Kansas Municipal News
As plastic bag bans go into effect, some question the unintended consequences
Bans on single-use plastic bags — one of the most pervasive sources of pollution — are taking effect in cities and states across the U.S. as efforts to combat global plastic production pick up.
But while the moves are being lauded by environmentalists and the local governments that support them, some are questioning whether the move will be effective, primarily because of the unintended environmental consequences associated with replacement materials such as paper, thick plastic and reusable bags.
Plastic bags were widely introduced to American consumers in 1979 and were marketed as preferable to paper because they are durable, waterproof and have many functions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Shawnee County Parks and Rec reviewing proposals to develop Family Park master plan
Shawnee County Parks and Recreation is getting ready to take a big step on the multi-million dollar Family Park project.
Parks and Rec Director Tim Laurent said the county is currently reviewing 11 proposals from firms to develop a master plan for the park.
“We’ll have to go to the county commission and get their blessing, but once that happens, and I think that could happen hopefully within the next two weeks roughly, then we’ll get to work with whoever is chosen,” Laurent said.
(Read more: KSNT News)
After nearly $700,000 in billing errors discovered in 2017, city report says new system is preventing future mistakes
It has been more than two years since serious errors were discovered in the city’s miscellaneous billing process, and city officials say a recent staff review shows improvements made since have eliminated those errors.
Since then, the city has created a master list of the city’s more than $25 million of annual miscellaneous billings, which include lease payments, inspection fees, building permits, dumpster rentals and other agreements handled outside of the city’s regular billing processes. The city also now has a master list of all miscellaneous billings and conducts a review of those billings annually.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
10-year Treasury yield plunges to lowest since 2016 amid escalating coronavirus fears
Treasury yields tumbled on Monday as investors run for cover amid fears that the coronavirus is spreading globally.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, plunged 8 basis points to 1.3856%, its lowest level since July 2016. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond plummeted to a new all time low of 1.8321%.
“The most important number in the US Treasury market has become 1.3180% – the all-time record low yield mark set in the aftermath of Brexit,” Ian Lyngen, BMO’s head of U.S. rates, said in a note Monday. “If that level is breached, look out below.”
Spiking coronavirus cases in Italy, South Korea and the Middle East sparked fears of further spread beyond China. South Korea put the country on its highest alert level on Monday as infections surpassed 760 and deaths rose to seven.
Read more: CNBC.
Municipal bonds are safe haven amid stock market plunge
The municipal market rallied up to 7 basis points on Friday following Treasuries while equities continued to sell-off on COVID-19 fears as it spreads around the globe.
The muni 10-year landed at 1.09% and the 30 at 1.69%. U.S. Treasury yields plummeted as the 10-year hit the lowest since September at 1.47% and the 30-year hit an all-time low of 1.88% then moved up to 1.91% as of press time.
While COVID-19 has had an impact on all markets, including munis, Matt Fabian, partner and Municipal Market Analytics, said that he believes the virus impact is like the “fifth or sixth reason as to why muni yields are dropping like a rock.”
“There just continues to be more money than bonds and that is the fundamental reason for the sinking yields,” he said.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Municipal Bond Trends for February 21, 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.
New hometown signs recognize Kansas astronaut
NASA astronaut and Kansas native Nick Hague has been honored by his hometown.
Kansas Department of Transportation crews put up some new signs, right outside the northwest Kansas town of Hoxie. The signs read, “Hoxie: Home of Nick Hague.”
Hague went on a seven-month mission in space and was awarded the Russian Order of Courage for his actions during a failed launch.
(Read more: KSNT News)
New bill may make it easier for Kansans to vote
The Ethics, Elections and Local Government Senate committee are considering a bill that would make voting more accessible for Kansans.
SB412 allows all Kansas residents to apply for permanent advanced voting status, instead of just registered voters with disabilities as it currently stands.
“We are trying to make voting as accessible, and frankly as easily accessible, as we can,” Sen. David Haley (D-Kansas City), member of the committee, said.
The hope is that this encourages more Kansans to vote, such as Miguel Colon of Topeka.
(Read more: KSNT News)
Organizations working to bring health care to rural Bourbon County
A community collaboration in Bourbon County is working to bring a health care clinic to a small town.
Lynne O’Harah, District One Commissioner, Bourbon County, said, “It’s been kind of a journey for us.”
A journey to increase access to healthcare in rural Bourbon County–with talks starting nearly a year ago.
Mark Warren, Uniontown Ruritan Club Member, said, “About the possibility of starting a rural health clinic here in Uniontown.”
“It’s somethig that’s been lacking in our area for lots and lots of years, many years.”
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Group’s vague plan for Century II includes $1.5 billion to repurpose building
A plan proposed for the future of Century II comes with more questions than answers for the group that says it’s offering $1.5 billion to repurpose the historic building.
The group of private investors proposing the plan is called Penumbra International, LLC. The group says its proposal won’t take any tax dollars from the public and includes an aerospace museum, an observation Ferris wheel, a 40-story convention hotel, an aquarium, and more.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Officials celebrate industrial park partnership
State Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz and Secretary of Commerce David Toland visited southeast Kansas Thursday for a ribbon cutting and ceremonial throwing of a switch to mark the arrival of the first loaded train cars at the Great Plains Industrial Park in more than 40 years.
“As a southeast Kansan it really is a terrific day to come home and to celebrate this first domino that’s falling at Great Plains Industrial Park,” Toland said. “We’re getting this win and it’s the first of many that are going to come here.”
Toland recalled meeting with some people from Parsons during a trip to Atlanta when he was working in Washington, DC, several years ago.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Kansas law enforcement wary of legalizing 0.3% THC products
Kansans for Hemp co-founder Kelly Ripple said Friday state statute ought to be brought into compliance with federal law by legalizing products with up to 0.3% of the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
The 2018 farm bill signed by President Donald Trump authorized development of industrial hemp nationwide. It also exempted hemp from Schedule 1 definitions of marijuana in all 50 states. Essentially, the federal government legalized sale of 0.3% THC products.
Ripple said Kansas law enforcement restricted sale of cannabinoid products online or purchased elsewhere with as little as one hundredth of a percentage point of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Kansas bill would stop Wichita from banning plastic bags
Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would stop cities from banning single-use plastic bags, a measure that could hamstring a task force recently formed by the Wichita City Council.
The state’s GOP-led House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development approved a bill Friday that would prohibit local governments from imposing any tax, fee or outright ban on paper or plastic single-use bags and plastic straws. It could go to the full House for debate as early as next week.
Wichita is one of a handful of Kansas communities, including Lawrence, Salina and Prairie Village, that has started considering bans on plastic products. Lobbyists for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, grocers, restaurants and convenience stores say they’re worried that inconsistent rules across the state would burden businesses.
(Read more: Local News |)
School communities customize building plans
No two schools in the Shawnee Mission School District are alike, but each school’s objective is the same. All Shawnee Mission schools are working to ensure each student has a personalized learning plan that will prepare them for college and careers, with the interpersonal skills they need for life success.
Each unique school community in the Shawnee Mission School District will customize and create its own plan, in line with the district strategic plan and objectives. Each school must have a plan that works specifically for the students they serve.
Recently, individuals representing each Shawnee Mission school community met at each of the five high schools across the district for a District Site Council meeting. Every school in the state of Kansas is required to have a site council, which participates in the school’s accreditation process through the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model. Parents, students, principals, and staff members gathered to study and plan their school’s customized school building Plan and discuss continuous improvement using the KESA model.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Ark City recycling program in jeopardy
Arkansas City commissioners are taking a hard look at the city’s recycling program as the market for recycled material dries up and costs to the city increase.
Commissioners this week discussed the possibility of following changes recently adopted by the City of Winfield.
Beginning this spring, Winfield will only accept corrugated cardboard for curbside pickup. Other material can be dropped off at the Strother Field recycling center.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
KCK school leaders celebrate bond refinancing of $30 million while new school construction progresses
You don’t often hear of school districts saving money.
That’s what one metro education system said it’s doing, saving $30
million off a huge bond debt approved by voters.
The sound of power tools from a construction site is welcome in several Wyandotte County neighborhood.
The Kansas City, Kansas, School District is in the process of building five new schools, using a lion’s share of $235 million in bond money. Voters signed off on that loan with a 79% approval in late 2016.
Now Dr. Charles Faust, KCK Schools Superintendent, said his district is building and saving cash, too.
“$30 million is what it cut from the loan,” Foust said.
(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)
Kansas counties’ websites may lack security against hackers
Many Kansas counties’ websites may be at risk for cybersecurity attacks due to lacking basic protocols that make it easier for hackers to impersonate websites.
Out of 105 Kansas counties, only eight of them have websites ending in .gov, a domain extension only government officials can control. Sixty counties’ have URLs starting with “http” rather than the more secure “https.”
Security concerns have become more prominent as local governments have become frequent targets in ransomware, where hackers hold data hostage in exchange for money.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
No signs of slowing down municipal bonds as benchmark interest rates again hit record lows
The muni market saw a frantic flurry of deals come in Thursday and the market got technically stronger, the secondary was active and new muni yield lows were reached in both the 10- and 30-year maturities.
“Before COVID-19 munis were already seeing a ton of demand and now we are seeing the extra, safe harbor and flight-to-quality demand with people moving money from equities to munis,” a New York trader said. “[The virus] isn’t going away anytime soon and now it is impacting the supply chain, which can only negatively affect equities.”
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Meanwhile, a New York trader noted that next week is shaping up to the biggest week all year in terms of issuance.
“We are looking at a huge week next week and there should be something for everybody and with yields at all-time lows, issuers will be kicking themselves if they don’t sell debt at this current levels,” he said.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
Municipal Bond Trends for February 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 Advisors.
Abilene’s tribute to Eisenhower gets a makeover
The story of President Dwight D. Eisenhower began in Kansas. Now, 200,000 people a year visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home in the neighborhood where he grew up in Abilene.
Over the years, an entire campus has grown up around the family home. It recently reopened after a renovation project. The makeover includes interactive displays and the flexibility to rotate exhibits.
“It gives us the opportunity to be a little bit more flexible with the artifacts,” said Dawn Hammatt, the director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home. “We can rotate our artifacts more simply and that will give the visitors a different experience when they come.”
(Read more: KSN-TV)