By MEGAN GILLILAND
LKM

TOPEKA – Over 500 local government officials – including elected and appointed staff – traveled to Wichita this past weekend to attend the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM) annual conference. The 2017 conference focused on the theme of resiliency in cities. Over the course of three days, the officials spent time focused on the challenges of governing on many levels – managing fiscal challenges, addressing aging infrastructure, improving citizen engagement, maintaining quality personnel, discussing public policy and the opioid crisis, and strategizing solutions for blight and nuisance issues.

On Monday, September 18, the Convention of Voting Delegates for the League of Kansas Municipalities selected new officers and directors for the Governing Body. The delegates elected Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell as President and Pittsburg City Manager Daron Hall as Vice President.

“I am honored to serve as the President of League of Kansas Municipalities,” said Longwell. “As the voice of Kansas’ cities, the League plays a key role in local government. We advocate for, and provide guidance to, hundreds of cities across the state and I am excited to lead the effort.”

Longwell was elected Mayor of Wichita in 2015 after serving on the city council since 2007. He is a long-time resident of Wichita and grew up in a west side neighborhood and attended West High School and Wichita State University. Longwell served on the Maize School Board for 12 years, prior to his city council service. Mayor Longwell has advocated for numerous local government initiatives including government accountability, accessibility and transparency, economic development and job creation, strategic regional partnerships, improving the quality of life in Kansas cities, public transit and developing strong infrastructure.

Daron Hall, City Manager of Pittsburg, was selected as the Vice President of the Governing Body. Hall has served as City Manager for Pittsburg for 5 ½ years and has served in public administration for 26 years. He has an undergraduate degree from Washburn University and a Masters of Public Administration from Texas A & M University.

“I look forward to working with the League to improve the communities in the state,” said Hall. “Our work helps to improve the quality of life in Kansas cities and make it as good as it can be.”

Convention Delegates also selected three existing Governing Body members to continue their director positions for an additional, three-year term: Kendal Francis, City Manager, Coffeyville; Jerry Lovett-Sperling, City Clerk, Lindsborg; and James Toews, Mayor, Inman. Jason Jones, Councilmember from Hesston was appointed to a three-year term.

The League is proud to welcome these city officials to the 2017-2018 Governing Body.

Established by municipal officials in 1910, the League of Kansas Municipalities is a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of over 500 Kansas cities. The League works for its member cities through advocacy, legal advice, education and other services. Follow the League of Kansas Municipalities on Facebook or Twitter.

DCF

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is proud to announce that its integration into the Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System (KEES) is complete. On Aug.18, the agency’s eight antiquated eligibility systems were replaced by KEES. It was estimated that online processing of welfare benefits applications would halt until early September, when the new system launched. The improved system went live ahead of schedule, on Aug. 28. Medicaid processing was also temporarily delayed. It has also now resumed.

“Our staff members have worked hard preparing for this transition, and with the support from Accenture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), we have ensured minimal disruption in application processing,” said DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore. “After several years of collaboration, preparation and anticipation, we can officially consider this project successfully completed.

At 9 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 22, KDHE Chief Information Officer Glen Yancey will present details of the successful completion of KEES to the Joint Committee on Information Technology, in room 159-S, at the State Capitol Building, Topeka.

KEES is a computer system that allows Kansans to apply online for medical and social services, including welfare benefits, Medicaid and more. This system upgrade involved DCF welfare benefits programs, such as cash, food and child care assistance, among others.

Accenture is the contracted partner to the State that created the KEES system. The KEES project was launched in several phases. The second phase, which launched in July 2015, incorporated the State’s Medicaid system.

The upgraded online eligibility system includes many features that benefit clients and allow State agencies to more effectively communicate information. This is expected to improve accuracy and efficiency in processing.

One of the features of the system is a new Self-Service Portal for low-income Kansans to monitor the progress of their welfare benefits applications. Clients can also view their case details, benefit amounts and history, view pending verifications needed for processing and upload documents directly to their case.

“An estimated 1,000 DCF staff members have been trained to use the KEES system, as the system covers a wide range of agency programs and services,” Secretary Gilmore said. “This was a major project, and we are excited that we have a new tool to better serve Kansans in need.”

Staff members are now able to perform data entry into a single system that covers multiple programs. This allows for better use of staff time and minimizes human errors that can delay benefits distribution.

Promoting efficiency and effective customer service is a priority for the agency. In 2013, DCF implemented new business processes that reduced eligibility determination from approximately 30 days to less than 10 days, with many clients now receiving same-day determinations.