Kansas Municipal News
‘Hurt our hearts’: Kansas town grieves 4 children killed in Thanksgiving Day wreck
A small town in north-central Kansas is grieving the loss of four children who died Thanksgiving Day when the vehicle they were in overturned and became submerged in a pond.
They were headed with their mother and her boyfriend to a nearby relative’s house when their sport utility vehicle lost control on 30 Road, a gravel route north of U.S. 36 in Republic County.
The SUV rolled upside down. The mother’s boyfriend pulled her out, but they couldn’t get to the children, according to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardner.
(Read more: Local News |)
Mission gears up for change in trash collection provider, with WCA to take over Jan. 1
Be on the lookout, Mission residents: soon enough, garbage bins and trucks with a new logo will be on the streets.
WCA, a Houston-based waste management company, will start as Mission’s new solid waste collection provider starting Jan. 1, 2020. The city’s contract with Waste Management ends Dec. 31, and the city council recently chose to award a new contract to WCA after a competitive bid process.
“We’re looking forward to a relationship with WCA and being able to continue to provide comprehensive solid waste services to all of our residents,” City Administrator Laura Smith said.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Wichita area’s second-biggest employer announces layoffs
One of Wichita’s largest employers will reduce its staff but the company isn’t saying by how many.
On Thursday, Textron Aviation announced it would lay off “some professional positions” effective Dec. 31.
A Textron spokesperson wouldn’t release any additional information other than the two-paragraph statement.
(Read more: Local News |)
Wind farm opponent arrested in alleged shooting incident
An Expedition Wind Farm opponent was arrested Thursday after surveyors staking property in preparation for wind farm construction were reportedly greeted with gunshots.
Amy D. Stutzman, 46, Peabody, was jailed at 3:23 p.m. Thursday afternoon on suspicion of three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was released from jail on $50,000 surety bond shortly before 10 p.m.
Undersheriff Dave Huntley said Stutzman was yelling at surveyors for Westwood Professional Services and approaching the surveyors while shooting at the ground in their direction.
(Read more: Marion County RECORD)
Goessel mayor leads $2.5M sewer project
Dave Schrag has retired from Marion Die and Fixture after 34 years, but Goessel’s mayor still has plenty on his plate.
Schrag is heading up a $2.5 million project to fix and renovate the city’s sewer lines.
Schrag said the sewer pipes had numerous cracks, which allowed rainwater to run into them, causing a buildup of water in the lagoons.
(Read more: Marion County RECORD)
Downtown Garden City thrives through camaraderie
Several Garden City downtown businesses buy goods from one another. They use these items from other merchants to make food, soap and beer to resell. By helping each other, these merchants are helping the downtown to thrive. They are revitalizing their community.
“When our neighbors are doing well, we are all doing well,” said Alicia Gian-Maciulis, the owner of Roots Juice Co. & Wellness Studio. “We don’t want empty store fronts. We want unique stores and restaurants so people come here for a unique experience. We want it to be experiential.”
There are 140 businesses in the Garden City downtown corridor, with 10 new businesses opening last year and five more in 2019.
(Read more: News – Butler County Times Gazette)
Imagine Pittsburg 2030 committee gives update
PITTSBURG — At an event hosted Thursday evening to discuss future infrastructure and economic development, Deputy City Manager Jay Byers used an analogy from “Alice in Wonderland” to explain the city’s need for long-term planning.
“We know about the Cheshire Cat in ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ right?” Byers said. “The Cheshire Cat asks Alice where she’s going and she doesn’t really know, and he says ‘Well it doesn’t really matter which path you take, then.’ I want to avoid the Cheshire Cat situation. If we have a plan, we need to know where we’re headed with that and where we want to be as a community 5, 10, 20 years from now.”
The event, titled “Imagine Pittsburg 2030: A Community Conversation” and held at Block22 in downtown Pittsburg, also featured other speakers including Brian Coomes, a civil engineer with Olsson Associates, as well as Blake Benson and Susan Cook, co-chairs of the Imagine Pittsburg 2030 (IP2030) Economic Development Task Force.
(Read more: News – Butler County Times Gazette)
Election commissioner in Kansas’ most populous county calls it quits
The top election officer of Johnson County resigned Thursday to close a nearly four-year period clouded by delays in reporting results of voting, the botched rollout of a new election computer system and a violation of the state’s open record law regarding rejection of nearly 1,000 ballots.
Ronnie Metsker, former state legislator and Republican Party official, was appointed in 2016 and reappointed last year. He submitted his resignation effective immediately rather than complete a term due to expire in September 2022.
Secretary of State Scott Schwab accepted the resignation, assumed supervision of the Johnson County Elections Office and opened the application process to identify a replacement for Metsker. In a statement, Schwab didn’t explain why Metsker quit.
(Read more: News – Butler County Times Gazette)
In attempt to revamp property on Troost, Overland Park councilman Farassati experiences other side of development criticism
Overland Park Councilmember Faris Farassati, who announced this week he is considering running for Overland Park mayor in 2021, has often been at odds with the developers who come asking for tax incentives. It happened just Monday night, in fact, in a lengthy exchange with lawyer John Petersen about the Brookridge project. That conversation ended with a not-quite-convincing, “Thank you councilman. Always enjoy talking to you,” from Petersen.
But across the state line, Farassati is beginning to get an idea of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of some of that skepticism. In Kansas City, Mo., cancer doctor Farassati himself is a developer – though on a much smaller scale than Brookridge. Farassati has a project that he says will help revitalized a troubled stretch of Troost Avenue.
So far it has not been completely smooth sailing.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
City of Dodge City Names New Convention and Visitors Bureau Manager
DODGE CITY, Kansas — The City of Dodge City Human Resources Office has announced that Megan Welsh has been selected as the next Convention and Visitors Bureau Manager to follow the retirement of current CVB Director, Jan Stevens.
Welsh has worked for the Dodge City CVB as a tourism Coordinator since 2017.
“I’m excited for Megan to move into this new role,” Stevens said. “She has done a great job for us in the two and a half years she has been with us, and based on all her qualifications along with her drive, and I believe she will excel.”
(Read more: Western Kansas News)
City discusses having FOTZ manage Topeka Zoo
Deputy city manager Doug Gerber told the Topeka City Council this past Tuesday he hoped to “take its temperature” regarding whether it wanted to continue to move toward potentially having the Topeka Zoo be managed by the nonprofit Friends of the Topeka Zoo.
Councilmen Tony Emerson, Neil Dobler, Mike Lesser and Brendan Jensen replied by indicating they were warming up to that concept. The council had just heard support for it voiced by FOTZ President Fred Patton and Topeka Zoo director Brendan Wiley, who would continue to hold his position under the proposed arrangement.
“I don’t know how to run a zoo, but I have the utmost confidence in these two gentlemen, not only in their abilities but also in where their hearts are at,” Lesser said.
(Read more: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Passing of torch: New mayor talks quality of life
EL DORADO — After a touching rendition of the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance led by the Flint Hills Rock and Rollers, outgoing Mayor Vince Haines was recognized for his two terms as mayor of El Dorado. He was presented with gifts from city staff and his fellow commissioners, before handing the gavel to incoming mayor, Bill Young.
In one of his last statements as Mayor, Haines shared his underlying vision when he took office four years ago.
“Collaboration and communication with staff and the Commission, along with having trust and spirited dialog, and then being able to leave each meeting with respect for one another was my underlying goal as mayor.”
(Read more: andoveramerican.com)
Young leaders make Atchison home
Justin Pregont is eager to show off his town to visitors, and quickly navigates downtown streets surrounding the city building where he works, in spite of the slow but steady stream of traffic.
He grew up here in Atchison, and after a time away earning his master’s degree at the University of Kansas and working in a suburb of Kansas City, he returned. He’s now the assistant city manager and raising his family in the northeast Kansas town of 11,000.
While he was pleased to return, his wife Melinda Pregont, freely admits that moving back to Atchison was not an easy decision to make. “I really wanted to stay in Kansas City,” she said. “It was very challenging for me to come back here.”
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
ELC-Z workshops conclude with residential discussion
The ELC-Z zoning workshop series concluded Thursday evening at the Civic Building with a discussion on residential and other personal property topics.
City of Emporia Planning and Zoning Officer Joe Foster and Lyon County Planning and Zoning Officer Sam Seeley took turns fielding questions from concerned parties, many of whom took issue not so much with proposed zoning regulations, but aspects of the comprehensive plan.
In Nov. 2017, Lyon County and City of Emporia officials completed and unanimously adopted a joint zoning regulations draft known as PlanELC. Since then, both have been working to update their zoning regulations for its support in implementation. PlanELC includes diagrams and proposed concepts for future growth, including drawings of what streets could look like in a more modern downtown area and more. Addressing issues with some of the possible design choices, Seeley reminded those in attendance that the comprehensive plan would never supersede existing zoning regulations.
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)
County commission rejects jail project bid for second time
Lyon County Commissioners rejected a project bid for a hot water system replacement at the county jail during a brief action session Thursday morning.
Offered by SGI of Liberty, Missouri, the proposed bid came in at a higher rate than engineers anticipated, forcing a unanimous “no” vote. The meeting marked the second time commissioners were forced to reject a bid on the project due to cost.
“It’s frustrating, being that this is the second time we’ve had to put it out for bid,” Commissioner Dan Slater said. “The first time, we only got one bid from a single company, and a lot of the local merchants were interested but didn’t bid on it. The first bid was too high, so we put it out for bid again … The same company was the only one to bid on it again this time, but the price was even higher than it was the first time.”
(Read more: Emporia Gazette)
Lake Fort Scott residents will pay more for sewer service
Sewer customers in the Lake Sewer District No. 1 at Lake Fort Scott will see rate hikes next year.
After hearing remarks from City Manager Dave Martin Tuesday, Fort Scott City commissioners approved increasing the user rate for lake sewer customers from $15.77 per month based on 3,000 gallons for each residence, to a base rate of $22.79 per month per 2,300 gallons of water metered, and $2.12 for water metered beyond the base rate per 750 gallons.
See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)
Energy audit completed, city signs contract to begin money-saving projects
Fort Scott City Commissioners took another step Tuesday in saving money for the city on energy costs.
Commissioners approved a resolution for an energy services contract with Schneider Electric as well as an ordinance establishing a lease purchase transaction with the company. According to a Dec. 4 news release from Schneider Electric, the city-wide infrastructure revitalization project will “drive economic development and enhance city buildings.”
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)
What’s the future for Century II?
It’s something that’s been a hot topic around town for years now… What is the future for Century II?
“It really is a once in 100 year moment for us to look at this part of our city and figure it out,” said Jon Rolph, member of the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan.
All kinds of suggestions and ideas have been flying around on social media, everything from the infamous aquarium idea that went viral, to Bill Warren offering to step in and help.
“I’ve had conversations with Bill. We reached out and are setting up a meeting with him to see if there’s really any ideas for a good new use of Century II,” said Rolph.
But… What does all this actually mean?
(Read more: KAKE – News)
City Council to vote on new union contract that includes pay raise for Wichita Firefighters
Hundreds of Wichita firefighters may soon get a bump in their paychecks.
Next week the Wichita City Council is expected to vote on a new contract with IAFF Local 135, the Wichita Firefighters Union.
The three-year contract calls for 2.5% raise plus a 1.5% general pay adjustment.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Sidewalk Reimbursement Available in Lakin & Deerfield
Replacing or adding sidewalks in front or on the side of your house has never been easier in Kearny County. Thanks to the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant, the sidewalk reimbursement rate has doubled and is now $8.00 per linear foot.
(Source: Lakin Independent)