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.

Water Smart Hays, the water resources department for the city, took to social media to share the message that the wipes labeled as “flushable” often aren’t. While these products often point to features like being biodegradable, that doesn’t mean they can’t clog your pipes or create backups in sewer systems.
Read more: KSN-TV

The applicant hopes to establish the facility on his property in Danville. He has already invested in kennels and wants approval to house dogs specifically for blood donation, with plans to sell the blood to veterinary clinics.
Read more: KSN-TV

Adding esports could cost the district between about $8,000 and $10,400 per building the first year of implementation and $314 each of the following two years… Purchases will include Nintendo Switch consoles, team uniforms, an annual participation fee and other smaller gaming equipment and platforms.
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.

While touting housing development accomplishments, Hays City Commissioners on Aug. 28th also all recognized that a solution is yet to be found for the low income housing shortage in the community. “We are more than interested in any conversation if anyone has ideas about how we should move forward to accomplish that [low income housing] in this community. It’s just not an easy situation. We continue to listen and search for ways to get it done,” said Mayor Sandy Jacobs. She commented that the low income housing problem has been “wracking” her for the last six months, despite the Commissioners’ many discussions of the topic. “It’s just a no-win situation at this point. I’m not saying we can’t figure it out,” Mayor Jacobs said. She called for anyone with ideas to “step up,” and speak to the Commission or contact City Manager Toby Dougherty.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Plans for a proposed chicken farm in Cowley County were brought up at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, with one person questioning how it could affect air and water quality in the area. Officials said all rules are being followed for setting up the business. The proposed poultry farm, owned by Lacy Shields, would have up to 40,000 birds and a 60,000 foot building on about 160 acres off of 122nd Road, near New Salem.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results

The City of Winfield is moving forward with the installation of a new community wayfinding signage system designed to help visitors more easily locate local land- marks and public points of interest. The project reduces the clutter of various directional signs throughout the community by consolidating them into one sign at each location. Signs are expected to be installed the last week of August and first week of September.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results

According to the Ark Valley News, a date has been set for the opening of the new casino and entertainment complex in Park City. Gilley’s, formerly called Golden Circle, will officially begin operations on Dec. 15.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news/area_news of type article

The most vocal opponents of wind and solar energy spoke to the county commission on Friday as the data from the comprehensive survey is about to become public. Becky Willard, Ray Hough, and others expressed concerns about a July meeting between Commissioner Bruce Blair, County Counselor Jim Emerson, and EDF, the wind farm development company. Blair said there was nothing unusual about taking the meeting, adding that he meets privately with landowners and county residents all the time outside of regularly scheduled commission meetings, including having met with some of those currently present, and reiterated that no decisions will be made about wind or solar power without public input on the matter.
Read more: – Latest Stories

U.S. stocks ended modestly lower Friday after a weak jobs report cemented the case for a Federal Reserve rate cut at the central bank’s policy meeting ending Sept. 17. Bond yields declined sharply. Stocks opened higher in a bet that lower rates will boost corporate profits. But they turned lower at midmorning, reflecting concerns that rate cuts won’t necessarily jumpstart economic growth. The Dow fell 0.5% and the S&P 500 was off 0.3%; the Nasdaq was a tick lower.
Read more: WSJ.com: Markets

It’s been almost three weeks since the new cellphone policy began at the high school, and teachers and students say it has gone smoothly. Under the new bell-to-bell ban, students are not allowed to use their phones at all during class time, unless the teacher specifies use for instructional purposes. They are allowed to use their phones during passing periods and lunch. Sophomore Zeke Bartmess said “everyone was like zombies on their phones” last year. He said he loves the new policy and feels like it helps students focus and have interactions with each other.
Read more: The Eudora Times

Two Olathe homeowners are continuing to seek a solution after their homes flooded again this summer, the latest incident in a years-long struggle over who’s responsible for fixing the problem in the College Meadows neighborhood. As it happens, both Kate Guimbellot’s and Max Cook’s properties in the subdivision near College Boulevard and South Woodland Street suffered damage from flooding caused by heavy rains in July, just weeks before the city rejected the pair’s claims for damages from years of previous flooding. Guimbellot and Cook filed tort claims, a type of civil claim that alleges one party harmed another, paving the way for possible compensation. The claims were filed after three floods at Guimbellot’s property between 2017 and 2024, which she says have cost her and her family at least $15,000, and another flood at Cook’s property.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The massive log jam in the Smoky Hill River at Bill Burke Park will start being removed next week. The City of Salina tells KSN News that the contractor, Diehl Enterprises Inc., is building an equipment pad by the river to begin removing the jam. Earlier this summer, heavy rain caused the jam to form, and it drew many onlookers to the area for a view. The fire department urged the public not to walk on it. Emergency responders emphasized that if someone were to fall into the debris, a safe and swift rescue would be unlikely.
Read more: KSN-TV

Some big names in Kansas politics were on the campus of Pittsburg State University today.”It’s a great day for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, it’s a great day for all of our law enforcement partners, and it’s a great day for the State of Kansas,” said Tony Mattivi, KBI Director. This groundbreaking ceremony, just the start of many great things to come at PSU, which will soon be home to the “KBI Regional Crime Center and Laboratory.”
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The plan was for it to be open by the fall. And it beat the deadline. Freeman Fort Scott Hospital officially opened Thursday morning. It also marks the end of a dry spell for many Bourbon County residents. The last time they had access to a full-service hospital was 2018. Ascension Via Christi closed the ER in December of 2023.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The Kansas Supreme Court is taking action as rural communities in Kansas are dealing with an attorney shortage. Forty-seven counties in Kansas are classified as “legal deserts.” This means they do not have enough practicing attorneys to properly serve the population. The Kansas Supreme Court is taking a big step towards addressing this issue by establishing the “Rural Justice Initiative Committee.” This committee will take action on previously identified recommendations on how to fix the attorney shortage. These include establishing a statewide rural attorney training program, as well as creating student loan repayment programs.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The City of Arkansas City has been awarded a $115,840 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the National Park Service, administered through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The funding will help convert the existing tennis courts at Wilson Park into new pickleball courts. Plans call for a concrete viewing pad, fencing, netting and poles, LED lighting, and wind break screens.
Read more: Local – Cowley Post

Downtown Manhattan merchants are finding new ways to lure customers into their establishments. A new common consumption area was established in July, opening the opportunity for customers to freely roam a specified area with an alcoholic beverage. Jake Voegeli, co-owner of Manhattan Brewing Company, said after seven weeks in place, they’ve seen no issues. “For special events like the Third Thursdays, we set up on our patio, and we’ll serve people as they walk by,” he said. “We might get one or two people that want to walk around and finish their beer, and they just come up and they’ll grab a cup and go. There’s not really a lot of change to the business, other than it makes doing events easier.”
Read more: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed today announced that 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas will receive a combined total of $40.5 million in state and federal funding as part of two local bridge improvement programs. “By funding bridge projects across our state, we are directly investing in the future of our communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Repairing and replacing aging bridges ensures people and commerce can move safely and efficiently throughout Kansas.”
Read more: Western Kansas News