Kansas Municipal News
Labette County explores idea of zoning
The Labette County Commission is exploring the option of zoning the entire county. The commissioners voted 2-1 to appoint people to join the Labette County Planning and Zoning Board and the Labette County Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals at Monday’s meeting. There is a possibility of the county being zoned and excluding wind farms, but it is all part of the plan the board will work on in the coming months. Nothing is set in stone yet with zoning as the commissioners just appointed people to the board Monday.
Source: Parsons Sun
Leawood residents will have chance to weigh in on city’s pit bull ban
Following several weeks of discussion, a divided Leawood City Council voted Monday to approve conducting a community-wide survey that asks residents to weigh in on the city’s current dangerous animals ordinance, which bans pit bulls. Leawood is the last Johnson County city currently with a pit bull ban still in place.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for September 20, 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.
Fed expected to hike rates by three-quarters of a point again, but its forecast may matter most
It’s not what the Federal Reserve does, but what it says it could do in the future that will be most crucial when the central bank winds down its two-day meeting Wednesday. The Fed is expected to fire off another three-quarter point rate hike — its third in a row. It will also release new quarterly forecasts for inflation, the economy, and the future path of interest rates Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET. The Fed’s projections are always important, but this time they are even more so because investors have been trying to game how high the Fed will raise interest rates and how much officials expect their actions could impact the economy.
Source: CNBC
Garden City launches new text messaging service
Garden City has launched a new text messaging service for residents. My GCKS will allow residents to ask questions of city officials and request services, as well as receive alerts about everything from severe weather, to roadwork and utility issues. Last August, the city conducted a survey of residents asking a variety of questions about communication from the city. From the survey, they learned that many residents would prefer a text messaging option. … More details can be found on the city’s website.
Source: KSN-TV
Lawrence Police Department training to help kids experiencing trauma
Lawrence Police Officers are being trained this week on the best way to handle children who are exposed to trauma. The training is called “Handle with Care,” and involves School Resource Officers, Lawrence Public Schools, and the Douglas County advocacy group, DCCCA. The training shows officers how to notify schools when a child is encountered at the scene of a traumatic event. A simple private message will be sent to the child’s school. The message has the child’s name, grade, and “Handle with Care.”
Source: KSNT 27 News
Overland Park approves ordinance regulating nuisance parties
Overland Park approved a new ordinance Monday regulating nuisance parties. The city council unanimously approved the measure, which help police deal with properties where people are violating noise ordinances, using drugs or alcohol illegally, damaging property, littering, creating parking or traffic issues and more. In addition to citing individuals physically at the properties, the ordinance will allow Overland Park police officers to issue fines of up to $500 against the renter or owner of the problem properties for violations.
Source: KMBC.com
10Y Treasury Yield Surges To Highest In A Decade As Fed Decision Looms
The benchmark Treasury Yield rose to its highest level since April 2011 as investors brace for another major interest rate hike this week. 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield climbed to the highest level since April 2011 as markets brace for a third straight 75 basis points interest rate hike at the Fed’s Wednesday. The benchmark 10-year yield rose six basis points to over 3.5%, a new decade high…. The jump comes as investors await the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Sept. 20-21, when the U.S. central bank is almost widely expected to deliver another 75 bps interest rate hike after two in July and August.
Source: Investing.com
Wichita Fire Department building temporary station to help response times around Amidon bridge construction
The Amidon bridge is a vital artery for traffic for north and west Wichita. Darrin Smith lives right at the bridge’s south end and says he uses it constantly. “Sometimes two, three times a day just to go over to the grocery stores, or to grab a coffee or just something to eat really quick, or even the gym,” he told KAKE Monday. The City of Wichita started prep work to tear down the bridge and replace in on Monday. It a project that could last up to a year and a half. Smith says the work has led some of his neighbors to be concerned about emergency response to their neighborhood, since the closest fire station to them is north of the bridge.
Source: KAKE – News
Augusta to consider overturning breed-specific dog ban
The Augusta City Council on Monday will be considering the first draft of a revised animal control ordinance that would do away with banning specific dog breeds. The ordinance will be discussed at the council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. City Code Ch. 2, Article 1, 2-114 Dangerous Dogs; prohibited states, “It shall be unlawful for any person or legal entity to keep, harbor or in any way possess a dangerous dog as defined by this article within the limits of the City of Augusta, Kansas.” “The current draft of the revised city ordinance would continue to address dangerous animals, but the provisions would no longer be breed-specific or prohibit certain breeds from existing within the city,” the city said on Facebook.
Source: KAKE – News
New state website focuses on investor education
The Kansas Insurance Commissioner and Securities Commissioner have jointly announced a new state website to educate individual investors and help them avoid fraud. SmartInvestKS.com uses a sports theme to help teach Kansas investors how to invest wisely and avoid fraud. “Over a century ago, Kansas became the first state in the country to pass laws protecting consumers and their investments,” says Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “The investment world looks different than it did back then but our commitment to protecting Kansans remains steadfast.” Securities Commissioner Dan Klucas says that the financial damage that can be inflicted by investment fraud can rarely be undone.
Source: KSN-TV
Prairie Village City Hall to undergo first major renovation in quarter century
The Prairie Village City Council earlier this month unanimously approved a $130,000 contract to jump start the design process for a city hall renovation. The project will be the first large-scale renovation of Prairie Village’s municipal campus on Mission Road since 1996, according to city documents. Melissa Prenger, senior project manager for the city, told the city council on Sept. 6 this is the result of knowing city staff is outgrowing its space at City Hall.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Derby approves new pavement process for annexed neighborhoods
The final piece of Derby’s 2022 pavement rehabilitation project, which was approved by the City Council at its most recent meeting, addresses some unique situations within the city limits. Back in 2013, city policy was amended to allow for surfacing of sand/gravel in areas annexed into Derby (following a petition from residents). Residents in the annexed Farborough Estates, Oakridge Estates and Woodland Valley Estates took advantage of that policy and had their streets resurfaced with a cement-stabilized base and chip seal surface (super slurry).
Source: Derby Informer | News
Lawrence City Commission to consider utility rate increases and weigh options to expand assistance programs
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider water, sewer, solid waste and stormwater rate increases, and assess possible ways to expand a program to help financially stressed residents pay their bills. … Commissioners will discuss the options and obstacles attached to expanding its utility assistance program in light of probable utility rate increases. The city’s current “Low-Income Elderly Rate” program helps people ages 60 and older who are impoverished. To qualify, an older individual must make less than $14,168 from all income sources, or those with head-of-household status must have total household incomes of no more than $19,162, according to a city staff memo to the commission.
Source: The Lawrence Times
New jobs come to Hesston
Stanley Black & Decker, formerly Excel Industries, which manufactures Hustler-brand mowers sold nationwide, is expanding its workforce. The company aims to hire 70 employees over the next three months. Stanley Black & Decker, the world’s largest tools company and an outdoor equipment leader, is hiring employees at its Hesston plant to support its manufacturing of zero-turn radius mowers.
Source: Salina Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for September 19, 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.
10-year Treasury yield jumps to 3.51%, the highest level since 2011
Treasury yields ticked higher early Monday as traders anticipate the U.S. Federal Reserve’s next moves in the face of persistently high inflation. The yield on the 2-year Treasury bond rose 7 basis points to trade at 3.93% at 6:41 a.m. ET, trading around levels not seen since 2007. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, meanwhile, gained nearly 5 basis points to 3.494%. … The Fed’s two-day meeting is due to begin Tuesday, with most market participants expecting another 75-basis-point hike by the central bank. Some analysts have, however, argued the Fed could increase interest rates by a full point, or 100 basis points.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Recruiting ‘never really stops’ — Saline County schools seek backup school bus drivers
School districts in Saline County share a similar message when it comes to recruiting bus drivers — as many as they can employ, there is always room for more. While there is not a dire need for school bus drivers right now in Saline County, local schools never really stop recruiting for drivers. Southeast of Saline Superintendent Roger Stumpf said he has become a driver himself, filling in any gaps that may arise in the district’s routes.
Source: Salina Journal
KDHE Partnership Providing Free COVID-19 Tests for All Kansas Communities
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation’s public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, and Project ACT, is now offering free at-home COVID-19 tests to households in all Kansas communities. All Kansas households can now visit AccessCovidTests.org and enter their zip code to place an order for 5 at-home COVID-19 test kits. Amazon will deliver the test kits directly to your house. Frequent testing is especially important for those with more exposure outside the home, such as kids in school or people who spend time in a group setting. By visiting AccessCovidTests.org, Kansans will be able enter their zip code to order free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
KDOT to Receive $39.5M Over 5 Years for EV Charging Infrastructure
The Kansas Department of Transportation’s Charge Up Kansas NEVI Plan has been approved and is set to receive $39.5 million total over the next five years under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The plan provides KDOT federal funds to help build a high-powered EV charging network across the state. Initial program funding will be matched with local funding to build direct current fast chargers (DCFC) along designated EV charging corridors. In Kansas, those corridors are I-70, I-35, I-135, I-335, U.S. 400 and U.S. 81 from I-70 north to the Nebraska state line (see map below). Once complete, this will result in nearly 1,600 miles of Kansas interstates and highways with readily accessible fast-charging stations.
Source: 101.3 KFDI