Kansas Municipal News
Kansas lawmakers push to legalize year-round firework sales
The latest volleys in the border war with Missouri now involve fireworks.
Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that they hope will create more revenue for the state.
… Senator Bud Estes is the chairman of a committee trying to pass year-round fireworks sales in our state.
“This is strictly about the ability for permanent fireworks dealers to be able to sell their fireworks all year round,” said Estes.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Council picks five finalists for Hutch city manager interviews
The Hutchinson City Council on Thursday afternoon selected five candidates for in-person interviews in the search for a new Hutchinson city manager.
The council met in executive session for an hour and 45 minutes on Thursday to review videos and questionnaires submitted by six candidates who’d been selected as semi-finalists from among more than 30 applicants.
Only one of those was culled for the next step in the process, on-site interviews.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Greensburg airport project denied funding
The airport was a hot topic this past week in the city of Greensburg. Not only did the council decide not to lease out the 107 acres of harvestable land that surrounds the operational portions of the property. Immediately following that decision the council was informed by City Administrator Stacy Barnes that the Greensburg Airport was not picked as one of the twenty-three project of the Kansas Airport Improvement Program grants.
The Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) funding is for the purpose of planning, constructing or rehabilitating public use general aviation airports, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
The council gave up the possibility of more than $3500, which is what the city received last year for one cutting of hay when they decided to maintain the airport themselves, inevitably costing money instead of making money on the airport. The $3500 earned last year went back into the airport fund for future improvements.
(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)
Neosho County discusses economic development
The director of the Chanute Regional Development Authority met with Neosho County Commissioners Thursday to discuss a comprehensive economic development plan for the county.
“We have a lot of strengths in Neosho County that we need to highlight and I’d like to do that,” Godinez said. “We’ve got to call ourselves out on what we could be better at.”
(Read more: www.chanute.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article)
Conway Springs rewarded Community Development Block Grant for wastewater improvements
Kansas Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today the award of $600,000 in Community Development Block Grants to Conway Springs.
The city intends to use these funds to make wastewater improvements for the city. The city will provide $2,977,275 in matching funds it secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
“Quality of life is key to economic development,” Secretary Toland said. “This investment in critical infrastructure helps keep communities like Conway Springs competitive as they work to retain and recruit residents and businesses. Governor Kelly and I are proud to support projects in rural communities across our state.”
The CDBG program allows the Department of Commerce to distribute federal funds to Kansas cities and counties looking to improve their communities. CDBG funds are one of Commerce’s primary tools in supporting the state’s small, predominantly rural communities. Each community awarded has a population less than 50,000.
(Read more: Sumner NewsCow)
Scott County’s health insurance spikes 14%
A 14 percent hike in health insurance premiums is being felt by Scott County taxpayers and county employees.
The county’s share of the premium increase for Blue Cross/Blue Shield health coverage will amount to about $70,464 based on current employees on the payroll. Costs can fluctuate slightly as employees leave or are hired by the county.
The county pays the cost of a single plan for each of its employees. Those who opt for additional coverage (employee/spouse, family, etc.) pay 25 percent of added cost.
(Read more: Scott County Record RSS)
McPherson hits $1 million in housing grants
For the third time in about four years, the city of McPherson has picked up a grant to help homeowners replace windows, roofs, siding and other home improvements for those who qualify.
Since 2016, the city has been able to make an investment of about $1 million in housing using similar grant funds.
“We’ve done rehab on 30 or 32 houses,” said Nick Gregory, city administrator for McPherson. ”… The outside of house, once we have done it, is a fairly noticeable difference.”
(Read more: McPherson Sentinel)
Kansas could allow fireworks to be sold year-round under proposed bill
Kansas lawmakers are considering allowing fireworks to be sold year round and repealing a ban on bottle rockets.
Under the proposed bill, retailers would be allowed to sell fireworks every day of the year.
Seasonal retailers, who temporarily sell fireworks around Independence Day, would get an extension. Kansas law allows those retailers to start selling fireworks on June 27, but the proposed bill would push it back a week. The sales period would run from June 20 to July 5.
Read more: Wichita Eagle.
Treasury Sells 30-Year Bonds at Record Low Yield
The U.S. Treasury Department sold 30-year bonds at a record low yield on Thursday, highlighting investors’ demand for longer-term debt and its benefits to the government.
The Treasury sold $19 billion of 30-year bonds on Thursday afternoon at a 2.061% yield. That beat the previous record of 2.170% set last October, according to data from BMO Capital Markets.
The auction came as Treasury yields generally moved lower after Chinese officials changed the way they counted coronavirus infections, leading to a big jump in the number of confirmed cases in the country’s Hubei province. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note settled at 1.616%, compared with 1.629% Wednesday.
Read more: Wall Street Journal.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 13, 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.
County looks for feedback on Johnson County Square in downtown Olathe
Johnson County this month unveiled its preferred vision for the new Johnson County Square in downtown Olathe, which will be created after a new courthouse is finished next year and the existing one is razed.
The concept includes an iconic art element at the northeast entrance on Santa Fe and Cherry streets, a community green, an art garden with a non-traditional play area, a history/education plaza and a structure that can be used for performances and weddings. An existing fountain will remain with the idea of upgrading it later.
Through Feb. 29, the county is seeking feedback on the concept at surveymonkey.com/r/JoCoSquare3.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
The most congested highway in Johnson County could get $300M expansion — with tolls
Officials with the Kansas Department of Transportation and Overland Park on Thursday said funding a $300 million expansion of U.S. 69 — the most congested four-lane highway in the state — could likely mean adding toll lanes.
During his annual State of the City address, Mayor Carl Gerlach said improving the infamously backed-up highway is one of the city’s top priorities — saying that leaders have been “knocking on doors, texting and calling state and federal representatives,” pleading for support.
The city and Kansas Turnpike Authority are conducting a study to determine the financial feasibility of widening U.S. 69 to six lanes from 103rd to 151st streets. Gerlach said the preliminary cost estimate is $300 million.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
Crawford County Deputy named Deputy of the Year in Kansas
A Crawford County Sheriff’s Deputy is being recognized for being one of the best in the state.
Sheriff Deputy Kurt Grotheer, said, “It was a great honor. I mean I don’t even know how to explain that because it was like. It really took me by surprise.”
Crawford County Deputy Kurt Grotheer was honored with a Kansas State Senate Tribute last month, recognizing him for being named the 2019 Kansas Deputy of the Year by the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Shawnee County Public Works says new trucks will help increase efficiency
Shawnee County Public Works is hoping to save money and increase their work efficiency with the next snowfall.
Public Works will get two new dump trucks that will allow them to do more work.
The department says one of the trucks is a traditional style dump truck with a snowplow and sander, while the other is a “hook, lift, and load” truck that can be used for a number of different things like fixing potholes.
(Read more: KSNT News)
Fact finding hearing reveals McPherson teachers are under compensated
A sea of red filled the audience during the fact finding hearing for USD 418 certified staff salaries. Teachers, students, parents and concerned community members filled the seats, many dressed in red to show their support. In front of a standing room only audience the McPherson Education Association and the Board of Education presented their cases to a fact finder.
One thing both parties agreed on – McPherson teachers do not have adequate salaries.
(Read more: McPherson Weekly News » Feed)
City begins to lay out footprint for water treatment facility in NW Wichita
The architectural plans for Wichita’s new water treatment facility are starting to take shape. It won’t be long before crews begin the groundwork, according to the Wichita Business Journal.
The $553 million project — which has been funded mostly by federal and state loans — will replace the city’s current facility, which is 80 years old. Wichita Water Partners, the design-build group contracted to do the work, completed design plans and submitted loan applications to secure the funding for the project.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
City of Hillsboro announces new 1-gigabit speed internet plan
Hillsboro high school students attended Tuesday’s city council meeting where they heard about plans for faster and more reliable internet.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4 the Hillsboro City Council meeting was full of exciting news about the council moving forward in an agreement with Tri County Wireless (TCW) to provide Hillsboro residents and businesses with up to 1-gigabit speed. They will develop a fiber network to serve Hillsboro customers.
This is big news for the town that currently struggles with reliable internet service.
(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)
Proposal would ban vaping flavors, raise smoking age to 21 in Kansas
Severe restrictions proposed on vaping and smoking in Kansas met widespread opposition Thursday from advocacy groups, retailers and individuals divided on whether the bill goes too far or not far enough.
The sweeping legislation would conform to federal standards by raising the legal age for tobacco products to 21, which would protect $12 million in federal grant money. The legislation also contains a public indoor vaping ban and outlaws the sale of all vaping flavors except menthol. The legal age for vaping also would be 21.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Task force: Homeless in Topeka tent city to be displaced
Homeless people living in tent city will soon be forced out, according to a news release Thursday from the Homeless Task Force.
The release said the task force has been made aware that railroad-owned properties in the areas adjacent to N.E. Curtis Street will be enforcing a Kansas statute regarding trespassing on railroad property.
Enforcement of the statute is expected to start March 2 and the task force estimates about 60 people will have to move their camps.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
NLC: New Principles of Home Rule
Home rule is a longstanding legal principle that gives us the power to decide which services we provide, the policies we implement, and the ways we solve problems locally. In 1953, the American Municipal Association (AMA) — which became the National League of Cities (NLC) in 1964 — published the last comprehensive proposed reform of home rule, sparking a wave of state constitutional change in the years that followed.
However, much has changed about the state-local relationship in the intervening six and a half decades. NLC partnered with the Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) to release the first update in almost 70 years.
(Read more: NLC)