Kansas Municipal News
Swimming during the pandemic: What the CDC wants you to know before you hit the pool
Looking forward to hitting the local public swimming pool for the first time this summer? Prepare to put a face mask in your tote bag, although you won’t need to wear it in the water. On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published new guidelines for operating swimming pools during the coronavirus pandemic. The documentation arrives just a few days before Memorial Day weekend, when many outdoor pools typically open for the summer season. “There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas,” the CDC said on its website. “Proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine and bromine) of these facilities should inactivate the virus in the water.”
(Read more: Lifestyle – The Garden City Telegram)
Reno County salt and historical museums announce reopening
The Reno County Museum and Strataca: Underground Salt Museum will both reopen to the public on Tuesday, museum officials announced. “During the interim, the organization is making all the necessary preparations to ensure the protection and safety for the staff and our guests,” said executive director Michael Ables. “When the museums reopen, our guests will see some necessary changes.” For example, frontline staff will wear face masks, Ables said.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
How To Safely Enjoy Kansas State Parks During Memorial Day Weekend
Kansas’ 28 state parks, 63 state fishing lakes, and more than 100 wildlife areas remain open to the public and will be popular destinations over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. From camping and horseback riding, to boating and disc golf, there’s no shortage of fun to be had at Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) areas, but visitors must remain steadfast in practicing social distancing, among other safety measures, to ensure these special places remain open and accessible to all. “We want visitors to enjoy themselves, so long as social distancing is practiced,” Kansas State Parks director Linda Lanterman said. “Our staff have done an incredible job maintaining our parks, and ensuring that facilities remain open, but it’s ultimately up to the public to look out for each other and practice social distancing so we can all remain in good health and continue having these beautiful places to recreate.”
(Read more: All Web News)
Overland Park’s 5 outdoor pools will stay closed for summer 2020
As Kansas fast forwards its timeline to reopen the state in phases, Overland Park has put a halt to the idea of any of its five city pools opening this summer. The city was weighing a plan this week that would have opened only Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center this summer. But in the end city leaders decided it wasn’t worth the cost and the risk. That plan would have called for Tomahawk to open July 1 to 80 pool guests at a time. Bluejacket, Marty, Stonegate and Young’s would have remained closed ether way.
(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)
Kansas early childhood educator (from Winfield school district) named 2020 National Teacher of the Year
Teacher Tabatha Rosproy’s preschool class met inside a nursing and retirement home in rural Kansas, forming a bond with residents that continued even when social distancing requirements due to the coronavirus pandemic forced her classroom to close down. After a school year of unprecedented disruptions, Rosproy was chosen as the 2020 National Teacher of the Year for bridging the worlds of her community’s oldest and youngest. Her selection from among 55 award-winning teachers around the country was announced Thursday by the Council of Chief State School Officers, with the selection committee praising her in a statement for embodying “hope and inspiration.” The Winfield school district in which Rosproy teaches established the early childhood program two years ago inside Cumbernauld Village, a retirement community and nursing home that sits on 44 acres in south-central Kansas. One year into the partnership, the program boasted the highest preschool literacy and math scores in the district. But more than that, Rosproy said, her students were “well connected and well loved” and the residents engaged as they snuggled with children while reading stories to them.
(Read more: KMBC.com)
Sedgwick County announces reopening plans
Sedgwick County has released its update on when County offices and buildings will reopen after being mostly closed during the coronavirus pandemic. The main courthouse and the juvenile courthouse will reopen to the public on Tuesday, May 26. Both will have a screening process for visitors. If they pass the screening process, visitors will be issued a mask to wear while in the building. County employees will wear masks when working closely with the public and while in public common areas. Court hearings will be conducted by appointment only.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Leavenworth to lift playground restriction
Beginning Friday, members of the public will be allowed to use playground equipment at city parks in Leavenworth. City Manager Paul Kramer said signs prohibiting the use of playground equipment will be removed on Friday. “Please just use your best judgment on what you think is appropriate,” he said regarding usage of the equipment. Kramer’s remarks came Wednesday during a virtual town hall meeting hosted by Leavenworth Mayor Mike Griswold.
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
Lawrence wins census response competition with Manhattan; Manhattan mayor must wear KU jersey
Last month, Lawrence Mayor Jennifer Ananda accepted a challenge from the mayor of Manhattan for the two cities to compete for the highest self-response rate — meaning that residents responded either online, by mail or by phone — to the 2020 Census for each city. It was agreed that the mayor of the losing city had to wear the other city’s university jersey to a City Commission meeting. Ananda announced at the commission’s meeting Tuesday that Lawrence had won the competition, which hinged on which city had the highest self-response rate by May 15. She said that Lawrence and Manhattan had come together as two great cities doing what they could to ensure the state was represented in the census, but that she was glad she didn’t end up having to wear a K-State jersey.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
AG Schmidt issues formal legal opinion on criminal enforcement of emergency orders
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has issued a formal legal opinion addressing whether a state law that authorizes criminal prosecution of Kansans who violate emergency orders issued by the governor is constitutional and enforceable. The opinion is a consolidated response to separate requests for the attorney general’s legal opinion on closely related subjects from Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder, State Senator Richard Hilderbrand, and State Representatives Tory Marie Arnberger, Renee Erickson, Susan Humphries, Brenda Landwehr, Barbara Wasinger and Kristey Williams. The Opinion notes that the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) places on the governor responsibility to respond to disasters and grants broad authority to do so. Because of the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of emergency powers has been unprecedented since the KEMA was enacted in 1975, with 31 emergency orders issued by the governor in the past 10 weeks. The Opinion does not address federal, state or local emergency authority outside the KEMA.
(Read more: Kansas Attorney General News Releases)
Leawood City Council approves expedited permits for outdoor restaurant seating
Leawood restaurants now have an easier path to adding outdoor seating as they reopen for dine-in service amid loosening restrictions on businesses in Johnson County and the state of Kansas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Leawood City Council this week unanimously authorized City Administrator Scott Lambers to temporarily issue expedited permits for the city’s restaurants to add outdoor seating, bypassing the normal planning process. At the council’s Monday meeting, Lambers proposed using the permits because “all the reports on the restaurants that are trying to reopen is that the indoor space requirements are basically a killer.” “They have to really judge whether or not they can justify opening the inside dining given the limited spacing capacity,” he said.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Roeland Park, Fairway and Westwood cancel annual Fourth of July fireworks display due to COVID-19 concerns
The partnering cities unanimously agreed that it was in the best interest of public health and safety to cancel the 2020 fireworks display. The cities of Roeland Park, Fairway and Westwood on Wednesday morning announced the cancellation of the joint, annual Fourth of July fireworks display due to the coronavirus pandemic. City officials from all three cities and various departments — administration, public safety, public works and public relations — as well as Bishop Miege High School staff met virtually on May 7 to discuss whether or not to host the annual event. Originally scheduled for July 3 at Bishop Miege, 5041 Reinhardt Drive, the cities decided to cancel the display in an effort “to continue to stop and slow the spread of COVID-19,” according to a press release.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Roeland Park sets 2025 deadline to reduce carbon emissions by 28%, approves solar-ready ordinance
The Roeland Park city council Monday evening approved a resolution setting a 2025 goal to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 28%, in addition to a solar-ready ordinance. Roeland Park’s 28% reduction goal and date complies with Paris Climate Agreement recommendations, and the city intends to achieve its goal by implementing suggested strategies from Dynamhex — the company tracking the city’s carbon emissions — and the Climate Action KC Playbook. Mayor Mike Kelly, Climate Action KC leader, said he appreciated the council’s unanimous approval of the resolution. “I’m excited for all the great co-benefits that will come with [lowering the city’s emissions], public health, economic prosperity and better quality of life for our residents,” Kelly said.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Municipal Bond Trends for May 20, 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.
Muni yields lure investors away from corporates
The short end of the municipal yield curve was bumped seven or more basis points, but yields across the curve were lower by at least five basis points. New issues fared well, with large universities pricing deals into a market that rewarded them with 15 basis point bumps in repricings, even though many may not hold in-person courses in the fall. Municipal to U.S. Treasury ratios were attractive, especially on the short end, which drove secondary yields lower. How long investors can stomach yields below 30 basis points on the short end is yet to be determined.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Derby updates overarching list of priorities
With the Derby City Council updating its list of priorities in January, city staff has taken on work to address those items. Mostly, though, that was put on hold because of COVID-19 before staff came before the council with a report at its most recent meeting on May 12. Fittingly, the pandemic has jumped to the top of the priorities list for the city – as response is expected to continue for at least two years, according to staff. How to maneuver through that situation becomes a top priority – whether that’s how to structure meetings, further adjusting city services, updating human resources procedures to meet employee needs, etc. “I think this response will continue for quite a while,” said City Manager Kathy Sexton.
(Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
KU school of medicine students graduate early to help rural hospitals fight COVID
A virtual graduation ceremony was held this past Sunday for the University of Kansas School of Medicine but for some newly minted doctors, they graduated a few weeks earlier to help out rural communities in the Sunflower State with their battle against Covid-19. Jesse Voth-Gaeddert is one of those early graduates. “This is, you know, why you go into medicine, because we want to be of service.” He and 20 of his fellow KU Med students took part in the Kansas pandemic workforce volunteer program. It was created in March to help the state’s Covid-19 response. Jesse and another student were sent to Liberal for a week to support their hospital’s ICU nursing staff. “It was kind of exposure into how we can, how we go about working with Covid positive patients and treating them”
(Read more: KAKE – News)
What can you expect? Questions answered following move to ‘Phase 2’ in plan to reopen KS
Friday (May 22) marks a move into a modified version of Phase Two in Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s plan to reopen the state’s economy. This current, modified phase limits mass gatherings to 15 people, down from 30 in the prior version of Phase Two. In the current timeline of reopening the state, Phase Three could start as soon as June 8 with the state phasing out with many restrictions lifted as early as June 22. Currently under Phase Two, larger entertainment venues, bars, nightclubs, swimming pools and summer camps are among businesses not yet cleared to reopen.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Kansas casinos to open Memorial Day weekend
Most Kansas casinos will re-open Memorial Day weekend. The Boot Hill Casino and Kansas Crossing Casino will both reopen at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. respectively on Friday pending regulatory approval. The Kansas Star Casino will reopen Saturday (May 23). All guests there will have their temperatures taken when they enter. Some amenities, such as table games and poker room, will not be available. Guests are also encouraged to wear face coverings. “We have missed being your entertainment destination over the last several weeks, and we are excited to have the opportunity to host you again,” an announcement reads on the Kansas Star Casino’s Facebook page.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Annual rodeo a ‘go’ in Kiowa County
The annual Memorial Day weekend rodeo, held each year in Greensburg, was given the go-ahead by the Kiowa County commissioners to proceed with plans for the 2020 event in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioners Bert Lowery, John Bertram and Ron Freeman held a special meeting May 14 to hear discussion surrounding the Greensburg event slated for May 22 and 23 at the Triangle Rodeo Arena. Members of the Triangle Rodeo Club and Medicine River Rodeo Company presented a safety plan to the commissioners.
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
Legislature prepares for one-day marathon debate on taxes, executive power
Members of the Kansas Legislature, with masks in hand and social distancing the rule, convene Thursday for the final day of the 2020 session with plans to usher through pandemic-inspired reforms on emergency oversight, taxation and budgeting. Details of the legislative packages were being crafted by House and Senate leadership Wednesday as Gov. Laura Kelly spent the day in Washington, D.C., for a scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. She is to discuss response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on rural economic challenges. Sudden departure of state legislators from the Capitol in mid-March as the coronavirus infiltrated Kansas meant consequential legislation in formative stages was left on the table. Instead of reconvening for a lengthy period in May to complete that work, legislative leaders settled on a one-day event.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)