Kansas Municipal News
A historical look back at the 1952 JoCo Courthouse, which closes for good New Year’s Eve
After nearly 70 years in operation, the building that housed the Johnson County Courthouse will permanently close on New Year’s Eve. Located at 100 N. Kansas Ave. in Olathe, the courthouse was built in 1952. It is the third building to serve the Kansas 10th Judicial District. Beginning Monday, Jan. 4, court offices and courtrooms will operate from the new courthouse but remain closed to in-person contact. All hearings will continue to take place by video conference until local public health conditions improve, according to a press release. The new courthouse will accept mail starting December 31 at 150 W. Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS 66061.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Seward County approves hazard pay for frontline employees
As the pandemic rages on, many essential employees have put in countless hours to keep their communities afloat. One western Kansas county is bringing relief to those that have been at the frontlines of the pandemic. Seward County Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday approving nearly $200,000 in hazard pay funding to go to numerous county workers. The payment comes after many workers have been putting in 20 to 30 extra hours of work each week, some working even more than that, while several have been working seven days a week.
Source: KSN-TV
Mayor’s fund supplies gifts, food for holiday
The scent of smoked turkeys and sides filled the air at Edgerton City Hall just days before Christmas. With festive music playing in the background, volunteers were hard at work, packing boxes for meals and gifts that would go to help more than 30 local families and over 40 children as part of the 2020 Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund. The annual Edgerton tradition has grown over the last few years as the need continues to increase. Families are nominated through third-party organizations, such as the Edgerton Food Pantry, churches and other groups. “We’re looking for the families that aren’t getting help from other programs,” said Donald Roberts, mayor. “My goal has always been to find the people that might slip through the cracks or that are too proud to ask for help.”
Source: Gardner News
Century II privatization could eliminate tax subsidy, city manager says
After laying off 29 city employees at Century II, Wichita city government now lacks the knowledge and expertise to manage a performing arts and convention center and must privatize operations of the historic building in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, city officials say. The move could eliminate an annual $2.5 million hotel-tax subsidy for Century II operations. “We need a different business model,” City Manager Robert Layton said last week. “It became pretty clear early in the pandemic that the state of convention business is going to be different going forward, even after the pandemic, and we want to use best practices.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Former Wichita police chief received Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award
Former Wichita Police Chief Rick Stone on Wednesday received the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award (SSCA) at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. It is the highest honorary award the Chief of Naval Operations or the Commandant of the Marine Corps may bestow on a civilian employee in the Department of the Navy. Stone received the SSCA for his service as the Chief, Naval Historian in the Navy History and Heritage Command while in command of the Histories Branch of the Histories and Archives Division. Stone was appointed to the position in 2019.
Source: KAKE – News
Story-time, conference rooms and drive thru among perks of new Johnson County library
More construction is coming to the Johnson County Central Resource Library in early 2021. The branch, at 9875 W. 87th St. in Overland Park, serves the public but also houses departments that support all 14 branches, such as IT support, materials handling, communications and programming. “Many staff spaces have not been updated since Central first opened in 1995 and no longer meet the needs of a modern library system of our size,” the library said in an online posting.
Source: KC Star Local News
8 projects and programs apply for funding from the Lawrence’s affordable housing sales tax
Eight affordable housing projects are requesting funding from the City of Lawrence, including a housing repair program, a voucher program for homeless people and a project that would build a complex of townhomes with 50 new affordable units. A special city sales tax has helped generate $1.275 million this year, and the city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board is preparing to award $450,000 from the fund, which will be its last distribution for 2020, according to Danielle Buschkoetter, budget and strategic initiatives administrator. The eight projects and programs recently submitted their funding applications to the board, which is now in the process of evaluating the applications.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence moving forward on donation program to help low-income residents pay their utility bills
The city of Lawrence is moving forward with plans to create a voluntary utility donation program to help low-income residents pay their city utility bill. The city, which provides solid waste, water and sewer services, plans to contract with Catholic Charities to administer the program, and an agreement for the service is expected to come forward soon. Utility Billing Manager Kristen Webb said Thursday that city staff is currently reviewing a contract with Catholic Charities internally. Webb said staff hopes to have the contract finalized and the technical aspects of the assistance program worked out in the city’s billing system by the end of February, allowing utility customers to sign up to make donations sometime in March.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence to begin implementation of 25 mph speed limit on neighborhood streets
Motorists will soon need to start slowing down on neighborhood streets. The city is set to begin installing 25 mph speed limit signs on all neighborhood streets throughout the city this month, a process that will continue through mid-February until all 1,000 signs are installed, according to a city news release. The city has created a map that shows which streets will be decreasing from 30 to 25 mph, and it is available on the city’s website, Lawrenceks.org. Collector and arterial streets are not affected by the change, including 23rd Street, Sixth Street, 15th Street, 19th Street, Ninth Street west of Connecticut Street, Barker Avenue north of 23rd Street, Kasold Drive, and Wakarusa Drive, among others, according to the map.
Source: LJWorld.com.
After 30 years, Douglas County’s Kay Pesnell to retire from Register of Deeds Office
After working for Douglas County for 30 years, a longtime official is ready to step away from the job. Kay Pesnell, who has worked for Douglas County’s Register of Deeds Office since 1990, will retire from the office’s top position at the end of the month. She has led the office for 18 years and was elected to the position by county voters four times. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to work for the constituents,” Pesnell told the Journal-World recently. “I really thank them for voting for me each time and keeping me in office. I feel like you are answering to all of the citizens of Douglas County.”
Source: LJWorld.com.
Dawn Wells dies; she played Mary Ann (from Winfield, KS) on Gilligan’s Island
Dawn Wells, who played the wholesome Mary Ann Summers among a misfit band of shipwrecked castaways on the 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday, Dec. 30, of causes related to COVID-19, her publicist said. She was 82. Wells, on a visit to Winfield, Mary Ann’s fictional home on the TV show, delighted local folks as she promoted her “Mary Ann’s Gilligan’s Island Cookbook” Sept. 17, 18 and 19, 1993. Sharon Olmstead, at the time the owner of Bluestem Bookstore in Winfield, hosted Wells on her visit. Wells was “full of energy,” Olmstead said. “She seemed to be quite excited” to be in Winfield.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
M 3.9 earthquake wakes up Wichita
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 3.8 earthquake in Wichita. The earthquake shook the city just after 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. This earthquake is considered to be the largest in five years in the city. The Kansas Geological Survey said they’re recording Wednesday morning’s earthquake as a Magnitude 3.9.
Source: KWCH; USGS; KGS.
FAA says new rules will speed commercialization of drones
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced new rules for drones and drone operators that it says will help speed the growth of commercial uses of unmanned aerial vehicles. The FAA on Monday announced rules that would relax restrictions on flying above people and at night for many smaller drones, as well as requite any drone that has to be registered with the agency to now be equipped with remote identification capability.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal – The Business Journals
Ark City, Winfield to compete in ‘Resolve to Give’ blood drive
Residents of Arkansas City and Winfield can help meet the ongoing need for blood this new year and show some civic pride. Each city will hold a Resolve to Give Blood Drive to see which city can start off 2021 with the most blood donations. Leading the way in this friendly rivalry between the two cities, are the Arkansas City fire and police departments and the Winfield fire and police departments who host the Battle of the Badges each summer.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Municipal Bond Trends for December 29, 2020
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.
Shawnee boosts hotel tax to support sports complexes
To support needed upgrades at area sports complexes, the city of Shawnee is increasing its transient hotel guest tax rate. The new tax rate will be 8%, up from 6%. It takes effect April 1, the Shawnee Mission Post reports. The additional revenue will be used to enhance both the Mid-America Sports Complex and Mid-America West Sports Complex as part of a six-year project.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal – The Business Journals
City of Topeka tells what we know about White Lakes mall condemnation and fire
The City of Topeka says it recently condemned the White Lakes mall building before Tuesday morning’s fire, after past citations went unfixed. City spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said Topeka firefighters haven’t determined the cause of the mall fire yet, but crews are investigating at this time. She also said the mall’s structure was in good condition, “with no threat of collapse or even serious deterioration” before the fire. However, KSNT’s drone video of the fire shows a portion of the roof collapsed in. The city’s Code Compliance division issued citations in the past before the city condemned the White Lakes Center on Aug. 24, according to Hadfield. A condemnation order does not require the demolition of the building but does require certain corrections to the property before anyone can go inside or home businesses there.
Source: KSNT News
Wolf Creek power plant, where our electricity comes from
Wolf Creek Generating Station, near Burlington, Kan., is a Westinghouse nuclear water reactor producing more than 1,200,000 kilowatts of electricity. The plant cost $3 billion to build and employs 900 people. Wolf Creek went online on Sept. 3, 1985 with an operating license of 40 years, through 2025. In 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a license renewal that allows 20 additional years of operation, through 2045. The plant serves the Western half of Missouri and eastern half of Kansas with approximately 1.6 million customers.
Source: KSNT News
Sedgwick County paramedics rescue Sugar the dog, who was hit by vehicle on busy street
A pair of paramedics rescued a dog that was hit by a vehicle on a busy Wichita street last week. Paramedics Levi Davidson and Jennifer Erskin were returning to their station the morning of Dec. 23 when they saw the dog get struck by a vehicle, Sedgwick County officials said Tuesday in a Twitter thread. The dog was hit on Central Avenue in front of Sedgwick County EMS Post 3, which is just west of the busy intersection with Hillside Street.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Lenexa gallery makes local art accessible
Visitors to Lenexa City Hall enter an expansive, light-filled lobby that also contains an art gallery spreading across three rooms and two floors. You are immediately greeted by art exhibits adorning the walls and display cases, with benches for comfortable viewing. It’s not what you’d expect to see in a typical city hall building. The Lenexa Arts Council curates rotating 2D and 3D art shows at the Lenexa City Hall gallery — roughly a dozen each year. This appointed board stimulates awareness and interest in the arts through developing accessible art programs and events throughout the city. Lenexa has hosted a gallery space within its city hall facilities for roughly two decades. Incorporating the arts was central to the design and function of Lenexa’s current bustling, mixed-use civic complex, which opened in 2017.
Source: Prairie Village Post