Kansas Municipal News
Mysterious drone sightings reported in Marshall County
At least two sets of drones flying in formation were reported in Marshall County in the past week. They’re among several reports of groups of drones flying in Nebraska, northern Kansas and northeast Colorado in December and January.
Marshall County Sheriff Dan Hargrave said Monday that a caller reported a set of drones over a farm about a half mile south of Bremen about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
Hargrave said no action was taken. Marshall County Undersheriff Tim Ackerman said Tuesday that the agency didn’t report it to the Federal Aviation Administration because they were waiting to see whether more reports were made.
(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)
Riley County losing out on $661,000 in revenue since mortgage tax phase out
Riley County lost out on $661,000 in tax revenue in 2019 mortgage registration fees after the Kansas legislature voted in 2014 to begin a five-year phase out of fees, said Debbie Regester, the county’s register of deeds.
“I guess I’m the only register of deeds in the state of Kansas that still continues to gripe about this or bring it to the board,” Regester said. “In counties that are much larger than ours, I can’t even imagine how much revenue they’ve lost.”
In 2018, the last year of the tax’s phaseout, the county collected $200,792 in mortgage registration tax fees. No tax was collected in 2019, but Regester said that if the 0.026% mortgage registration tax were still in place, the county would have collected $661,000.
(Read more: DerbyInformer.com – news,news/)
JoCo program focuses on jobs for people with disabilities
A Johnson County agency has set two meetings for families interested in finding community employment for loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The discussion will focus on Project SEARCH, which is for individuals 18 and over. Operated by Johnson County Developmental Supports, the program places people in a host business, where they participate, in three internship rotations and learn marketable, transferable skills.
“The goal of the program is employment for each intern — defined as a minimum of 16 hours per week in a competitive, integrated setting, earning a prevailing wage or higher,” the county said in a news release. The program will begin its seventh year in August.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
City of Wichita launches interactive map for snow plow tracking
Condition of roads in south central Kansas are changing with the wintry mix making its way into the metro area. With the rain, ice, and snow expected overnight Thursday, it could create possible slick spots and make travel tricky.
The City of Wichita now has a new interactive web page that allows citizens to track the location of the City’s snow plows.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Sales tax on Netflix? State budget proposal could add to your bill
The state budget presented to lawmakers by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly comes with a recommendation to add a sales tax on online services where you can watch your favorite movies, play your favorite video games and listen to your favorite music.
The tax on “all sales of digital property and subscription services,” includes music and video games you download and streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ Amazon Prime, etc…
The added sales tax to “all sales of digital property” would take effect July 1, the proposed budget says.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Council members and activists react to proposed Riverfront plan without Century II
The final plans for the Arkansas riverfront are out and they do not include century two. Tuesday night the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition unveiled its vision for the riverfront. Some are upset it gets rid of the iconic round blue roof building in downtown.
A variety of Wichita city council members say they have been receiving a number of calls in regards to the proposal. Council member, Brandon Johnson say if he had to vote today he would be in favor of the master plan. “Our performing arts community and city deserve to have world class performing arts. Our citizens have demanded more interactive green space by the river that also allows them to engage the river more and this gives us convention space that will attract better opportunities for our citizens,” said Johnson.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
After current tech showed reliability issues, Mission moves to replace police body cameras
The Mission city council on Wednesday approved the expenditure of just over $175,000 to replace the police department’s aging in-car video and body camera equipment.
A loss of man hours and equipment failure led the department to look for a replacement system, according to city documents. As previously reported, the body cameras Mission police officers have been using aren’t “high quality” and weren’t functional in some situations. Police Chief Ben Hadley had said the current body cameras, which are now about six or seven years old, would fall off in the middle of a sprint or physical confrontation.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Municipal Bond Trends for January 16, 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.
Hesston’s wastewater operator thrives in isolation at wastewater plant
Kyle Headrick likes being left all alone to oversee operations of Hesston’s wastewater treatment plant.
“I’m not a huge people person, so I thought I would enjoy it out here,” he said.
Kirk Matz asked Headrick if he was interested in working for the city in early 1989. The former master plumber said he was if he could get a job at the wastewater treatment plant after Bill Nitzsche retired. After about seven years of working for the water department, Headrick switched departments.
Headrick spends his days keeping track of effluent, bacteria levels and inflows and dewatering sludge, among other chores. He said he rarely heard feedback because most sewage problems happened with the collection system, such as sewer backups.
“Most people don’t even know this is here, I don’t think,” he said about the plant at 7119 N. Hesston Road.
(Read more: Harvey County Now)
Jayhawk Wind Farm Project causing concerns in Bourbon County
Tensions heighten with Bourbon County residents as they go before commissioners to voice their concern with the Jayhawk Wind Farm Project.
This afternoon, commissioners held a forum along with representatives from Jayhawk Wind to hear how the turbines could affect the community.
Kim Simons lives in the county and isn’t happy about the possibility of a turbine being on her property.
She says she’s afraid the turbines won’t benefit those whose land they’re on.
And, she adds she doesn’t want her tax dollars going to something that might not benefit the community.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Boeing 737 Max production halt in Wichita ‘was not our fault,’ county commissioner says
The new chairman of the Sedgwick County Commission said the economic issues in Wichita from the suspension of the Boeing 737 Max are “not our fault,” adding that he expects a long-term recovery “will be right around the corner.”
Pete Meitzner, who was chosen as the commission chairman on Wednesday, told reporters at a news conference that the county can “get through” mass layoffs at the largest employer in the state’s largest city.
”This is not good news, but we have experienced real economic downturn that resulted in far more numbers of people losing their jobs,” Meitzner said. “This was not our fault. The Max was not our fault, but we are suffering from it. But the rest of the country is still economically going, so we can get through this.”
(Read more: Local News |)
Bagwell wants city to ease approach toward property owners
Incoming Hutchinson City Councilmember Sara Bagwell will take office next week, and her message to the Hutchinson Housing Commission resonated with some members.
On Wednesday afternoon, Bagwell urged a change in the city’s approach toward owners of properties not compliant with city code. After she and incoming City Councilmember Steve Garza left the commission session and after the commission dealt with its regular meeting agenda, commissioners returned to the earlier discussion.
Housing Commissioner Aubrey Patterson agreed with changing the tone and look of the official letter to property owners to make it friendlier and less threatening, but doesn’t want to change the city’s standards. Others concurred with Patterson. Fellow Commissioner Roy Little said he was shocked when he first saw the letter, saying it “was written by lawyers.”
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
$1 billion plan replaces Century II, transforms Wichita’s downtown riverfront
The future of downtown Wichita’s Riverfront and how much that future will cost comes into focus.
Tuesday night, the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition’s design team revealed a plan that includes a new performing arts and convention center and tears down Century II.
The design team expects the project for to cost just north of $1 billion (somewhere between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion). With the expected cost, the team revealed where this cost will be covered.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Lindsborg pursues RHID to jumpstart new housing market
The City of Lindsborg is in the process of establishing a Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID) for a new housing development called Stockholm Estates that will break ground this spring.
The Stockholm Estates subdivision, with 150 planned lots, will be located on the east side of Lindsborg to the west of Elmwood Cemetery between Wells Fargo Rd and E. Saline St.
RHIDs allow cities of less than 60,000 population to use tax dollars to reimburse developers for the cost of installing new infrastructure. These districts are eligible for residential uses only and can only be used for the addition of public infrastructure projects.
(Read more: McPherson Weekly News » Feed)
Goessel Schools closed Thursday and Friday due to widespread illness
The Goessel school district (USD 411) closes for the rest of the week and cancels activities through the weekend “due to high numbers of ill students.”
Superintendent John Fast tells Eyewitness News the district is dealing with Influenza A, B and what’s commonly known as the “stomach flu.” He says 61 out of 291 students are sick.
Fast says the district called in the Marion County Health Department for an on-site consultation. After that, the district felt it was best to keep kids home.
(Read more: KWCH News)
City of Wichita seeks public input to improve transit
When it comes to getting around your community, Wichita’s leadership seeks input for improvement.
A survey conducted by Wichita Transit, in coordination with the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) aims to identify local interests “in an effort to better align routes, bus stops, and amenities with ridership patterns and regional priorities for walkability.”
A public open house and mobile meetings are set from noon to 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Wichita Transit Center, 214 South Topeka Street.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Wichita Police Department sees record number of women in latest recruiting class
A dozen woman will soon start on a new career path and in that process, set a new record for the Wichita Police Department. The department says this group of future female officers is the most women it’s ever had in a recruiting class.
“it’s our time to shine,” WPD recruit Vanessa Campos says.
She says she’s pursuing a career with the department to give back to the community where she grew up. She says she decided that joining Wichita’s police force is the best way for her to help keep her city safe.
Wichita Police Sgt. Jeremy Vogel says adding diversity to the force can make the department more successful in keeping the community safe.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Coming Soon to Pittsburg: New Schlanger Park Attraction
Pittsburg city commissioners dive right into the first meeting of 2020 by giving the green light on a new project at Schlanger Park that is sure to make a splash.
The city recently was awarded a grant through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism called the “Land and Water Conservation Fund.”
That funding will go to a project that will remodel the old swimming pool at Schlanger Pakr into a splash pad.
It was the city commission who officially accepted the grant Monday night.
But the Parks and Rec Department announced that thanks to the Everybody Plays Committee along various city staff, contractors, and donors across the community, the grant had been matched.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Municipal Bond Trends for January 15, 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.
Shawnee launches hotline for odor complaints about landfill
The city of Shawnee has launched a new hotline phone number for people to call if they have a complaint about odor from the landfill. …
This makes a slight change to the Citizen Service Request system that the city has in place for addressing issues. Previously, the city had taken odor complaints linked to the landfill through an online system or through the city’s Shawnee Connect app.
Julie Breithaupt, communications manager for Shawnee, said the reason behind the change is to allow landfill management to address odor concerns more quickly and efficiently.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)