Kansas Municipal News
Wichita school leaders will await final tally on bond issue before deciding next steps
Wichita school leaders said they will wait for final results of Tuesday’s bond issue election before deciding next steps on addressing the district’s facility needs. Unofficial results updated Wednesday by the Sedgwick County Election Office show bond opponents leading by just under 300 votes, with more than 4,000 potential mail and provisional ballots still to be counted. The district is seeking a $450 million bond issue to finance school construction, upgrades and repairs.
Source: KCUR News
Kansas sought homelessness success stories. It stumbled on a cautionary tale, too.
One phrase is increasingly frequenting the lips of Wichita and Kansas officials when talking about ending homelessness: functional zero. “Functional zero” is a milestone achieved when homelessness becomes rare and brief for a certain population, such as when more people are staying housed than falling into homelessness. It’s a term (and measure) coined by Community Solutions, a national nonprofit that helps communities evaluate whether they have “measurably solved” homelessness for a specific population. Bergen County, New Jersey, Wichita’s “community of inspiration” for reducing homelessness, is recognized nationally for being among the first communities in the nation to reach functional zero. Since its initial achievements, Bergen has been lauded nationally, consistently promoted as a success story in the efforts to end homelessness. It took functional zero from jargon to reality. But then came a shock.
Source: KLC Journal
School districts learn lesson from low voter turnout for USD 259 bond issue
There are several school districts with bond votes coming up in the next few months. Many are looking at how they can increase voter participation. Given the low voter turnout in USD 259’s bond election, districts are working to raise awareness for their projects. On April 8, Haysville USD 261 voters will decide on a nearly $80 million bond. KSN spoke with a parent on the Haysville school bond committee about how they’re working to raise awareness about the upcoming vote. He says that between now and election day, they’re stressing that this bond is focused on infrastructure improvements that will ensure that students, teachers, and employees have a clean and healthy environment.
Source: KSN-TV
Trego County hospital celebrates expansion for rural healthcare
Trego County-Lemke Memorial hospital has expanded, and it has taxpayers to thank for helping rural healthcare in their own backyard. “This is a very big deal,” said CEO Jeremy Rabe. “In 2021, the voters of Trego county passed a bond issue to do an expansion and remodel of the hospital. So we added 11 new private rooms. A brand new ER. And a new physical therapy area that includes aqua therapy.” Rabe also talked with Governor Laura Kelly, who was on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the hospital.
Source: KSN-TV
This Kansas community has the best tasting water in world
Emporia is known for many things. The city of over 24,000, which sits on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills, is the “Gravel Capital of the World,” the “Disc Golf Capital of the World,” and the “Official Founding City of Veterans Day.” What you may not know is that it is also the home of the Best-Tasting Municipal Tap Water, at least according to the Berkeley International Water Tasting. Every year, waters from across the world are brought to the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, to compete to determine who has or produces the best-tasting water in the world. There are four competitive categories: Municipal Waters, Purified Drinking Water, Sparkling waters, and Non-Carbonated Bottled Waters.
Source: KSN-TV
Artists enhance drive-thru Route 66 attraction
Artists are adding their magic touch to a new drive-thru attraction on historic Route 66 in Galena. This metal Route 66 shield was just installed last year on old Route 66, between the historic Front Street Bridge and downtown Galena.
Source: KSNF/KODE
State funds to help turn historic Kansas hotel into modern hub
A project in Neodesha gets a boost from the Kansas Department of Commerce. The city is getting a cut of nearly 3.5 million dollars that will be spread out across the state for 12 housing rehabilitation and commercial revitalization projects. The money will help what’s happening at the historic Brown Hotel — which, as we first told you in November — is being transformed into apartments, a restaurant, an entertainment venue, and office spaces.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Topeka leader works to get homeless camps cleaned up
One Topeka leader is making sure some homeless camps in North Topeka will soon be gone. After the homeless camp cleanups in NOTO and other areas last year, people settled near the Sardou Bridge, but camp cleanups in that area will soon take place. District 2 Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala told 27 News her constituents have shared concerns about fires in the area, and even trash and human waste possibly contaminating the nearby Kansas River.
Source: KSNT 27 News
City of Topeka enters year-long hiring freeze
Topeka City Manager Robert Perez said the city has entered a hiring freeze while it looks at ways to balance its budget. Perez said the City of Topeka is effectively in a hiring freeze until the end of the year while city leaders work to address a projected $17 million deficit for 2026 and $21 million deficit for 2027 during a monthly press conference on Feb. 25. He said the city will look at positions as they become vacant to see if their duties can be absorbed by existing staff.
Source: KSNT 27 News
‘Til the last vote has been counted’: Wichita school district isn’t conceding bond election
The Wichita school district would not yet concede Wednesday morning in a close race for the approval of a $450 million school bond issue. “Yesterday didn’t end the way we had hoped, because we hoped we’d have a very clear answer by now, which we don’t,” said USD 259 Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld. “There was a very solid turnout with close results, and we’re going to wait til the last vote has been counted.” Updated results from the election office Wednesday afternoon showed the no vote leading by 295 ballots, or 1 percent of the vote. That is up from a lead of 228 votes at the end of Tuesday night.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Commerce CDBG Program Awards Almost $3.5M for Economic Development Projects
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded $3.47 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support 12 housing rehabilitation and commercial revitalization projects across the state. When matched with more than $4.33 million in local contributions, the rolling round of CDBG funds brings the total investment to approximately $7.8 million.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce
House working on new plan to hold down local property taxes
A new plan for encouraging cities and counties to hold down spending is emerging in the House as a potential alternative to plans already on the table for lowering property taxes. Republican state Rep. Adam Smith, chair of the House tax committee, introduced a bill that would essentially recreate a fund that once was intended to help local governments hold down property taxes. The proposal calls for putting $60 million into a new fund called ASTRA, short for Acknowledging Stewardship of Tax Revenue and Appropriations.
Source: Sunflower State Journal
Municipal Bond Trends for February 26, 2025
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.
OCCK’s 81 Connection bus route to be free for three months
OCCK Transportation’s 81 Connection, which runs from Salina to Belleville and back, will become free-fare as part of a pilot program beginning on March 3 until May 30. …. with an aim to increase accessibility to transportation for residents in the region and to improve community health and mobility.
Source: Salina Journal
Anyone can be an artist during Chalk the Välk in Lindsborg this April
Little Sweden is letting people make temporary art for all to see during the Chalk the Välk event on April 12. Lindsborg is opening up along four and a half miles of the Välkommen Trail with 10×10 foot squares available for people or groups of all ages to chalk up.
Source: Salina Journal
Why Topeka is rebuffing effort to limit regulation of home-based businesses
Topeka City Councilman Spencer Duncan, who is a lobbyist for Kansas League of Municipalities, said the bill has its heart in the right place, but that it could prohibit cities from licensing home-based daycares, require fire codes for automotive repairs or regulate AirBnBs and other short-term residential rentals.
Source: CJonline
Topeka eyes more multifamily properties across city
Topeka is asking residents to weigh in on its newest idea to bring in more affordable housing. A survey on whether multifamily dwellings should be building in single-family home zones will remain open until Friday.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for February 25, 2025
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.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 24, 2025
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.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 21, 2025
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.