City Manager

Tempers boiled at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting in Herington. "Are you being surly?" Bart Hinkle, one of the leading protestors, asked at one point during the meeting as City Attorney Brad Jantz was explaining points of City Manager Ron Strickland's contract. "No, I'm being straight up with you," said Jantz. "You're being surly," insisted Hinkle. Herington City Commissioners changed their minds about a $15,000 raise for the City manager.  But, Strickland will still get a $5,000 raise for a total salary of $91,000 a year.

Wichita's City Manager gets an eight percent pay raise. Tuesday the city council approved Robert Layton's first raise in four years. The hike will boost his salary to around $204,000 a year.  The city put off Layton's raises for several years because of the economic downturn. Council members say it's now time to compensate Layton for his hard work.

A Kansas community is upset over a $15,000 pay raise for its city manager.  City commissioners in Herington approved the pay raise at their last meeting.  Now, residents say, they feel like commissioners tried to sneak the raise past them, while commissioners say it's the cost of doing business. In Herington everyone has an opinion. "It was kind of a slap to the taxpayers," said Deborah Goembel. "It's ridiculous.  It's absolutely ridiculous," said Tracy Thiel. "I wish we had better representation than that," added Bart Hinkle.

Wichita has a big task ahead when it comes to balancing its budget.  Projections show the city would face more than a $5 million dollar deficit in 2013 and nearly a $7 million dollar gap in 2014. For more than three years the City of Wichita knew it would have a budget crisis to deal with in 2013 and 2014.  "The city council has made a lot of tough decisions during that time", said city manager Robert Layton. Layton says he's found a way to avoid any layoffs. The city will hold about 200 jobs vacant over the next two years.  That doesn't mean positions won't go away.  For instance, the city plans to eliminate eight police positions.  But the people in those jobs will be moved to one of the vacant positions being held open.

It was a tense evening in Herington Tuesday night as dozens packed the City Commission meeting to complain about a $15,000 pay raise for the city's manager. The commission changed it's mind about the raise, but not enough according to people at the meeting. The evening started out with high hopes as protestors gathered outside Herington's City Hall, armed with homemade signs and chanting slogans. Click here for photos of the protest But hopes quickly turned to frustration, first for those who couldn't even get into the meeting.  Local fire codes restrict the City Commission's chambers to just 53 people.  So many came to Tuesday's meeting they couldn't all fit inside.  Dozens were left standing in the lobby of City Hall.

A former Dodge City police officer claims he was wrongfully terminated, and is now suing the city of Dodge City. According to a statement from Dodge City City Manager Ken Strobel the officer was fired for "behavior unbecoming a police officer". In the statement, Strobel says the officer was already on a disciplinary probation when he made threatening statements to an ex-spouse. In the statement he says the officer told his ex-spouse "I could come there (the business) right now and solve all my problems".

The Salina-Saline County Health Department's resources remain split in two locations after it was forced to leave its building over the summer. "There were concerns with the roof support structures, part of the framework of the roof," city manager Jason Gage said. There are now two locations at 625 E. North Street and 148 N. Oakdale in Salina. The county and the city are trying to decide if they want to repair the old building, buy a new one and just who is responsible for the existing facility.

By Megahn Snyder (ELLIS COUNTY, Kan.) Monday morning brings reports of flooding and damage in Ellis County. Authorities are investigating possible wind damage east of Ellis. The National Weather Service says there were no signs of rotation and the damage is very likely straight-line winds.  Emergency management officials are looking over the damage to figure out what happened there.  So far, there have been reports of damage to a roof of a tin building four miles north of town.

Could the city strike it rich at 2nd and McLean?  A group has approached city officials about the possibility of oil at the site.  The land is city owned and is the future site of a new library. Mayor Carl Brewer says the group has shown the city older maps of the spot that shows where the oil may be. at.  Oil has been found in Wichita before.   The group is scheduling meetings with the city manager to discuss how to move forward.

by Kim Hynes (WICHITA, Kan.) The City of Wichita faces a $7 million deficit next year. To figure out a way to fill the budget hole, the city manager will ask for input from the public. He'll present the financial outlook and take comments at district advisory board meetings starting this week. Find out when your DAB meets The city is also trying to fill a $3 million deficit for this year. Part of that deficit is because the city never started trash franchising.

An insurance adjuster has visited what's left of the Winfield park that was destroyed in a massive fire last week. The city manager says it will cost $650,000 to $750,000 to replace the park. The city had insurance on the park, so the city will only have to pay a $2,500 deductible. The city says since insurance is taking care of the damage, any fundraising money will go toward enhancements. As for the investigation, the police chief says his department is following up on leads and interviewing people about what happened.

Tempers boiled at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting in Herington. "Are you being surly?" Bart Hinkle, one of the leading protestors, asked at one point during the meeting as City Attorney Brad Jantz was explaining points of City Manager Ron Strickland's contract. "No, I'm being straight up with you," said Jantz. "You're being surly," insisted Hinkle. Herington City Commissioners changed their minds about a $15,000 raise for the City manager.  But, Strickland will still get a $5,000 raise for a total salary of $91,000 a year.

It was a tense evening in Herington Tuesday night as dozens packed the City Commission meeting to complain about a $15,000 pay raise for the city's manager. The commission changed it's mind about the raise, but not enough according to people at the meeting. The evening started out with high hopes as protestors gathered outside Herington's City Hall, armed with homemade signs and chanting slogans. Click here for photos of the protest But hopes quickly turned to frustration, first for those who couldn't even get into the meeting.  Local fire codes restrict the City Commission's chambers to just 53 people.  So many came to Tuesday's meeting they couldn't all fit inside.  Dozens were left standing in the lobby of City Hall.

A Kansas community is upset over a $15,000 pay raise for its city manager.  City commissioners in Herington approved the pay raise at their last meeting.  Now, residents say, they feel like commissioners tried to sneak the raise past them, while commissioners say it's the cost of doing business. In Herington everyone has an opinion. "It was kind of a slap to the taxpayers," said Deborah Goembel. "It's ridiculous.  It's absolutely ridiculous," said Tracy Thiel. "I wish we had better representation than that," added Bart Hinkle.

Wichita's City Manager gets an eight percent pay raise. Tuesday the city council approved Robert Layton's first raise in four years. The hike will boost his salary to around $204,000 a year.  The city put off Layton's raises for several years because of the economic downturn. Council members say it's now time to compensate Layton for his hard work.

The Salina-Saline County Health Department's resources remain split in two locations after it was forced to leave its building over the summer. "There were concerns with the roof support structures, part of the framework of the roof," city manager Jason Gage said. There are now two locations at 625 E. North Street and 148 N. Oakdale in Salina. The county and the city are trying to decide if they want to repair the old building, buy a new one and just who is responsible for the existing facility.

The City of Derby will no longer negotiate contracts with unions.  The city council made the decision Tuesday night in a five to two vote. From now on, the city will use employee advisory boards to help determine pay and benefits. The boards will have no vote on the final contracts. The city manager says allowing public employees to unionize is no longer in the city's best interest. One of the reasons for dropping union negotiations is because the police union's current contract runs out at the end of the year and negotiations were still ongoing.

The Dolly Madison Bakery in Emporia is the city's 2nd largest employer. The city manager says Emporia doesn't have enough open jobs to absorb all 500 displaced workers. While the city tries to find another buyer for the plant, local agencies are preparing to help more families in need. "I am so thrilled we are going to be able to serve people," said Salvation Army Lieutenant Lynn S. Lopez. Shelves at the Salvation Army's food pantry in Emporia are full. A donation drive last week brought in more than expected.

Bel Aire leaders broke ground Monday on the new Sunflower Commerce Park. The city is developing the first 155-acres of the 800-acre industrial area near Webb and 50th street. The first tenant to move in will be Century Manufacturing. Century hopes to move its manufacturing, warehousing and office space in January. City leaders say that kind of quick turn-around is key in recruiting businesses. City manager Ty Lasher says, "That's what we want to be able to offer, is that businesses that come in to have the infrastructure in or be able to move within 90 to 120 days to get them in". Lasher says he hopes the industrial park will lead to more than a thousand new jobs for Bel Aire.

“We are in a hot dry period,” said Kent Hixson, Mulvane City Manager.  “We are a growing community.” That combination has led to friction between the cities of Mulvane and Augusta over water use.  Back in the 90's the two cities signed a contract saying Augusta would sell Mulvane up to 200 million gallons of water a year.  Neither expected what's happened since. Now people in Augusta are frustrated that Mulvane's using more water while Augusta has to conserve. “Believe me, there's nobody out there that's more frustrated than I am,” said Bill Keefer, Augusta City Manager.