1) Invitation to a Symposium on Tobacco Regulation

Please join the Kansas Health Institute and the League of Kansas Municipalities on August 13th for a Symposium on Tobacco Regulation

You are invited to attend a symposium entitled, “Smoking Bans in a Home Rule State: How do we regulate tobacco in a way that makes sense in Kansas?” The symposium will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka. The goal of the discussion is to provide a thoughtful look at the possibilities and logistical issues surrounding the regulation of tobacco.

The day will begin with a presentation by John Neuberger, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., M.B.A., and Ken Davis, P.T., M.P.H., from the University of Kansas Medical Center, about the results of a study on the opinions of community leaders about smoking bans. Following their presentation, Kim Winn, a lawyer for the League of Kansas Municipalities, will provide a summary of current ordinances in Kansas. During lunch, Matthew McKenna, M.D., M.P.H., who is the director of the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will provide a keynote address. Following his presentation, he will join a panel discussion on the information presented throughout the day. Other panelists will be Marcia Nielsen, Ph.D., M.P.H., who is the executive director of the Kansas Health Policy Authority, Senator Jim Barnett, M.D., who is a member of the state senate and a physician, and Dennis Kissinger, who was the city manager of Salina when their smoking ban was passed. Lunch will be provided.

We hope that you will be able to join us. Please RSVP by August 5th to Sarah Fizell at the Kansas Health Institute by calling 785.233.5443 or by sending an email to sfizell@khi.org.

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2) League Policy Committees Forming Now!

League policy committees help to establish the policies that guide the organization's legislative efforts. Any city official is eligible to serve on a single policy committee. The four committees include:

• Utilities and Environment Policy Committee (meets August 12)
Reviews and recommends League positions on water supply, water quality, water planning, solid waste, air quality, and other environmental quality issues.

• Public Officers and Employees Policy Committee (meets August 14)
Reviews and recommends League positions dealing with a range of employment matters, including wage and hour laws, unions, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, etc.; handles League positions relating to public officials, including ethics, elections, and other requirements of holding public office.

• Finance and Taxation Policy Committee (meets August 19)
Reviews and recommends League positions on finance and taxation issues, including local option taxes, property tax lid, tax exemptions, motor vehicle tax, etc.

• Legislative Policy Committee (meets August 21)
Reviews and recommends League positions in all other policy areas and provides general oversight of the policy statement.

For more information about the League policy committees, please click here.

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3) Excellence in Local Government Award

The Excellence in Local Government Award is presented annually to an elected city official who has demonstrated outstanding service to not only his or her own city, but has also shown an active commitment to strong local government and service to the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM).

Click here to view the qualifications for nominees, access to the nomination form, and for guidelines for the selected 2008 award winner.

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4) Submit your application for the Solomon Basin Advisory Committee

The Kansas Water Office is inviting you to submit an application for the Solomon Basin Advisory Committee. Each Kansas River Basin has a citizen advisory group formed to provide insight, track issues, and alert the Kansas Water Office and the Kansas Water Authority on issues of interest in the committee's area.

For over twenty years, Basin Advisory Committees have been a vital voice for water resources issues working to assist the Kansas Water Authority (KWA) to address water resources issues across the State of Kansas. The Kansas Water Authority has revitalized the Basin Advisory Committee membership process because of the growing importance of water resources in the state and the increasing need for citizen input in those issues. KWA is asking you to consider submitting an application for Basin Advisory Committee membership.

Members serve four (4) year terms, with no limit on the number of terms a member may serve. There are meeting attendance requirements, to insure the interests of the Basin remain actively represented by the BAC membership. The Solomon Basin Advisory Committee normally meets three (3) or four (4) times per year. Members represent one of the water resource interest groups or categories identified in the Basin.

Applications to fill the remaining portion of the 4 year term for the Solomon Basin Advisory Committee At-Large Position will be accepted until September 15, 2008.

Applications and further information on the Kansas Water Authority, the Kansas Water Office, and Basin Advisory Committee can be found on the Kansas Water Office website at www.kwo.org. Please look in the left column of the Kansas Water Office home page for Basin Advisory Committee.

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5) Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors—Registration Available!

The Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors Planning Committee, is pleased to announce that the agenda and registration for the Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors to be held at the Hyatt Regency/Century II in Wichita on October 6 and 7 is now available at: http://www.krpa.org. On-line registration is available from this website.

Special hotel rates are available if you book before September 5. Be sure to mention the "Kansas Health Summit" when you make your reservation (http://wichita.hyatt.com/).

Please find the complete Summit agenda and promotional flyer for our Monday night special event featuring Richard Louv, author of the "Last Child in the Woods." When you register for the Summit, you will automatically be signed up for the Louv event on Monday evening. The Louv event is free to the public so please alert your co-workers, family, friends, etc. about this exciting opportunity. The flyer gives information on who to contact to get tickets if you are not attending the Summit.

If you have any problems accessing the above website, agenda, and registration, information can also be found at: http://www.kdheks.gov/bhp/healthy_ks_comm/

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6) Put the Brakes on Fatalities!

Nearly 118 people die every day in traffic crashes in the United States. They are parents, sons, daughters, neighbors, friends and co-workers. Adding to the heart-break of these losses is the fact that many times, the crashes in which they are dying are preventable.

On October 10, transportation groups, law enforcement, and others throughout the country will observe Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day. This national event, which was initiated by a Kansas Department of Transportation worker in 2001, is intended to draw attention to these tragedies and address the need to improve driver behavior, our vehicles, and our roadways.

To broaden awareness of Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day and its message, please participate in the state’s observation by issuing a proclamation declaring October 10 as “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day.” Click here for an example proclamation that can easily be modified for adoption by your governing body.

Join us in making this year’s Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day a time for our fellow citizens to reflect on the 43,000 traffic fatalities that occur in our country every year.

For more information on Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day, please look at the national Web site, www.brakesonfatalities.org, or contact the Kansas Department of Transportation at (785) 296-3585. Thank you for your help in improving safety for everyone on our roadways.

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7) Order Your UPOCs & STOs Today!

You may now begin placing orders for the 2008 UPOCs and STOs. Published by the League of Kansas Municipalities since 1980, the Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC) contains approximately 100 public offenses which can be adjudicated in municipal court. While many of the provisions parallel state law, the UPOC also contains offenses that are frequently only enforced within cities. Whether or not your city has incorporated previous editions of the UPOC, the new edition may be adopted by the publication of a single ordinance. To order your copy of the 2008 UPOC, click here.

Published by the League of Kansas Municipalities since 1960, the Strandard Traffic Ordinance (STO) is an efficient, economical way to regulate traffic in Kansas cities. Whether or not your city has incorporated previous editions of the STO, the new edition may be adopted by the publication of a single ordinance.To order your copy of the 2008 STO, click here.

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8) 2008 MRP Survey Now Available

To purchase your copy of the 2008 MRP Survey, please click here. Cities who participated in the survey will receive FREE access to the survey by e-mail. If your city participated, you do not need to fill out an order form. If you are unsure whether your city participated, please contact Wendy Flowers.

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9) Budget Tips Available Online

To view the 2009 City/County Budget Tips, click here.

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10) Register Today For The August MLA—Preparing For Retirement

This course is designed for city employees who are interested in learning more about the three major sources of retirement income. The course will educate employees (from recent hires to soon-to-be retired) on financial resources such as the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), Social Security, and personal investments. To learn more about the MLA or to see a schedule of event dates, please click here.

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11) Register Today For The September MLA—Energy Efficient Buildings & Recycling

This course will cover two important environmental topics: strategies to improve the operational costs and improved building performance, and will provide information on starting and expanding recycling programs. To learn more about the MLA or to see a schedule of event dates, please click here.

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