Kansas Municipal 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
Shawnee will spend $216,000 to buy new tasers for police department
The Shawnee City Council on Monday unanimously agreed to replace the taser equipment for the city’s police department. The city will enter a five-year lease agreement with Axon for the purchase of 86 new X2 Tasers for the Shawnee Police Department. The upgrade will cost about $216,000. Deputy Police Chief Ben Mendoza reported that the current tasers have reached the end of their useful life and are no longer supported by the manufacturer.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Johnson County leaders sued over alleged censorship of magazines at jail
The Human Rights Defense Center, a Florida-based nonprofit that focuses on prisoner rights, is suing the Johnson County Board of Commissioners and the Johnson County sheriff, claiming they’re withholding magazines and other publications from jail inmates. The nonprofit says the staff at the New Century Adult Detention Center has refused to deliver dozens of the organization’s mailings to inmates, in violation of their First Amendment rights.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Auditor: Topeka officer violated no policies in use of force incident involving Black woman
Edward Collazo, the city of Topeka’s independent police auditor, has concluded Topeka police officer Kevin Schulz violated none of the department’s policies Aug. 23 when he used force on Tamiko Mitchell, a Black woman stopped for a traffic violation. Collazo decided that after thoroughly reviewing officer statements, witness statements and seven police body camera videos, said Molly Hadfield, the city’s media relations coordinator, in a news release late Thursday afternoon. Collazo shared his findings in a 17-page report, she said.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal
Lawrence City Commission finalizes ordinance that provides protections for undocumented immigrants, requires notification of certain ICE activity
City leaders have finalized a nondiscrimination ordinance regarding undocumented immigrants, including the addition of two provisions meant to create transparency regarding how police interact with those populations. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second reading with two additions. The additions require public notification when the police department is aware of certain federal immigration activities in Lawrence as well as notification should the department make changes to its policy that generally limits police cooperation with federal immigration agents for noncriminal matters.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Hutchinson looks to part-time patrols to address park issues
A majority of the Hutchinson City Council agreed Tuesday to have part-time police service aides begin to patrol the city’s parks at night, particularly focusing on Orchard Park, to address concerns from the public about vandalism and loud after-hour activities in the park. Police Chief Jeff Hooper said the effort would cost about $20,000 to $25,000 a year if it were year-round, but he could manage it in his current budget with money from unfilled officer positions.
Source: Local – The Hutchinson News
Water services set for Derby with new agreement
For the past couple of years, Derby has been in negotiations with the city of Wichita for a new wholesale water services agreement – with the original contract (set in 2001) coming up on its expiration. While there have been holdups along the way – stemming from Wichita’s focus on its own facility upgrades, the current pandemic, etc. – City Manager Kathy Sexton presented the Derby City Council with a new proposed agreement at its most recent meeting on Sept. 8. The renewed agreement would look very similar to the original agreement, according to Sexton, and include no immediate changes for Derby customers. One large caveat of the new agreement, though, would allow for Derby to take on some of its water services (as the city looks into constructing its own water treatment facility).
Source: Derby Informer | News
Lyon County adjusts gathering limits with new public health order
Lyon County commissioners approved an updated public health order prioritizing “flexibility” and “individual responsibility” Thursday after weeks of community input and discussion with local leaders. Set to begin Friday and run through Nov. 12, the new order maintains the same language on recommendations for travelers, high-risk individuals, long-term care centers and area businesses, again “highly encouraging” the use of masks in favor of mandating them. The majority of changes come in the category of mass gathering limits, which will be raised significantly moving forward.
Source: Emporia Gazette
City of Emporia extends mask mandate through Oct. 21
A citywide mask mandate will remain in effect through Oct. 21 following a decision by Emporia City Commissioners Wednesday night. City Attorney Christina Montgomery said no changes had been made to the language of the mandate, other than its expiration date. The mandate, which was passed unanimously, requires a mask or other face covering that covers both the nose and mouth to be worn in indoor and outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible. It applies to all businesses, organizations and non-profits located within city limits, including all employees, visitors, customers, members and non-members.
Source: Emporia Gazette
City of Emporia sees increase in sales tax revenue amid pandemic
Like other cities around the state, Emporia saw a surprising increase in sales tax revenues for June and started the 2021 fiscal year with a 2.9% increase over the previous year, despite the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. According to the Kansas Department of Revenue’s August report, which reflects mostly revenues from June, the City of Emporia brought in $395,463.23 in August — a 9.3% increase over Aug. 2019. The city ended the 2020 fiscal year, which ran from July 2018 – Aug. 2019, with $746,474.57. The 2021 fiscal year ended with $768,258.48 — 2.9% increase over 2019. So far, the city is seeing an overall increase in sales tax revenues for the year, with numbers comparatively higher in most business sectors than 2019 — $1,567,767.68 in Aug. 2020 compared to $1,561,657.32 in Aug. 2019.
Source: Emporia Gazette
Eudora lands deal for new railway manufacturer
Modern Manufacturing announced Thursday that it had indeed selected Eudora for the project. Leaders from the city of Eudora, Douglas County and the Kansas Department of Commerce all gathered in downtown Eudora to celebrate the announcement, and the ceremony even included one unexpected visitor — a noisy freight train rumbling through the north edge of downtown, interrupting the speech of Modern Manufacturing’s president. “Ah, there is the sound of money,” Russ Taylor, president of Modern Manufacturing, told the crowd. “That’s great.” Indeed, Eudora leaders are hopeful trains end up equating to big money for the town of about 6,300 people just east of Lawrence. Modern Manufacturing makes a variety of products for the railway industry. Those include the light systems used at crossings, while a big product is the steel “bungalows” that are located alongside the tracks to house electronic equipment for railways.
Source: LJWorld.com.
Municipal Bond Trends for September 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.
Survey says build new library for Newton
Things have been quiet at the Newton Public Library. While that is expected on a literal level, at this time it isn’t really expected on the figurative level. The community is in the middle of a multi-phase plan to build a new facility. Already complete are site selection — the new facility will be in Military Park, to the east of the current library location — and a feasibility review by WDM architects. The library project is now wrapping up Phase 3, public campaign. And that’s what has been relatively quiet, although that has been by design.
Source: News – Butler County Times Gazette
Learning hubs for virtual education grow in popularity in northern Johnson County, but traditional childcare providers raise concerns
With the start of an unprecedented school year that has tens of thousands of students across Johnson County learning remotely for at least a few days each week, many working families have started to look for educational alternatives for their children. Shawnee Mission’s roughly 27,000 students are all learning remotely for the time being, while other public school districts in Johnson County have many students in hybrid learning mode, splitting time between home and school. As a result, some parents have begun forming “learning pods” with other parents to have their children learn in small groups at home. Meanwhile, some nonprofits, churches, entertainment companies and Johnson County itself, have all launched their own learning hubs in recent weeks to support kids and families still enrolled in traditional schools.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Human rights group sues Johnson County leaders, says jail withheld COVID-19 info
A national nonprofit is suing Johnson County leaders for allegedly withholding mail, some of which contained information on the new coronavirus, from jail detainees. The Human Rights Defense Center filed a lawsuit Friday against the Johnson County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff Calvin Hayden, accusing them of censorship and of violating free speech rights. Since July, staff at the Johnson County New Century Adult Detention Center have “refused” to deliver at least 58 pieces of mail from the nonprofit, including magazines, handbooks and brochures informing inmates of their legal and civil rights, the lawsuit said.
Source: KC Star Local News
Iola woos window manufacturer
Council approves incentives that would help Peerless Products acquire the old Haldex Brake facility. The Fort Scott-based company wants the facility to focus on a new line of commercial windows. Iola has taken a “big” step forward in attracting a window manufacturer to town. Iola City Council members approved Monday a series of incentives that would assist Peerless Products in acquiring the old Haldex Brake facility on North State Street.
Source: The Iola Register
As COVID-19 cases in Kansas rise, state is a step closer to ramping up testing
Kansans may soon see widely expanded COVID-19 testing after a state task force Wednesday approved a plan for the distribution of millions of dollars in leftover federal pandemic aid. Gov. Laura Kelly’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas, or SPARK, task force’s proposed strategy for the $290 million in remaining CARES act funding emphasized three areas of need: public health, essential needs and services, and workforce support. “I think there are still a lot of needs out there in business and health and we can make really good decisions about where we spend everything, but it needs to go out and get spent and help our economy right now,” said Sen. Tom Hawk, a Manhattan Democrat. “Sometimes, we can’t make the very best decision because we don’t have the luxury of the time to go through our normal legislative paralysis of analysis.”
Source: Kansas Reflector