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Municipal News & Jobs

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

Kansas Municipal News

Lawrence City Commission wants to consider a moratorium for rule on downtown liquor sales

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday deferred an amendment to city code that would have allowed John Brown’s Underground to keep operating — but they want to look at ways to expand the opportunity to other businesses, too. A long-standing city rule requires establishments with liquor licenses to derive no more than 45% of their sales from liquor. Passed in 1994, the rule allowed exemptions for 29 existing locations. The code still exempts new bars that open in the same buildings as any of those original 29. JBUG had maintained compliance with the rule in recent years by factoring in food sales from Wake the Dead, a brunch restaurant that was located directly above the bar. But the owner encountered health issues, and Wake the Dead closed its doors in 2021, leaving JBUG in a precarious position and out of compliance with that ratio.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Fed’s Daly sees rates rising at least another percentage point as ‘pausing is off the table’

San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly said Wednesday she expects the central bank to raise interest rates at least another percentage point, and possibly more, before it can pause to evaluate how the inflation fight is going. Daly told CNBC in a live interview that her most recent estimate in the Fed’s summary of economic projections puts the benchmark overnight lending rate around 5%. She added that the right range is probably from 4.75% to 5.25% from its current targeted range of 3.75%-4%. “I still think of that as a reasonable landing place for us before we hold, and the holding part is really important,” she told Steve Liesman during the “Squawk on the Street” interview. “It’s a raise-to-hold strategy.” Thus far, the Fed has hiked the fed funds rate, which spills over into a slew of other consumer debt products, six times, including four consecutive 0.75 percentage point moves. Looking ahead, market pricing is largely in line with what Daly suggested. Traders see the central bank adding another 0.5 percentage point when it meets again in mid-December, then moving a bit higher before stopping around the 4.75%-5% range.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Lenexa taking Republic to court over trash pickup problems

Complaints about missed trash collections and slow response to customers by Republic Services are on the rise in Lenexa — so much so that the city has issued a citation. Complaints have been increasing the past few months about failures of the Phoenix, Ariz.-based company to pick up trash and recycling in a timely manner, said Scott McCullough, Lenexa community development director. To that end, the city has charged Republic with a code violation based on one of those complaints. The citation carries a possible $2,500 fine and is on the municipal court’s docket for Thursday, Nov. 17.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Bicyclist injured in crash on wet Olathe trail sues, says city didn’t maintain path

A bicyclist is suing the City of Olathe for $75,000 after crashing on a city trail, according to documents filed in Johnson County District Court earlier this month. According to court documents, Joyce Coker-Dreier was riding her bike along Meadow Lane Trail in September 2021. While riding, Coker-Dreier said she encountered a stretch of wet payment. Even after slowing down, she said her bike fell immediately because “the City allowed algae, mud, and/or other substances to accumulate” on the concrete, making it “extremely slick,” the documents allege. … Coker-Dreier is suing Olathe on four counts of liability and negligence-related claims. She is asking for a trial by jury.
Source: KC Star

Hesston Grocery Store plans unveiled

Hesston’s downtown will be reshaped by an 18,000-square-foot grocery store and long-promised TEFFI dollars. That’s according to the plan members of the Beneficient Company and its Beneficient Heartland Foundation presented at the Hesston City Council meeting Monday night. “The great thing about a store that size is it has the potential to drive 2,500 unique customers through the doors each week,” said Denise Goevert, Beneficient Heartland board member. “This will benefit all of our Main Street businesses in having the foot traffic generated through the store.”
Source: Harvey County Now

Royals considering several sites for new stadium, owner says

The Kansas City Royals have selected several potential sites to build a replacement for aging Kauffman Stadium, owner John Sherman said Tuesday. In a letter to fans posted on social media, Sherman said the sites are in or near downtown Kansas City, but he did not elaborate. Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, are located far from the city’s downtown. … He said supporters envision a ballpark district around the new venue, with restaurants, shops, offices, hotels and affordable housing. After a push in the early 2000s to build a stadium downtown fizzled, Jackson County voters in April 2006 approved a sales tax increase to fund $250 million in renovations to Kauffman and Arrowhead. The new proposal will rely on continuing the team’s current public-private partnership and investment with several local jurisdictions and the state of Missouri, said Sherman, who pledged that Jackson County residents would not be asked to contribute more tax dollars to the stadium than they currently do.
Source: 1350 KMAN

City of Eudora has ‘considerable concerns’ with proposed quarry right next to existing Hamm Quarry

A permit to establish a new quarry in Eudora is on the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission’s agenda for approval Wednesday, and Eudora’s city staff has “considerable concerns” based largely on anticipated growth south of the city. The applicant, Topeka-based Mid-States Materials, is seeking approval to break ground on a limestone quarry at 1174 East 2300 Road, just southeast of Eudora and right across the road from the existing Hamm Quarry. According to a summary of the application, Mid-States Materials wants to operate the quarry on a 242-acre parcel — with no more than 50 acres open for quarrying activity at any time — for 20 years.
Source: LJWorld

Saline County stops using grading method after poor results

After gathering feedback from community members and observing results of a road grading method, Saline County has decided to stop using a technique on county roads that has left its residents unsatisfied and with complaints. The county has been testing a three-pass method of road grading that has both pros and cons, said Road and Bridge Administrator Darren Fisher, but has decided to stop using that method. Fisher presented his department’s findings to the County Commission a week ago. He cited the method’s pros and cons and heard from commissioners who passed along community concerns.
Source: Salina Journal

Kansas school leaders urge lawmakers to fully fund special education services

It’s difficult for 6-year-old Crosby Orlando to stay in his first-grade classroom. Born with Down syndrome, he has been in therapy since he was four weeks old to work on behavioral and communication barriers. Orlando is mostly nonverbal and uses signs to communicate with classmates, though he gets restless and wants to run around. Once, he even escaped his Shawnee Mission school. His mother, Sara Jahnke, said she used to struggle with guilt about the amount of resources Orlando required as a child with extra needs in a classroom setting. Jahnke said she then realized how beneficial being in a classroom was for both him and his classmates.
Source: Atchison Globe Now

Derby Recreation Commission fills Director of Marketing position

The Derby Recreation Commission announced the hiring of Amanda Miller to fill the Director of Marketing position at the monthly DRC board meeting on Nov. 8. Miller previously worked at the Kansas Turnpike Authority in Wichita as a customer relations analyst. She had been with the KTA since 2014, first working as a communications specialist. Miller is a Derby resident and an Emporia State alum, graduating in 2014 with a bachelor’s in Communications and Public Relations. She officially starts with the DRC on Nov. 14.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Overland Park wants public input on what city projects to prioritize

The city of Overland Park is asking for public input on what projects to prioritize over the next few years. What are capital improvements? The 2024-28 Capital Improvements Program is the city’s five-year plan to forecast public improvements and facility needs in Overland Park. Park restroom and playground improvements, salt storage barns and major street reconstruction are examples of projects in the program. The program also provides data concerning need, costs, timing, funding sources, budget impacts and alternatives.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Heartland grants aid local groups

Two projects undertaken by organizations serving Allen County residents will soon be closer to reality thanks to funding from Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community grant program.  Fairview Chapel, a historical building managed by Osage Township and located at the Fairview Cemetery, received $2,500 for a new restroom. The restroom is among the final pieces of an ongoing renovation project at the chapel, which is used by families when a burial occurs at the cemetery. Meanwhile, Moran-Marmaton/Osage Fire Department received $2,500 to purchase new hoses and nozzles.
Source: The Iola Register

Haysville master police officer receives life-saving award

A Haysville master police officer (MPO) received a life-saving award Monday. Haysville Police Department Chief Jeff Whitfield presented MPO J.D. Willis with a life-saving award for his quick action at a scene earlier this year that saved a life. According to a post from the City of Haysville Kansas Facebook page, on Friday, May 20, Willis was working the night shift when he was dispatched to assist the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office with a car crash.
Source: KSN-TV

Manhattan to consider predevelopment agreement with MHA for a city-owned parking lot

The Manhattan City Commission will consider final development plans for a $40 million commercial and residential Aggieville project. The city commission meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall on Tuesday. The meeting is a legislative meeting, meaning the commission will take action. Back 9 Development is behind the project — formerly called “Fuze,” now called “Midtown Development.” The concept consists of a proposed $40 million, five-story commercial and residential building to replace the parking lot on 12th and Laramie behind Kite’s Bar and Grill. In addition to the development agreement, the commission also will consider transferring the city-owned parking lot to Back 9 for the project.
Source: themercury.com

Paving Dodge City’s Future 2023 Street Sales Tax passes

On Nov. 8, voters passed a citywide halfa- percent sales tax for street repair/maintenance and property tax relief. Sixty percent of voters were in favor of the proposal. The new sales tax is estimated to bring $3.5 million in revenue annually. “The people decided they didn’t like the roads in the shape they are in and that they needed this tax to fund streets and roads,” City Commissioner and sales tax supporter Joseph Nuci said Nov. 9. Commissioner Rick Sowers said he also supported the measure and sees the need for street repair in Dodge City but had some reservations about it because, “there is no sunset clause. It goes into perpetuity. I would have preferred it had a sunset clause where it would have to be put back before the people after a designated period of time.”
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe

Fed officials see grounds for soon slowing rate-hike pace

The Federal Reserve looked closer to moderating aggressive interest-rate increases after welcome news on inflation, with three officials backing a downshift even as they stressed that policy needs to stay tight. “While I believe it may soon be appropriate to slow the pace of rate increases so we can better assess how financial and economic conditions are evolving, I also believe a slower pace should not be taken to represent easier policy,” Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan told a conference hosted by her bank in Houston on Thursday. Data released earlier on Thursday showed consumer prices cooling by more than expected in October, with the consumer price index rising 7.7% from a year earlier versus 8.2% the month before.
Source: The Bond Buyer

Wichita is getting ready for winter street operations

The City of Wichita is getting ready for winter operations to clear the major streets during snow and ice storms. Mayor Brandon Whipple said during his weekly news briefing that the city is above minimum staffing with 156 drivers, but the city is looking for people with commercial driver’s licenses who would be interested in helping with the snow response efforts. He said the city has eight brine trucks for pre-treatment of the streets, 60 plow trucks, and three dispatch locations. The mayor said the city has 6,000 tons of salt and sand mix that is ready for use, but there is also a supply of 17,500 tons of salt that can be used to create an additional supply of 35,000 tons of salt and sand mix.    He said the city prepares for winter by stocking up on salt and sand, training employees and providing regular maintenance for the plow trucks.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Overland Park Police could soon start carrying anti-opioid overdose Narcan spray

Overland Park police officers may soon begin carrying Narcan, a life-saving medicine meant to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted to recommend approval of an agreement with the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners that would allow Overland Park police officers to carry Narcan. With the agreement, the department would partner with the Johnson County EMS division to establish a protocol for officers to obtain, carry and administer Narcan nasal spray.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Voters reject USD 329 Wabaunsee bond proposal that would close Maple Hill Elementary

Residents in USD 329 Wabaunsee rejected the district’s $17.9 million bond proposal in Tuesday’s election. With all 13 precincts reporting, the final vote tally indicated a close race with only 67 votes separating the decision. Ultimately, 944 of the 1,821 total votes counted had “No” marked for advancing the district bond issue. First-year USD 329 Superintendent Troy Pitsch sent a letter to district families Wednesday morning informing them that the bond issue failed, and that emotions are “likely mixed” among those who supported the proposal and those who didn’t. In the letter, he wrote in part that the district is a “family of families” united in the common cause of educating students.
Source: themercury.com

Roeland Park looks to move public public works department to KCK

The city of Roeland Park has agreed to look at potentially acquiring property for a new public works site in neighboring Wyandotte County, as the proposed redevelopment of The Rocks site — where the city’s public works department is currently housed — moves forward. The prospective new public works site is at 1800 Merriam Lane, in Kansas City, Kan., across Interstate 35, about a five-minute drive from Roeland Park City Hall. At its meeting Nov.1, the city council agreed to move forward on a proposed land purchase agreement for the new public works site at a cost of $1.7 million, according to city documents.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Cowley County hires new emergency manager

Oct. 24 was the first day on the job for new Cowley County Emergency Management Director Candi Baross, and she said she’s been on the go since then getting to know the people and the area she will serve. Baross, 41, is originally from Jackson, Miss. She grew up knowing whatever she did in her life, she always wanted to serve the public. A 21-year career on active duty in the U.S. Army focused on preparedness training for different units. Preparedness training “is really important to me,” Baross said. Training groups to collaborate with other entities makes for successful missions, she said.
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Public Input Being Sought on Wildfire Prevention and Response

Governor Kelly is calling on residents to share their thoughts on how to better prevent, respond to, and recover from wildfires. The Governor’s Wildfire Task Force (established in July) is seeking public input as it takes a comprehensive look at mitigating wildfire threats, reviews how local and state officials respond to these emergencies and considers how to better support communities impacted by wildfires.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Longtime leader in JoCo’s economic development scene announces plan to retire

Blake Schreck, a longtime fixture in Johnson County’s economic development scene, says he will retire in February 2023. Schreck has been CEO and director of economic development at the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce since 1999, but previously led the Olathe chamber for three years and worked a decade at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. “I was fortunate to bring Blake into the chamber and economic development world in the mid-’80s,” Mary Birch, former Overland Park chamber president, said in a news release. “He became one of the best economic development leaders in the country and leaves a legacy of major capital investment and thousands of new jobs that will continue to have a positive impact on Lenexa, Johnson County, the Kansas City region and the state for many years to come.”
Source: Joco 913 News

Wichita launching community feedback survey

The city of Wichita say they are looking to source community feedback through a survey. The survey is asking residents their opinions about local government services as well as resident priorities. The city says they plan to begin distributing community surveys on a more frequent basis, changing from biannual to annual. Another change to this survey is asking residents to rank their top priorities in addition to rating service delivery.
Source: KAKE – News

Parsons voters deny sales tax hike

In Tuesday’s election, Parsons voters weighed against a half-cent sales tax increase that would have helped fund the Parsons police and fire departments. The vote was 881 in favor and 1,333 against. The increase would have raised the sales tax from 9.25% to 9.75% and generated an estimated $900,000 a year. Department heads said the funds would be used for a new public safety center as well as routine public services and capital improvements. In 2013, voters approved a similar tax which sunsets in 10 years. The new tax would have taken effect in 2024.
Source: The Iola Register

Lawrence says homeless camp with 80 tents isn’t a campground; if it said otherwise, it could be violating its own zoning code

As a city-operated campground for the homeless has grown on the edge of downtown, business owners in recent weeks have begun protesting that the central business district is no place for such a campground…. they may have a powerful document on their side: the city’s own zoning code… the city’s director of planning acknowledged that a campground is not a permitted use in what’s known as the “CD downtown commercial district.” The zoning code — which has the force of law — allows for campgrounds in several types of commercial business districts, but the busy central business district is not one of them. Now, the question becomes whether the city is violating its own law by erecting a campground housing more than 80 people on city-owned property near the Kansas River levee next to Johnny’s Tavern. The city says … [it] isn’t actually a campground.
Source: LJWorld

Kansas board urges schools to eliminate Native American mascots

Saying it hurts students, the Kansas State Board of Education is calling on the state’s public schools to eliminate Native American-themed mascots within five years. The board endorsed a recommendation from an advisory group on Thursday that included representatives from all four federally recognized tribes in Kansas. … “We’re just asking them to start the conversation, do the research,” said board member Ann Mah. “When we say we don’t want bullying, we want equity, we want the best education for every child, then this absolutely fits with our mandates.” More than 20 Kansas schools still use mascots with names like Indians, Braves or Red Raiders.
Source: LJWorld

With 108 Airbnbs and other short-term rentals now licensed, Lawrence code enforcement thinks process to ID unlicensed rentals is working

With more than 100 short-term rentals now licensed in Lawrence, city code enforcement believes its tactics are working for identifying people renting properties by the night without the required license. After falling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of short-term rental listings in Lawrence is on the rise again, with a little more than 150 properties listed on the popular site Airbnb. Code Enforcement Manager Brian Jimenez said there are currently 108 licensed properties in Lawrence, and because his office has found several properties listed more than once, he believes the city does not have many unlicensed rentals. He said he thinks the reviews conducted by code enforcement staff are catching those who try to operate without a license.
Source: LJWorld

Treasury yields tumble after October CPI comes in weaker than expected

The latest CPI report gave investors hope that inflation is now past its peak, lending confidence that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes are slowly working to tame high price increases. Stock futures rallied on the news. “This confirms the Fed’s own view they need more measured rate hikes now but this doesn’t stop them,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG. ” It just affirms their plan.” Swonk added that, from the Fed’s perspective, the dip in inflation is welcome news but still not enough to stop further tightening. In November, the Fed raised rates by a another 75 basis points, its fourth consecutive three-quarter point increase, putting rates at their highest level since 2008.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Pitt’s fowl ordinance 

Chickens seem to be on people’s minds in southeast Kansas lately. Just this past Monday, the Arma City Council discussed regulations for keeping chickens inside city limits. Then on Tuesday, our flightless fowl friends found their way into the Pittsburg City Commission meeting. While Arma decided to table the discussion, Pittsburg dove right in. Pamela Hudson recently petitioned the city’s Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals to keep a small flock of chickens on her property. What is unusual is that Hudson actually contacted the city to see if she was allowed to keep the birds — a gesture that Mayor Cheryl Brooks commended her for. Hudson’s petition was recommended for approval and she only attended the city commission meeting to find out if her request would be approved.
Source: Morning Sun

Voters reject Winfield school bond projects

Winfield voters on Tuesday soundly defeated two school bond propositions, putting USD 465 officials back to the drawing board to figure out how to update aging and outdated infrastructure. Question 1 would have closed some schools, removed some buildings, built others and reconfigured others Question 2 asked voters to build a new football/soccer stadium at the high school and erect several new tennis courts at the Vaughan Tennis Center. Estimated cost of the two projects was about $54.7 million to be funded by about a 14 mill property tax increase from current levels, an estimated $159 on a $100,000 home. In the unofficial final count from the Cowley County Election Office, the first lost 3,188 (71.54%) to 1,268 (28.46%). The second, for the high school sports arena, lost 3,303 (73.03%) to 1,220 (26.97%).
Source: Cowley CourierTraveler

Voters approve change for Wichita school board elections

Voters in the Wichita school district have overwhelmingly approved a change in the way the school board members are elected. A question on Tuesday’s general election ballot called for voters to elect a board member from the district where they live, and vote for an at-large position in both the primary and general elections. The current system had voters casting ballots for candidates in their districts for the primary election, while also voting for the at-large position.  Voters in the general election would vote on all of the board members.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Hiawatha Commission taps former Atchison City Manager for open position

The search for a permanent replacement for Hiawatha’s City Administrator reached its conclusion at Monday night’s meeting of the Hiawatha City Commission. The group voted to agree to a contract beginning Dec. 5 with current Interim Assistant County Administrator for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, Becky Berger. Berger is a familiar face in local governance, as she served in Atchison’s city government for nearly 10 years, including the last 4 years as City Manager, before her resignation in August of 2021. Berger, a graduate of Willamette University, was interviewed at a Special Meeting of the Commission late in October, and hired with a strong recommendation of Hiawatha’s current Interim City Administrator Larry Paine, who was very complimentary and said he was proud to present the contract to the commission. Paine has served as the Interim Administrator for Hiawatha since former City Administrator Mike Nichols resigned earlier this year.
Source: City Government | hiawathaworldonline.com

Lawrence community members share concerns about city’s camp for people experiencing homelessness

Business owners, housing advocates, and housed and unhoused community members filled Lawrence City Hall on Tuesday night to speak out about the city’s handling of homelessness and management of the camp behind Johnny’s.  Rick Renfro, owner of Johnny’s Tavern in North Lawrence, closed his restaurant as a form of protest Tuesday morning, saying he wouldn’t reopen until the city installed a fence around the camp adjacent to his property. He also asked the city to assign a staff member to oversee the camp from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m to manage the site and monitor who goes in and who goes out. Before the meeting, the city partially acquiesced by installing a fence that delineates the separation between Renfro’s property and the camp, which is on city-owned property.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence school district seeks community input on budget cuts via online survey

A public survey is asking community members to share their input on how the Lawrence school district should make budget cuts, including potentially closing and consolidating schools. As discussed during Monday’s school board meeting, survey takers will be asked which of the three “bucket” items — or categories of budget expenditures — should take priority. Bucket 1 lists potential staffing cuts; Bucket 2 lists potential program or activity cuts; and Bucket 3 lists potential facility or utilization changes. The Community Engagement Survey is part of the district’s Futures Planning Committee work. It’s open for all members of the Lawrence community to participate.
Source: The Lawrence Times

City to move forward with developing master plan for Manhattan cemeteries

Manhattan city commissioners indicated Tuesday they want city staffers to start planning for the future of cemeteries. The city government will move forward with developing a master plan that would give an outlook for the next 20 to 30 years of services. Officials said the offices and shops at both cemeteries are past their useful life and in need of significant repair or replacement. Operations have shifted from Sunset Cemetery to Sunrise Cemetery because of burial lot availability. Sunset Cemetery is full as far as traditional burial sites, but it has the potential for a columbarium, which is an above-ground option for cremation.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Growth in local manufacturing industry contributes to thriving Pittsburg economy

The Pittsburg manufacturing industry continues to buck national trends, according to the latest Pittsburg Micropolitan Area Economic Report. The quarterly economic update published by economist Dr. Michael Davisson of Pittsburg State University Kelce College of Business shows the local manufacturing industry has not only recovered from the COVID downturn, but is one of the region’s fastest-growing sectors. Pittsburg manufacturing has outperformed the national manufacturing industry, which has not yet fully recovered from the pandemic. Davidsson’s report states that roughly $579 million has been invested in Pittsburg over the past nine years, which includes $102 million in industry infrastructure. … Manufacturing in the Pittsburg micropolitan area contributes to 21.5 percent of all private-sector jobs, and represents the second-largest non-government employment sector in the local area. According to the economic report, manufacturing contributes far more to the local gross domestic product (GDP) than any other industry, at $276 million annually.
Source: City of Pittsburg

Douglas County voters approve expanding the Douglas County Commission from 3 members to 5

In Tuesday’s general election, Douglas County voted to add two more County Commission districts, increasing the size of the county’s governing body from three seats to five. As of 9:45 p.m. Tuesday with about 60% of precincts reporting, 18,631 votes were in favor of the ballot question, good for 61.17% of the vote. The change will cut the number of constituents that one commissioner represents from around 42,000 to around 25,000. With the vote, the next step will be drawing a new district map. The commission will have to adopt the new districts prior to Jan. 1, 2023. From there, selecting commissioners for the two newly created districts would likely involve holding a special election, with the winners serving until the next general election in 2024.
Source: LJWorld

Lawrence plans to hire more staff to support campsite for those experiencing homelessness

Lawrence business owners, residents, social service providers and people experiencing homelessness spoke to city leaders Tuesday evening about the city’s response to homelessness and the management of a camp in North Lawrence. During the public comment portion of the Lawrence City Commission’s meeting Tuesday, commissioners heard from about 20 people, with a few times that number gathered in the lobby of City Hall, about the issue. Some called for additional support for the camp, and city staff said at the end of the meeting that the city was in the process of hiring additional people to provide more monitoring at the site.
Source: LJWorld

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