Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2026-08-07T10:07:18-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

A boozy border war over the World Cup

The World Cup comes to Kansas City this summer, and many fans will want to stay up late watching and partying. Kansas is close to approving longer hours for serving alcohol during the event, after Missouri passed its own law, so bars and restaurants don’t lose business across the state line. Kansas law allows bars to serve alcohol from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily, but that could be changing this summer. A bill approved by lawmakers and headed to the governor’s desk would extend alcohol service to 23-hours a day during the World Cup, as a way to compete with Missouri. Zach Boblitt reports for the Kansas News Service from Lawrence.
Read more: KCUR News

Could the City of Wichita operate with fewer advisory boards? Proposal to explore consolidation

The City of Wichita operates 39 boards. There is a proposal coming from the City Manager’s office to reduce or consolidate several of them. The plan was presented on Feb. 24 during the City Council Workshop by Zamaria Ball, the city’s Management Fellow. For the last six months, Ball has been studying the boards and developed a five-part justification matrix to decide whether a board should be consolidated, remain in place, or disbanded. The criteria included inactivity, vacancy duration, scope drift, overlapping missions, and access and transparency. Some, such as the Library Board, the various District Advisory Boards, or Access Advisory Board are state-mandated, “essential to core government functions,” or arose due to a legal settlement. Others, such as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board or Sustainability Integration Board, arose due to public interest or upon the city’s receipt of a federal grant. These are not necessarily “operationally necessary” according to the Wichita Board and Commissions Review Draft Report and subject to evaluation.  
Read more: KLC Journal

Townships are the most local form of Kansas government. But can they survive?

The requisite large urn of coffee and boxes of glazed doughnuts sat on the back table as men and women, many clad in fluorescent orange and green, gathered in the Great Bend Columbus Club on a Tuesday morning in February. The occasion was Barton County’s annual township meeting, and officers from many of the county’s 24 townships were on hand. There were updates from county officials on roads, floodplains, 911 and noxious weeds, and sales pitches from vendors selling road graders and culverts. One of those reports was a broken-record ask from County Clerk Bev Schmeidler, who repeatedly makes the pleads for candidates for township offices.
Read more: KLC Journal

Derby Public Library offers fee-free returns for overdue books

Derby Public Library is forgiving overdue book fees — no questions asked — for one month. In April, the library is hosting Amnesty Month, allowing borrowers to return overdue books regardless of how long it’s been. Patrons must visit the library in person and speak to a staff member to have their fees waived. Previously incurred fines can also be waived.
Read more: KSN-TV

Wichita, Sedgwick County leaders consider fire department consolidation

Wichita and Sedgwick County leaders continued talks on shared projects at their first joint meeting of the year Tuesday. Out of the five agenda items at the meeting, a discussion on potentially combining city and county fire services garnered hefty discussion. Supporters of this consolidation say it could mean public dollars are paying for one department’s response to emergencies rather than two, without sacrificing response times. They say local governments must adjust their services to meet the region’s growing infrastructure and rising population. Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty says increased alignment between the two fire departments could help raise efficiency without sacrificing response times.
Read more: KSN-TV

TerraPower, Evergy leaders discuss potential Kansas nuclear power plant

Leaders with the nuclear innovation company TerraPower continue to look at potential plant sites in Kansas. TerraPower has not announced a site in Kansas yet, but company leaders were in Johnson County Tuesday night to discuss where the project stands and what it would mean for growing energy demands. “We’re not ready to announce any sites. Multiple communities in Kansas have kind of raised their hand and said they’re willing to host a Natrium power plant,” said TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque. In December, FOX4 reported that De Soto was one of the many communities across the state that expressed interest in the facility.
Read more: KSN-TV

New leaders selected to head City of Topeka divisions after exit of previous officials

The City of Topeka is welcoming two new faces in top leadership positions Friday. The City of Topeka announced on March 27 that Jason Tryon and Patricia Biggs will be taking up two major leadership roles within the city’s staff. Tryon will serve as the new director of Public Works, while Biggs will take up the position as chief information officer. Tryon and Biggs replace prior Chief Information Officer Randi Stahl and Public Works Director Steven Groen. The City of Topeka announced their departures from the city’s staff in November last year. Biggs and Tryon were selected as interim fill-ins following the departures of Groen and Stahl.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Grants boost fire department’s capabilities

A series of grants is helping Lincolnville Fire Department upgrade equipment, improve firefighter safety, and strengthen emergency response across Marion County. In the past year, Lincolnville secured five grants totaling $39,093, fire chief Lester Kaiser said. The money came from a Kansas Forest Service Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant, Atmos Energy, South Bow Energy, Tri County Telephone, and MFA Oil.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Colwich gets new city sign

Those who are going to Colwich for the first time in a while will now be greeted by a limestone monument to the town. On March 19, the City of Colwich unveiled its new sign east of Memorial Park. According to the City of Colwich, this is an idea that’s been four years in the making, with the biggest push coming over the last three years.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Lawrence, Douglas County law enforcement join program to improve safety in encounters

Douglas County-area law enforcement and first responders have joined a Blue Envelope program to help them better serve people who may respond to emergencies differently from the way officers are expecting. “Not everyone responds the same in dealing with emergent and often stressful circumstances,” according to a Wednesday news from the Lawrence Police Department. “A variety of medical and mental health conditions can also cause people to act in ways that concern first responders and increase tension.” Blue envelopes hold important documentation such as a driver’s license, proof of insurance and registration in one place, but they also explain medical conditions for the community member and the officer. “The envelope gives officers notice that the person might need a little more time, might avoid eye contact, act in ways that appear strange, or could be overwhelmed by lights and noise,” according to the release. Bailey Salsbury, a school resource officer with LPD, learned about the program and worked to coordinate the effort, according to the release. LPD, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, and the KU, Baldwin City and Eudora police departments are all participating.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

KS bill would criminalize ‘unlawful approach’ of first responders — including ICE

A bill on the brink of becoming law in Kansas would incentivize local cooperation with federal immigration authorities and make it a crime to come within 25 feet of a first responder — including an ICE agent — after being ordered to back up. The bill that lawmakers sent to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk last week would remove the requirement that sheriff’s offices obtain county commission approval before entering into agreements with ICE. That provision was bundled with another piece of legislation that First Amendment advocates warn would give law enforcement officers broad, subjective power to arrest people whom they deem to be distracting them from carrying out their duties. ICE agents themselves would not be allowed to arrest people simply for approaching them under the proposed statute. Only state and local law enforcement officers could enforce the buffer zone. But the legislation is careful to identify federal officers of any agency as first responders — a definition that would be a first in Kansas law.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Voters may consider Wichita school bond vote again in November

A little more than a year after a $450 million bond issue narrowly failed at the polls, Wichita Public Schools said Tuesday that administrators were informally recommending the school board schedule a November bond vote. The district announced a series of community feedback sessions to better assess what parents and residents want to see improved in Wichita schools. The push to revive a bond issue – which the board will consider at its June meeting – comes as officials say a long list of facility needs continues to create problems for the district. Ahead of the 2025 vote, the district cited $1.2 billion in deferred maintenance, and earlier this month the Chester Lewis Academic Learning Center was shuttered before its planned closing date because of structural damage.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Andover Historical Museum uncovers town’s rich past

Along Andover Road, the Andover Historical Museum holds a treasure trove of history. “I don’t think there’s a lot of people that even know how deep our roots are,” said Tricia Lee, president of the museum. “I’ve been finding lots of stuff in the 1800s, like boxing was a big thing here.” The museum has been around for decades, and the new board wants to start a new chapter. “Rebuild it and make this an official museum with real exhibits in it,” Lee said. Over the last year, volunteers have gone through each piece inside.
Read more: KSN-TV

Municipal Bond Trends for March 31, 2026

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 March 30, 2026

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.

What could happen if HB 2745 is NOT vetoed by the governor

On Friday evening, the Kansas Legislature passed S Sub HB 2745 that allows voters (through a protest petition signed by 10% of voters) to effectively veto a budget with property taxes increased beyond the CPI (inflation index), or 3%, whichever is lower.

If not vetoed by the Governor, a number of financial risks could arise for local governments, including …

  • Cumulative Revenue Erosion: Because the 3% cap acts as a bottleneck during years of high inflation (it was 8.0% in 2022), property tax revenue could quickly fall behind actual costs, creating a permanent ever-growing revenue gap.
  • Loss of the “Gold Standard” in Municipal Bonding: The bill restricts the ability of local governments to issue unlimited tax general obligation (ULTGO) bonds backed by the issuer’s authority to levy property taxes as necessary in order to ensure repayment of principal and interest due in-full and on-time.
  • Bond Rating Downgrades: The bill could trigger downgrades of municipal bond ratings, making it harder for cities and counties to secure affordable financing for infrastructure and other critical projects.
  • Higher Debt Service Costs: The loss of ULTGO authority would result in higher interest rates on future borrowing, increasing long-term debt service costs and placing additional strain on already limited local budgets.
  • Difficulty Selling Debt: With the loss of ULTGO authority, selling debt at reasonable interest rates may become difficult, if not impossible (especially for small and medium sized cities) leading to increased borrowing costs and limited access to capital markets.
  • Existing Debt: Existing obligations that depend on planned future tax revenue could require cuts to essential services, such as police, fire, or public works.
  • Mid-Stream Project Terminations: Projects that are currently underway but not yet fully bonded could be forced to stop, resulting in “half-completed” infrastructure and wasted investments if future funds dry up.
  • Canceled Planned Projects: Any planned projects may have to be canceled if bond funding can no longer be secured, stalling community development and improvements.
  • Returned Grants: Grants already awarded to local governments might need to be returned if they require a local funding match that is no longer feasible.
  • Loss of Economic Development and Housing Opportunities: Without access to financing, cities may be unable to support or attract new businesses and housing development, undermining job creation, housing availability, and local economic growth.

If the Governor does veto this bill, the Legislature still could attempt an override or additional legislation for the remainder of the 2026 session.

To discuss specific projects or concerns, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor.

Municipal Bond Trends for March 27, 2026

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 March 26, 2026

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 March 25, 2026

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.

City Commission packet again include Financial Report

The Garden City Commission packet is getting a monthly financial report once again. Jared Kuhlmann, Garden City Finance Director, presented and explained the new, monthly Financial Report that they will provide to the Commission’s meeting packets at its regular meeting on March 17. Kuhlmann said a few years ago a Financial Report was included in every other meeting’s packet, but they went away from that when they got Tyler Software, which they use for tracking finances. But they felt it was prudent, after looking at the performance metrics, to bring it back.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

City commission considers 0.5% sales tax to triage road quality

Manhattan city commissioners on Tuesday weighed their options on addressing street conditions and related funding decisions. Pavement Condition Index values provide a rating of pavement conditions and integrity through a 0-100 range. Manhattan city roadways were generally found to be in fair condition, averaging a 60 rating. City engineer and public works director Brian Johnson said the city’s current “backlog” of road maintenance has reached 18%, meaning those roads require full or partial reconstruction.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

Ellis County Child Care Task Force Award

Child Care Aware of Kansas has recognized the Ellis County Child Care Task Force as a Child Care Community Champion. This award honors the Task Force’s “outstanding dedication and commitment to strengthening local child care systems.” This recognition is a part of the Child Care Friendly Communities initiative, a statewide program that uplifts community-led efforts to make child care accessible, sustainable, and supportive for Kansas families and providers.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Governor signs HB2433 (for R9 Project)

Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill (HB) 2433 into law on Friday March 20, 2026. Following passage by both the Kansas House and Senate, HB2433 (sponsored by Kansas Representative Barbara Wasinger), the bill was presented to the Governor on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. State control of the water appropriation/transfer process is now spelled out in detail, placing authority over water transfers and appropriations with the State’s Chief Engineer and the Water Transfer Hearing Panel, except for domestic use. This means counties may not impose their own restrictions, fees or license/permitting/zoning requirements for water transfers. The newly enacted law applies both retroactively and prospectively, which means that any existing county resolutions which conflict with State authority (such as those enacted by Edwards County) are nullified.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Shawnee man builds website to help Johnson County homeowners appeal valuations

As Johnson County residents face higher property taxes, a Shawnee man has created a website to help them appeal their property’s valuation. Even as most local governments have kept a flat mill levy for this year, many homeowners still face an increase in their property tax bills, reflective of the ever-rising home values across nearly all of Johnson County. That’s why Shawnee resident Ben Jacobi wanted to figure out a way to provide residents of Johnson and Wyandotte counties some relief. “I see the conversations dominating these neighborhood groups that I’m in on Facebook. People are very emotional, they’re very upset. So you combine that with the fact that a lot of people just don’t like navigating (the) government… I figured there’s got to be a way to make it easier,” he said. In his free time during the past two months, Jacobi used his 25 years of software development experience and love of crunching numbers to create TaxEquity. With assistance from real estate agent Doug Pearce, the site helps property owners gauge if their property value may be calculated too high and, if so, helps them appeal it.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Shawnee reveals bike-centric plan for new Rail Creek Park

Designs revealed for a new bike-centric park in Shawnee show a new area aimed at attracting cyclists of all ages. At the Shawnee Council Committee meeting on Monday, the design firm Vireo presented its master plan for the 170-acre Rail Creek Park, a proposed park in the city. Plans for the park include bike pump tracks, a bike playground, a kids playground, restroom building and shade structure. It would also give the Donderdag! Youth Cyclocross program a new place to ride with more space.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Johnson County school districts brace for added cost of state’s new phone ban

A new Kansas law banning cell phones and other electronic devices in schools is expected to cost local districts significant money and staff time because of a requirement that the devices be securely stored in a place inaccessible to students, say officials at some Johnson County school districts. Most local schools’ policies currently in effect allow students to keep devices in backpacks or lockers, as long as they don’t use them during class time. That makes the costs and management of the new storage requirement the biggest question mark about the new law, district officials said.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Bill Introduced to Support Rural Hospitals with Zero-Interest Loans

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Michael Bennet have introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Revitalization Act to strengthen rural hospitals across the country. The legislation would provide zero-interest loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loan Program, supporting new construction and renovations of existing hospital facilities to improve access to essential health care services. To qualify, hospitals must be in counties with fewer than 20,000 residents, located at least 35 miles from the nearest hospital (or 15 miles in mountainous or limited-access areas), or be designated as a Critical Access Hospital or Rural Emergency Hospital. Applicants must also demonstrate financial stability and need.
Read more: KCLY Radio

A rural nonprofit grocery store is closing in Kansas, showing how hard it is to fight food deserts

It’s hard for Cara Cain to decide what she will miss most. She’s the manager at Grand Avenue Market, a local nonprofit grocery store opened in 2021 that is set to close this month. Maybe it will be the customers and interacting with locals as they stop by. Or maybe her coworkers she has grown close to. Later, she mentions the special produce she has ordered for customers, like cactus, and thinks she will miss having access to the grocery store herself. “Unfortunately, there was just no other options right now. we’re really hoping a miracle happens because it’s been really helpful to the community as a whole,” Cain said. Prices are up for rural grocers, margins are thin, staff are hard to find and transportation costs are higher for small-town stores. Communities across Kansas have been attempting new ways to fill in the grocery gaps. But some of those solutions are coming up short. More than 30 percent of Kansas counties are struggling to keep their grocery stores open and stocked, creating so-called “food deserts.”
Read more: KLC Journal

Sedgwick County rolls out upgraded fire dispatch system

Sedgwick County Emergency Communications announced the launch of its new fire response system on Wednesday. The Fire Dispatch Priority System tells dispatchers what questions to ask to gather critical information quickly. It also helps them provide important guidance to callers, such as how to safely exit a building. “This enhancement builds upon an already strong and effective system,” Director Elora Forshee said in a news release. “Our goal is to continue refining and strengthening service delivery while maintaining the high level of service our community and public safety partners expect.”
Read more: KSN-TV

New homes take shape as long-awaited plan to transform 4,000 vacant KCK lots comes to fruition

Efforts are underway to fill more than 4,000 vacant lots in Kansas City, Kansas, with a focus on the northeast area of the city. The initiative aims to turn empty spaces into attainable homeownership opportunities while decreasing the property tax burden on residents. New homes take shape as long-awaited plan to transform 4,000 vacant KCK lots comes to fruition. Michael Sutton, the Unified Government redevelopment coordinator and co-land bank manager, said the majority of the land bank properties are in the northeast, east of Interstate 635, north of Parallel Parkway and west of the river.
Read more: KSHB News

Hyperscale data center proposed in Tonganoxie, county commissioners discuss project with developer

Leavenworth County is the latest Kansas City-area community that could be seeing a data center come online. During a nearly six-hour work session at the March 18 Leavenworth County Commissioner meeting, commissioners heard from Kansas state employees and developer Cloverleaf about a proposed hyperscale data center.
While no official filings have been made with the county regarding data center development, Leavenworth County Commissioner Mike Stieben told KSHB 41 News the proposal is “well beyond its preliminary phases.” The project would be located on nearly 1,000 acres of land on Tailgate Ranch, just south of Tonganoxie.
While specific details about Project Bluestem are still unknown, hyperscale data centers use upwards of 75 megawatts of electricity a day. That’s the equivalent of powering 25,000 homes or a small city. The massive tech campuses use millions of gallons of water daily to cool the thousands of computers and hardware servers inside the buildings.
Read more: KSHB News

Wyandotte County homeowners step up to help each other fight property valuation spikes ahead of the deadline

With the Wyandotte County property valuation appeal deadline quickly approaching on Thursday, March 26, neighbors are stepping up to help each other navigate the process. Residents are seeing a huge spike in property valuations this year. Jodi Maxey built her dream home in Edwardsville and moved in around September 2021. When she received her valuation, she saw the value of her house jump by $114,000.
We met Tuesday to talk about the valuations. Maxey, who is a mortgage underwriter, pulled her own comparable properties and said she has no idea how the county came up with her house value. Maxey said she understands the need for property taxes, but she wants the county to look at cutting its budget instead of constantly increasing the burden on homeowners.
Read more: KSHB News

Overland Park leaders discuss city and county preparations, transportation plans for World Cup

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

City Commission approves short-term rental registration

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

County plans task force on economic development, data centers, battery storage

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

Andale working to remove official city paper

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 scales back nuclear reactor plans

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

LaHarpe talks good news, hopes for improvement

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

Douglas County Commission approves limited tenant eviction defense pilot program

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

Topeka mayor forms new task force to hear residents’ voices

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

Municipal Bond Trends for March 24, 2026

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 March 23, 2026

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.

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