Hutchinson – Week of May 22 2025
Memorial Hall Preservation; Landfill Fire Lithium Warning; Hutchinson Strategic Plan; County Economic Growth; City Council Bonds Approval
Public Rallies to Preserve Memorial Hall
Landfill Fire Sparks Urgent Warning on Lithium Battery Disposal; Officials Stress Recycling
City of Hutchinson Embarks on Strategic Plan Armed with Employee Insights from Organizational Review
Community and Economic Growth Take Center Stage: K-96 Association Celebrates 20 Years, APAC Shears Breaks Ground
Hutchinson City Council Approves Over $6.2M in Bonds for Capital Projects and Atrium Demolition
1. Public Rallies to Preserve Memorial Hall
Hutchinson residents have voiced strong support for preserving and updating Memorial Hall, according to a community engagement report presented to the City Council. During a May 8th meeting attended by over 200 people, historic preservation and community use emerged as the top values to guide the building's future. Participants favored keeping Memorial Hall in public hands as a civic venue, advocating for essential upgrades like HVAC, lighting, and accessibility rather than luxury improvements. The city staff highlighted the transparency of the engagement process, noting all public comments were published online.
Adding a new dimension to the discussion, concert promoters Garrett Zimmerman, TempleLive Director of Operations, and Robert Thomas former TempleLive president, presented an unsolicited proposal to the council, suggesting they could operate Memorial Hall as a concert venue. They believe their experience with similar historic theaters could bring in revenue, help fund renovations like air conditioning, and attract touring artists without displacing existing community events. The council expressed interest in this different approach to utilizing the building.
Teri Hansen
City Of Hutchinson
2. Landfill Fire Sparks Urgent Warning on Lithium Battery Disposal; Officials Stress Recycling
A recent fire at the Reno County Landfill, though quickly managed and extinguished before 7:00 AM, has highlighted the dangers of improper battery disposal. Megan Davidson, Director of the Reno County Landfill, presented the Solid Waste Annual Report, stated that while the exact cause of the fire is unknown, lithium batteries from items like laptops, cell phones, and power wheel toys are a significant fire hazard in landfills as they can explode. Davidson urged residents to take all batteries, especially lithium ones, to the household hazardous waste facility at the landfill for recycling, or to other drop-off locations like Home Depot, Harbor Freight, and Lowe's. The landfill's household hazardous waste reuse facility saved the county significant money, with over 48,000 pounds of material placed for reuse last year.
Reno County
3. City of Hutchinson Embarks on Strategic Plan Armed with Employee Insights from Organizational Review
Consultants from Wichita State University's Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) presented findings from an organizational assessment of the City of Hutchinson, a key step in developing a new strategic plan. The assessment included interviews with council members and key staff, a review of 19 existing community plans, and a comprehensive employee survey which garnered a 66% response rate. Council members had previously indicated a desire for clarity on city goals, a focus on basic infrastructure, and better documentation of community partnerships.
The employee survey revealed high trust in immediate supervisors and department directors, and general satisfaction with the city manager's performance. Employees reported strong workplace and departmental cultures, understanding how their work contributes to city goals. Areas identified for improvement include fostering relationships across departments, enhancing information sharing regarding budgeting and resource use, and providing more training support for supervisors. The next phase involves developing the strategic plan, with a council workshop anticipated in late summer.
City Of Hutchinson
4. Community and Economic Growth Take Center Stage: K-96 Association Celebrates 20 Years, APAC Shears Breaks Ground
The commission meeting highlighted positive local developments, including an upcoming 20th-anniversary celebration for the K-96 Corridor Development Association on May 22nd, featuring Lieutenant Governor David Toland. This event will recognize the collaborative efforts of communities and counties in the region's development. Additionally, commissioners noted their recent attendance at the groundbreaking for the APAC Shears new building, a project for which the county assisted with IRB financing, helping to keep the company's headquarters in Reno County. A new local event, a ranch rodeo with live music, is also planned west of Partridge for May 31st, showcasing community engagement and local entertainment.
Teri Hansen
Reno County
5. Hutchinson City Council Approves Over $6.2M in Bonds for Capital Projects and Atrium Demolition
The Hutchinson City Council authorized two series of bond sales totaling over $6.2 million to fund various city projects. The first, a non-taxable series (2025A) for $5,190,000 (downsized from an initial $5,270,000 due to a premium bid), will finance Woodie Seat renovations, City Hall safety improvements, the 30th Avenue reconstruction, a City Hall boiler, fire station preemption systems, and Law Enforcement Center elevator repairs. The city received five bids for this series, securing a favorable interest rate of 3.947%. The second series (2025B) is a taxable bond for $1,065,000, specifically for the demolition of the Atrium. This series received three bids, with the lowest interest rate at 5.5%, which the finance director noted was better than the anticipated 5.74%. Both bond issues were approved unanimously by the council.
City Of Hutchinson
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