With the Ogallala Aquifer drying up, Kansas considers limits to crop irrigation

10 Monday, April 10

With the Ogallala Aquifer drying up, Kansas considers limits to crop irrigation

info2023-04-10T09:53:47-05:00April 10th, 2023|

The Ogallala Aquifer has a visibility problem. It’s easy to see when drought, farm irrigation and city taps drain the great reservoirs of the Southwest. Bathtub rings paint the red rock walls surrounding Lake Powell as it shrinks, sounding alarm bells loud and clear. What about a body of water that’s locked away in a subterranean labyrinth of gravel and rock reaching more than 300 feet underground? The Ogallala may hold as much water as Lake Huron, but we can’t see it. And, problematically, that means we can’t see it disappear. Source: Wichita Eagle

10 Monday, April 10

Leawood proposes using federal funds to build pickleball courts

info2023-04-10T09:52:33-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Leawood is considering whether to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to pay for more pickleball courts for public use. The Leawood City Council in a Monday work session reviewed multiple city projects — including installation of new pickleball courts — for which the city wants to pay with funds earmarked for its use from the American Rescue Plan Act. Source: Prairie Village Post

10 Monday, April 10

Prairie Village is 2nd JoCo city to adopt antisemitism measure

info2023-04-10T09:51:31-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Prairie Village is now the second Johnson County city to adopt a resolution formally defining antisemitism in response to an ongoing uptick in reported instances of antisemitic hate both nationally and around the Kansas City region. Leawood is the only other Johnson County city currently with such a resolution on the books, which uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism as a means for guiding public response to any potential acts of hate. Source: Prairie Village Post

10 Monday, April 10

Meet Doug Gerber, Shawnee’s new city manager

info2023-04-10T09:50:17-05:00April 10th, 2023|

Doug Gerber, a long-time municipal government administrator with Kansas roots, is Shawnee’s new city manager. Gerber, whose hiring was approved in February by an unanimous city council vote, was formally sworn in last week. His path to becoming a city manager wasn’t always a clear one. As a junior at Kansas State University, he was a chemistry major. Each day, he went to labs, and Gerber found he actually hated it. On a whim, he decided to take an introduction to public administration course, discovering a new path. Source: Prairie Village Post

10 Monday, April 10

Prairie Village adds money to property tax rebate program

info2023-04-10T09:48:30-05:00April 10th, 2023|

A few more Prairie Village residents could get some relief on their city property taxes. The Prairie Village City Council last week approved adding $5,000 more to its property tax rebate program fund, bringing the 2023 funding total to just over $30,000. The program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to ease the burden on the most cash-strapped property owners, reimburses eligible residents for 100% of the Prairie Village portion of their annual property tax bill. Source: Shawnee Mission Post

7 Friday, April 7

Municipal Bond Trends for April 6, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-04-07T07:36:16-05:00April 7th, 2023|

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, Beth Warren or Henry Schmidt.

6 Thursday, April 6

Gant retires after 39 years of service to Seward County Sheriff’s office

info2023-04-06T10:53:24-05:00April 6th, 2023|

The Seward County Sheriff’s office said goodbye to one of its own Friday afternoon. Capt. Rob Gant began working with the sheriff’s office in 1984, and Friday, county staff, local law enforcement, family and friends gathered in the commission chambers in the Administration Building for a reception for the long-time officer. Before Gant was given a few presents for his retirement, Sheriff Gene Ward recalled he and Gant’s early days in law enforcement. Source: Liberal First

6 Thursday, April 6

City of Gas residents register few complaints

info2023-04-06T10:52:15-05:00April 6th, 2023|

A community conversational at Gas offered a look at the benefits of living in the small community, with few complaints. It's a neighborly community, residents said. There’s much to appreciate about living in Gas, a handful of residents agreed Tuesday evening. And in a refreshing look at its citizenry, few had much to complain about, either. Perhaps some residents can be a bit more diligent in keeping junk and trash out of their yard, but for the most part, residents here are polite, friendly, and clean, locals Larry and Shirley Robertson agreed. Source: Iola Register

6 Thursday, April 6

Derby weighs tax burden in discussing future sales tax use

info2023-04-06T10:42:54-05:00April 6th, 2023|

What comes next with the Derby Difference sales tax? That is the pressing question the Derby City Council began to tackle at its March 28 meeting, discussing potential next steps toward implementing a new city sales tax with the Derby Difference coming to an end. Following the results received from a community survey, City Manager Kiel Mangus brought forth a few items for the council to chew on at its latest meeting, including election options and rates with the new sales tax to potentially go into effect in 2025. The Derby Difference is scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31, 2024. Source: [...]

6 Thursday, April 6

Derby adjusts policy for financing public improvements

info2023-04-06T10:44:11-05:00April 6th, 2023|

In an effort to more equitably spread out costs for public improvements such as streets, sewer improvements, etc. – the Derby City Council looked at and approved a new policy resolution at its March 28 meeting. Last updated in 2016, Assistant City Manager for Development Dan Squires presented the adjusted public improvement financing policy on March 28. The policy specifics financial guarantees from developers, the term of special assessment taxes (which help recover part or all of the costs of public improvements) and the cost split between the city-at-large and the developer/benefitting properties. ... Squires pointed out the current policy is [...]