Kansas Municipal News
USDA to Create Plan to Expand Recreation Economies and Help People Thrive Across Rural America
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will create a plan to expand recreation economies to help people thrive across rural America. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, USDA Rural Development, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Forest Service will partner to develop an annual plan to expand economic opportunities related to recreation in communities surrounding America’s national forests. The annual plan will outline the ways the agencies will partner to conduct program outreach, host informational sessions and workshops, and develop toolkits to help people access the resources they need to thrive in recreation economies. To learn more, read the full Stakeholder Announcement.
Municipal Bond Trends for January 18, 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.
IdeaTek sweeping across the area
IdeaTek began their internet service in Colwich a week ago. Soon, IdeaTek’s service will start in Hesston, and right behind them will be Halstead. Both towns are expected to be up and running by early spring, according to IdeaTek’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Amy Bickel. Sedgwick and Burrton recently entered into franchise agreements with IdeaTek to bring their internet service to their towns. Bickel said they’re also constructing fiber in a residential portion of McPherson. IdeaTek, which is based out of Buhler, is already in the other area towns of Inman, Moundridge, Andale, Haven, Mount Hope, Yoder, and Goessel, according to Bickel.
Source: Harvey County Now
Sedgwick County employees to get one more holiday this year
Sedgwick County Commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday in February to the calendar for county employees. Commissioners had removed the holiday in November in order to add Juneteenth to the calendar. Commissioner Ryan Baty said it’s important to restore the holiday to show employees that county leaders are concerned about morale and stability of staff. Baty said it makes financial sense to restore the Presidents’ Day holiday. Commissioners David Dennis and Jim Howell are concerned about the $800,000 impact of adding the holiday, in light of projected deficits for 2024 and beyond. Commissioners agreed to make the change for this year and have staff look at the concept of a floating holiday for county employees next year. County Manager Tom Stolz said those discussions are underway.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Markets fully price in quarter-point interest rate hike in February as inflation slows
Markets are nearly certain the Federal Reserve next month will take another step down in the pace of its interest rate increases. Pricing Wednesday morning pointed to a 94.3% probability of a 0.25 percentage point hike at the central bank’s two-day meeting that concludes Feb. 1, according to CME Group data. If that holds, it would take the Fed’s benchmark borrowing rate to a targeted range of 4.5%-4.75%. While the probability is little changed since late last week, economic data Wednesday helped solidify the idea that after a succession of aggressive hikes — four consecutive three-quarter point hikes in 2022, at one point — the Fed is ready to take its foot off the brake a bit more.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
State to apply for federal dollars to extend AMTRAK line to Newton
The next step to Newton becoming a rail hub is in the works. It’s just not been completed as fast as originally expected. A feasibility study to update costs and needs to extend Amtrak service from Oklahoma City to Newton was expected to be completed in December 2022. The study updates a 2012 feasibility plan and will be used in a competitive federal grant process for $7 billion allocated to long-distance rail projects. “The feasibility study is still in progress and not complete or available,” stated Tim Potter, a public affairs manager with KDOT. Grant applications for the Corridor Program are due March 20. “The timeline of the effort has been altered to align with the Federal Railroad Administration Corridor ID Program, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” Potter said KDOT has been focused on the application process.
Source: Harvey County Now
Peabody library featured in podcast
Peabody Township Library is featured in the first Sunflower State Small Libraries podcast of 2023. In a 32-minute program, Rodger Charles, librarian since 2011, talks about the library and the difference it makes in the community. Although Peabody’s population is about 900, the library serves a township population of 1,100. Established in 1874, it was the first free public library in Kansas. The town’s namesake, F. H. Peabody, donated the first building, which now sits behind the library building, Charles said. In 1914, the library got a Carnegie Foundation grant and built the present building. The building is on the National Historic Register.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Fly In at Hugoton Municipal Airport
Saturday, January 14 was the fourth annual fly-in of the EAA Chapter 377 hosted by Matt and Maddie Rome. Twelve planes arrived in Hugoton for the monthly meeting with 30 people attending. The Chapter meets every month for a fly-in and every January it is in Hugoton. Next month the fly-in will take place in Liberal.
Source: Hugoton Hermes News
Arkansas City police welcome new support K9
A new four-legged member of the Arkansas City Police Department has been brought in to help support the officers and first responders. The department has brought on a new K-9 named Sal. The 8-month-old bulldog will be sent off for specialized training in the next month. The department plans to use Sal to help with community outreach event such as Popsicle Patrol, DARE Camp, National Night Out and more. “Plans are in the works for K-9 Sal to be a community resource. His badge number is 988. He will be a constant reminder that help is only three numbers away when people find themselves or others in a mental health crisis. K-9 Sal will frequent our schools to help educate students about mental health. He will assist with the department’s new suicide prevention program Hope Squad, currently operating at the Arkansas City Middle School, Arkansas City High School, and Cowley College,” Police Chief Burr said.
Source: KAKE – News
Kansas law enforcement say legislation should be passed on fentanyl, mental health issues
Kansas law enforcement officials have sounded the alarm about fentanyl and mental health crises across the state, saying fentanyl is now a greater threat than methamphetamines. Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeffrey Easter said he is still seeing a surplus of inmates suffering from mental illness, waiting in jail for long periods of time in order to receive treatment. During a House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee meeting Tuesday, he urged lawmakers to find solutions. Community hospitals and jails in western Kansas have had to pick up the slack, housing mentally unstable patients without state reimbursement because of shortages of mental health care workers and beds for patients.
Source: Kansas Reflector
WFD firefighters will carry Narcan, Whipple says
A tweet from Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple says that firefighters with the Wichita Fire Department (WFD) will carry and distribute Narcan to victims of suspected opioid overdoses. “This policy change, combined with funding will save lives as we continue our fight against the fentanyl crisis,” reads the tweet. A town hall meeting hosted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Wichita Police Department last week highlighted some of the dangers of fentanyl in Wichita. The Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center says the number of fentanyl cases has grown exponentially.
Source: KSN-TV
New K-9s will serve in Saline County schools
Two new K-9s are joining the Saline County Sheriff’s Office to serve in public schools. The dogs are not the typical police dogs who assist officers in investigating crime. They are therapy dogs. Saline County Deputies Tyler Casteel and Braden Long recently traveled to Brevard County, Florida, where they trained with their new K-9 partners at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College. The program uses rescued dogs who are then trained by inmates under the supervision of professional trainers to provide therapy dogs at no cost. Therapy dogs can provide a variety of assistance, including helping to keep people calm during a crisis and easing fear and anxiety for children and adults testifying in court or being interviewed.
Source: KSN-TV
Broadband access to improve in 15 Kansas counties, here’s where
More than $40 million has been awarded to service providers in Kansas to extend high-speed internet across several underserved counties. Cassie Nichols, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Governor, said a total of $44.5 million has been distributed to nine service providers to extend internet access to 18,468 locations in 15 counties. This will be the third and final award phase of the Kansas Capital Project Funds (CPF) Broadband Infrastructure Program. Nichols said the CPF program provides funding to make broadband connections in critical areas of the state that don’t have access to high-speed internet. The $83.5 million total CPF investment and $42 million in matching funds will result in more than 24,500 homes, businesses, schools, health care facilities and other public institutions being connected to faster, more reliable internet for the first time.
Source: KSN-TV
Sedgwick County commissioner joins meeting a day after giving birth to twins
It was out of the ordinary for Wednesday’s Sedgwick County Commission meeting. County Commission chairman Pete Meitzner welcomed Commissioner Sarah Lopez via Zoom before the meeting began, and Lopez announced she had given birth to twin girls on Tuesday. “I’m really just excited to share that our daughters are here, they’re healthy and I’m doing good,” Lopez said. “I couldn’t really ask for anything better.” The twin girls, Alejandra Marie and Ana Lucia, were born prematurely at 33 weeks but are doing well. The twins are in the neonatal intensive care unit but will be moved to a different unit soon, Lopez said.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County rolls out public alert system for emergencies, starting in these cities
Sedgwick County government has rolled out a voluntary public alert system — Civic Ready — that can send text messages, e-mails or voice alerts of emergencies or important news. City governments in Wichita and Mount Hope are also able to send out more targeted and localized alerts through the system. Other cities in Sedgwick County are expected to join the program later this year. To use it, residents have to sign up and select how they want to be notified — and what kind of alerts they would like to receive.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
McPherson Police Chief Mikel Golden graduates FBI National Academy
On Thursday, Dec. 8, McPherson Police Chief Mikel Golden graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Golden began training at the FBI National Academy 10 weeks ago, in mid-October, and successfully completed the training this week. Golden’s training included classroom instruction, physical fitness, and more. Golden has dedicated over 15 years of law enforcement service to the McPherson community. He joined the McPherson Police Department in October 2006 as a patrol officer. While attending the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, his classmates voted him class president.
Source: McPherson Weekly News
Kansas teacher shortage prompts calls for higher salaries, paying student teachers
As Kansas faces the worst teacher shortage it’s ever known, one group says the state needs to raise teacher pay, elevate the profession and offer student teachers a paycheck. “Part of the problem is our salaries in education stink,” said Rick Ginsburg, dean of education at the University of Kansas. “Add to that working conditions that are challenging, a public that is rather critical. … So what you end up with is something that is awfully challenging.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $45 Million to Connect Kansans to High-Speed Internet in 15 underserved counties
Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $44.5 million will be awarded to nine service providers to extend high-speed internet to 18,468 locations in 15 underserved counties across the state. This is the third and final award phase of the Kansas Capital Project Funds (CPF) Broadband Infrastructure Program. The CPF program provides funding to make broadband connections in critical areas of the state that lack access to high-speed internet. The $83.5 million total CPF investment, combined with almost $42 million in matching funds, will result in more than 24,500 homes, businesses, schools, health care facilities, and other public institutions being connected to fast, reliable internet for the first time.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
Days long ‘computer network disruption’ continues in Derby, under federal investigation
Federal law enforcement is investigating what the City of Derby is calling a “computer network disruption.” City Manager Kiel Mangus said IT staff discovered the problem on Saturday, Jan. 14. The city’s email network is down. “They’re evaluating our system to see, you know, what occurred, how it occurred, you know, when can we get things back,” Mangus said. The FBI is investigating the disruption, along with third-party computer specialists. Mangus said this is causing delays in utility bill payments in Derby.
Source: KAKE – News
Municipal Bond Trends for January 17, 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.