The budget season is about to widen as another round of discussions between commissioners and department heads focus on the wish lists and needs of county government.
During a workshop Tuesday, elected and appointed officials gathered to initially plan their schedule for the 2021 budget season.
A review of the 2021 budget calendar has been top of their minds since the county’s organizational meeting Jan. 13.
(Read more: Atchison Globe Now)
Sedgwick County and its health department are working on communication efforts to get more information to the community about the coronavirus.
County manager Tom Stolz told county commissioners Wednesday there have been weekly meetings with local agencies at the emergency operations center, and meetings have been held with department heads. He said county health officials will also take part in a panel discussion scheduled for March 16th on KWCH. County commissioners will also get a briefing each week at their regular meeting, and there are discussions about a telephone town hall meeting to get information to citizens.
Stolz said county officials are also looking for unique ways to connect with the most vulnerable population, people over 60 with chronic health conditions. County health director Adrienne Byrne said the county will be working with long-term care facilities and reviewing their infection control procedures. She said there will also be discussions with local pharmacies on ways to get information to people on the coronavirus.
(Read more: KFDI 101.3)
Volatility continues to hang over financial markets due to COVID-19, and after a Monday that had all stocks down at least 6%, stocks rebounded Tuesday and muni yields were down as much as 16 basis points — [on Tuesday] munis saw a correction.
Munis were weaker on Tuesday on the MBIS benchmark scale, with yields rising six basis points in the 10-year and by six basis points in the 30-year maturity. High-grades were also stronger, with yields on MBIS’ AAA scale decreasing by six basis points in the 10-year maturity and by six basis points in the 30-year maturity.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.
Hundreds of Topeka homes rented out on a short-term basis as “Airbnbs” could come to be affected by Monday’s Topeka Board of Zoning Appeals’ vote requiring the owners of one such facility to get a permit to continue to operate it, that couple’s property manager said.
Travis Maurath, property manager for Rental Management Solutions, said he found 291 listings Monday of properties in Topeka that were available for short-term rental at the website Airbnb.com.
Maurath told zoning appeals board members that if they were to require Don Phillippi and Candi Bryant to get a conditional use permit to continue to rent out the house they own at 229 S.W. Edgewood Ave. on a short-term basis — which they subsequently did — the owners of those 291 other properties should also have to do that.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
The Merriam city council on Monday evening heard the latest update on the new Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater Street, including an official opening date: June 8.
Assistant City Administrator Meredith Hauck presented a transition plan from the Irene B. French Community Center to the new community center that included details for moving out and moving in, as well as an opening plan.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)
After a one-year suspension, Miami County has dusted off last year’s magnesium chloride purchase agreement as it prepares for the upcoming season.
County commissioners have voted 5-0 to purchase a combined 265,000 gallons of MgCI-2 and magnesium chloride at a cost of $257,335 for its 2020 dust control program.
Project Manager Matt Oehlert said Scotwood Industries plans to honor its 2019 quantities and prices. Scotwood was the only bidder for the 2020 contract.
“This agreement was offered last year at this same time,” Chairman Rob Roberts told the audience at the commission’s meeting Wednesday, Feb. 26. “However, the county did not purchase any magnesium chloride, so the firm was willing to honor last year’s prices.”
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)
The Shawnee County Attorney and Topeka Police Department are purchasing a Cellabrite Universal Forensic Extraction Device, new technology that will help law enforcement in their investigations.
Once law enforcement obtains a search warrant to look for evidence, the device helps gather evidence by unlocking passwords, converting encrypted information and translating different languages on devices like cell phones.
Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said that between the two departments, law enforcement sees thousands of phones that have incriminating evidence, but new technological advancements make it difficult to access that information.
(Read more: KSNT News)
pproaching one year after being shot four times in the line of duty, Rice County Undersheriff Chad Murphy says he’s lucky to be alive as he returns to service for the first time since it happened.
Murphy returned to work Monday, following about 10 months of recovery.
“I knew I was going to live, but there for an hour or two, it was touch and go,” Murphy says of injuries he suffered in response to an April 30, 2019 standoff in Rice County. “Nobody really knew for sure how much damage was done.”
(Read more: KWCH News)
Trustees of the Lake Sherwood residential development southwest of Topeka sought permission Tuesday from the Kansas Senate for a public vote on a sales tax increase of no more than 1% to finance maintenance work on the housing district’s roads and drainage systems. Nearly all revenue from the special sales tax for the Sherwood improvement district would be generated at a Dillons grocery store, said Doug Mays, treasurer of the development’s board of trustees.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
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