City leaders soon will decide whether to continue a program meant to jump-start development at the city’s business parks and other industrially zoned areas. As part of its meeting Monday, the City Commission will consider approving a three-year extension of the Catalyst Program. The program, which the commission created in 2017, provides a simplified application process for industrial projects that want to build or expand facilities in VenturePark, East Hills Business Park or other industrially zoned land in the city. City staff is recommending that the commission extend the program, saying that it has been successful, according to a memo to [...]

Interim County Administrator Sarah Plinsky told Gaughan during Wednesday’s meeting that she appreciated his dedication to initiatives that may not be flashy or make headlines, but that help the organization function better. Gaughan said certain administrative tasks — such as a salary study and overhaul of the pay structure that the county completed — will help the county be a competitive employer for those drawn to public service, despite its position sandwiched between Johnson and Shawnee counties as well as facing the University of Kansas, city of Lawrence and the local school district. “Just like every other employer in town, we’re [...]

Even when she gets in her car to go somewhere else, Lisa Larsen has sometimes found herself inadvertently driving toward City Hall out of habit. Considering the time she spends in the building, that’s not too surprising. In addition to being on the City Commission and the steering committee for the city’s new comprehensive plan, Larsen can often be found sitting among members of the public at the meetings of other city boards, such as the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. She is also one of two commissioners designated to work closely with the national firm hired to find the next city [...]

Hillsboro Community Hospital’s power will remain on due to a last minute resolution that has the unpaid utility bill of $16,644.31 owed to the City of Hillsboro paid off. The rest of the roughly $28,000 owed to the City of Hillsboro previously reported was paid off earlier in the week. The resolution came roughly 30 minutes before the scheduled shut off. The hospital had reported that there was a plan to stay open using a gasoline powered generator if the power would have been shut off as scheduled. The utility bill being paid off means that the hospital won’t need to [...]