Municipal News & Jobs

The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is on, and Johnson County is preparing. Overland Park leaders met to discuss what they are doing, including what the event means for the area’s transportation. Overland Park leaders discuss city and county preparations for World CupTo meet the demand, Johnson County World Cup buses will take visitors right from the airport to the Lenexa City Center and the Overland Park Convention Center. In addition, KC2026 buses will take visitors from two spots in Overland Park to matches and FanFest. Johnson County Board Chairman Mike Kelly previously told KSHB 41 the World Cup is an opportunity for the county to step up its transportation as a whole.
Read more: KSHB News

Short-term rentals in town will have a new registration process after a City Commission vote Monday aimed at preparing the city for World Cup visitors this summer. Kansas City will host six World Cup matches and three international teams this summer. In addition, the Algerian national team will stay in Lawrence. Regional planners are anticipating 650,000 visitors to the metro area. The resolution approved by commissioners Monday created a registration system for short-term rentals, like those from Airbnb and Vrbo. Eudora doesn’t currently have any regulations on short-term rentals.
Read more: The Eudora Times

Reno County began assembling a task force on Wednesday, March 25, to look at the county’s approach to economic development, including data centers and battery energy storage facilities. During the Reno County Commission’s meeting, County Administrator Randy Partington said Commission Chairman Ron Hirst talked with him about establishing a committee following the recent approval of a job creation incentive for Superior Holding. Partington said it could make sense to involve the cities of Hutchinson and South Hutchinson, particularly as it relates to data centers and battery energy storage to establish similar expectations across the three jurisdictions for such developments.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The Andale City Council is moving forward with plans to make the city website the official city newspaper. After briefly considering switching to a different local newspaper, the Times-Sentinel, City Attorney Andrew Marino suggested making the city website the city’s newspaper as a way to save money. This would mean the city would put legal notices up on their website instead of putting them in the paper for distribution. City Clerk Patty Hein said it would be easier for her but said there might still be some things needed to be sent out. Chad Smith said he was alright with this decision, because he doesn’t read the newspaper. “It would give us more money for police,” Smith said. He was referring to an earlier request by Police Chief Scott Harris to add an officer, which the council planned to look into more in the future. Based on estimations by Harris and City Administrator Ben Johnson, the requests would require raising the mill levy from about 44 mills to 52 mills.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Deep Fission says its Kansas nuclear project will start with test wells, not a full reactor. Deep Fission is clarifying priorities for the company’s 1-mile underground nuclear reactor site in Kansas, now saying the group is only committed to drilling data acquisition wells in Parsons. In an email to the Kansas News Service, Deep Fission’s Vice President of Communications Chloe Frader said this was always the plan for this stage of the process. Deep Fission’s CEO, Liz Muller, echoed the sentiment in an interview earlier this month. “We’ve committed to doing a test well here, but again, we haven’t yet committed to how big this commercial project could potentially be,” Muller said. “That is something that we’re going to need a lot of input from the community, and that’s input that I expect we’re going to get over the next few weeks and months.” This test drilling enables Deep Fission to gather critical geological, hydrological and thermal data in preparation for an actual 30-inch borehole that could house the small reactor — according to a company press release.
Read more: The Iola Register

Heinrich was one of about 30 who attended Tuesday’s community conversation hosted by Thrive Allen County, where participants had plenty of thoughts about what they appreciated and liked about LaHarpe, followed by an even lengthier discussion about wants and needs. TUESDAY’S 90-minute talk started with the good stuff, highlighted by Thrive Allen County CEO Lisse Regehr’s note that TLC Garden Center has been awarded a $46,000 state tourism grant to fund a miniature golf course, and what promises to be the world’s largest watering can attraction. Participants noted LaHarpe has taken advantage of other grant opportunities to help address infrastructure improvements through the years, as well as an attractive City Hall and added park amenities.
Read more: The Iola Register

Following months of tense discourse about tenant right to counsel, Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday voted 3-2 for a pilot program that will grant some tenants facing eviction access to legal representation. In March 2024, Lawrence and Douglas County set a goal to establish a tenant right to counsel (TRTC) program for those facing evictions in Douglas County as part of the joint “A Place For Everyone” plan to end chronic homelessness. Over the course of more than a year, county commissioners have participated in a work session on TRTC and it’s been on the regular agenda four times. The pilot program in development does not mean the commission is committing to a full-blown, long-term TRTC initiative. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Topekans will soon be able to advocate for their views directly with the mayor’s office. During a March 24 monthly press conference, Mayor Spencer Duncan announced the launch of a workforce development task force. “From the beginning of being elected, I’ve stressed the importance of ensuring the voices of our citizens are not only heard but actively part of the decision-making process,” Duncan said. This task force is one of multiple advisory groups that will be formed over coming months, he said. Other citizen groups include an economic advisory group, a community engagement team, a government innovation committee, a formulated youth council, a transportation and mobility team, and a community health group.
Read more: Topeka Capital-Journal

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.

Wellington’s available electrical capacity, room for growth, and ability to move quickly were all cited as key advantages for attracting a project of this kind. A data center in Wellington could support existing industries while also attracting new business by providing access to advanced computing resources.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com

3D-printed homes are a new type of housing development popping up across the country, and the first printed home in Kansas is in progress in Topeka. Kansas Representative Mari-Lynn Poskin sees a future where 3D-printed homes start to pop up closer to the Kansas City metro.
Read more: KSHB News

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Monday at the Salina Airport Industrial Center. The 90,000-square-foot facility is a delivery center that has now generated nearly 500 jobs, which Amazon said is more than expected.
Read more: KSN-TV

Governor Laura Kelly today announced over $8.77 million in federal funds will go toward 13 projects to enhance safety on rural roadways in Kansas. The effort is part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) Program.
Read more: KDOT

Communities across the country are feeling the strain of a nationwide affordable housing shortage, and Topeka is no exception. Local leaders say the challenge is not only the number of homes available, but also whether families can realistically afford them.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The Kansas Water Office today announced more than $19 million will be awarded to 44 water-related communities and special districts across Kansas as part of the third round of grant funding created by the Senate Substitute for House Bill 2302 Grant Programs. These programs provide funding for water projects, technical assistance, and loan assistance to small communities across the state. See the full list of funded projects here.

The grants help communities across Kansas create a Safe Route to School (SRTS) plan and begin programs that help support kids walking to and from school. Applications for the grants, which are administered by the Kansas Department of Transportation, are available from April 1 until May 1 at 5 p.m.
Read more: KSDOT

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.

Business leaders and community members got a glimpse inside the Girard Power Plant, Friday, at a chamber coffee hosted by the Girard Area Chamber of Commerce. Known as one of the one of the few cities west of the Mississippi River to generate its own electricity, the city’s venture into municipal electricity began in 1904. The original building was erected in March of 1887 by the Sperry Electric, Motor, and Car Brake Company. In 1904, the Girard City Council purchased a small steam-driven electric light plant from Captain J.A. Marshall for $3,500 (roughly $99,000 today). Over the years, the facility has seen numerous upgrades and improvements to meet the electric demand of the city. Today, the facility produces 10 megawatts of power for a population of nearly 2,500.
Read more: Morning Sun

Families searching for child care in Lyon County may be finding a slightly more stable landscape than in recent years, but local providers are still facing major challenges — especially when it comes to staffing. Jamie Roberts, a child care licensing specialist covering Lyon County and seven surrounding counties, said the local child care system appears to be in a better place than it was in the years immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic. “For 2023 into 2024, we were seeing a lot of vacancies,” Roberts said. “We had a good handful that closed because they didn’t have kids. They couldn’t make a living.” Now, she said, most providers in the area seem to be full again or at least as full as they would like to be. Part of that shift has come as families and providers moved further past the disruptions of the pandemic, but Roberts said the opening of Little Lyons has also helped add needed capacity in Emporia.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

The Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday night to lift the residency requirement for employees within the Unified Government. The board voted 5-5 with Mayor Christal Watson voting yes to break the tie. According to the motion, the residency requirement would be lifted except as it applies to executive level positions and above, which is range 19 and above on the non-union pay scale. It also includes public safety being fire and police from the chief and deputies. The county’s previous policy required UG employees to live in Wyandotte County or move there within 12 months of being hired.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has given an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting to Johnson County for its Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year that ended Dec. 31, 2024. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local government popular reports. In order to receive an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting, a government unit must publish a Popular Annual Financial Report, whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, presentation, understandability and reader appeal.
Read more: Johnson County Kansas

Christal Watson, the mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, joined Up To Date to discuss the Chiefs moving to her county, concerns from her constituents about property taxes and much more. The Kansas sports authority that will own and control the new Chiefs stadium in western Wyandotte County, plus the team’s practice facility in Olathe, could soon count the mayors of those two governments as voting board members. The Kansas House recently passed an amendment to the sports authority include the two local leaders in its decision making process. Watson told KCUR’s Up To Date on Friday that she was disappointed to not be included as a voting member of the board in the initial bill, but she trusted that would get fixed.
Read more: KCUR Up To Date

Authorities in northwest Kansas urged people to be ready to escape what could have been a “devastating” wildfire Friday, but disaster was averted. About 3 p.m., Trego County Emergency Management said on social media that a wildfire north of WaKeeney was spreading toward the town. The agency asked people who live on the north side of WaKeeney to turn on their sprinklers and get their garden hoses ready. They were also told to prepare for possible evacuations. The Trego County Sheriff’s Office said those in the path of the fire should gather their essentials — like clothing, medications and important documents — and make a plan for where to go.
Read more: KSN-TV

A western Kansas town is on the brink of losing its only grocery store. The owner of Ellis Hometown Foods told KSN that he is planning to close the store by the end of April, unless he finds a buyer. Jeff Geschwentner said he is getting ready to retire, but so far, no one has stepped forward to keep the store running. Geschwentner will keep stocking perishables, meat, dairy, fresh produce and frozen items until the first part of April. Other items will not be restocked. The store will close once everything is sold.
Read more: KSN-TV

A Route 66 mom-and-pop shop celebrates more than a century of service to its community. “Their sandwiches,” said 8-year-old Haylan McCorkle. Nelson’s Old Riverton Store returnees tell us it’s those sandwiches and other key elements that’s helped shape its history, including history made on Route 66. “The drinks, sandwiches and the snacks,” said 7-year-old Rayner McCorkle. The store first opened its doors March 20, 1925, a year before Route 66 was created. Since then, it’s served countless people—including regular Micah McCorkle.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The City of Galena is asking for the public’s help finding a missing piece of equipment. Between 7:00 p.m. Wednesday and 1:00 p.m. Thursday, a Drager 8000 monitor was stolen from the area of 3rd Street and Main. The city was renting the device to keep track of local air quality.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Regional planners are expecting a boom in demands for short-term rentals when thousands of soccer fans descend on the Kansas City metro for the World Cup this summer. To prepare, city staff are looking at ways to register and ensure safety at short-term rentals in town. At a meeting Monday, city commissioners will consider a temporary resolution to create a registration system for short-term rentals, like those from Airbnb and Vrbo. Eudora doesn’t currently have any regulations on short-term rentals. The registration system would ask rental owners to fill out a form with contact and property information and submit it to the city. The registration would also include a free assessment from the Fire Department to provide safety recommendations, focused on basic safety measures like smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.  The guidelines will last from May 25 to July 31. After the World Cup, city staff will propose permanent changes to short-term rental guidelines, according to the meeting agenda. 
Read more: The Eudora Times

Potentially hundreds of Topeka city staff didn’t receive their paycheck on time. On March 20, city staff were notified of an issue with their paychecks and that they wouldn’t be paid on time.
“Due to an approval error, staff did not receive paychecks this morning, however, city staff immediately worked to remedy this situation, and staff should receive pay by 1:30 PM, today,” city communications director Daniel Garrett said in a written comment. “Depending on their banks, their accounts may not reflect the deposit until Monday. Staff was notified of this issue at 8:00 AM and updated at noon.” The city’s media team didn’t respond to questions of how many staff members were impacted. Mayor Spencer Duncan said he is in the process of finding out more about the incident. He said he was unsure of how many staff members were impacted but that he was under the impression it was many.
Read more: Topeka Capital-Journal Press Releases

“Data centers threaten public health with their excessive air, water, light and noise pollution.” “Major construction projects bring a significant increase in heavy truck traffic.” “If Kansas is in fact the rarest of jewels for these trillion-dollar tech companies, why are we the ones bending over backwards to accommodate them?” Those were a few of the comments made by more than 60 concerned speakers at a packed Sedgwick County town hall this month with mounting questions over the evolving data center industry that has made its way to Wichita. The Kansas Legislature rolled out the red carpet last year to attract large data centers — which house critical IT infrastructure for technology like streaming and smartphones — with an incentives package offering 20-year sales tax exemptions for construction, equipment, site costs, and labor services for data center projects.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

On Saturday, March 21st, Lindsborg, Kansas will celebrate its annual tradition, Lindsborg Våffeldagen. This translates to “waffle day” in English. Various forms of waffle tasting will be available. Visitors can have their photo taken with Lindsborg Waffle People.
Read more: KCLY Radio

The Kanopolis Drive-In theater, one of the few remaining outdoor movie theaters in the state, is testing out its brand-new equipment this weekend.
Read more: KSN-TV

The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (NHPA) will have its 2026 U.S. Nationals Horseshoe Pitching Tournament at Rice Park in Hutchinson from May 29 to 31.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The DRAGON (Downtown Revitalization and Growth of New Business) Grant program began in 2017, and prior to Wednesday evening had awarded $283,705.88 to 24 businesses and organizations, according to City Manager Ethan Reimer.
Read more: Harvey County Now

For years, a large field at College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road in western Olathe, and much of the surrounding area, has remained largely undeveloped. In five years, however, the 165-acre site will be home to the Kansas City Chiefs’ headquarters and training facility, as part of the team’s broader move to Kansas.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Starting this fall, Kansas will join at least 20 other states that ban student cellphones in K-12 classrooms statewide. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed into law a bipartisan bill that requires students to store their cellphones in a secure, inaccessible location until dismissal.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Harry Lee Jr. was sworn in as LaHarpe Wednesday, the city’s third mayor in a two-week stretch. He fills the
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.

County Appraiser Zack Edwards met with county commissioners during Tuesday morning’s regular meeting to discuss the appraisal process and current data on property values in the county. According to Edwards, as of January 1, current 2026 property values countywide are up by an average of 5 percent. Residential properties, according to the 2026 market study posted on the county website, states, “the overall 2025 residential real estate market was upward trending, several residential values may reflect an increase of approximately four to seven percent from the previous year” while commercial properties “may reflect an increase of approximately two to seven percent.” Vacant lots and agricultural land values stayed relatively steady, with a slight one percent increase in grasslands. The study also stated that, “Values on specific properties may change more due to alterations in the property itself, correction of descriptive information, recent sale of the property, or adjustment based on sales of similar properties.”
Read more: – Morning Sun

Illegal dumping is beginning to plague the Arma area with reports of fly-tipping occurring at the Arma City Pool and other areas around town. “Two weeks ago, I know that Richard (Kerley, council member) reported to me, and I don’t know about anybody else, saw a truck pull up during your council meeting dumping trash into our container,” said Arma City Clerk Bette Lessen. “I can also report that Piper Richardson, your pool manager, a couple of weeks ago, let me know that there were two containers down by the swimming pool. “Both of them were plumb full. They shouldn’t have been. Again, I had a conversation with GFL, and they were supposed to be locked up for the season. But that’s not what happened. They were not locked. So your town residents were using that as a free place to throw trash.” Councilman Gary Pommier and Lessen then talked about the use of cameras at the various locations of illegal dumping.
Read more: – Morning Sun

Allen County Commissioners are looking at the potential of again submitting a half percent sales tax to support ambulance service in the county. A while back, voters turned down a sales tax proposal, and Commissioners felt that they didn’t do a good enough job in educating voters on what was proposed.  Commissioner Jerry Daniels suggested looking at hiring an outside firm to assist in educating voters on what that tax would do, given successes other counties have had in passing similar sales taxes. Daniels cited Neosho and Wilson counties as possible resources on how to get a sales tax passed. Commissioner David Lee said such a tax could generate around $1.2 million a year, and with the opening of Lehigh Portland State Park, this will bring additional out-of-county shoppers to Allen County. Economic Development Director Camille Lavon was asked to look into possibilities for this. The Commission is looking at possibly having this question on the November general election ballot.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

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.

Wichita State University’s Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) recently announced the launch of the Kansas Data Trust, a new statewide, university-based initiative designed to bring data together from multiple sources to better understand issues, understand impact and strengthen evidence…
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

The City of Great Bend Public Utilities Department has issued a precautionary nitrate drinking water warning following a recent sample result. This immediate public notice is required by Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The sample was collected from a well that was not in active service at the time of sampling. This well has not been used for public consumption since early June 2025 and is only operated periodically for required regulatory sampling and monthly chlorine monitoring. At this time, the city’s drinking water system continues to operate normally using other active wells with no disruption to water service. Additional sampling will be conducted in accordance with regulatory requirements. The city will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates to the public as soon as new results are available.
Read more: Great Bend Tribune

The city is “doggone excited” for a new space for pet owners. In a letter on behalf of the city, City Clerk Lisa Frederick described a vision for “the ultimate playground for pups—a place where tails wag, humans mingle, and the only thing more contagious than joy is the occasional slobbery lick.” She told the city council in its regular meeting on Thursday, March 12, that local businesses have responded to the city’s request for donations with $1,600 already, including $1,000 from Halstead Bank. Large corporate pet suppliers also received the letter, she said, and donations are expected to be forthcoming from Home Depot and Purina, among others.
Read more: Harvey County Now