News

City leaders are looking to put $291,000 more into Hotel Topeka. Following two executive sessions in a special meeting on Monday, the Topeka Development Corporation decided it will move forward with requesting another round of funding. Since the city owns the hotel, it is required to make up for any operational losses from Hotel Topeka. At the end of last year, the TDC approved the budget with a net operating loss estimated at $870,000. Since Hotel Topeka is not generating enough revenue to cover its expenses, the city needs to invest more money into the hotel to help make up the [...]

Despite hearing from more than a dozen people in opposition, Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-1 to stop livestreaming their meetings on YouTube. The Kansas Legislature this session passed a change to the Kansas Open Meetings Act (in HB 2134) to state that “A public body or agency that voluntarily elects to live stream their meeting on television, the internet or any other medium shall ensure that all aspects of the open meeting are available through the selected medium for the public to observe.” The law goes into effect July 1. Source: The Lawrence Times

University of Kansas and state legislative leadership broke ground on major renovations at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Hutchinson on May 23, part of a bold campus master plan to support its competency-based curriculum and to expand programs to meet the training needs of partners in public safety. Source: KU News

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.

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider adopting a resolution to no longer livestream their meetings on YouTube rather than stream the entire meetings, including the general public comment periods. The Kansas Legislature this session passed a change to the Kansas Open Meetings Act (in HB 2134) to state that “A public body or agency that voluntarily elects to live stream their meeting on television, the internet or any other medium shall ensure that all aspects of the open meeting are available through the selected medium for the public to observe.” The law goes into effect July 1. Source: The Lawrence [...]

Two new firefighters are set to join the Pittsburg Fire Department.   After two weeks of hands-on and classroom academy training, Aaron Ruth and Rendan Russell completed their final exercise on Friday. Source: - Latest Stories

Wichita police officers Donald Bailey and Shawn Isham were watching a suspected drug house in 2020 when Gina Wilson parked a vehicle in the driveway, entered the residence, reappeared a few minutes later and drove away. The officers followed Wilson before pulling her over on Greenfield Street, allegedly for twice failing to properly use a turn signal. Wilson denied committing the traffic infractions, but informed officers she didn’t have a valid driver’s license. What happened next as Wilson stood on the curb with police officers was closely examined by the Sedgwick County District Court, Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas Supreme [...]

Merriam city leaders are assessing whether to tear down its entire historic downtown as it mulls new flood risk management plans for Turkey Creek nearby. For nearly 25 years, the city and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working on flood risk mitigation efforts along Turkey Creek, which runs along the border of the downtown area. Source: Johnson County Post

The Olathe Police Department is moving forward with plans to build a new police shooting range near Interstate 35 and 167th Street, after receiving the city council’s approval earlier this month. The Olathe City Council approved rezoning to make way for the new shooting range at its meeting on May 6. Source: Johnson County Post

When Derek Buckridge rides a mountain bike down a trail through the woods, there’s a type of reverie that comes with putting all of his focus toward staying on two wheels. “You just kind of get lost in that blissfulness of nature and the adrenaline,” he said. “I get that (feeling) with trail building too.” As a construction supervisor for the Johnson County Park & Recreation District, that’s the type of feeling he wants to recreate for others as he supervises the building of biking and hiking trails across Johnson County. In his role with JCRPD, Buckridge helps volunteers with a [...]