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.

Buns and Badges was such a success Wednesday evening that the Halstead Police Department had to run to the store to buy more hot dogs. Turnout was estimated at close to 200 people for HPD’s Buns and Badges free swim and hot dog feed on Wednesday night. HPD started with 150 hot dogs. Chief Josh Orem estimated the turnout was between 180 and 200 people. He said they cooked 250 hot dogs and only had 10 or 15 left over.
Source: Harvey County Now

Overland Park is taking steps to acquire a seven-story office building near College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue for $22.5 million that will serve as a future city hall. The nearly 155,000-square-foot building at 6201 College Blvd. is currently home to a variety of office tenants. County land records say that College-Lamar LP, an affiliate of Kansas City-based real estate firm Copaken Brooks, owns it.
Source: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village has asked the Johnson County District Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a resident challenging the city’s recently approved $30 million municipal complex project. The city is also asking a judge to hold an expedited hearing, arguing that the lawsuit is preventing the city from issuing bonds for the project ahead of another key vote by the city council.
Source: Johnson County Post

If there is a need to prove what the new Lenexa Old Town Activity Center means to the community, the proof, says Logan Wagler, is in the faces of 60 happy summer campers. Wagler, director of Lenexa’s Park & Recreation, said those kids would not have summer camp without the new facility. In the past, the popular summer camp was only possible at the Lenexa Rec Center, which could provide summer camp to only 100 kids each week. “The registration filled up within minutes,” Wagler said. The Lenexa Old Town Activity Center features a new look and added amenities for patrons. Chris Ochsner cochsner@kcstar.com Now, there are an additional 60 kids who are at summer camp at the new facility.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

After residents raised alarms over the ways development and redevelopment can compromise a neighborhood’s character and drive up property taxes, the Prairie Village City Council will discuss if they want to explore potential residential development restrictions. The concern is around teardown-rebuilds in particular, which occur when someone buys a property, demolishes the existing structure and builds a new house in its place. The trend has been a source of tension among Prairie Village residents for years as more modest homes are replaced and almost double in value.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, staff will likely pitch up to 2% in increases to local tourism taxes to help finance expenses for the rapidly approaching 2026 FIFA World Cup, the county administrator’s office told commissioners during a meeting last week.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

The new slate gray ranch houses stand side by side in Neodesha, windows sparkling, driveways gleaming, lawns still green under an autumn sun. They’re simply waiting for someone to move in. And waiting. And waiting … The unsold houses on North Second Street, along with two more new houses around the corner on McCartney Lane, reflect the challenge southeast Kansas faces even as demand for housing skyrockets in the region – and, indeed, just about everywhere in the Sunflower State. Despite multiple incentives in place to bring down the price of the homes, folks in the area are unable – or unwilling – to buy them.
Source: KLC Journal

On Monday, July 7, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners received a presentation on the proposed economic impact of the proposed Rainbow Springs Solar project. Craig Compton, Principal Investigator with the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business, presented the findings of the Economic Impact Analysis during the commission’s regular meeting. He was joined by representatives from Clearway Energy, the company developing the solar project.
Source: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The City and Fire Dept celebrate the opening of a new fire station. Saturday morning the final siren was sounded at the former station, 121 West 11th St, and the fire trucks and apparatus then paraded to the new fire station at 1709 Military Ave along Route 66. The former station served the city 99 years.
Source: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The City of Derby voted unanimously to pass an ordinance limiting the sale of fireworks. This comes after the state updated laws earlier this year to allow for year-round sales. City officials argued that year-round sales increase fire risk, threaten the welfare of pets and certain community members, such as veterans, and make enforcement nearly impossible.
Source: KSN-TV

Fifteen years ago, the Cottonwood Falls Grade School closed its doors, and its future went up in the air as it went up for auction. However, the 120-year-old building is now open again, with a new look and purpose. After years of flux, the schoolhouse itself now offers affordable housing after a partnership with Frontier Development out of Alva. “They work a lot out of Manhattan,” Coster added. “They proved to be the best partners that we could have found. We sold this property to them, and then they went into the work of turning it into apartments.” The expanded portion of the building, constructed in the 1960s, has been converted into a community center.
Source: KSN-TV

Garden City officials marked a milestone in public safety with the official ribbon-cutting for Fire Station 3, a project more than two decades in the making. The new station on Garden City’s east side is the last project funded by the 2017 sales tax initiative. Officials say it shows the city’s growth and its dedication to meeting public safety needs.
Source: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County announced on Monday that they received nearly 1,200 fireworks complaints this year. The county broke down the types of calls they received between June 27 and July 6 from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. each night. The busiest night was July 5, with 352 complaints about fireworks. The busiest day for the non-emergency line was July 4. Sedgwick County took 412 calls that day. This includes complaints about fireworks and other non-emergency concerns. Out of those 412 calls, 183 were fireworks complaints.
Source: KSN-TV

Having access to fresh fruits and veggies is a luxury many take for granted. In the center of Sedgwick, you can find a new garden working to make a change. “We have herbs, we have cucumbers, we have tomatoes, strawberries,” listed off Heather Tucker, operations manager of The Meeting House. The plants are dense with nutrients and purpose. “Anybody from the community that wants to harvest from it can, but harvest respectfully, leaving some for others,” Tucker explained.
Source: KSN-TV

The Winfield Police Department and Cowley County Sheriff’s Office are once again hosting their adult citizens police academy, set to start August 28. The 15th run of the academy will educate citizens about the police department and sheriff’s office organizations, operations, and roles in the communities they serve.
Source: Local – Cowley Post

Wamego’s fireworks spectacle is well known as Kansas’ largest display, but it also leaves behind a mess of epic proportions. Organizers said what normally might take a week to clean up turns into a single-morning effort, thanks to the help of student volunteers from area schools. “We don’t just blow stuff up and leave,” said Corey Reeves, Wamego tourism and event manager. “We have a small army of high school and middle school students, teachers, educators and community volunteers who just show up to help clean up afterwards.”
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

The City of Wamego becomes Boomtown every July 4, transforming from an idyllic prairie town into a sensory celebration of America. The activities in town include a carnival, parade, car and tractor show, but the featured event is the fireworks show. Wamego tourism and event manager, and member of the pyro crew, Corey Reeves spoke about Boomtown just hours before the show was set to begin. That vibe was a real, palpable feeling throughout the community. A carnival drew in several guests looking to get their fill of food and thrills. A crowd gathered for the annual parade, but paled in comparison to the gathering that took in the night’s fireworks display.
Source: News Radio KMAN

The Garden City Commission approved an interlocal agreement with Finney County regarding the use of sales tax proceeds at the commission’s regular meeting Tuesday. The sales tax proceeds come from the anticipated Finney County Sales Tax Initiative, which will be up for voter approval as a ballot question on the Nov. 4 general election.
Source: Garden City Telegram

The Holcomb Police Department will join law enforcement agencies from across Kansas to participating in the July S.T.E.P. (Special Traffic Enforcement Program) campaign, focused on reducing speeding-related crashes. The enforcement campaign will run from July 7 through July 15, targeting speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors. This initiative is made possible through a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).
Source: Garden City Telegram