Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas Municipal News

County Update: What you need to know about Real ID and renewing your driver’s license in Johnson County

Obtaining or renewing a Kansas driver’s license, a service provided by the state of Kansas, has greatly improved in Johnson County in the past year since the opening of the third Driver’s License Bureau by the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Vehicles. While the county takes care of vehicle registration and titling and the state takes care of licenses and ID’s, I still wanted to share this updated information.

The state opened the third bureau, located at 7600 West 119th St. in the Rosana Square Shopping Center, Overland Park, 10 months ago to support the population growth of Johnson County. Since then, the newest office has helped to reduce long lines and lengthy wait times at the other two driver’s licenses offices at 13507 Mur-Len Road in Olathe and at 6507 Johnson Drive in Mission.

New grant to increase access to local play spaces

The City of Garden City has been selected to receive a $30,000 play space grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Walt Disney Company.

According to a media release, this investment supports NRPA and Disney’s combined goal of providing one million kids and families with greater access to play.

As part of the national Meet Me at the Park Play Spaces grant program, park and recreation agencies across the country were invited to share their best ideas on increasing access to play spaces for children and families in their communities. Agencies with the most innovative and impactful project ideas were chosen to receive $30,000 grants to build their projects.

(Read more: Greater Garden City » Feed)

Skyline USD 438 purchases school supplies for all students

When school started at Skyline USD 438 on Aug. 26 in Pratt, students began using a wide variety of supplies necessary classrooms to function.

For the second year in a row, nearly all those supplies were provided by the district. The usual $50 to $70 most families spend per student at the start of each school year was eliminated by district funding, and families in the area, especially those with several students in the district, were appreciative.

“Between school fees and lunch fees, by the time families pay for supplies, August can have a lot of expense in it,” said Diane House, grade school principal and mother of three Skyline students.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Wichita event to bring people ‘Out of the Darkness’

An event later this month will raise awareness about the issue of suicide in the community.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AFSP, says suicide rates in Kansas are on the rise, with one person dying every 16 hours.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24.

Gayla Kelly is a member of AFSP. She lost her brother to suicide in 2016.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Goessel school children given school supplies

For many families, purchasing all the necessary school supplies for school can be a daunting financial task. However, the Goessel Ministerial Alliance stepped up to help address this need in the community. In 2009, the Ministerial Alliance began assisting a handful of families with some necessary supplies. Since then needs have grown in the community, and the Ministerial Alliance has stepped up their generosity.

This year they purchased just over $1,027 worth of supplies. With this money they purchased 20 boxes of #2 pencils, 80 packages of notebook paper, 30 assorted colored binders, 12 boxes of band aids for classrooms, over 20 student back packs, 30 bottles of glue, and much, much more.

The items were all placed on a display table and families could help themselves to the items they needed.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

KDOT announces bids for two mill and overlay projects in Rice County

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

The work will include two projects in Rice County. The first is along K-14 from the north city limits of Lyons north, to the Rice/Ellsworth county line. That will include milling and overlay for 11.3 miles. APAC-Kansas Inc. and Shears Division of Hutchinson will do the work at a cost of $1,877,091.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Geary County approves conditional use permit for cell phone tower project

The Geary County Commission has voted to allow a new cell phone tower to be installed on the east side of Milford Lake.

The governing body said yes to a request by Florida-based BRT to install the 300-foot tall tower at a location at 10506 Budden Road approximately four miles north of Junction City.

Commissioner Keith Ascher said the governing body just went on the facts. “Everything fit. There were no problems with it so after a lot of consideration we decided to approve it. Conditional use permit for the cell tower was approved.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Kansas becomes a leader in renewable energy

Kansas has become a leader in renewable energy production, coming in second behind North Dakota in a key category.

A new report from the Environment America and the Frontier Group outlined the Sunflower State’s progress as well as the overall rise in the U.S. in renewable energy production. The report measured a 10-year time span and found that the U.S. now produces 40 times more solar power and 270% more wind power than in 2009, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports.

Kansas’ wind generation grew six-fold from 2009 to 2018, and the state now is among the top wind, solar and hydro electricity generators. The electricity those sources produce is equal to 47% of the state’s electricity consumption. Only North Dakota has Kansas beat in that category.

City legal bills mounting

Hillsboro’s legal bill for the bankruptcy of Hillsboro Community Hospital hit $65,339 Tuesday when council members voted to pay another $12,500 to the city’s law firm Triplett, Woolf, Garretson.

The legal battle began in January when Bank of Hays filed a petition for mortgage foreclosure against the hospital and seven co-defendants including the city and its Public Building Commission.

The city and the bank worked together to have Oklahoma-based Cohesive Healthcare Management and Consulting named receiver. In March, Cohesive filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

(Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

Superintendent outlines the plan for ‘yes or no’ result from school bond issue

The Great Bend school district does not have to wait much longer to find out if a $44.87 million bond passed to help with renovations to its entire district. The mail-in ballots were sent to registered voters August 20, and are due back to the Barton County Clerk’s Office by noon Thursday, Sept. 5.

In his interview on Room 428 on 1590 KVGB that aired Sept. 3, USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says if the bond passes, the next step will be to work more with the architect SJCF.

“We would get more details and set up plans,” Thexton said. “The bond sales that would take place after that involves a lot of work on the finance side of things.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Fort Scott Commission adopts resolution to form lake committee

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday approved an ordinance creating an advisory board focused on issues related to Lake Fort Scott.

The ordinance establishes the lake advisory board, which will consist of a minimum of nine members; five people who are residents of Lake Fort Scott equally representing each side of the lake; one Fort Scott City Commissioner, one Bourbon County Commissioner, one city resident at-large, and one Bourbon County resident, the ordinance states. City Manager Dave Martin and Community Development Director Robert Uhler will chair the board but not act as members.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

KDOT’s new Cost Share Program now accepting applications

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has launched a new program designed to provide state funding for transportation projects while also leveraging local and private funding. The new Cost Share 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.

Up to $50 million will be available in the program for fiscal year 2020. The on-going program, which has at least $11 million available, requires a minimum of 15% non-state cash match. Additional consideration will be given to project applications that commit more than the minimum required match amount. The funding above the base $11 million comes from a one-time, $50 million State General Fund transfer. A minimum 25% match is required for projects to qualify for the one-time funds.

(Read more: Kansas Transportation)

Manhattan to upgrade Airport parking lot, charge parking fee to finance

Manhattan Regional Airport parking lot plans (courtesy of the City of Manhattan)

Parking at the Manhattan Regional Airport will come at a cost at a yet-to-be determined date.

The City Commission unanimously approved a $4.5 million project — including interest — to expand the lot from around 700 spots to around 900 spots, repair existing asphalt of which more than a third is failing and improve lighting among other aspects. A $5 per day fee is estimated to bring in $700,000 per year, which will finance the project which only needs $615,000 per year to cover the bond.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Large job fair in Wichita Thursday

The Wichita Workforce Center, KANSASWORKS and Intrust Bank Arena will host its annual Get Hired Job Fair on Thursday at Intrust Bank Arena, 500 E. Waterman.

The job fair will be open from 2 to 2:30 p.m. for veterans and military and 2:30 to 6 p.m. for the general public, and is free to attend.

Parking is available free of charge in all Intrust Bank Arena designated lots. Job seekers will enter through the south entrance.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Shawnee Fire Department puts new $1.2 million aerial ladder truck into service

The Shawnee Fire Department officially welcomed a new team member this past Sunday: a $1.2 million aerial ladder truck.

The truck, a custom-built 2019 Pierce Velocity tractor-drawn aerial, will be known as Ladder 71. A tractor-drawn aerial which is often called a tiller in the fire service has an articulating center which allows it to bend, much like a tractor-trailer.

Fire Chief John Mattox says the new tiller is 64 feet in overall length and carries an aerial ladder which fully extends to 107 feet.

Wichita plans to join massive lawsuit against prescription pain-killer industry

Wichita plans to join more than 2,000 other cities, counties and other units of government in a massive lawsuit against prescription pain pill manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies.

The companies targeted in the lawsuits are some of the largest in the pharmaceutical industry, including Purdue Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Allergan, Jannsen/Johnson & Johnson, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Insys Therapeutics and Amneal Pharmaceuticals. National pharmacy retailers CVS, Walgreens and Kroger have also been named in the lawsuit.

The city would seek damages for the costs of law enforcement, first responders, courts, jails and other services strained by fighting prescription pain pill use allegedly caused by the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing and distribution aimed at expanding opioid sales.

(Read more: Local News |)

City of Topeka schedules hold Clean Slate Day

Individuals can make arrangements to pay off outstanding fines and fees owed to the city of Topeka on Clean Slate Day, which will take place later this month.

City spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said Clean Slate Day will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at Topeka Municipal Court, 214 S.E. 8th Ave.

Hadfield described Clean Slate Day as “an opportunity for a fresh start for people with Topeka Municipal Court offenses,” allowing them “to begin payment plans for outstanding fines and fees, setting new court dates for outstanding warrants and getting old violations expunged, all without the fear of arrest.”

Firefighters, first responders from across Kansas deploying for hurricane aid

Dozens of firefighters and first responders from Kansas are deploying to the southeastern area of the United States to help with recovery after Hurricane Dorian.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office said an Urban Search and Rescue team is heading to Florida to help.

Kansas Task Force 1 is comprised of 42 first responders from across the state — they left Monday for a 14-day deployment.

(Read more: KMBC.com)

Vaping is causing breathing illnesses in Kansas students. Time to raise the legal age?

Joe Camel died over 20 years ago, but the tobacco mascot’s child-enticing spirit has hauntingly returned in the form of vaping — the growing use of e-cigarettes.

The stunning fact is, vaping is more prevalent among teens than tobacco use: While less than a quarter of Kansas and Missouri high school students use tobacco, about a third acknowledges having vaped, though estimates say it’s closer to half.

Every parent needs to be alerted to this rising epidemic and to vaping’s seductiveness, addictiveness and cryptic dangers, which are showing up in the heartland in alarming ways. Eerie cases of unspecified vaping-related breathing disorders have recently been identified in at least three Kansas young adults, to go with some 200 similar cases nationwide, according to the state’s Department of Health and Environment.

Slot machine vote in Sedgwick County?

Electronic gaming, or slot machines, could be coming to Sedgwick County and bringing dog racing back as well. It all begins with a decision Sedgwick County Commissioners have to make, possibly as early as Wednesday.

“I’m saying, let’s have a vote,” Pete Meitzner told KAKE News after a staff meeting Tuesday that ran long due to debate over whether to even include the issue on Wednesday’s agenda.

He says, while the idea was defeated by only a couple hundred votes in 2007, a new poll shows a change in attitude in the county.

(Read more: KAKE – News)