Kansas Municipal News
Committee Chairman says muni provisions will be included with state, local aid
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal reaffirmed Wednesday his support for reinstating Build America Bonds and the use of private activity bonds as part of a larger package of aid to state and local governments. Neal, D-Mass., assured members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors that he is working closely with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to include major infrastructure provisions in what members of Congress are calling CARES Act 2. “You are likely to see the details of what we propose in the next few days and certainly within the next week,” Neal said.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Junction City transitions back to utility disconnections
On March 17th Governor Laura Kelly issued Executive Order No. 2005 that temporarily prohibited utility and internet disconnects until May 1st. As this order expires, the City of Junction City will allow a transition period before disconnections of water service is done. For those in Cycle 1, accounts located south of Sixth Street or having an account number beginning with digits of 01-12, will be disconnected if the account is not paid in full by 4:30 P.M. on Monday, June 15th. For those in Cycle 2, accounts located north of Sixth Street of having an account number beginning with digits 14-30, will be disconnected if the account is not paid in full by 4:30 P.M. on Monday, June 29th.
(Read more: Junction City, KS – News Flash)
Chanute strategic in providing essential services
Even with officials in these tricky times spread out at individual tables in the Memorial Building Alliance Room, updated reports and recommendations were made at Chanute’s City Commission meeting on Monday night. This included a suggestion to not open the city pool this summer. In a landscape that has presented varying outcomes due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, City Manager Jeff Cantrell addressed city employees in his report to the commission. “Operationally, we’re kind of a tricky animal as you guys well know. We can’t just send people home, we have very essential operations, we have to be kind of strategic as to how we do that, if we do that,” Cantrell said. “In the weeks to come, I’m sure management is going to have barometers to move forward as you go forward for recommendations that will follow that. …”
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)
‘I need a haircut.’ Sedgwick County moves to give business control over reopening
Sedgwick County took steps Wednesday to encourage a quick end to coronavirus control orders with an eye toward letting businesses make most of their own decisions on how to reopen the economy.
“It’s time for us to move back toward freedom and I need a haircut,“ said Commissioner Jim Howell. “We all need haircuts at this point. It’s time for us to get the businesses back open and if they can do this in a way that mitigates risk, then we ought to let them speak to that and if it makes sense, we ought to let that be our next step.”
Acting as the Board of Health, the County Commission passed a motion by Howell urging Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly not to extend her stay-at-home order — which shuttered thousands of businesses — past its current scheduled expiration date of May 3. Kelly is scheduled to announce details of her plan at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
(Read more: Local News |)
JCCC asking faculty to prepare for primarily online instruction this fall, though hands-on training will be conducted in person
JCCC began informing faculty this week that the college is preparing for a fall semester where instruction will be delivered primarily online, though campus will be open and many hands-on classes will be delivered in person. Johnson County Community College administrators this week began informing faculty that they are planning for a fall semester where instruction will be delivered primarily online, though campus will be open and several hands-on classes will be taught in person. Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications Chris Gray said plans for delivering courses while reducing unnecessary in-person contact were still in their formative stages, but that the college was keeping safety as a top priority.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
JoCo health officer recommends putting off reopening of non-essential businesses until May 11
Johnson County should put off reopening non-essential businesses for a week to protect the county from a possible wave of new infections caused by people traveling from other metro counties with continuing outbreaks, county health officer Joseph LeMaster, MD, MPH, said today. LeMaster told county commissioners Wednesday that although the county has shown a downward trend in cases and hospitals are not overwhelmed, the commission should consider delaying a phased reopening until May 11. That would bring it closer to the May 15 date Kansas City, Mo., has planned.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Merriam Visitor’s Bureau compiles virtual tours, local take-out options during stay-at-home orders
The Merriam Visitors Bureau list of online activities and tours includes a livestream of penguins from the Kansas City Zoo. Photo courtesy of Kansas City Zoo. Physical travel may be off limits during the coronavirus stay-at-home orders, but that doesn’t mean a trip to a United States National Park is out of the question. The Merriam Visitors Bureau over the last few weeks has been compiling virtual tours for residents to view from the comfort of their own homes. Executive Director Karen Crane said although there are many negative impacts stemming from the global pandemic, there are also “glimmers of hope” while communities come together to exchange and create online experiences.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
City of Russell Extends Utility Disconnection Moratorium to May 31, 2020
The City of Russell suspended utility disconnects for non-payment until May 1, 2020, as customers and the community faced potential hardship from coronavirus.
With the uncertainty of the coronavirus and the financial difficulties some customers may face during this time, the suspension of utility disconnects for non-payment is extended to May 31, 2020. This temporary moratorium ensures that the City of Russell’s utility customers will not be disconnected for non-payment.
Municipal Bond Trends for April 28, 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.
JoCo Recovery Planning Task Force approves four-phase approach to reopening local economy
The special committee on reopening Johnson County ended its work Tuesday with a fanfare of self doubt about whether people will follow its recommendations but few major changes to the rough draft on how business should phase back in from the stay-at-home order in place since March 24. The 14-member committee ended an hour-and-a-half session in a somewhat contentious disagreement over what authority government should have in policing business during a major public health crisis, with members saying the rules were either too vague or too restrictive. It was the end of about fifteen hours of discussion over the course of a week.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Jim Schmidt was trailblazer in Kansas emergency management
Mr. Schmidt, 71, who as a Rose Hill paramedic was one of the first to arrive at the devastation in Andover left behind by a massive tornado on April 26, 1991, is being remembered as a trailblazer in Kansas emergency management. He died of cancer on April 14. Services are pending. Mr. Schmidt earned a reputation as a “magnet” for his knack of being close to major events when they happened, and he was on the ground floor of many milestones in Wichita-area emergency services.
(Read more: Local News |)
Economic developers pitch Elon Musk on Wichita area for Tesla Cybertruck Gigafactory
Economic developers and business recruiters in Kansas are pitching billionaire businessman Elon Musk on locating Tesla’s new Cybertruck Gigafactory in the Wichita area.
The Greater Wichita Partnership tagged Tesla and Musk, the company’s CEO, in a tweet on Monday marketing the Wichita area for the electric pickup factory. Musk had announced in a tweet last month that he was scouting locations for the Cybertruck Gigafactory, which he said will be in the central United States. “The most geocentric metro in the nation, 800-acre site with access to two Class I railways and the #1 manufacturing-skilled workforce in the nation. A @Tesla Cybertruck Gigafactory location can’t get any better than this, @Elonmusk. http://CybertruckDreamSite.com #TeslaInWichita”
(Read more: Local News |)
Reno County discusses taskforce’s reopening draft
On Tuesday, the Reno County Commission read over an initial draft of the local plan for a phased reopening of the county. The Economic Recovery Taskforce and the commission will approve a final draft of the plan in coming days. Gov. Laura Kelly’s stay-at-home order expires May 3 with no plans to renew, so the county is approaching how to reopen businesses safely during the novel coronavirus pandemic starting Monday.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Dodge City meatpacking plants beef up protocols; Ford County maintains high recovery rate
With two national meatpacking plants in the county’s jurisdiction, Ford County is increasing its testing and the plants are beefing up COVID-19 protocols. The numbers for Ford County have increased to 544 individuals who have had or still have the coronavirus as of April 28. This amounts to 1.6% of the county’s population. But, according to J.D. Gilbert, a spokesman for the county, 90% of those infected have recovered. No deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in Ford County. Statewide, the deaths from the virus are at 124, or four deaths per 100,000 individuals.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Bourbon County delays county tax sale
Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday decided the time is not right following the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak to hold a tax sale in 2020.
Commissioners were to discuss opening bids for title work for a tax sale sometime this year, but elected to delay a tax sale after talking with Bourbon County Counselor Justin Meeks. The meeting took place in the emergency operations center in the basement of the Bourbon County Courthouse, and was open to the public through the county’s website and Facebook page.
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)