Kansas Municipal News
After shutting for COVID-19, University of Kansas will reopen campus for fall
The University of Kansas will open its campuses for in-person classes “in some capacity” for the fall semester, university officials announced Friday. “Reconnecting with each other in person and rebuilding our community is what we’ve looked forward to for months,” KU Chancellor Douglas Girod and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer said in a note to the campus community. “It is important that we orchestrate the revival of our Lawrence and Edwards campuses in a way that preserves and protects the safety of our people,” the note said.
(Read more: Local News |)
Sedgwick County shuns doctor’s coronavirus advice to keep buffets, playgrounds closed
Sedgwick County ignored its top doctor’s advice Friday to close Wichita-area buffets, self-service fountain drinks and playgrounds while the county gradually reopens some businesses and activities that were shuttered under Gov. Laura Kelly’s stay-at-home order set to expire Monday. Garold Minns, the county’s health officer and dean of the KU School of Medicine in Wichita, said he largely agrees with Kelly, who announced that her statewide stay-at-home order would end but suggested Friday that the Sedgwick County Commission adopt further restrictions to help keep the spread of the virus contained. “We do feel like there should be two additional things we would place on the governor’s order (that are) more restrictive,” Minns told the commission during a special meeting Friday to go over the reopening plan.
(Read more: Local News |)
Derby making budget adjustments amidst pandemic
Given the specifics of the current situation, the first measures taken by the city of Derby staff to address COVID-19 focused on safety and security. After addressing the immediate needs, though, attention soon turned to finances – with city staff reporting on the current budget situation to the Derby City Council at its April 28 meeting. Derby has a history of being conservative, City Manager Kathy Sexton noted, so it remains in a good financial position even as staff are projecting a $1.6 million revenue shortfall (on an annual budget typically around $40 million) due to the coronavirus.
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)
Lyon County adds provisions, restrictions to statewide reopening plan
Lyon County Public Health announced the addition of several provisions and restrictions to the local implementation of a statewide reopening plan Friday. “We spent the day talking with partners about what this looks like for our community, and what this looks like in our own community,” Emergency Manager Jarrod Fell said. “We encourage everyone to follow the state plan — that is the foundation moving forward — however, we do have some added restrictions in our public health order dated May 1, 2020.” In addition, all dine-in services at restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food are prohibited. Food may be served for consumption off-premises, through such means as in-house delivery, third-party delivery, drive through, carryout and curbside pick-up. Self-service food and beverage services are prohibited.
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)
Johnson County leaders debating when, how to safely reopen businesses
Johnson County is debating when and how it will reopen. With declining new positive COVID-19 test results and fewer hospitalizations, some county leaders think reopening should go on as scheduled May 4. “The goal was to prevent the surge. We’ve accomplished the task. There is hospital capacity should there be a dust up of this again,” Johnson County Commissioner Mike Brown said. But one of the county’s top doctors insists with neighboring areas like Kansas City, Missouri, holding off on reopening a few extra days, reopening across the state line too soon could lead to a wave of new cases, possibly even worse than what’s happened so far.
(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)
Edgerton, Gardner cities tentatively plan reopening in May
Currently the COVID-19 statewide quarantine is scheduled to be lifted May 3, unless Governor Kelly extends it. Due to the March 17 “stay at home” order, only businesses deemed essential have remained open, with others struggling to adapt to a flailing economy. School buildings have been closed, and classroom education has been replaced with virtual meetings and lessons. Locally Johnson County government has furloughed more than 250 employees, and Olathe and Overland Park have announced layoffs. At this point, neither Edgerton or Gardner has furloughed employees, although Edgerton has postponed filling existing vacancies.
(Read more: Gardner News)
Jackson County reopening strategy mirrors governor’s plan
Jackson County’s plan for reopening its economy closely mirrors the plan issued on Thursday by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly for the state. But the county plan, issued on Friday by Jackson Health Officer Angela Reith, adds two specifics for businesses that serve “prepared food or drink,” including restaurants, bars and convenience stores. The state plan allows for most businesses to reopen on Monday, May 4 – when Gov. Kelly’s statewide “stay at home” order expires – following guidance by the state of Kansas, with businesses prohibited from opening listed in the state’s guidance document.
(Read more: Holton Recorder)
Roeland Park residents start petition to get additional protections for essential store workers
A group of Roeland Park residents — who say they are frustrated with limited response from city, county and state leaders — have started a petition to secure protections for grocery store and big box store workers during the coronavirus pandemic. These residents decided to fight for essential worker protections after members of a Roeland Park neighborhood group on Facebook began sharing reports of conditions at essential stores, group member and resident Stephanie Iser said. Iser said while the group has noticed condition improvements since initially reaching out to city, county and state leaders, the lack of a protective order from the county and state puts essential store workers in unsafe conditions daily.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Essential employees keep city services running smoothly in Pratt
Even with COVID-19 restrictions in place, Pratt city employees are continuing to provide all essential services Pratt City Manager Bruce Pinkall assured Pratt City commissioners at their regular meeting Monday, April 20. The meeting was conducted via Zoom video conferencing session. “I’m very proud of how they’re working. They’re setting a good example,” Pinkall said. “Without them, things would come to a screeching halt.” Pinkall said that, despite playgrounds and restrooms being shut down, city parks were being used.
(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)
Arkansas City commission reviews opening plans
The Arkansas City Commission met in a special study session Friday to discuss Governor Laura Kelly’s four-phase plan and the city’s effort to return to normal operation. City Manager Nick Hernandez said that under Phase I, everything would continue much the same, with only a few changes. He said that some businesses will be allowed to reopen, but will have to comply with several restrictions. “Ten individuals or less in a group, six feet apart for restaurants, plus cleanliness and the ability to have face masks and hand sanitizer,” he said.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Neosho County cautious, urges residents to be responsibile
Neosho County Commissioners took steps Friday to lift restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Gov. Laura Kelly announced a three-phase plan Thursday to reopen the state economically, and Neosho commissioners followed Friday morning by rescinding a stricter county order and opening the Erie courthouse on Monday, May 4. The governor’s action also takes effect Monday and lifts statewide stay-at-home orders while keeping some restrictions in place until at least May 18.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)
Mayors, the other first responders
Around here, some mayors have shown strong leadership while others have struggled. Topeka Mayor Michelle de la Isla won national recognition for her response. De la Isla assembled a rapid-response team that meets every morning to assess the latest developments, including one member whose entire focus is to combat false rumors, which mostly spread online. These include one baseless allegation that she was about to place the city under martial law. De la Isla’s task force also monitors supplies of medical equipment, state and national developments, and the latest figures on how the virus is impacting Topekans.
(Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com)
Ark City Dollar General closing
Dollar General, a Tennessee based company, has announced its plan to permanently close the store at 2411 N. Summit St., in Arkansas City. Angela Petkovic, public relations for Dollar General, said that the company is constantly evaluating their store locations in order to find the best way to serve their customers. “We have made the decision to close this location,” she said. Petkovic would not comment on the reason for that decision.
(Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com)
‘People are ready to get out’: Kansans fill Cheney Lake
Campers, jet skis, and boats are out in full force at Cheney Lake this weekend. Park officials say it almost felt like a holiday weekend. Vicki Huff and her family are very familiar with the park. They come out every year during this time. Now they are seeing some new faces, “I think people are ready to get out. They’ve been cooped up,” said Huff. While many businesses are closed from coronavirus, Cheney Lake is using it as a way to recover. “The flooding last year we lost a lot of revenue during that time and last weekend we started out we were 100% full in our utility sites,” said Shayne Coppes, Cheney State Park Manager.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Kansas passes 5,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, coronavirus-related deaths number 134
Public health officials report that more than 5,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Kansas. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s coronavirus pandemic report on Sunday listed 5,030 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 134 deaths statewide. The KDHE reported 399 cases in Sedgwick County. The Sedgwick County Health Department reported 426 cases and 13 deaths. Discrepancies between county and state numbers can be due to confirmed cases from one health department not yet being finalized with the other, officials have said.
(Read more: Local News |)
‘A Mission treasure’: After 20 years of service, Mission city clerk Martha Sumrall retires
Martha Sumrall always had an interest in local government, but didn’t begin her journey with the city of Mission until 2000: The Countryside native and now Mission resident became an administrative assistant to the city clerk and former Mayor Sylvester Powell Jr. She became the city clerk five years later, and hasn’t looked back since. After 20 years of being an integral piece of Mission, Sumrall’s journey has come to an end as she retires. She served under four Mission mayors and several city councilmembers, and sat through numerous evening meetings to fulfill her duty as city clerk. Her dedication to the city comes from her love of Mission, but she’ll miss the people more than anything, she said.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2020-5: Tax lid application to hospital maintenance funding
K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 79-2925c allows a city or county to maintain a consistent level of funding in constant or real dollars. Any increase above that level, however, is subject to approval by the electorate, unless the increase falls within the provisions of subsection (b) of K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 79-2925c. …
As the Board of Commissioners of Decatur County, you request our opinion regarding whether a county commission must conduct an election pursuant to K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 79-2925c before raising the mill levy for hospital maintenance to the level authorized by electors in 2016. … To determine whether Decatur County must conduct an election in order to increase the hospital maintenance tax levy to 13 mills, the County will need to determine whether the increased budget exceeds the previous budget adjusted by the CPI and whether any of the provisions of K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 79-2925c(b) are applicable.
(Read more: Kansas Attorney General Opinions)
Lenexa city attorney reflects on 31-year career
City Attorney Cindy Harmison will retire May 8 after 31 years of service with the City of Lenexa. In this Q & A, she reflects on ways Lenexa has changed over the years, her most memorable experiences and the rewards of public service.
(Read more: City of Lenexa)
Counties could get a separate piece of $1 trillion in federal aid
Congressional Democrats are negotiating with Republicans for up to $1 trillion in state, county and local government aid in a CARES Act 2 bill that would include some infrastructure spending such as broadband. County governments would receive their own separate allocations of federal aid. “So we may have three tranches, state, county, because many counties deliver health services and the rest and then the municipalities,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at her weekly news conference Thursday. Pelosi also for the first time said that the aid for state and local governments might approach $1 trillion.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Raising city chickens about more than eggs
Chickens are typically a farm animal, but having four hens in town provides the experience of raising animals, Peabody resident Stephanie Hurst said. “Even just having four a day is plenty for us,” she said. “There’s that, and just having the experience for sure. I wouldn’t say I got them specifically for eggs. I got them basically as pets.” Paige Ensey’s family originally bought their 10 chickens because they were eating a lot of eggs. Now, the 13-year-old also sees the chickens as more than just a way to get eggs.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)