Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Dodge City commissioners approve housing contract, budget tweaks

At a special meeting Monday, Dodge City commissioners voted unanimously to approve a $137,335 contract with SMH Consultants for improvements to Iron Road and the platting of the future Candletree No. 6 subdivision north of town.

They also voted unanimously to approve minor amendments to the city’s 2019 budget in time to comply with state budget requirements for Kansas municipalities.

Because of phone difficulties, Commissioner Jan Scoggins was absent and didn’t vote.

The Iron Road and Candletree #6 subdivision are installments that are part of the Rural Housing Incentive District program meant to meet the housing needs of a growing workforce in Dodge City.

Osage City designated as opportunity zone; opens tax incentives for investors

Osage City, Kan., has been designated as an opportunity zone after being one of 74 census tracts across Kansas nominated for the designation in April 2018. The opportunity zone designation by the U.S. Department of Treasury allows communities to be eligible to receive investments through Qualified Opportunity Funds to spur local economic growth.

Opportunity zones are an economic development tool enacted by the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and offers investors preferential tax treatment for capital gains invested in designated low income communities. The program is designed to encourage long term investment in economically distressed areas and promote economic growth. The investments are to provide support to projects focused on a wide array of issues including downtown revitalizations, improvements to workforce housing, and expansions of industrial parks and innovation districts.

(Read more: Osage County News)

Council approves 1% CID sales tax for redevelopment of Lenexa Point Shopping Center

The city of Lenexa on Dec. 17 agreed to establish a community improvement district that adds a 1% sales tax on all retail in the Lenexa Point Shopping Center.

The funds from the sales tax, which kicks in April 1, 2020 and will be in place for 22 years, are to be used for renovations and improvements to the aging shopping center on about 14 acres at the northwest corner of 87th Street Parkway and Maurer Road.

The property owners — HB Building LLC, Penn Properties Holdings LLC and Knewtson Properties LLC — applied for the CID.

County commission approves communications tower permits

Lyon County Commissioners unanimously approved a pair of conditional use permits allowing for the construction of two new communications towers during an action session Thursday morning.

The towers — which will be located in the 2300 Block of Road G near Americus and the 700 Block of Road M near Olpe — will be operated by US Cellular with the goal of providing a signal boost to customers in more rural areas. The towers are expected to be approximately 150 feet tall and could eventually be used by other cell service providers pending future leasing agreements.

“These towers are stand-alone towers, so they don’t need any of the extra wiring or lighting,” Commissioner Scott Briggs said. “Hopefully they’ll be able to get people in Olpe and Americus some better service in the area … If these towers ever end up falling due to weather or things like that, they’re built to collapse on themselves so there should be no extra danger there, too. Both of them were approved by the [Zoning and Planning] Board beforehand, so our approval went through pretty easy.”

(Read more: Emporia Gazette)

Kansas police officer fabricated McDonald’s coffee cup story ‘as a joke,’ chief says

The Herington police chief said a former police officer fabricated an incident with a McDonald’s coffee cup involving an expletive and a pejorative “as a joke.”

Herington Police Chief Brian Hornaday said in a news conference that a police officer at the center of the case is no longer with the department. Hornaday had originally claimed in a Facebook post that a McDonald’s employee wrote “(expletive) pig” on a coffee cup given to one of his officers, and that it was “a black eye” on Junction City.

“This is now, absolutely, a black eye on law enforcement,” Hornaday said in the news conference.

Stafford County makes plan for joint extension district with Edwards County

Combined resources is a necessary change for rural Kansas counties, according to leadership in Stafford County.

Declining budgets and difficulty hiring agents has led to many counties in Kansas consolidating into larger Extension districts under the umbrella of K-State Research and Extension services. Stafford County and Edwards County agents see advantages to a combination between the two counties that would enable them to provide better services to their constituents.

“It’s true, as they say, that most of us are better together or two of something is better than one,” said K-State Research and Extension Agent Stafford County Amy Collins. “The same holds true for rural areas trying to stay relevant, progressive and be resilient in an ever changing world.“

(Read more: Kiowa County Signal)

Liberal’s DMV office completes renovations to enhance services

The DMV office in Liberal has already undergone some changes in recent times, with the biggest change being a change in operating hours and recently, the office saw some renovations done.

The renovation work started at the beginning of December, and according to David Harper, Director of Motor Vehicles, the work in the Liberal office was part of a statewide project that had been discussed last year.

“It had started about a year ago, we’d been talking about our driver’s license refresh project and started working with our regional managers so we could put together a list of offices that would need to be relocated or remodeled/rehabbed,” Harper said. “We’ve been working on a lot of offices throughout the state, so this has been on our radar since roughly last year and we got the Liberal office done recently. Statewide, as we got out and visited the offices across the state, it was very apparent there were several that weren’t performing fully to the standards we wanted, so that prompted the start of discussing the project. Then we started talking to our regional managers and some other employees and they let us know some of the things they thought should be done in order to improve not only the appearance but overall function. Then we took those ideas and drew up some plans and those things and we got to work.”

(Read more: Liberal First)

Diamond Vista pays Marion County $269,325

Marion County received its first payment in lieu of taxes check for $269,325 from Diamond Vista wind farm Dec. 16, county clerk Tina Spencer said.
It appears that no money was withheld from the county for consulting fees of more than $686,000 despite a clause in the agreement with Enel Green Power that would have allowed it to deduct from its payments any amount that exceeded $250,000.
“It appears to be the full PILOT payment, but I would have to verify by looking back at our agreement,” Spencer said.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Kansas Election Officials Say They’re On Guard For Hackers Messing With Your 2020 Vote

Kansas and federal election officials say they know the 2020 election could come under attack from foreign governments or rogue hackers. They also insist they’re braced to guard against efforts to tamper with voting.

In recent elections, Russian hackers tried to breach election systems in more than 20 states and successfully accessed voter registration data in Illinois. The top election official in Kansas assumes the state’s voting system could be next.

“We got a U.S. Senate seat up for election, so that even makes it more of a target,” Republican Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab said. “We’re not going to assume we’re safe, even though we are right now.”

(Read more: Rural Messenger)

‘He cares deeply about the city of Lenexa.’ Travis Vaughn new Fire Department chief

Travis Vaughn is succeeding Lonny Owens as the chief of the Lenexa Fire Department, as of Dec. 21. The appointment follows Owens’ retirement.

Vaughn has worked 25 years in the department, which has more than 90 employees. He began as a firefight and advanced to captain, battalion chief of operations, battalion chief of emergency medical services, division chief of administration and deputy chief.

“I have great confidence that Travis will excel in this new role,” Lenexa City Manager Beccy Yocham said in a news release. “He cares deeply about the city of Lenexa and will do an exceptional job leading this important department that provides vital services for our community.”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Top leaders wrap up Reno County careers

Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst called Monday “a joyful and sad day” as the commission presented framed certificates to a trio of leaders who are leaving their posts after their last day of employment Friday: County Administrator Gary Meagher, Public Works director Dave McComb and Sheriff Randy Henderson.

Hirst said he knows Meagher works long hours.

“I see your pickup here early and late,” Hirst said.

Commissioner Ron Sellers said he has never worked with someone as open, candid and helpful to a commissioner as Meager, who worked for the county for 10 years. His successor, Randy Partington, will start Feb. 17.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Jackson County

The Kansas Department of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Jackson County, Kansas.

On November 13, 2019, EAB adults and larvae were recovered from a girdled tree trap near Denison by KDA in cooperation with local citizens, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-APHIS-PPQ), and the Kansas Forest Service. KDA sent the specimens to a laboratory with USDA-APHIS-PPQ which confirmed KDA’s findings on November 22.

(Read more: Rural Messenger)

Shawnee tables Tobacco 21 ordinance, restricts future locations of e-cigarette shops in the city

The Shawnee city council has tabled the discussion and adoption of a Tobacco 21 ordinance.

The proposed ordinance would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to people ages 18 to 20 in the city of Shawnee.

Councilmember Eric Jenkins on Monday had suggested tabling the vote on Tobacco 21 until the federal government had determined next steps on the legal purchasing age for tobacco products. Last Friday, President Donald Trump had signed a $1.4 trillion spending package that raises the federal legal age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21.

JoCo commission OKs funding for portion of county-wide housing assessment

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners last week approved the expenditure of $50,000 toward the cost of a county-wide study to assess the area’s housing inventory and needs for the future.

Housing affordability issues has gained prominence in Johnson County in recent years, as more and more residents have struggled to find jobs that pay enough for them to afford to live here. United Community Services of Johnson County, the non-profit organization that analyzes data on human services in the area and organizes efforts for collaboration between the county, city governments and other groups, has raised concerns about the growing issue of housing affordability in Johnson County, making it a key message at this year’s Human Services Summit.

UCS will oversee the study, which is forecast to cost about $110,000. Seventeen of Johnson County’s 19 cities have agreed to contribute to the remainder of the cost not covered by the county’s allocation. The organization is expected to deliver the report in October 2020.

Judge rejects permits for northwest Kansas hog operations

A judge has invalidated two state permits allowing construction of large hog production operations in northwest Kansas that environmentalists deemed too close to surface water.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County District Court Judge Richard Anderson ruled earlier this month that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment violated state law. The permits were issued for four operations in Norton and Phillips counties in 2017 and 2018, under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

The operations were under common management tied to prominent northwest Kansas hog farmer Terry Nelson but organized with as separate companies. KDHE allowed construction of each facility up to 250 feet from surface water. A single larger facility would have had to be 500 feet away.

Prairie Village gets grant from state for playground surfaces made of waste tire material

The Kansas State Department of Health and Environment has awarded the city of Prairie Village a grant that will help complete access loops at two local parks using recycled materials.

The state’s Waste Tire Grant program provides municipalities with matching funds for projects that incorporate waste tire material. Prairie Village will add paths made from the material that will connect sidewalks to ADA transfer stations at Franklin Park (83rd and Somerset) and Weltner Park (79th and State Line Road).

The city says these new installations will “provide a loop of connectivity for our residents with special mobility needs at the park.”

empirical to Open Ground Beef Facility in Kansas

Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. December 23, 2019 —The empirical family of companies announced today that it will soon begin the construction of a new ground beef facility in Garden City, Kansas. The new facility will supplement empirical’s existing production at its South Sioux City, Nebraska location and represent the largest single investment in the company’s 40-year history.

Craig Letch, president of empirical foods, inc., noted that, “Demand for empirical’s lean ground beef requires us to significantly increase our processing capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers. This presents an exciting opportunity for the future of our company and the communities that we call home.”

When fully operational, the Garden City facility will more than double empirical’s current ground beef capacity and employ about 300 employees in the Garden City region. Given the technologically advanced nature of the empirical ground beef operations, there will be a greater need for skilled staff which will entail on the job training at the state-of-the-art facility.

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Reno County OKs cash incentive for GeoChemicals

GeoChemicals LLC, a Hutchinson-based corporation formed in March and employing 12 people as of this week, will receive up to $50,000 in cash from Reno County if it fulfills goals in an agreement approved Monday by the Reno County Commission.

“Every little bit helps,” said Jason West, chairman of the board for GeoChemicals LLC, especially when the company is in its infancy, he said.

GeoChemicals falls “into a very specific niche” in the oil and gas industry, West said. After wells are drilled and the pump jack is put in place, that is when GeoChemicals’ work begins. It will keep the pump jack running and in good repair, he said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

With need growing and resources dwindling, Shawnee Mission residents step up to boost Cares Fund

Shawnee Mission residents have come through in recent days to help shore up a fund critical to helping students and their families in need.

The Shawnee Mission Education Foundation’s Cares Fund was established to help provide financial assistance to district families facing financial stresses: unpaid rent after unexpected medical expenses, for example, or utility bills after a lost job.

Over the fall, the foundation saw more requests than ever before come in. With disbursements of more than $30,000 over the past 12 months, the fund balance had dipped into negative territory.

City approves increased spending for Economic Development Services

Annually, the City contracts with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development related services. On Tuesday, December 17, the City Commission authorized execution of the Chamber’s contract for 2020, with an increase of $350,000, bringing their total to $493,080.

Along with the Chamber’s regularly contracted services, the Chamber intends to use the additional funding for three primary focus areas: economic diversification, talent sustainability, and entrepreneurial dynamism. Specific uses of the additional funds include hiring a Director of Economic Development and a Workforce Officer, as well as fund additional economic research, business and industrial park planning, developing a recruitment and retention marketing plan, and contract with an organization to maintain an entrepreneurial ecosystem to enable and empower small startups to grow.

(Read more: Manhattan – News Flash)