Municipal News & Jobs

Cowtown Days is a two-day event in Baxter Springs, Kansas that celebrates the city’s cultural heritage as the “First Cowtown in Kansas” with a car show, bouncy castles, live music, and other activities.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

City leaders approved a settlement of just over $1 million tied to two sex discrimination cases involving the Topeka Police Department on Friday. City of Topeka councilmembers, City Manager Robert Perez and others gathered for a special meeting at 11 a.m. on May 1. Perez called for the special meeting to convene to discuss the settlement of one or more lawsuits.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Overland Park, Kansas, wants to streamline and regulate its zoning code to improve housing availability and offer a variety of housing within city limits. There’s been a lot of change in Overland Park since the city updated its zoning code more than 30 years ago. “Apartment complex, apartment complex, apartment complex,” Jeffrey Strom, Overland Park resident, said. “It’s cool, but I’m never going to be able to afford [those].” The current housing development process is complex. Overland Park’s director of planning and development services explained it could be why there’s not as many housing options.
Read more: KSHB News

“This is the room of dreams,” said Jerry Daniels at Tuesday night’s Community Conversation. And complaints, hopes, and fears. Thrive Allen County hosted the annual event where Thrive staff members help citizens arrive at a consensus on a handful of “must-do” issues. Tuesday’s group of about 20 settled on the need to beef up the town’s communication avenues, foster community-wide pride and generate more involvement in civic affairs. 
Read more: The Iola Register

The City of Lawrence’s annual budget doubled from $261 million in 2020 to $520 million in 2025.  In the six years between 2020 and 2026, the city’s revenue will have increased 52% because of increases in utility fees and property tax valuations. In spite of this increase, the city has faced recurring budget deficits, and the city is now trying to identify $4.5 million in savings for its 2027 budget so it can operate a new fire station in northwest Lawrence. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

The list of Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) ‘millionaires’ — those who will accrue $1,000,000 in benefits in the first 20 years of retirement — soared to 5,170 last year. That’s an increase of 412 over last year. Eight of the top 25, nearly a third, come from K-12 school districts. The entire list is available at kansasopengov.org.
Read more: The Sentinel

Three Topeka City Council members say they are committed in trying to put a sales tax initiative on the Aug. 4 ballot. During the annual Nehemiah Action Assembly on April 30, council members Michelle Bradberry and David Banks stated their support for a sales tax initiative for affordable housing. Marcus Miller sent his support via a statement. To bring in continuous funding for the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, its oversight committee suggested a 0.1-cent sales tax. They also suggested 50% of the collected taxes go to at least one of the four homeless solutions identified in the study from 2024, which include the following: Safe-rest shelter. One-stop resource center. Permanent tiny home village. Second chance housing and employment programs.
Read more: Topeka Capital-Journal

Mission Clean Energy’s $600 million solar and battery storage facility near Wichita will support regional grid growth and generate $2.35 million in annual tax revenue, according to the company’s estimates.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal – Local Wichita News

With the arrival of the FIFA World Cup, Kansas City will take center stage across the Midwest, playing host to six games, multiple teams’ base camps and a soccer FanFest billing itself as the “heart” of the celebration — think music, food and drink and big screens. Visitors and residents alike will be able to arrive at the site of the festival — the World War I Memorial and Museum — from 15 points across the KC metro for just $5.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Wichita city staff rejected calls to repeal an ordinance banning back-in parking downtown, opting instead for warnings and better signage. The decision came after 281 citations were issued to drivers who backed into stalls since paid parking began last year.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Following several weeks of storms where Spring Hill saw damage, but didn’t qualify for state or federal relief funding, the small city is going to craft its own emergency plan for the future. During last Thursday’s City Council meeting, council members supported creating a local storm recovery plan for times when the damage doesn’t qualify for state or federal assistance. While specifics weren’t mapped out during the discussion, the plan would identify private contractors the city could have on-call for debris cleanup, lay out overtime policies and procedures for the Public Works and Police departments and establish a line item in the budget to fund recovery efforts.
Read more: Kansas City Star

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.

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.

The Lawrence Police Department will soon host an event to talk to residents about Connect Lawrence, a controversial camera surveillance program the department rolled out in July without community input. The program is run by tech company Axon Fusus. Residents and businesses can volunteer to register their security cameras and contact information with the police department, allowing police to see where cameras are located and request footage if a crime occurs nearby. According to the program’s website, camera locations and footage will also be used by the fire department. “It’s about helping our officers respond smarter, more efficiently, and helping the community feel more secure,” Lawrence police Chief Rich Lockhart said in a news release. Experts and dozens of community members have spoken out against the surveillance program since its sudden implementation, calling it dystopian and a threat to privacy. The Lawrence Transparency Project organized in opposition to the police department’s adoption of the Axon Fusus program. To date, the group’s petition against the rollout has garnered 469 signatures.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

The Hutchinson Recreation Commission recently announced that it is starting a new Neighborhood Ambassadors program this year as part of the Healthy Neighborhood Initiative, according to The Hutch Tribune. Per HRC Director of Community Denice Gilliland, the ambassador role is an informal position open to anyone interested in making their block, street or neighborhood more welcoming “to inspire connection … and create communities where people know each other.”
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

The Arbor Day Foundation has named Garden City a 2025 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to plant, grow, and maintain trees to benefit its community. This is the 48th consecutive year that Garden City has received this recognition. The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees; its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries.
Read more: Garden City, KS – News Flash

On Friday, May 1, McPherson will commemorate the rule of law in the American system of government with public screenings of a video “The Rule of Law: If you can keep it.” The video, which was filmed in McPherson, will premiere at the McPherson Museum (1111 E. Kansas Avenue). Two showings will take place at 12:00 noon and 5:30pm in the Museum’s Gathering Room. The events are free and open to the public.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Lyon County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield appeared before the Lyon County Commission Thursday to discuss a potential new method to stabilize gravel roads, reduce the need for frequent grading and prevent pothole formation. The new method would involve applying a proprietary road stabilization product by mixing it approximately eight inches deep into the base of gravel roads. The product is designed to harden and stabilize the road surface, with several counties in Iowa and other areas with increased traffic and severe weather using it extensively.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com