Municipal News & Jobs

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 City of Garden City has announced the promotion of Fred Jones to the position of Public Works and Utilities Director. Jones has served as the City’s Water Resource Manager since 2013. He will assume his new title and responsibilities immediately, working in tandem with retiring Public Works and Utilities Director Mike Muirhead through Muirhead’s retirement on Aug. 1. In his new capacity, Jones will oversee a collection of departments that include electric, water, wastewater, solid waste, traffic, streets, fleet, stormwater and water reuse.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded a $65,000 grant to the historic Kanopolis Drive-In Theatre to support the purchase of a new state-of-the-art digital projection system. This funding will ensure that the beloved outdoor theater continues to operate for years to come. “There’s always value in preserving our historic infrastructure, but especially when it serves as an economic engine for a community,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The Kanopolis Drive-In is a beloved, one-of-a-kind destination, and this investment will help to create more lasting memories for Kansas families while fueling economic growth.”
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

The new “2026 State of Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County Report” from the Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County was recently released, revealing that the growing affordability crisis for local households is contributing to an increase in homelessness. More than one in three households (38%) in Sedgwick County were living paycheck to paycheck in 2024, according to United for ALICE in partnership with United Way of the Plains. ALICE (which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) represents working households who earn above the federal poverty line but not enough to cover the cost of basic necessities. As the costs of essentials, including housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care and technology, continue to outpace inflation, these households are especially vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness. Between 2007 and 2024, the cost of these essential needs grew by 59% in Kansas, compared with 52% for the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reports inflation across more than 200 categories of goods and services.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

When a fire destroyed her hometown’s only grocery store in January 2024, Marjory James felt a loss of independence. Like other residents of her rural west Kansas town, James — who turns 99 years old on July 7 — faced a harsh reality: Travel 23 miles one-way from Dighton to the grocery store in Scott City or get by with less-healthy and less-available items from the local variety store or gas station. Through a gargantuan effort by the community, Dighton will open an 8,000-square foot grocery store on June 27, spurred by the Lane County Community Foundation and with assistance from the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative and K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

Following an investigation into three Riley County Health Department employees, Riley County officials said Tuesday that while the department used all taxpayer dollars “appropriately,” their use did not align with Riley County policies. The investigation, which arose because department employees had procedural concerns, resulted in putting three employees on administrative leave and the resignation of the department director. The county government released a statement Tuesday “intended to share with our constituents a greater understanding of the purpose of the internal investigation of the Riley County Health Department… without compromising employee privacy.”
Read more: News Radio KMAN

After initial discussions regarding data centers, Riley County commissioners on Monday still weren’t ready to provide any direction on the future of those facilities in the area. “The more I learn about this, the more I’m just confused,” commissioner John Ford said. “It literally changes on a dime. You figure out one thing, and then it changes. There’s so much depth to it. It’s insane.” While the data center topic heats up in Kansas, including a proposal in Pottawatomie County, Riley County is in the midst of a six-month moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage centers. That moratorium is set to end Nov. 12.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

The Pottawatomie County Planning Commission scheduled a public hearing where residents will be able to give their input on the proposed data center to be built near the Jeffrey Energy Center near St. Marys. The planning commission met to discuss proposed a proposed data center Thursday in Westmoreland. The planning commission agreed to have the public hearing in St. Bernard Catholic Church Parish Hall at 6 p.m. on July 28. Most members of the commission were open to the idea of letting the public have their input on the draft regulations the commission has prepared so far.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

The Emporia City Commission spent more than an hour Wednesday discussing a proposed Large Volume Water Service policy designed to protect existing water customers while establishing rules for future industrial users with high water demands.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com/*

The Hutchinson Planning Commission began its work on long-term zoning regulations for large-scale data centers Tuesday by laying out the process and timeline for developing those regulations. Director of Community Development Matt Williams said the Hutchinson City Council will hear the planning commission’s June 9 recommendation during the Tuesday, July 7, council meeting. The recommendation was to require conditional use permits for data centers and utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in commercial and industrial zoning districts and ban them in residential districts.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

An anti-data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) group, Steward It Well, held an informational meeting in Haven on Monday, June 22. Nearly 100 people attended, including public officials like state Senator Michael Murphy, County Commissioner Don Bogner, Hutchinson City Council Member Steve Garza, as well as gubernatorial candidate Stacy Rogers. Steward It Well’s goals involve “working to preserve our God-given land, air and water of Reno County, Kansas.” The group had John Hecht and Mike Betzen present information and take questions from the public. They both have backgrounds in industrialization, engineering and agriculture in Kansas. They first presented information regarding what data centers are and what they do and secondly why the organization and citizens of Kansas should be concerned with the prospect of hyperscale data centers in their community.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Iola police and residents discussed with the Iola City Council how best to boost education, enforcement and safety measures. June has been a dangerous month for Iola area cyclists, with three serious accidents involving bikes and motorists. Iola Police Chief Jared Warner addressed City Council Monday evening, saying it was imperative the police department “bring to the public’s attention the safety and responsibility that come with riding bicycles, e-bikes, e-scooters within our community.”
Read more: The Iola Register

Iola City Council members voiced support Monday for hosting bare-knuckle fighting events. Bare-knuckle fighting was green-lighted Monday at Iola’s City Council meeting. Camille Lavon, Thrive Allen County’s vice president of economic development, had requested the council discuss the topic to gauge interest in hosting fights in Iola. Council members seemed eager to support the idea. “I’m fine with it,” Council member Jon Wells said. “For a while there was a big boxing community here, and a lot of sparring. If we’re going to let some 18-year-old strap himself to a bull for entertainment, I don’t see this as any more dangerous, as long as they have insurance.” Bare-knuckle fighting is a full-contact combat sport that features participants sparring without any form of padding on the hands.
Read more: The Iola Register

A tradition dating back more than a hundred years is returning this weekend to Jefferson County. The Oskaloosa Old Settlers’ Reunion is celebrating its 124th year. The story goes that a group of people passing through Jefferson County stopped at the courthouse lawn. They reflected on the hardships of settling Kansas during its territorial period and the struggles they overcame to make it a free state. That one gathering evolved into what is now the Old Settlers Reunion.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

People in Emporia voiced concerns Tuesday night over rezoning proposals that could open the door for data centers to move into the city. Many of those who opposed the proposal raised concerns about water and electricity demands. However, Mike Law, interim CEO of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, says a data center would bring much needed investment into the community. “Emporia needs the momentum right now, and quite honestly, there’s not a lot of opportunities, not a ton of people knocking on the doors to bring business to Emporia,” Law said. “It’s just been a rough time for the past couple of decades. This opportunity that has presented itself is a great opportunity right now.” When asked about concerns over water consumption, Law said city officials believe Emporia’s water infrastructure can handle the additional demand.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Geary County leaders have approved a one-year moratorium on data centers, giving the county more time to develop regulations before any projects move forward. At its meeting on June 22, Geary County GIS/Planning and Zoning Director Troy Livingston presented the commission with the proposal to implement a one-year moratorium on data centers. The planning commission earlier this month voted to recommend the temporary moratorium on any kind of data center development. Livingston said they believe a year will give them time to study impacts like infrastructure, water and power needs, and allow them to make an informed decision.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The first informational meeting of the Douglas County Data Center Watchdogs drew more than 100 attendees to the Lawrence Public Library Tuesday evening. Nancy Thellman said the new group had been meeting for about two months to put together the presentation for the community. She said they want to educate residents about local land-use rights, water demand and tax incentives that could make the area a target for large-scale data center development.  The group said it plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month in the library’s meeting rooms, where organizers intend to hold deeper discussions with experts and residents about the issue. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

In one week, the Haus of Clarity therapy clinic will relocate its offices to the highly sought-after Waterfront lifestyle center in northeast Wichita. Maggie Hatfield and Tiffany Pierce, the owners of Haus of Clarity, said their current landlord opted not to renew the company’s lease at an office building located at the northeast corner of Rock and Central. The practice specializes in trauma and seeing military, first responders, victims of violence and childhood trauma.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

This Wichita-area aerospace supplier is betting big on the second space race. Just three years ago, NWI Wichita had no work in the space sector. Today, the space industry comprises about 40% of the tier-two supplier’s revenue. “We have been working very hard over the last two years to diversify our business,” said Philip Allen, NWI Aerostructure’s senior director of business development for North America. The 200,000 square-foot Park City manufacturing site has operated as NWI Wichita since 2022, after Tect Aerospace declared bankruptcy and auctioned off its facilities.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

Goddard is attracting major commercial projects including retail centers, apartments and a city park as the Wichita suburb positions itself for rapid growth.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal