Municipal News & Jobs

Several dozen people turned out Friday afternoon to celebrate the groundbreaking for a new fire/EMS station in Sedgwick. The groundbreaking comes nine years after the city relinquished its EMS services because it couldn’t staff the department. In March, 2017, Halstead EMS agreed to cover Sedgwick and did so until January 2025, when Sedgwick revived its dead service. Not only did City Administrator Kyle Nordick get the program off the ground, he promoted Fire Chief Zane Hansen last summer to also serve as the EMS director and found a Community Development Block Grant for $650,000 in January of last year to help pay for the new station.
Read more: Harvey County Now

As zoning demands continue to rise in Jackson County, commissioners have agreed to hire a separate zoning administrator to keep up with the workload. The decision came after county appraiser and zoning officer Kate Immenschuh previously told commissioners that an increase in zoning duties has strained her staff and caused them to fall behind on appraisal duties. During the commissioners’ meeting on Monday, they unanimously agreed to advertise for a full-time county zoning administrator. The top responsibility of the new position will be to administer and enforce zoning regulations in the county’s comprehensive plan, as well as serve as a liaison to the planning commission and board of zoning appeals.
Read more: The Holton Recorder

Helmets will become a requirement for anyone under 18 riding an electric-powered scooter, bicycle or other device in Leawood, the city council has decided. The Leawood City Council last week approved the new rule, which will go into effect after its legal publication. Although the vote was 5-3, every councilmember went on record backing helmets for juvenile riders. The disagreement was over whether the helmet rule should also apply to non-electric bikes, scooters, skateboards or other wheeled devices. The new rule does not specify the type of helmet, but says it must be designed to prevent injury and be properly fitted and secured to the head. It applies to passengers as well as operators, riding on streets, sidewalks, trails and public rights-of-way within the city.
Read more: Johnson County Post

After years of declining enrollment, Olathe Public Schools will be closing more schools — and is gearing up to decide which ones. At the Feb. 5 board of education meeting, district leaders shared a multi-phase plan to determine how many and which schools will close. Once those determinations are made, the district will redraw boundaries and consolidate schools. According to the district, enrollment peaked at 30,216 students in 2019. The district now has 28,140 students. Projections show enrollment dropping to just under 26,000 students over the next 15 years — a decrease of about 4,000 students from its peak. Officials have pointed to slowed birth rates, rising housing costs and an aging population as key factors in the decline.
Read more: Johnson County Post

On February 3rd, Clay Center City Council approved an ordinance to allow utility vehicles within city limits. Work-site vehicles, golf carts, and micro utility trucks will be eligible for in-town use. Drivers must register their vehicles and display their registration sticker clearly on the left side of the vehicle. In addition, an affixed flag needs to be displayed six feet off the ground. City Attorney Dusty Mullin, said the flag needs to be visible while the vehicle is in motion.  The ordinance goes into effect April 1st. 
Read more: KCLY Radio

The McPherson Fire Department gave the public a chance to see its two newest trucks on Thursday. The trucks — also called brush trucks or wildland attack units — give firefighters a faster, more agile vehicle that can more easily maneuver rough terrain compared with traditional fire engines, making them ideal for battling wildfires. They each hold 600 gallons of water. “It does improve efficiency,” Fire Chief Chad Mayberry said. “It allows us to stack the two trucks on the fire line potentially.”
Read more: KSN-TV

Help is on the way for rural Kansas communities in need of housing. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) announced nearly $14 million in funding for development across the state, targeted at medium-income households. The funding comes through two programs operated by the KHRC: the Moderate-Income Housing (MIH) program and the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credits (KHITCs). According to the KHRC, the Kansas Legislature created the MIH in 2012 to serve those people who have high enough salaries to not be eligible for public housing but don’t earn adequate money to comfortably navigate the housing market.
Read more: KSN-TV

No official date was mentioned and there are still some things to finalize, but the main decision has been made. The Americus City Council voted 4-0 to discontinue the town’s police department Tuesday. Mirroring a conversation KVOE News had with City Council President Nicky Nuessen last week, City Council member Bill Harmon says the board did all it could — but it had to make a tough choice.
Read more: KVOE

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County has approved what could be a $450 million incentive package to help finance a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are building a 65,000-seat, $3 billion domed stadium that is expected to be ready for the 2031 season. The stadium and an adjacent $325 million entertainment district are expected to take up about 235 acres near the Kansas Speedway. In Johnson County, the Olathe City Council approved another Chiefs-related development earlier this week. The team headquarters and training facility would take over a 165-acre development costing around $400 million, KCUR reported.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Reno County Commissioners were critical Wednesday, Feb. 11, of legislation introduced last week in Topeka that would limit local governments’ authority regarding land use and taxation. Commission Chairman Ron Hirst said it was important enough that he brought it up before business items on the commission’s meeting agenda, citing two specific bills: House Bill 2728 and House Bill 2745. H.B. 2728 was introduced Feb. 5 by District 97 Rep. Nick Hoheisel on behalf of the Consumer Energy Alliance, a lobbying group whose members include Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell USA. H.B. 2728 would forbid counties, cities, and townships from adopting moratoriums on any energy facility development—including electricity generation and battery storage—longer than 30 days without approval of the Kansas Corporation Commission, and such moratoriums would require additional approval from the KCC to extend beyond 120 days. It was referred to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications. No hearing was set as of Wednesday.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

How Hutchinson’s combined sales tax rate compares to other cities in the region will depend, in part, on whether voters approve a March 3 referendum for a 0.75% sales tax, although some nearby cities will have higher rates regardless of the election’s outcome. Hutchinson City Council set a March 3 special election on whether to institute a new 0.75% sales tax, which would increase the combined sales tax rate in the city from 8.25% to 9% on non-food items. If voters approve the referendum, the new 9% rate would still be lower than McPherson, whose tax rate is increasing from 9% to 9.5% on April 1, and Salina, whose combined sales tax rate is 9.25%. Looking further afield, it would also be lower than the rate in Manhattan, which is either 9.15% or 9.45%, depending on whether one is shopping in Riley or Pottawatomie County, respectively.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Four 11-year-old boys tugged at the heartstrings of Humboldt Council members Monday night in their request for a skate park.  “Right now, a lot of kids our age don’t have many places to go after school or on weekends,” Elisha Ivy read from a prepared statement. “Most of the time we end up stuck inside on phones, tablets or video games. A skate park would give us a safe place to be active, hang out with friends, and do something healthy instead of being on electronics all the time.” Standing with Elisha were Trev Johnston, Tripp Korte and Ryker Roach.  In their consultations with grown-ups, the boys figured a skate park would cost around $7,000 to $10,000.  When queried by new Council member John Lassman where they thought a skateboarding park should be located, Elisha’s father, Milton Ivy, said Cannon Park would be ideal, noting a “75-by-75 space that would be ample.” Council members appeared to wholeheartedly support the idea, saying that the Council’s recreation committee would study the proposal.  
Read more: The Iola Register

In her annual report to Iola City Council members Monday, economic development director Camille Lavon said her focuses include strengthening existing businesses and entrepreneurs. Hit the ground running? Camille Lavon arrived as economic development director for Iola and Allen County last summer, going at Usain Bolt-like speed. In the six months since, Lavon has garnered a greater appreciation for what the economic needs are in an increasingly tumultuous climate, particularly for southeast Kansas. She noted, in response to a question during Iola’s City Council meeting Monday, that Iola stacks up favorably with other communities across the region in terms of economic viability.
Read more: The Iola Register

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.

With the proposed 0.75% sales tax increase on the March 3 ballot, City of Hutchinson officials outlined all the cost-saving and efficiency measures they have taken to maintain the city’s current levels of service at Tuesday night’s Hutchinson City Council meeting. Below is the list of cost-saving and efficiency measures taken by the city.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

When asked what she is most proud of when it comes to the Hutchinson School District, Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson quickly pointed to the faculty and staff. “Educators are a unique lot. They’re a great lot, thank goodness for them,” Johnson said. “You just don’t stop being a teacher at 4 o’clock, you know, when you leave for the end of the day. So, so many of our teachers support in other ways in the community.” Teachers throughout the district volunteer at community organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and are actively involved in supporting students and their families outside the classroom, she said. “They’re not just here to teach and get a paycheck,” she said. “They’re here because they care.” Not only do the district’s teachers care about students, they care about their professional development as well, she said. “Of the 422 certified staff and staff and administrators, 261, so 62% have a master’s degree or higher,” she said. That combined passion for educational excellence and taking care of students is reflected in the district’s increasing graduation rates and drop in absenteeism since 2022 when the district implemented its latest strategic plan, she noted.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Jessica Thompson isn’t often prone to hyperbole. But she can’t help but gush when talking about a housing rehabilitation initiative, made possible through a $1.4 million grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka. “We’re just really excited about it,” said Thompson, chief strategy and development officer for Thrive Allen County. “This is going to change a lot of lives, for the better.” With the grant, Thrive plans to assist at least 50 Allen County homeowners with critical repairs to their houses. The program is targeted for those who fall within the low-to-moderate income brackets. Special considerations will be given to disabled, elderly and veterans, or those with weatherization issues.
Read more: The Iola Register