban. They report only one person was against repealing the ordinance, which has been in place for 16 years. And, in a recent citywide survey on the ban, most of the 1,600 responses were in favor of repealing it.
Source: KAKE – News
Voters to see three city sale tax questions in November
There will be three separate City of Great Bend sales tax initiatives on Nov. 2 general election ballot. These would help fund quality of life improvements, pay off the city’s debt incurred for a new police station and cover the cost of changes to the benefit package for the Police and Fire departments. This was the consensus of the City Council after over two hours of arduous soul-searching discussion during a work session following its regular meeting Monday night. The session was called to finalize the tax questions so they can be submitted to the County Clerk’s Office. A formal council vote will come at the Aug. 17 meeting. The city is looking at a .25% sales tax for quality of life improvements (like upgrades to Heizer Park and other recreational facilities), .15 for bond servicing (such as the bond to install automated water meters) and an additional sales tax to possibly fund a change in the retirement plans for police officers and firefighters. This involves moving the fire and police retirement plan.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
AG Derek Schmidt asks Kansas Supreme Court to put lower court’s Kansas Emergency Management Act ruling on hold
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt yesterday asked the Kansas Supreme Court to clarify the status of state emergency management law by putting on hold a lower court’s decision that invalidated recent legislative reforms while it considers whether part of the law is unconstitutional. “The issues the court sought to reach had been rendered moot by the expiration of the pertinent section of SB 40. Yet the court charged forward with its constitutional agenda notwithstanding that it had already ‘denie[d] the plaintiffs any relief as being moot and untimely,’” Schmidt wrote in a motion asking the Supreme Court to stay the lower court’s ruling pending the appeal. Earlier this month, Johnson County District Court Judge David Hauber found the new legislative enactment, known as Senate Bill 40, unconstitutional. Schmidt on July 21 notified the district court that he would appeal the decision to the Kansas Supreme Court and asked the lower court to stay its decision in the case, pending the appeal. The motion for stay was denied by the district court last week, and Schmidt has now formally appealed. In the district court filings, Schmidt noted that the court’s ruling was causing “unnecessary and disruptive confusion,” in part because many provisions of Senate Bill 40 were not at issue in the case but it nevertheless appears the court ruling may have found them “unenforceable.” Schmidt said he is hopeful the Kansas Supreme Court will act quickly to remove any confusion that could potentially hamper the State’s ability to respond to a future disaster emergency because of confusion about what law is in effect.
Source: Kansas Attorney General News Releases
Air quality in Wichita rated unhealthy for second day
The city of Wichita said the air quality index is 152 as of 8:30 a.m. and is rated unhealthy again. The air is due to western wildfires and smoke being transported into Kansas by the wind. Smoke can cause health problems, even in healthy individuals. Common health problems include burning eyes, runny nose, coughing and illnesses such as bronchitis. Individuals with respiratory issues, pre-existing heart or lung diseases, children and the elderly may experience worse symptoms.
Source: KSN-TV
Overland Park City Manager Bill Ebel announces retirement, effective March 2022
Overland Park City Manager Bill Ebel has decided to retire next spring, ending an 11-year stint at the helm of city administration. Ebel served a total of 21 years with Overland Park, including time at the city’s public works department and as director of planning and development services. “After 43 years of public service to my country and my community I’ve decided it’s time to retire,” he told the City Council Monday, referencing his career in the U.S. Army before moving into city administration. His employment is set to end March 1, 2022, and his last day of work will be Feb. 25, he said. “Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to the next six months where I don’t expect the pace to slow down at all around here,” he said.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Prairie Village to consider citywide mask mandate
The city of Prairie Village is looking into issuing its own citywide mask mandate and could vote on a draft order in two weeks at the city council’s next regular meeting. While Johnson County continues to strongly encourage residents to wear masks in indoor public spaces, there hasn’t been a countywide mask mandate in place since the county lifted its last emergency order in late April. At Monday night’s city council meeting, Councilmember Jori Nelson unexpectedly made a motion to reinstitute a citywide mask mandate in Prairie Village. In making the motion, Nelson noted Johnson County has reported more than 1,700 new COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks and said a mask mandate is the way to protect Prairie Village residents. “We simply can’t wait for the county, other municipalities or the state legislature to do the right thing,” Nelson said. “It is our responsibility to keep our residents and our workforce safe, we can do it.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
As national eviction ban expired, Wichita’s rental aid program picked up the pace
Wichita’s emergency rental assistance program paid out $3.1 million in aid in July alone, an increase in payments that could help some struggling or unemployed tenants stay in their homes after a federal eviction ban expired over the weekend. The national eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expired on Saturday at the end of the month, officially ending the patchwork of bans on evictions during the coronavirus pandemic. It was the only remaining moratorium that covered Kansas renters after top state lawmakers allowed the statewide eviction and foreclosure ban to expire in late May. The CDC’s ban had initially been set to expire at the end of June, but the Biden administration extended that deadline and signaled it would be the last postponement. The one-month delay was intended to allow state and local rental assistance programs more time to distribute federal aid and halt evictions.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Survey examines future of rural Kansas
A statewide survey of ideas for making rural Kansas a more compelling place for young adults to put down roots revealed the need for government investment in expansion of child care options and strengthening of entrepreneurial business pipelines. The state’s Office of Rural Prosperity worked with the Kansas Sampler Foundation to examine what Kansans aged 21 to 39 thought about recruiting and retaining them in small towns and remote counties suffering depopulation. The foundation drew upon 460 survey responses from all 105 counties and 175 follow-up interviews to identify why people chose to live in rural areas and why it might have been difficult to make that choice. The report acknowledged significant lack of affordable housing and access to broadband as determinants of the future in rural regions of Kansas. The document recommended local government leaders accept the necessity of forming a “culture of open minds and positivity.” That includes valuing diversity of culture, age, gender and thought, the report said. In addition, the state ought to craft a program reaching students in K-12 classes that speaks to the idea of harnessing skills, interests and passions of young rural Kansans useful in building sustainable rural communities. The objective is to convince the youngest Kansans they have a bright future no matter the size of their city or town.
Source: The Iola Register
Pott. County approves motion to post full salary range for public works administrator vacancy
Seven months after the Pottawatomie County Public Works Administrator job became vacant, the county commission is still struggling to find the right fit. The commission voted 2-1 Monday to advertise a full salary range for the position. In the past, the county administrator only had authority to offer pay at the starting wage ($70,000) and up to 25 percent above that ($88,000). Commission Chair Greg Riat says that has handicapped the county’s ability to find the right fit. Commissioner Pat Weixelman opposed the motion, preferring the county take a different approach. By comparison, Riley County’s assistant public works director position was advertised at a salary range of $92,000 to $110,000, which is well above what Pottawatomie County had been advertising. Riat says he’s fielded a number of concerns from Pottawatomie County residents over some of the county’s infrastructure. He says the county nearly got sued over issues with the Shannon Creek Road bridge near Olsburg.
Source: 1350 KMAN
Voters casting ballots in city council primary elections for Wichita, Park City
Voters are going to the polls to narrow the list of candidates for city council races in Wichita and Park City. Wichita has two council races. In District 3, incumbent Jared Cerullo has six challengers: Jerome Crawford, Ian Demory, Jason Carmichael, Mike Hoheisel, Cindy Miles and Tevin Smith. District 6 has incumbent Cindy Claycomb and five challengers: Maggie Ballard, Martin Garcia, Loren Hermrick, Jr, Dereck Reynolds and Andy Speck. Park City has a Ward 1 council race, with incumbent John Lehnherr challenged by Angie Carter and Charley Davidson. Polls are open until 7 p.m. The top two candidates in each race will advance to the November 2nd general election.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI
92nd annual edition of Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo to open in Phillipsburg
When the chutes open for the 92nd annual Kansas Biggest Rodeo, more than 525 cowboys and cowgirls will be ready to rope, run and ride. Out of the fourteen champions from last year’s Phillipsburg Rodeo, eight return to defend their titles. One of them is Kansas cowboy Jesse Pope. The Waverly, Kansas bareback rider is ranked seventh in the world standings and is having one of the best years of his young career.
Source: Salina Journal.
Municipal Bond Trends for August 2, 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.
Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could pay cold snap costs for 10 years
Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could be paying off costs from February’s deep freeze for the next 10 years, the company revealed Friday. The Kansas Gas Service, which serves more than 640,000 Kansas customers, filed plans with regulators to issue securitized bonds for approximately $390 million in extraordinary costs from the cold snap — plus carrying costs — and recoup the sum from customers over five, seven or 10 years, increasing residential bills by anywhere from about $5 to $11 per month. If the Kansas Corporation Commission doesn’t approve the arrangement, KGS said it would request to recover the costs over three years “to minimize the carrying costs” of the debt. Its plans come after Black Hills Energy announced in June that its customers bills would increase by an average of $12.23 per month for five years to recover what amounted to a year’s worth of gas charges in one month.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Wichita likes school site for new police station, but use of track could be a hurdle
Wichita is poised to buy part of the former Southeast High School as the site for a new Patrol East police substation, but there’s a disconnect between the city and school district over potential public use of a running track at the site. The city is expected Tuesday to buy five acres of open property for $218,000, to replace the dilapidated Patrol East station at Cypress Park. Mayor Brandon Whipple said Friday morning he’s not expecting much, if any, opposition when the plan comes before the council.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Formerly homeless Sedgwick County jail deputy rode his bike to work. Then this happened.
Sedgwick County jail deputy Caleb Harris no longer needs to ride his bicycle to work. Harris, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and recent transplant from California, began working at the jail earlier this year after being homeless with his wife. Their luck seemed to be turning. Then the car they used to live in broke down. It was the same vehicle their first child was born in. So Harris started riding his bike to and from work, a 22 mile round trip. Officers found out about the hardship of their colleague and decided to raise money to help his family, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said Friday in a Facebook post.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
This is not your father’s inflation
Anybody who remembers the 1970s remembers the Great Inflation, when retirees on fixed incomes struggled to make ends meet. They probably also remember what happened next, when the Federal Reserve under Paul Volker tightened the money supply, driving down prices by driving down the economy, forcing two recessions that lowered consumer spending and increased unemployment. For the last four decades, inflation has been not much more than a bad memory for most people. This year, however, it has reappeared as a cause for concern. Fear of a return to 1970s-style inflation is driving calls for a retreat from the free-spending goals of the Biden administration, which some Republicans claim have overheated the economy. They are calling for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to do what Volker did, and raise interest rates to cool demand. That would be a mistake.
Source: The Iola Register
Haze and Smoke From Pacific Northwest Fires Reach Kansas
Many areas of the state are experiencing hazy conditions, and some are wondering if a nearby fire is taking place. What you’re experiencing is from a fire – but not from nearby. Fires in the Pacific Northwest are sending smoke across the nation, including Kansas.
Source: WIBW News Now
Kelly Administration updates COVID-19 guidance for school districts
Governor Laura Kelly announced a new, updated summary document created from recommendations in KSDE’s Navigating Change: Kansas’ Guide to Learning and School Safety Operations as a reference guide and tool for schools ahead of the start of classes. The document continues the state’s practice of mirroring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition to the guidance, Governor Kelly and KSDE are encouraging school districts to submit requests for ELC Grant Funds. The state of Kansas received $87 million to fund equipment, testing, and medical staff to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
LEED Platinum — Prairie Village’s new public works building on track to earn rare eco-friendly distinction
Prairie Village’s public works department is eager to move into its new $10 million facility at 3535 Somerset Drive. The new building, which replaced the decades-old facility at the same location, features a solar panel array, state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, a washing bay for trucks, a garage with several ports and more. As final touches are being made, the new facility is on its way to achieve Leadership in Environment and Energy Design, or LEED, Platinum certification — the highest rating possible for measuring a building’s environmental impact.
Source: Prairie Village Post
This Bird Has Fueled A 26-Year Political Fight Between Commerce And Conservation In Kansas
Bouncing over the sand sage-covered hills in his pickup truck, rancher Stacy Hoeme combs the shortgrass prairie of his ranch searching for leks — the mating grounds of the lesser prairie chicken. Despite being one of the bird’s biggest champions and most successful conservators, Hoeme opposes putting the bird on the federal threatened species list. “I just want them to maintain the birds,” he said. “It’s a big hassle when they get listed for the ranchers.” The small, Nerf football-sized bird has become an unlikely proxy in a 26-year tug-of-war between industry and conservationists and their competing visions for how to use the riches of America’s Great Plains.
Source: KCUR News