Municipal News & Jobs

Iolan Bill Shirley dies Sunday at the age of 88. Following a 22-year career in the Army, Shirley also served as a long-time educator, as well as a city commissioner and Iola mayor.
Read more: The Iola Register

Amid a contentious tech infrastructure debate, Judd McCormack said he’s sounding the alarm on AI data centers ahead of his likely term as Pottawatomie County commissioner. McCormack defeated incumbent Gary Yenzer in the primary election. As no Democratic candidate filed for office, McCormack will be elected unless a write-in candidate mounts a winning challenge.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

Local government officials consider hyperscale data center development with an eye toward economic benefits and property tax revenue that would allow them to meet Kansas residents’ demands to lower taxes. But in Kansas and nationally, an outcry against data center development is rising, with a recent Gallup Poll showing that 48% of Americans “strongly oppose” building data centers in their neighborhood, while an additional 23% fall into the “somewhat oppose” category. A scant 7% “strongly favor” and 20% “somewhat favor” the idea. Data center distrust is so strong that Kansans are putting forward petitions to stop local governments from developing the facilities. In return, at least three Kansas cities are suing constituents over those petitions — Edgerton, El Dorado and Emporia. In Tonganoxie, residents are raising money to start a legal fight over a proposed data center.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

During its Aug. 17 meeting, the Mulvane City Council took action to approve an ordinance updating a section of the city code with new regulations on the use of e-mobility devices (e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc.). Presented for discussion in July, the final ordinance includes restrictions that prohibit operation of the regulated devices on sidewalks within the Central Business District. The ordinance also addresses applicability, disability exceptions, sidewalk speed limits, helmet requirements and more.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

Emporia voters will have their say on two of the most contentious development issues facing the city this year after city commissioners voted Wednesday to place citizen-initiated ordinances addressing high-impact data centers and battery energy storage systems on the November. Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution 3799, placing a proposed ordinance prohibiting the installation and operation of high-impact data centers within Emporia on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

Country music icon Dolly Parton, whose influence stretched far beyond the stage and into the homes of millions of children — including families in Lyon County — died Tuesday at age 80. Parton died Aug. 25 following a brief battle with cancer, according to her representatives. She died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville surrounded by loved ones. (People.com) Parton leaves behind a career spanning more than six decades as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist. But for thousands of Kansas families, Parton’s legacy can also be found on children’s bookshelves.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

A Kansas City, Kansas, street has been renamed in honor of a local officer killed in the line of duty one year ago. A ceremony took place Wednesday afternoon, on the one-year anniversary of the tragic line-of-duty death of Officer Hunter Simoncic. Campus Boulevard at Kansas City, Kansas Community College is now Officer Hunter Simoncic Boulevard from the intersection at State Avenue through campus, to Parallel Parkway.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

Finney County residents showed up on the sidewalk along the 2300 block of East Kansas Avenue, in front of Tequila’s Mexican Grill, on Saturday to protest against the development of data centers in the county. Husband and wife, Rance and Shelby Schribvogel, organized the protest. Shelby Schribvogel said they organized it because the people’s voices need to be heard since the Finney County Commission, local city commissions and the Finney County Economic Development Corporation have been ignoring people against bringing data centers to the county.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

While the city held a public hearing about its budget, it was Flock cameras that drew the most comment at Newton’s Aug. 24 commission meeting. For the third meeting in a row, residents asked for public discussion and more information about a system of 11 automated license plate readers installed around Newton. “Put it on the agenda,” Newton resident Maggie Snow said to the commission. “Review the procurement. Who among you is willing to ask that Flock be placed on a future agenda so these questions can be publicly discussed?” The cameras are a part of a larger network of tag readers that take pictures and store information about vehicles that drive by them. The sheriff’s office employs them in Harvey County, as does the City of Hesston. According to the company, there are roughly 120,000 of these cameras in the U.S. in 6,000 cities.
Read more: Harvey County Now

A new park in North Newton will have a variety of features to mimic the natural surroundings. That’s according to North Newton City Council Member and North Newton Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Marissa Murphy. She said those could include logs, grasses, moveable parts and water. The structures still are yet to be determined, Murphy said. The proposed park is north of Kauffman Museum’s main entrance, as well as around the sidewalk there into the trees.
Read more: Harvey County Now

A strange smell prompted a call to the Hesston Police Department. Coming from the area of Emma Creek Road and Hesston Road, the HPD was notified of a possible gas odor. When officers responded, it was quickly determined the smell was not gas but rather the application of chicken manure to fields to be used as fertilizer.
Read more: Harvey County Now

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.

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment and the Mid-America Regional Council partnered to host workshops for cities and other community partners in the region to develop a model policy for e-mobility devices – which includes e-bikes, e-scooters and more. A copy of the model policy is available online. The initial convening in January 2026 highlighted the need for consistent policy throughout the region that improved safety and was easy for the public to understand. Representatives from local municipalities have provided feedback multiple times to shape the final version of model policy.
Read more: Johnson County Kansas

To Christopher Kaberline’s two young girls, Dolly Parton isn’t an iconic global music legend. She’s “Grandma Dolly.” That’s because they’ve grown up reading books provided for free by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, titles like “I Am A Rainbow,” “Ice Cream Face” and “Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?” On Tuesday, after news of Parton’s death at age 80, Kaberline of Prairie Village took to social media to honor the singer and philanthropist and her impact on his daughters and other children who have received books over the years.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Olathe’s industrial footprint continues to expand. The Olathe City Council unanimously approved up to $239.8 million in industrial revenue bonds for three facilities that will manufacture electrical and power systems for data centers on Aug. 18. The buildings, operated by Wisconsin-based Faith Technologies, will be about 500,000 square feet each. The development will cover more than 118 acres southwest of 167th Street and Lone Elm Road. The council also approved an 80% property tax abatement for 10 years. Faith Technologies would receive a full property tax exemption but make payments in lieu of taxes equal to about 20% of what it otherwise would owe.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Two years after Prairie Village’s housing debate was effectively put to rest, a new state law is forcing the city to delve back into housing discussions. Senate Bill 418, known as the by-right housing bill and signed into law earlier this year, removes barriers to home building that might slow down the process or increase costs for home builders. The goal of SB 418, spearheaded by Kansas Sen. TJ Rose, Republican, of Olathe, is to bring back “starter homes.” SB 418 eliminates some administrative steps in the home building process, opens up the definition of what qualifies as a single-family home and removes some notification requirements on single-family developments. Under the new law, townhomes, duplexes and other types of housing traditionally considered to be multifamily could go next to single-family homes, potentially without a city having to rezone a property.
Read more: Johnson County Post

De Soto is weighing new rules for how it handles public disclosures for economic development projects. The City Council will consider adding a process for the city to follow when asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) related to potential economic development opportunities. The city has not set a date for a work session to review the policy proposal, which Councilmember Zack Bradley originally proposed.
Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

The Dickinson County Commission recently passed a three year moratorium on data centers, battery storage and alternative/renewable energy sources in the county. Kenny Roelofsen, commissioner and chairman of the Board of Commissioners, explained what the moratorium means. “This isn’t a prohibition on these different industries. This is an exploratory moratorium so that we can better define and better regulate these types of industries,” he said. “I think a lot of people think of a moratorium as a ban, and that’s not what it is. It’s a brief period of time to allow the planning and zoning to develop adequate, and accurate more importantly, regulations.” Roelofsen said the county will focus on one of the three areas per year, with the moratorium on each area ending after that year.
Read more: KCLY Radio

The city of Coffeyville is asking residents to report the city’s worst potholes to help public services crews prioritize repairs on paved city streets.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A recent study shows that many Kansas rural hospitals are at risk of immediate closure. Some Kansans are working together to modernize rural healthcare through the use of drone technology. Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems hosted its Third Annual Kelly Hills Field Day on Wednesday, where they demonstrated different drone types. In 2024, Kelly Hills began using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a way to potentially help farmers. Company officials said the goal was to simplify agricultural processes using drone technology. Founder of Kelly Hills Lukas Koch began to wonder what other aspects of rural life could be made easier through drone use.
Read more: KSN-TV

Two Phoenix, Arizona, suburbs became the latest municipalities Wednesday to terminate their contracts with Flock Safety, cancelling their use of the company’s automated license plate readers that have drawn widespread privacy concerns. The city of Tempe, which had an $80,000 contract with the company, said it would turn off all of its Flock cameras due to mounting reports of data “misuse” in other regions. Three hours later, the nearby town of Cave Creek also announced it had ended its contract with Flock and completely removed the technology. Flock offers a system able to recognize license plates immediately. The technology uses cameras and audio devices to record plate numbers, as well as identify what the company calls a “vehicle signature.” Though ALPRs do not collect any biometric data or facial recognition. An early August Washington Post investigation found more than 50 law enforcement officers had been accused, charged with or convicted of misusing ALPRs for unauthorized purposes — including to stalk past partners without their consent.
Read more: KSN-TV

A major milestone for people fighting against data centers in El Dorado after a judge ruled on a citizen-led petition to ban them Friday night. The 13th District Judge declared the petition a legislative function of municipal government. This means the city will either adopt the ordinance as written, which would ban data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in city limits, or leave the decision up to a vote. People behind the push to ban them held a watch party for Friday night’s decision and say their fight is not over yet.
Read more: KSN-TV

Steve Roberson, chief of the Newton Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department, retired on Friday after more than 30 years of service. Roberson began his career in 1995 with the Newton Ambulance Department, before it merged with the fire department in 1997. He was promoted to deputy chief in 2016 and later to chief in 2019. In 2023, Roberson received the professional designations of chief fire officer and chief EMS officer, becoming one of only 99 people in the world at that time to hold both titles.
Read more: KSN-TV

For months in 2003, Morgan Marler had a problem. A blue-green algae bloom had taken over Marion Reservoir, unlike anything the lake had seen before. Hillsboro’s water treatment plant, which gets its water from the reservoir and also supplies water to Peabody, was shut down for nearly a month.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

In an overwhelming show of civic unity, Tuesday, citizens of Pittsburg from all walks of life and backgrounds united against the city’s proposal to install parking enforcement cameras along five blocks of Broadway in the downtown area.
Read more: The Morning Sun

Although e-scooter and e-bike crashes have led some to advocate for statewide regulations, most regulations are decided on the local level. Ten-year-old Duke Ommert died after an electric scooter crash in Leawood last year when a car struck him as he crossed the street mid-block. Duke’s death, other e-scooter and electric bike injuries (a nearly 300% increase in emergency room visits from 2017 to 2024) and warnings from doctors have led to local authorities passing regulations — but Duke’s parents wanted statewide rules. The deaths and injuries are rising as electric mobility becomes more common and the vehicles are easily available from online retailers. But the issue is complicated by some vehicles sold as “e-bikes” actually being much closer to motorcycles and not fitting into established e-bike categories. Industry trade groups warn of that distinction and are trying to highlight the differences between true e-bikes and e-motorcycles.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

The City of Lawrence paid an executive search firm and brought four city manager candidates to town this spring. Here’s what it all cost. Following the search by Strategic Government Resources, four finalists — Majed Al-Ghafry, Joe Fivas, Michael Kovacs and Joseph (Joe) Lessard — visited Lawrence in late May. Lawrence city commissioners on June 9 announced Al-Ghafry as the next city manager. He started working at City Hall in late July, and joined his first city commission meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4. The total cost for all four candidates to stay at downtown’s Eldridge Hotel was $1,448. Here’s the breakdown of how the candidates spent money on travel and food, and how the city reimbursed them.
Read more: 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.

Three Wichita suburbs have passed regulations on at least some electric or motorized vehicles within the past year. Rose Hill was the first to implement restrictions, and Cheney and Garden Plain have since followed suit. Valley Center is expected to consider its own ordinance in the next 30 to 45 days, and the topic was discussed at an Andover City Council workshop earlier this week.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

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.

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.

Regulations would address quiet hours, parking requirements, number of short-term rentals allowed per owner, density requirements, permit requirements and more.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Majed Al-Ghafry thinks the city where he started his municipal government career – Chula Vista, California – has some lessons for Lawrence about growing smart.
Read more: LJWorld

The ruling follows a hearing on temporary orders tied to the petition, which was launched after city commissioners approved zoning changes this summer that could allow data centers to be built in the community.
Read more: KSN-TV

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.

State law allows residents to propose ordinances through petitions. Cities argue the petitions are legally flawed and would cause harm if enacted into law.
Read more: CJonline

“It’s a super big day for Iola,” said Iola Mayor Steve French. “What a wonderful thing to have right here in our backyard. It’s been here for years. A lot of people that live here don’t know this is out here.”
Read more: 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.

Manufactured homes are gaining traction in suburban neighborhoods as policymakers and developers look for more affordable, faster-to-build housing options amid soaring home prices. Although long stigmatized and restricted by zoning rules, new laws and improved construction quality are opening the door for factory-built homes to compete with traditional site-built housing.
Read more: Washington Post

Shawnee County commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on new data center applications citing transparency.
Read more: Topeka Capital-Journal Press Releases

An Ark City man whose nude walks through his neighborhood helped prompt Cowley County to adopt a new public nudity law last year has become the first person arrested under it. Sean Barnard, 46, was arrested around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after Cowley County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 33000 block of 61st Road for a report of a person walking nude in the area. Barnard was booked into the Cowley County Jail on suspicion of lewd and lascivious behavior and violating the county resolution prohibiting public nudity. Both are misdemeanor offenses. The arrest occurred in the IXL neighborhood south of Ark City – the same area where complaints about Barnard taking naked walks ultimately led county commissioners to enact the public nudity prohibition in May 2025.
Read more: Local Archives – Cowley Post

As classes start this week, Goessel schools have deployed an artificial-intelligence gun-detection system. The new security, purchased through a state grant monitors the district’s 35 security cameras for any visible signs of guns, superintendent Scott Boden said. Software and human analysis are designed to identify visible weapons, not to detect concealed firearms.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

As Newton’s Main Street rail crossing shut down for three days last week, residents began to ask, “Why doesn’t the city build an overpass?” It makes sense. If there were an overpass on Main Street, the work to replace a water main and train tracks would have been a non-issue for motorists. While the Main Street shutdown was unexpected, the crossing question wasn’t. It’s been asked for 126 years in Newton, predating the automobile. The answer remains the same, as well. “Anything is possible to build with enough money,” former City Engineer Suzanne Loomis concluded about the issue in 2023. “But many of the options may not be popular with the masses.”
Read more: Harvey County Now

City Manager Toby Dougherty told Commissioners last week he expects a review of the city’s economic development policy to be on the September 3 City Commission Work Session agenda. A review of the city’s current policy was requested by Commissioner David Vilaysing. Dougherty reported to Commissioners during the August 13, 2026 meeting that Assistant City Manager Jarrod Kuckelman has spearheaded the review. Dougherty noted that he as well as Deputy City Manager Colin Bielser have worked with Kuckelman to red-line the current policy with recommended changes. “Our changes are really non-substantive changes. It’s just clarifying and moving things around, to make sure it flows logically,” Dougherty said.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Topeka city planners discussed a text amendment to the city’s zoning code that could affect where data centers, including large-scale “hyperscale” facilities, can be built. The proposed amendments were discussed Monday night as part of the city’s review of zoning regulations and requirements to include data centers and for other land uses. According to the city planning agenda, the current zoning code includes no land use category for “data center.” This comes after Compass Datacenters submitted a proposal in late July that Shawnee County staff later labeled incomplete. The changes would establish specific zoning and use standards for data centers, including requirements related to where the facilities could be located and how they would operate.
Read more: KSNT 27 News