Two UG committees to meet tonight

Two Unified Government committees are scheduled to meet tonight.

The Neighborhood and Community Development Committee will meet at 5 p.m. tonight, followed by the Economic Development and Finance Committee.

On the agenda for the EDF Committee are several economic development projects. If they are approved at the committee level, they would move up to the full commission level for approval.

A resolution of intent to issue industrial revenue bonds not to exceed $45 million to finance the costs of acquiring, construction and equipping a commercial multifamily facility for Milhaus Properties LLC is on the agenda.

According to the agenda, the property is at the northwest corner of North 94th and State Avenue, which is the old courthouse annex property and former Schlitterbahn property. There were 270 units proposed in the project.

A 100 percent property tax abatement for 10 years is proposed on the property that may be abated under Kansas law. It does not include the school district’s capital outlay fund. Instead of taxes, the property will make payments in lieu of taxes, according to the agenda.

With deductions for meeting the goals of using local, women and minority contractors, the project could pay $2.95 million in payments in lieu of taxes over 10 years. Without the local, women and minority contractors provision, it would pay about $3.1 million in payments in lieu of taxes over 10 years.

Another IRB resolution is on the agenda for the Legends 267 multifamily project. The resolution would allow the issuance of $54.8 million to finance the cost of acquiring, constructing, improving and equipping a commercial multifamily facility, according to the agenda. There are 267 apartments and a parking garage in the project at 1879 Village West Parkway, in the Legends area.

If this is approved, there could be a public hearing on March 11 at the full UG Commision on the project.

The EDF agenda also includes the first amendment to the 18th Street Expressway Menards development agreement. It includes several minor changes to the ame agreement, according to the agenda.

Also on the agenda is an option-purchase agreement for 546 N. 130th St., Bonner Springs, to River Bend Land Co. for the building of a multi-family project. The project will go through the planning and rezoning process in Bonner Springs before land would be transferred.

A master lease-purchase agreement for Unified Government also is on the agenda. The agreement is with Banc of America Public Capital Corp.

The agenda also includes an update on the 2020 motor vehicle registration customer service.

Also on the agenda is a budget revision for the UG Health Department levy fund to support costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic vaccination effort.

A fourth quarter 2020 budget comparison with actuals also is on the agenda.

On the agenda for the NCD meeting are several Land Bank items.

Land Bank option applications include:
Two single-family homes, 2630 N. 102nd St., Dr. Dana Jackson; and 3008 N. 30th St., Habitat for Humanity.
One garage, 1310 Troup Ave., and 2000 N. 13th St.
One property option, 3306 N. 33rd St., Arturo Hernandez.

Several Land Bank property transfers are on the agenda:
Yard extensions – according to the agenda, this is mainly an administrative process to move these properties to the current owner and out of the Land Bank’s inventory:
923 Pacific Ave., Mark Sappington.
605 N. 110th St., communication tower.
10301 Troup Ave., water tower.
6543 Riverview Ave., service center complex.
6617 Riverview Ave., service center complex.
6632 R Riverview Ave., service center complex.
6539 Riverview Ave., service center complex.
6515 Riverview Ave., service center complex.
6541 Riverview Ave., service center complex.
5535 Parallel Parkway, water reservoir and pump station.
4139 Brenner Drive, water production
4151 Nearman Drive, water production.
1415 N. 40th, water tower.
2206 Vernon Ave., communication tower.
1817 N. 11th St., substation.
375 S. 11th St., part of parking lot.
300 Shawnee Ave., substation.
1734 S. 16th St., substation, transmission, Google hut.
1740 S. 16th St., substation transmission.
2116 S. 110th Pl., communication tower.
1839 S. 10th St., transmission.

The meetings are expected to be shown on UGTV, Spectrum channel 2 and Google Fiber channel 141, as well as on YouTube.

To join the Zoom meeting, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86270799700?pwd=aEQvQ2xJbm01TjJhc2hJQ292KzZIdz09.

The passcode is 802943.

To join the meeting by telephone, dial 877-853-5257 toll free or 888-475-4499 toll free.

BPU warns customers about scams

The Board of Public Utilities is warning customers about impostor scams.

According to a BPU spokesman, the scam tells residents their utilities will be shut off immediately if payment is not made.

A BPU spokesman stated they have heard from about a dozen BPU customers that were called, but the customers knew it was a hoax.

In the scam, a caller falsely claims to represent a local utility and uses caller ID spoofing to convince victims the call is from a real customer service number. The caller states if the payment is not made, services will be shut off in 30 minutes.

The BPU spokesman stated that BPU never asks for payment over the phone or threatens to disconnect utilities due to nonpayment. Customers who suspect they are being targeted by a scam should hang up right away and call the BPU Customer Service Department at 913-573-9190.

BPU also offered these tips for customers to protect themselves if they are unsure about a call, email or visit from a utility representative:


• Never give credit or debit card, Social Security, ATM, checking or savings account numbers to anyone who comes to your door, calls, texts, or sends an email asking for information regarding your utility bill. Verify the request is authentic by either asking to see company identification or calling the BPU Customer Service Department.


• Be suspicious if you receive an email regarding your utility bill if you have not requested online communications from BPU.

• Never provide personal information via email or click any suspicious links or attachments.

The BPU spokesman said electric customers have been targeted by scammers using a variety of such scam attempts for a number of years in several states besides Kansas, including Nebraska; Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; the District of Columbia; Florida; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Mississippi; Missouri; New Jersey; New York; Oklahoma; Texas; Wisconsin; and New Mexico.

Today’s high near 54

National Weather Service graphic
Breezy southwest winds are expected Tuesday, with gusts up to 20 mph. (National Weather Service graphic)

Sunny skies with a high near 54 are in today’s forecast from the National Weather Service.

According to the weather service, above normal temperatures are expected through the week.

Breezy conditions and low relative humidity on Tuesday afternoon will lead to an elevated grassland fire weather danger, the weather service said.

There is no rain in the forecast this week, according to the weather service.

Today, it will be sunny, with a high near 54 and a southwest wind of 5 to 9 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 29 and a north wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 58 and a southeast wind of 5 to 13 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon, the weather service said. Winds may gust up to 20 mph.

Tuesday night, it will be clear, with a low of 34 and a south southwest wind of 6 to 8 mph, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 62 and a west southwest wind of 5 mph becoming calm in the morning, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be clear, with a low of 35, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be sunny, with a high near 64, the weather service said.

Thursday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 38, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 59, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 37, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 59, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 39, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 60, the weather service said.