[{"_1":2,"_103":-5,"_104":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,84,94],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6160870,"mediaKeyId","5446830-f97794e28082877b9be48c43f6226888","parentId",5446830,"title","Council approves memorandum allowing water service to 3448 US‑40 (Mildenberger)","audioSeconds",219,"startMs",4716000,"endMs",4935000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5446830-f97794e28082877b9be48c43f6226888&start=4716&end=4935","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6160870/Logan-County/Kansas/Council-approves-memorandum-allowing-water-service-to-3448-US40-Mildenberger","mediaUrl","author","Logan County, KS","date","2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","article","The Oakley City Council on July 21 approved a memorandum of agreement with property owner Matt Mildenberger to provide water service to 3448 US‑40 E, Oakley. The motion to approve the agreement passed unanimously after a second.

City staff presented a draft lease and the memorandum and asked the council to confirm they had no objections. Council members discussed minor details such as whether a second meter would be needed and who would maintain the landscaping; staff said one meter has been installed and that the property owner would likely maintain the site while the city would continue to maintain the front lawn area. The council approved the memorandum and instructed staff to finalize the document.

The memorandum authorizes water service under the terms reviewed at the meeting; the council did not identify additional costs to the city beyond standard service connections and meter installations already discussed.

The motion as announced in the meeting was moved, seconded and approved by unanimous voice/hand vote.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Logan County Commission Meeting- 7/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved a memorandum of agreement to provide water service to property at 3448 US‑40 E, authorizing a two‑year arrangement with property owner Matt Mildenberger; the agreement passed unanimously.","taxTitle","Logan County, Kansas","taxId",73438,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":50,"_51":81,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6160874,"Council approves $20,825 quote to update radios and siren controllers",168,4174000,4342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5446830-f97794e28082877b9be48c43f6226888&start=4174&end=4342","/articles/6160874/Logan-County/Kansas/Council-approves-20825-quote-to-update-radios-and-siren-controllers","The Oakley City Council unanimously approved a $20,825 estimate from Prairie State Communications on July 21 to update siren controllers and radios used for countywide alerting.

Chief (unnamed) presented information that the current system uses aging BHF (PHF in discussion) technology that will eventually be unsupported. The city received a vendor estimate for seven controllers and eight radios; a motion to approve the Prairie State Communications install (7 controllers, 8 radios) for $20,825 passed on a unanimous voice/hand vote.

Council discussion noted that the upgrade is not an immediate emergency but that delaying could increase costs. Staff said the city could fund the purchase from capital outlay in the next fiscal year if the council preferred to budget it, and one council member recommended proceeding if funds are available.

The approved estimate includes installation items to add the airport siren to the system; staff noted that other county sirens are newer and require less work. The council did not specify a contract execution schedule beyond approving the estimate, and staff will coordinate procurement and installation.","The council unanimously approved a $20,825 Prairie State Communications estimate to install seven controllers and eight radios to update county siren activation and radios; staff said the equipment can be budgeted next fiscal year if needed but warned costs will rise if delayed.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":50,"_51":91,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":92,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":93,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6160879,"Landowner pitches RHID housing project and asks Oakley to consider annexation",2284,1820000,4104000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5446830-f97794e28082877b9be48c43f6226888&start=1820&end=4104","/articles/6160879/Logan-County/Kansas/Landowner-pitches-RHID-housing-project-and-asks-Oakley-to-consider-annexation","Raeleen Keller told the Oakley City Council July 21 that she and a developer are exploring a rural housing project on an 11‑acre parcel she owns in Thomas County and asked the city to consider annexation and assist by preparing a Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID) agreement.

Keller said the developer’s initial proposal is roughly $7,200,000 to build about 18 dwelling units (duplexes), with roughly $1,800,000 available to pay infrastructure costs such as water and sewer extensions. She described the RHID mechanism as using the incremental increase in property tax revenue to pay bonds backing the infrastructure rather than drawing on existing city revenues.

Keller asked the council whether it would consider annexing the parcel into the city and for the city attorney to draft an RHID plan. She said the developer — identified in the meeting only as Wayne — was interested but needed the city to show active pursuit before proceeding with federal and state grant applications. Keller said the developer already has experience building duplexes in nearby Colby and described a demand for rental units there.

Council members did not take formal action but several said they would look at annexation and review the materials Keller offered. “I would vote to look at annexation because I think it's a great idea thus far,” one council member said. Council staff advised that annexation discussions would include negotiating which city services would be provided and at what cost, and staff confirmed that drafting an RHID would be a primary first step if the council wanted to proceed.

Keller provided several quantitative items during the discussion: 11 acres currently taxed as agricultural land; project example figures of roughly $7.2 million for 18 units; an infrastructure allocation of about $1.8 million; and a multi‑year payout timeline similar to other RHID projects. She also said the developer expected to apply for certain competitive grant programs and that award decisions for some programs could occur in August or in subsequent funding rounds, depending on the program.

The council asked staff to follow up and said a more detailed annexation proposal and draft RHID language would be necessary before any formal vote.","Raeleen Keller told the council she and a developer are exploring a roughly $7.2 million rural housing project on 11 acres and asked the city to consider annexation and to allow city counsel to draft an RHID agreement; council agreed to examine annexation but took no formal vote.",{"_33":95,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":96,"_41":97,"_43":98,"_45":88,"_47":99,"_49":50,"_51":100,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":101,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":102,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6160884,"Oakley council agrees to let voters consider 1% sales tax to back USD 274 $28 million bond",1631,189000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5446830-f97794e28082877b9be48c43f6226888&start=189&end=1820","/articles/6160884/Logan-County/Kansas/Oakley-council-agrees-to-let-voters-consider-1-sales-tax-to-back-USD-274-28-million-bond","The Oakley City Council voted unanimously July 21 to partner with USD 274 so Oakley voters can decide in November whether to allow an additional 1% general sales tax to help finance a proposed $28,000,000 school building and renovation bond. The measure is contingent on voter approval of the bond.

The request came from Justin Jenkins, a USD 274 school board representative, who told the council the board “approved on 07/14 to move forward with a 28000000 dollar building and renovation plan for USD 2 7 4 schools.” Jenkins said the plan would replace elementary and middle school buildings, add heavy high‑school renovations and consolidate PreK–12 under one roof to address infrastructure, safety and ADA issues.

District and council discussion focused on cost, timing and tax allocation. Jenkins described the financing term the district favored — a 25‑year bond — and walked the council through estimated household impacts. “So it's a $100,000 home, your tax indication will go up $25.16 per month with the 1% sales tax,” Jenkins said, adding that the bond without the sales tax would raise the same home’s monthly cost to $33.30.

Clayton Kelly of Piper Sandler, who joined the meeting by phone, advised the council that a general‑purpose sales tax typically requires the city to retain a small percentage to cover local costs. “Typically, we see that at anywhere from 3 to 7% of of the 1% sales tax going back towards the city,” Kelly said, and recommended the council consider a roughly 95% allocation to the school and a 3% city retention; council members signaled consensus on 3%.

Council members also addressed legal and administrative next steps. Bond counsel Gilmore & Bell, the city’s bond adviser and the school’s project team will draft election documents; council members were told those documents can be finalized quickly and that the deadline to call the election is about 60 days before the November election, making early September the practical cutoff. City staff said the documents could be prepared for the council to place the question on the Aug. 4 agenda.

The formal motion — “for the city of Oakley to partner with USD 274 to allow the city of Oakley voters to vote on allowing an additional 1% general sales tax for educational purposes in the November election” — was moved and seconded and passed on a unanimous voice/hand vote.

Council members and district representatives also flagged background items that figure in voters’ assessments: an ongoing Office for Civil Rights investigation tied to ADA compliance at district facilities; the district’s view that modernized buildings will help recruit and retain teachers; and survey responses the district said showed roughly 70% of respondents supported addressing the needs identified.

Next steps set at the meeting include completing election language with Gilmore & Bell and the district’s bond advisers and placing the formal election‑call item on a future council agenda.","The Oakley City Council unanimously authorized putting an additional 1% general sales tax on the November ballot, contingent on passage of a proposed $28 million USD 274 school bond; council and outside advisers discussed tax impacts, a 25-year financing term and a proposed city share of 3% of the sales tax.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves memorandum allowing water service to 3448 US‑40 (Mildenberger)

Council approves $20,825 quote to update radios and siren controllers

Landowner pitches RHID housing project and asks Oakley to consider annexation

Oakley council agrees to let voters consider 1% sales tax to back USD 274 $28 million bond