Municipal News & Jobs

Fights over water in the West tend to follow a particular contour: Scarcity develops. A supply is located. Competition ensues. Government agencies become involved. Judges tend to get the last word. The squabbles are all the same and every one is different. Both the residents of parched Hays and Russell in northwest Kansas and those of thirsty Edwards County, some 60 miles south, covet the water beneath the sprawling R9 Ranch south of Kinsley, seeing it as a matter of survival in a coming era when the precious resource becomes even more scarce. Now, three decades later, the $140-million-dollar project remains on hold, delayed by years of legal challenges. Over the past 11 years, Hays has spent $11 million in its battle, $8 million of that in legal fees. 
Read more: KLC Journal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced Thursday that over $80 million is available to support stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs across the country. The funding comes from the EPA’s Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. It allows communities to pay for improvements to safely capture and manage stormwater and keep pollutants, including untreated stormwater, from reaching nearby waterways. Kansas is receiving a total of $467,000 that will be divided among the communities that apply through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program.
Read more: KSN-TV

The discussion about a solar farm and battery energy storage system in Sedgwick County is on hold. The Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission was set to vote on the Galena Solar Project proposal on Wednesday, but decided to defer it and gather more information. The commission will pick up the discussion again on June 11. People for and against the project agree that the deferral was a good move.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Andover City Council unanimously approved a policy to enforce a new state law requiring people to only use multiple‑occupancy spaces that align with their sex assigned at birth while in government buildings. In February, the Kansas Legislature passed House Substitute for SB 244, directing all cities to comply with this new law and pass a policy on the topic.
Read more: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County Fire District 1 announced Tuesday that its first K9 has retired. Benny, born in 2017, began his service as an Accelerant Detection Canine through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2018. He was partnered with Investigator Rusty Vollintine and the Topeka Fire Department until Vollintine retired in 2023. The pair later joined SCFD1 as part‑time investigators in 2024. Since joining the district, Benny has responded to 30 structure fires across the region — 13 of them fatal — and his work has contributed to six felony arrests.
Read more: KSN-TV

The district has selected Cody Rierson, one of three candidates considered for the role. Rierson currently serves as superintendent of Moundridge USD 423 and previously worked as principal at Lincoln Elementary School in McPherson. The district said he is known for building a positive, collaborative environment while keeping students at the center of every decision.
Read more: KSN-TV

Hutchinson USD 308 board members learned why voters turned down the district’s $110 million bond last year at a meeting Monday. Discovery Works Collaborative shared results of a survey that showed 63% of people said the price tag was too high. Another 55% said it was because of the proposed location of the middle school. The same amount said they do not need to build when enrollment is going down.
Read more: KSN-TV

Cowtown Days is a two-day event in Baxter Springs, Kansas that celebrates the city’s cultural heritage as the “First Cowtown in Kansas” with a car show, bouncy castles, live music, and other activities.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

City leaders approved a settlement of just over $1 million tied to two sex discrimination cases involving the Topeka Police Department on Friday. City of Topeka councilmembers, City Manager Robert Perez and others gathered for a special meeting at 11 a.m. on May 1. Perez called for the special meeting to convene to discuss the settlement of one or more lawsuits.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Overland Park, Kansas, wants to streamline and regulate its zoning code to improve housing availability and offer a variety of housing within city limits. There’s been a lot of change in Overland Park since the city updated its zoning code more than 30 years ago. “Apartment complex, apartment complex, apartment complex,” Jeffrey Strom, Overland Park resident, said. “It’s cool, but I’m never going to be able to afford [those].” The current housing development process is complex. Overland Park’s director of planning and development services explained it could be why there’s not as many housing options.
Read more: KSHB News

“This is the room of dreams,” said Jerry Daniels at Tuesday night’s Community Conversation. And complaints, hopes, and fears. Thrive Allen County hosted the annual event where Thrive staff members help citizens arrive at a consensus on a handful of “must-do” issues. Tuesday’s group of about 20 settled on the need to beef up the town’s communication avenues, foster community-wide pride and generate more involvement in civic affairs. 
Read more: The Iola Register

The City of Lawrence’s annual budget doubled from $261 million in 2020 to $520 million in 2025.  In the six years between 2020 and 2026, the city’s revenue will have increased 52% because of increases in utility fees and property tax valuations. In spite of this increase, the city has faced recurring budget deficits, and the city is now trying to identify $4.5 million in savings for its 2027 budget so it can operate a new fire station in northwest Lawrence. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

The list of Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) ‘millionaires’ — those who will accrue $1,000,000 in benefits in the first 20 years of retirement — soared to 5,170 last year. That’s an increase of 412 over last year. Eight of the top 25, nearly a third, come from K-12 school districts. The entire list is available at kansasopengov.org.
Read more: The Sentinel

Three Topeka City Council members say they are committed in trying to put a sales tax initiative on the Aug. 4 ballot. During the annual Nehemiah Action Assembly on April 30, council members Michelle Bradberry and David Banks stated their support for a sales tax initiative for affordable housing. Marcus Miller sent his support via a statement. To bring in continuous funding for the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, its oversight committee suggested a 0.1-cent sales tax. They also suggested 50% of the collected taxes go to at least one of the four homeless solutions identified in the study from 2024, which include the following: Safe-rest shelter. One-stop resource center. Permanent tiny home village. Second chance housing and employment programs.
Read more: Topeka Capital-Journal

Mission Clean Energy’s $600 million solar and battery storage facility near Wichita will support regional grid growth and generate $2.35 million in annual tax revenue, according to the company’s estimates.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal – Local Wichita News

With the arrival of the FIFA World Cup, Kansas City will take center stage across the Midwest, playing host to six games, multiple teams’ base camps and a soccer FanFest billing itself as the “heart” of the celebration — think music, food and drink and big screens. Visitors and residents alike will be able to arrive at the site of the festival — the World War I Memorial and Museum — from 15 points across the KC metro for just $5.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Wichita city staff rejected calls to repeal an ordinance banning back-in parking downtown, opting instead for warnings and better signage. The decision came after 281 citations were issued to drivers who backed into stalls since paid parking began last year.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Following several weeks of storms where Spring Hill saw damage, but didn’t qualify for state or federal relief funding, the small city is going to craft its own emergency plan for the future. During last Thursday’s City Council meeting, council members supported creating a local storm recovery plan for times when the damage doesn’t qualify for state or federal assistance. While specifics weren’t mapped out during the discussion, the plan would identify private contractors the city could have on-call for debris cleanup, lay out overtime policies and procedures for the Public Works and Police departments and establish a line item in the budget to fund recovery efforts.
Read more: Kansas City Star

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.