Kansas Municipal News
KDOT announces approved August bids, includes Barton, Rice and Rush counties
The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Aug. 21, 2019, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.
District One — Northeast
Jefferson ‑ 192‑44 KA‑5324‑01 ‑ Pavement marking on K‑192, pavement marking, 7.7 miles, Century Fence Co., Pewaukee, Wi., $110,638.30.
Leavenworth ‑ 92‑52 KA‑5323‑01 ‑ Pavement marking on K‑92, pavement marking, 15.4 miles, Century Fence Co., Pewaukee, Wi., $230,527.46.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
Delano catalyst site apartments now have a name a groundbreaking date
Part of the long-awaited Delano catalyst project now has a name and a groundbreaking date.
At 3 p.m. Tuesday, Overland Park-based EPC Real Estate Group is going to break ground on 225 Sycamore, a 204-unit apartment complex that is central to the more than $50 million project of apartments, shops and a hotel just south of the Advanced Learning Library.
The development partnership settled on the 225 Sycamore name on Friday. The groundbreaking is behind on what the group originally planned but slightly ahead of latest projections.
(Read more: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |)
Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center in Mission reopens after renovations
Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center in Mission reopens after renovations. The Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center in Mission has reopened after the city of Mission completed multiple renovations. These renovations include new flooring in the meeting rooms A and B and adult lounge, sanded and refinished basketball courts, and new carpet in the offices.
Municipal courts in Johnson County conducting warrant amnesty events in September. Municipal courts throughout Johnson County will conduct a Warrant Amnesty Event from Monday, Sept. 9 to Wednesday, Sept. 25. Individuals with a warrant may appear in their designated court, at the specified time, to have their warrant canceled and warrant fee waived. Individuals appearing in court during the amnesty event will not be arrested on warrants from other participating Johnson County municipal courts prior to that court’s amnesty event.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Prairie Village looking for input on design as it prepares to rebuild deteriorating skate park
Over the past few years, Prairie Village public works officials have watched as the concrete at the skate park adjacent to city hall has continued to crack and deteriorate. Now, the city is preparing to rebuild the installation — and is asking for public input on the design.
Concrete in the skate park started showing growing hairline cracks several years ago that are consistent with the alkali-silica reaction, an ailment that eventually leads to the concrete’s failure.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
New sign on Main St. comes to life after months of planning
An electronic sign at the intersection of Main and Elm Sts. was turned on Thursday after months of planning and fundraising.
City electricians completed wiring from the sign base to the sign itself Aug. 28, but when the switch was thrown, the sign did not light. Workers came back Thursday to recheck all its connections and reconnect wiring.
Shortly before noon Thursday, the switch was thrown again and the sign came to life.
(Read more: Marion County RECORD)
Greensburg comes through for Twilight theater
The Kiowa County United chairman Scott Oberle and treasurer Randy Kelly presented a check in August for $10,244 to George Ryan for The Twilight Theatre and Community Auditorium in Greensburg.
Ryan, manager of the theater, said the check came just in time to pay for building insurance, which was $11,000 for the theater.
“Thanks to all of our sponsors and attendees at the fundraising event that KCU brought to town. ‘The Sons of Britches’ from Branson Mo., were a great success,” Ryan said. “These shows doubled our expectations and provided over 350 patrons a great musical experience!”
(Read more: News – Butler County Times Gazette)
Museum to salute Hutch police history
“Hutch Heroes: Police Department” will open as an exhibit next month at the Reno County Museum, 100 S. Walnut St.
The opening event is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. Refreshments will be served and members of the K-9 unit will attend. The Reno County Sheriff Department’s armored response vehicle, the Lenco BearCat G3, also will be on site, a museum news release said.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Preserving history: Community Building project nearing completion
Wayne Burns, Public Lands and Facilities Director for McPherson, looked across the gymnasium at the Community Building, 122 E. Marlin, Thursday and puffed up with a bit of pride.
Not only because the old building is being made new again, but because of the history within its walls.
“This is the home of the Global Refiners, the first gold medal basketball team,” Burns said. “This is where they played games and practiced.”
The gymnasium, which will once again host sporting events when it reopens, will tell the story of the Globe Refiners. They are immortalized in the renovated gymnasium.
(Read more: McPherson Sentinel)
“Explore Kansas” opens Fair to more community tourism
To give more Kansas communities an opportunity to promote their local offerings during the Kansas State Fair, officials have arranged a pilot “Explore Kansas Festival” in Gottschalk Park during the Fair’s opening weekend.
Some 40 different cities or towns, representing an even larger number of state attractions, will be set up on folding tables under white tents just inside the 20th Avenue gate.
The tables will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 7 and 8.
“This takes the pressure off communities from having to commit to 10 days,” Fair Board member Karen Hibbard of Manhattan said during Friday morning’s board meeting. “To have a targeted time is more beneficial.”
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Overland Park to consider requiring developers to hold neighborhood meetings for certain projects
In an effort to satisfy residents, the Overland Park city council is considering new rules that would require developers to hold neighborhood meetings and expand the notification area for certain building projects.
The council’s community development committee Wednesday directed staff to continue crafting changes that also would simplify the labeling of projects on the city’s website and make notification signs and cards clearer. Once the plan is drafted, it will be considered by the planning commission and eventually the full city council.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
Leawood installing temporary kinetic sculpture by John King
The Art in Public Places Initiative of the Leawood Arts Council has announced the temporary installation of a kinetic sculpture by John King. Sky Writing I is the 10th temporary installation of the “Art on Loan Program,” which provides local artists the opportunity to display their work to the residents of Leawood for one year.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)
USD 309 eyes bond defeats in Great Bend, Newton
Voters’ rejection of school bond issues this week in Newton USD 373 and Great Bend USD 428 “has got to be a red flag,” said Dan Schweizer, chairman of the Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 Board of Education.
USD 309 has a $29.9 million bond issue on the November ballot. It would trigger a greater property tax hike than the increase proposed in Newton or Great Bend school districts.
Voters in Great Bend USD 428 rejected two bond issue proposals in a mail ballot election Thursday. The first question sought $41.75 million in bonds for safety and security renovations and other improvements. The plan also would have added a wing to Great Bend Middle School to accommodate the addition of the district’s sixth-graders. Pre-kindergarten would have been offered at all elementary schools.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)
Roeland Park approves plans for construction of Roe House replica at Nall Park
A combination of history and recreation is headed to Roeland Park. Councilmembers set a project that will bring a replica of the historic Roe House on track for completion in November 2019 after making a series of decisions on placement, design and construction during a Tuesday governing workshop meeting.
The Roe House replica will be a kid-sized playhouse located at Nall Park, as decided by the Parks committee after SFS Architecture recommended placement options for the structure. Public Works Director Donnie Schraff presented placement options within Nall Park to councilmembers, who ultimately agreed with the Parks committee recommendation to place the structure near the existing playground equipment.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
Lenexa wraps up Complete Streets study, unveils draft plan for transportation in city
After more than a year of gathering data on the city’s transportation network, Lenexa has prepared a draft of its Complete Streets plan.
The city’s Complete Streets program attempts to address the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and public transit users in a comprehensive plan designed to create a safer, more connected community in all forms of transportation.
“It identifies areas where we’re looking to focus improvements to make our city a little bit more complete to provide for transportation services for all users of all ages and all abilities,” said Steve Schooley, transportation manager. “We’ve been doing I think a pretty decent job of looking at Complete Streets, but this is to give us maybe a better, more holistic approach on things.”
(Read more: Prairie Village Post – Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)
K-State announces $105M in capital improvement project
Kansas State announced a $105 million capital improvement project Saturday that includes a large renovation of Bill Snyder Family Stadium and additional projects to help other athletic programs.
The school already has raised $69 million for the work, which will begin in May.
The biggest projects involve the football program. The stadium will get new south end zone suites along with a new indoor practice facility, and outdoor practice fields will be built next door.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)
CVB supports the Gastro Park idea
The Geary County CVB Director Michelle Stimatze is on board with a proposal to establish a new Gastro Park in the 900 block of North Washington in downtown Junction City.
Stimatze noted that when long term groups such as contractors come into the city they want things to do. “Not only would it add a unique atmosphere to the downtown area, and I think we would defintely see some results from it.
Stimatze also sees the proposed project as a potential boost to the transient guest tax paid by visitors to the community using local lodging facilities.
(Read more: Junction City Post)
Elected officials to discuss sign rules, sheriff’s office expansion
City of Topeka sign rules and the potential construction of more office space for the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office are among topics local elected officials plan to take up this coming week.
The Shawnee County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday in its chambers in Room B-11 of the County Courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th. The Topeka City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in its chambers at 214 S.E. 8th.
Commissioners will consider authorizing Sheriff Brian Hill to seek qualifications information from companies interested in being hired to build additional walls and offices at the sheriff’s office headquarters at the Law Enforcement Center, 320 S. Kansas Ave.
That office needs to add office space and create a secure area for its criminal investigations division, Hill told commissioners in a recent memorandum.
(Read more: Political – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
Block22 plans open house, public forums
Tours and panel discussions of the award-winning Block22 Project are set for Thursday.
Block22 is a mixed-use development involving Pittsburg State University, the city of Pittsburg and the Vecino Group, a Springfield, Missouri-based real estate developer. The parties invested approximately $18 million to restore and renovate four historic downtown buildings — Commerce, Baxter, National Bank and Opera House Hotel.
The buildings were turned into student housing, offices and homes for small businesses, including restaurants and coffee shops. It also included an area known as The Foundry, a downtown business incubator with a conference room, collaborative workspace and professional offices.
(Read more: www.joplinglobe.com)
Interior announces over $170 million in grants going to state parks and recreation
The U.S. Department of Interior announced over $170 million in grants funded without taxpayer dollars will be distributed to state parks and outdoor recreation projects in all 50 states.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said Thursday that $170,623,713 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) will be implemented by the National Park Service.
The grants aren’t funded by taxpayer dollars since the LWCF is funded by revenue generated from offshore oil and gas leasing.
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
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Our firm has over 800 client-projects that are on-going or have been completed in recent years. Ranson is a comprehensive municipal advisor providing a menu of various services that can be utilized. These services include capital improvement planning, financial analyses, utility rate reviews, writing and administering grants, compliance with continuing disclosure requirements, and maintaining and updating municipal codes online. For a running total of project counts, see our website, www.ransonfinancial.com.
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