Kansas Municipal News
Reno County receives federal grant to fight opioid addiction
The Reno County Health Department is one of 21 organizations nationwide that has been selected to receive federal money to help fight opioid addiction in rural America.
The department will receive a chase of $14.8 million in funding that will be use to develop prevention programs, treatment and recovery services, and other public safety programs. The Reno County Health Department could receive up to $750,000 to help fund the programs.
The Rural Responses Initiative is part of the Just Department’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)
Labette County Board of Commissioners announce decision to close Parsons Judicial Center
Monday afternoon, The Labette County Board of Commissioners released their decision to close Parsons Judicial Center except when court is actually in session.
This comes after Labette County Judge Oliver Kent Lynch’s decision to hear cases in the Oswego Courthouse, a move that was not included in the county’s budget.
The minimum impact that would be incurred on the budget was estimated to be $250,000 in increased costs, primarily security spending.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Shawnee County OKs permit for event center, bed and breakfast
Rod McCollum wants to “grow old and die” on the land where he was raised just southeast of Topeka, he told the Shawnee County Commission on Monday.
Commissioners subsequently voted 3-0 to approve permits that McCollum, 63, said should enable him to do that.
Those two permits authorize the McCollum Family Trust to establish a bed and breakfast inn consisting of four guest rooms in his existing home and to convert an existing barn into a special event center on the property involved, provided each of 10 specific conditions are met.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Dodge City’s 2nd Ave. Art guild gets Main Street grant
As part of the Dodge City Revitalization Improvement Program, 2nd Ave. Art Guild received a grant from Main Street Dodge City to go toward upgrades to its facade.
According to Main Street Dodge City, the purpose of the program is to improve the appearance and functionality of commercial properties located in the Downtown Commercial District.
The DRIP Grant has awarded 43 grants totaling $136,717.18 since its inception.
To enhance exterior appearances of buildings, DRIP provides incentives for current and new downtown property owners.
(Read more: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS)
KDOT announces approved December bids
The Kansas Department of Transportation has announced approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.
District One — Northeast
Atchison: U.S. Highway 159, from the north city limits of Nortonville — the Atchison/Jefferson county line — north to the west city limits of Effingham, milling and overlay, 11.4 miles, Herzog Contracting Corp., Saint Joseph, Mo., $1,039,582.17.
(Read more: Sabetha Herald)
Wichita unlikely to profit when it privatizes events and alcohol in new city park
Wichita City Hall is poised to turn over control of events and alcohol in its newest park to a private operator who will likely keep all of the profits, city documents show.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on a contract to give the operators of the Wave venue in Old Town the option of closing off general access to the renovated Naftzger Park and charging admission to outdoor concerts or other events they schedule.
In addition, “Wave will have first right of refusal for coordinating alcohol service for all Naftzger Park events, including events that it does not host,” according to a city staff report recommending approval.
(Read more: Local News |)
Municipal Bond Trends for January 31, 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.
If coronavirus fears escalate, Wells Fargo warns 10-year Treasury yields could fall another 30%
Wells Fargo Securities’ Michael Schumacher expects the bond rush to intensify.
According to the firm’s global head of rate strategy, coronavirus fears will drive more investors into the U.S. Treasury market as a safe haven play and drive yields sharply lower.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury Note yield is already down 22% so far this year.
“Our big concern is that investors get more and more nervous,” Schumacher told CNBC’s “Trading Nation” on Friday. “We would say that probably the last 25 to 30 basis points mainly in the 10-year is largely due to the virus.”
Read more: CNBC.
Manhattan city commission discusses potential city-wide sales tax; reviews goals and priorities
KDHE says Douglas County patient does not have coronavirus
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says a patient from Douglas County who was under investigation for the coronavirus has tested negative, and that person does not have the virus.
The patient had recently returned from a trip to China, where the coronavirus has been active. Specimens were sent to the Centers for Disease Control for testing, because the state does not have the testing capability for the virus.
KDHE Secretary Lee Norman said in a press release that the patient is in good health and has been released from a facility where he was being monitored. Dr. Norman said the patient will be able to resume his normal routine, and there is no risk to the public.
KDHE is still working with CDC officials and local partners to detect and respond to any possible cases of coronavirus that might occur in Kansas in the future.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)
Topeka City Council considers taking meetings on the road
Topeka’s mayor and city council might take their show on the road.They plan Tuesday to consider authorizing the city manager to arrange for them to meet on the second Tuesday of each month at a location other than their chambers at 214 S.E. 8th.City manager Brent Trout this past week identified two potential meeting sites as being the city’s Holliday Building at 620 S.E. Madison and its Law Enforcement Center at 320 S. Kansas Ave.The Topeka and Shawnee County Public.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Osage County settlers planted churches, seeds of abolitionism
The making of Osage County’s history was not limited solely to those individuals who maintained permanent residence here. Such is the case of John Rankin, an Ohio resident and the man who established the Presbyterian church in Lyndon, Kansas.
John Rankin was originally from Tennessee. Rankin was influenced by the period called the Second Great Enlightenment, which was a revival of the Christian faith that led many to realize slavery was incompatible with their beliefs.
Rankin became ordained as a pastor in 1814, and soon after joined a local Anti-Slavery Society, a branch of a nationwide group that believed prejudice in any form was offensive and that African Americans were entitled to the same rights and privileges as the white man. Rankin’s involvement in the Anti-Slavery Society was influential to famous abolitionist radicals such as William Lloyd Garrison.
(Read more: Osage County Online)
Labette County allows OT for court safety
Labette County commissioners will allow the sheriff’s department to rack up extra overtime to provide security for the full-time courtroom in Oswego.
The sheriff’s department has limited overtime built into its budget, but the court change this week required Sheriff Darren Eichinger to pull in off-duty deputies to provide security in Oswego. Deputies are volunteering to work the overatime hours. Eichinger said the overtime will be 32 to 40 hours a week depending on Judge Fred W. Johnson’s court schedule. This week the overtime will be about 32 hours.
Explore Lenexa City Center’s civic campus
Over the last few years, Lenexa City Center has become a Johnson County destination.
Located near 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard, west of Interstate 435, this vibrant neighborhood is the result of the vision and hard work of dedicated residents more than 20 years ago to create a dynamic space with public, retail, business, and residential opportunities for citizens and visitors.
The Lenexa civic campus is the heart of Lenexa City Center. It’s where you can find Lenexa’s City Hall, Public Market, Rec Center and Farmers Market, as well as a Park University campus and Lenexa City Center Library.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
Johnson County commission opens public comment period on bus route reductions despite 2 members’ concerns
People who ride the bus and their allies gave the Johnson County Commission an hour’s worth of reasons they should think twice before cutting routes and reducing service as planned in a couple of months.
Not only would the route cuts hurt people with disabilities and those whose budgets don’t include cars, but they would cost the county in expanded road and infrastructure repair as the county grows, according to several people who testified at the board’s Thursday meeting.
Commissioners are considering elimination of two routes and reduction of others, while expanding a new mictrotransit van service. But although some commissioners expressed support for transit, the majority stood by their earlier decision to open a public comment period on the route-cutting plan. The comment period will involve surveys of riders and online and is set to end in mid-March. No action on the routes can be taken until after the comment period.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Winfield to curb curbside recycling
Recycling options provided by the City of Winfield will change soon in response to a changing market for recyclables, city manager Taggart Wall said Friday.
According to Wall, beginning this spring only corrugated cardboard will be accepted for curbside pickup in Winfield.
The recycling center at Strother Field will open to the public on a limited basis for people who want to recycle clean, sorted glass, aluminum and other materials. Operating hours will be announced later.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Winfield chosen as site of proposed $80 million power plant
A new power plant addition is proposed to be constructed at the site of the current E. 12th St. Power Plant in Winfield.
When the City Commission met in its work session on Thursday, a new generation resource to benefit the City of Winfield and all member cities of the Kansas Power Pool was a centerpiece discussion.
The plant, an approximately $80 million investment, is estimated to have generation capability of 55 megawatts. The current E. 12th Plant has generation capability of 27 megawatts and will remain in active use. The timing for installation is soon after December 2022.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Commissioners hear about security issues at Winfield courthouse
The need to improve courthouse security was one of the subjects discussed in the Cowley County Commissions first work session Thursday morning. The session, at which no action was taken, lasted almost three hours and covered four topics. It provided commissioners Wayne Wilt, Alan Groom and Bob Voegele and county administrator Lucas Goff an opportunity to discuss several issues in depth.
Goff said because the north and south annexes are much newer than the main courthouse, they have safety features missing from the older building.
He said every time he does a walk-through with the county’s insurance companies, they suggest the county would do better with their insurance rates if they took care of some of their security problems.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Ark City could lose millions if all residents aren’t counted in census
Arkansas City lost out on an estimated $30 million in the past decade because not all of its population was counted in the last census, according to a presentation Thursday.
That’s one reason the Ark City Complete Count Committee wants to make sure that local citizens understand the importance of the upcoming Census 2020.
Committee Chair Anita Judd-Jenkins, a former legislator, gave a presentation Thursday at the Avery Family Learning Center.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)
Couch will be next superintendent at USD 364 Marysville
Michael Couch, 55, was named new superintendent of Marysville’s public schools Friday.
Couch has 33 years of experience in education with nine of those as a superintendent. He was superintendent in Haviland for two years and has spent the past seven years as superintendent at Belleville-Republic County. His experience included overseeing a $17.2 million school improvement project.
(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)