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Kansas Municipal News

Bill responds to Salina LLC’s tax puzzle

A pair of elected officials from Saline County joined forces Tuesday to lend a hand to the Salina-based nonprofit humanitarian organization caught up in an unusual decision to block a property tax exemption.

Saline County Appraiser Sean Robertson said the Occupational Center of Central Kansas, which provides employment and independent living support for people with disabilities, learned in October the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals denied OCCK an exemption from property taxes because it was a limited liability company and not a corporation. The board’s decision conflicts with past rulings, he said.

(Read more: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Kansas communities work to educate people about 2020 Census

We are just over a month away from the start of the 2020 Census, and the push is on to get everyone to respond.
Officials in Dodge City say people don’t realize filling out the census has a direct impact on them and the resources their community receives. Infrastructure, education and public resources for places like libraries are all partially funded based on information obtained from the U.S. Census.
(Read more: KWCH News)

Municipal Bond Trends for February 11, 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.

Newton named ‘Tree City of the World’

After being named a Tree City USA city for 44 consecutive years, one might think being honored by the Arbor Day Foundation would be old hat for the city of Newton.
“We take great pride in this,” said Hondo Collins, superintendent of the Newton Parks Department. “We want to show a commitment to the urban forest. Kansas is not known for its trees, but everyone benefits from trees.
“The past couple of years we have been planting more trees because we have come out of a drought. I would encourage others to plant more as well. We lost a lot of trees in the drought.”
(Read more: Community – The Leavenworth Times – Leavenworth, KS)

Wichita veterans organization hopes for support from city council

A group that helps homeless veterans is organizing support for a big project.

“I don’t think a lot of people are aware of what we have to offer,” Jennifer Garrison, Founder and CEO of Passageways tells us.

For almost six years, Passageways has provided shelter and resources for homeless veterans in Wichita.

But it’s outgrowing its space.

Now, Garrison and others are spearheading a new project.

Homefront Veteran Neighborhood is being developed in South Wichita, at 235 and Meridian.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

Wichita city council approves changes for stadium improvement district

Wichita city council members have voted unanimously to change the boundaries for the improvement district that includes the new baseball stadium under construction.

A Community Improvement District was created for the west bank of the Arkansas River, and the district will have a two percent sales tax for businesses within the district. The revenue would be used to help with the stadium project, as well as parking, utilities and other improvements to the area. The boundaries of the CID were expanded to include a couple of areas north of the stadium where a group called Riverfront Partners LLC will be working to develop retail and commercial businesses. The city council voted in early January to approve a development agreement with the group.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)

Kansas House weighs restrictions on school districts’ handling of at-risk aid

A conservative think tank sought support for a Kansas House bill Monday requiring public school districts to prove state aid earmarked for at-risk students was spent on authorized academic programs and to compel each district to report on student academic progress in relation to each initiative.

Former House Speaker Mike O’Neal, speaking on behalf of Kansas Policy Institute, said new state spending for K-12 students thought to be in jeopardy of failure was being diverted by school districts to general operating budgets rather than targeted at designated students. He told the House Education Committee that House Bill 2540 would better hold local school districts accountable.

“Legislation intended to target at-risk funding toward the goal of lifting up at-risk students has failed largely due to those funds being diluted at the district level,” O’Neal said. “The status quo is not acceptable.”

Business corridor to get $284K of Hays city sales tax

The city of Hays will turn over more than $284,000 in excess sales tax to Ellis County for the county’s $10.8 million Northwest Business Corridor project.

Ellis County is facing a shortage of $2.12 million to pay for the project, which will improve three heavily traveled county roads in a busy industrial area northwest of town.

The county has a $6.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to pay for most of the project. The corridor project is a 55 mph bypass around Hays for north-south US-183 highway, considered key to a planned $40 million private travel plaza development for trucks and super loads.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

County commissioner’s trip leads to push for travel policy

After county commissioner, Lacey Cruse took a trip to Ghana partially paid for with taxpayer funds, some commissioners including Cruse, are looking at the idea to create a travel policy.

Right now, there is no policy in Sedgwick County for trips taken by county commissioners. A commissioner does not have to disclose details about his or her trip to other commissioners or even get their approval.

According to Cruse, all the commissioners, as well as some city council members and Wichita’s mayor were invited to Africa on the trip.

The invitation came from Queen Mother Nana Aplam II who visited Wichita last summer and was honored by the county commission and other local leaders.

“The whole point of this is to share with our community what partners could partner in Ghana,” said Cruse. “The opportunities are there. People just have to take the time to listen.”

Cruse spent a week visiting with aviation and education leaders, touring parts of the area, and much more.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Treasury yields tilt lower as coronavirus stays in focus

The lack of movement in both stocks and bonds comes as investors look to gain visibility on how the coronavirus could upend manufacturing in China, and spill over into the broader global economy. Though workers across the nation are supposed to start returning back to factories from Monday after the Lunar New Year holiday were extended, efforts to stanch the spread of the pathogen has led some businesses to stay shut.
(Read more: MarketWatch.com)

Municipal Bond Trends for February 10, 2020

Lawrence leaders suggest new ideas for handling sidewalk repairs

City leaders have a couple of new ideas when it comes to the contentious topic of sidewalk repair, including the creation of a sidewalk insurance program and a gradual city takeover of maintenance responsibilities.
The city adopted a policy in 2018 to administer its sidewalk repair ordinance, which had been on the books for decades but had not been strongly enforced. The ordinance requires all property owners — businesses, landlords and homeowners — to pay to repair the sidewalks running along their properties. Under the policy, certain homeowners qualify for financial assistance from the city. Many homeowners spoke out against the approach when the city began fully enforcing the ordinance last year.
Commissioner Courtney Shipley, who took her seat on the commission in December, recently suggested the city consider an optional sidewalk insurance program, and Mayor Jennifer Ananda wants to discuss the city taking over financial responsibility for sidewalk repairs as inspections and repairs are completed. The commission will discuss both suggestions at an upcoming meeting.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Bill would allow public schools in Kansas to pay for college tuition

Terrell Davis pictures a future where students currently at risk of falling through cracks instead walk across a graduation stage with both a high school diploma and 60 hours of college credit.

Davis, executive director of public affairs for Wichita Public Schools, said the launch this year of the district’s Early College Academy will change the trajectory of 50 students.

These students may come from low-income families, and current state law blocks public schools from paying for higher education classes. Davis said the district is raising funds to help offset tuition costs, but he encouraged members of a Senate panel on Monday to support legislation that would allow schools to use general fund dollars on programs like the one in Wichita.

Flu taking toll in central Kansas

When flu-like symptoms hit Harold Windholz, 86, of Pratt, last week he knew it wasn’t going to be a good experience.

“It started in my chest; it just got real tight. I could hardly breathe,” Windholz said. “It knocked me out for two days.”

Windholz said he stayed home, didn’t go anywhere, propped himself up while sleeping and just tried to stay warm while drinking plenty of fluids. After two days he was no longer running a fever, and though he felt weak, he ventured out to get himself a newspaper.

Pratt recognizes Meyer and remembers Gourley

Past Mayor Doug Meyer was honored for his service and city leaders remembered the service of city employee Lane Gourley at their February 3, 2020 meeting in Pratt.

City manager Bruce Pinkall presented Meyer, who stepped down from mayor to a seat on the commission in January, with a plaque honoring his two years of exemplary service to the city of Pratt. Meyer served as mayor from January 2018 to January 2020.

New Mayor Gary Schmidt opened the regular portion of the city meeting expressing sympathy to the family of City Electrical Distribution Superintendent Lane Gourley for their loss. Gourley died unexpectedly at the end of January 2020 from a brief illness.

(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

PSU creates new $1,000 scholarship for grads of Crawford County high schools

The Pittsburg State University Office of Admission announced today the creation of the Gorilla Promise Award for May 2020 graduates of all Crawford County high schools to defray the cost of their first year of higher education.

The award will be in the amount of $1,000, or $500 per semester, a release from PSU said.

In order to qualify, students must be admitted to PSU, graduate from a Crawford County Kansas high school, and be a full-time degree seeking student. Applications for scholarships may be completed at pittstate.edu/admission.

(Read more: Community – Morning Sun)

Wichita considers banning or taxing plastic bags

The city of Wichita is considering banning plastic bags or implementing a city-wide tax to curb their use.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the City Council voted for a new task force to consider reducing or eliminating single-use plastic bags. Either option would make Wichita the first city in Kansas to pass a plastic bag ordinance. Other cities in the U.S. have banned plastic bags or imposed taxes on them.

The task force is scheduled to meet this month to discuss what such a move could end up costing businesses and the city to implement.

The post Wichita considers banning or taxing plastic bags appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

‘We don’t exist’: In push for Dodge City complete count, Census fears threaten resources

The Hispanic culture in Dodge City fosters a fear of the forthcoming census count and a desire to remain invisible, said Jessica Salas, a graduate of the public high school and community college in Dodge City.

“We just got used to being invisible whether we’re legal or not,” she said. “If we’re not being counted, it’s like we don’t exist.”

Deeply held reservations present a challenge to community leaders who are determined to become more culturally competent in the pursuit of a complete census count. Some members of difficult-to-reach demographics, when informed of the benefits of unlocking federal resources, have committed themselves to the same goal.

(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)

Derby’s park rental picture changes

Revenue from the city’s park rental facilities was down slightly in 2019, due mostly to the way in which a major venue rental was handled.
The city collected a bit more than $191,000 in rental fees in 2019 from sites in Madison Avenue Central Park and Warren Riverview Park. It was $206,000 in 2018.
The figures are part of the Derby Public Library’s 2019 annual report. The library and its staff have charge of the city’s park rental spaces.
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Gardner’s documentary coming this Spring

A $27,000 documentary approved by the Gardner City Council last year has not yet aired, but should broadcast this spring. It will feature Laurence Fishburne as narrator.
…
The programming, to run under the banner of “great places to live, work and raise a family,” will include a 3-5 minute short documentary. The documentary will bridge the gap between 30-60 minute shows on public television. The videos will also include a 5-6 minute “behind the scenes” documentary that will be emailed to viewers requesting information about great places to live, work and raise a family.
(Read more: Gardner News)