Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

Cyberattacks vandalized Kansas county websites in August, exposing security weaknesses

Cyberattacks crippled the websites of about a dozen Kansas counties in early August — replacing their homepages with cryptic messages and an image of Mecca.

One county, which was conducting an election during the assault, decided against posting results online. The attacks did not affect vote counting but meant citizens didn’t have access to normal government information, such as contacts for local agencies, for several hours.

The hacks defaced websites, but did not affect other systems. It does not appear the hacker or hackers took data hostage, as has happened elsewhere in the country. State officials don’t think the hacking was connected to the August primary election.

(Read more: Politics & Government News |)

A Kansas town and Google roll toward the future with Wi-Fi on school buses

What do you do when you’re stuck for an hour or more on a school bus?

In one Kansas school district, you log onto the internet and you do your homework.

On Friday, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and other dignitaries came to Council Grove, population 2,079, to celebrate a budding program to equip rural school transportation with Wi-Fi service.

(Read more: Local News |)

Commissioner Bob Archer prepares to leave office amid whirlwind of activity

Bob Archer entered politics here 10 years ago by winning the closest election in Topeka City Council history.

Now he’s preparing to leave the Shawnee County Commission amid a whirlwind of political activity.

Republican precinct committee members from the district Archer represents are preparing to choose his replacement Friday from between announced candidates Neil Dobler and Aaron Mays, and anyone else who might step forward.

School board presented first look at Manhattan High expansions

The Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 board of education got their first look at the designs for the Manhattan High School West campus expansions.

The hardest challenge for the Manhattan High School West Campus renovations is fitting all the staff and students from the East Campus. This is according to Adam Sterns with Gould Evans as he presented the options. Stern gave somewhat detailed options they have been looking at based on the master plan.

“There’s about 70 thousand square feet of additions in both the auxiliary gym and classroom additions, 100 additional parking spots for the incoming students and faculty. So that was kind of how the master plan was drawn up,” says Stern “The good news is we’re about the same square footage.”

Sterns says they looked at classrooms in high schools from around the state to get an idea on the rooms they would like. They decided on 800 square feet for each room from teacher input. They then surveyed teachers and students on what they want out of a classroom, with the students saying they wanted larger classrooms.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Tyson plant resumes some operations, provides update on reconstruction

Tyson representatives posted an update on the reconstruction of the Holcomb meatpacking plant Friday morning, saying the plant is still months away from reopening entirely but has been able to resume limited ground beef and value-added production.

Tyson Fresh Meats President Steve Stouffer said in the update that the company appreciates the support from Finney County residents following a fire that heavily took to the harvest floor of the plant on Aug. 9 and 10, caused by a “flash” following welding work near the slaughter area. The plant has since closed temporarily for reconstruction.

(Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe)

Edgerton approves condemnation plan

The Edgerton City Council approved a resolution to acquire through condemnation several private properties along state Highway 56 during a meeting Sept. 12.

The properties lie along the proposed route of a multi-use path along the highway which will provide pedestrian and bicycle access from neighborhood residences to the Dollar General store, the elementary school and other future development.

Dan Merkh, public works director, told the council that city staff had spoken with all the property owners along the corridor and negotiations for easements are ongoing.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Cost to repair, replace spillway balloons to $766,000

Cost of repairing the Gardner Lake dam has grown to more than $766,000, according to Michael Kramer, public works director. The cost includes the design, permitting and construction of the alternate.

In January, 2017, the Gardner City council approved dredging the lake and repairing the dam for a cost of $780,000. Michael Kramer, public works director, said the State Division of Conservation (DOC) had responded to a June 2016 city request for funding and would contribute $280,000 in 2017 to fund the dredging project. Kramer had also said DOC was hopeful that another $200,000 would be available in 2018, in which case more dredging would be done.

The DOC grant did not become available.

(Read more: Gardner News)

Jobless rate in Kansas lowest in 20-plus years

Kansas is reporting that unemployment in the state dropped to 3.2% in August and was at its lowest rate in more than 20 years.

The state Department of Labor said Friday that the state gained private-sector jobs during the month and over the past year. Labor economist Emilie Doerksen said the state has seen broad economic growth, and Gov. Laura Kelly hailed the report as good news for Kansas.

The department said the unemployment rate declined from 3.3% in July. It was also 3.3% in August 2018.

It was the lowest unemployment rate since May 1999. The rate has been below 4% since January 2017.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Seismologists urge Kansans to have a disaster plan for earthquakes

A couple of earthquakes shook south central Kansas early Saturday morning, one in Oklahoma and one in Kansas. They’re the latest earthquakes to shake the region.

The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson held a free public presentation on Saturday morning. Hoping to give some answers to locals about why this is happening.

“From a scientific perspective, what we’re seeing in Kansas is really quite interesting. I think that there are a lot of interesting things that we’re still learning,” says Dr. Justin Rubinstein.

(Read more: KAKE – News)

KPERS explores idea of cutting 7.75% investment return forecast, adding to liability

Trustees of the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System discussed Friday the possibility of following a national trend by lowering assumptions on long-term investment returns, signaling the state’s taxpayers could be asked to contribute more to a system serving 315,000 people.

Nothing is likely to be decided about modifying the current 7.75% return on investment standard for KPERS until completion in January of a lengthy study of economic and demographic trends.

“This is obviously one of the most important decisions the board makes,” said Kelly Arnold, the board’s chairman. “We need to make sure we’re making the right decision for the members.”

Kansas’ unemployment rate slips to 3.2% for first time in two decades

The unemployment rate in Kansas declined to 3.2% in August and the state recorded expansion of 17,800 jobs in the private sector during the past year, officials said Friday.

Gov. Laura Kelly seized upon the latest monthly report as evidence of an economy capable of job growth and lowering of the jobless rate. It has been about 20 years since the Kansas unemployment figure moved under 3.3%.

“This is good news for Kansas,” she said. “My administration is focused on creating quality jobs throughout Kansas.”

Library project moves forward

Following a special meeting of the Newton City Commission and the library visiioning team, a firm was selected for a project to renovate or replace the Newton Public Library.

Commissioner Barth Hague moved, and Mayor Kathy Valentine seconded, to accept a contract with HBM Architects subject to City Attorney review. The motion carried 4-1 with commissioner Glen Davis voting against.

According to the meeting minutes, due to HBM Architects’ extensive experience with library projects and their detailed ranking process for site-selection, the committee was interested in hiring them. The fund-raising sub-consultant of Swanson House that WDM Architects teamed up with “was impressive and the committee asked if these two consultants could work together on the project.”

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Little Jerusalem State Park opens Oct. 12

The wait is finally over.

The Nature Conservancy and Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) have announced that the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park will open on Sat., October 12.

(Read more: Scott County Record RSS)

Hundreds turn out for fourth annual Clean Slate Day sponsored by city of Topeka

Long before the crack of dawn on Friday morning, folks started lining up in front of the Topeka Performing Arts Center for a chance to clear their criminal records during the fourth annual Clean Slate Day, sponsored by the city. For some, it meant setting a court date on an outstanding case, thereby dropping a warrant that had been issued for their arrest. For others, it was a chance to renew a driver’s license that had been suspended.

Pretty Prairie district gains students

Pretty Prairie USD 311 added students and staff this year. All-day preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds has made Pretty Prairie attractive for young families, said superintendent Randy Hendrickson. Friday was the day Kansas schools counted students, and Pretty Prairie school district’s number for K-12 was 287, up from 272 students a year ago. "We’re very excited," Hendrickson said. There’s a lot of growth in the elementary grades, Hendrickson said.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Scott City adopts new policy on property tax payments

Following the county’s lead, the Scott City Council has adopted a resolution that will aid the county in the collection of back taxes.
The city is joining with the county in forcing property owners who are delinquent in their tax payments to either pay their taxes in full or face the prospect of a tax sale in the near future.
…
A common practice has been to make “partial” payments. In other words, paying only for those years which will keep property out of a sale, but still being delinquent for the most recent two years.
Under the charter ordinance, payments made by an individual will apply to the most recent tax year.
The individual can’t designate that payments be made to earlier years in order to avoid a foreclosure sale.

‘There’s so much love at this theater.’ Chestnut, an Olathe gem, shines after 21 years

It took joy, creativity and a whole lot of support from family to make Chestnut Fine Arts Center the success it has become over the past 21 years.

The 102-seat performing arts center in the heart of Olathe has presented 20 seasons of musicals, musical reviews and plays to more than 16,000 audience members each season. Founder and director Brad Zimmerman believes the Chestnut’s success is the result of years of hard work and hands-on family commitment.

“After 10 years of teaching music and freelancing as a musical director in Kansas City theaters, I decided to look for a place where I could live and produce theater,” he said. “I found that place where I’ve been doing both for 20 years.”

(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Douglas County Commission hears proposal to change county’s rules for dividing rural land

Douglas County leaders discussed a slate of proposed changes to the county’s zoning regulations on Wednesday, including a measure that would allow for more public feedback before rural land could be divided into residential lots.

Zoning Director Tonya Voigt and Planner Mary Miller presented a broad overview of the proposed regulations to the County Commission during a work session. They explained that the regulations would create several new zoning districts that would set guidelines for agricultural, industrial, business and residential land use in the county.

Mulvane library to host Astro Family Night

The Mulvane Public Library will host a free community event called “Astro Night” in October.

The family-friendly event will feature live music from Reach for the Sky, a space presentation and telescope viewing with the Kansas Astronomical Observers, crafts, yard games and s’mores.

The space-themed night is set from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4 at the library, 408 N. 2nd. Ave., Mulvane.

Kansas State Fair attendance up from 2018

The Kansas State Fair announced that they saw an increase in attendance for this year’s event from last year. Officials say the great weather, along with new programming helped boost Kansas State Fair attendance by about 3 percent in 2019. according to a media release.

More than 337,400 people came to the state’s largest gathering, which ended Sunday. Those figures don’t include visitors who came in free before 11 a.m. on the Fair’s kickoff day — Friday, Sept. 6. Fair officials estimate another 6,000 to 10,000 people strolled through the gates on that first morning. About 328,000 people attended the 2018 Kansas State Fair.

“This year’s Fair took an already wonderful Kansas event to new heights, bringing residents from all across the state together to celebrate everything that makes Kansas so special,” General Manager Robin Jennison said. “We had beautiful weather, and we also made some positive improvements.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)