The most recent magazine from the Kansas Water Office is below.

This issue gives flooding updates for the state.

https://www.kwo.ks.gov/docs/default-source/waterfront/waterfront_spring_2019.pdf?sfvrsn=52978514_0

Honoring her promise to pursue commonsense, bipartisan reform of the Kansas tax code, Governor Laura Kelly today announced the appointment of two former state senators to serve as co-chairs of the new Governor’s Council on Tax Reform.

Kelly selected Steve Morris of Hugoton and Janis Lee of Kensington to lead the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform, charged with thorough review of the state’s tax code and recommendations for a more fiscally responsible and fair tax structure.

Morris, a moderate Republican, served 20 years in the Kansas Senate, including eight years as Senate president. During Lee’s 22 years in the state Senate, she was a longtime ranking Democrat on the Senate Tax Committee. She also is a former chief hearing officer for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals.

Kelly served with Morris and Lee in the state Senate, and said their experience and bipartisan approach would be instrumental as the new Council on Tax Reform moves forward in pursuit of sound tax policy.

“The people of Kansas elected me to bring fiscally conservative and responsible principles back to our government,” Kelly said. “To that end, I expect the Council on Tax Reform to thoughtfully evaluate tax policy and recommend prudent, sustainable changes for the future.

“I know Steve and Janis share my desire to keep the state tax burden as low as possible. They also understand how important it is to ensure that our tax code supports public investment in areas such as education, public safety and infrastructure needed to help Kansas prosper.

“While it’s necessary to proceed with caution due to economic uncertainty, it’s also time to begin the conversation on tax reform that’s beneficial for families and businesses alike,” the governor said.  “We can and should build a sensible tax system that benefits Kansans who need it most, and ultimately all Kansans.”

Kelly plans to issue an executive order establishing and announcing the full membership of the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform, and detailing the full scope of work involved in the coming weeks.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the FFY 2019-2022 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.

The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp

The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes July 3. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Bureau of Program and Project Management at (785) 296-2252.

This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Office of Public Affairs, (785) 296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).

Governor requests major presidential declaration

Governor Laura Kelly sent a request today to President Donald Trump asking for a major presidential declaration for the public assistance program for 63 counties in Kansas as a result of widespread, record rainfall and severe weather causing flooding, flash flooding and tornadoes beginning April 28. The Public Assistance program helps pay for restoration of public infrastructure and associated costs caused by flooding and tornado damage.

“Due to the historic torrential rains, thunderstorms, tornadoes and damaging winds, Kansas has suffered extended damage,” Kelly said. “We must continue to provide Kansans with the assistance, resources, and long-term fixes to infrastructure we need during this difficult time.”

Counties listed in the request are:  Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gray, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Rush, Russell, Saline, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson.

The request was made under the provisions of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5208 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35.

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KDADS to Request HCBS Waiver Extension, Conduct Additional Stakeholder Engagement

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is submitting a request to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend its current Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) waiver, set to renew July 1, 2019, in order to allow additional time for discussions with stakeholders.

It is anticipated the Frail Elderly (FE) and Physical Disability (PD) waivers, scheduled to renew January 1, 2020, will require further engagement with stakeholders to address concerns and a similar request to extend these programs will submitted to CMS.

Requesting an extension from CMS will allow the waivers to stand as written and approved today while the agency works with stakeholders to ensure the waiver renewal submissions support choice and community inclusion.

“KDADS’s decision will provide an opportunity to re-engage stakeholders, consumers and families as concerns continue to be raised,” said Amy Penrod, Commissioner of the Aging & Disability Community Services & Programs. “We want to continue the initial conversations we’ve had and take the time to thoroughly evaluate every opportunity to incorporate changes that are best for Kansas.”

Kansas has always been at the forefront of home and community-based services and supports. Since taking over leadership of the agency less than six months ago, Secretary Laura Howard has laid out a strategic vision that includes enhanced collaboration to ensure the state continues to be innovative in the way it addresses the health care needs of Kansans.

“Requesting additional time to collaborate with partners and incorporate the wisdom and contributions others bring to the table will ensure Kansas uses these waiver renewals to continue its long-standing leadership in home and community-based services,” said Secretary Howard. “Taking a step back provides an opportunity to approach these waivers with a new perspective of putting people first, incorporating innovations and supporting self-determination and community inclusion.”

Rocky Nichols, Executive Director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, and Mike Burgess, Director of Policy & Outreach, said in a joint statement, “We very much appreciate the decision by KDADS to delay implementation of these waivers and instead reengage with stakeholders to make positive changes. Kansas self-advocates with disabilities, families and service providers expressed concerns about the current versions of the waivers and KDADS listened. They are to be commended for their prudent action to slow this process down to get this right and we look forward to working to improve these waiver submissions.”

These actions do not impact the Brain Injury (BI) waiver, which is set to include the expanded populations of adult and youth with acquired brain injuries.

In 2014, CMS published final regulations affecting 1915(c) waiver programs. The purpose of the regulations was to ensure individuals receive HCBS in settings that are integrated in and support full access to the greater community. The regulations also aimed to ensure that individuals have a free choice of where they live and who provides services to them, and that individual rights and freedoms are not restricted. CMS has moved away from defining HCBS settings based on specific locations, geography, or physical characteristics, to defining them by the nature and quality of the individual’s experiences. Fundamentally, the regulations set higher standards for HCBS settings in which it is permissible for states to pay for services using federal financial participation under Medicaid, known in Kansas as KanCare.

Cara Sloan

Public Information Officer / Website Administrator
Office of the Secretary

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

503 S. Kansas Ave

Topeka, KS 66603

Office: (785) 296-0807

Cell: (785) 249-6234

[email protected]

The Kansas Department of Transportation has started a resurfacing project on a seven-mile section of U.S. 69 in Linn County. The project area begins at the North Sugar Creek bridges and continues south to end 4½ miles south of the north K-52 interchange. Project activity consists of pavement crack filling and a three-inch asphalt overlay.

U.S. 69 north- and southbound traffic is restricted to one lane through the work zone. The work should be completed by mid-August, weather permitting. KDOT awarded the construction contract of $5.1 million to Bettis Asphalt and Construction, Inc., of Topeka, Kan.

Troy Howard, KDOT construction engineer at the Garnett office, reminds drivers to use extra caution and ‘Give ‘Em a Brake’ at the work zone. Persons with questions may contact Howard at (785) 448-5446 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

John Hrenak has seen many changes during his 40-year tenure with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), but probably none as significant as improved equipment. “Both technological and equipment improvements have enhanced our ability to cover a lot of territory in a short period of time,” he said.

Since 1998 Hrenak has been the District Maintenance Engineer at the KDOT Southeast District Office in Chanute. He began his KDOT career on June 1, 1979, as a Project Engineer at the now closed area office in Fort Scott. Hrenak promoted through the ranks of Area Engineer at Fort Scott and then Staff Engineer at Chanute prior to his current post.

He administers all maintenance activities on state highways in the 17-county district. “We’ve always looked for ways to improve” and have never been content with the status quo, Hrenak said, citing advancements in pretreating highways before winter storms and more efficient methods of patching potholes. All KDOT employees have that “sense of stewardship,” he added, and want to leave the highways the same or even better than they first found them.

Hrenak lives in Fort Scott with his wife Sandy.