Kansas Municipal News
The bond market is starting to wake up with interest rates headed higher
The bond market appears to be waking up. After trading in a close range since June, Treasury yields are starting to break out of their range and look set to edge higher. The 10-year yield reached a high of 0.834% early Wednesday morning and was hovering just at the 0.80% level in afternoon trading. “This is an inflection point in the sense that stimulus is coming. It’s not if, it’s when, and we’re getting closer to the point of I think no matter who wins the presidency you’re going to get fiscal stimulus,” said Jim Caron, head of global macro strategies at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. “It’s just a matter of how much and what the process is.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Allen County celebrates SPARKS check
Allen County gets $192,500 from funding allocated to Kansas counties. About 20 businesses and 20 nonprofits will receive the money. Allen County commissioners received a check for $192,500 to represent CARES/SPARK funding allocated to Kansas counties, at their meeting Tuesday. About 20 local businesses and 20 local nonprofits will receive the funds. Thrive Allen County CEO Lisse Regehr also discussed with commissioners using additional SPARK funds to install touchless faucets and other amenities at public buildings connected to the landfill office, noxious weed building and three senior center buildings.
Source: The Iola Register
Norton’s COVID-19 infection rate highest ever recorded in Kansas
A severe and deadly outbreak of COVID-19 that has ravaged the Norton community is by far the worst recorded in Kansas since the start of the pandemic, health officials said Wednesday. Gov. Laura Kelly called the outbreak a “stark reminder” that the threat of COVID-19 is real, even in rural areas. She said she was directing state resources to assist with the outbreak. “Outbreaks are not isolated incidents,” Kelly said. “For months, many have mistakenly shared the idea that this virus would never reach our rural and lower-population communities. Now, it is worse in those towns and counties than it is in our cities.”
Source: Kansas Reflector
Wichita’s Bike Share Program Resuming Under New Operator
After shutting down this spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wichita’s bike share program will resume later this year under a new operator. Michigan-based Tandem Mobility will take over the Bike Share ICT program from Zagster. The company filed for bankruptcy in March, leaving the bike docks scattered around Wichita empty for months. Tandem will provide 200 bikes, maintain the bike stations and provide customer support, including a mobile app for riders.
Source: KMUW
Wichita mask ordinance expires, county mask ordinance still in effect
Wichita’s mask ordinance expires at midnight. However, the city will continue to follow Sedgwick County’s Emergency Public Health Order which requires residents to continue to use masks in all public places, including all City of Wichita facilities. Learn more about Sedgwick County’s mask requirements and health exceptions on their website. As the city no longer has a mask ordinance in effect, the city will close its mask hotline and email service this week. Questions regarding the mask order and other health and safety orders should be directed to the county.
Source: KSN-TV
Topeka City Council rescinds controversial plumbing amendment
The Topeka City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to rescind controversial plumbing amendments and reconsider how the amendments to the plumbing code should be worded. Deputy Mayor Tony Emerson made the motion to reconsider two amendments he proposed after hearing concerns from businesses in the community. “Although my amendments solved a few immediate problems their wording let some plumbing contractors think their livelihood was being threatened,” Emerson said at the Oct. 20 city council meeting. “I can assure you that was not the intent.”
Source: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal
Mayor: Topeka has done well addressing poverty, but there is still more to do
Mayor Michelle De La Isla joined mayors from across the country Wednesday to discuss eliminating poverty in their cities. De La Isla boasted about what Topeka has done so far, but said there is more work to be done as “poverty is everywhere.” “We are the richest nation in the world with 328.1 million people, yet contrasted with other nations we have 10.5% of people in America that are living in poverty,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the United States Conference of Mayors at Wednesday’s virtual roundtable.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Kindergartners exempted from COVID-19 mask mandate, commission delays action on bars
Sedgwick County has quietly altered its mask mandate to no longer require kindergartners to mask up in school, it was revealed Wednesday. The County Commission also decided Wednesday to delay action on one commissioner’s proposal to rescind an early curfew on bars and nightclubs and to make the county’s COVID-control orders, including the mask mandate, voluntary again. During Wednesday’s meeting, the county released a rewrite of an order issued on Friday by Dr. Garold Minns, the county health officer and dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Roe 2020 project remains on track with residential striping completed
After nearly five months of construction, Roeland Park’s largest infrastructure project in the history of the city remains on track for completion by Thanksgiving 2020. Why it matters: Roe 2020 is a $10 million renovation of the city’s main thoroughfare, Roe Boulevard, from northern city limits to southern city limits. The residential portion of the street — south of 51st Street — is on schedule to complete major construction milestones within the next few weeks. The project is bringing eight-foot sidewalks, a completely repaved and restriped street, new landscaping and for many Roe Boulevard residents, new or partially-new driveways.
Source: Prairie Village Post
USDA Invests $50,000 in Community Infrastructure in Concordia, Kansas
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $50,000 toward new seating for the historic Brown Grand Opera House in Concordia. … This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase seating for the historic Brown Grand Opera House in Concordia, Kansas. The current seating in the opera House is breaking and finding parts for repair has become increasingly difficult. This project will allow the opera house to purchase new seats. Additionally, the second balcony will be returned to its original bench-style seating and 432 new seats will go in the orchestra and first balcony. Upon completion, the opera house will benefit nearly 9,600 people with a safe and accessible educational theater experience, while preserving historical infrastructure. This community partnership is made possible by the additional contribution by the applicant of $160,067.
Municipal Bond Trends for October 20, 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.
Health official: COVID now widespread in Reno County community
COVID-19 is now widespread in Hutchinson and the Reno County Community, the county’s interim Health Officer warned on Tuesday, and people need to step up the oft-repeated protection measures to mitigate it. “People don’t understand what a huge problem we have,” said interim Reno County Health Department Co-Director Karen Hammersmith during a weekly Tuesday morning Zoom call. There are currently 18 positive COVID patients admitted to the local hospital, including three people who are now on ventilators. At noon on Tuesday, the county reported its 12th death. That’s eight deaths in in the past 13 days. Reno County’s positive case numbers are high, in part, because of large outbreaks in communal living with the county, including the state prison, county jail, and a couple of nursing homes.
Source: Local – The Hutchinson News
Bike Share ICT to get on the road again with new operator after COVID-19 bankruptcy
Rental bikes will soon be rolling on the streets of Wichita again, after the COVID-19 pandemic bankrupted the previous operator of Bike Share ICT. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a contract with a new operator for bike rentals, a company called Tandem Mobility. That firm operates the KANcycle program that serves several cities in north-central Kansas, including Salina and Concordia, according to its website. Wichita has been without a rent-a-bike service since May when the previous contractor, Zagster, declared bankruptcy and ceased operation. Council member Becky Tuttle, who ran Bike Share ICT in her previous job at the Greater Wichita YMCA, said she was delighted by the system’s comeback.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Display violated city’s sign ordinance
Larger-than-life hay bale version of President Trump changed after it exceeded size limits for political promotions. A political display on U.S. 54/Madison Avenue got a lot of attention this past week. Too much, actually. The display, composed of four large round hay bales and painted to represent a larger-than-life version of President Donald Trump, exceeded the city’s limits on political signs. It was an unusual type of sign, though, and an unusual situation, Codes Enforcement Office Greg Hutton said. “That was a first,” he said.
Source: The Iola Register
Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office partners with Ring home security
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with home security company Ring in an effort to make the community safer. Ring devices capture video of suspicious activity or a crime. Device owners will now have the ability to share these videos with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office utilizing the Neighbors App available free for download at the App Store or Google Play. As an identified public safety user of the Neighbors App, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office can post information about crime and safety alerts, view and comment on public posts within our jurisdiction, and use the video request feature to ask Ring to request video recordings from Ring device owners who are in the area of an active investigation.
Source: KSN-TV
‘He is ready to go back’: Officer shot in Lyons making recovery alongside wife in hospital
Three days after he was shot in the line of duty a Lyons police officer making a shocking recovery. “He is alive,” says Cami Ryan. Sgt. Cory Ryan, a Lyons police officer since 2012, took three bullets responding to a 911 call including one in the face. “Literally millimeters of difference and we would be having a very different conversation right now,” said Ryan’s wife. Moments before a flood of armored vehicles, sharpshooters, and ems arrived on the scene Ryan was dragged from the danger by someone nearby and rushed to the hospital where he has been defying the odds ever since. “They have used words like impressive and miracle and they are just shocked at how well he is recuperating in just a short amount of time,” Ryan said.
Source: KSN-TV
Harvey County extends mask order until rescinded
The Harvey County Commission voted unanimously to extend a local order requiring face masks to be worn in Harvey County in a continued effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The order was extended until such time it is rescinded, superseded or amended. The order requires individuals to wear a face mask over their nose and mouth in any indoor or outdoor public space where a social distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained at all times. New Sedgwick County order will allow bars to open until 1 a.m. starting Oct. 22
Source: KSN-TV
Long-time Ford dealership burns down in Syracuse
Davis Motors a long-time Ford dealership in Syracuse was destroyed in a fire overnight. The city clerk says that business was a total loss and has been in the community for over 75 years. Several agencies battled the blaze.
Source: KSN-TV
‘We Have To Help Ourselves’: Why Rural Winfield, Kansas, Is Taking Charge Of Its Energy Future
Electric cars aren’t a common sight in rural Kansas — yet. But the town of Winfield — population 12,000, about 45 minutes southeast of Wichita — knows that will inevitably change. “We’re going to see the electrification of vehicles across the country,” said City Manager Taggart Wall. “So how do we stay on the leading edge of that and learn as the industry grows, rather than try to be retroactive and catch up?” Last year, the city began offering $1,500 rebates to residents who installed charging stations in their homes. And earlier this month, Winfield cut the ribbon on its first public charging station, situated in front of Shindig’s Bar and Grill downtown. It’s a “destination location,” says Mayor Phil Jarvis. “A lot of people will drive here from Wichita or other places to eat at Shindig’s,” he said. “So we thought, ‘Well, we’ll try here.’ It’s on a major highway going through town, and just to see how much it’s used. “We really don’t know at this point.”
Source: KMUW
Fort Scott looking to change dog ordinance
Fort Scott is looking to change the verbiage on an ordinance regarding dogs. At the last city commissioners meeting, a resident voiced her concerns on the area’s pit bull laws—saying it should be changed to a vicious dogs ordinance. Commissioners believed the ordinance should be changed to reflect that not all pit bull are vicious. Under a new proposed ordinance, animal control would be allowed to step in if they deemed any dog dangerous. Fort Scott is looking to change the verbiage on an ordinance regarding dogs. Kevin Allen, City Commissioner, Fort Scott, said, “There’s things in there that say if an animal patrol officer has been called a certain number of times, that dog will be confiscated and taken care of, if it’s attacked someone, there’s procedures to handle it.” The new ordinance is set to be presented at Tuesday night’s city commission meeting. Fort Scott is looking to change the verbiage on an ordinance regarding dogs.
Source: KSNF/KODE