Kansas Municipal News
New mayor find his way in Haviland
Aaron Stokes was elected Mayor of Haviland last November and took office in January. Stokes has used his first six months in office finding his footing and figuring out how to navigate his new role. “I think the temptation is to try to do right away, but it’s more important to listen right away,” said Stokes. Stokes first thought about running for mayor because he feels that participation in local government is very important, especially for someone who is younger. Being the mayor is a way that Aaron feels he can give back to the community. During these first months of his term as mayor, Aaron is in a listening phase, but he has a vision for what he would like to do, which primarily revolves around the quality of life that residents of Haviland have.
(Read more: Kiowa County Signal)
New sculpture in Prairie Village memorializes ‘freedom of roaming on bicycles’ for ’50s kids
A Prairie Village native whose formative years in the city included the “exhilarating sense of freedom roaming on bicycles” in northeast Johnson County has donated a new piece of public art. The sculpture on the southeast corner of the intersection of 71st Street and Mission, catty-corner from the Village Shops, is entitled “Fifties Freedom in the Village” and depicts a young boy on a bike pointed toward the sky with the help of a ramp elevated by books.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Hillsboro hospital bankruptcy case ends
After 17 months in bankruptcy court, Hillsboro Community Hospital has emerged from bankruptcy protection. At the request of the bankruptcy’s trustee, a judge dismissed the case Thursday. Trent Skaggs, chief executive officer of the company that now owns the hospital, said he was unaware of what might happen to any hospital debts not resolved during bankruptcy. He said Tuesday his company bought the hospital without responsibility to pay pre-bankruptcy debts.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
Fuel coming back to Tampa
When Tampa’s last service station closed last year, residents were without a local option to fuel their vehicles. Agri Trails Co-op is stepping in to fill the void and will be installing a fueling station just to the east of its seed plant. A firm date for completion has not been set, but property has been acquired and tanks ordered. When finished, the site will provide 24-hour access to gas and to clear and dyed diesel. It will accommodate everything from cars to combines and semis.
(Read more: PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin)
Municipal Bond Trends for June 24, 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.
Defund police? Privatize Century II? Wichita braces for $50 million city budget hole
Wichita’s city leaders are bracing for massive cuts — $50 million — to make up for the revenue shortfall expected through 2022. The city’s budget is taking a hit because of layoffs at some of Wichita’s largest companies and other economic fallout of the COVID-19 global recession. The airlines industry, which is closely tied to Wichita’s aviation-dependent economy, has taken one of the biggest hits. Wichita’s aviation companies and largest employers, Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation, have announced mass furloughs and layoffs. With widespread layoffs, canceled events and lost wages, the city is bracing to miss out on sales taxes, user fees, interest earnings and other revenues until at least 2022.
(Read more: Local News | Wichita Eagle)
Pandemic’s effect on Wichita’s pro golf tournament isn’t hurting sales
The Wichita Open golf tournament was supposed to be played last week at Crestview Country Club. Instead, Covid-19 forced the Korn Ferry Tour to refigure its schedule and place Wichita’s 31st edition of the tournament in late September. More time for finding sponsors. The tournament announced Wednesday that two more ambassadors have joined the seventh-year program, making the total number of sponsors a record 36. The Auggie Navarro Scholarship Foundation and Central Power Systems and Services are the two newest ambassadors.
(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)
Uncertainty with aviation industry continues as Textron announces layoffs
Another round of layoffs highlights the impact of COVID-19 on Wichita’s aviation industry. Textron announced 250 layoffs nationwide for salaried, non-bargaining employees, 70 of which are from facilities in Wichita. This comes after other manufactures like Spirit AeroSystems announced more furloughs. It’s all a result of COVID-19’s impact on air travel and the halted production of the Boeing 737 MAX. Eyewitness News on Tuesday spoke with aviation consultant and analyst Scott Hamilton who says there are a lot of unknowns with both of these factors.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Dodge City Fire Department to Partner with Local Food Pantries
The Dodge City Fire Department has partnered with Manna House, Genesis Family Health, Salvation Army, Friendship Feast, and Seven Baskets Full Ministry to allow for donations of pantry items, bottled water, and hygiene products to be dropped off at Fire Station 1 at 201 Soule Street, or Fire Station 2 at 709 S. 14th Street. The Fire Department will work directly with the entities to get the donations delivered to them if community members are unable to drop off with them directly.
(Read more: Western Kansas News)
Reno County receiving few takers, city awards 11 businesses through COVID-19 grant program
Nearly three weeks since applications opened, Reno County has received only one request for grant assistance through a federal Community Development Block Grant program intended to aid small businesses impact by COVID-19. The deadline for applications is July 2, though that may be extended, Reno County Administrator Randy Partington advised the Reno County Commission. The Hutchinson City Council, meanwhile, approved awarding just under $90,000 to 11 businesses inside the city under the same program.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Johnson County libraries shift to virtual reading program during COVID-19
With the pandemic keeping all in-person activities and programming off the books at least through the end of 2020 at the Johnson County Public Library, the librarians who plan the annual summer reading program had to get a little creative. Melanie Fuemmeler, elementary coordinating librarian, said a lot of the regular library programming has been successful in a virtual-only format so making the switch to a virtual reading program was a no brainer. “I think we’re reaching a different set of patrons,” Fuemmeler said.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
USDA Invests in Community Infrastructure in Coffeyville, Kansas
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Kansas Lynne Hinrichsen today announced that USDA is investing $8,300 for essential community development in the city of Coffeyville. “Modern, safe infrastructure is the bedrock of any community,” Hinrichsen said. “This project is unique in that it’s repurposing vacant infrastructure into something that the local community can use for years to come. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is dedicated to our partnerships with community organizations and their long-term commitments to economic prosperity; because when rural America prospers, all of America prospers.” The Coffeyville Area Community Foundation, a nonprofit serving the local community since 2001, will use an $8,300 Community Facilities Grant to develop some vacant lots of land into a community garden and orchard. These sites require small infrastructure improvements to make the project viable. This project will help purchase equipment to maintain proper levels of water and soil and provide security fencing around each property.
(Read more: Rural Development – U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Topeka city manager proposes cutting 32.5 jobs
Topeka city manager Brent Trout’s proposed 2021 city budget will include eliminating 32.5 full-time jobs in an effort to make up a $5 million deficit. “The elimination of these positions will help to balance the budget during a difficult budgeting year caused by reduced sales tax revenues,” Trout said in a statement provided to The Capital-Journal. Trout is expected to soon put his proposed 2021 budget before the mayor and city council, who will consider making changes to that document before finalizing it in August. It wasn’t clear how many of the jobs proposed for elimination are currently vacant.
(Read more: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal)
Ellis County hires new county administrator
The Ellis County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the appointment of J. D. Cox as the new county administrator. Cox brings 23 years of local government experience, including 16 years of day to day management. Cox was first City Administrator of Neodesha (in rural Southeast Kansas), followed then by City Manager of Alliance, Nebr. (rural western Nebraska); Bethany, Okla. (in the Oklahoma City metro); and most recently, Longwood, Fla., which is part of the Orlando metropolitan area. Cox and his wife Tonya have three children: Kierstyn of Tallahassee, Fla.; Cali of Phoenix; and son Collin who is attending the KUCIMAT public administration master’s program at the University of Kansas.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)
Atchison County slows reopening down a bit
Atchison County is engaging Phase 3.5 of its opening plan, effective at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 until one minute before midnight Tuesday, July 7. The new phase is in keeping within Governor Laura Kelly’s order to remain in Phase 3 of the statewide Ad Astra for another two weeks due to a spike of positive COVID-19 cases attributed to community spread, Atchison County health officials told county commissioners on Tuesday. County Health Officer Lori Forge, RN told commissioners there were 400 new cases and five deaths in Kansas associated with the pandemic throughout this past weekend. She attributed them all to community spread and not to any particular cluster.
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
Municipal Bond Trends for June 23, 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.
The History of Water: Washington’s well was the result of a lucky strike decades ago
Jim Smart still remembers the day about 55 years ago when he learned the city of Washington hit the water jackpot. “I was dehorning cattle at the vet clinic and George Cox pulled up in his old Jeep with a trencher on the back and said, ‘I think I found you some water out at Bob Boston’s,’” said Smart, who is a retired veterinarian. Cox told Smart that the water was in ‘heavy gravel and down deep,’ and he was going to pump the water for a few days and see if it was as good as it appeared to be. At the time the city’s water was coming from Mill Creek, and Smart said all of the chlorine added to the water to meet health standards made it “taste terrible and smell strongly of chlorine.” Smart had recently moved back to Washington to work in a veterinary practice, and he got on the city council to help the community make some changes.
Read more: Washington County News.
Paine saying goodbye to administration role
A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. – Jackie Robinson. This quote sums up Hillsboro City Administrator Larry Paine, not just because it was said by a baseball player, but because it so accurately describes all of Paine’s professional life. Paine has spent all of his career serving others. Even in the very beginning. After growing up in Bakersfield, CA, Paine started out in the military. He started out in the state of Washington where he served for almost three years. He worked as a public information officer. “That experience has proved valuable in my line of work. As a journalist, I know you need to know five things who, what, why, where, when and how. Having gone through defense information school, I am not intimidated by press. So then if you aren’t intimidated by the press, then you can help them do their job and get the story out that you want to get out,” said Paine.
(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)
Labette County to get $3.9 million in pandemic relief help
Labette County will receive $3.9 million in federal COVID-19 recovery funding through the state, Labette County commissioners heard Monday. Charlie Morse, Labette County Emergency Preparedness director, updated commissioners on the federal money distributed by the Kansas Office of Recovery. The federal government allocated $1.25 billion to Kansas from the CARES Act. Counties with a population of more than 500,000 received a share of this pool directly. The rest of the counties will receive an apportioned share based on population. Gov. Laura Kelly formed SPARK, the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas Task Force, to help develop a way to distribute the money. SPARK came up with a three-phased approach. The first round will provide $400 million in direct aid to counties. The second phase will include $310 to $525 million for public and private entities in August. The third phase will provide $9 to $324 million to public and private entities in October, Morse told commissioners.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)
Facing millions in revenue shortfalls, Wichita looks to privatize Century II operations
Not unlike businesses and households across Wichita struggling with the financial fallout of Covid-19, the city is also considering ways to cut costs as it deals with millions in revenue losses as a result of the pandemic. City manager Robert Layton says Wichita is facing a $11.5-million deficit this year, and recommends a slate of measures to help balance the 2020-21 budget. That includes closing the city’s pools and splash pads through summer, decreasing the frequency of mowing and forestry services and a plan to privatize the operations of Century II.
(Read more: KAKE – News)