Municipal News & Jobs

Terri Bond used to be an avid biker, but now she finds herself using electric bikes more often. Bond even calls her e-bike her “magic carpet ride.” “It made us get out and enjoy the fresh air, take on the trails,” she said. Bond and multiple other e-bike users spoke in support of the bikes and their ability to expand access to less able-bodied riders. The bike’s potential for increased accessibility to the park system was supported by some members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. “Our trails are intended to make parts of our community and nature in our community accessible to the widest audience possible,” said advisory board member Laura Burton at Tuesday evening’s meeting. “Anything that makes it more accessible for people to get on our trails and enjoy our trail system, I think we really need to consider.”
Source: CJonline.com.

The Reno County Commission agreed Tuesday to begin discussions on whether to put a question on the November ballot about expanding the county commission from three members to five. Commissioner Daniel Friesen, frustrated by his inability to discuss issues outside of county commission meeting with another member, suggested “engaging in a conversation” about such an expansion. Under Kansas Open Meeting laws, a majority of a quorum of a public body cannot discuss business outside of a meeting. With only three members on the commission, two members make up a majority of a quorum, which means no outside discussions. With a five-member commission, it would allow discussions between two members outside a meeting, although, noted Commission Chairman Ron Hirst, a commissioner could not have the same discussion with more than one member, even if at a separate time, because that would violate the law.
Source: Hutch News.

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.

Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz today announced that more than $42 million will support 30 transportation construction projects across Kansas through an expanded list of recipients of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Cost Share Program for Spring 2021. Cost Share is a component of the Kelly administration’s 10-year, bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, or IKE. Cost Share is designed to help both rural and urban areas advance transportation projects to improve safety, support job retention and growth, relieve congestion and improve access and mobility. … KDOT is investing $21 million in this cycle of Cost Share with recipients contributing a 50/50 match of $21 million.

The entire list of all 30 IKE Cost Share projects announced today available here.

View a map of Cost Share projects here. 

City leaders said Tuesday that they saw the recently completed study of the Lawrence Police Department as a first step in a larger process to reconsider the role of police in the community and how the department operates. As part of a special meeting Tuesday, consultants with Citygate Associates presented the findings of the police department study to the City Commission and the public. The commission called for the study and subsequent report last year following national and local protests against police killings of Black people and other people of color and calls for reallocation of some police duties to social services. The subsequent 132-page report includes 60 findings and 75 recommendations across various categories, including race-related issues and community engagement, handling of complaints against police, and alternative responses to policing such as mental health responses. City staff will now take the next 90 days to create an implementation plan that will come back to the commission.
Source: LJWorld.com.

While we haven’t yet been able to rip off those masks, there are new signs that Lawrence’s economy has become unshackled from pandemic-era restrictions. In fact, one set of numbers shows retail spending is now well above pre-pandemic levels. The Kansas Department of Revenue has released its May report on sales tax activity across the state. While the report is labeled as being for May, most of the numbers actually represent sales made in March. That makes it an especially interesting report. If you remember, March 2020 is when things became a little wobbly. (When your head starts spinning faster than the Earth, wobbliness is a side effect.) That was the first month the pandemic started having major economic impacts in Lawrence. So, that means this latest report from the state is the first time we can look at how Lawrence’s retail economy is doing today compared to how it was doing a year ago when we were mired in the pandemic.
Source: LJWorld.com.