Kansas Municipal News
Parsons mask mandate to expire
Beginning Tuesday, masks will no longer be required by law anywhere in Parsons. City commissioners during a regular Monday evening meeting decided not to extend a city ordinance that requires people to wear face coverings in buildings accessible to the public. The ordinance, which was approved in July, also required businesses and organizations to post a notice at their entrances that masks must be worn inside. Employers had to make their workers wear masks when they were in areas accessible to the public or when they couldn’t socially distance from each other. The ordinance was only lightly enforced.
Source: Parsons Sun
Labette County to get over $3M in federal funds
Labette County may get as much as $3.8 million from the American Rescue Plan Act passed early in President Biden’s administration, but the county will have limits on how that money can be spent. Though the money is for infrastructure, no bridges can be built. Road improvements are a question mark. Expanding broadband would be an acceptable use, Labette County Counselor Brian Johnson said Monday while updating county commissioners on the COVID-19 relief funding. Commissioners agreed recently to seek a study of broadband coverage in the county. Cities and schools will get their own ARPA funding, Johnson said.
Source: Parsons Sun
After finding their old school for sale on eBay, a Kansas community goes to work saving its stories
If the people still living in Frankfort are successful, there will someday be a courtyard in honor of these hometown boys at the flagpole in front of the place where they went to grade school. Built in 1902-03 in the Renaissance style of architecture familiar on the prairie, Frankfort Grade School was the educational home for nearly a century of Marshall County kids. And now, it’s a literal as well as symbolic example of what small towns around Kansas do to preserve their legacies. “A lot of us have a very strong emotional connection to the building — it’s iconic for our community,” says Gayla Randel, who grew up in Frankfort and graduated from the school, as did her husband and their youngest child. Frankfort’s official population is around 750, but Randel counts another 200 from the surrounding countryside as part of the community.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Topeka houses are in high demand and low supply. More builders and home remodels could be part of the solution.
Intense bidding wars, cash offers, sight-unseen purchases, homes on the market for less than 48 hours — that’s the reality right now for homebuyers in the Topeka area. National news in recent weeks has highlighted rising home prices, strong demand for real estate and a low inventory of houses for sale, and local markets aren’t immune. In Shawnee County last month, homes sat on the market for a median of two days — down from a median of about eight days in April 2020. Such numbers are being fueled by a local shortage of homes for sale, and real estate professionals don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. “There’s a lot of demand. There’s just not a lot of inventory,” said Linda Briden, CEO of the Sunflower Association of Realtors.
Source: CJonline.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for May 14, 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.
What a survey revealed about Wichita attitudes toward a city-wide plastic bag ban
A survey conducted on behalf of a Wichita government task force found that most respondents supported either a city-wide ban of single-use plastic bags or a fee to discourage their use. The survey was conducted to help task force members gauge citizen interest in measures that would reduce or ban plastic bag use and was developed by researchers at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. With just over 2,000 responses, the survey has limitations. However, of the Wichitans who did respond to it, 71% said they would support a complete ban on single-use plastic bags.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Local women in law enforcement celebrate growth in ranks
Sergeant Lisa Hayes has seen a lot of changes in the makeup of local law enforcement over the course of her career. Perhaps the most exciting change for the 23-year-veteran of the Emporia Police Department, Hayes said, has been bringing more women into the ranks. “I believe more women are going into the field and are empowered to go into the field and want to do this type of work,” she said. “We are definitely getting to record numbers here.” Between the Emporia Police Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Emporia State University Police and Safety and Lyon County Detention Center — while detention officers aren’t commissioned to enforce laws, they are classified as law enforcement officers by the state of Kansas — there are more than 20 women working in law enforcement.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Public safety officials ask for more money to retain employees
Two county officials brought back concerns with salaries and retention of employees to the Bourbon County Commission on Tuesday. Sheriff Bill Martin and Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center Major Bobby Reed spoke to commissioners about losing employees to higher pay elsewhere, and issues with setting wages.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune
Flash flooding causing evacuations in North Central Kansas
Emergency evacuations underway in Natoma where 100 people have been displaced due to heavy flooding caused by life-threatening flash flooding. The National Weather Service in Hastings, NE reports between 3 and 6 inches of rain has fallen. Most of it has ended. However, the town is seeing runoff from Paradise Creek with boat rescues underway. The NWS reports citizens tell them the flooding is being compared to the significant floods seen in 1993. Other reports of flash flooding this morning were in Lincoln County where emergency managers say crews blocked several roads in town overnight. At least one homeowner had flooding in their basement.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita high school student honored for service by police department
Javion Napier is a freshman at South High High School and Wichita and a local entrepreneur. “I started a program about three years ago, I started selling lemonade to help the homeless and now I’ve started to sell hotdogs and hamburgers to help the homeless,” he said. Javion started cooking when he was just seven years old. Now he uses his skills to give back to the community. “You do it in love, not just for the money, you don’t ask for nothing. If they give you something, put it back in the business and give the rest to charity like I do.” It’s been a rough road for the teenager. He lost his dad in a hit and run and recently his family moved, so he takes the city bus to school, which isn’t always on time for first period cooking class.
Source: KAKE – News
Last 2 Kansas counties with mask rules ponder new guidelines
The last two Kansas counties that require residents to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19 will keep the mandates in place for now to discuss new federal guidelines that loosened mask requirements. Health officials in Douglas and Wyandotte counties are reviewing guidelines announced Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that said people who are fully vaccinated do not have to wear masks outdoors and in most indoor settings. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said the state would immediately begin following those guidelines. Dr. Thomas Marcellino, Douglas County health officer, said in a statement that health officials will discuss the new guidelines with county leaders during the county commission meeting on Wednesday. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, said Mayor David Alvey will convene the county commission on Thursday to discuss possible changes to the county’s mask mandate, which requires masks indoors unless everyone is vaccinated.
Source: KAKE – News
Businesses ease restrictions, but some counties, cities, still have mask orders
Kansas is starting to see some changes with the lifting of mask orders, after new CDC guidance for people that are fully vaccinated. The governor’s office confirmed with Kansas Capitol Bureau on Friday that counties and cities still have local control over mask orders, after the state adopted the CDC’s recommendation. However, the majority of Kansas cities and counties don’t have mask orders in place. All but four have gotten rid of them. According to county officials, Wyandotte County and Douglas County are the only two counties that currently have mask orders in place. “Counties are actually starting to see, in some cases, no new cases in their county, so things are definitely looking up in Kansas,” said Kimberly Qualls, Communications director of the state’s association of counties.
Source: KSN-TV
How Sedgwick County teamed with the Black community to fight the pandemic
The news of her brother’s death wasn’t unexpected. But mid-March 2020 would prove to be an extremely unusual time for Margaret, an African American woman in her 70s living in Wichita, and for her family to bury a loved one. The novel coronavirus was beginning to reach Kansas. Just hours after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued an emergency declaration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kansas recorded its first death linked to the disease. In about a week, Margaret would learn just how close to home the pandemic would hit, when she became Sedgwick County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19. The Journal is withholding her real name at her request to protect her privacy but has verified details of her account through hospital discharge papers and interviews with friends and family members.
Source: KSN-TV
West Mineral became the site of one of the biggest events of the year
West Mineral became the site of one of the biggest events of the year. It’s called the “Big Iron Overland Rally” which took place at the fairgrounds of Big Brutus. This was inspired after the success of the adventure enthusiast Moore Expo earlier this year. Guests got to camp at the base of Big Brutus, enjoy live music, equipment vendors and food. Chris Holloway, Show Promoter, says, “The biggest reason that we’re all here and our favorite thing to do is get out and support places like Big Brutus because that machine doesn’t maintain itself and these guys work really hard to keep this property beautiful and keep that piece of history alive.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Parsons Oak Grove School Restoration
An old community staple is preparing to re-open it’s doors after being built almost 150 years ago. The “Oak Grove School House” in Parsons will start hosting it’s restoration tour this weekend. After the school closed in 1960, talks to begin restoration began in 1966 at a class reunion. Since then over $100,000 have been poured into restoring Oak Grove. It even got the attention from both the “United States and Kansas Historical Societies,” as a historic site. Roger Pruitt, Oak Grove School Historical Society Treasurer: “It was used by military during the Civil War for transport wagons, going down to Indian territory from Fort Scott to Fort Gibson, it was used by stage coaches after the Civil War before railroads got established.”
Source: KSNF/KODE
As Topeka struggles to fill city positions, some ask if residency requirements or salaries are to blame
The city of Topeka sought a stormwater engineer II for three years. Six candidates were interviewed. The position was eventually filled after an employee got the proper license and work in the field for two years to meet the minimum requirements. City staff members told the Policy and Finance committee on May 7 other stories of job openings with zero applications and struggling to find qualified people. The committee is reviewing Topeka’s hiring woes to see what can be done to spur interest in the position. One potential solution? Loosening the guidelines for the city’s residency requirements.
Source: CJonline.com.
Dillons Food Stores plans to mark its centennial year with service to Kansas communities
Dillon Food Stores announced celebratory plans to mark its centennial year with service to Kansas communities. Throughout 2021, Dillons plans to recognize its principles and values along with customers, associates and communities that have made the past 100 years successful. “The 100th anniversary of Dillons is a monumental milestone,” said Steve Dreher, president of Dillon Food Stores. “In reflecting back, I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard our customers refer to one of our locations as ‘my Dillons’ and it always brings an overwhelming sense of pride.” After his initial venture in selling groceries at his general store in Sterling in the early 1900s, John S. Dillon was considered a visionary when he opened the area’s first Cash Food Market in Hutchinson in 1913. Although the store was slow to catch on, the savings offered for paying cash soon attracted enough customers to make it a viable business.
Source: Hutch News.
Derby advancing program to improve business facades
The Derby Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) voted 6-0 to advance a commercial facade improvement program at its meeting on Wednesday, May 5. As it’s currently proposed, the program would function as a matching grant program – offering up to $12,500 to businesses along K-15 in the West End Business District, K-15 Area, and Buckner Business District for facade improvements aimed at removing and replacing “non-conforming” signs, improving landscaping and property values, and strengthening ADA compliance. “The proposed commercial improvement program is intended to promote the revitalization and development of businesses along the K-15 corridor,” said Development Manager Marcia Hartman.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Businesses in Kansas competing to recruit workers
Bogey’s, a restaurant in Hutchinson, has been trying to hire new staff for three months. Many other local businesses are in a similar position. Tyler Davis, the owner of Bogey’s, says it’s making it tough to fill vacant positions, “The competition has become really, really hard.” As Kansans return to their favorite spots, many businesses like Bogey’s are realizing they are short-staffed. “We can’t hire anybody, and businesses as busy as it’s been in over, well over a year — so it’s a stressful time for everybody,” Davis said. The demand, making owners put their money where their mouth is. “Starting pay is starting to go up. People are trying to hire as much as they can — they’re doing signing-on bonuses, anything that they can do,” Davis added.
Source: KSN-TV
Help for Wichita renters hits $1.4 million so far; city works to dig out of backlog
More than two months into its new emergency rental aid program, the city of Wichita has approved more than $1 million in funds for almost 9% of applicants but expects to pick up the pace in the coming weeks. The Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance program opened the online-only applications on Feb. 22, funded by federal money from the economic stimulus bill passed in December. When the legislation set aside dollars specifically for rental assistance, the city created its program, dubbed WERAP.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle