Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Commission supports outside agency transporation funding application

The Reno County Commission approved a letter of support Tuesday for efforts by Disability Supports of the Great Plains-Hutchinson to secure funding for its transportation costs through reimbursement from the state.

Not, however, before commissioners present questioned the accuracy of statements in the letter they were being asked to sign.

Rachael Grubbs, administrative support staff at the agency which assists the developmentally disabled in Hutchinson with day services, explained that they are seeking about a $5,000 annual reimbursement.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Hutch City Council adopts rental license code

The Hutchinson City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a new Residential Rental Licensing and Inspection code that some landlords opposed.

“We will be voting; we will be voting today,” said Jill Gumble, president of the Central Kansas Landlord Association to the council, immediately after the morning vote.

Three of the four yes votes came from incumbents seeking re-election Tuesday: Mayor David Inskeep, and Councilmembers Steve Dechant and Jade Piros de Carvalho. Councilmember Nancy Soldner also voted for the new program and Councilmember Jon Daveline voted no.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

County receives pool of administrator applicants

Reno County received “a good pool” of applicants for the County Administrator post that will open with the retirement of Gary Meagher, County Human Resources Director Renee Harris said.

She couldn’t say how many applications were received, however, noting they were all passed on to Elizabeth Tatarko, vice president of Austin Peters Group, the search firm the county has hired to assist in the search.

Tatarko referred all questions to Harris.

She could say the applications were both “local and from out-of-state,” Harris said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Wrong ballots handed out in Thayer

Some rural voters at the Thayer polling location received city ballots, and election officials will determine what impact that will have on the Thayer city election.

Neosho County Attorney Linus Thuston said Tuesday afternoon that he talked with Neosho County Clerk Heather Elsworth and County Counselor Seth Jones after Elsworth notified him about the problem. He said they would determine the impact after the polls closed and they could compare results.

Thuston said there was no indication the problem was intentional, but was the result of anomalies created when the state cut election funding and consolidated polling places.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Lenexa may become first city to implement large-scale smart road infrastructure

Lenexa City Center may become the first place in the country to showcase the real-world application of major smart infrastructure technologies.

Integrated Roadways, a Kansas City, Missouri-based supplier of smart pavement materials and transportation technology, posed the idea to the Lenexa city council Tuesday night.

The company has a similar but smaller-scale project on Brighton Boulevard in Denver, but if Lenexa city leaders agree to allow the company to install smart pavement at City Center, then the city would become the first to host a large-scale smart pavement project in a live-traffic environment.

Johnson County board approves plan to downsize little-used bus routes, considers expanding microtransit

The already limited county fixed-route bus system is about to get even more so next year, with the elimination or downsizing of several fixed routes.

County commissioners voiced approval for route changes that could amount to $1.2 million to $1.4 million savings on some of the least-used routes. At the same time they delayed decisions on whether to beef up other routes, saying they want more information.

Instead most commissioners enthusiastically embraced expansion of a micro transit system that resembles Uber as the mass transit of the future. Micro transit riders would likely pay a higher fare than the base $1.50 now charged for the typical bus ride.

USD 232 board approves master site plan for De Soto High campus

The USD 232 Board of Education has approved a master site plan for the campus of De Soto High School.

The plan includes a configuration of new projects behind the high school as well as additional parking and a new access road from 87th Street.

In a presentation Monday night before the school board, Steve Deghand, director of facilities for the district, said the goal in creating a master site plan was to plan ahead and create a comprehensive layout of all future projects on the campus that would make efficient use of available space. Milburn Civil Engineering of De Soto facilitated the master site planning process.

Shawnee planning commission says Stag’s Spring project conforms to city’s comprehensive plan

The Shawnee planning commission last night affirmed that Stag’s Spring, a $16.1 million proposed luxury housing project downtown, conforms to the city’s comprehensive plan.

Doug Allmon, community development director for Shawnee, said the commission was tasked with determining if the project plan conforms to the intent of the city’s comprehensive plan. This step takes place before a public hearing on TIF funds for Stag’s Spring can take place. The developer, Kevin Tubbesing, has requested $3.1 million of public funds for the project in the form of tax increment financing.

Russell County voters fail another school bond

A majority of voters in Russell County voted no to a USD 407 school bond, which sought to find solutions for HVAC and electric upgrades.

In February, Russell High School had to close for several days when a boiler went out. USD 407 schools were built between 1938 and 1962 and do not feature air conditioning or a central air component.

Voters failed a $17.5M bond in April 2019.

This month, the school district tried again with a $9.9M bond. Results show 60 percent of voters voted against the measure yesterday.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Mayor Jeff Longwell concedes, says city is in “good place” right now

Mayor Jeff Longwell lost the mayoral race Tuesday to challenger Brandon Whipple.

With his wife at his side, Longwell wanted to say congratulations to Brandon Whipple.

“I called to concede the race and tell him I will be there if he has any questions in the transition,” said Longwell. “I also wanted to tell him congratulations.”

(Read more: KSN-TV)

70 bikes to be available when the JCPRD RideKC Bike Share Program begins in spring

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District has placed 34 orange and white bicycles around the county to get residents acquainted with a new bike-sharing program that will be fully deployed next year.

The three-speed pedal bikes were installed on Oct. 25 and will remain until mid-November, when they will go into storage for the winter. A total of 70 bikes will be available when the JCPRD RideKC Bike Share Program is fully launched next spring.

“By making the bikes available for rent,” said project manager Mark Allen, “we’re hoping for patrons to experience more of their parks, by making it easy and affordable to get on two wheels.”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

KDOT Cost Share Program projects selected

Gov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced this morning the 22 projects selected across the state as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s new Cost Share Program. These projects total nearly $74 million in state, local, federal and private investment in transportation improvements statewide.

“These projects demonstrate communities’ commitments to improve the quality of life for their citizens and to do so in a practical manner,” said Gov. Kelly. “This program also demonstrates the great things that happen when communities and the state work together.”

Nearly 100 applications were submitted in the first round of the program from across Kansas.

“There is pent up demand for transportation investments across our state,” Secretary Lorenz said. “I am excited to provide resources to help build safer, healthier and livelier communities that Kansans – young and old – want to make their forever homes.

The program will provide funding to local entities for transportation projects that improve safety, support job retention and growth, improve access or mobility, relieve congestion and help areas across the state improve the transportation system.

Funding for the $39 million in grant awards is part of the $216 million authorized by the Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly to remain in the state highway fund in fiscal year 2020. In addition to the Cost Share Program, those funds are being used to increase highway preservation, help complete delayed T-WORKS projects, improve safety and provide new funding opportunities for cities and counties.

The next call for applications for the second round of projects will be announced next year.

(Read more: Kansas Transportation)

Alcohol may be allowed outside for some events on Main Street

Wine and beer may become added attractions to downtown festivals and events in the future.

During a Monday evening meeting, city commissioners heard about a common consumption area ordinance that will be coming their way soon, possibly at their next regular meeting on Nov. 18.

Common consumption areas were legalized in Kansas in 2017. They allow people to carry alcoholic beverages in and out of buildings and on the streets and sidewalks of a designated area.

(Read more: Parsons Sun)

Overland Park council expands neighborhood notification requirement for development projects

A new set of rules requiring neighborhood meetings for some development projects got final approval from the Overland Park City Council, despite a last-minute assertion that the city’s renters should get more consideration.

Councilmember Logan Heley noted that nearly half of the city’s population is made up of renters with more coming as new multi-use and senior living projects are being built. He proposed language requiring developers to make a good faith effort to notify tenants as well as property owners within 500 feet of a project about an upcoming neighborhood meeting.

“I won’t support a change that puts certain residents on a higher class than other residents,” Heley said.

Advisors recommend changing Kansas Avenue to 3 lanes

Arkansas City commissioners today will consider several recommendations from a Traffic Safety Committee that involve a major change to Kansas Avenue and some to Summit Street.

The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to look at the possibility of re-striping Kansas Avenue between 15th Street and Summit Street to just three lanes. That change would create one southbound lane, a northbound lane and a center-turn lane.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ark City and Winfield recycling examination continues

Discussions about the future of recycling in Winfield and Arkansas City continue, with a focus on reducing the amount of contamination in recycled materials.

During a recent audit of the recycling streams in both Winfield and Arkansas City, material samples were taken from 80 customer recycling carts in Winfield and one community recycling trailer in Arkansas City. The data from these samples showed a contamination rate of 16 percent in Winfield and 22 percent in Arkansas City, based on the weight of the materials collected.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

KDOT announces approved October bids

The Kansas Department of Transportation has approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas.

The letting took place Oct. 17 in Topeka.

Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Cowley — K‑15 Highway, from the west junction of U.S. 166 Highway north to the K‑15 junction with U.S. 160 Highway, ultra thin bonded asphalt surfacing, 12.2 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, $1,031,339.91.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

BOE to decide traffic agreement

At its Oct. 28 meeting, the Derby Public Schools Board of Education got a first look at an agreement with the city to develop a new traffic signal at Derby High School.

With the goal of decreasing congestion and accident risk during drop-off and pickup hours, the signal would be placed at Rock Road and Pinion Road – about halfway between James Street and Madison Avenue.

The existing signal just north of that intersection would be removed.

(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Great Bend legalizes the use of UTVs on city streets

With a 6-1 vote Monday, the Great Bend City Council moved forward with legalizing Utility Task Vehicles (UTV) and Side-by-Sides on city streets.

At an October meeting, the governing body directed that an ordinance be prepared to allow the registration and operation of Side-by-Sides in city limits. Great Bend City Attorney Bob Suelter drafted an ordinance following the existing ordinance used by Dodge City.

Mayor Joe Andrasek noted the UTVs are not any louder than motorcycles.

“These vehicles are noticeably quieter than your conventional Harley motorcycle,” said Andrasek. “It is my understanding that if one of these vehicles is too loud, the owner can be cited for that.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

KDOT selects Great Bend’s project to resurface 10th & SRCA Dragstrip to receive funding

Gov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced this morning the 22 projects selected across the state as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s new Cost Share Program. These projects total nearly $74 million in state, local, federal and private investment in transportation improvements statewide.

Great Bend’s application to resurface most of 10th Street (US 56) and the SRCA Dragstrip was selected as one of the projects. Barton County’s push to make improvements at the Redwing intersection was also selected.

“These projects demonstrate communities’ commitments to improve the quality of life for their citizens and to do so in a practical manner,” said Gov. Kelly. “This program also demonstrates the great things that happen when communities and the state work together.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)