Kansas Municipal News
Developer proposing new $43.6M Museum of Art and Light next to Discovery Center in Manhattan
A nonprofit corporation wants to build a new 50,000-square-foot Museum of Art and Light next to the Flint Hills Discovery Center, seeking state sales tax revenue to build another downtown attraction. According to documents The Mercury obtained on Friday, the Museum of Art and Light Inc. has submitted an 86-page plan to the city government, positioning the project as Phase II to the Discovery Center’s Phase I. The corporation’s resident agent is Tracey DeBruyn of Manhattan. The plan describes the facility as a “state-of-the-art museum featuring immersive exhibits and interactive displays, creating a one-of-a-kind, hands-on, art and cultural attraction unmatched in the United States.” Reddi said it will likely include local, state, national and international art.
Source: themercury.com
It may taste and smell bad because of recent rains, but the city of Topeka says its water is still safe to drink
Some of the water coming out of Topeka faucets currently tastes and smells bad, Topeka’s city government acknowledged Tuesday. Still, the tap water the city provides remains safe to drink and meets all drinking water standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Molly Hadfield, the city’s media relations coordinator. A flood of citizen complaints — about 40 over two days, according to Hadfield — prompted the city to put out a news release late Tuesday morning saying the city’s drinking water was experiencing “an issue with taste and odor.”
Source: CJonline.
Chlorine shortage hits southeast Kansas
With summer right around the corner, many are undoubtedly looking forward to going swimming, perhaps for the first time in over a year, since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down public pools. A chlorine shortage is threatening to throw cold water on such plans nationwide, however, and southeast Kansas is not immune. Brian Cussimanio, public works director for the City of Frontenac, said at Monday’s city council meeting that he ordered enough chlorine tablets to last through the summer three or four weeks ago, when he first heard they were becoming scarce.
Source: Pittsburg Morning Sun.
Municipal finance tools are getting extensive consideration by Congress
The extensive consideration that municipal finance tools are getting as Congress considers infrastructure legislation is producing growing optimism among public finance and local government groups. Lawmakers have voiced bipartisan and bicameral support for a revival of direct-pay Build America Bonds, reinstating tax-exempt advance refundings and raising the limit on tax-exempt bank-qualified debt to $30 million for nonprofit borrowers. The Biden administration is scheduled to weigh in on May 28 with its detailed tax proposals as part of its 2022 budget.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Hiring woes hit Cowley County
Help wanted signs have become more common as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down and businesses reopen further, but many employers are now experiencing a shortage of workers as positions remain unfilled. … Some have blamed the lack of job-seekers on expanded unemployment benefits approved by the federal government in response to the pandemic, which allowed people an extra $300 per week. In response, some states have moved to end the additional aid before it expires in September. Kerri Falletti, executive director of Cowley First, said around 160 jobs are listed right now on the Cowley Works job posting website that is administered by Cowley First, with 30 to 40 businesses represented. Falletti said the county’s total unemployment rate is currently around 4 percent. A county with a rate of 4 percent or less is considered to have full employment. Some counties in Kansas currently have unemployment rates in the 2 percent range, said Falletti.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Municipal Bond Trends for May 20, 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.
KAKE News Special Report: Repopulating Nicodemus through tiny houses
The historic town of Nicodemus has struggled to increase its population for decades, and descendants of original settlers are concerned that without new residents, the town could perish. Just a few dozen people are now living in Nicodemus, but town leaders think they have found a tiny solution to a big problem. “The tiny homes project,” says Dr. JohnElla Holmes, who helped pioneer the program. “Why don’t we do tiny homes which would be more affordable, would definitely help them scale back, and would also help our community grow?” Holmes wrote a grant with the Dane Hanson Foundation to fuel the project. So far, two tiny homes have been constructed, and another is in the works.
Source: KAKE – News
USD 383, MATC exploring creation of college and career academy
The Manhattan-Ogden school board has approved a partnership with Manhattan Area Technical College and area businesses to explore the possibility of creating a college and career academy. Superintendent Marvin Wade says the goal is to help students become informed consumers and use real world applications. “We want to continue the discussions and that’s going to include and what are the programs of study what are the areas that are out there that we can expand. Right now we’re limited in space and what we’re able to do so we need to look at space, we need to look at the programs, we need to look at partnerships who brings what to the table.”
Source: 1350 KMAN
Wichita launches district one loan program
The City of Wichita announced its new PROPEL loan fund program Thursday for Wichita City Council District 1 business owners. The program is designated to help minority and women-owned businesses with access to a low-interest and short-term loan. Business owners in District 1 will have to meet eligibility requirements determined by the city and and must apply for the program. Owners can receive up to $15,000 in loan funds at an interest rate of about 3%. The loan must also be repaid within 36 months. “PROPEL stand for providing resources and opportunities for proprietors, entrepreneurs and lenders…”
Source: KAKE – News
Internet discount program already accrues 1 million users; how Kansans can get $50 off too
A program that helps families save $50 on their monthly internet bill has already enrolled one million people. Over 900 broadband providers have agreed to take part in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program. The benefit is available to eligible new, prior, and existing customers of participating providers. Customers can sign up by contacting a participating provider, enroll online by clicking here, or sign up via mail. To learn more or learn where to access a mail-in application, call 833-511-0311.
Source: KSNT News
Treasury Says It Has Already Distributed $105B in State, Local Aid
The Treasury Department said Thursday it had distributed $105.3 billion of a $350 billion pool of American Rescue Plan funding that is available for state, local, tribal and territorial governments. Treasury released guidelines about 11 days ago for how the federal aid can be used, officially kicking off the program. “Almost a third of the funding has gone out the door, and I’m hopeful communities will be able to rehire teachers and help businesses re-open much sooner than otherwise,” said Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen in a statement. Over 1,500 recipients have received the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Treasury said. The funds are intended to help address hardships brought on by the Covid-19 public health crisis.
Source: Route Fifty
California couple recreates small Kansas town (Oakley) in their backyard miniature railroad
About two years ago … the Spencers weeded out some elements of their [backyard miniature] railroad, repainted the pint-sized buildings, and created 41 dioramas that replicated small town life in their former home of Oakley, Kan. Jim grew up in Oakley, where the population hovered at about 2,500 residents. Hints of the town’s character in the 1950s are scattered throughout their Oakley Western Railroad. Just like many of Oakley’s businesses that were owned and/or operated by the men who returned home after World War II, many of the couple’s buildings bear the names of the proprietors. There’s the Kauffman Hotel, which was the first railroad hotel in Oakley, and Jim’s father’s law offices on the top floor of the original Farmers State Bank. There’s also a Stetz’s Five and Dime store and Eddie’s Bakery.
Source: Ramona Sentinel.
Traders are now worried that the Fed isn’t being proactive enough
The Federal Reserve may be trying to project a coherent vision on what it expects its policy on future rate hikes will be, but the market cannot seem to agree on what version of the Fed it wants to believe. Does it want the Fed to be hawkish or dovish? Does it want the Fed to taper and begin raising rates sooner than expected, or put it off because inflation is “transitory” as the Fed seems to imply? There is evidence the market is becoming more comfortable with the Fed getting a bit more hawkish. A couple months ago, traders were concerned the economy was going to be so strong that the Fed would be forced to taper later this year and raise rates in early 2022, sooner than anticipated. That concern was stoked today by a statement in the minutes of the last Federal Reserve meeting, which noted that “a number of participants suggested that if the economy continued to make rapid progress toward the Committee’s goals, it might be appropriate at some point in upcoming meetings to begin discussing a plan for adjusting the pace of asset purchases.” While bond yields moved up modestly on that statement, the stock market barely moved, a sign, some say, that the market is getting comfortable with the Fed “thinking about thinking about” doing something down the road.
Source: CNBC
Wichita approves land bank to help distressed and abandoned properties
This week the Wichita City Council approved the creation of land bank in Wichita. Land banks are used so the city can acquire distressed and abandoned properties and get them into the hands of nonprofits to fix them up and get housing to lower income residents. The Wichita Habitat for Humanity says this could make a huge impact in communities. “A lot of this really becomes a hazard to the neighbors,” said Ann Fox the executive director of Habitat for Humanity. Overgrown, boarded up and abandoned homes in Wichita might get a makeover sooner rather than later thanks to the Wichita City Council approving a land bank on Tuesday.
Source: KAKE – News
Builder seeks fee waiver as costs soar
Local contractor Brandon Jellings wants more incentives from the City of Arkansas City to build a housing project that has struggled to get off the ground. He met with city commissioners during a Friday work session and asked that the city waive several required permits and reduce utility connection fees. Jellings Construction is building 54 duplex-style housing units in the Compass Point Addition in northwest Ark City. The original developer planned single-family homes.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
First Impressions feedback: Inman is practically perfect in every way
On May 10, prior to the Inman City Council meeting at the community building, Jan Steen, with the K-State Community Vitality program, presented the observations of a team from Harper, who visited Inman in July and August 2020. Their goal was to identify, “How does a first-time visitor view my town?” The Community Vitality initiative is part of the Kansas Pride Program, sponsored by K-State Research and Extension. The observers visited as a team and then came back as individuals or with their families. … As it turns out for Inman, the Harper team found that there is much to commend in Inman with only minor improvements needed. Source: McPherson Weekly News
Kansas Main Street director helps local effort
Scott Sewell, director of the Kansas Main Street program, spent last Thursday in Marysville, visiting with Marysville Chamber & Main Street’s board and exploring the city’s downtown. Kansas Main Street was re-established last fall in the Kansas Department of Commerce as a program to promote revitalization and preservation of downtown districts. A small office of three, Sewell’s team offers training and technical assistance to Kansas downtowns based on four points: organization, design, promotion and economic vitality. While in Marysville, Sewell was impressed with the enthusiasm of those he met with the Marysville Chamber & Main Street organization.
Source: The Marysville Advocate
Manhattan wants landlords to provide flood hazard notice
Landlords likely will be required to notify tenants if they’re living in a flood prone area. Manhattan city commissioners discussed requiring a flood hazard notice Tuesday. The change is a part of the Manhattan Development Code. City officials have updated this code, formerly known as the Unified Development Ordinance, with new zoning regulations into one document. The main goal is to put all the zoning and design information into one document and make it easier for the public to understand. “I think this is one of the big improvements we wanted,” Mayor Wynn Butler said of the flood notification requirement. “We were waiting on this one for awhile, so glad to see it in there. I think it’s going to help so we don’t get folks surprised, which happened in the past.”
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article
Roaming! Mountain lion sighting in Andover
For the second time in about a week — a mountain lion is spotted in and around the Wichita area. The latest sighting took place Wednesday morning in Andover. An Andover resident’s Ring camera captured a mountain lion walking past his home. Last week, a surveillance video showed what officials say is in fact a mountain lion moving through the Riverside area.
Source: KSN-TV
Overland Park police officers swap police gear for lawnmowers to help homeowner
Someone living in Overland Park caught officers off guard. The person snapped pictures as officers worked this week, but they weren’t on patrol. They traded in police gear for lawnmowers and helped an older homeowner with yard work. The department said all of the work was completed between service calls the officers received. Police said man recently lost his spouse and had fallen a little behind on some outdoor chores. Thanks to the officers, his yard is back up to code.
Source: KSN-TV