News

A new three-level parking garage to be built on the surface lot behind Olathe City Hall is being considered by county and city officials as a way to ease a parking shortage and improve handicap accessibility for the courthouse. Johnson County commissioners on Thursday voted to enter into a 50/50 agreement with Olathe to build the garage, which would provide parking for the public and city and county employees and is intended to address the ongoing lack of parking space on the north side of Olathe’s downtown. Source: Johnson County Post

Park City is the latest Kansas community to give the green light to golf carts on city streets. The Park City Council approved the change on May 27, and the new ordinance officially took effect June 5, according to the Ark Valley News. Under the new rules, golf carts are permitted on streets with speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less and can cross over higher-speed roads. Worksite utility vehicles and utility terrain vehicles have even broader access—they’re allowed on any street within city limits. Source: KSN-TV

You could smell it before you saw it — the charred remains of the city park restrooms, torched and melted from the inside out. Udall Police Chief Erik King is calling it arson and says it’s unlike anything he’s dealt with in town before. The damage is estimated at around $10,000. Police say it happened Thursday around 4:30 in the afternoon. Then, just hours later, it happened again. He says the timing couldn’t be worse, with the Fourth of July just around the corner. Source: KSN-TV

A new data center coming to southeast Kansas will generate sales tax and franchise fees in exchange for the big energy it will take to operate. Wildcat Data Infrastructure, a Texas company, is building the first data storage facility in the Industrial park near the Pittsburg Airport The idea was proposed to the City Commission back in late January. Now, the company and the city are working with Evergy to expand the electrical infrastructure at the site on 10 acres of land. Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Emporia residents will notice a slight increase in their monthly water bills starting next year following action by Emporia City Commissioners during their regular action meeting Wednesday. The specific action taken by commissioners was a 4-1 approval of a new Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) structure, a fee that will be added to residents’ water bills to create a dedicated revenue stream for stormwater improvements across the community. During an interview with KVOE News on Thursday, Deputy City Manager Mark Detter noted that previously, there has not been such a revenue stream with the city traditionally using sales and property tax dollars [...]

Members of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Monday will hear a presentation on the city’s proposal to implement membership fees to use rec centers. The city has not yet shared specific numbers for how much memberships would cost, and no details about the proposal were included in the meeting agenda as of Sunday afternoon. The Parks, Recreation and Culture department is proposing charging fees as a way to offset its $1.8 million portion of the city’s projected budget shortfall of more than $6 million. Source: The Lawrence Times

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

From digital literacy training in a Topeka neighborhood to enhancing the use of artificial intelligence and other technology by farmers, a Kansas government program is investing in digital skills training and workforce readiness across the state. Source: CJonline

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Floodwaters across Chase County have left roads submerged, residents displaced, and emergency crews working around the clock. Among the rescues was an elderly Strong City man saved after his life alert triggered a welfare check, prompting a specialized task force to bring him to safety. Chase County Emergency Manager Scott Wiltse said road closures have been widespread, though a full count isn’t yet available. Source: KSN-TV