News

County approves bond sale for road projects

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Last Monday, Seward County commissioners moved forward with a bond issue Administrator April Warden said is now nearly complete.

The commissioners approved unanimously a bid from Piper Sandler & Company of Minneapolis, Minn., one of 11 bids received for the sale of $6.105 million in general obligation bonds to help the county with several road projects.

Seward County has been working diligently to put together a five and 10-year road plan that began with the hiring of the civil engineering firm, Kirkham Michael & Associates, to assist in reviewing county roads both gravel and asphalt.

HAWK Act to expand Medicaid introduced in both chambers

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

During her time in office, Gov. Laura Kelly has made no secret of her desire to expand Medicaid in order to help Kansans.

That expansion could be a step closer to becoming reality as her proposal to expand Medicaid to 150,000 additional Kansans, the Healthcare Access for Working Kansans (HAWK) Act was introduced into both chambers of the Kansas Legislature earlier this week.

“The Healthcare Access for Working Kansans (HAWK) Act protects our rural hospitals, bolsters our health care workforce, and strengthens our economy — all while coming at no cost to Kansans. In fact, by waiting to expand Medicaid, we have wasted over $280 million and left $7.6 billion on the table in Washington D.C.,” Gov. Kelly noted in a release from the State of Kansas. “I encourage the legislature to advance Medicaid expansion this session so we can bring Kansas taxpayer dollars back home to support our health care system.”

Toland announces more than $4 million available in Community Service Tax Credit Program

Special to the Leader & Times

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced Thursday $4.13 million in tax credits will be made available under the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP).

“Revitalizing our communities and state requires targeted investments that make people want to live and work in Kansas,” Toland said. “CSP supports communities by substantially reducing the cost for donors to make contributions to charitable organizations that help fund important local projects.”

Liberal receives ASPCA grant to help spay/neuter pets

Special form the City of Liberal

The Liberal Animal Shelter has been awarded grant funding to continue hosting low-cost spay and neuter clinics for pet owners.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) awarded the shelter $48,000 to be used for veterinary care services aiming to reduce cat and dog overpopulation. Liberal Animal Shelter facilitated low-cost spay/neuter services for 115 dogs and 113 cats during 2024 using a similar grant.

“These clinics help our residents practice responsible pet ownership by providing affordable services,” Liberal Animal Shelter Director, Tara Logan, said. “This award is a big win for our community because reducing stray pets helps keep our residents and their pets safe and healthy. Preventing overpopulation can also help reduce our operating costs, allowing funds to be used on other community needs.”

In addition to spay and neuter procedures, clinic services also include rabies vaccine administration and microchipping services, if needed. Parvo and Bordetella vaccines will be offered for an additional $10. Shelter staff expect this grant will cover eight 2-day clinics throughout the year and provide care for up to 160 dogs and 240 cats.

“We have a limited number of patient spots for each clinic day, so we encourage everyone to follow our shelter’s Facebook page and the City of Liberal’s website to see when sign-ups open for clinic dates,” Logan said. Appointments can be booked at the Liberal Animal Shelter and are only available to residents of Liberal on a first-come, first-serve basis. Spay and neuter fees are due at registration to secure an appointment.

Hospital seeking input in effort to improve service

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Officials with Southwest Medical Center are looking for help from the community in improving the hospital’s services.

SWMC Chief Operating Officer Mark Cowan and CEO Amber Williams came to Monday’s Seward County Commission meeting to discuss this year’s Community Health Needs Assessment, which the hospital is required to do every three years.