Kansas Municipal News
911 dispatchers: Always on call, handling chaos in crashes
The dispatchers who take 911 calls about crashes on Kansas roadways are the crucial links in emergency responses. Without them, help wouldn’t arrive in time. How do they do it? Three dispatchers with Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications are sharing their stories in the series. This second article focuses on Sabrina Henry, dispatch supervisor: Henry remembers getting a series of calls from panicked witnesses who encountered a crash. A vehicle had gone off the road, leaving multiple victims. She managed to calm the witnesses enough to find out where they were and how many victims. It took a few moments “to get everybody to settle down,” Henry said.
Source: Kansas Transportation
New incentive criteria opens up housing development options in Derby
Part of the push behind Derby’s recent housing study and its adoption was to make additional incentives available to the city – incentives that are seen as a means to further housing development. In particular, the Kansas Legislature made the benefits of the Rural Housing Incentive District program (RHID) more accessible in 2021, opening up the program to cities and counties with a population of less than 60,000. With the filing of the housing study, Derby can now utilize RHIDs as a development tool. The community development advisory board officially approved their addition to the city’s economic development policy back in August.
Source: Derby Informer
Merriam leaders consider hotel grant to bolster tax revenue
City leaders in Merriam will soon consider a new plan to reinvest in the city’s aging hotel stock. On Monday, the Merriam City Council reviewed a proposed grant that could help revamp local hotels to bring in more tax revenue for the city. Currently there are four hotels in Merriam, all built between 1982 and 1998. A 7% transient guest tax (TGT) applies to all hotels and Airbnbs within the city. Revenue from the TGT supports the Visitor’s Bureau, the farmers market and special community events like the Turkey Creek Festival.
Source: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF
FOLRZ’s ‘A Wild Affair’ fundraiser returns to Garden City zoo
Saturday was a wild time at the Lee Richardson Zoo. The 2022 “A Wild Affair” fundraiser held by the Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo was held for the first time in two years, since the 2019 event, on Saturday. This was the event’s 15th year. Kristi Newland, zoo director, said it’s a “wonderful event where community support shines” and they get to welcome people to the zoo on a different basis to have a good time. Jessica Norton, executive director of the Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo, said a lot of people attend the event when it’s held, a lot of returning faces, but also plenty of new ones, who this might be their first exposure to the zoo.
Source: Garden City Telegram
HFED announcing new grant opportunities for downtown Hiawatha
The Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development has announced new grant opportunities for downtown. HFED Director Mikaela Moore said the organization is facilitating the second round of Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) grants, intended for revitalizing downtown buildings in small communities across the state. These grants were recently announced by Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland and the HEAL program is designed to bring downtown buildings back into productive use as spaces for new or expanding businesses, housing, arts and culture, civic engagement, childcare or entrepreneurship.
Source: hiawathaworldonline.com
McPherson County Sheriff’s Office selling breast cancer awareness patches to help local nonprofit
“All the money that… they receive stays to help benefit McPherson county residents, so every dollar that we donate to them stays in McPherson County and I couldn’t think of any better way to help support your local community than with a local charity that does something like that,” said Sgt. AJ Elmer with the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office.
Source: KAKE – News
‘I don’t think we understood the magnitude of it’: City of Wichita addresses evidence problems
On Monday, City Manager Robert Layton announced major problems found at the Wichita Police Department’s evidence building. “My office learned about potential problems with the police department’s property and evidence operation,” Layton said. He also talked about five phase plans to fix it. One of the problems found in the more than 400-page audit is a huge evidence backlog. It says the building has around 550,000 items, and that it’s “increasing at an alarming rate.” So why is the city just now making a plan? “I don’t think we understood the magnitude of it and I didn’t until I read the audit report,” Layton said.
Source: KAKE – News
Google Fiber’s impact on Kansas City 10 years later
KC Digital Drive was founded in 2012 by the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, to address the digital equity issues revealed when Google Fiber launched in Kansas City and to mitigate the gaps in adapting to emerging technologies in the bi-state region. Now, it’s been 10 years since those efforts began and Aaron Deacon, managing director of KC Digital Drive, says Kansas City is ahead of other big cities when it comes to access to fiber. “We have more fiber here than almost any big city in the U.S. We have a competitive fiber market,” Deacon says. “We have fiber that serves some of our poorest neighborhoods that the rest of the country kind of salivates over.”
Source: KCUR
Drought leads to fish salvage in Ellis, other towns
The drought that has been affecting communities across Kansas is causing problems for the fish at several Kansas lakes. As the water recedes, fish could die. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has issued public fish salvage orders for these four lakes: Ellis City Lake (order issued on Monday). Warren Stone Lake, east of La Crosse (order issued recently). Hodgeman State Fishing Lake, southeast of Jetmore. Goodman State Fishing Lake, east of Ness City
Source: KSNT 27 News
Bees swarm downtown Emporia after honey spill
A warning from local Emporia officials is urging people to “bee safe” following the arrival of a swarm of bees. According to the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center, the spilling of a five-gallon bucket of honey has created a “golden buffet” for the local bee population. This has resulted in a massive amount of bees in downtown Emporia. The site of the spill is an alley stretching from 600 Commercial Street to Merchant Street. Officials indicate that this could be ongoing for the next few days as the bees gobble up all of the honey. Any efforts to clean up the spilled honey have been regarded as unsafe due to the high concentration of insects.
Source: KSNT 27 News
City of Emporia unveils results of recent citywide operations survey
The results of a recent citywide survey will go a long way in helping city administration improve operations at every level. The survey was sent out to local residents back in August and City Manager Trey Cocking was very pleased with the response as right around 480 community members offered feedback. According to Cocking the largest response came in central Emporia, which he says is not a surprise. However; Cocking says the responses from north and south Emporia was very uplifting. Overall, Cocking says the results were mixed with very few surprises. Unfortunately, this includes a less than satisfactory response regarding transparency from city government.
Source: KVOE Emporia Radio
De Soto latest JoCo school district to stock Narcan to prevent opioid overdoses
Nurses at middle and high schools in USD 232 in De Soto will now be equipped with Narcan, a nasal spray that aims to quickly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. Why it matters: This comes about a year after the death of 16-year-old Cooper Davis, a USD 232 student whose parents say he died after taking a pill he didn’t know was laced with fentanyl, a powerful opioid. The details: Alvie Cater, a district spokesperson, told the Post via email that the De Soto school board supported an agreement with the county to implement an “opioid antagonist protocol.”
Source: Prairie Village Post
Governor Laura Kelly celebrates legacy of Amelia Earhart with statue unveiling in Atchison
Governor Laura Kelly today joined the Amelia Earhart Foundation in honoring its namesake with a statue unveiling ceremony. The bronze statue, located at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, is the sister statue of the one that was installed in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in July. “How better to cement our state’s legacy as the Air Capitol of the World than with a statue at the museum that celebrates a woman who showed all of us what it means to “reach for the stars,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I want to express my deepest appreciation for this museum and for this immortalization of an extraordinary individual who truly represents the best of the Kansas spirit.”
Source: Western Kansas News
Butler County voters to consider food-service requirement with liquor licenses
Butler County business owners are closely watching an issue that will be presented in a question on the Nov. 8 general-election ballot. Butler County voters will decide whether businesses with liquor licenses should be required to make 30% of their sales from food. A “yes” vote would eliminate this requirement while a “no” vote means nothing will change. “For businesses, if you’re going to have a liquor license, as a restaurant, you have to hit the minimum of 30% food sales. For some people like myself, it’s not a problem. For others, it’s a big struggle, said Shane Scott, owner of Sugar Shane’s Café, in Augusta. “(For) a small business, it can be a really big struggle.”
Source: KWCH
Municipal Bond Trends for September 26, 2022
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 and Beth Warren.
Muni yields rise amid global bond market volatility
Municipal yields climbed again Monday amid elevated secondary selling pressure following a major U.S. Treasury selloff while equities also ended in the red as global bond market uncertainties rattle all markets. Triple-A municipal yields rose as much as 18 basis points on the short end, with the one-year just below or above 3%, further flattening the curve. The two-year UST hit 4.3% while the 10-year climbed 21 basis points Monday.
Source: The Bond Buyer
2-year Treasury tops 4.3% as yields rise following Fed rate hikes
Yields soared on Monday, with the 2-year Treasury reaching a fresh 15-year high, as markets digested the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes and looked toward economic commentary from Fed speakers. The yield on the policy-sensitive 2-year Treasury briefly climbed above 4.3%, hitting levels last seen in 2007. … The benchmark 10-year Treasury also climbed higher, with its yield up 6 basis points to 3.7668%.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Wichita begins new program to prevent violent crime
The City of Wichita will be working with a consulting firm on a Violence Interrupter Program that will work with community leaders to reduce gun violence. The City Council has approved an agreement with the consulting firm Cure Violence Global, which began in Chicago and operates in a number of U.S. cities. Assistant City Manager Donte Martin said the program will provide an understanding of violent behavioral outcomes and risk factors. He said Cure Violence will work with community organizations and train Wichita residents on the program that will be created. Funding will be provided to local organizations that work in youth development and violence prevention.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
Fort Scott City Clerk Diane Clay Retires On Oct. 1
Diane Clay’s first job with the City of Fort Scott was as Administrative Assistant to the City Manager Richard U. Nienstedt in March 1998. Her last day on the job is October 1, 2022. “I have been employed for 24 years…with the City of Fort Scott,” she said. “I have been City Clerk 23 of those years.” For many, Clay was the first contact with the city that citizens had. And for this reporter, she was always helpful and timely in her responses to questions.
Source: Fort Scott Biz