‘Burden’ or ‘benefit’? KCK Mayor Garner floats selling the BPU to address cost concerns

Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Tyrone Garner is calling on city leaders to join him in taking a critical look at Wyandotte County’s publicly owned utility — suggesting the local government should consider selling its nonprofit electric and water provider. Citing concerns over the cost of utility bills, the mayor says he’s heard from some Wyandotte County residents who think owning the Board of Public Utilities is “a burden” and “should be more of a benefit” than it is. “I think it’s time that we take a hard look at that,” the mayor told The Star by phone Friday, “to see what the options are that are out there.” Reasons for such an evaluation, the mayor said, align with his broader goal of finding ways to cut costs for Wyandotte County residents. The mayor plans to host a more detailed public presentation on the matter in City Hall next week, and is advocating for staff to study what selling the utility could look like.
Source: Kansas City Breaking News & Sports | The Kansas City Star

info2024-09-06T09:28:37-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Pig verdict rendered, appeal could be in the works

Ginger the pig must be out of Newton within 30 days, pending an appeal. Judge Kelly Schodorf rendered the verdict after a trial of an hour and 20 minutes. “Ms. Grigoreava shall become compliant with the city code within 30 days of the order,” Schodorf said. “If the defendant remains uncompliant to the city code, the animal shall be confiscated and ownership transferred to the City of Newton.” The trial involved the city attempting to convince the court that Jessica D. Grigoreava harbored a pig. City ordinances do not allow residents to have pigs.For evidence, the city presented four body camera videos, as well as eyewitness testimony from Animal Control Officer Lyndsey Robinette and neighbor Brenda Upsinger. Towle played multiple recorded calls between Grigoreava and Robinette. In the calls, Grigoreava acknowledged having a pig. The calls included a discussion between Robinette and Grigoreava about finding a place to keep the pig. Girgoreava in one call said she had asked if pigs were allowed in the city years prior and was told by an officer that they were. She said she found out after they had Ginger that it wasn’t allowed.
Source: Harvey County Now

info2024-09-06T09:26:33-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Hillsboro to take over bowling alley

The Hillsboro City Council met on Tuesday, Aug. 20 where they approved an agreement for the city to take over the bowling alley. “As we have discussed since spring, Hillsboro Development Corporation wants the city to take over ownership of the bowling alley to ensure that the operations continue. In the agreement the city would receive the bowling alley, all the equipment and existing bank accounts for the sum of $1. There are no outstanding liabilities against the property or operation. The value of the accounts is likely to be more than $20,000 which will be used to support operations at the alley. The city will pay the closing costs and cost of any inspections. There are no stipulations on the use of the alley applied to the sale,” said Hillsboro City Administrator Matt Stiles. Stiles explained that the intention is to keep the bowling alley as a separate unit from the normal city funds.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

info2024-09-06T09:24:17-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

County hears wind farm concerns

The Marion County Board of Commissioners heard concerns about wind energy expansion from Goessel residents led by Brian Stucky. He explained that in October 2023, a story appeared in the Marion County Record to say that the Orsted Energy company was now looking to expand to the west part of the County, in the townships of West Branch, East Branch, Menno and Liberty. “Now we face the real possibility that 500-foot tall wind turbines will be near Goessel. There are positives and negatives. There are some who see wind turbines as a good thing, but there are some who absolutely do not want to live anywhere close to them for a variety of reasons. Turbines should be placed in areas with sparse population. Just not here,” said Stucky.
Source: Hillsboro Free Press

info2024-09-06T09:23:01-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Olathe approves flat tax rate, higher utility rates, expanded rebate program for 2025

Olathe has adopted a budget for 2025 that keeps the municipal property tax rate flat but raises city utility rates. That new budget — valued at roughly $611 million — will keep the property tax, or mill levy, rate static at 23.356. It is also expected to add about $10 a month to the average utility cost in the city for residents who use all of Olathe’s utilities. Ultimately, the 2025 budget passed 4-2 Tuesday, with councilmembers Kevin Gilmore and Robyn Essex voting no. Councilmember Matt Schoonover was absent. City leaders, including Mayor John Bacon and Chief Mike Butaud, marked the opening of the reimagined Olathe Police Department headquarters with a ribbon-cutting in May 2024. Photo credit Kaylie McLaughlin.
How will this affect your tax bill? For 2025, Olathe will keep the city’s property tax rate of 23.356 mills. That’s still one of the lowest property tax rates among Johnson County cities. But Olathe property owners should expect to pay more next year on their annual property tax bill because home values — which contribute to the amount you pay — have continued their upward trend. Per the real estate statistics kept by Johnson County, Olathe’s average residential property value is $407,350, up about 7.3%. To calculate what your bill is, you multiply the value of your home by .115 (the residential assessment rate). Then, divide that number by 1,000. Multiply the result by the adopted mill levy rate of 23.356. For the average homeowner in Olathe, that means about $1,904 in property taxes owed to the city next year. Keep in mind that your total annual property tax bill also includes rates from other jurisdictions, like Johnson County and the school district you live in.
Source: Johnson County Post

info2024-09-06T09:21:02-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Petitions rattled Prairie Village last summer. Kansas appeals court will now hear the case.

Last year’s hotly-discussed Prairie Village petitions are headed before a panel of three appellate judges next month. After nearly a year in the Kansas Court of Appeals, three much-discussed petitions — circulated by PV United, also known as Stop Rezoning Prairie Village, a group of residents who opposed zoning changes — are scheduled for a hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 16. City Administrator Wes Jordan told the Post via email on Wednesday that he anticipates both sides will be able to share “their perspectives of the case and be prepared to answer questions the Court may have.” Stop Rezoning PV’s spokesperson could not be reached for comment for this story. One petition called for limitations on rezoning in Prairie Village, and two separate petitions called for abandoning the city’s current form of government and adopting a new form. The “adoption” petition also wanted to slash the Prairie Village City Council in half from 12 councilmembers to six during a year when six council seats were up for election. This hearing comes nearly a year after Johnson County District Court Judge Rhonda Mason issued a ruling that only one of the three petitions — the “abandon” petition which called for less drastic government changes — was eligible for a future ballot. PV United filed a notice of appeal days after Mason issued her final ruling. The city filed its own appeal in response in early October 2023. Remember: These petitions are separate from a recent recall petition against Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson. That petition was circulated for signatures this past summer and failed to meet the necessary threshold to move forward. A breakdown of the petitions in question
Stop Rezoning PV circulated three separate petitions for signatures last summer, intending to get each petition on the November 2023 ballot. Thousands of residents signed each of the three petitions. Here’s what the petitions said, in summary: The “rezoning” petition called for limiting rezoning and, in particular, curtailing the use of accessory dwelling units — such as so-called “granny flats” — and other multifamily projects in single-family neighborhoods in Prairie Village. The “abandon” petition aimed to throw out the city’s current mayor-council form of government. The petition’s organizers have called the current form of government a “strong mayor” form and signaled an interest in paring back mayoral power. The “adoption” petition sought to replace the mayor-council form of government with a mayor-council-manager form of government. That petition included language that would have slashed the Prairie Village City Council in half from 12 councilmembers to six and would have effectively ended six councilmembers’ terms two years early.
Source: Johnson County Post

info2024-09-06T09:19:32-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

City of Columbus announces new demolition grant program

The City of Columbus announces the beginning of a new Demolition Grant Program, made possible by a generous donation. This program offers a valuable opportunity for local business owners and residents who need to remove abandoned commercial or residential structures, as well as outbuildings like garages and sheds. Through this program, eligible property owners can have these structures demolished at no cost, helping to enhance the community’s appearance and safety without incurring expenses. To apply for the Demolition Grant Program or to get more information, interested parties can access the application form on the city’s website: Demolition Grant Program Application.
Source: KOAM News

info2024-09-06T09:17:10-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

The City of Pittsburg officially launches city trash service

The City of Pittsburg hopes to help resident’s trash concerns with the official launch of a city run trash service starting the week of Sept. 2nd. This comes after many residents have reported issues with services like CARDs Recycling & Waste Management (also known as CARDs) frequently not picking up trash while still charging customers. “We’ve stuck with (CARDs) until we get the Pittsburg one,” says one Pittsburg resident. “The city’s always been in trash. We’ve always been in the trash business. what we’re doing is just getting a little better equipment and assigning some personnel,” says Daron Hall, City Manager. “Because right now, when the trash doesn’t get picked up by one of the contractors who is supposed to pick it up, it ends up falling to the city.” The service is available for anyone within the city limits or who receives city water. The city last projected there have been around 800+ signups for the service so far. The city now has two trash trucks, hundreds of roll carts and dumpsters and a designated team. Hall says residents aren’t required to sign up for the city service, it’s just another option available. And because the trash service is supported entirely by its own fees, residents who aren’t signed up for trash pickup with the city aren’t paying for it in any way. Residents signed up for the city trash service will not be charged for September according to Hall. This is because the new team is learning the routes and the stops, and he hopes residents will be patient and understanding of any mistakes. Customers will receive their first bills in October.
Source: KOAM News

info2024-09-06T09:16:16-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Great Bend releases app to explore the community

Great Bend has released an app that allows users to explore the city. The Great Bend Alive Tours app uses GPS navigation, photos, video, and audio narration to take visitors on two unique guided tours of the city. The first is a tour of the historic downtown, and the second is a tour of the city’s unique art. The historic tour takes visitors around the courthouse square and neighboring streets, where they will learn the history of historic buildings, as well as about sites where important structures once stood. The art tour showcases murals and sculptures around Great Bend and includes interviews and audio clips with the artists who created them. The app was created through Great Bend Alive, part of Great Bend Economic Development, a public/private partnership focused on economic development in Barton County. They plan to expand the app’s features in the future. “The potential for this app is virtually endless,” said Lee Ann June, Communications Director for Great Bend Economic Development. “We have plans to use it with downtown events held by Great Bend Alive, the City of Great Bend, and others. The Great Bend Alive Preservation Team is also excited to develop new tours focused on historic events and properties in the area.” The app is available for both iOS and Android or through any web browser.
Source: KSN-TV

info2024-09-06T09:14:31-05:00September 6, 2024|News|

Mayor gives update on Cheney level, water restrictions

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu is urging the community to remain vigilant about the drought. On Thursday, she said the city saw a slight uptick in water usage from previous weeks. Thursday marks one month since mandatory water restrictions began in Wichita and neighboring towns The graphic shows the volume of treated water going from the Hess Pump Station to the 500,000 water customers in Wichita and neighboring towns. The red line is when the restrictions began. The dips are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when no watering is allowed. Wichita began the watering restrictions because the water level at Cheney Reservoir was dropping, and the mayor says it continues to drop. “The 12-month moving average conservation pool is at 67.2%, which is a decrease of 1.2% in the last month,” Wu said. “Cheney is currently at 59.7% full in total. The rain we have had in August didn’t provide much relief.” She says the city has sent almost 245 warning letters to residents suspected of violating the mandatory water restrictions. However, the number of letters sent has decreased each week. Last week, only 30 were sent. The city has not issued any fines yet. “We want to continue to emphasize education and the importance of coming together to safeguard our most important resource – water,” the mayor said. Wichita’s drought plan allows people northwest of Central and Broadway to water on Mondays, northeast on Tuesdays, southwest on Wednesdays, and southeast on Thursdays. Watering is limited to before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. NW Wichita can water on Mondays. NE can water on Tuesdays. SW can water on Wednesdays. SE can water on Thursdays. The City of Wichita continues to offer rebates to people who install water-saving devices. So far, the city has approved rebates for 343 devices totaling almost $25,000. More than $50,000 remains in the rebate program. The rebates are for many products, including rain barrels, rain sensor shutoffs, smart irrigation controllers, toilet repair kits and dual-flush converter kits. Click here to learn more.
Source: KSN-TV

info2024-09-06T09:13:29-05:00September 6, 2024|News|