Kansas Municipal News
USDA Invests $20,400 in Community Infrastructure in Ashland, Kansas
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $20,400 toward a new roof for the Ashland City Library. … The city of Ashland will use the $20,400 grant to assist with replacing the Ashland City Library roof. The existing roof is nearing 40 years old and leaking, threatening damage to the entire facility and its contents. This project will allow the library to continue to provide an essential public service to the nearly 900 local residents. This community partnership is made possible by the additional contribution by the applicant of $26,384.
Virtual McPherson County Hiring Day on Friday
McPherson County is hosting its first-ever McPherson County Hiring Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, and it’s free to attend. The virtual format offers students and professional job seekers a chance to explore industries and jobs throughout the county, network with 17 local businesses, and learn more about McPherson County lifestyle, housing, and residence, from afar. “McPherson County is an industrial hub of the great plains,” said Kasi Morales, Go McPherson Executive Director.
Source: Local – The Hutchinson News
Edgerton swears in their new city clerk
During the Oct. 8 Edgerton City Council meeting, Alexandria Clower was sworn in as the new city clerk. She replaces Chris Clinton, who had been serving as interim city clerk since February. Clower has served the City of Edgerton as the customer service representative and municipal court clerk for the last two years. Prior to her work in local government, Clower served as a bank teller at Central Bank of the Midwest in Edgerton for five years. She has extensive knowledge about the community and excellent communication and organizational skills. Donald Roberts, Edgerton mayor, and city council members commended Clower on her new position, adding that she would be a tremendous addition to council meetings.
Source: Gardner News
Inflation comeback may force Fed to abandon easy money policy much sooner than intended, Wall Street forecaster Jim Bianco warns
The Federal Reserve’s intention to leave interest rates alone may get sidetracked. According to Wall Street forecaster James Bianco, the backdrop is conducive for an inflation comeback that would force the Fed’s hand to tighten and upset the stock market. He sees two major factors sparking inflation: A smaller economy than last year due to the coronavirus lockdowns and the impact of massive monetary and fiscal stimulus.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
How Topeka, Kansas, Used Data Modeling to Pave a Stronger Future for Public Works and Residents
Using data modeling powered by current pavement inventory and condition data, the city of Topeka could better understand its long-range pavement condition and funding needs. The public works department for the city of Topeka, Kansas, was in a position where they needed to reevaluate the effectiveness of their half-cent retail sales tax to fund pavement renewal projects. To add to that, the city also tasked public works with improving their average pavement condition index (or PCI) from 55 to 60 in the next 10 years. They were given a $31 million budget.
Source: ICMA.
Municipal Bond Trends for October 19, 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.
USDA Invests $791,638 in Distance Learning in Osborne County, Kansas
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $791,638 to provide interactive video conferencing equipment to allow access to students in rural Kansas…. This Rural Development investment will help Osborne County purchase monitors, video and audio conferencing equipment, wiring and software licenses for distance learning upgrades for Paradise Unified School District Number 399. The project will expand educational opportunities for rural residents within the district.
Liquor sales increase as pandemic continues
Business is booming for one segment of the economy in Kansas during the coronavirus pandemic: liquor stores. At the same time, the increased use of the products found in those stores has not necessarily benefitted people. The Wichita Eagle reported that tax collections on liquor sales at stores are up 17.9 percent from July to September compared to last year, according to data from the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Incentive considered to lure home builders to Ark City
Arkansas City Commissioners will consider a resolution Tuesday allowing increased tax rebates for homes built in a housing development in north Ark City. If approved, property owners who build in the Compass Point Addition will be eligible for a 90 percent tax rebate of the first $150,000 of the property value for 10 years. Current city practice allows a 75 percent rebate for seven years.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Hoisington offers incentive to curb weekend EMT shortage
In an effort to offset a shortage of weekend emergency medical staff, the Hoisington City Council recently approved a financial incentive to recruit and retain volunteer technicians. Adequate weekend emergency staffing has been an issue for the city. State law mandates all ambulance services providing emergency care (as defined by the rules and regulations adopted by the Kansas Board of EMS) will offer emergency service 24 hours a day, every day of the year. “The problem of being able to provide weekend technician staff has evolved overtime,” said City Manager Jonathan Mitchell. “Trying to develop a solution to get volunteers to work weekends has been challenging. Volunteers are important but they’re also hard to find, especially good volunteers.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
When Lyons officer was shot, this couple rushed in to help
Wyatt Johnson and his girlfriend were driving around Lyons on Friday while she reminisced about her hometown. They were wasting time before a wedding rehearsal. In southeast Lyons, near the home of one of her childhood friends, the couple saw an officer at a door and then heard shots ring out. Sgt. Cory Ryan was responding to a call from a man who was mowing the lawn when he was threatened by a neighboring man with a gun at around 3:40 p.m. The officer arrived at the home of the alleged shooter, 40-year-old Adam Hrabik.
Source: KC Star Local News
Did workers’ compensation changes go too far? Kansas Supreme Court to decide
Soon after Howard Johnson suffered a spinal cord injury in October 2015 while working as a delivery driver for U.S. Food Service, he suffered a financial one: His workers’ compensation award was nearly $47,000 less than what he would have received if the injury had occurred a year earlier. Johnson hurt himself while trying to dislodge a partially frozen trailer door and sought remedy through the Kansas Workers’ Compensation Act — the only option for employees hurt at work. The significant difference in his compensation was the result of a change in the guidelines doctors follow to assess impairment, attorneys said. A new state law adopted the Sixth Edition of American Medical Association Guides, rather than the previous Fourth Edition.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Voters to decide on individual drink sales
Voters can decide whether to allow liquor by the drink to be sold without requiring establishments to sell food at the Nov. 4 election. Prohibition was approved in Kansas in 1917 and lasted until 1948. In fact, three Kansas counties are still “dry,” and 67 require the 30 percent food sales. Wyandotte, Douglas and Shawnee do not have the food requirement.
Source: Gardner News
Kansas counties make their own rules on poll worker masks
Kansas counties are making their own rules about whether to require poll workers to wear masks as the public votes. Secretary of State Scott Schwab has not issued a mandate requiring masks for poll workers statewide, even though the state spent $1.28 million to buy personal protective equipment for every polling location. Schwab’s spokeswoman says every county election office works with its local health department to determine COVID-19 protocols. That’s created a patchwork of masking practices around the state. While the state’s more urban counties generally require poll workers to mask up, rural counties often don’t.
Source: KSN-TV
City of Manhattan adds outdoor patios to restaurants for social distanced dining
To help local restaurants, the city of Manhattan installed 7 outdoor patio areas to the downtown. It costs the city around $300 thousand for the spaced but they hope to get the money back from the CARES act. The patios have outdoor space heaters to keep customers warm at night. The idea is to give restaurants some extra space to keep customers socially distanced.
Source: KSNT News
Hopes of ‘a bubble’ gone, COVID-19 expands its footprint in unprepared rural Kansas
Until two weeks ago, Meade District Hospital had never admitted a COVID-19 patient. Then, it admitted three in one weekend. For the southwest Kansas town of roughly 1,700, three hospitalizations is the equivalent of several thousand in metropolitan Kansas City, said Gary Morsch, founder of an organization that helps staff rural critical access hospitals. Morsch was working in the Meade hospital’s emergency room that weekend. He said the hospital had two beds set aside for coronavirus patients, and needed to stretch only to accommodate the third. However, he said, it’s a sign of what’s to come in small towns and rural areas that, until recently, were able to avoid the biggest impacts of the deadly virus.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
COVID-19 dims recession-inspired draw of Kansas community colleges as retraining crucibles
Neosho Community College president Brian Inbody relied on precedent to make assumptions about how the pandemic of COVID-19 could influence enrollment at the southeastern Kansas college during a period of massive unemployment and business realignment. In wake of the brutal U.S. recession from 2007 to 2009, he said, enrollment at Neosho Community College increased 21% per year over a three-year period. Early in the pandemic of 2020, higher education institutions were thrown into an online instructional format as COVID-19 spread into the heartland. Unemployment in Kansas surged from 3.1% in February to 11.9% in April. The stage appeared set for community colleges to answer the bell of another recession.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Municipal Bond Trends for October 16, 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.
Amazon confirms massive warehouse for Park City
Amazon, the online retail giant, now confirms what The Wichita Eagle reported this summer: It is building a one-million-square-foot fulfillment center at 7130 N. Broadway in Park City. The company confirmed that and a similar center at 9700 Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kan., during a virtual news conference with city and state leaders Friday. “It’s an exciting day for us at Amazon as we strive to offer faster delivery to customers across the state,” said Mark Marzano, Amazon director of operations.
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |
Downtown stewards of Winfield expand history program
Historical plaques were recently installed on five buildings on Main Street in Winfield. The plaques are done by members of the Winfield Main Street Committee of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The project is a collaboration between the Main Street committee, the Cowley County Historical Society and downtown building owners. Putting historical plaques on Main Street buildings has been ongoing since about 1997, according to Dorothy Fisher, who has been part of the process since the beginning.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler