Kansas Municipal News
Revenue continues to rebound at Kansas Star
Revenue at the Kansas Star Casino grew again last month, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth for the casino following a shutdown in part of March and through the entirety of April. Gambling revenue was more than $14.1 million in August, the casino’s highest since the shutdown. But the revenue still hasn’t met pre-pandemic numbers. For the entirety of 2020, Mulvane’s 1 percent share of the casino revenue has totaled $863,272.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Shawnee County reports drop in revenue, expenses in 2020 budget update
Shawnee County is still “financially healthy” despite the economic damage that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Betty Greiner, the county’s director of administrative services, provided an optimistic budget update to Shawnee County commissioners during their Monday meeting at 701 N. Kansas Ave., saying revenue and expenses are both below projections. Revenue is $3.8 million under previous estimates, while expenses are $3.5 million under budget, according to Greiner. The drop in revenue was offset by the additional money saved from departments spending wisely, she said.
Source: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal
After Decision Upholding FCC’s 5G Rules, Cities Now Weighing Appeal
Dozens of cities and counties were on the losing end of a federal court decision last month that largely upheld Federal Communications Commission rules restricting their ability to regulate technology for 5G infrastructure. Local governments that objected to the rules now have until Sept. 28 to file an appeal for a new hearing before the entire 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—a step at least some are considering. “We are speaking with our clients right now about whether or not to do that,” said Gerry Lederer, an attorney with Best, Best and Krieger, who represents the National League of Cities and a coalition of cities and counties in the litigation.
Source: Route Fifty – All Content
Municipal Bond Trends for September 18, 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 County to consider restricting unregulated signage on county property
Placing unregulated signs on Shawnee County property could soon be illegal. “Unregulated signage on county property has direct and secondary effects that are harmful to the safety and general welfare of the county as a whole and to its individual citizens,” read a resolution introduced recently by Shawnee County Commission chairman Bill Riphahn. … Commissioners will hear public comment on the resolution, and Riphahn said there is a chance commissioners will vote on it Monday. His proposal limits the size and design of signs and indicates signs can only be single- or double-sided, and not inflatable or “air-activated.”
Source: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal
Violators of large gathering ban in Lawrence face max fine of $500, month in jail
The Lawrence city commission in a special meeting Thursday passed an ordinance cracking down people who violate COVID-19 health orders banning mass gatherings, the city announced in a release. City commissioners took up the issue to address community health concerns after recent videos showed crowded parties on weekends near the University of Kansas in violation of the emergency order issued earlier this month. That order, an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, in part banned gatherings of more than 45 individuals. Those guilty of violating the order will face a fine of $500 and up to a month in jail. Cases will be prosecuted in municipal court.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Ellis County to expand landfill
Ellis County is preparing for expansion of the county landfill, including with the purchase of 180 acres of land adjacent to its existing landfill. The new acreage will make room for the growing amount of construction and demolition trash brought to the landfill just northwest of Hays at 1515 W. 55th St., according to county public works director Bill Ring. The county struck a deal a year ago to buy the rocky pasture from John and Susan Karlin for $380,000 or $2,111 an acre. They wanted to sell the entire pasture, or not at all, Ring said. “We’re doing a buy-out on it, paying him over the course of a few years. That’s how he wanted to be paid,” Ring said, noting the county just made the first residual payment.
Source: News – Butler County Times Gazette
Petition is expected to kill a plan to tax businesses along major Wichita street
A plan to tax businesses along Wichita’s most important downtown street appears to be doomed after eight months of controversy and a chaotic petition process. Opponents of a Business Improvement District for the Douglas Design District are within two validated signatures of overturning a City Council decision to levy a special tax on all businesses in the area to pay for promoting the commercial avenue from Washington to Oliver. They’re expected to get confirmation of the signatures they need sometime before an Oct. 15 deadline, when the Planning Department plans to wrap up a process of verifying that the people who signed the protest petition against the tax district are either the business owners or the authorized representatives of owners.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
City of Sedgwick and AT&T differ on cell tower location
The city council wants to encourage AT&T in their desire to build a cell tower in Sedgwick, but they have concerns regarding the company’s choice of locations. City Administrator Joe Turner told the council at their meeting on Sep. 8 that he preferred to keep the tower on city owned land and proposed to AT&T the following potential locations: waste water and retention dam, industrial park and parcel north of industrial park, and the land near the east water tower. Their engineers said the east water tower location is the one that will work for them, that the Industrial Park is too far south.” Turner told the council.
Source: Harvey County Now
Rural hospitals see funding, testing strategy among biggest pandemic hurdles
Amid a pandemic that has drastically impacted the way rural hospitals provide services, telehealth has provided patients and staff at Smith County Memorial Hospital desperately needed services and support. Allen Van Driel, CEO of the northern Kansas hospital, said medical professionals been able to connect with specialists from distant sites to provide services to their local patient base. The added hands were especially critical at the beginning of the pandemic when patients were scared to come in, he said. “Telehealth has been especially effective in providing access to providers in the emergency department,” Van Driel said. “We now have a backup system in place of distant-site ER physicians available, so it greatly enhances our ability to deliver services.” Van Driel was among half a dozen rural hospital administrators from across Kansas who joined Gov. Laura Kelly Wednesday to discuss the unique health care challenges faced in remote areas of the state, and what has and can be done to overcome them.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Leavenworth’s mayor addresses concerns about Uniform Public Offense Code
Leavenworth’s mayor said the city will not be granting additional authority to the county health officer by approving a provision in the 2020 Uniform Public Offense Code for Kansas Cities. “The city of Leavenworth has no authority to grant power to the county health officer,” Mayor Mike Griswold said. … Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens reviewed changes to the UPOC with commissioners last week. He noted that the 2020 version includes language he said clarifies a law enforcement officer’s authority to enforce a public health order…. Griswold also mentioned sections of the Uniform Public Offense Code that the police chief has recommended not be adopted.
Source: Leavenworth Times
Erie moves closer to buying grocery store
The owners of a grocery store will get another look at a proposed contract for the sale of their business to the city of Erie. Slight changes were made to the agreement for the city to buy Stub’s Market after input from the Erie City Council. The contract was ready for approval at the council’s Monday evening meeting, but City Attorney Seth Jones told the council that David “Stub” and Shirlene Mahurin should look at the changes before the council votes on the agreement. City Clerk Cindy Lero said Jones wanted to make sure the Mahurins didn’t want to suggest any other changes to the contract. Lero said the council could vote on the contract during the next regular meeting on Sept. 28.
Source: Parsons Sun
Lawrence City Commission approves ordinance to make violating pandemic health orders a municipal offense
City leaders have voted to approve an ordinance that gives Lawrence police more power to enforce local health orders put in place to deter the spread of COVID-19. As part of a special meeting Thursday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1, with Mayor Jennifer Ananda opposing, to approve an ordinance that makes endangering the public health, safety, or welfare against municipal code. The ordinance uses existing state public nuisance law to give Lawrence police the authority to issue up to a $500 ticket to those who violate health orders, which include limits on public gatherings.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for September 17, 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.
Johnson County extends COVID-19 mask mandate, following pleas from school leaders
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners narrowly voted on Thursday to continue requiring face masks in public, after leaders of all six county school districts urged them in a letter to keep the order in place. The 4-3 decision was made after a marathon, over-three-hour discussion where more than 50 residents spoke both for and against the mandate. Several residents, many of whom were not wearing masks, crowded outside of the room. Whether to require masks — which health experts emphasize are proven to help mitigate spread of COVID-19 — has been a contentious debate since before they were first mandated in Johnson County in July.
Source: Joco 913 News
New 911 tech comes to Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County is unveiling new technology they say will make it easier to contact 911 in an emergency. “So one of those is the ability for 911 dispatchers to send out a text versus only being able to respond to text so previously if you texted in and that text is just to 911 those three digits, very simple. We could respond back but we couldn’t initiate that text conversation,” said Elora Forshee, Emergency Communications Director. The county has used text to 9-1-1 but just recently had the ability to initiate contact with people.
Source: KAKE – News
Coronavirus remains plague on Kansas’ tourism, entertainment and winery industries
Damage to the Kansas tourism economy during the COVID-19 pandemic can be illustrated by impact of closing the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. The largest attraction in Abilene has been closed for months, blocking access to the $9 million exhibit space opened in August 2019 after an eight-month renovation. Nearly 150,000 people visited the museum last year. That was expected to double in 2020, said Kelly Peetoom, president of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas. “The 2020 travel season was predicted to be Abilene’s best year in a long time. In contrast, it is Abilene’s tourism industry’s worst,” Peetoom said.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Rethink your recycling: Shawnee County partners with Ripple Glass to keep glass out of landfills
If every Shawnee County resident changed the way they recycle glass, they could keep more recycling out of landfills and save the Shawnee County Solid Waste Department up to $5,500 a month. Bill Sutton, director of Shawnee County Solid Waste, cited the statistic when he talked about starting his position last August. Recycling glass more efficiently has been his priority, prompting him to partner with Ripple Glass, a glass recycling company based in Kansas City, Mo. …
Source: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal
Sedgwick County health officer eases curfew after bars openly ignored it
Responding to a weekend of late-night and early-morning revelry across the Wichita area, Sedgwick County health officer Dr. Garold Minns eased the county curfew on bars and nightclubs aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19. Minns moved the curfew from 11 p.m. to midnight at the recommendation of the Sedgwick County commissioners, who voted unanimously Wednesday to request the change. On a call with a small group of bar and club owners Thursday afternoon, there was broad consensus by commissioners that they want to do away with the curfew entirely and as soon as possible, as early as next week if COVID-19 numbers continues to improve.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Eisenhower Memorial in D.C. opens Friday, highlights Kansas roots
A new memorial opening Friday should be of high interest to Kansans. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is finally opening after a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic; it was supposed to in May to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Allies’ defeat of Nazi Germany. The memorial, meant to honor his legacy as the supreme allied commander in World War II and the 34th U.S. president, has actually been more than 20 years in the making since Congress commissioned it in 1999. A dedication happened Thursday before the memorial opens to the public.
Source: News – Butler County Times Gazette