Johnson County vs. State Fire Marshall: Fire code applied to group homes

8 Friday, March 8

Johnson County vs. State Fire Marshall: Fire code applied to group homes

2024-03-08T09:49:06-06:00March 8th, 2024|

Six years ago, the State Fire Marshal's office issued citations for fire code violations to two group homes for developmentally impaired adults operated under the auspices of a Johnson County social service agency. The Fire Marshal considered the homes to be care facilities requiring protective devices they didn't have. Johnson County pushed back. Since then, the dispute—pitting the Johnson County Board of Commissioners against State Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen has evolved into a legal tussle having little to do with the particular citations and a great deal to do with how those group homes and about two dozen others like them [...]

8 Friday, March 8

Shawnee County found in violation of Kansas tax law. What it means.

2024-03-08T08:33:22-06:00March 8th, 2024|

Shawnee County property owners could have part of last year's property taxes refunded back to them. The Board of Tax Appeals of the State of Kansas found the Shawnee County Commission had violated state law when setting the property tax rate last year and the county has been ordered to return the extra collected funds to county taxpayers. ... In 2021, the Kansas Legislature required local governments to follow a list of actions if their property tax rate exceeds what was generated in property tax dollars the year before. These actions include sending a notice that the governing body is considering [...]

8 Friday, March 8

Salina says Cozy Inn mural is commercial sign; Cozy Inn disagrees

2024-03-08T07:39:43-06:00March 8th, 2024|

The City of Salina is hiring special legal counsel to help defend the lawsuit filed by Cozy Inn. ... Work on a mural with a hamburger on the north side of Cozy Inn in Salina was halted last year. The city of Salina is engaging with outside legal counsel after Cozy Inn filed a lawsuit against the city in regards to the mural. This comes less than a month after the restaurant filed a freedom of speech suit related to a mural it began having painted on the side of its building, which was halted after the city determined the mural [...]

7 Thursday, March 7

Municipal Bond Trends for March 6, 2024

2024-03-07T10:43:19-06:00March 7th, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

6 Wednesday, March 6

Newton strengthens regulations against pollution

2024-03-06T15:34:28-06:00March 6th, 2024|

Newton’s city commission approved an ordinance increasing fines for polluting stormwater drains. The increase is directed at companies. Suzanne Loomis, director of public works, proposed the change to the fines at the meeting on Feb. 27. Loomis said she proposed the change in hopes of getting businesses to think twice before polluting. “Corporations may think it’s easier to pay the fee,” Loomis said. “Now it’s more expensive to have to pay for it to get cleaned up.” Source: Harvey County Now

6 Wednesday, March 6

Flushable wipes clog up city resources

2024-03-06T15:34:01-06:00March 6th, 2024|

Toilet clogs can be a pain for homeowners, but flushing wipes may turn into an issue for neighbors, as well. Newton’s public works recently spent time unclogging a large sewer blockage caused by flushable wipes. Suzanne Loomis, director of public works, said the wipes are a problem because although they’re labeled as flushable, they don’t dissolve, and they clog lines. Loomis said marketing them as flushable is a problem, because it’s misleading and makes people think they’re safe to flush. Source: Harvey County Now

6 Wednesday, March 6

Rejecting car wash plan sparks debate on downtown Overland Park’s future

2024-03-06T15:32:43-06:00March 6th, 2024|

A new Tommy’s Express Car Wash location proposed in downtown Overland Park won’t be able to move forward due to concerns about whether it would fit in with the city’s long-term plans to reinvest in the corridor.... Councilmembers who voted to deny the plans for the Tommy’s Express worried that the car wash fails to support the community’s goal of remaking its downtown into a more pedestrian-friendly urban core. Source: Johnson County Post

6 Wednesday, March 6

JoCo cities say bills threaten local control

2024-03-06T15:32:02-06:00March 6th, 2024|

Cities in Johnson County are lining up in opposition to two bills circulating in the Kansas Legislature that take aim at municipalities’ powers when it comes to zoning and citizen petitions. One bill would sharply curtail a city’s ability to rezone private property, and the other would strengthen petitioners’ efforts to put a question on a local ballot, circumventing a city’s ability to stop it. Source: Johnson County Post

6 Wednesday, March 6

Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2024-3: Election-Day Buffer Zone

2024-03-06T15:29:37-06:00March 6th, 2024|

Synopsis: County election officers may constitutionally prohibit electioneering on private property within 250 feet of a polling place on election day. Cited herein: K.S.A. 21-6602; 21-6611; 25-2430; 25-2435. Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions

6 Wednesday, March 6

Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2024-2: Transient Guest Tax

2024-03-06T15:25:38-06:00March 6th, 2024|

Synopsis: The Transient Guest Tax Act is a nonuniform act. As such, a county may exempt itself from provisions of the Act under its home-rule powers through a charter ordinance or resolution. Sherman County’s Charter Resolution No. 18 was a permissible use of its statutory authority. However, once it exempted itself, Sherman County cannot then require the Kansas Department of Revenue to collect the tax. Cited herein: K.S.A. 12-1696; K.S.A. 12-1697; K.S.A. 12-1698; K.S.A. 12-1699; K.S.A. 12-16,113; K.S.A. 19-101; K.S.A. 19-101a; K.S.A. 19-101b; K.S.A. 75-704. Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions

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