Municipal News & Jobs

For the past several years, more than one third of teams playing in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship have had to stay in hotels outside of Reno County for the tournament in Hutchinson, as there weren’t enough appropriate blocs of hotel rooms. LeAnn Cox, vice president of operations and tourism with Visit Hutch, said the contract with the NJCAA requires 10 rooms each with two beds per team. Since the closure of the Atrium Hotel in 2019, nine teams have had to stay in McPherson, Maize, or elsewhere, she said. But since the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn last fall, the number of teams staying outside of Hutchinson will be reduced to three when the tournament tips off Saturday.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The nitrate level in Dodge City’s water has dropped below the federal standard and is safe to drink, the city announced on Wednesday. The city said secondary testing showed the nitrate level within the water system was at 6.42 milligrams per liter. The testing was conducted at a lab that holds National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program certification, which is recognized by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Read more: KSN-TV

In his press conference Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said monetary policy is “appropriate.” The Federal Open Market Committee held interest rates in a range between 3.5% and 3.75%, with one 25 basis point rate cut expected this year and one next year, as the Middle East conflict lingers.
Read more: Bond Buyer and CNBC

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.

David Toland, Kansas commerce secretary, said the departure of recent college graduates to other job markets has led to a “talent shortage” in the state’s workforce pipeline. According to figures presented by Toland, the state has hemorrhaged about 12,500 college graduates annually over the past five years. Tolandsaid the exodus of students has actually served as a selling point in attracting industry to Kansas. “You bring these jobs here, we’ve got the people,” he said of the sales pitch. “They’re trained up, they’re ready to go, and we think they’ll stay in Kansas if you create the economic opportunities for them to.
Read more: CJonline

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.

City of Leon receives CDBG award.

The Kansas Department of Commerce celebrated the success of the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) this week by bringing together representatives from 50 Kansas communities, statewide grant administrators, legislators and members of the Kansas congressional delegation. The event highlighted the impact of more than $22 million in CDBG funding awarded in 2025 to projects across Kansas, leveraging $28,846,991 in local and partner match funding to invest in rural development and local infrastructure. Combined, the projects represent a total investment of $50,920,498 in communities throughout the state. Community leaders, grant administrators and state officials gathered in Topeka to celebrate the partnerships that make these projects possible and to recognize the local initiatives improving housing, infrastructure, parks, childcare facilities and public safety.
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

Discussions continued Thursday as Riley County commissioners met with department heads to discuss future plans for reorganization and development of a new administrator position. The meeting comes after commissioners on Monday moved to direct county counselor Jacob Hansen to draft a resolution moving human resources under his purview. “It’s the first step to get things going,” commissioner Greg McKinley told News Radio KMAN in an interview after Thursday’s regular meeting.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

Lucas Sullivan has been selected as the new USD 363 Superintendent for the 2026-27 school year. The USD 363 Board of Education approved the hiring of Sullivan as the new Superintendent of Schools at its meeting on March 2, effective July 1. Sullivan replaces Scott Myers, the current Superintendent, who is retiring after 40 years in public education. Myers said he’s going to miss the job. “I love what I do and I love public education, but my wife is retired, so I’m going to join her in that,” he said. Sullivan currently serves as the Principal at Garden City Achieve. He’s excited to make the move to USD 363.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

On February 16, 2026 the Ellis City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 1504 which permits the safe and responsible use of electric scooters and e-bikes within city limits. The implementation of the safety guidelines was announced in this month’s Ellis community newsletter (The Town Crier) and by the Ellis City Police Department on social media on March 9, 2026. “As the popularity of alternative transportation continues to grow, City officials recognized the need to create clear regulations that promote safety while allowing residents to enjoy these convenient and eco-friendly modes of travel,” wrote Ellis City Clerk Ashley Scheibler in the introduction of Ordinance No. 1504 in the March 1, 2026 The Town Crier. She explained that the new ordinance provides a framework to ensure that riders of electric scooters/e-bikes, pedestrians, and motorists can safely share public spaces. The Ellis Police Department’s social media announcement of Ordinance No. 1504 states that it’s approach will be education before enforcement and, as with all Ordinances, the Department’s top priority is the safety of children and the community.
Read more: Hays Daily News

While Emporia Main Street competes in a nationwide contest to determine the best Main Street in the country, one area town is in a similar competition organized by the same group. Council Grove is one of 20 participants in the USA Today 10Best Small Towns in the Midwest. 10Best notes the 25 historic sites in the town, as well as the Madonna of the Trail statue, historic downtown and the close proximity to Council Grove Lake as attractions.
Read more: KVOE

Three automated miniature robots and pair of LEGO sets have been added to Aubrey Westhoff’s educational arsenal at Iola Elementary School, which she uses to spark students to use their imaginations. Armed with a $1,000 grant from Cox Communications, Iola Elementary School is primed to let its students’ imaginations run wild  through a pair of new tools. At first glance, the tools would appear at opposite ends of the technology spectrum. But look closer, and you’ll see how connected they really are. The first is a set of three new Dash Wonder Workshop Robots, named Dash (of course), Flash and Clash, which are capable of following simple commands from cell phones, or even by voice. The second is a set of LEGOs. Those simple bricks can provide the foundation to a world of creativity, noted Aubrey Westhoff, who runs a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) lab for IES fifth-graders.
Read more: The Iola Register

City officials appear to be interested in starting a conversation about a second sales tax election in Wichita after nearly 82% of voters rejected the first proposal last week. “It has to be community driven,” City Council member Mike Hoheisel said during a retreat Friday. The council discussion was open to the public but held away from City Hall at Century II and not streamed on the city’s YouTube channel. Council members signaled, based on voter feedback, that they wanted to still be able to fund the homeless services endowment and the public safety improvements that totaled $375 million of the $850 million proposal.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Marion County Commissioners Monday approved a resolution banning wind energy conversion systems in a portion of the county. The resolution covers the four townships in the southwest corner of Marion County, basically the area around Goessel and to the south of the city of Hillsboro. A separate resolution that would prohibit large scale solar systems in the same area is expected to come before Commissioners for action next week. Commissioners Monday agreed to sign a letter of support on behalf of an application being submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for tax credits in support of the restoration of the Sunflower Theatre in Peabody. During the meeting Commissioners signed a letter authorizing submission of a cost share grant application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a project along Nighthawk Road between 190th Road. If funded, KDOT would provide half of the construction funding on the estimated $900,000 project.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Nex-Tech has made a $75,000 loan to support Bricks Co-Working Hub, a new business and community space in Russell. Bricks will operate open workspaces, office rental, conference room rental, virtual office services, and provide a space for collaboration and creativity in the downtown business district of Russell. The loan was disbursed from the Nex-Tech Revolving Loan Fund, which provides funds to eligible local businesses to create jobs and sustain local socioeconomic activities. This investment will serve the rural communities of northwest Kansas.
Read more: Great Bend Tribune

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Overland Park wants to make it easier to use its “missing middle” pilot program on lots that may not have been developable before. Several months after Overland Park launched its housing pilot program, the city is now considering whether to temporarily amend its development codes to encourage the use of the program, particularly on infill and atypical-shaped lots. The idea is to allow homes with a pre-approved design in the Portfolio Homes pilot program to be built on properties that might not typically pass legal muster for residential development due to their shape, size, setbacks or their inability to have public street frontage. It would also further streamline the process by reducing the number of steps required to get such a project approved, potentially lowering the price tag and moving developments ahead more quickly.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Kansas wants to create a sports authority to own the new Kansas City Chiefs stadium. Public rather than private ownership of the stadium will shield more than $1 billion from being collected as income taxes. Kansas has agreed to finance 60% of $4 billion in stadium projects. Those projects include a 65,000-seat domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and other developments near the Legends and in Olathe. Kansas will fund the stadium using sales tax and revenue bonds, or STAR bonds. Those bonds take out debt that will be repaid with future sales tax dollars from inside a stadium district. A sports authority means the stadium will be publicly owned, which means the money collected to repay the bonds won’t be subject to income taxes. If the stadium was privately owned, the revenue being collected to repay the bonds would be subject to income taxes. Supporters say creating the sports authority prevents the Chiefs from being taxed over $1 billion.
Read more: Johnson County Post

A state program that funds projects that use waste tire products has announced nearly half a million dollars in grants to Kansas schools and communities. On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced that $493,709.55 was awarded to 32 projects across the state. The projects will use recycled tire products for things like playground surfaces and picnic tables.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Wellington City Council will be discussing at Tuesday’s meeting whether or not to enter into an energy sales agreement between the City of Wellington and CORMER for the development of a Tier IV Data Center, north of the community. The proposed project location is a parcel owned by the Wellington Humane Society, situated just north of the City Limits but within the City’s utility service territory. Data centers are the physical infrastructure behind AI — the buildings that house the specialized computers needed to run AI systems. “As demand for AI has surged globally, the race to build this infrastructure has created a major economic opportunity for cities and communities that will act,” according to a communication information overview issued through representatives of Cormer.
Read more: Sumner NewsCow

Peabody Market wasn’t very busy on Friday afternoon, and that reflects a concern of owner Catherine Weems. Business hasn’t been great, and Weems can’t pinpoint it to any one cause. “We’re just trying to stick around,” Weems said. “I bought this grocery store with the intent of being of service to the community. I don’t make a dime off of it. Everything I make has been reinvested into the store.” She said it’s not a self-serving venture; it’s entirely for the community. “I really want it to continue,” she said. The grocery store has been in business for more than 50 years, Weems said, adding she and others before her have been owners. Recently, Weems put out a call on Facebook asking people to shop there.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Ron Harrison, an avid Manhattan fisherman, remembers a time when Tuttle Creek Lake stretched several miles north of the Randolph Bridge and the fishing, especially catfishing, was good. “Now, there’s only a few times a year, when there’s been a lot of rain and the water is really rolling in, that there’s any water at all north of the Randolph Bridge,” he said. “The whole north end is just a mess — a big, muddy mess.” That “mess” is the most visible sign of sedimentation that threatens the life of the reservoir — as well as the lives of many other lakes — built decades ago mainly to stop devastating flooding. Tuttle Creek also provides water supplies for downstream users, recreation and barge traffic on the Missouri River. Originally called Tuttle Creek Reservoir, it had a surface area of about 16,000 acres and 100 miles of shoreline. It supplies drinking water to more than 40% of Kansas residents, including residents of Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. But it’s shrinking.
Read more: KLC Journal

Nitrate continues to be above safe levels in one Kansas community. Tests collected on March 6 found nitrates at 13 milligrams per liter in Reno County Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area. That exceeds state and federal regulations for the maximum contaminant level, which is 10 milligrams. High nitrate levels in the district’s water supply have been a problem dating back to at least 2020. Nitrates pose the greatest risk to infants under 6 months old, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions. The county offers bottled water upon request to homes with those at risk. Elevated levels are often caused by inorganic fertilizers and animal manure seeping into groundwater.
Read more: KSN-TV

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 Kansas Department of Commerce celebrated the success of the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) last week by bringing together representatives from 50 Kansas communities, statewide grant administrators, legislators and members of the Kansas congressional delegation. The event highlighted the impact of more than $22 million in CDBG funding awarded in 2025 to projects across Kansas, leveraging $28,846,991 in local and partner match funding to invest in rural development and local infrastructure. Combined, the projects represent a total investment of $50,920,498 in communities throughout the state.
See the awardees: Commerce

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 Community Development Block Grant program provides funding for projects in rural, lower-income areas. Projects include infrastructure improvements, park renovations, and commercial building rehabilitation. In 2025, the state awarded $22 million to 50 communities, combined with $29 million in local matches.
Read more: CJonline

For assistance with grant applications and administration contact Ranson Financial.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that $1 million in Attraction Development Grant funding was awarded to support the development and enhancement of tourism projects across Kansas. The Kansas Tourism grant program supports projects that strengthen visitors’ experiences while driving local economic growth through job creation, private investment and increased visitation. “Investments in tourism and our state attractions have been a powerful driver in economic growth for our communities of all sizes and for all of Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By pairing state support with local commitment, we’re expanding tourism opportunities that create positive economic returns by bringing more out-of-state visitors and out-of-state dollars to Kansas.”
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

As both energy prices and inflation fears pop, expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts are sliding. Traders in recent days have abandoned hopes of an early summer easing from the central bank, a change in thinking that coincided with the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran and a burst in oil prices to around $100 a barrel. Prior to the conflict, the market anticipation had been for a quarter percentage point rate reduction in June, likely another one in September, and on outside chance of even three depending on how the economics played out, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch calculations. Much of the thinking behind that approach was that a softening labor market, moderating inflation and a new dovish chair coming on board in May would push the Fed into an easing posture. But at least as long as the Iran drama plays out the expectations now is that fighting inflation will remain paramount.
Read more: CNBC Bonds

America is in the midst of a property tax revolt. In 2024 and 2025, more than a dozen states passed laws meant to slash property taxes for homeowners. And in several states, including Florida, Georgia and Texas, policymakers want to go even further and eliminate homeowner property taxes altogether. These solutions may be politically appealing, but draconian measures are not the answer. They hobble local governments’ ability to raise necessary revenues to provide essential services for their residents and undermine progressivity in our tax system. In many cases, they amount to a solution in search of a problem. There are more efficient and targeted ways to address concerns about the property tax. Headline-grabbing legislative actions have been driven largely by concern that the surge in housing prices will lead to a similar spike in property tax bills. But overall, growth in property taxes has been far less dramatic. Since 2020, housing prices have grown more than 50 percent nationally. Over the same period, however, property tax revenues grew at about half that rate — roughly keeping pace with inflation and below the growth in personal income.
Read more: Governing: State and local government news and analysis

After 41 years in the fire service, including nine years as Fire Chief for the Hutchinson Fire Department, Chief Steve Beer will be retiring at the end of this month. During his leadership, the department achieved several major milestones, including earning ISO Class 1 status and becoming an Internationally Accredited Fire Department—both rare recognitions that reflect the department’s high standards and commitment to service. Chief Beer also led efforts to modernize the department’s apparatus fleet, spearheaded the development of the new Fire Station 1, and expanded the department’s training facility into a site that now attracts agencies from across the region. His leadership also helped guide the department’s strategic planning and foster collaboration across Kansas fire departments through the creation of the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs Roundtable meetings.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that $1 million in Attraction Development Grant funding was awarded to support the development and enhancement of tourism projects across Kansas. The Kansas Tourism grant program supports projects that strengthen visitors’ experiences while driving local economic growth through job creation, private investment and increased visitation. “Investments in tourism and our state attractions have been a powerful driver in economic growth for our communities of all sizes and for all of Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By pairing state support with local commitment, we’re expanding tourism opportunities that create positive economic returns by bringing more out-of-state visitors and out-of-state dollars to Kansas.” This round of Attraction Development Grant funding will support 22 projects, including new attractions and enhancements to existing tourism assets. Collectively, recipients will invest more than $12 million in matching funds to bring the projects to life.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

The North Newton City Council decided to explore the idea of possible bicycle and e-bike regulations during its regular Monday night meeting. This matter arose at the February meeting, when Councilman Dennis Campbell brought up an e-bike accident that occurred in town. The person rode on the sidewalk on 24th Street, Campbell said. At that meeting, Campbell distributed a journal containing information about e-bike safety and cities with e-bike ordinances. This is a council-driven matter, City Administrator Brad Harris said. Mayor Ron Ratzlaff talked about information he brought, one of which was a summary of Newton’s related ordinances. Harris said staff wants to know what angle the council wants to take so they can research that particular aspect. He said he wanted to acknowledge certain classifications, with the lowest being that they require people to pedal and can’t go faster than 20 mph, regarding e-bikes.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Property owners who live outside of any city in Johnson County looking to use their property for short-term rentals will have new regulations designed to allow access to potential economic benefit while protecting quality of life for surrounding properties. The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners approved the new regulations on Thursday. The regulations apply to property owners who are hosting short-term stays of fewer than 30 nights. Before Thursday’s vote, Johnson County zoning regulations did not address short-term rentals. These new regulations can help ensure that potential hosts have a flexible and clear set of requirements to follow, while neighbors have an enforcement mechanism available if issues with a short-term rental arise. These new regulations will go into effect on April 1, in time for this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Read more: Johnson County Kansas

The proposed STAR bond incentive district for the Kansas City Chiefs’ new stadium and team headquarters, announced late last year by Kansas and team officials, covers the bulk of Wyandotte County and a large swath of Johnson County. But Shawnee, one of the Johnson County cities included in the still-unfinalized district’s boundaries, wants to exempt some areas within its city limits, perhaps for a potential STAR bond district of its own. In December, the Chiefs announced plans to build a new $3 billion domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, along with a new training facility and headquarters in Olathe, supported by Kansas Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds. While Shawnee had “limited conversations” with the Chiefs about the team moving there, they discovered they didn’t make the cut. Instead, the city was included in the Kansas Department of Commerce’s draft for its Chiefs STAR bond district, which also includes most of Olathe and Lenexa, as well as nearly all of Wyandotte County. Still, there appears to be room for negotiation.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village turned 75 years old on Feb. 19, but the city’s year-long celebration kicks off later this month. Prairie Village’s 75th anniversary celebrations begin at the end of March and continue throughout the year until the city’s birthday party in October. Other northeastern Johnson County cities, including Merriam, Fairway, Leawood and Westwood, celebrated their 75th anniversaries in the past few years. The cities of Roeland Park and Mission are also celebrating their 75th anniversaries this year. Prairie Village Councilmember Inga Selders, who is the chair of the city’s 75th Anniversary committee and a lifelong resident, said she sees this milestone as an opportunity to build community with neighbors.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Spring Hill Police, along with other departments in southern Johnson County, rolled out online logs earlier this year detailing calls for service from the previous 24 hours — completing a countywide effort to encrypt emergency radio calls that attempts to still provide near real-time information about radio traffic to the community. A 2022 federal policy requires law enforcement to encrypt their radios, with the goal of protecting personal information like Social Security numbers and health conditions. In an effort to remain transparent while still encrypting their radio channels, agencies across Johnson County began transitioning to 24-hour call-for-service logs in 2024 that anyone can view online. The Spring Hill log breaks down the responding agency, incident identification number, the time and date, the nature of the call and the location.
Read more: Johnson County Post

For William Von Steiger, the unlikely first step toward a better life began two years ago with a burning car. Von Steiger, an Overland Park veteran who served a year as an Army paralegal specialist before his discharge in 2008, started the car fire during a particularly dark time, he said. “Coupled with drug and alcohol use and not knowing how else to deal with my emotions, it just was a really rough time,” he said. “I kind of lashed out at the world.” But with the military service (he said he was honorably discharged for medical and mental health reasons), the non-violent nature of the crime and his marijuana use, Von Steiger was eligible for a special diversion court for veterans in Johnson County that has been widely praised as a way for veterans to get their lives in order. The classes, the mentors, the counseling and medical help from the Veterans Administration helped Von Steiger manage the anger, stay sober and be a better parent, he said. He was among this year’s cohort of graduates of the county’s veterans treatment court.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Wichita State University launched a new system on Thursday that’s designed to collect data from across the state and store it in one place. The Kansas Data Trust can collect information like demographics and service utilization in a secure way that can be used by public agencies, researchers and nonprofit organizations. Nigel Soria, a research manager for the project, said those details will help answer difficult questions relating to issues like homelessness and education.
Read more: KSN-TV

A large crowd turned out Thursday for Sedgwick County’s town hall meeting on data centers. The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners adopted a 90-day resolution — set to expire April 17 — to review and develop zoning regulations and pause any potential data center applications. Lori Kraus, a Colwich resident who spoke against the projects, said she wants commissioners to take constituents’ concerns seriously. “I spoke on national security,” she said. “I think it’s one topic that they did not address. Especially anyone in news, it’s very apparent that they are a soft target because the military does use these sites also, and this is a hyper-scale data center. I don’t think people realize how large this is. They have a thousand acres already leased in the Garden Plain area.”
Read more: KSN-TV

The Food Bank of Reno County celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Hutchinson on Thursday. Lance Patterson, chairman of the food bank, said the new facility is five times larger than the previous one and is designed like a grocery store. “It’s really, really cool to see how much the community rallied around this project, how much people care about our community, and how much this looks and feels like a real grocery store,” Patterson said. Each person who visits the food bank will be given a certain number of points to spend based on the size of their family. There are also some staple items like juice and produce that don’t cost any points.
Read more: KSN-TV

As data centers remain a hot topic across the state, an informational meeting in Hutchinson on Thursday aimed to calm fears over the facilities. The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event with state officials and energy and artificial intelligence companies. The speakers said they hoped to combat misinformation. They pushed for the positives, arguing that data centers drive economic growth by creating jobs and drawing business. The main concerns people express about data centers typically revolve around energy consumption, particularly the use of water.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners will pause applications for battery energy storage systems for now. During Wednesday’s meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to halt development until the county can come up with zoning regulations. The battery systems, commonly abbreviated as BESS, are used to store power when the demand is low and save it for when people need it. The county is also in the middle of deciding regulations for data centers.
Read more: KSN-TV

When Colton Glenn became Peabody fire chief at age 25, he found himself leading a department in a town where he had fire trucks race down streets as a kid. Despite seven years of firefighting experience, Glenn is one of the youngest fire chiefs leading a volunteer department in Kansas. “I never in a million years thought I’d end up becoming fire chief when I joined,” he said.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Kansas legislators’ lineup of property tax relief legislation could chip away at state and local revenue, but some see the proposals as course correction, making up for years of rising property taxes. One bill would phase out Kansans’ property taxes in favor of added sales taxes, and another would exempt seniors from paying property taxes that go toward funding school districts. But legislators, who have eagerly pursued tax relief legislation in recent years, were conflicted about the proposals. Sen. Mike Murphy, a Sylvia Republican, said Tuesday that the Legislature needs to look at property tax relief differently. Past measures haven’t made much of a dent, he said, and he often hears from constituents who are struggling to pay their property taxes.
Read more: The Lawrence Times