Kansas Municipal News
Sedgwick County will now require face masks in public
Sedgwick County’s health officer has signed an emergency public health order requiring most residents to wear face coverings in public beginning Friday. Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns announced the order during Wednesday’s County Commission meeting. The order begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 10 and will be in place until at least midnight on Sunday, August 9. Masks will be required in the following situations: Indoor and outdoor public spaces where social distancing of six feet is not possible, while in line waiting to enter indoor public spaces, obtaining services from the heath care sector, waiting for or using any public transportation or ridesharing service, businesses, nonprofits and organizations will require employees, customers, members, etc., to wear masks in most situations.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Gov. Kelly to meet with Department of Education on schools opening next month
With the 2020 school year only about a month away, there’s still a lot of uncertainty on what it will look like, or if kids will even be in school. As Governor Laura Kelly prepares for a meeting with the State Department of Education Wednesday, there’s pressure from the White House as President Trump said he wants governors to open schools. Crystal Chambers’ daughter will be a freshman in high school, and Mariama Payne has a kindergartner. They think it’s too soon to let their kids go to class. “I don’t think it’s gonna go over good. I don’t want to go on back right now,” said Chambers. “He’s young, and when they’re young, their immune systems and is great. And this virus is kind of scary. I don’t think it’s the time,” said Payne. But Sarah Hallacy disagrees.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Kansas reporting 717 more confirmed cases of COVID-19
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting 717 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Monday, an increase that brings the total to at least 17,618 cases. The department on Wednesday also reported 282 COVID-19 deaths, up two since Monday. Health and environment Secretary Lee Norman announced on Tuesday that Kansas is among the top 14 states in the country for the most rapid spread of the coronavirus, and in the top 14 states for having the least restrictions on activities. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people who have the virus have not been tested.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Newton adjusts operations in response to COVID-19 cases
Because of a recent increase in local COVID-19 cases, the city of Newton made some operational changes beginning Monday, July 6. That rise included a single-day increase of eight cases last week — the largest individual day on record for Harvey County. Newton City Hall remains open to the public, but residents are encouraged to pay bills and do other business online or over the phone to limit in-person exposures. Visitors to City Hall are encouraged to wear face masks when social distancing is not possible. The Newton City Service Center will be closed to the public. Requests for service should be called in to 316-284-6070 or submitted online at newtonkansas.com.
(Read more: News – The Garden City Telegram)
Southwest Kansas says ‘NO’ to mandating masks
Masks, across much of Kansas, are now required to be worn in public. However, some counties are taking a different approach to the governor’s order. On this map of the southwest part of the state, you can see the counties that are enforcing the governor’s order. Many are not requiring the wearing of masks, but instead are recommending them. So far, every county in southwest Kansas has shot down the governor’s mask order by not mandating them in public. While a select few counties are still waiting on their county commissions to vote on the matter.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
City mask ordinances are constitutional, Kansas Attorney General says
Wichita’s mask ordinance is allowed by the Kansas Constitution, according to a statement from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Derek Schmidt has dismissed the idea that the governor’s mask mandate is enforceable by police. But Tuesday his office confirmed that cities have the authority to enforce mask ordinances. “To the best of our knowledge, the Legislature has not enacted state law that prohibits cities from enacting local ordinances that regulate the wearing of facemasks,” Kansas Attorney General’s Office spokesman Clint Blaes said in a statement.
(Read more: Local News | Wichita Eagle)
Prairie Village to consider amendment that would allow mayor to override certain county decisions on health orders
The Prairie Village City Council this week voted unanimously to direct its attorney to draft an amendment to the city’s emergency ordinance that gives the mayor temporary authority to enforce local, state or federal health orders in the city. The decision to draft an amendment was prompted by the Johnson County Commission’s debate on whether or not to abide by Gov. Laura Kelly’s July 2 executive order requiring face masks. Prairie Village and the county commission are abiding by the governor’s order. But if the county had chosen not to implement Kelly’s order, Mayor Eric Mikkelson would have had no “clear authority” to override the county’s decision, he said. The proposed emergency ordinance amendment would give him the authority to order 48-hour compliance with local, state or federal health orders. If the mayor were to exercise that authority, the council would have that time to call an emergency meeting to consider a possible ordinance while the temporary order remains in effect. The council will consider the proposed ordinance amendment at its next meeting, on July 20, or sooner at an emergency meeting if it decides that becomes necessary.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Municipal Bond Trends for July 7, 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.
Prairie Village inches forward in discussion to allow backyard hens, but homeowners associations would have final say
The Prairie Village City Council on Monday night voted 8 to 4 to amend the city’s animal ordinance to allow residents to keep backyard hens — an incremental step in a process that would also have to include amending the city’s zoning code. The council can’t implement the ordinance until after the city’s planning commission meets Aug. 4 and considers a zoning amendment to allow for chickens. Monday’s ordinance included the following restrictions: – Limits the number of chicks on any one lot to eight, regardless of the number of dwellings on a lot, – Limits to six the number of chickens ages 16 weeks or older on any one lot …
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Victoria cancels Herzogfest
Victoria’s annual Herzogfest to celebrate the Volga German culture of the city has been canceled for 2020 by the Herzogfest Committee. As many as 2,000 people attend the annual event, which normally runs from Friday evening through Sunday, including a community Catholic mass on one of the town’s grassy public lawns, as well as car show, and a vendor, food and game area in the street. This would have been the 38th year for the event, usually held the first weekend of August.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)
Face masks not mandated in Finney County
Finney County won’t require people to wear face coverings in public. Commissioners approved a resolution 5-0 stating that people are not required to wear face coverings in public spaces at the commission’s regular monthly meeting Monday. The resolution comes after Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order 20-52 on July 2 requiring the use of face masks in public spaces. Within the executive order there is a provision for counties to make adjustments to fit the needs of their community
(Read more: News – The Garden City Telegram)
Wichita City Hall slams the brakes on a huge car show because of COVID-19 pandemic
Concern over coronavirus has put the brakes on one of Wichita’s biggest car events of the year. The City Council on Tuesday denied an appeal that would have allowed the Automobilia Moonlight Charity Car Show to have rolled forward on Saturday. Automobilia organizers had expected to draw 20,000 car enthusiasts to a closed-down section of Douglas this weekend. In addition to cars, organizers promised five live bands, three food courts, a live auction and a drag down Douglas after the show.
(Read more: Local News | Wichita Eagle)
Shawnee County Health officer issues updated restrictions for restaurants, bars, night clubs
Shawnee County’s health officer has issued an updated emergency order placing some restrictions on restaurants, bars and night clubs. According to a news release, the latest emergency order is set to take place at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and was crafted by Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino, in consultation with local bar and restaurant owners to minimize economic impact and preserve public health goals. According to the emergency order, restaurants, bars and night clubs in Shawnee County are allowed to operate between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Each day between 2 and 3 p.m. all establishments must close their dine-in services to conduct deep cleaning of the facilities.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)
New law enforcement device wraps up suspects
The cost is $925 each to buy one of law enforcement’s newest tools, a handheld, non-lethal “BolaWrap” device that fires a Kevlar tether, which works like a lasso while wrapping around a suspect’s arms or legs.
But such a purchase can pay for itself many times over if it enables a police department to avoid a civil lawsuit, Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran said Tuesday. “Any time we can provide a safer environment for the officers and the citizens, I think that’s something we need to look at,” he said. Cochran was among more than 20 people, most of them uniformed law enforcement officers, who heard a pitch for the product Tuesday afternoon from representatives of Tempe, Ariz.-based Wrap Technologies, which produces the BolaWrap.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)
Riley County opts out of Gov. Kelly’s mask mandate
Riley County commissioners Monday unanimously voted to opt out of Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order on wearing masks, effective immediately. That means people in Riley County will not be required to wear masks in public. It’s possible masks will again be required for residents of Manhattan after a Tuesday night vote by the Manhattan city commission. County commission chairman Marvin Rodriguez said he wanted to opt out because he thought the governor’s mandate was government overreach.
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
Governor recommends staying in phase 3
Governor Laura Kelly announced Monday that her administration and officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommend most local communities do not move into Phase Out of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas” and instead stay in Phase 3. The emergency disaster declaration issued by the governor on May 26 transfers reopening decisions back to local officials, which means counties continuing with Phase 3 of the plan is only a recommendation. However, the State continues to monitor health metrics daily, and remains committed to supporting local communities in a safe, gradual transition.
(Read more: Derby Informer | News)
Kansas added to New York’s travel quarantine list
“As states around the country experience increasing community spread, New York is taking action to ensure the continued safety of our phased reopening. Our entire response to this pandemic has been by the numbers, and we’ve set metrics for community spread just as we set metrics for everything,” Governor Cuomo said. “Three more states have now reached the level of spread required to qualify for New York’s travel advisory. We will now require individuals coming from Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma to quarantine for 14 days. New Yorkers did the impossible – we went from the worst infection rate in the United States to one of the best – and the last thing we need is to see another spike of COVID-19.”
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Former Oswego hospital managers charged in $1.4 billion scheme
Several people tied to the rural healthcare management company EmpowerHMS, which operated Oswego Community Hospital in Labette County until last year, when the medical facility closed after failing to pay employees for weeks, were indicted this week on conspiracy charges involving an alleged $1.4 billion criminal scheme. “This was allegedly a massive, multi-state scheme to use small, rural hospitals as a hub for millions of dollars in fraudulent billings of private insurers,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a press release. “The charges announced today make clear that the department is committed to dismantling fraud schemes that target our health care system, however complex or elaborate.”
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
Baldwin City’s Maple Leaf Festival canceled; organizers plan virtual event
Because of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the annual Baldwin City Maple Leaf Festival has been canceled for this year. Mike Curran, Maple Leaf Festival Committee chairman, said the Maple Leaf Festival Committee last week voted to call off the festival, which annually draws more than 30,000 visitors to Baldwin City during its two-day run. This year’s festival was scheduled for Oct. 17-18. …
Curran said Sunday that the decision to cancel was made in light of the alarming spread of the pandemic in recent weeks.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence City Commission to consider review and reform of police use-of-force policies
City leaders will soon consider whether to commit to a public review of the Lawrence Police Department’s use-of-force policies, including the department’s policies regarding deadly force. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting a resolution committing the city to reviewing and as necessary revising police use-of-force policies, according to a city staff memo to the commission. The topic comes to the commission after Mayor Jennifer Ananda, in the wake of protests against police killings of Black people and calls for reform, requested that the commission consider various changes related to use of force, systemic racism and other social equity issues.
Read more: LJWorld.com.