Category: Unified Government Commission

A public hearing on how to spend $87 million in federal funds is part of tonight’s 7 p.m. Unified Government Commission meeting.

Also scheduled for tonight’s meeting is a public hearing on the Community Development annual action plan.

Many other items are on the agenda, including some that would change the zoning for warehouse and light manufacturing along the Turner Diagonal, at 725 N. 74th Drive and at 900 N. 69th St.

To see the agenda, visit https://civicclerk.blob.core.windows.net/stream/WYCOKCK/65e6ccdbe8.pdf?sv=2015-12-11&sr=b&sig=QFam7IhKzNjFiwiNeDydT5E6HfgV%2BIf2bHlrSYPs9MA%3D&st=2021-07-29T16%3A26%3A44Z&se=2022-07-29T16%3A31%3A44Z&sp=r&rscc=no-cache&rsct=application%2Fpdf.

Residents may connect to the meeting by Zoom or by phone, with information at https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Clerks-Office/BOC-Virtual-Meeting.

The Unified Government has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29, to receive public opinion on what to do with $87 million it will receive from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Public comments also will be taken on the Community Development Action Plan on July 29.

The UG budget hearing will be held at a separate meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7. This hearing is required if the revenue for the budget is anticipated to exceed the “revenue neutral” rate in the budget. At the July 15 meeting, UG officials said the mill levy for the city and county would not exceed last budget’s mill levy. However, because valuations are going up, the total revenues may be more than the last budget’s revenues.

At a July 15 UG meeting, the commission discussed ways to spend the federal ARPA dollars, such as on filling vacant positions at the UG, public health, stormwater investments, broadband expansion, infrastructure such as roads and bridges, police and fire funding, mental health, reserve funds, and assistance for the needy.

They decided to seek public input at the July 29 meeting.

A video of the July 15 meeting is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAGXnuYMWaA.

Two Unified Government committees are scheduled to meet Monday night.

The Public Works and Safety Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, July 26.

The agenda includes some sanitary sewer items, as well as federal grants for the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department and Sheriff’s office, and changes to the small animal and nuisance ordinance.

Also on the agenda is the donation of $350 worth of obsolete Fire Department equipment from the UG to the city of Lewis, Kansas, volunteer fire department.

A sanitary sewer stream crossing repair project is on the agenda. It would repair and cover exposed sanitary pipes in low water stream crossings at 2955 N. 62nd St., 2318 N. 51st St., 617 N. 57th St., 41 N. 61st St., 6544 State Ave., 8205 Riverview, and 8320 Ruby Ave.

Another agenda item is a public sanitary sewer extension at 7424 Tauromee Ave., which would eliminate a grinder pump.

Pump station 6 improvements and effluent flow holding basin at 8260 Kaw Drive also is on the agenda.

Two Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department grants are on the agenda. An Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant would provide $100,030 to purchase an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) bomb suit, equipment for special operations and narcotics units, and mobile fingerprint scanners.

Also, the police department and sheriff’s office are requesting permission to apply for a federal grant of $347,673 to support police officer training and crisis intervention training, and to purchase 91 tasers.

The UG Administration and Human Services Committee will meet after the end of the Public Works and Safety Committee.

On the agenda are changes to the municipal code concerning the sale of alcoholic liquor; amending the code for occupation taxes for clubs and drinking establishments; authorizing the establishment of a common liquor consumption area at the Legends Outlets; and discussion of burn permit options for trees knocked down by storm damage.

The first proposed change is to allow retail liquor sales at 9 a.m. Sunday, instead of at noon. The Legislature recently allowed local communities to change the hours on Sundays.

Other changes that were allowed recently by the Legislature also are proposed. They include allowing refillable and sealable containers and allowing the sale of mixed alcoholic beverages in pitchers. In addition, there is an elimination of residency requirements for certain liquor licenses, permitting licensure of spouses of law enforcement officers, and allowing a person with a beneficial interested in a licensed manufacturer to have one drinking establishment license. There are other changes proposed, as well.

Also to be considered is amending the code so that the local occupational tax is aligned with the state biennial alcohol licensing schedule.

Also proposed is allowing alcohol consumption in a certain designated area at the Legends Outlets. A map attached to the agenda appears to show the Legends Lawn area as the potential designated area for alcohol consumption.

Another item for discussion is what options are available for residents and businesses when trees are knocked down by storms, and what air quality controls must be utilized.

According to the agenda, the Zoom webinar is online at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86871559161?pwd=b1hGRHVOSFIxMmk4cDIxSVF2TWkxZz09.
The passcode is 315794.

To connect by telephone, call toll-free 888-475-4499 or 877-853-5257.
The ID number is 868 7155 9161.

The meeting is expected to be on UGTV cable television and also on YouTube.