Municipal News & Jobs

Voters in USD 265 Goddard have rejected a proposed $196 million bond that would have funded major upgrades and new construction across the district. According to unofficial results from the Sedgwick County Election Office, 2,541 voters cast ballots against the bond, while 2,053 voted in favor. A total of 4,594 votes were cast in Tuesday’s special election. The bond would have financed the construction of two new elementary schools, renovations to convert Oak Street Elementary into a pre-K learning center, and upgrades to fine arts, athletics, safety, security, and infrastructure throughout the district.
Source: KSN-TV

Families will fill downtown Dodge City on Saturday, June 7, as the 14th Annual Main Street Festival kicks off with food, games, live entertainment, and a whole lot of quacking. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. along historic Front Street. Organizers say the annual festival is designed to bring the community together while highlighting local businesses.
Source: KSN-TV

The Hutchinson Fire Department battled a fire at the landfill early Tuesday. It started around 2:30 a.m. The fire involved an area 200 feet by 300 feet. The fire department said multiple bulldozers and front loaders were utilized to scrape off the burning material in the pit so it could be smothered and extinguished. The cause hasn’t been determined, but the fire department said landfill personnel assumed that a lithium-ion battery was the culprit.
Source: KSN-TV

Wichita firefighters and Sedgwick County EMS were awarded Code Blue Save challenge coins for responding to a call in March about an infant boy not breathing and resuscitating him.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

The Kansas Legislature’s auditors reported Monday the state Department of Commerce didn’t consistently adhere to internal evaluation processes and maintain transparency in selecting recipients of $99 million in federal infrastructure and economic development funding. Kristen Rottinghaus, deputy auditor of the Kansas Division of Post Audit, said the review raised questions about the commerce department’s compliance in early 2022 with its method of scoring the 250 qualifying applications and the authority wielded by Secretary David Toland to include his personal analysis of applications in wake of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible applications were to be scored by two state agency staff members, but in some instances only one score existed or reviewers left certain questions on scoring sheets blank. Absence of that information could have disadvantaged applicants, the audit report said.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Municipal market participants Monday cheered the survival of their prized tax exemption in the first draft of a sweeping House tax bill but weren’t quite ready to pop the Champagne. The release of the Ways and Means Committee tax bill Monday kicks off complex and high-stakes negotiations during which the muni market could find itself again in the crosshairs.
Source: The Latest

A small Kansas city with fewer than 25,000 people is packing a big punch for its historical bonafides. Abilene recently earned a spot on USA TODAY’s 10Best list of the best historic small towns worth visiting in 2025, snagging the No. 2 spot.
Source: Homepage

Wichita could become one of the first cities in Kansas to recycle and reuse wastewater for drinking. The Wichita City Council approved a nearly $1.2 million study to figure out how the city could implement recycling and reusing water from its wastewater treatment plants. The recycled water could go for industrial uses as non-potable water or go back into the drinking water supply from direct potable reuse water.
Source: Homepage

The City of Newton and Harvey County share maintenance responsibilities for the differing sides of E. First Street. The city also upkeeps a section of the road stretching out to Hillside. The county has the responsibility to upkeep the road from Hillside on. Due to existing and possible development at the Kansas Logistics Park, as well as the airport, the city has sought to expand and improve E. First Street from Newton to Oliver. As the city and county co-own both the airport and the Logistics Park, the city asked the county to share in the costs of the entire study.
Source: Harvey County Now

Amazon shoppers in Kansas City, Kansas, could soon have their packages delivered by drone. On Monday, the Unified Government Planning Commission approved a final development plan for Amazon.com Inc. to add a drone delivery launch area to its existing fulfillment center at 6925 Riverview Ave.
Source: Kansas City Business News – Local Kansas City News | Kansas City Business Journal

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) is launching a new initiative to reduce violent crime in the Capital City this year. Dan Garrett with the City of Topeka announced in a press release the TPD will be launching the Police and Community Together initiative this month. The PACT program aims to increase community safety, involvement and engagement. The TPD will host a community kickoff picnic from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 at the Little Oakland Park at 900 Northeast Chester Avenue. People will have a chance to meet with TPD Chief Chris Vallejo, his senior command staff and other officers dedicated to the new PACT unit.
Source: KSNT 27 News

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.

A dog park is coming to Humboldt.  At their meeting Monday evening, City Council members approved a two-part park — one section for smaller dogs and the other for larger dogs — in the southwest corner of town at the intersection of First and Pine streets. 
Source: The Iola Register

In the Manhattan city limits, the county’s new regulations on fireworks will not apply. On Monday, Riley County officials proposed an updated resolution that would extend the sale of fireworks by a couple days and increase the fee for a fireworks’ sales permit. The updates follow Senate Bill 199, which passed in April. It permits the year-round sale of fireworks for permanent retailers and extends the sale for seasonal vendors. However, counties retain the authority to regulate when to sell and discharge fireworks, and Riley County’s commissioners discussed Monday that the county will just extend the firework sales window by a couple days, starting June 28, instead of allowing year-round sales. 
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

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.

If approved, the district would build two new elementary schools, renovate Oak Street Elementary into a learning center to provide pre-K options, and improve the fine arts and athletic facilities. The bond would also invest in safety, security, and infrastructure districtwide.
Source: KSN-TV

Avery Moore will serve as the next assistant city manager, according to a press release from the City of Topeka. Moore holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a master’s degree in management and is a Ph.D. candidate in leadership at Liberty University. Prior to joining the City of Topeka, Moore worked as a chief of police in Washington State.
Source: KSNT 27 News

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.

Panasonic announced Friday that it would make major cuts to its global workforce. But local officials said they continue to ramp up to begin EV battery production at the company’s new plant in De Soto. During an investor call Friday, the Japanese company announced it would cut 10,000 jobs globally, representing roughly 4% of its total workforce. Panasonic plans to cut about 5,000 jobs in Japan and 5,000 jobs internationally by end of the company’s fiscal year, which ends in 2026.
Source: Kansas City Business News – Local Kansas City News | Kansas City Business Journal

Wichita City Council members vocalized support toward securing sustainable funding for the city’s Affordable Housing Fund Thursday night at the second annual Nehemiah Assembly. The Sedgwick County Commission Chair also committed his support to expanding the city’s municipal ID program to all county residents.  The assembly, hosted by Justice Together, a grassroots coalition of interfaith communities, announces the organization’s policy pursuits. Last year, the group asked officials to commit to the municipal ID program – which launched this spring – and work on sustainable funding for the multi-agency center, Wichita’s year-round homeless services center known as the MAC. The ID program provides homeless residents with photo identification that they can use to secure a job or assistance. The MAC is an effort to ensure that homeless residents have a year-round place to shelter and access resources. 
Source: KLC Journal