Sumner NewsCow

The Sumner Community Hospital grand opening and ribbon cutting was a huge success Wednesday. The big day included the opening of Sumner Primary Care Center and featured several fun-filled activities and tour of the many changes of the new hospital in Wellington. (Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

Several Wellington residents have been wondering about the scraping of the right of ways occurring around town, especially alongside the curbing on U.S. 160. Wellington Director of Public Works Jeremy Jones said at Tuesday’s city council meeting periodically the curbs need to be scrapped due to sand build up accumulated from years of using a snow plow and traffic residue. The city has not done this process since before 2008. Jones said there are three reasons for this: 1) it helps with drainage, 2) it is easier to mow, and 3) makes it aesthetically pleasing. He said many of the curbs [...]

On April 1, 2019, the City of Wellington began only accepting cardboard, office paper and plastic #1 and plastic #2. Other materials including plastics #3 through #7 will not be accepted as there is currently little to no market in this region and some materials are being landfilled by material recovery facilities. (Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

While the biofuel plant rezoning vote may have had the most long-term implications, recycling was most on the minds of the council members Tuesday night at its first April regularly scheduled meeting. Recent changes in the industry brought on by the nation of China no longer accepting certain types of plastics has created chaos for small recycling operations such as the City of Wellington’s. Waste Connections recently informed the city it will be charging $120 per ton for recyclables effectively immediately. With 275-300 tons of material collected by the city annually, that cost adds as much as $36,000 to the Sanitation [...]

By a 6-0 vote tonight, the Wellington City Council passed an ordinance rezoning property located in the southwest quadrant of the intersection of U.S. 160 Highway and Seneca Road that could pave the way for a new biofuel plant in Sumner County. The 145-acre tract has been rezoned from HCP – Planned Highway Commercial to heavy industrial, I2. This was a huge victory for those hoping to build a biofuel plant on the property. The zoning change comes on the request of VERBIO North America which is proposing to build a renewable natural gas production facility on a tract of land [...]

Due to market changes and increased processing costs for most recyclable materials, beginning April 1, 2019, the City of Wellington will only accept cardboard, office paper and plastics No. 1 and No. 2 as part of its recycling program. Please have cardboard, paper and plastic separated before arrival at the recycling center as city workers will handle each material differently.  The city was recently advised processing costs will be $120 per ton and additionally that plastic bags and plastics #3-#7 are being thrown away after we turn them over to the processor. (Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

There was a lot to talk about at the Wellington City Council Tuesday meeting – including talking about Wellington School Board. Wellington Mayor Shelley Hansel said she was concerned with rumors around town that people are going to move away because of the new Summit Redesign curriculum being implemented at the school district. “I heard a disturbing thing that there are several families who are considering of moving from Wellington because they don’t like the way our school district is going,” Hansel said in the audience participation portion of the meeting. “I am just wondering as a district partner, should we [...]

The Sumner County Commissioners voted unanimously to change the Planning Commission wording in its regulations that will return the board to its original ‘advisory” role when it comes to issuing Conditional Use Permits. The commissioners voted to strike the word “and” from the regulation language, after it was interpreted by Judge William Mott in Sumner County District Court to read that in order for Conditional Use permits to be issued it must get the approval of both the planning commission and the Board of Commissioners. A Conditional Use permit allows a property owner to use his land in a way not [...]

The 17th Street project, north of the Dollar Tree store in east Wellington has been pretty well resolved, according to city officials at its meeting Tuesday. Wellington Public Works Director Jeremy Jones told the council he has been in touch with the developers and contractors, and have worked out an agreement for the correction. All but 29 feet of the project will have to be repaved and brought to city specifications. At Tuesday’s meeting, Ryan Kiser, a developer for Ridge Investment Group of Wichita, apologized to the council for paving the road too early, and said: “We didn’t educate each other [...]

The Sumner County Commissioners tabled a request by VNA Corporation to rezone a parcel of property west of the Ninnescah River from rural to heavy industrial until the April 8 meeting this morning at the Raymond Frye Complex. The Commissioners also accepted the withdrawal of a conditional use permit by VNA. The meeting lasted less than five minutes. A room was filled to capacity for this very short proceeding. Previously, on Nov. 7, the Sumner County Planning Commission voted to deny both the zoning request and the Conditional Use permit. As far as zoning is concerned, the recommendation was sent to [...]