Kansas Municipal News
Here’s what Wichita’s new director says golfers can expect at city courses in 2023
Jesse Coffman says Wichita golfers have plenty to look forward to in his first full year as city golf director, including new carts, course marshals and options for buying food and drinks on the greens. Coffman took over the top job in Wichita last June after the City Council voted in March not to outsource management of the city’s four public courses to Illinois-based KemperSports. “We are in a good place financially. The pandemic kind of brought golf back to life, really,” said Coffman, who previously oversaw eight courses for the Fairfax County Park Authority in Virginia, and has also managed a resort-style Marriott golf club in Fort Worth.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
U.S. transportation secretary visits Kansas, gives speech at future Panasonic plant site
Surrounded by local and national leaders, U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg pointed to the Panasonic project as an example of rural revitalization through green energy transportation projects. Buttigieg, along with Lt. Governor David Toland and U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, among others, gave speeches Monday at the site of the future Panasonic electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto, following his attendance at the Kansas City, Missouri, airport terminal opening. Buttigieg said rural communities across America have struggled with a lack of job opportunities, influencing young people to move elsewhere for careers.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Clearwater schools interviewing superintendent candidates this week
Finalists for the USD 264 Clearwater superintendent’s position are interviewing with the board of education and visiting with the public this week. One candidate per day was being interviewed from Monday through Thursday. Each finalist is being named on the morning of his or her interview. A meet-and-greet opportunity with each superintendent will be held at 3:30 p.m. daily at the Clearwater High School commons. Candidates start their day at 10:45 a.m. by meeting with district office personnel. Following that is lunch with administrators at the central office. Candidates will then tour district buildings from 12:45 to 3:30 p.m. Following a break from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., candidates will have dinner with the board of education members in executive session. Formal interviews will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Source: Times-Sentinel Newspapers
Commerce Makes $4.1M in Community Service Tax Credits Available
The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced $4.1 million in tax credits will once again be made available under the Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP). CSP assists private nonprofit organizations and public healthcare entities undertaking major capital campaigns for projects involving: Community service, including childcare, Non-governmental crime prevention, Youth apprenticeship and technical training, Healthcare services.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Riley County to host public meeting in Keats to discuss sewer benefit district updates
Riley County officials are planning an informational meeting early next month to discuss the future of the Keats Sewer Benefit District. Commissioners created the district in 2018 after more than 51 percent of affected property owners signed a petition. “After several years of analyzing options, costs, and funding mechanisms, the County sought to move forward with sanitary sewer collection and pump to the City of Manhattan Wastewater Treatment Facility,” said Amanda Webb, Director of Riley County Planning & Development.
Source: 1350 KMAN
USD 465 seeks citizen input to search for superintendent
The Winfield Board of Education will hire the next superintendent, but they are looking for a little help from citizens within the USD 465 area. The Kansas Association of School Boards has been hired by the district to help search for a new superintendent after Nathan Reed announced he was leaving in June to take a job in Wichita. As part of its efforts, the association is conducting an online survey to find out what characteristics citizens might value in the next top administrator. The survey is linked to the usd465.com website. It was posted Feb. 14 and closes Sunday. There is not an option for a printed survey.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Quality-of-life survey coming to Ark City
A group of community organizations is launching a survey to learn more about what citizens in and around Arkansas City want and need from their community. The organizations include the Arkansas City Recreation Commission, City of Arkansas City, Cowley College and USD 470. The survey will focus on gathering information from residents about what services, programs and amenities they consider essential, as well as what they think might improve quality of life for current and future residents.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler
Flock camera trial approved in Rose Hill
In an effort to enhance community safety and further expand a resource available among area law enforcement agencies, a 45-day trial was approved for the utilization of five Flock Safety Cameras within the city of Rose Hill. Rose Hill would be looking to use Flock’s license plate reader cameras to monitor traffic and share information among departments about criminal activity identified through the system. Flock cameras are currently utilized by nearby departments in Butler County, Sedgwick County, Reno County, Andover, Derby, Mulvane and more.
Source: Derby Informer | Area
Solar project developer fields questions
When plans for a proposed solar farm in south central Barton County emerged recently, along with the announcement came numerous questions from a curious public. Where will it be? How big will it be? What impact will it have on the nearby Cheyenne Bottoms? This is a project of Chicago-based Acciona Energy USA, an American subsidiary of Madrid, Spain-based Acciona Energy. They have developed solar and wind energy projects around the world, with over 2,000 assets across the United States.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Overland Park residents are trying to save this 100-year-old oak tree along 69 Highway
Local residents are calling for a century-old tree to be saved in Overland Park that is set to be removed as part of the 69Express toll lane project. A post on Nextdoor, a neighborhood social network site, has garnered more than 100 likes and comments from residents wanting to preserve the old bur oak tree, which is located at the southwest corner of 119th Street and U.S. 69 Highway. The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to grade down the area with the oak tree and use the space for a pond that would capture stormwater runoff, said Laura Wagner, public engagement and communications manager for the 69Express project.
Source: KCUR News
Wichita mayor cites economic development achievements in State of the City address
As part of his State of the City address Thursday, Mayor Brandon Whipple says Wichita is well on its way to becoming a global leader not only in manufacturing but in technology. According to Mayor Whipple, the City of Wichita has competed for 10 economic development projects in the past six years, collectively worth a billion dollars in capital investment. Eight of those projects have been pursued in the past 24 months alone. Mayor Whipple says the city also competed for 15 economic development projects that provided 1,000 jobs each (more than half of which, again, were sought after in the past two years).
Source: KSN-TV
Concept for new sculpture shown to city commissioners
The Atchison Art Association represented by Angie Cario gave a report on the new concept for the riverfront development area. KDOT donated the Amelia Earhart Bridge pieces to the Atchison Art Association in 2013. In partnership with Charles Sprouse of Benedictine College Art & Architecture and artist Vaughn Schultz, the Atchison Art Association has facilitated an artistic representation using pieces preserved from the original Mo-Kan Free Bridge, also known as the former Amelia Earhart Memorial bridge. With permission from the Chamber and the Historical Society, we’ve incorporated all the bridge elements, including the pieces reserved for the AAA.
Source: News | atchisonglobenow.com
Fairway disputes ‘Save the Shawnee Indian Mission’ flyers
The city of Fairway is pushing back against flyers bearing the message “Save the Shawnee Indian Mission” that began appearing in local residents’ mailboxes last week. Thousands of flyers paid for by the Shawnee Tribe started showing up at homes around the Mission site in northeast Johnson County, detailing the tribe’s argument that the historic site is in “distress” and that it should be transferred to the tribe for restoration.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Future of Winfield’s Walnut Valley Festival is in doubt
The Walnut Valley Festival is on the ropes and it’s up to us to save it. ….Bart Redford, executive director of the Walnut Valley Association: “We’re definitely having this year’s festival and then we’ll just have to see where we’re at after that.” The music festival that draws thousands to Winfield every year is tapping financial reserves to stay in business, and that can’t continue forever, he said. “We need a few years of some good crowds, so we can kind of replenish our reserves,” Redford said. “I think it’s doable.”
Source: The Iola Register
Municipal Bond Trends for February 24, 2023
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, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.
Fed’s Mester says she has hope that inflation can be brought down without a recession
Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said Friday that interest rates likely need to keep moving higher to get inflation back to acceptable levels. In a CNBC interview, Mester said she sees the central bank’s benchmark interest rate having to rise above 5% and stay there for a while. The fed funds rate, which sets the level that banks charge each other for overnight borrowing but spills over into many forms of consumer debt, is currently in a target range of 4.5%-4.75%. “I see that we’re going to have to bring interest rates above 5%,” she told CNBC’s Steve Liesman during a “Squawk Box” interview. “We’ll figure out how much above. That’s going to depend on how the economy evolves over time. But I do think we have to be somewhat above 5% and hold there for a time in order to get inflation on a sustainable downward path to 2%.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Fed Rate Policy Is Shaking Up the World of Muni Debt
Demand is down for municipal bonds, which just erased nearly all of their January gains amid fears of rate increases. The markets’ bumpy start to 2023 is causing whiplash even in the historically placid realm of state and local government debt. Municipal bonds this month have erased nearly all of their January gains after fears of rate increases cooled investor appetites. … Most bonds in the $4 trillion muni market are backed by state and local taxes, and prices for the ultrasafe securities tend to move in line with Treasurys. Demand rarely flags because the bonds have a perk coveted by high-income investors: Interest is generally exempt from federal and state taxes. A tax-free yield of 5% equates to a taxable yield of around 8% for investors in the top tax bracket, according to data from Nuveen Asset Management. … But after more than a year of investors and traders trying to predict what the Fed will do, heads are spinning even in the muni market. Over the past two months, debt maturing in one year has been trading at higher interest rates than debt maturing in three years, according to ICE Data Services. Market professionals say they can’t remember that happening for such a prolonged period in more than a decade.
Source: WSJ.com: Markets
After 47-year career in public works, Wichita director Alan King will retire in March
Alan King is retiring after 11 years as Wichita’s director of public works and utilities. Mayor Brandon Whipple praised the outgoing director for his service during his State of the City address Thursday evening. “The city has benefited so much from Alan King’s knowledge, particularly as we are upgrading our aging infrastructure. Once in a while, we have a boil [water] order and Alan King is that steady hand, that steady voice that makes sure we get back to business as quick as possible,” Whipple said. “Alan, I hope you enjoy your retirement, but I also hope just as much that you keep your cell number the same because there’s a chance that we may have to call you.” King’s last day on the job is March 3.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Does your Johnson County tap water taste funny? Here’s why
For any Johnson Countian who may have noticed a funny taste or smell to their tap water lately, WaterOne has an important message: your water is absolutely safe to drink. The different “flavor profile,” as WaterOne officials put it, is due to seasonal temperature changes in local river water, and technicians are already making adjustments for it, said Mandy Cawby, WaterOne customer relations director.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for February 23, 2023
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, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.