[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6556266,"mediaKeyId","3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c","parentId",3319300,"title","Newton Police outline staffing shortfall, training timeline and enforcement limits; officials discuss code complaints app","audioSeconds",1684,"startMs",1886000,"endMs",3570000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c&start=1886&end=3570","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c/thumbnail_1886000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6556266/Kansas/Newton-Police-outline-staffing-shortfall-training-timeline-and-enforcement-limits-officials-discuss-code-complaints-app","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556266-7b0b50462c6d3982346c823f8efd8a34/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418935&Signature=N6VegxdvuL9DgzioPv91E8PGXKHPNV7epkAKeDV1y4Uw2lWaImtbHkn91RIdGHkoTbyQw9hh7iPuyDLKnmFGerMcvVCxp0GbmHAfr9Y1frYbZeZRbDJxAFEiaZsOn0Is8H8JZ30pucj2hp-e1g7TjE7Mpg3dGXCfBIvA7wctOk7MCD5TkXna2ATcMbydAv7pKYFAGoDdbScYHEllqsNLbgQOnf4TF6zVvTh3bQ12hkpwKI7mIHhJaKusUaiq5pK-cl7N6lZAelyAVgzl1PgLHEEvspUhC0ys4EHgzgLuUQR6gM7UCDnC3ocjeNQtbzDBIA2p85essHavDe2~QzqYcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Newton, KS","date","2025-05-15T15:40:00.187Z","article","Pauline Beetz, Police Chief, reviewed staffing, training and enforcement priorities for the Newton Police Department and urged commissioners to weigh public‑safety staffing needs alongside rapid city growth.

\"We are very busy,\" Chief Beetz said, noting the department averages about 24,000 calls for service annually and that minimum staffing is four officers per shift. She described a three‑tier staffing framework the department uses: minimum (4 per shift), effective (5–6 per shift) and \"premier\" (7 per shift with two supervisors) and said current minimum staffing necessitates extensive overtime.

Chief Beetz said training requirements make recruitment and retention costly: the department's training pipeline is set up to take about 10 months for a new officer (14‑week academy plus field training) and she estimated it costs the city about $25,000–$35,000 to recruit and onboard a single officer. She reported the department typically loses about five officers per year and that some departures are to private‑sector opportunities or because individuals decide policing is not the right career.

On enforcement and code complaints: commissioners and the chief discussed the division of responsibilities between police and code enforcement. Chief Beetz said issues beyond the curb line (yards) are handled by code enforcement (Jerry Lewis, engineer's office) while street parking and similar matters are police responsibilities. Commissioners asked about a city reporting app; Chief Beetz encouraged use of the Newton app to collect data and said increased app use could provide the documentation needed to justify adding staff to handle complaints.

She also highlighted other priorities including traffic enforcement (the department sees high motor vehicle accident counts), domestic violence and victim services coordination with municipal court and victim advocates, the department's new training facility and canine team accomplishments.

Ending: Chief Beetz asked commissioners to consider recruitment, training and equipment costs as the city plans for growth and to watch data from the reporting app to inform possible staffing additions.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Work Session - 15 May 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Pauline Beetz, Police Chief, reviewed staffing, training and enforcement priorities for the Newton Police Department and urged commissioners to weigh public‑safety staffing needs alongside rapid city growth.","taxTitle","Newton, Harvey County, Kansas","taxId",61138,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6556269,"Newton Fire/EMS warns of rising call volume, budget pressure and long equipment lead times",1215,0,1215000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c&start=0&end=1215","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6556269/Kansas/Newton-FireEMS-warns-of-rising-call-volume-budget-pressure-and-long-equipment-lead-times","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556269-c82cc84c3b3e55eefe179d4209f8a3ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418935&Signature=ThKkr18FsJqvsWOK3c2rWrCZO-clXN-hscBop0JsWADE6o1EF-UoHS7L9~FYnSf7WUa~TnwX8vxyJOOW1yCWNalx8V-n6M6RHcm99e~Gx8Igs2bt~cC7BY7A75dDLaYa3lAbeDP62Yb1hFTDjxHiuDwQfu502DuEx7Ii99d0Z1LWXZ14cGvZoEQnyTptl9VcnOqPOjAzYmG5btK5m0HTK1vc7vH5Q8H~OuZbvtJwUPqjdy0UL4v3Qiy-F9ILWlEPJ1y3YnGXtcpbZa3~fP-J98e5xtQeMt48AdIefmcd713lQLCFUrpmujuDQKGcf~MV-9oUZYqY~hRQwLT9Lq4V~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Newton Fire/EMS Chief Corey told the City Commission that the department ran just over 4,300 calls for service in 2024, about 84% of which were EMS calls, and that sustained increases in call volume are stretching the department's capacity.

\"Newn Fire EMS is set up to run 3 EMS calls simultaneously or 1 structure fire at any given time,\" Chief Corey said. He reported that Station 1 handles roughly 40% of calls, that the department covers 250 square miles of EMS district and just over 100 square miles of fire district, and that in 2024 the department averaged just over 12 calls per day.

The chief said the department recorded 376 \"third-out\" incidents in 2024 — calls that left the system at or above capacity — and that simultaneous calls are a growing operational concern. He warned that ambulance and fire apparatus lead times and prices have risen sharply since 2017: a new ambulance that cost $189,000 in 2017 recently cost more than $350,000, and vendors are quoting 2–3 years for ambulances and 3–4 years for fire apparatus.

Why it matters: Newton's EMS is funded in part by transport reimbursements tied to Medicare/Medicaid and other payers. Chief Corey said reimbursement rates do not cover costs: \"of all the reimbursement we get from EMS billing, only 41% of the revenue covers our actual expenses.\" He described a payer mix of 58% Medicare, 14% Medicaid, 16% private insurance and roughly 12% self-pay, and noted Medicare/Medicaid rate changes earlier in the year had provided some relief.

The presentation included projections for the municipal equipment reserve, which the chief said are adequate for the next couple of years but show a shortfall beginning in 2029 (he referred to an estimated six‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar shortfall and worsening thereafter). He urged commissioners to consider additional support as economic development projects bring more industry and people to Newton.

Discussion and direction: Commissioners asked about mutual aid and preparedness for specialty fires in neighboring communities. Chief Corey described standing automatic aid agreements with Halsted, Heston and Sedgwick and said the department puts Heston on standby when they reach a third-out; if Heston is unavailable they contact Halsted and then Sedgwick. A commissioner raised concern about lithium‑ion battery fires at a Halsted facility, and Chief Corey said those incidents may require specialized tactics and protective equipment and should be the subject of further interagency training.

The chief also emphasized recruitment challenges: nationwide shortages, competition between departments, sign-on incentives and lateral hires are all making hiring difficult. He urged maintaining competitive wages and equipment for retention.

Ending: The chief asked commissioners to factor Fire/EMS needs into longer-term budget and growth conversations so Newton can maintain response capacity as the city attracts new industry.

","The Newton Fire/EMS chief told the City Commission the department ran more than 4,300 calls in 2024 (84% EMS), is reaching capacity for simultaneous responses, and projects future shortfalls in the municipal equipment reserve as apparatus costs and delivery times climb.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6556259,"Newton airport readies for Runway 8/26 reconstruction, hangar repairs and marketing push",1401,4596000,5997000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c&start=4596&end=5997","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c/thumbnail_4596000.jpg","/articles/6556259/Kansas/Newton-airport-readies-for-Runway-826-reconstruction-hangar-repairs-and-marketing-push","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556259-6a893d4c88ab1966a4b44db9437935cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418935&Signature=I87yK~uZAZ4cpe0-13JdZJSr2n32MYs4AAlnXTIPjU-rEN5pl5itAQ~TL6PnNSZJXu-M0xwgpX7GVdH-Do4PTK1rmuz0y5DNR6HGF~~9TKWp43KUE14lilmYLXbN7VT2Hrgm2PzE~uOO-sCD0AK8M6jPIK2APrIn5NPZBAIH5IlCyUWAe6vBeoPvh95VR2D8K8b3wV14YcCt55WgZrrRmLmA3enl27PEKXinIQ~HOOTtPTTIOGY9pf4DksEnZzq5iPzBj9vH9wum1Fi-lKJ5gDoQzUPnLUuopWl3~pnTEpZeSnrOh~weTn7-aaDbrFm26yoGFJ3TxFoIGCrL8Z~d~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Airport Director Brian told the commission the Newton‑area airport manages roughly 800 acres, operates 85 T‑hanger leases with a waiting list and has a multi‑year capital program that includes a full reconstruction of Runway 8/26 expected in 2025.

\"We are gonna...complete Runway 8 To 6 in construction full reconstruct in 2025,\" Brian said, adding the project will likely require a roughly 30‑day airport closure in mid‑October to early November because of how the runway intersections must be handled. He said the FAA grant is pending construction authorization, and that officials had explored alternatives to avoid a full closure but concluded a temporary closure was the only practical and financially justifiable option.

Brian reviewed storm damage from May 19 (hangar doors and tee‑hangars affected) and work that continues to finish repairs. He said the airport replaced aging infrastructure such as the beacon and a ground‑power unit, added pavement and signage work, and plans HVAC and electrical updates in tenant buildings.

On economics and development, the director said the Institute of Transportation Research and Education estimated the airport's economic impact at $187,467,072 in 2022 (up from $152,000,000 in 2016). He said Newton's geographic position near Wichita and growing regional demand make the airport attractive for corporate flight activity and that staff continue to market available hangar and building opportunities while recognizing that long‑term ground leases — but not land ownership — are typical for government‑operated airports.

Ending: The director said aging fuel tanks, above‑ground conversion planning and continuing FAA projects will be presented in future briefings; commissioners were told the airport has paid down most debt and now has more operational flexibility for tenant and capital needs.

","The airport director reported plans to reconstruct Runway 8/26 in 2025 (requiring an approximately 30‑day closure), ongoing hangar repairs from a May storm, and an economic‑impact estimate of about $187.5 million for the airport's region in 2022.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6556263,"City law office outlines court and victim services work; finance team flags rising credit‑card processing fees",461,1230000,1691000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c&start=1230&end=1691","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319300-317381456e6b60d69ac5305bdf676e1c/thumbnail_1230000.jpg","/articles/6556263/Kansas/City-law-office-outlines-court-and-victim-services-work-finance-team-flags-rising-creditcard-processing-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556263-81ed842123aeda28ae7158c4833ace0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770418935&Signature=GXQqFv6HGLscVFdY2GcO75iuTVcpqMtfGiVwEHfs0OdeCLBmPdzwDgquHBLM1sGrNQxd-w0tajJLoBrOLoIV7Qpr4kp2mgWfZLJoiTnE4mY6U4ijALqbBf7PA84N~kPsqwdaaoaHvuA7NOEq5u8LSTwgH-6AdbXRFQHgQA61HG-ctqw8Qr8Cx47cuBFRVQ4Jp5uq6efdz5tlJzst1VOQHxebvCfRafZQKP778Rwns0Mc9VdPie6xzEUm7t1PrTwBMcNAiYh5KlPBZnLhAZmTRqBUx1aS44KyFUn6VmtWsj2uu2eUYLyj2Yu5RTh0gxijo9x4xz0gXK7591x1ZQLfXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Attorney's office summarized personnel changes in municipal court and its role providing in‑house legal advice to departments, and the finance director described a budget increase to cover credit‑card processing fees.

The legal presentation noted municipal court handles misdemeanors, traffic and nuisance abatement cases; juveniles and felonies go to district court. The office listed court staff and recent hires — a new prosecutor and prosecutor's assistant, a probation officer, a victim‑witness coordinator and a part‑time contractor municipal judge (Kelly Schodorf). A staff member identified as Baron is splitting time between court docket duties and civil work in the city attorney's office.

The victim‑witness coordinator is launching a joint domestic‑violence initiative with the Police Department focused on victim services, while preserving the court's independence, the presenter said.

Finance staff and the City Attorney discussed credit‑card processing fees. The finance presenter said the city uses a vendor (OpenEdge via Tyler) whose interchange fees had risen dramatically quarter to quarter; after staff inquiry the vendor reduced rates and the city is exploring other vendors. The law presenter noted an approximately $13,000 annual increase in the department's budget tied to credit‑card processing shifting to the department's line items.

Ending: The City Attorney asked commissioners to expect staffing transitions to settle later in the year, and finance staff said they would continue vendor negotiations, monitor fees and report back.

","The City Attorney's office briefed commissioners on municipal-court staffing changes, a new domestic‑violence initiative with the police department and a small budget increase tied to credit‑card processing fees that the finance team is revising with vendors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Newton Police outline staffing shortfall, training timeline and enforcement limits; officials discuss code complaints app

Newton Fire/EMS warns of rising call volume, budget pressure and long equipment lead times

Newton airport readies for Runway 8/26 reconstruction, hangar repairs and marketing push

City law office outlines court and victim services work; finance team flags rising credit‑card processing fees