Hillsboro to publish newsletter
Staff writer
Hillsboro will begin publishing its own newsletter next month.
The city-produced Hillsboro Happenings will include city reports, notices, events, reminders, a community calendar, and features on city employees and council members; all presumably elected city employees.
Two thousand copies of the first issue will be printed by Baker Bros. Printing for $325 and distributed for $130 as inserts in the Sept. 15 Hillsboro Free Press.
Future editions are planned every other month and will be sent by email only.
“It’s not trying to take away from our relationship with our Hillsboro Star-Journal by any means,” city administrator Danielle Bartel said. “It’s more of providing additional, another way to receive information.”
Marion previously tried producing its own news program, On the Corner, on Youtube. It never attracted more than two-digit view counts and ended after its last episode in December.
Marion schools also considered publishing a newsletter that would have contained only positive news about the district, but the idea never came to fruition.
Entrepreneurship center
At Tuesday’s meeting council members were told that a $200,000 grant will help Central Kansas Entrepreneurship Center employ its first full-time director.
The three-year Patterson Family Foundation grant, combined with city money, will allow Terry Ens to serve as full-time director.
The city and Tabor started the center in 2022.
The center offers business mentoring and short-term office space. Three of five offices are occupied. All five were occupied at one point during the past year.
The center eventually will move into Tabor’s $12 million business and entrepreneurship building. Tabor has raised $9.5 million for the project.
It is scheduled to open Feb. 25.
Mural
Plans also are progressing for a mural on the south wall at Hillsboro Ford.
Five to seven feet of clearance will be needed for scaffolding during installation, expected to take three to four weeks.
No final design has been selected.
The city received a $10,000 Kansas Arts Commission grant requiring a one-to-one match. Hillsboro Community Foundation has given $2,000 toward the city’s match.
The project deadline has been extended to June 30.
Other business
Matt Hein began work Tuesday as fire chief, succeeding Ben Steketee.
Caleb Spencer was named interim water superintendent as the city searches for a successor to Morgan Marler. Spencer has certifications required for the job and plans to apply for the permanent position.
Council members also adopted annual updates to city traffic and criminal codes.
Changes include a prohibition on handheld cell phone use in designated school and active road construction zones. Hands-free use will be permitted. Only warnings will be issued through July 1, 2027.
Another change, mirroring a controversial state law, will make it an offense to knowingly approach or remain within 25 feet of a first responder after being warned to stay back when doing so interferes with official duties or creates a safety risk.
The city also is seeking prices to replace a failed control board in its LED sign at Ash and D Sts.
Council members met privately for 20 minutes to discuss acquisition of real estate. No action was taken afterward.