Kansas Municipal News
State sues trailer park owner for violating drinking water regulations
State health officials have filed a suit in Reno County District Court seeking enforcement action against the owners of Western Acres Mobile Home Park for failing to properly treat the public water supply system in the trailer park northwest of Hutchinson.
The property at 4718 Nickerson Boulevard has been under a “boil water advisory” for more than 15 months as the owner, Justin Whitt, doing business as Premium Management LLC, 322 N. Main, has repeatedly ignored orders from the state.
A Shawnee County judge in June issued a journal entry ordering Whit to comply with a May 2018 Administrative Order from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Topeka JUMP, others show support for the city’s SOTO Ride-To-Work Program
Deborah Vance’s son, Marcus, has used Topeka’s SOTO Ride-to-Work Program for almost three months. Because of the program, he’s never missed or been late to a regularly-scheduled shift.
Vance’s son works at the Target Distribution Center in southwest Topeka, but he lives near the Wanamaker corridor. If it weren’t for the SOTO program, he wouldn’t have a way to get to work, as the city’s bus lines don’t run far enough south.
“He has chronic asthma and one kidney, and he’s not able to ride a bike,” Vance said. “So for him to be able to get here through SOTO ensures that he’s able to keep his job.”
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
County commission to consider move regarding Family Park
The Shawnee County Commission on Monday will consider taking a step toward developing a comprehensive master plan for the Family Park the county plans to create just south of S.W. 21st and Urish Road.
That proposal is among items on the agenda when Commissioners Bill Riphahn, Kevin Cook and Aaron Mays meet at 9 a.m. in their chambers in Room B-11 of the County Courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th.
The Topeka City Council won’t meet this coming Tuesday because it will be the fourth Tuesday of the month, and the council only meets on the first three Tuesdays.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Shawnee County wins suit alleging it failed to accommodate deaf woman
Shawnee County this month emerged victorious in a lawsuit filed against it in 2016 by a deaf woman who alleged the county arrested her without probable cause and failed to accommodate her disability, the county announced this week in a news release.
The lawsuit officially came to a close in the county’s favor with the passing of the Nov. 15 deadline by which plaintiff Carolyn Hans could have appealed a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling in the county’s favor to the U.S. Supreme Court, said Shawnee County counselor Jim Crowl.
Hans — who was born deaf, to deaf parents — in June 2016 filed the nine-count suit alleging various violations of her civil rights, Kansas torts law and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Wichita Police Department hosts roundtable with criminal justice experts at WSU
Tenasia Taylor, a Southeast High School student, said that since she moved to Wichita four years ago, she has lost at least four friends due to gun violence or in fatal crashes that occurred while friends were fleeing from police.
That, combined with her own hardships, led Taylor to ask for a ride to Saturday’s roundtable discussion put on by the Wichita Police Department. The topic: “What’s Going On and What More Can We Do.”
The lunch was sponsored by Evergy. About 100 people attended the event at Wichita State University’s Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. Attendees could talk with 11 pundits in the criminal justice field.
(Read more: Local News |)
Lenexa, Integrated Roadways sign MOU for smart pavement deployment showcase in City Center
Lenexa has taken the first official step with local company Integrated Roadways to embark on the country’s first and largest deployment and showcase of smart pavement technology.
The Lenexa city council on Tuesday unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with Integrated Roadways that facilitates a public-private partnership for the $8-10 million smart infrastructure installation at five intersections in and around Lenexa City Center, just west of I-435 at 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard.
The MOU allows Integrated Roadways to access the right-of-way for installation and operations of smart pavement at four intersections on Renner Boulevard and one on the western side of City Center.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Block demonstrates CityPlace video panel capabilities ahead of Overland Park vote next month
Motorists on U.S. Highway 69 this week got another preview of some of the visuals that might become part of the skyline if Overland Park grants developer Ken Block’s request for a special use permit on his CityPlace office project.
The WellSky corporate office building at CityPlace, located just west of U.S. 69 several blocks south of the I-435 interchange, features a bank of video panels along its roofline that can be programmed to display any number of visuals. Block Real Estate Services held a demonstration of the LED boards’ capabilities this summer by featuring an animation of an abstract painting by Jeff Hanson, the visually impaired artist from Johnson County. A city committee recommended approval of the special use permit, which is set to go before the council for consideration early next month.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Fairway council adopts non-discrimination ordinance, making it 13th JoCo city to add LGBTQ+ legal protections
The Fairway city council on Thursday adopted a non-discrimination ordinance with legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, making it the 13th Johnson County municipality to put such a law on its books.
Fairway has been grappling with the exploration of an ordinance for over a year now. Mayor Melanie Hepperly called a special city council meeting for last night specifically to address the issue. Hepperly said she and the council have done their due diligence over the last year to do what’s best for Fairway. Hepperly said although she believes the protections offered by the NDO would have been better handled at the state or federal level, municipalities had to step up due to a lack of action by those officials.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Lack of county road upkeep by Apex concern
Neosho County Commissioners pressed developers of the Neosho Ridge wind electricity generation project and an engineer Thursday evening on road improvements in the southwest part of the county.
The issue came up Thursday evening from project critic and area resident Dustie Elsworth who said the developer, Apex Clean Energy, is not living up to its road maintenance agreement with the county.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)
Officials talk demand transfer losses, dark store theory at conference
Commissioners from as far away as Finney County in southwest Kansas traveled to Manhattan to attend the Riley County Legislative Conference on Thursday, when officials discussed losses in state revenue, the dark store theory and county home rule.
State Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan, Sen. Tom Hawk, D-Manhattan, Rep. Ron Highland, R-Wamego, Rep. Suzi Carlson, R-Clay Center, and Rep. Tom Phillips, R-Manhattan, also attended the conference ahead of the state legislative session, which starts in January.
Chair Ron Wells discussed the end of “demand transfers” in Kansas and how it impacts counties. Demand transfers — revenue distributed by the state to counties — are dictated by statute rather than appropriation acts.
(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)
Osawatomie plans holiday festival Dec. 7
Osawatomie’s Small Town Holiday Festival will keep people in the holiday spirit from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 at The Loft on Sixth, City Auditorium and John Brown State Park.
The Loft on Sixth,
425 Sixth St.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Holiday vendors for Christmas shopping; Chamber crafts for kids of all ages; Chamber coloring contest for kindergarten through fifth-grade; lunch items for purchase; drawings for a chance to win a holiday ham from Cow Palace.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
New trucks with ‘wing plows’ to make Topeka snow removal quicker
The city of Topeka will remove snow from streets quicker this winter as a result of its purchase of four dump trucks equipped with 8-foot-wide “wing plows” on the right side in addition to 12-foot-wide plows attached in front, city officials said Wednesday.
“This is a very big benefit,” city street operations manager Tony Trower said of having the wing plows. “I think it will serve the city of Topeka very well.”
The purchase increases from 21 to 25 the number of dump trucks and flatbed trucks the city has that can be used to plow streets, said city media relations coordinator Molly Hadfield.
(Read more: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Miami County RWD No. 3 marks 50th anniversary in operation
Water coursing through Miami County Rural Water District No. 3’s veins has done more than sustain the district and its customers for the past five decades. It has nurtured significant growth.
RWD No. 3 is marking its 50th anniversary this month. The water district was formed during the fall of 1969 when the Farmers Home Administration, the credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approved a $425,000 loan and a $45,000 grant for the district on Sept. 25, 1969.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
Wichita adds $14 Million federal grant to build multimodal transportation facility in Delano area
Wichita is getting a grant of $14 Million from the US Department of Transportation.
And it could include up to 600 parking spaces for the Delano area near the new baseball stadium.
“It provides a great transportation option at the baseball stadium that will be both placed on a bus line,” said Mayor Jeff Longwell. “It will help us with transit needs, it will help us with all kinds of portability. But it’s going to help us with parking next to the baseball stadium which is fantastic.”
(Read more: KSN-TV)
Judge denies city’s request to dismiss lawsuit over alleged maintenance issues at Lawrence Municipal Airport
A judge has denied a request by the City of Lawrence to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a longtime pilot claiming the city hasn’t properly kept up some airport infrastructure.
Great Planes Inc., which operates an airplane hangar and offices at the airport on space leased from the city, filed the lawsuit last spring in Douglas County District Court. The lawsuit alleges that disrepair of the runway damaged one of the company’s airplanes in 2014. Great Planes claims the city breached its contract with the company, and it is seeking damages of about $19,000, plus interest and legal fees.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Ordinance changes to allow newly elected officials to take office earlier
With a change from the Kansas Legislature this past session, local governments across the state now have the option of deciding if they want elected officials to take office between Dec. 1 to the second Monday of January following the general election. In the past, elected officials had to wait until the second Monday before being sworn into office. In Great Bend, that means missing the first meeting of the year.
City Attorney Bob Suelter says a new resolution will allow elected officials to be sworn in during the first meeting.
“There were no protest petitions so I provided the resolution to new ordinance as you directed to do in September,” said Suelter.
In the past, the old governing body would meet the first Monday of January, the elected officials would be sworn in the following Monday, and then take their seat on the board the third Monday.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Wichita police, law enforcement to host community discussion event
The Wichita Police Department will host a community-wide event Saturday, November 23, to hear feedback from citizens about law enforcement.
At the event, “What’s Going On and What More We Can Do”, police officers and other criminal justice leaders will meet with Wichita citizens to discuss community issues like criminal justice reform and the mental health crisis.
“The more we interact with our community and talk about struggles that we face both within the system and that community members face, I think the better off we are,” said Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Hutchinson police, community gift man with new electric scooter
The Hutchinson community is going above and beyond to help one of its citizens.
Last week, we told you about how Morgan Gibson and Nick Longhofer helped officers get a man home after his electric wheelchair miles away from home.
Well, Wednesday afternoon Gibson, Longhofer, members of the Hutchinson Police Department gifted the man with a brand new electric scooter.
(Read more: KWCH News)
USD 506 touts low high school dropout rate
At November’s regular meeting of the Labette County USD 506 Board of Education, Superintendent John Wyrick presented an overview of the area high school graduation rates.
Wyrick stated Labette County High School is at the top of this list, as well as having the best college and career readiness programs for graduates.
Kansas Report Card 2018-2019 reported the district’s graduation rate, based on an adjusted four-year cohort rate, rose from 95% in 2017 to 97.3% for 2018, far exceeding the overall statewide percentage, though it also showed a trend for improvement.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)
Parsons delays decision on common consumption
City leaders want to give the public a chance to comment on an ordinance that would allow people to carry alcoholic beverages from business to business during special events downtown.
The common consumption ordinance was a late addition to the Parsons City Commission’s regular Monday meeting. The ordinance wasn’t on the agenda issued late Friday afternoon but was approved as an addendum at the meeting at the request of city staff.
The ordinance would designate the common consumption area with boundaries of Central Avenue, 17th Street, Washington Avenue and Broadway Avenue. Main Street is included in the area.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)