Month: September 2022

BPU approves economic development project

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities on Wednesday, Sept. 21, approved $248,000 for the Yards II project in the bottoms area.

The funds will be for a water main extension and waiving connection fees, according to BPU officials.

The apartment project also was referred to as the Helms.

It is the third largest economic development project the BPU has contributed to in the past several years, according to BPU members.

At another recent board meeting, the BPU turned down a request from the Yards II for $500,000 worth of economic development incentives. There was not enough return on investment for the project, the board members said at that time.

The vote was 4-2 Wednesday to approve the project, with those voting yes including Tom Groneman, Bob Milan, Mary Gonzalez and Rose Mulvany-Henry. Voting no were David Haley and Jeff Bryant.

Bryant said the BPU’s economic development fund is not sitting there waiting to be spent. It was earmarked in the budget that it could be spent, he said. Usually the BPU has $500,000 available for economic development projects each year.

“I feel those are dollars more precious than other dollars. We have to be very good stewards of dollars and make sure return on investment for our community is there,” he said.

In other action, the BPU unanimously approved a revolving loan from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The loan was amended from an earlier version.

Costs went up about $14.5 million since the original cost estimate, according to BPU officials.

The projects under the original $25 million loan included the Argentine Reservoir, which increased $4.5 million; replacement of a 24-inch main at 12th and Kansas River, an increase of $4 million; and electrical improvements at the Nearman Water Treatment Plant and pumping stations, an increase of $1 million.

Projects added to the total include a main at 90th and Parallel, an increase of $2 million; and replace aging distribution mains, an increase of $3 million, according to BPU officials.

The KDHE $39.5 million loan is for 30 years at an interest rate of 1.5 percent.

Applefest returns this weekend to Grinter Place

The annual Applefest will return Saturday and Sunday at Grinter Place state historic site, 1420 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The event was last held around three years ago, according to Pam Howe. She is the co-administrator of the site with Bill Nicks.

This year the Grinter Place Friends are partnering with Strawberry Swing to hold the event, Howe said. The group has popup events each weekend, bringing its own following, food trucks and more to events, she added.

The event Saturday and Sunday will include kids’ activities, free tours of the Grinter House by tour guides in period costume, artists and crafters’ displays, music and Grinter Place items for sale such as apple butter, candles and T-shirts. There will be vendors.

Representatives of the Delaware and Wyandotte nations will give presentations on a small stage, she said.

A small pop-up gift shop will be located inside Grinter House, she added.

Admission is free and open to the public for the two days, she added.

Hours of the festival are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25.

Grinter Place is a state museum on the site of a ferry across the Kansas River, on the military road between Ft. Leavenworth and Ft. Scott. The historic Grinter House was completed in 1857 and is furnished in that period.

As with any festival of its kind, a lot depends on the weather. Howe said the current forecast for the weekend is good, with warm temperatures in the afternoon, and no rain.

For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/grinterplace.

The annual Applefest returns Sept. 24-25 at Grinter Place, a state historic museum at 78th and K-32 in Kansas City, Kansas. (File photo)

St. Paul’s Church to focus on environmental responsibility

by Murrel Bland

The clergyman practices what he preaches.

Simply stated, that describes the practices of the Rev. Evan Ash, an assisting priest at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, Kansas. Father Evan heads up the Creation Care effort for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas. Creation Care is an initiative of the national Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Evan Ash

Father Evan has some practical suggestions people can do to be better stewards of the environment.

• Buy things in paper instead of plastic packaging.
• Buy locally grown foods; this takes less transportation and thus less pollution.
• Take your own bags to the store, thus reducing the use of paper and plastic bags.
• Reduce travel time; use gasoline with ethanol.
• Buy clothes made of natural fabrics such as cotton and linen; this reduces the use of synthetics.
• Use distilled water made at home instead of buying it in plastic bottles.
• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees to reduce use.
• Buy high efficiency replacement heating and cooling units and appliances.
• Use solar-power attic fans.
• Take the advice of the National Wildlife Federation to support a backyard that is friendly toward wildlife.
• Plant shade trees to save on energy costs.
• Use a book of daily devotions to remind us of our connection to God.

As part of his effort to support the Creation Care effort, Father Evan will lead an outdoor service at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at Lavender Hill Farm, 112 N. 63rd St., in the Muncie community of Kansas City, Kansas. The farm is just south of 63rd Street and Riverview Avenue. The public is invited and refreshments will be served after the service. Dress will be casual.

Joe III and Jenny Steineger are the owners of Lavender Hill Farm.

The farm is owned and operated by Joe Steineger III and his wife Jenny. Joe is a third generation Wyandotte County farmer; the Steinegers are longtime members of St. Paul’s parish.

For more information about Creation Care check out the following links https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/creation-care/ or https://episcopal-ks.org/care-of-creation/.

For more information, telephone Father Evan Ash at 913-244-0772.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of the Wyandotte West.