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Minutes for HB2178 - Committee on Local Government
Short Title
Vacating certain blocks in the original town plat set aside for a college and a park in the city of Americus and vesting fee simple title in the city.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 3, 2021
The Chair opened the hearing on HB 2178.
Senior Assistant Revisor Mike Heim briefed the Committee on the bill. He said an identical bill passed the House 122-3 during the 2020 legislative session but died in the Senate. He explained that the bill allows the City of Americus to vacate property that was originally set aside for a college; the deed currently restricts the city from using the property for any other purpose.
Representative Mark Schreiber, District 60, testified as a proponent. He gave a brief history of the city by saying that when the city was founded, it was in the center of the county, and the founders envisioned a college as a valuable resource. Subsequent events brought the center of the county to Emporia, thus making a college at Americus impractical.
Amanda Stanley, General Counsel, League of Kansas Municipalities, testified in support of the bill (Attachment 2). She reiterated Representative Schreiber's information and noted that the original city plat was included in the city's incorporation, thus requiring a statute as the only option to enable the city to use the land for any other purpose. Responding to a question, she replied that another bill dealing with the Sierra Club addressed a separate issue.
The Chair referenced written-only testimony by Dustin Wright, Mayor, City of Americus (Attachment 3).
The Chair closed the hearing on HB 2178.
