Municipal News & Jobs

Kansas City, Kansas, fire officials held a press conference on June 27, 2025, to warn families about the risks of consumer fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Demonstrations included how hot sparklers can burn and safety reminders for using mortars, fountains, and other fireworks legally and responsibly.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

A proposed hog farm in rural Ottawa County is drawing public attention ahead of a scheduled hearing next month. The facility, named Smoky Hills Pork, would house more than 45,000 pigs and be located near Minneapolis. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced a public hearing on July 9 in Minneapolis to discuss a proposed water pollution control permit for the project.
Source: KCLY Radio

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the Federal Fiscal Year 2025-2028 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document. The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at ksdot.gov/about/publications-and-reports/state-transportation-improvement-program-stip. The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes July 10. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at 785-296-3254.
Source: KDOT

Early this year, during the dead of winter, we spoke with Clay Center Zoo Curator Garett Payne on how they care for animals in the extreme cold and snow. Recently, we spoke to Payne on how the animals are cared for during the heat of summer. Payne said the addition of the new buildings makes it much easier for the animals and caretakers.  Most of the animals have full access to air conditioning when they get too hot. He spoke about the few animals that don’t have access to AC.
Source: KCLY Radio

A public library’s core services of allowing patrons to read and borrow books and media fit within these common and ordinary meanings of recreation. In fact, a brief internet search reveals the terms “recreational reading,” a.k.a. “leisure reading,” are in common use and many articles, studies, and books have been published on the subject. … Therefore, we decline Zaragoza’s request to narrowly interpret the term “recreational” in the statutory immunity exception to include only those recreational activities that “involve physical activity or any increased risk of injury.”
Source: Zaragoza v. Johnson County.

Local hosts expected to earn $3,500 per stay.
Source: Kansas City Business Journal

This Fitness Court® Studio was developed … to expand free access to high-quality workouts and create equitable access to exercise for communities across the region. The Fitness Court® is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets users leverage their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations.
Source: The Sunflower State Radio Network

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.

Since May 27, kids in the northeast corner of the county have had the chance to swim free at the Arma Pool courtesy of numerous donations from community members.   
Source: – Latest Stories

Plans to renovate and convert a house in Holton into a duplex sparked conversation among members of the Holton City Commission about what property owners are — or could be — doing to solve the problem of available rental housing in the city.
Source: The Holton Recorder

A new collection of art is now on display in the Johnson County Administration Building, through the county’s partnership with InterUrban ArtHouse on a rotating art exhibition. This is the Administration Building’s third collection of art since the rotating exhibition began in Sept. 2024. The new art, created by Melanie Nolker, features oil paintings of birch and aspen trees, abstract acrylic paintings and more.
Source: Johnson County Kansas

Johnson County is developing a transportation connection plan for the rural, southwestern fringe, all in response to the new Panasonic Energy Electric Vehicle Battery Plant in De Soto about to come online at the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. The county’s transportation plan — the draft of which can be found here — seeks to connect the site of the former plant, now dubbed Astra Enterprise Park, to neighboring southwest communities Olathe, Gardner and Edgerton as well as Douglas County to the west.
Source: Johnson County Post

Residents may soon get a chance to tell the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, what they think about using added sales tax dollars to finance the rodent-logoed, multipurpose gas station and convenience store that’s making its way into KCK.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

The countdown has officially begun to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across North America, including in Kansas City. Local officials on Monday morning unveiled a World Cup countdown clock in front of the fieldhouse at Overland Park’s Scheels Soccer Complex near 135th Street and Switzer Road. The event followed a weekend World Cup kickoff party at the Aspiria campus in Overland Park.
Source: News

The countdown to the World Cup is on, and cities throughout the Kansas City metro are eager to showcase their offerings while hosting visitors from around the world. Shawnee is considering hosting a music and beer festival to attract World Cup visitors as well as metro families to the heart of downtown Shawnee.
Source: KSN-TV

Firefighters in Columbus are taking advantage of this week’s summer heat to train in their newly constructed facility. They were out in the 90-degree heat today training in the department’s new “burn boxes” The containers simulate many of the conditions crews might face during a structure fire.
Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Blinking red lights on Sunflower Wind turbines have vexed some county residents since the wind farm was built, and the lights once again are in county commissioners’ crosshairs. Commissioner Clarke Dirks brought up Monday that Sunflower promised weeks ago to switch to aircraft-activated lights that blink only when an aircraft is in the vicinity.
Source: Marion County RECORD

An Iola city councilwoman wants to bring up discussions about doing away with voting wards in Iola, and filling the Council with all at-large seats. The size and makeup of the Iola City Council is once again under the microscope. On Monday, Councilwoman Kim Peterson said she’d like to see Iola take a closer at doing away with the city’s four voting wards, and instead look at an all at-large governing body.
Source: The Iola Register

After hearing feedback from members of the Design Review Board and a lengthy discussion, Fort Scott City Commissioners on June 17 approved a motion to establish a historic preservation commission and move toward a Certified Local Government.
Source: Fort Scott Tribune Headlines

The Kansas Sampler Foundation’s Big Kansas Road Trip (BKRT) is more than just a travel event—it’s a statewide effort to introduce Kansans and visitors to the heart of rural communities. Beginning in 2018, BKRT is designed to help the public learn about rural life by experiencing it firsthand.
Source: KCLY Radio