Kansas Municipal News
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.
Fed officials are worried about tariffs’ impact on inflation and see rate cuts on hold, minutes show
Federal Reserve officials in January agreed they would need to see inflation come down more before lowering interest rates further, and expressed concern about the impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs would have in making that happen, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday. Policymakers on the Federal Open Market Committee unanimously decided at the meeting to hold their key policy rate steady after three consecutive cuts totaling a full percentage point in 2024. In reaching the decision, members commented on the potential impacts from the new administration, including chatter about the tariffs as well as the impact from reduced regulations and taxes. The committee noted that current policy is “significantly less restrictive” than it had been before the rate cuts, giving members time to evaluate conditions before making any additional moves.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
El Dorado plans to remove Pit Bull registrant requirements
In a City Commission Work Session on Wednesday, February 12, the City Commission discussed updating the Title 6 of the Municipal Code that spells out animal ordinances, which included abolishing the Pit Bull registrant requirement. The Pit Bull registrant requirements have been a long-time controversary for Butler County and surrounding areas. The City of Augusta passed an ordinance to remove the ban on Pit Bulls in August 2023. The ban of and city registrant requirements of Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriers or other similar mix breeds became popular for cities in the 1980’s when information had spread through the media of dangerous dog fights. To combat the possibility of these inhumane fights happening in cities, the ban and registrants of those dogs came to light.
Source: Andover American
Old coin sparks discussion, reveals local history
Amy Beck frequently stumbles across tidbits of history at estate sales, and one of her recent finds drew quite a bit of attention on social media. She shared pictures of the front and back of an old coin, which displayed the wording “Horse and Buggy Doctor” and “Hertzler Research Foundation.” Comments on her pictures quickly poured in as others began researching the coin. The coin was originally produced as a commemorative piece to honor Dr. Arthur Hertzler on his 100th birthday, July 26, 1970. Hertzler was known as the “Horse and Buggy Doctor” and founder of the Halstead Hospital.
Source: Harvey County Now