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Leawood residents at Tuesday’s open house on the historic city hall and Fire Station No. 1 saw a revised list of options significantly different from the ones last discussed at a city council meeting in June. The open house on how to develop the two vacant buildings into a community green space at 96th Street and Lee Boulevard drew a stream of engaged residents who pored over the latest plans by consultant BBN Architects Inc. The four concepts presented this week were the latest iteration, following discussions with councilmembers and a survey of residents that has been in progress since last [...]

Governor Laura Kelly visited Hays on Wednesday for the ceremonial signing of Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172, which officially creates a water program task force aimed at developing a long-term, sustainable investment strategy for Kansas water resources. The newly formed task force is charged with designing a water program supported by a dedicated revenue source and evaluating the state’s current water funding and planning laws. It will submit a preliminary report to the governor and Legislature by January 31, 2026, and a final report by January 31, 2027. Source: KCLY Radio

The closure of a recycling plant in Wichita is now affecting neighboring communities. The City of Wellington announced it will temporarily shut down its recycling center after losing access to its main processing partner. The change comes as International Paper prepares to close its Wichita recycling facility. Although the official shutdown is scheduled for the end of the month, Friday is the last day the plant will accept recyclable materials. Source: KSN-TV

When Wichita rolled out its new ID program on June 30, Donna Castillo-Garcia and other advocates for the unhoused were some of the first in line, helping their clients obtain municipal ID cards. Thursday, Castillo-Garcia was back at city hall helping another man get his ID so he could gain access to a food bank. It’s slowly becoming a routine for the Grassroots Bridge Builders executive director as the city rolls out a new I-9 compliant ID card that community leaders like Castillo-Garcia hope will ease limitations for Wichitans who lack the standard documentation for a state-issued ID, especially those experiencing [...]

Wichita has agreed to pay $195,000 to settle a lawsuit over an accident involving a police vehicle in July 2023. Police officer Whitney Berry, in her patrol car, attempted to make a left-hand turn from a private drive and struck a vehicle driven northbound on Hydraulic Avenue near MacArthur Road on July 20, 2023, court records show. That vehicle was driven by Raymond Sipult, a Wichita resident. Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

The City of Lawrence is taking applications for funding to help financially stressed property owners rehabilitate their homes, bring properties into compliance with codes and improve energy efficiency. The city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Homeowner Housing Rehabilitation Program is offering property owners two types of loans. Both types are no-interest and no-payment loans, according to a news release from the city. Source: The Lawrence Times

Riley County commissioners on Thursday said meetings with the city are pointless if county commissioners are not allowed to ask questions or participate in discussions. Commission member John Ford said he disagrees with the structure of the joint county and city meetings, calling the current system for updates “pointless.” Source: themercury.com - RSS Results in news of type article

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.

Planning Commission Director Karen Rothe requested the moratorium, because she has been approached by several people about BESS and stated that some of the county’s regulations are unclear. Source: Harvey County Now

As the one-man Department of Public Works Haviland, Wes Adams has a lengthy and varied to-do list every day for the city of 650 in southwest Kansas. Source: TPO Mag via KMU