Kansas Municipal News
USD 232 planning centralized career and technical center, early childhood facility on one site
After years of conversations about finding new ways to get students career ready after graduation, Unified School District 232 is advancing plans to build a dedicated Career & Technical Education Center to better serve the needs of students.
Once complete, the new center will be connected to a new Early Childhood Center as one facility located on district-owned property on the northeast corner of 83rd Street and Mize Boulevard next to Mill Creek Middle.
“We want every student in our school district, when they graduate, to be prepared to go to college, but we also recognize that not every student needs or wants to go to college,” said Alvie Cater, district spokesperson. “What we have to do is a better job of exposing students to a variety of career and job opportunities that are out there where you can make a really good living doing something that interests you and doing something for which you have skills, an aptitude for, an enjoyment for.”
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Overland Park councilmembers talk details of possible open mic time at city meetings
Open mic time at Overland Park City Council meetings could end up being limited to 30 minutes at the end of the meeting with participants signing in for a maximum of three minutes apiece, under rules being discussed by a council committee.
The Finance, Administration and Economic Development committee took up the issue Wednesday after hearing a report on how other city and county governing bodies handle open comments.
Overland Park is a rarity among local governments in that it does not have a designated time during council meetings for people to express themselves on any issue. They can talk during designated public hearings, but those comments must be about the agenda item the hearing is for.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)
Parsons focuses on downtown
Parsons City leaders are working to improve commuter safety in the downtown area.
The city approved an ordinance making it illegal for extra long vehicles to park on main street between 16th St. and Central Ave.
It’s now illegal for any part of the vehicle, it’s load, or equipment to leave less than 20 feet of open space in the main road.
The ordinance does make an exception for loading or unloading less than 5 minutes.
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)
Lawrence Public Library proposes eliminating fines for overdue books
he Lawrence Public Library wants to join a growing list of libraries that have eliminated fines for overdue books and other media.
Library staff recommended this week that the library eliminate overdue fines and charge people only for lost or damaged items. Staff presented the recommendation Monday to the library board, which will vote on the matter at its next meeting. The American Library Association has stated that fines create barriers for low-income people, and the Lawrence library’s executive director, Brad Allen, said the library shared those concerns.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Lawrence to host public meeting regarding proposals to ban or charge for plastic and paper bags
The City of Lawrence is seeking public input on a proposal to ban or charge a fee for single-use plastic and paper bags.
The Lawrence Sustainability Advisory Board previously recommended that the city charge a 16-cent fee for disposable plastic and paper bags, but it has since updated that recommendation to indicate it would also support a ban, as the Journal-World recently reported. The Lawrence City Commission has indicated it is interested in either a fee or a ban.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Topeka leaders reject term limits, approve vacant property registry
Topeka’s mayor and city council voted late Tuesday against giving Topekans a November 2020 ballot question vote on whether to impose term limits upon the mayor and council. In a separate vote, the council established a registration program for owners of properties that are foreclosed, or chronically vacant and underutilized. Each of the 10 members of the city’s governing body — consisting of the mayor and the nine council members — had a vote on the term limits […]
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Manhattan removes full ban on smoking, vaping on patios in combined law
Manhattan’s newly combined smoking and vaping ordinance will not completely ban nicotine consumption on bar and restaurant outdoor patios. It passed by 3 to 2 vote.
The City Commission Tuesday changed course on the regulations following outreach from multiple area business owners after having previously passed a first reading of an ordinance that extended the ban to patios and would have applied on golf courses as well. The amended version of the law still prohibits smoking and vaping within 20 feet of access points such as doors and open windows — even on patios — in all Parks and Recreation facilities and outdoor areas, in taxis and ride-share services as well as in tobacco and vape stores.
The ordinance was requested for consideration by the Flint Hills Wellness Coalition and Chair Debbie Nuss says the voter-approved 2009 ordinance had always intended patios would included under the ban. Stan Watt, chairperson for Clean Air Manhattan which created the original smoking ordinance, questioned the negative impact business owners believe would have come of the proposed ban.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Historic Big Boy steam locomotive chugs through Manhattan
Union Pacific’s steam locomotive 4014 is trekking across the country to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. Ed Dickens is the senior manager of Union Pacific’s Heritage Operations and helped lead restoration on the 7,000 horse power, 135 foot long, 605 ton locomotive.
“Nothing gives a testimony better than someone’s firsthand experience watching this thing go by. We try to tell people to please stay back but people want to be up close. They don’t usually get a good picture because half the time they drop their phones,” Dickens said.
Big Boy No. 4014 traveled the rails from 1941 to 1961 garnering more than one million miles.
“The men and women and all the young children and people of the older generation that remember steam locomotives are fascinated with the story of the Big Boy locomotive, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive,” Dickens said.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)
Sewer rate hike at Lake Fort Scott on hold
The Fort Scott City Commission Tuesday night tabled a proposed 3 percent increase in rates for sewer customers at Lake Fort Scott.
Commissioners tabled the matter after hearing from lake residents who are concerned about the proposed increase, and remarks from city staff about the reasons for the rate hike.
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)
City to handle animals on its own
City Administrator Joe Turner asked the council for feedback as he presented a report on the animal control services for the city and recommended that Sedgwick terminate its contract with the City of Halstead and Animal Control Officer (ACO).
The agreement began about twenty years ago, allowing up to $14,000 annually to be paid to the ACO and $5,000 in annual miscellaneous expenses.
“Over the last few years for a variety of reasons, ACO duties which once included proactive patrolling have transitioned to an as needed, per call basis,” Turner wrote in his report to the council. “Consequently, the cost per call and hour of service have skyrocketed.”
(Read more: Harvey County Now)
USDA invests in Horton water and wastewater infrastructure
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Community Programs Director in Kansas, Dan Fischer, announced that three Kansas communities – including Horton – are receiving $23 million in financing to improve water and wastewater infrastructure. USDA is funding the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program.
“USDA provides communities with affordable financing for water and wastewater infrastructure projects that are vital to the health and safety of rural communities,” said Fischer. “It requires a large investment in infrastructure to maintain essential services for rural residents, and USDA is committed to partnering with rural communities to help bring economic opportunities.”
Nationally, USDA Rural Development announced it is investing $635 million in 122 projects to improve water systems and wastewater handling services in rural communities in 42 states.
(Read more: hiawathaworldonline.com)
HCC employees give back to Doniphan County for Thanksgiving
On Nov. 20, Highland Community College employees donated enough food to provide 15 Doniphan County families in need with a Thanksgiving meal.
The effort was spearheaded on campus by a group of employees called The Hamper Committee which includes, Theresa Grossman, Laura Young, Shelley Smith, Pamela Fulbright, Amy Foley and Kristin Woodruff.
‘Anyone But’ rates among top write-ins
Write-in candidates up-ended ballot-listed candidates in three contested races and won several other contests for which no candidate had filed in this month’s election.
But the most interesting write-ins — including “Anyone But” — were not necessarily winners.
Former county commissioner Dan Holub received not only 51 votes from Gale Township and Marion South to finish fourth in the race for 4th District commissioner, won by David Crofoot.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
Hillsboro Community Hospital sold to its onetime operators
A Wichita bankruptcy court judge Thursday approved the sale of Hillsboro Community Hospital after learning that no objections had been filed to the proposed sale and no qualifying competing bids had been made.
The hospital was sold to a company with officers who formerly operated the hospital under the company name Rural Community Hospitals of America and filed bankruptcy in 2011.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
County OKs wind farm agreement
After 3½ hours of discussion and pointed questions from county commissioner Dianne Novak Friday, county commissioners approved a development agreement for a wind farm project long the subject of contention.
The agreement was approved by commissioners on a split vote, with Randy Dallke and Kent Becker voting in favor and Novak voting against letting the wind farm proceed.
The approval was granted with a few amendments to the original proposal — one of which was that the wind farm would increase the amount of money it offered to pay the county.
(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)
City Council approves IRBs for Genzada
The Hutchinson City Council approved an ordinance to issue $6.2 million in industrial revenue bonds for the Genzada project during Tuesday’s meeting.
The city is acting as the funding conduit for the project and is not obligated financially in any way. Genzada is in the process of building its new headquarters in the old Dillons Northgate building at 30th and Plum.
After much discussion, the council also approved a zoning request from Dane Power. Power plans to build a small office complex at 23rd and Brentwood. The proposal was met with numerous questions regarding the remaining vacant land on the property and its future use. Not wanting to delay potential development, the majority of the council denied the wishes of Councilman Steve Dechant to send the matter back to the Planning Commission and approved the request.
(Read more: Hutch Post)
Kansas is third-worst in nation for retirement, report says. Are high taxes to blame?
What does a state do when its taxpayers feel pinched but its government feels deprived?
It has a no-holds-barred debate about needs, wants, limits and priorities — which is precisely what Kansas leaders should do now.
The Sunflower State is enmeshed in an increasingly thorny dilemma: how to reconcile demands for more government spending with an already-high tax burden.
(Read more: Kansas City Breaking News, Crime & Sports |)
Grant funding rings in for countywide joint communications
The Kansas 911 Coordinating Council recently announced that Atchison County 911 Center has been awarded grant funding to help cover the cost of hardware, software and training associated with the processing and dispatching of the Next Generation 911.
“This upgrade to our NICE voice recording system will allow us to receive updated software along with all new hardware and audio boards,” said Director Kim Pruett, Atchison County 911 Center. “This will also give us the capability of recording Text to 911, which will be coming sometime next year.”
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
Wright resigns as Bentley City Clerk, will be missed
The motion to accept City Clerk Lisa Wright’s resignation nearly died for lack of a second last week. That’s how much council members regret seeing her leave.
Wright’s last day with Bentley is this Friday. She’ll be taking on a position as city clerk of Eastborough.
She said she absolutely had good memories from her time working in Bentley.
“I loved it,” she said. “I’m going to definitely miss the people here.”
Wright became city clerk in July 2015.
Numerous people at last Thursday’s council meeting expressed their appreciation of Wright.
(Read more: Harvey County Now)
Crews fight building fire at Rice Co. egg production facility
Authorities are working to determine the cause of a large fire in a building at the Cal-Maine foods 625 Avenue K, in Rice County.
Wednesday fire at Cal-Maine in Rice County photo courtesy Brian Sieker
Fire crews from across the county responded just before 3p.m. Wednesday to battle the fire, according to Rice County Communications. There are no reports of injuries.
(Read more: Hutch Post)