Municipal News & Jobs

Runners from across the country participated in the Prairie Fire Spring Races on Sunday. Since 2010, the Prairie Fire Marathon has grown into a premier running event, attracting more than 48,000 participants. Many have traveled to Wichita from all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. The Prairie Fire race series is split into two parts: spring and fall. The spring races are held on the first Sunday in May, while the fall races take place on the second Sunday in October. This year’s spring events included a half marathon, a 5K, and the “Mayor’s Friendly 5K Run.”
Source: KSN-TV

More than just a building, Park City’s new senior center is set to become a hub for connection, activity, and community for residents 55 and older. City leaders broke ground Saturday on the long-awaited 13,000-square-foot facility that promises to expand wellness, socialization, and engagement opportunities in one of the city’s fastest-growing areas. The new facility, located at 1811 Stuart Drive near Hydraulic and 61st, replaces a 4,000-square-foot building constructed in 1997. City leaders say the current center no longer meets the needs of participants or the range of activities offered.
Source: KSN-TV

Hamilton County officials are responding to a cyber incident affecting the county’s computer network, prompting an ongoing investigation and temporary service disruptions. According to a social post from the county, the issue was identified by the county’s IT vendor, who is working alongside nationally recognized cybersecurity and data forensics consultants to assess the scope of the breach and restore operations.
Source: KSN-TV

To preserve approximately $45 million in federal funding, the City of Topeka’s governing body may vote to change city code by cutting its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office and amending its policy statement. According to the preliminary meeting agenda, the city risks losing federal funding that helps provide services for homelessness, affordable housing, domestic violence and infrastructure.
Source: KSNT 27 News

One year ago today a powerful tornado tore through the town of Westmoreland. The storm leaving behind a path of destruction, and one person didn’t survive. Nearly three dozen homes in total were either damaged or destroyed. 27 News was on the grounds in the aftermath of this tornado, our crews capturing the damages firsthand. The community having to pick up the pieces, changing lives forever.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Shawnee County park officials are inviting people to give their opinions at some upcoming pop-up meetings aimed at expanding and improving local public trails. Sean Zears with Shawnee County Parks & Recreation (SCP+R) said in a press release on April 30 that locals are encouraged to take part in the Trails and Greenways Study. The SCP+R is looking to get input from locals on shaping this new master plan to prioritize trail development and pedestrian connectivity throughout the county and Topeka.
Source: KSNT 27 News

On Tuesday, voters in central Coffey County will vote on whether USD 244 Burlington will replace its existing elementary school. Voters have before them a $45 million bond to build a new elementary school building. The district says the first-grade wing was fully renovated five years ago, but the rest of the current building hasn’t had major upgrades since the 1980s — making it challenging to “support modern education.” Board member Bob Plummer: A full building-wide renovation process was considered, but the district says a project of that magnitude could meddle with learning. It also says there is no more space for expansion at the current location and parking is a “significant issue.”
Source: d2430

Public nudity – and even some nudity on private property – would be restricted under a new ordinance to be considered Tuesday by Cowley County Commissioners. The ordinance has developed quickly in recent weeks in response to a resident, in the IXL area of Ark City, who has been taking nude walks in his neighborhood for some time. The issue has drawn considerable media and social media attention.
Source: Local – Cowley Post

A 40-year-old man is recovering after being bitten in the face and leg by his two pit bulls Friday at his home in south Wichita, police spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said. The man was critically injured in the attack, which happened around 3:38 p.m. outside of his home in the 2500 block of South Mosley, which is close to Pawnee and Washington.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Graduate students at KU will present research on various city issues, including affordable housing and the land development code, at a drop-in event next week.  The students are inviting community members, elected officials and city staff to stop by the event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 8 at the Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St. The graduate students are part of KU’s urban planning and law programs. Students interviewed community members, city staff members and a new local advocacy group called the Coalition for Collaborative Governance. Students also dug through public records, news articles and research papers. 
Source: The Lawrence Times

The City of Emporia is proud to announce the launch of a new online tool designed to keep residents, businesses, and visitors informed about street closures due to construction projects and community events. The Construction and Community Event Street Closure Map is now live and available to the public at: www.emporiaks.gov/livemap. This dynamic, interactive map provides real-time updates on closures, helping users plan travel routes and stay informed about ongoing infrastructure improvements and upcoming local festivities.
Source: www.emporiagazette.com – RSS Results in news,government/*

The first of three new welcome signs into the City of Arkansas City was installed Wednesday at the south entry point along 61st Road South, near the Arkansas River. “This marks the start of a broader initiative to update and standardize signage at all major city entrances,” a press release states. “The aim is to enhance visibility, consistency, and the overall impression of the city for both visitors and residents.” The native Kansas limestone sign and was hand-engraved by Silverdale Quality Stone incorporating a key part of the city’s new logo — two rivers — reflecting Ark City’s historical and geographical heritage.
Source: www.ctnewsonline.com – RSS Results

Shawnee Mission School District officials are proposing a new building to expand and improve services for early childhood education, currently offered in the Broadmoor Center and in some elementary schools. The discussion is still in the very early stages but was mentioned at the school board meeting on Monday as part of an update on the district’s budget. If approved, the building would likely go at the site of the former Katherine Carpenter Elementary, 9700 W. 96th St., in Overland Park, which is being demolished.
Source: Johnson County Post

With little fanfare, the Shawnee Mission school board wrapped up a year-long study on donations by giving its final approval to a policy regulating when and how private money can be accepted to fund school staff positions. The board voted unanimously Monday to approve the policy and accept a few minor edits of the first draft that was introduced two weeks ago. Board members asked some clarifying questions but did not discuss the policy at length.
Source: Johnson County Post

A piece of McPherson’s firefighting history has come home. The McPherson Fire Department has recovered its 1949 Seagrave Fire Engine, a truck that served the community from 1949 to 1975. After nearly 50 years away, the vintage vehicle was delivered back to town Tuesday morning, arriving just before noon and now housed behind Fire Station No. 2.
Source: 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.

Elected officials with Wichita and Sedgwick County want to speed up the process of getting $15.5 million in opioid settlement dollars into the community. The city and county decided in 2023 to pool their funds after they signed on to a national settlement agreement with opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid crisis. But that money has largely been sitting untouched as the governments waited for guidance on how to spend it from a local needs assessment and strategic plan that were completed earlier this year.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

The city of Merriam is officially moving to a single trash hauler for all residents. The Merriam City Council on Monday voted 6-0 to approve a single waste hauler ordinance, which means all Merriam residents will be on a citywide contract with a single trash hauler.
Source: Johnson County Post

Service providers and housing officials gathered Thursday to launch their first day of a their functional zero campaign, an effort to ensure that there are more people staying housed across the state than falling into homelessness. Planning bodies for each region, called continuums of care, participated in a homelessness summit in Topeka to mark Kansas becoming a Built for Zero state. The zero each region will be pursuing is functional zero, a milestone used to gauge how well a community is dealing with homelessness.
Source: KLC Journal

A research study conducted by Downtown Wichita suggests that the number of housing units in the downtown area may need to double over the next five years to keep up with demand. Construction continues on Wichita State University’s Biomedical Campus, which is expected to bring roughly 3,000 students and 200 staff members to the downtown area by spring 2027. Heather Schroeder, the executive director of Downtown Wichita, said the development serves as a strong selling point to attract developers to build in the area. Wu said that more retail stores, possibly even a grocery store, may be possible if the downtown population continues to increase.
Source: KSN-TV