Municipal News & Jobs

Nestled in the plains of McPherson County is what many have described Kansas’ best-kept secret of an attraction and home to more than 200 bison. Driving into Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, six miles north of Canton, people may be greeted by one of these bison on the road, but there’s not much tame about these animals and the “wild” of wildlife means people shouldn’t get too close.
Read more: Salina Journal

They’re circulating a petition for registered voters across much of the Perry-Lecompton school district to try to get a referendum on the November ballot to create a library district. If the library could do that, it would be more than just an effort by a few volunteers. It would be eligible for grants from a regional library system that Perry and Lecompton residents already pay taxes to — and, one day, it might be able to more directly rely on tax money, like the Lawrence Public Library does.
Read more: LJWorld.com

A group is organizing to push back against the Lawrence Police Department’s adoption of the Axon Fusus program, a new system for residents to register and integrate security cameras for police use. The Lawrence Transparency Project had gathered more than 125 signatures as of Monday afternoon on a petition calling for the city to halt implementation of the Community Connect camera registration program. The group is also pushing for more community input and oversight.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Students from Hiratsuka, Japan made a stop by Lawrence City Hall Monday to meet with Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and present the city with a gift, part of a week of events planned through the Sister City exchange program.  Hiratsuka is one of Lawrence’s four sister cities, alongside Eutin, Germany; the Sacred City of Messolonghi (formerly Iniades), Greece; and Tocopilla, Chile. Students from Lawrence visited Hiratsuka a few weeks ago. The group of 10 students and three chaperones are in town for 10 days with stops planned at KU’s campus, Massachusetts Street and the state capitol in Topeka. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Camille Lavon, Thrive Allen County’s new economic development director, is ready to hit the ground running. Camille Lavon may be new to Allen County, but she’s no stranger to economic development. She’s bringing a wealth of experience and a listening ear to her new role as economic development director for Thrive Allen County. With more than a decade of experience in workforce development and economic strategy across Colorado and beyond, Lavon’s journey to Iola marks the latest chapter in a career focused on growing communities by understanding their needs from the inside out.
Read more: The Iola Register

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that more than $8.7 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds has been awarded to support 16 vital projects across Kansas. These investments will continue to enhance the quality of life and infrastructure in rural and low-to moderate-income communities.
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

Summer travel is in full bloom in Abilene, thanks to Kansas Tourism’s popular Sunflower Summer program. With nearly 2,000 admissions recorded so far, Kansas families are discovering why Abilene continues to earn national accolades as one of the Best Historic Small Towns in America. The Sunflower Summer program, which began July 12, provides free admission for Kansas students and a parent to participating attractions. Abilene is proud to offer six must-see experiences this season.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Kansas Trails, Inc. (KTI) has launched as the state’s first nonprofit organization focused on uniting and supporting Kansas’s trail community. Its mission is to make trails across the state more accessible, sustainable, and widely used—now and for future generations.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Communication and transparency are some of the most common characteristics residents are looking for as the city plans to hire a new city manager. Earlier this summer, the commission chose to end City Manager Kevyn Gero’s contract and placed Assistant City Manager Zack Daniel in the interim position. The city is in the process of putting together a job posting for the position. The Eudora Times asked locals what they would like to see in a new manager as the city continues to discuss economic development, housing and the need for more city services.
Read more: The Eudora Times

New details have been unveiled about the attractions and economic impact for the $500 million mixed-use Champtown development in Park City. The highly anticipated project is expected to become a major draw for visitors to the Wichita region and the state of Kansas with a wide range of retail, restaurants and a boardwalk full of experiences including an aquarium, butterfly pavilion, multi-sport venue and hotel across 160 acres along I-135.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal – Local Wichita News

Iola City Council members will take a look at charging telecommunications companies to use its water towers for transmitters. Iola does not charge telecommunications companies to use its water towers for various transmitters and other pieces of equipment. That may soon change. The topic arose Monday after the owners of KwiKom Communications announced the company will no longer pay a franchise fee to Iola for its services.
Read more: The Iola Register

According to the July 2025 economics report published by the Kelce College of Business at Pittsburg State University, local manufacturing is driving the area’s gross domestic product (GDP). Nationally, the manufacturing industry earned $7.2 trillion in 2024, according to IBIS World. That revenue was spent on materials (53.7%); research and development and artificial intelligence technology (23%); wages (11.9%); and rent, utilities, and depreciation (5.4%); leaving a combined profit margin of 6 percent. In the Pittsburg Micropolitan Statistical Area (PBSA), which is generally all of Crawford County, manufacturing is the backbone of the local economy, contributing more to local GDP than any other industry, accounting for $368,099,360, or 19 percent of the area’s GDP in 2023.
Read more: – Latest Stories

THC beverages that police took from Carlsons’ Grocery last week in spite of the county prosecutor’s advice were returned six days later. Police still believe the beverages are illegal, but the county attorney has said no charges will be filed. The beverages have been selling well. At least 12 containers sold between Friday, when the merchandise was returned, and Monday.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Nearly every seat was full Monday night for a Peabody City Council meeting that included introduction of new Police Chief Matthew Neal, as well as an audit presentation by Loyd Group.
The next night, at a special meeting, the council voted to hire Paul Leeker, a Sedgwick County budget analyst, as city clerk, filling a vacancy that has existed for more than a year.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

A divided Federal Reserve on Wednesday voted to keep its benchmark interest rate steady, despite a barrage of criticism from President Donald Trump and dissents from two top officials. The Federal Open Market Committee, the group that sets the overnight borrowing rate, voted 9-2 to stay on hold. The federal funds rate will continue to be set in a range between 4.25%-4.5%. The level sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending, but influences a slew of other rates across the economy.
Read more: Finance

Rachel McClaran looked for the next career step that would help her have a larger impact on students. That step was becoming the new superintendent in the Sedgwick School District. “I never want to be stagnant,” she said, sitting her in Sedgwick office. “Sedgwick was such a good opportunity and a nice-sized community, and I didn’t have to move out of the area.” McClaran worked for four years in the Newton USD-373 office and one year as Northridge Elementary School principal in Newton. Then she went to Valley Center as Wheatland Elementary principal.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Liquor-by-the-drink sales generate about $190,000 each year for Jackson County, according to county officials. At a recent a recent Jackson County Commission meeting, Commission Chairman Mark Pruett outlined how those funds are allocated. Each quarter, the county receives a payment from the state’s alcoholic liquor tax fund. Jackson County receives 70 percent of the state sales tax on liquor sales from establishments located within the county but outside city limits.
Read more: The Holton Recorder

Overland Park recently opted out of a state law that would have put restrictions on the city’s authority to issue bonds to help fund public developments and infrastructure projects. The move was necessitated by the fact that Overland Park recently surpassed more than 200,000 residents, according to the latest U.S. Census. Under a state law from the 1950s, cities of that size in Kansas must hold public elections to issue at least $200,000 in bonds. The law, which Overland Park officials have called “outdated,” predates both the city of Overland Park itself and the Home Rule constitutional amendment that deferred community control in Kansas to local governments.
Read more: Johnson County Post

With Overland Park’s plans to move city hall to the College Boulevard and Metcalf area and Black & Veatch’s plan for a new, $1 billion headquarters, attention is back on long-range plans to reimagine the center of the city. Historically defined by large office users, the corridor has been a hot topic for many years as Overland Park ponders the future of the area around its convention center — dubbed OP Central.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Merriam is razing three more downtown buildings as part of its broader flood control efforts along Turkey Creek. The Merriam City Council earlier this month approved the demolition of three buildings, all currently unoccupied, along Merriam Drive next to the city’s farmers market pavilion. City officials cite flood mitigation or potential redevelopment efforts in its downtown stretch as the reasoning behind demolishing the buildings at 5700, 5718 and 5726 Merriam Drive.
Read more: Johnson County Post