Municipal News & Jobs

While Emporia Main Street competes in a nationwide contest to determine the best Main Street in the country, one area town is in a similar competition organized by the same group. Council Grove is one of 20 participants in the USA Today 10Best Small Towns in the Midwest. 10Best notes the 25 historic sites in the town, as well as the Madonna of the Trail statue, historic downtown and the close proximity to Council Grove Lake as attractions.
Read more: KVOE

Three automated miniature robots and pair of LEGO sets have been added to Aubrey Westhoff’s educational arsenal at Iola Elementary School, which she uses to spark students to use their imaginations. Armed with a $1,000 grant from Cox Communications, Iola Elementary School is primed to let its students’ imaginations run wild  through a pair of new tools. At first glance, the tools would appear at opposite ends of the technology spectrum. But look closer, and you’ll see how connected they really are. The first is a set of three new Dash Wonder Workshop Robots, named Dash (of course), Flash and Clash, which are capable of following simple commands from cell phones, or even by voice. The second is a set of LEGOs. Those simple bricks can provide the foundation to a world of creativity, noted Aubrey Westhoff, who runs a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) lab for IES fifth-graders.
Read more: The Iola Register

City officials appear to be interested in starting a conversation about a second sales tax election in Wichita after nearly 82% of voters rejected the first proposal last week. “It has to be community driven,” City Council member Mike Hoheisel said during a retreat Friday. The council discussion was open to the public but held away from City Hall at Century II and not streamed on the city’s YouTube channel. Council members signaled, based on voter feedback, that they wanted to still be able to fund the homeless services endowment and the public safety improvements that totaled $375 million of the $850 million proposal.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Marion County Commissioners Monday approved a resolution banning wind energy conversion systems in a portion of the county. The resolution covers the four townships in the southwest corner of Marion County, basically the area around Goessel and to the south of the city of Hillsboro. A separate resolution that would prohibit large scale solar systems in the same area is expected to come before Commissioners for action next week. Commissioners Monday agreed to sign a letter of support on behalf of an application being submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for tax credits in support of the restoration of the Sunflower Theatre in Peabody. During the meeting Commissioners signed a letter authorizing submission of a cost share grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a project along Nighthawk Road between 190th Road. If funded, KDOT would provide half of the construction funding on the estimated $900,000 project.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Nex-Tech has made a $75,000 loan to support Bricks Co-Working Hub, a new business and community space in Russell. Bricks will operate open workspaces, office rental, conference room rental, virtual office services, and provide a space for collaboration and creativity in the downtown business district of Russell. The loan was disbursed from the Nex-Tech Revolving Loan Fund, which provides funds to eligible local businesses to create jobs and sustain local socioeconomic activities. This investment will serve the rural communities of northwest Kansas.
Read more: Great Bend Tribune

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Kansas wants to create a sports authority to own the new Kansas City Chiefs stadium. Public rather than private ownership of the stadium will shield more than $1 billion from being collected as income taxes. Kansas has agreed to finance 60% of $4 billion in stadium projects. Those projects include a 65,000-seat domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and other developments near the Legends and in Olathe. Kansas will fund the stadium using sales tax and revenue bonds, or STAR bonds. Those bonds take out debt that will be repaid with future sales tax dollars from inside a stadium district. A sports authority means the stadium will be publicly owned, which means the money collected to repay the bonds won’t be subject to income taxes. If the stadium was privately owned, the revenue being collected to repay the bonds would be subject to income taxes. Supporters say creating the sports authority prevents the Chiefs from being taxed over $1 billion.
Read more: Johnson County Post

A state program that funds projects that use waste tire products has announced nearly half a million dollars in grants to Kansas schools and communities. On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced that $493,709.55 was awarded to 32 projects across the state. The projects will use recycled tire products for things like playground surfaces and picnic tables.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Wellington City Council will be discussing at Tuesday’s meeting whether or not to enter into an energy sales agreement between the City of Wellington and CORMER for the development of a Tier IV Data Center, north of the community. The proposed project location is a parcel owned by the Wellington Humane Society, situated just north of the City Limits but within the City’s utility service territory. Data centers are the physical infrastructure behind AI — the buildings that house the specialized computers needed to run AI systems. “As demand for AI has surged globally, the race to build this infrastructure has created a major economic opportunity for cities and communities that will act,” according to a communication information overview issued through representatives of Cormer.
Read more: Sumner NewsCow

Peabody Market wasn’t very busy on Friday afternoon, and that reflects a concern of owner Catherine Weems. Business hasn’t been great, and Weems can’t pinpoint it to any one cause. “We’re just trying to stick around,” Weems said. “I bought this grocery store with the intent of being of service to the community. I don’t make a dime off of it. Everything I make has been reinvested into the store.” She said it’s not a self-serving venture; it’s entirely for the community. “I really want it to continue,” she said. The grocery store has been in business for more than 50 years, Weems said, adding she and others before her have been owners. Recently, Weems put out a call on Facebook asking people to shop there.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Ron Harrison, an avid Manhattan fisherman, remembers a time when Tuttle Creek Lake stretched several miles north of the Randolph Bridge and the fishing, especially catfishing, was good. “Now, there’s only a few times a year, when there’s been a lot of rain and the water is really rolling in, that there’s any water at all north of the Randolph Bridge,” he said. “The whole north end is just a mess — a big, muddy mess.” That “mess” is the most visible sign of sedimentation that threatens the life of the reservoir — as well as the lives of many other lakes — built decades ago mainly to stop devastating flooding. Tuttle Creek also provides water supplies for downstream users, recreation and barge traffic on the Missouri River. Originally called Tuttle Creek Reservoir, it had a surface area of about 16,000 acres and 100 miles of shoreline. It supplies drinking water to more than 40% of Kansas residents, including residents of Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. But it’s shrinking.
Read more: KLC Journal

Nitrate continues to be above safe levels in one Kansas community. Tests collected on March 6 found nitrates at 13 milligrams per liter in Reno County Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area. That exceeds state and federal regulations for the maximum contaminant level, which is 10 milligrams. High nitrate levels in the district’s water supply have been a problem dating back to at least 2020. Nitrates pose the greatest risk to infants under 6 months old, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions. The county offers bottled water upon request to homes with those at risk. Elevated levels are often caused by inorganic fertilizers and animal manure seeping into groundwater.
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.

The Kansas Department of Commerce celebrated the success of the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) last week by bringing together representatives from 50 Kansas communities, statewide grant administrators, legislators and members of the Kansas congressional delegation. The event highlighted the impact of more than $22 million in CDBG funding awarded in 2025 to projects across Kansas, leveraging $28,846,991 in local and partner match funding to invest in rural development and local infrastructure. Combined, the projects represent a total investment of $50,920,498 in communities throughout the state.
See the awardees: Commerce

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 Community Development Block Grant program provides funding for projects in rural, lower-income areas. Projects include infrastructure improvements, park renovations, and commercial building rehabilitation. In 2025, the state awarded $22 million to 50 communities, combined with $29 million in local matches.
Read more: CJonline

For assistance with grant applications and administration contact Ranson Financial.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that $1 million in Attraction Development Grant funding was awarded to support the development and enhancement of tourism projects across Kansas. The Kansas Tourism grant program supports projects that strengthen visitors’ experiences while driving local economic growth through job creation, private investment and increased visitation. “Investments in tourism and our state attractions have been a powerful driver in economic growth for our communities of all sizes and for all of Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By pairing state support with local commitment, we’re expanding tourism opportunities that create positive economic returns by bringing more out-of-state visitors and out-of-state dollars to Kansas.”
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

As both energy prices and inflation fears pop, expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts are sliding. Traders in recent days have abandoned hopes of an early summer easing from the central bank, a change in thinking that coincided with the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran and a burst in oil prices to around $100 a barrel. Prior to the conflict, the market anticipation had been for a quarter percentage point rate reduction in June, likely another one in September, and on outside chance of even three depending on how the economics played out, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch calculations. Much of the thinking behind that approach was that a softening labor market, moderating inflation and a new dovish chair coming on board in May would push the Fed into an easing posture. But at least as long as the Iran drama plays out the expectations now is that fighting inflation will remain paramount.
Read more: CNBC Bonds

America is in the midst of a property tax revolt. In 2024 and 2025, more than a dozen states passed laws meant to slash property taxes for homeowners. And in several states, including Florida, Georgia and Texas, policymakers want to go even further and eliminate homeowner property taxes altogether. These solutions may be politically appealing, but draconian measures are not the answer. They hobble local governments’ ability to raise necessary revenues to provide essential services for their residents and undermine progressivity in our tax system. In many cases, they amount to a solution in search of a problem. There are more efficient and targeted ways to address concerns about the property tax. Headline-grabbing legislative actions have been driven largely by concern that the surge in housing prices will lead to a similar spike in property tax bills. But overall, growth in property taxes has been far less dramatic. Since 2020, housing prices have grown more than 50 percent nationally. Over the same period, however, property tax revenues grew at about half that rate — roughly keeping pace with inflation and below the growth in personal income.
Read more: Governing: State and local government news and analysis