Kansas Municipal News
Proposed ethics code limits gifts to Wichita officials for the first time in history
If the Wichita City Council passes a new ethics policy this spring, it will be the first overhaul of the city’s ethics policy for elected officials in 63 years. But it won’t be the first time Wichita’s city government has tried to reform in the wake of scandal. Wichita City Council members and other members of city boards and commissions have been accused of using public office for personal gain off-and-on for more than 100 years. How the city responded has largely shaped how the city government functions. Wichita’s proposed reform comes on the heels of several local officials being swept out of office following ethical breaches. Mayor Brandon Whipple said the city needs a new ethics code to protect the elected officials who remain in office from allegations of impropriety and to hold them accountable.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
1-3 inches of snow, freezing temperatures in forecast for parts of Kansas
Freezing temperatures and 1-3 inches of snow are expected across parts of Kansas starting Monday night, meteorologists predict. The National Weather Service office in Wichita has issued a pair of freeze watches, predicting sub-freezing temperatures Monday night into Tuesday morning and again Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The watches covers Butler, Chase, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Marion and Sedgwick counties. “Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the advisory states.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Kansas district ditches Native American mascots
A Kansas district has decided to ditch its “Redmen” and “Braves” mascots after public opinion shifted. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Atchison school board approved the change unanimously this past week. It was a reversal from 2018 when the board voted to keep the “Redmen” mascot for the district’s high school and the “Braves” mascot for the middle school. Board member Carrie Sowers said she changed her vote because the community “spoke loud and clear.” Sowers said the board heard considerable support in 2018 for keeping Native American-themed mascots. But this time, all nine people who addressed the matter at a public input session asked the board to do away with the mascots.
Source: KSN-TV
A new Lenexa bicycle loop
Improving access, connectivity and safety for bicyclists was a key component of Lenexa’s Complete Streets Plan. The City of Lenexa is now implementing some of the plan’s recommendations to clearly identify safe routes for cyclists using bike lanes, signage and pavement markings.
Source: What’s New News Summary
Some Kansas counties turn down COVID vaccine as demand slows
Some Kansas counties are rejecting new COVID-19 vaccine shipments or reducing their orders because of decreased demand for the drugs, worrying health officials who say mass vaccinations are the only path to a return to normalcy. Dennis Kriesel, the executive director of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, said Friday that the shift occurred in the past couple weeks. The state opened up eligibility on March 29 to all residents 16 and older. That led to an increase in demand in mostly urban areas, but some rural counties already had begun to administer the vaccine to anyone of age who wanted one, Kriesel said.
Source: KAKE – News
Gov. Laura Kelly cements rural focus
Gov. Laura Kelly was in Humboldt Thursday morning to tour the Monarch Cement plant and learn its history. The extensive outing included seeing the plant’s massive rotary kilns, its sophisticated control room and towering silos. Kelly said, “It’s companies like Monarch that are the bedrock, literally, of our state, along with agriculture.” Not content with the status quo, Kelly said, “We’re working ferociously to grow our economy here in the state of Kansas,” adding, “Last year we set a record for new capital investments in the state. Over $2.5 billion.” Kelly said she was “very, very impressed” with her tour of the plant, and in Monarch’s “adaptations over the years.” “It looks state-of-the-art,” she said, “even though you’ve been around for over 100 years.”
Source: The Iola Register
Homeless population in Wichita expected to grow
The after-shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has some in Wichita preparing for an increase in homelessness. Humankind Ministries said this year the number of people staying at their shelters is lower than expected. They believe this is because apartments are not allowed to evict people who aren’t paying their rent, but come May, they said that will change. “I do believe we haven’t felt the full effect of the pandemic and the impact it will have for those in poverty,” said Christen Sampamurtgy, the director of program and compliance with Humankind Ministries. The trickle down of the COVID-19 Pandemic has many community organizations concerned. “People are staying in shelters longer because they have less access to jobs,” said Dr. Sanders.
Source: KSN-TV
Hard Rock Hotel site in Edwardsville sits shovel-ready as it awaits financing
A Minnesota developer is not backing down from plans to build a $74 million Hard Rock Hotel in Edwardsville, even as its prominent site has sat untouched for more than a year and its lender failed to disperse contractually agreed-upon funds. Although One10 Hotel HRKC LLC has no specific timeline, the builder is working to finance the hotel southeast of Interstate 70 and 110th Street, said John M. Edgar, an attorney with Edgar Law Firm LLC representing the developer.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal
Abilene attractions planned for May
After a year of canceled and curtailed events, Abilene is as open as the Wild West it evokes as part of its history. Almost all of its tourist attractions will celebrate the unofficial start of the town’s tourist season May 1. The one notable exception is the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, which will remain closed to visitors. Because it is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, the Eisenhower Library is subject to federal guidelines for reopening, as are all presidential libraries. But for the rest of the town and Dickinson County, face masks are discretionary, not mandated, and there is no limit on the number of people who gather.
Source: Salina Journal.
Governor Laura Kelly Signs Bipartisan Legislation to Aid Kansas’s Economic Recovery
Governor Laura Kelly signed four bipartisan bills into law to drive economic growth and strengthen Kansas’ economy. Senate Bills 65, 66, 90, and 124 are part of Governor Kelly’s Growth Agenda, a multifaceted legislative approach to improving Kansas’ ability to attract major businesses and strengthen our economy in accordance with the Framework for Growth strategic plan.
Each bill strengthens a specific area of Kansas economic development:
…
SB 90 – This bill significantly expands the types of projects allowed in Kansas Rural Housing Incentive Districts (RHID) and enables the renovation into residential use (including vertical construction) of buildings and structures more than 25 years old on Kansas main streets and downtown districts. Any city with a population of less than 60,000 will be eligible for this program, regardless of county population. This program is essential in addressing housing shortages in rural Kansas in particular.
SB 124 – The STAR Bonds program in Kansas has been continued with major updates. This legislation establishes third-party feasibility studies to be engaged by Commerce, community engagement summary requirements, and other transparency measures. Updates also include measures to increase use of the program in rural areas. Finally, the program can now be used as a tool to recruit headquarters and major business facilities with the potential to attract sizable out-of-state visitation.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce » Press Releases Category Feed
Emporia commission seeks to minimize risk in Rural Housing Incentive District policy
The Emporia City Commission discussed updates to its Rural Housing Incentive District policy for a third time on Wednesday, focusing mostly on mitigating risk to the city. Special projects coordinator Jim Witt took the commission through the proposed changes to the policy with the intention to vote on adopting the policy during next week’s action session. Commissioner Jon Geitz supports the policy but expressed concern regarding how to protect the city’s investment in infrastructure in the event that a developers’ project failed. “The taxpayers are the ones with the most at risk and the least to gain and the developer and the homeowners have the most to gain and the least to risk,” he said. He pointed out that the land costs — which the developer pays — are “a fraction of” the infrastructure costs — which the city pays. Therefore, he proposed that language be included in the policy that states that the city and the developer will be reimbursed proportionally with the RHID funds. Mayor Rob Gilligan said that in Dodge City’s policy, the city would collect three years’ worth of RHID funds to service its debts before it reimbursed the developers.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Johnson County considers changing strategy and ending mass vaccination clinics
The Johnson County Health Department is considering a change in tactics to get more COVID-19 vaccinations into arms. Health leaders in the county said about 20% of the entire population are vaccinated. If you look at only those age 16 and up who live in the county and are eligible for the vaccine, the percentage jumps to about 25%. “We are not where we need to be,” Dr. Sanmi Areola, Director of the Johnson County Health Department, said.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
Lawrence pauses improvements to site of Santa Fe depot after potentially historic brickwork uncovered
Improvements at the Santa Fe depot have recently been put on hold after the city’s contractor discovered a brick surface beneath the existing gravel parking lot. The 1950s-era train station is an example of midcentury modern architecture, and the station is on the National Register of Historic Places. A Kansas Department of Transportation grant, which the city was awarded in 2013, funded 80% of an approximately $2 million project to rehabilitate the depot.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Strong demand for municipal bonds continues
“The muni market is on fire,” Ashton Goodfield, head of municipal bonds at DWS, said on Thursday, noting that tax-exempt valuations versus taxable alternatives have been holding near record lows. Goodfield said investors have built cash balances over the last year as demand for income was high and interest paid on cash investment was near zero. In addition, other supporting factors are the high credit quality nature of the muni market, recently buffeted by fiscal support, as well as the demand for tax-exempt income at the same time the notion that tax rates for wealthy individuals could increase during the current administration. There seems to be no end in sight to the healthy demand for municipal bonds in the primary market as evidenced by recent and new fund flows, agreed a New York manager of underwriting and trading.
Source: Bond Buyer.
Kansas Supreme Court issues new rules for residents suing over COVID-19 restrictions
The Kansas Supreme Court earlier this week issued administrative rules for Kansans who want to sue over a COVID-19 order under newly passed law Senate Bill 40. The new emergency rules took into account that some may not be represented by an attorney, a news release said. But those who fail to follow the rules in requesting a court hearing shouldn’t be rejected and be given opportunity to comply. SB 40 lets any person who is aggrieved by a COVID-19 order or restriction to bring to court a request to get relief from the order. Such a hearing would have to be held within 72 hours and a decision be made within a week after that. In cases like this, the government would have to prove the high standard that the order was narrowly tailored and was the least restrictive means; otherwise, relief is granted.
Source: CJonline.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for April 15, 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.
ACLU says Johnson County city’s new law is unconstitutional, will hurt the poor
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the National Homelessness Law Center have warned the city of Merriam that a new law that limits panhandling in certain medians is unconstitutional and could harm homeless residents. The Merriam City Council in February voted 6-2 to approve the new ordinance banning pedestrians from standing or sitting on medians at nine high-traffic intersections, other than to legally cross the street. City officials said the law is aimed at cutting down on car crashes and ensuring the safety of pedestrians, and is not meant to penalize panhandlers — despite concerns from some residents and some council members that it would push out the homeless. Officials said at the time that the ordinance was in response to a growing number of complaints about people stopping traffic at the intersections. The law does not mention panhandlers. Many cities have passed similar laws without specifically barring panhandlers, as a way of avoiding concerns about violating First Amendment rights.
Source: KC Star Local News
Lenexa City Center ‘smart pavement’ plan moves forward
Lenexa is advancing plans with Integrated Roadways and Kiewit Engineering to install “smart pavement” in Lenexa City Center. In a presentation to the Lenexa City Council on Tuesday, representatives from the two companies gave a status update on the Showcase City Center project, which involves deploying “smart pavement” panels at five key intersections within the city’s centralized hub. The city council will consider approving a master implementation agreement with the two companies for the 10-year Smart Infrastructure Program at its next meeting. The agreement establishes the requirements for the project, and also prohibits sensors within the “smart pavement” from collecting any personal identifiable information from vehicles that drive on it.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Wichita’s public pools and splash pads will open next month, city says
The City of Wichita plans to open all city pools and splash pads on Memorial Day. The city passed an aquatics plan costing nearly $20 million in 2019. Pools and splash pads in the first phase were expected to open last summer, but because of COVID-19, swimmers had to wait another year. Wichita Aquatics Manager Brian Hill said last week that at the updated locations across town, you’ll see different forms of art like murals and sculptures. This year, Memorial Day is May 31. Hill said because pools were closed last year, the city was able to accelerate construction. Phase two centers will open this year instead of next, and this means more jobs are available.
Source: KAKE – News
Wichita police unfairly target minorities with gang list, ACLU and Kansas Appleseed allege in lawsuit
A lawsuit filed Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice alleges the Wichita Police Department use of a gang list has disproportionately harmed communities of color. According to the lawsuit, criteria to be added to the list are “vague and broad and encompass a wide range of innocuous, innocent and constitutionally protected behavior.” Actions that could land you on the list — as outlined in Kansas Statute — include wearing a criminal street gang’s color, associating with criminal street gang members or frequenting a particular criminal street gang’s area. Committing or even being charged with a crime is not a prerequisite to be placed on this list, said Teresa Woody, litigation director for Kansas Appleseed. However, the legal and personal consequences — which include intensive surveillance, traffic stops, and increased bail — are often felt lifelong, she said.
Source: Kansas Reflector