Kansas Municipal News
Firefighters warn of toxic substances in McPherson landfill fire
Firefighters are warning McPherson residents of toxic substances after another fire sparked at the landfill Sunday.
A neighbor noticed smoke and flames coming from the landfill around 10 a.m. This is the second fire in one week for the McPherson landfill and it’s all hands on deck to get a handle on the situation.
The McPherson Fire Department, employees, contractors, and even some volunteers worked around the clock to get a handle on the fire.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Lawrence wins state award for best-tasting tap water
Those filling their glass with water from the tap in Lawrence can now say they are drinking award-winning water.
The City of Lawrence recently won an award for best-tasting tap water. A sample of tap water from the city’s Kaw River Water Treatment Plant competed against about 10 other Kansas communities from across the state in the taste test, according to a memo to the City Commission. The competition was part of the annual joint conference of the Kansas Water Environment Association and the Kansas Section American Water Works Association.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Dighton vote to reveal views on pit bulls
Dighton residents and dog owners Becca and Mike Warta asked for a change in a Dighton city ordinance banning pit bull dogs and dogs with those characteristics and the city council voted to seek public opinion by putting a question on the ballot, according to Dighton city clerk Chelle Anderson.
The Nov. 5 election question is:
Should the City of Dighton’s Ordinance prohibiting the possession of the Pit Bull Dog; Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed; the American Pit Bull Terrier Breed or the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed of dog or any combination thereof be abolished?
After the election, the Dighton City Council will return to the issue. It isn’t mandated to change or retain the ordinance, based on the election outcome, Anderson said.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
KDOT meetings planned to discuss transportation priorities
A second series of Local Consult meetings hosted by the Kansas Department of Transportation will give citizens a chance to discuss regional transportation priorities and continue shaping FORWARD, the State’s next 10-year transportation program.
“Kansans are ready for the next transportation program to improve safety and grow our economy,” Secretary of Transportation, Julie Lorenz said. “We heard from more than 1,100 Kansans across the State who talked about the importance of completing T-WORKS projects, improving highways and making transit, aviation and rail work better. Now, as promised, we are coming back out for a second round of meetings to discuss specific transportation priorities in each region.”
All meetings will include an opening presentation and use facilitated breakout groups to:
- Discuss transportation assets and needs at a regional level and gather feedback on priorities among KDOT’s various programs;
- Share draft engineering and economic scores for highway modernization and expansion projects and gather feedback on those scores;
- Discuss which highway modernization and expansion projects are regional priorities.
The meetings all will have a similar format, but the content will be specific to the region. KDOT encourages people to attend the meeting within the KDOT district where their community is located.
The Local Consult meetings are scheduled to take place in October and November in Pittsburg, Junction City, Topeka, Kansas City, Wichita, Great Bend, Liberal and Colby. A list of the dates, times and locations are below.
If possible, please contact Mike Moriarty, KDOT Chief of Transportation Planning, at 785-296-8864 or Michael.Moriarty@ks.gov to let us know which meeting you plan to attend.
Southeast Region – Pittsburg
Tuesday, Oct. 29
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Pittsburg State University
Overman Student Center
302 E. Cleveland
Pittsburg, KS 66762North Central Region – Junction City
Wednesday, Oct. 30
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Geary County Convention Center
at the Courtyard Marriott
310 Hammons Dr.
Junction City, KS 66441Northeast Region – Topeka
Tuesday, Nov. 5
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Capital Plaza Hotel
Maner Conference Center
1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66612Kansas City Metro Region – Kansas City
Wednesday, Nov. 6
9 a.m.-noon
The Reardon Convention Center
at the Hilton Garden Inn
520 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101Wichita Metro Area – Wichita
Friday, Nov. 15
9 a.m.-noon
Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center
225 West Douglas
Wichita, KS 67202South Central Region – Great Bend
Monday, Nov. 18
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Great Bend Events Center
3111 10th St.
Great Bend, KS 67530Southwest Region – Liberal
Tuesday, Nov. 19
1:30-4:30 p.m.
Seward County Community College
Student Wellness Building
1801 North Kansas Ave.
Liberal, KS 67901Northwest Region – Colby
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019
1:30-4:30 p.m.
City Limits Convention Center
2227 South Range Ave.
Colby, KS 67701
(Source: Great Bend Post)
New Prairie Village Park, at site of old church, opens to an enthusiastic crowd
To the delight of a large crowd of residents, Prairie Village’s newest public space, Wassmer Park, opened Saturday at the site of the former Faith Lutheran Church at 67th Street and Roe Avenue in Prairie Village.
“I’m just so happy we were able to do this,” said former Prairie Village Mayor Laura Wassmer, for whom the park is named.
“It was really a culmination of a lot of talented people, primarily a very hard-working staff that pulled all of this together,” she said. “Public works employees were incredible and they really did the majority of the work on this, so the thanks goes to them.”
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
Shawnee considering new guidelines for mixed-use development downtown
As new projects for commercial and residential purposes begin cropping up in downtown Shawnee, city leaders and staff are creating a new land use category in its design guidelines for future downtown development.
The new category, “Townsquare Mixed-Use,” would reflect the city’s goals to build on existing development patterns while maintaining the downtown’s established historic, civic, commercial and residential core. The Shawnee planning commission on Monday discussed the new category with city staff.
“It’s long overdue to look at this downtown area and adjust some of the land uses we’ve called on here,” said Stephanie Malmborg, deputy community development director for Shawnee, citing a number of developments already underway downtown. “The land use guide doesn’t really reflect what the city’s looking for on some of those properties.”
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Mission launches new Adopt a Park program with Girl Scout Troop #942
The City of Mission recently launched a new program for volunteer groups to help keep the city’s parks clean and safe. Director of Parks and Recreation Penn Almoney said the goal of the program is to offer “exposure to one of Mission’s greatest resources: its outdoor parks.”
“Anytime you see more people at a park, it kind of gives you that sense of safety and connection within the community,” Almoney said. “Our ultimate goal is to foster community through this program and try to connect people.”
Volunteer groups, such as youth groups or local non-profits, can reach out to the parks and recreation department about which park the group would like to adopt and the process moves forward from there, Almoney said. Then beautification projects are discussed and outlined, and the groups commit to completing projects at least six times within one year.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Holcomb shelves plans to research, build indoor pool
After several months of preliminary research, the Holcomb USD 363 Board of Education voted unanimously last week to not move forward with early plans to potentially build an indoor swimming facility near district schools.
USD 363 superintendent Scott Myers updated board members on the project last Monday, reviewing a public forum the district held about the project in September and some additional findings about the project.
Myers was interested in “next steps,” he said in a memo in the board’s meeting packet, and suggested members opt to hold another community meeting, decide on a funding mechanism for the project or decide to halt further progress. After a discussion, the board chose to set aside the project for the time being.
(Read more: Leavenworth Times)
City approves 3.75 million in bonds
Gardner City Council approved $3.75 million in bonds to finance several projects in the city during a meeting Oct. 22.
The bonds, which include $1,140,000 in tax exempt general obligation temporary notes, $2,350,000 in taxable general obligation temporary notes and $2,600,000 in general obligation bonds, will be put up for sale on Nov. 18.The bonds will fund infrastructure improvements at the 188th street special benefit district known as the Plaza South Development project. “The notes for this project are anticipated to be tax exempt,” said Mathew Wolff, finance director.
The funds will also be used to fund infrastructure development for the Waverly Plaza public road and waterline special benefit district. The project includes the acquisition of right of way and other improvements that will serve the upcoming Waverly Plaza development project. Wolff said the notes for the project are anticipated to be taxable.
(Read more: Gardner News)
Salina economy gets boost from new business landing near airport
A new business is expected to bring dozens of jobs to Salina in the short term, but officials say 1 Vision Aviation could eventually bring hundreds of jobs to the region. The business from Iowa cut the ribbon at a new maintenance facility Friday.
1 Vision set up its new facility in an old military hangar near the Salina Airport. The company will perform maintenance on aircraft ranging from regional jets up to Boeing 737s, and Delta Airlines is their first customer. US Senator Jerry Moran said he expects it to be a boost to the regional economy.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Farmers in central Kansas will not lose water in 2020
“Augmentation’s the only way to solve this problem,” says Farmer, Darrell Wood.
Wood is talking about the water problem in central Kansas. For years, he says a fight over water rights between farmers and the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge has wreaked havoc.
“The demands for that water are significant and there’s always more demand than there is water,” says U.S. Senator Jerry Moran.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Derby community celebrates 150 years of history
Dozens of people gathered at Madison Avenue Central Park Thursday night to celebrate as the city turned 150 years old.
“I’ve seen this town grow, I worked for the police department here, and now I run the chamber, so I’ve seen a lot of growth in our community,” said Chamber of Commerce President Mark Staats.
The celebration featured food from local restaurants, silent and live auctions, and birthday themed performances throughout the night.
(Read more: KAKE – News)
Sunshine plays a role in powering up Olathe West High School
Dighton residents and dog owners Becca and Mike Warta asked for a change in a Dighton city ordinance banning pit bull dogs and dogs with those characteristics and the city council voted to seek public opinion by putting a question on the ballot, according to Dighton city clerk Chelle Anderson.
The Nov. 5 election question is:
Should the City of Dighton’s Ordinance prohibiting the possession of the Pit Bull Dog; Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed; the American Pit Bull Terrier Breed or the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed of dog or any combination thereof be abolished?
After the election, the Dighton City Council will return to the issue. It isn’t mandated to change or retain the ordinance, based on the election outcome, Anderson said.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)
Kansas sees growing need for sports officials
There is a growing need for sports officials across the state of Kansas and the Kansas State High School Activities Association is urging people to consider signing up.
Players and coaches put in a lot of time preparing for their games but a lack of officials in Kansas has led to instances when games have had to be canceled or rescheduled because they can’t find an official.
“We see some creative scheduling and maybe playing at times that are not the prime time…because there’s simply not enough officials on a given night,” explained Bill Faflick, Executive Director of the KSHSAA.
(Read more: KSN-TV)
In light of racist graffiti, Douglas County to explore adding murals to underpasses in southern Lawrence
When Lawrence resident Cheryl Lester recently walked on a pathway to the Baker Wetlands Trail in southern Lawrence, she noticed graffiti markings on an underpass that were racist and anti-Semitic.
In response, Lester asked Douglas County to not only remove the markings, but consider adding some sort of public art over them to “turn that ugliness into something beautiful,” County Commissioner Nancy Thellman said.
The county might do just that. During their meeting on Wednesday, county commissioners directed staff to research the feasibility of installing murals on three pedestrian underpasses that had been affected by graffiti.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Kansas secretary of commerce: ‘We need to crow loudly about why Kansas is a great place to live’
Secretary of Commerce David Toland, speaking at the University of Kansas, following a lecture some called “a funeral of rural Kansas,” touted Lawrence as a model community for the state.
Kansas State University professor Matthew Sanderson began Thursday’s Kansas Economic Policy Conference with the lecture titled “Kansas Population Trends: Where Are We Going?,” in which he highlighted rural population loss and the aging population in Kansas.
But Toland, who just started his term in April, is hopeful that the Department of Commerce’s developing strategic plan, as well as its efforts to brand the state in a way that will attract businesses, families and workers, will bolster Kansas’ economy in both the urban and rural sectors. And in an interview after his lecture, Toland said Lawrence was a model community for the state.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
City of Lawrence to update climate protection plan; mayor wants city to aim for 100% renewable energy
The City of Lawrence is preparing to update its climate protection plan, and the mayor wants the city to aim high when it comes to renewable energy.
The city allocated $75,000 as part of its 2020 budget to update its climate protection plan, and the process is expected to get underway early next year. The city’s Sustainability Advisory Board has recommended some environmental goals for the city, including that the city adopt a policy as soon as possible to achieve 100% use of renewable energy in all city functions by 2025.
Read more: LJWorld.com.
Cost of new Wichita water treatment plant will soon reflect in your bill
The Wichita Water Partners soon will deliver a final budget presentation for the city’s new water treatment plan.
It’s a large project that will increase water rates. The estimated cost for the needed construction project is in the neighborhood of $500 million.
In late November, the City of Wichita expects to sort out details on just how much your water rates will increase.
(Read more: KWCH News)
Shawnee County Courthouse to get new $325,000 security camera system
A new security camera system is coming to the Shawnee County Courthouse. At their meeting on Thursday morning, Shawnee County commissioners approved the purchase of the new system from American Digital Security. The system is scheduled to be installed by March 1, 2020, at the courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th. The cost isn’t to exceed $325,796.16.
(Read more: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Reno County annual county tax sale produces $108,000
Reno County conducted its 35th annual tax sale on Wednesday, selling to the highest bidder real estate in the county on which at least three years of property taxes were overdue. The sale, which drew between 65 and 70 bidders, brought in $108,000 from the 47 parcels sold, said County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan. That included some 30 vacant properties or empty lots and 17 parcels that had structures on them.
(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)