Municipal News & Jobs

The Hutchinson Correctional Facility Central Unit is on lockdown after 84 residents and 10 staff tested positive for the coronavirus this week. The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) says a total of 99 residents and 17 staff have tested positive since the pandemic began. Five residents and 7 staff have recovered. The KDOC says all the positive cases are asymptomatic. KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda says they have consulted with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). New steps include: All residents in the Central Unit will remain locked in their cells, necessary movement will be done in cohort groups, essential resident workers in laundry and food service will continue to operate on a limited schedule, some residents may be relocated to Lansing Correctional Facility’s COVID-19 Medical Unit
via KSN-TV

After accepting just over $11 million for coronavirus relief last month from the state of Kansas, the Saline County Commission approved how that funding will be divided Tuesday. The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund and passed through the state. Saline County administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes said the county received over 100 applications for funding, which were submitted to an advisory committee set up by the county commission last month.
via News – Salina Journal

City of Lawrence sanitation workers will soon vote on whether to unionize. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously to adopt a resolution setting dates for the election for later in August. Teamsters Local 696 recently filed a petition with the city on behalf of the city’s 70 sanitation workers, whose duties include handling trash, recycling and yard waste collection, asking that the city conduct a union election…
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Kansas State University will not implement mandatory COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff upon returning to campus this fall, according to Dr. Kyle Goerl, medical director at Lafene Health Center. “It doesn’t seem to do much good to test an entire group of individuals once with no plan to do further surveillance testing,” Goerl said during a Virtual Town Hall Meeting put on by K-State officials Tuesday. “And so, we have elected no to do that at Kansas State.” This route is different than the one being taken by the University of Kansas, which is requiring everyone returning to campus to get tested for COVID-19 before fall classes begin. K-State will still test people who show symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
via 1350 KMAN

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.

Boy Scout Matthew Whittaker will be building a trap shooting range in Sabetha. … Whittaker presented to the commissioners about his idea of building a trap shooting range in Sabetha to complete his Eagle Scout Project. The proposed location for the range is east of the water treatment plant. M. Whittaker said the project is estimated to cost around $10,000 – $4,500 for the trap shooting machine and $5,500 for the concrete work and building.
via Sabetha Herald

Shawnee is planning an overhaul to its downtown program that incentivizes commercial improvements. Revisions to the city’s policy would simplify financial incentive packages for downtown businesses and increase reimbursable expenses. City staff, in conjunction with the Shawnee Downtown Partnership, had proposed numerous revisions to the policy after reviewing the program this summer.  …Adopted by the city in 2003, the Downtown Improvement Program is an incentive policy designed to encourage businesses to invest in their buildings to make the downtown area more attractive, according to city documents. The policy provides financial incentives to downtown businesses to assist them with costs toward improvements that maintain their appearance.
via Shawnee Mission Post

Keep those masks on, Wichita. The City Council on Tuesday extended the city’s mask mandate until after the Labor Day weekend as the fight continues against the COVID-19 pandemic. The council vote was 4-3 to continue requiring masks for employees and patrons of most public-facing businesses and indoor gatherings until Sept. 8.
via Wichita Eagle

In an effort to prop up dining and drinking establishments hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wichita City Council has approved a plan to make it easier for them to take their business outside. The new program, called Open Air ICT, will allow businesses to get a free permit to expand into outdoor spaces in city right-of-way, including streets, grassy areas, sidewalks and parking lots adjacent to their businesses, said Gary Janzen, city engineer. Restaurants and bars are forecast to be the biggest beneficiaries, although the permits could also be used for outdoor display of retail goods.
via Wichita Eagle

After six hours of public comment and debate, Wichita City Council approved its annual budget without any major changes. The Wichita Police Department got a multi-million-dollar increase while the rest of the city budget was cut by millions of dollars, despite dozens of opposition speakers and weeks of protests calling for cuts to the police budget and more spending on social services. … The City Council signed off on cutting 29 city jobs and privatizing management of Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center, a measure that is projected to save $5.7 million over the next two-and-half years.
via Wichita Eagle

A nearly $5 million federal grant award made public Tuesday will enable the Topeka Metro bus service to take steps that include replacing seven buses in its aging fleet.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., announced the U.S. Department of Transportation had awarded a grant totaling $4,987,500 to Topeka Metro from its Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2020. “With the funding we receive from this grant, Topeka Metro will be able to improve our operations by replacing a portion of our aging bus fleet, while also investing in technology to enhance communication with our bus operators,” said Topeka Metro general manager Bob Nugent.
via Topeka Capital-Journal

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt today issued a formal legal opinion addressing the authority of boards of county commissioners and local school boards to adopt public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in local public and private schools that include provisions different from executive orders issued by the governor. …
Synopsis: Because Executive Order 20-59 is a statewide order relating to public health, boards of county commissioners have statutory authority under L. 2020 Special Session, Ch. 1, § 33 to issue an order relating to public health that is less stringent than the provisions of Executive Order 20-59, if the required statutory findings are made. Boards of county commissioners, acting as a county board of health, also have authority under L. 2020 Special Session, Ch. 1, §§ 37 and 38, to review, amend, or revoke any orders issued by a local health officer as a result of an executive order of the governor. In addition, local public schools also may obtain such flexibility from their local school boards, which ordinarily have statutory and constitutional authority to adopt local policies governing matters such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, and temperature taking in local schools, and Executive Order 20-59 has not displaced that preexisting local authority.
The opinion is available at http://ag.ks.gov/opinions.

The City of Wichita is offering a new program, Open Air ICT, to support local businesses and protect public health during the pandemic, the City announced Tuesday. The Wichita City Council approved the program Tuesday which will allow restaurants, bars, and retail stores to apply for a free permit to use the adjacent sidewalks, streets, and on-site parking. Businesses may use the areas for shopping, dining, drinking, and advertising. The permit will help businesses provide safer environments for their customers to social distance.
via KSN-TV

The Harvey County Commission voted unanimously at its commission meeting today to extend a local order requiring face masks be worn in Harvey County through Sept. 15 in a continued effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The order requires individuals to wear a face mask over their nose and mouth in any indoor or outdoor public space where social distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained at all times. “We really appreciate everyone that is doing their part to promote community public health by wearing a face mask,” said Dr. Doyle Detweiler, the public health officer for Harvey County.
via Harvey County Now

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.