Municipal News & Jobs

A new initiative announced by the Kansas Department of Commerce could open up possibilities for repurposing vacant and underutilized buildings in Lyon County into new housing. Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced Monday that the Department of Commerce is launching an initiative to identify vacant, abandoned, or underutilized buildings suitable for redevelopment into housing units. Local leaders, community organizations, and property owners are encouraged to submit information about buildings in their area that could be considered for conversion.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

Tumbleweeds have taken over the High Plains. They thrive so well that they are part of the culture of the West. But this ample supply of blowing weeds can hurt farm yields, wreak havoc on neighborhoods and cause fire dangers. A minor but significant character in old western movies: the tumbleweed. In the midst of the gunslinging, often a lonely tumbleweed will roll across the screen. Today, if you drive across western Kansas on a windy day, you will often see not a lonely tumbleweed, but a swarm of them crossing the highway or congregating along a fence by the road. In western Kansas, it comes with the territory. In fact, ask people in town and they will tell stories with annoyance or amazement of tumbleweeds blocking their driveways or stacked against their homes. People in urban areas may be surprised by just how prominent this plant is on the frontier today. But it wasn’t always like that. In fact, tumbleweeds are a relatively new phenomenon on the Plains where they have claimed a new home. They weren’t even established in the U.S. in the early days of the cowboy.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

The newest Harvey County Drug Court graduate, Zack Walters, has been sober since April 19, 2024 (625 days and counting), which is his longest streak since he started smoking marijuana as a teenager. The county began drug court in October of 2021 as a way to reduce recidivism and celebrated its first graduate in March of 2023. The program takes 12 to 18 months to complete. Walters’s story is slightly different because he went from the county jail to county employee.
Read more: Harvey County Now

While the Kansas City Chiefs’ plan to move its headquarters and training facility to Olathe has been in the works behind closed doors for years, the news came as a surprise to many Johnson County residents when the NFL team announced it at the end of December. Earlier this month, the Post published an informal survey asking readers how they felt about the Chiefs’ decision to move their operations across state lines. The survey asked a question for Olathe residents specifically, about how they feel about potentially hosting the team’s new headquarters and training facility. While not scientific, the survey’s results give insight into how Johnson County residents are feeling about the deal in its early stages — the main question being: do the benefits of the project outweigh the cost?
Read more: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village helped its Ukrainian sister city purchase four drones, medicine and bed linens in 2025. Last spring, the Prairie Village City Council approved a nearly $23,000 donation to its sister city Dolyna for the purpose of “humanitarian goods.” Dolyna is in the western part of Ukraine in the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, or district. In late December 2025, Dolyna Mayor Ivan Dyriv sent an itemized list of the goods purchased with that donation — and thanked the city for its help.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village’s residential grant and property tax rebate programs are back in 2026 — all with more funding. Last month, the Prairie Village City Council approved updates to its exterior grant, residential sustainability grant and property tax rebate programs. Here’s a look at how to find out if you qualify for any of the programs and, if so, how to apply.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The proposed Hope Ridge Wind Farm in northeast Dickinson County remains on hold after plaintiffs filed an appeal in their lawsuit challenging the project’s approval. The appeal follows a lower court ruling that upheld the county’s decision to grant Enel Green Power a Conditional Use Permit for the wind farm, which would involve about 150 landowners and span more than 50,000 acres. Opponents argue the county’s approval was unreasonable and failed to meet zoning requirements, claims rejected by Judge Lee Fowler of the Fifth District Court, who ruled the process was transparent, lawful, and supported by substantial public input.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Officials in Clay County, Missouri, and in the Kansas legislature have expressed that they are no longer interested in talks with the Royals on a new stadium deal. Is the team starting to run out of options — and will downtown Kansas City win out by default?
Read more: KCUR

Kansas lawmakers are expected to introduce new legislation Wednesday, aimed at regulating electric scooters across the state. A move that follows the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy in Johnson County late last year. The bill comes just months after Duke Ommert, a fourth grader, was killed while riding an e-scooter in his Leawood neighborhood. In the weeks and months that followed, several municipalities moved quickly to tighten restrictions on e-scooters.
Read more: KSN-TV

A debate is underway in Barber County over whether to bring a Google data center to the area. On Monday, county commissioners heard from company representatives, the first time they appeared before the community, and a local resident opposing the proposal. Commissioners asked Google and Fino Advisors — a company helping to develop the plan on the ground — about potential costs and benefits to the land and residents of Barber County. They said the project could bring additional revenue to the area.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Hutchinson has hired Scott Cooley as its new downtown revitalization manager. This role focuses on reviving the city’s downtown area through business support, redevelopment and the city’s Kansas Main Street program, which helps cities revitalize and preserve their downtowns. Cooley is basing his work on the 2024 master plan, which highlights housing, retail and dining as key priorities.
Read more: KSN-TV

Kansas lawmakers are officially back in Topeka for a new legislative session, and they’ve got a calendar full of pressing issues they plan to address. The 2026 legislative session kicked off at the Kansas Capitol Building on Jan. 12. Both the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives convened for the first time, and lawmakers were welcomed back into the statehouse. “In many regards, it’s kind of like the first day of school after you’ve been gone for the entire summer,” said Kansas Senator Patrick Schmidt. However, for the rest of the week, lawmakers have a full list of hearings.
Read more: KSN-TV

Under the leadership of Fire Chief Chad Longstaff, the Topeka Fire Department is strengthening its connection with the community. On Jan. 6, Topeka Fire Station 4 opened its doors to neighbors, inviting residents inside for an open house. Community members received a firsthand look at where firefighters eat, work, and sleep during their 24-hour shifts, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into daily life at the station. Station 4 Chief Josh Domann said the event was about more than just a tour; it was about building relationships.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

As Marion looks into privatizing trash service, questions remain. Nisly Brothers Inc. of Hutchinson, the trash contractor for Peabody and several other communities in Harvey County and others, approached Marion officials about privatizing a few weeks ago. Hillsboro and Marion hand trash pickups themselves.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

City Attorney Blaine Finch was appointed interim city manager by the Ottawa commission, following Brian Silcott’s notice leaving the position. Finch has been a former city commissioner, worked as an attorney at the city and in many roles of the Kansas Legislature. He has worked at the Kansas Legislature and the city for over a decade. The vote was unanimous for Finch, with Commissioner Allen absent from the meeting.
Read more: The Ottawa Herald

Data centers are anticipated to expand in the region since the state approved sales-tax exemptions and other incentives to attract large-scale data centers to Kansas last year. Sedgwick County commissioners approved a moratorium to halt new data center applications for zoning or construction permits in unincorporated parts of the county through April 17. The Harvey County Commission this week also approved a pause on data center development, but its moratorium is scheduled through the end of 2028 for unincorporated parts of the county.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

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.

Here’s how affordable housing grants currently work in Lawrence, in a nutshell: In the fall, developers say what projects they want to build. The city picks some it wants to fund. And it gives them sales tax money in the form of a grant. It’s a familiar process for the city and its Affordable Housing Advisory Board. But, as AHAB member Monte Soukup admits, “if we want to try to incentivize or get specific projects, then this process doesn’t really do a great job.” But what if AHAB could say what kind of housing it wanted and tell developers, “Bring me a project”? What if, instead of a grant, it could give a developer a low-interest loan that could recharge the trust fund as it gets repaid? And what if developers didn’t have to wait until the fall to apply?
Read more: LJWorld

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.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced a new round of Supporting Innovative Growth through New Signage (SIGNS) grant opportunities, building on the program’s inaugural year in 2025 with several updates designed to further increase foot traffic, strengthen business visibility, and drive sales in downtown commercial districts. “Prominent and visually pleasing signage can have dramatic impact — helping people notice a business and get new customers through the door to make a purchase,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By re-establishing the SIGNS program, we’re doubling down on design quality, supporting local artists and driving further economic growth in small businesses throughout our downtown communities.” The SIGNS program is designed to support communities by upgrading storefronts for multiple businesses at once, recognizing that clear, attractive and strategically designed signage plays a critical role in helping customers spend more money locally.
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce