Kansas Municipal News
BCC K-9 Haxo receives body armor
K-9 Officer Haxo of Butler Community College’s Department of Public Safety has received a bullet and stab protective vest, thanks to a charitable donation from nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s Inc. Haxo’s vest was embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Gabo, Jonesboro, AR EOW 1/16/20.” Haxo is Butler’s first K-9 officer. Lt. Tim Harder spent two months earlier this year training Haxo at American K-9 Interdiction in Virginia. He lived in a dorm and spent his days focused on turning Haxo into a narcotics detection officer, finishing the intensive program in June. Haxo is now trained on six types of drugs.
Source: News – The Hutchinson News
Shawnee homeowners can now plant trees between sidewalk and street next to property
Shawnee homeowners and landowners are now allowed to plant trees within public right-of-ways, the areas between the street or curb and their adjacent private property lines. The Shawnee City Council voted 5-2 to approve new city code and regulations that give city staff administrative discretion to allow, prohibit and/or relocate proposed street trees. The new codes apply to residential properties for both new and existing homes.
Source: Prairie Village Post
On Monday, KPTS will air a documentary featuring 10 historic buildings in Kansas
Delving into “Historic Buildings of Kansas” brought a treasure trove of information to Jim Grawe. “There were a lot more interesting stories out there than I even realized,” said Grawe, executive producer at KPTS and videojournalist of the 60-minute documentary, airing at 8 p.m. Monday on the Wichita-based PBS station. “I knew there were, but in every one of these buildings, I discovered interesting people connected with them and interesting stories that took place,” he added. “The older something is, the more people have been involved through the years and the more possibility there is for interesting things to transpire.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
New chief of police in Lenexa will oversee nearly 150 police employees
Dawn Layman is being promoted from deputy chief to the new chief of police in Lenexa. The 27-year department employee will assume the top job on Dec. 18, replacing Thomas Hongslo who announced his retirement earlier this fall. In her new role, Layman will oversee nearly 150 police employees and serve on the city’s executive leadership team. “Our residents have great confidence in our police department, and Dawn’s strong belief in community-based policing principles will help ensure we keep that trust,” said City Manager Beccy Yocham, who made the appointment.
Source: Joco 913 News
Prairie Village, Leawood will allow JoCo to enforce COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, mass gatherings
Prairie Village and Leawood are joining Overland Park to be the first cities to enter agreements with Johnson County allowing the county to enforce its latest COVID-19 public health order regarding social distancing, mass gatherings and required closing times for businesses within the cities’ boundaries. The Prairie Village, Leawood and Overland Park city councils all approved the agreements at their meetings Monday night. Prairie Village passed the measure 8-3, Leawood 5-2 and Overland Park 9-3. The agreements stipulate that the county, not the cities, will enforce the order through its codes department. The cities’ police departments will help by responding to complaints, educating violators, reporting repeat violations to county code enforcers and testifying if asked by the county.
Source: Prairie Village Post
‘A dream come true’ — Lenexa names veteran staffer as new head of growing parks and rec department
Lenexa City Manager Beccy Yocham recently named long-time staff member Logan Wagler as the city’s next parks and recreation director. Wagler, who recently served as deputy director, replaces Gary Ristow, who is retiring after 12 years working with the city. The Lenexa City Council celebrated Ristow’s contributions to the city at a recent council meeting. Wagler’s first day was Nov. 30. “From a personal standpoint, this is like a dream come true,” Wagler said. “I had a lot of experience within parks and recreation as a kid, all the way through college and around sports. I almost felt like it was a calling.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
What’s behind the earthquakes in Wichita?
All seven of the earthquakes centered in Wichita in 2020 occurred during the past two weeks, with two of them coming hours apart on Thursday. All were relatively in the same area in east Wichita, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. Is it a sign of something ominous to come? KGS Senior Scientist Rick Miller doesn’t think so.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Kansas works to bridge digital divide
Kansas’ broadband czar says a new grant initiative will infuse tens of millions of dollars over the next decade into projects working to close the digital divide in underserved areas across Kansas. Stanley Adams, director of the office of broadband development at the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program will provide $85 million over the next decade to qualifying areas with low connectivity. Presenting Tuesday to the Special Committee on Economic Recovery, Adams told legislators the initiative is a major step toward adequate broadband services across Kansas.
Source: The Iola Register
Sedgwick county prepares for Pfizer Vaccine
The FDA has approved the Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine Thursday. The next step is final approval, which is expected in the next few days That is when shipments will start going out and starts will enact their distribution plans. In Sedgwick county, hospitals and long term care facilities could be receiving the vaccine as early as next week. The county said it’s a waiting game and for now, they won’t be involved with phase one of distribution. Once the distribution of phase one of the vaccine begins they won’t be going to the County. They will be shipped directly to the hospitals. From there the frontline workers taking care of COVID patients will be some of the first to receive the vaccine.
Source: KSN-TV
Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2020-11
Synopsis: The Kansas statutes imposing residency requirements on persons seeking a license to sell liquor as a retailer or to sell liquor by the drink, K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 41-311 and 41-2623, facially discriminate against nonresidents. It is unlikely that the State could advance a legitimate local purpose for the requirements. Thus, the residency requirements in K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 41-311 and K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 41-2623 would likely be found unconstitutional under the dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and are therefore unenforceable.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions
Municipal Bond Trends for December 10, 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.
Great Bend’s RV parking ordinance under revision
The parking of recreational vehicles within the City of Great Bend would be better defined by ordinance revisions, but the City Council Monday night tabled the matter so administrative staff could better hone the guidelines. At the Nov. 2 council meeting, Josh Blankenship and Danyon Holden addressed the governing body about the ordinance pertaining to parking recreational vehicles on their property. Per the ordinance, one you legally park a recreational vehicle on your property as long as the recreational vehicle is aligned with the front of your house. If it does not comply, then you one be fined. Both individuals felt this was infringing on their rights as property owners, and wanted to see this changed.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
LaHarpe to add stop signs in town
Motorists traveling through LaHarpe will have a few more stops along their route. LaHarpe City Council members took their latest steps to control the speed of traffic along certain roads, particularly Harrison and Jefferson streets, which run parallel to Main Street on the east side of town. Six new stop signs will be added in all, along Harrison Street at Fourth and Eighth streets; along Jefferson Street and Eighth Street; and at opposite ends of the driveway that dissects the LaHarpe City Park between Sixth and Seventh streets.
Source: The Iola Register
Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2020-10
Synopsis: The county treasurer has no discretion under K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 12-5909. The county treasurer is statutorily required to remove from the tax rolls all taxes, assessments, charges, penalties and interest that are due and payable on property at the time the property is acquired by the board of trustees of the land bank. The county treasurer is similarly required to remove from the tax rolls any special assessments on such property that are abated. Any special assessments that are deferred or reamortized by a municipality must be corrected on the tax rolls by the county treasurer as of the effective date of the ordinance or resolution providing for such deferral or reamortization.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions
Andover overturns breed-specific dog ordinance, welcomes pit bulls in city
The conspicuous “No Pit Bulls Allowed” sign that once hung at Dog Park at Central Park in Andover is no longer applicable. The Andover City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to repeal the decades-old ordinance that banned pit bulls in Andover. Repealing the ordinance had been an ongoing discussion that gained momentum after the city annexed an area just east of Andover last year, according to City Administrator Jennifer McCausland. Pit bulls in the annexed area were grandfathered in but deemed “potentially dangerous” under city ordinance, she said.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County cracks down on COVID-19 ‘protests,’ eases rules on youth sports, party venues
In its latest COVID-19 regulations, Sedgwick County is making it harder for bars and clubs to host large activities and claim that they’re political protests. But at the same time, county commissioners overturned their health officer’s attempt to curtail coronavirus spread at youth sports tournaments and party venues. At issue Wednesday was the latest county health order by the health office, Dr. Garold Minns, dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
“GoGetTested.com/Kansas” — Governor Kelly introduces website for free COVID-19 testing in Kansas
Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference from the Topeka Statehouse Wednesday to provide updates regarding COVID-19 in Kansas. In her briefing, the governor promoted the “Stop the Spread. It’s Up to Us, Kansas” campaign — her administration’s public health initiative to handle the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Kelly mentioned the website gogettested.com/kansas as part of the campaign’s latest launching. This website will help Kansans get easier accessibility to getting COVID-19 tests done. Visitors to the website can use an interactive map to locate free testing locations across the state and book an appointment.
Source: KSN-TV
Municipal Bond Trends for December 9, 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.
JEDO approves replacement for Topeka’s SOTO, NETO ride-to-work programs
At this week’s virtual Joint Economic Development Organization meeting, board members approved a transportation initiative that is expected to replace a pilot program set to lapse at the end of the year. JEDO board members unanimously approved a transportation initiative Wednesday that calls on Shawnee County employers to take a larger role in providing rides for their employees who might not be able to make it to work otherwise. The new initiative is expected to go into effect next year, after the county’s SOTO and NETO ride-to-work programs expire Dec. 31.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Even before the pandemic, Lawrence’s economy was shrinking, new federal numbers show
It is easy to predict that the economic tally for Lawrence in 2020 won’t be pretty. It also is a good bet that the final analysis will show the 2020 downturn was fueled, in part, by tough times in the city’s rental market, as the pandemic caused hundreds — if not thousands — of students to decide they don’t need a local apartment to attend online classes. But a new set of federal numbers suggest both Lawrence and its rental market were suffering before the pandemic even began. New federal statistics that measure the economy of every county in the U.S. show Douglas County’s economy in 2019 shrank, and the real estate industry was a major reason why.
Source: LJWorld.com.