Kansas Municipal News
Wichita considered to be low risk for coronavirus at this time
The Sedgwick County health director said Tuesday there is a low risk of coronavirus for the Wichita community, and no cases have been reported in Kansas yet.
Health director Adrienne Byrne told the Wichita city council that she uses the word “yet” because the COVID-19 virus is coming. She said she is more concerned about the flu because it is still active and will continue to be through March and April. She said there have been more deaths from flu in the U.S. than the coronavirus, and people are more likely to get the flu.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)
State changes could mean lower school bond levies
A revision in the way Kansas calculates aid for school district projects could help lower property taxes for residents across the state — and could have profound effects on Newton Unified School District 373.
The Senate unanimously signed off on legislation last week to provide additional support for bonds issued to fund facility improvements. The formula changes would apply to future bond projects, as well as those issued in the past five years.
The proposed changes, including a major change to Fort Leavenworth, could mean dramatic savings for bonds issued in Newton USD 373, which has seen two failed bond elections — and three bond questions overall — in less than five years.
(Read more: Newton Kansan)
City to connect industry with educational system
A new initiative aims to connect manufacturing companies in the county with educators to ensure students are gaining the skills they need to fill local jobs.
Jim Zaleski, the city’s economic development director, told Parsons city commissioners about the inaugural Labette County Education-Manufacturing Luncheon on Monday.
“To me I think it’s a pretty big deal,” he said.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)
Nemaha County approves wind farm definitive agreements
The site plan and term sheet for the Soldier Creek Wind Farm (SCWF) were approved in July 2019. Since that time, the Nemaha County (NC) Commissioners have been in negotiations to fine tune the details that were already laid out in the term sheet. After many phone calls and months of negotiations with NextEra Energy Resources (NE) – the project’s developer – the County now has agreed to the final terms for the development of the SCWF.
Commissioners Gary Scoby, Dennis Henry and Tim Burdiek signed the binding documents during a special meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The five agreements that were signed were the Development Agreement, Contribution Agreement, Road Use and Maintenance Agreement, Decommissioning Agreement and Complaint Resolution Agreement.
(Read more: Sabetha Herald)
Student-run grocery store opens in Butler County
The doors of Bluestem Mercantile opened for the first time Monday afternoon. The grocery and general store is not staffed by hired professionals. It is fully operated by students from the Bluestem school district.
“I wanted to have something on their resume that they can take from here and immediately go do something after high school” says Amie Oltman, a special education teacher for Bluestem USD.
Students of all backgrounds are going to play a role in the store, including those with special needs. All the students who work at Mercantile, will be gaining skills that will be valuable once they graduate.
“Count back money, cleaning, keeping stuff organized, inventory and how to do that,” according to Bluestem freshman Darrel Kurtz.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Municipal Bond Trends for March 2, 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.
‘It really helps everybody.’ Programs provide home maintenance support in Roeland Park
Last year, Roeland Park began two programs to help residents cope with the rising cost of living. The programs provide assistance with property taxes and exterior home maintenance.
“This was an objective from our mayor back in 2018 for the 2019 budget. He wanted to address the fact that property taxes in Johnson County keep going up,” said Jennifer Jones-Lacy, assistant city administrator and finance director for Roeland Park.
The tax-related program allows homeowners who qualify to receive a rebate on the city’s portion of their property taxes.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
County health officer: Don’t panic over coronavirus
Don’t panic over the coronavirus, Shawnee County health officer Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino said Monday.
“This is not going to be a death sentence,” Pezzino told county commissioners at their morning meeting. “This is not the plague.”
The vast majority of people infected with the coronavirus experience only a mild fever and cough, through some become very ill, said Pezzino, who is a physician.
A few people die after being infected, with that currently appearing to be about 2 percent, Pezzino said.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Hutchinson agrees to sell former downtown fire station for new tech startup
While home at Christmas, Buhler High graduate and California Polytechnic State University senior Logan Lawson was searching for a place to locate a startup tech business in Hutchinson after he graduates.
Lawson, 22, has developed a prototype sensor platform that allows certain automotive or industrial equipment that is traditionally monitored on site through gauges or monitors to be monitored off site through a smartphone or computer.
While driving around with his dad looking at buildings, he was struck by the former Hutchinson Fire Station No. 1 at Avenue B and Walnut.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Lawrence City Commission to consider changes to city union rules that Teamsters say are ‘anti-worker’
City leaders will soon consider changes to the local resolution governing city employee unions that an area union says are “anti-worker.”
Teamsters Local 696 requested changes in December to the resolution that union representatives say will ensure employees’ right to organize and join a union, but have come out against the measures that city staff have proposed in response to its request. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting changes dealing with the division of employee groups for the purposes of unionization and the voting process for unionization, among other changes.
City staff is recommending some changes, though not as extensive as the Teamsters requested. Matt Hall, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 696, said in a news release that the type of anti-worker measures included in the city’s proposal were disturbing, especially for a largely progressive city like Lawrence.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence city manager seeks permission to create new director of equity and inclusion at City Hall
Lawrence City Hall may soon have a new position responsible for urging city government to be more racially sensitive and aware of issues related to social justice and equity.
City commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday will be asked to give City Manager Craig Owens permission to start interviewing for a senior level manager to serve as the city’s director of equity and inclusion.
“I think Craig really heard in all of his meetings and listening tour that these are important values in our community and important work,” Casey Toomay, assistant city manager, said. “He recognizes we already are doing some of this work, but we really need to own our intentions, be more intentional about our work and put adequate resources to it.”
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Finney County opens the only children’s shelter in Southwest Kansas
The Finney County Juvenile Detention Center is opening a children’s shelter, giving teens in foster care a place to stay in Southwest Kansas.
“People are working towards building more but for now, we seem to be the only one on this side of the state and it is a big need because a lot of our kids, it’s forcing a lot of our youth to be transferred to Kansas City, Wichita, and Hutchinson,” said Shelter Coordinator William Sanchez.
A bill was passed in 2016 that has fewer youths being admitted into juvenile detention centers and this had the department looking to use some of their unneeded space for children who are in need of a place to stay after a bad situation.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Local company teams up with officials to develop plan for possible Coronavirus outbreak
As countries around the world are preparing for the spread of the Coronavirus, officials in Wichita are putting final touches on local plans.
A hydrogen-based fog and mist called Steramist can clear a room of viruses and infections within seconds and Ion Environmental Services uses it every day in Wichita and surrounding areas.
That’s why the company has partnered with officials to help develop a plan if the Coronavirus makes it way to Kansas.
“We are working with a number of officials, both city, state, and county,” said Camden Roach with Ion Environmental Services.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Fed cut expected in March; Will it be 25bp or 50bp?
Although the Federal Open Market Committee will meet March 17 to 18, speculation about a coordinated cut by central banks across the globe before then continues, and experts are debating whether the Fed will cut 25 basis points or 50 basis points.
“This will be another wild week for financial markets, but optimism is growing that central bank intervention will prop up risky assets and that scientists and drug companies are getting closer to developing test treatments and vaccines,” said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA.
“Investors salivated that the bottom could be near as hopes were growing central banks would deliver a global policy response to contain the economic impact of the coronavirus,” he said.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Kansas Main Street gets a makeover
The popular Kansas Main Street program that was re-established in 2019 now has a new look! The new Kansas Main Street logo was unveiled today by the Kansas Department of Commerce to generate excitement and support for the program, which is geared toward revitalizing small, rural Kansas communities.
“With the return of the Main Street program, communities have new access to resources and tools to help breathe new life into their commercial districts,” Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “I’m excited that we are able to introduce a new program brand that reflects the vibrancy of our Kansas Main Street communities.”
(Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce)
At least 120 manufacturing jobs are coming to Montgomery County
At least 120 manufacturing jobs with a pay scale above the median county wage are coming to Montgomery County.
At Monday’s Montgomery County Commission meeting, Coffeyville and county official unveiled plans by Prosperiti Partners to locate its new manufacturing plant at the former Southwire Manufacturing facility at the Coffeyville Industrial Park.
Prosperiti Partners, which is based in Springfield, Mo., plans to manufacture components for its pre-manufactured, modular housing dwellings at the Coffeyville plant. The company plans to hire 120 workers over the course of three years, with the goal of having the plant in operation by the end of the 2020 calendar year.
Read more: Montgomery County Chronicle.
10-year Treasury yield drops to another record below 1.04% as historic fall in US rates continues
The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to another record low on Monday below 1.04% as the historic decline in U.S. rates continued amid the coronavirus outbreak and Wall Street calls for Federal Reserve stimulus.
The 10-year yield hit a record low of 1.036% at one point overnight before bouncing and was last at 1.05%. The 2-year Treasury yield fell to 0.71%, threatening to break its low in November 2016. The 30-year yield was at 1.623%, a record low.
Investors are betting the Federal Reserve will now act aggressively in response to a coming economic slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. The fed funds futures market has already priced in a 50 basis point cut at the Fed’s meeting this month, according to CME Fed Watch tool.
Read more: CNBC.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 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.
Butler County dispatchers train to screen callers for coronavirus symptoms
While countries around the world are experiencing the outbreak, Butler County dispatchers are preparing themselves in case the coronavirus worsens. They are implementing a new screening process for 911 callers.
We’ll ask them about travel, we’ll ask them about a short list of symptoms that we’re screening for that could be indicative of the corona virus,” said Chris Davis, Butler County 911 Director.
The questions are only asked if the caller reports a fever, cough, or shortness of breath. “That doesn’t mean they have the corona virus it just means that they have symptoms,” said Davis.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Sedgwick County Zoo bans smoking, vaping
If visitors to the Sedgwick County Zoo want to light up a smoke or vape up, they’ll have to do it in the parking lot from now on.
On Friday, the zoo announced that it is joining other outdoor Wichita attractions like the Old Cowtown Museum and the new baseball stadium in banning smoking.
“The Sedgwick County Zoo is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for guests, employees, and animals,” zoo spokeswoman Jennica King announced in a written statement Friday. “To that end, the Zoo will prohibit smoking and vaping within the Zoo during normal hours of operation, beginning Sunday, March 1.”
(Read more: Local News |)