Municipal News & Jobs

Sedgwick City Administrator Kyle Nordick proposed using a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) for new housing on South Commercial to the USD-440 Board of Education members Monday evening. Nordick said that an RHID is used to stimulate the construction or rehabilitation of housing in communities where there is a lack of quality housing options. He said it can make it more financially viable for developers to build new houses in areas where cost burdens may present a barrier to entry. In short, what an RHID would do is allow the property taxes from new housing to be used to pay for the special assessments for the new development.
Read more: Harvey County Now

After years of deliberations, work sessions, presentations and indecision, Leawood city councilmembers finally arrived at a consensus on what a future park should look like on the grounds of its original city hall and fire station. Their decision: The fire station will stay, but the old city hall will be demolished, despite some citizen-led efforts to save it. Their vision supports renovation of the fire station with an eye toward creating a future meeting and gathering space. A green space on the site would include play areas and perhaps a demonstration garden.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Overland Park officially opened its 84th city park this week, nodding to the city’s longtime connection to its sister city, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany. On Monday, Overland Park, joined by officials from Bietigheim-Bissingen, dedicated the park, formally opening it for the community. They also sealed a time capsule filled with items representing the connection between the two cities, which is scheduled to be reopened in 25 years. Dozens of people attended the ceremony, and several children took advantage of the brand new playground throughout the festivities.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Shawnee’s governing body is looking into new safety regulations for motorized scooters in the city. On Sept. 22, the Shawnee Council Committee updating the city’s Municipal Code to include regulations for motorized scooters within the city limits, including new helmet requirements and providing more education for younger riders. The discussion comes as other cities in Johnson County, like Prairie Village and Fairway, discussed restrictions on motorized bikes and scooters, as well as shopping centers in Prairie Village and other parts of Johnson County cracking down on them.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Two of Kansas’ top law enforcement officials talked about recent marijuana raids across the state. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi held a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 1 on recent KBI investigations into illegal THC and marijuana products. Kobach said that KBI agents, alongside local law enforcement agencies, conducted 10 raids across the state at businesses, like CBD dispensaries and vape shops, that were allegedly selling illegal THC or marijuana products on Oct. 1.
Read more: KSN-TV

Dodge City police say they are adding a new tool to help fight crime in the community. The department has announced the installation of Flock camera systems. The cameras are capable of reading license plates and recording the make, model, and color of a vehicle. That data is then compared against law enforcement databases to identify stolen vehicles, wanted persons, Amber Alerts, and missing persons. According to the company, Flock license plate camera systems are in use by over 4,800 law enforcement agencies in 49 states.
Read more: KSN-TV

People in Emporia will soon be able to enjoy the benefits of having a local ice rink in the city. A new holiday attraction is set to open in downtown Emporia later this year in time for the winter season. The ice rink, named the ESB Financial Holiday Plaza, comes courtesy of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Visit Emporia.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Arkansas City Public Schools says its new phone policy is already paying off, with administrators, teachers and students reporting calmer classrooms, stronger connections and more focused learning. The “Disconnect to Reconnect” initiative, launched in August, requires students to secure their phones in Yondr pouches during the school day. High school principal Ryan Taylor said the change has created “livelier” classrooms and boosted morale among staff.
Read more: Local Archives – Cowley Post

Tom Roush spoke about his 37 years as an Iola police officer, including a lengthy stint as community resource officer. Roush retired Sunday. It was a match made in heaven. The term community policing, where law enforcement organizations work in league with community groups and citizens to provide safety and security, was taking root in the early 1990s, just as Tom Roush was finding his niche with the Iola Police Department. It wasn’t long after he started with the IPD that Roush agreed to take on the role of community resource officer.
Read more: The Iola Register

Douglas County commissioners have requested that staff complete more research over the next month or two toward implementing tenant right to counsel, though dozens of advocates called for a vote to launch a program this month. The city and county strategic plan to end chronic homelessness, approved in March 2024, includes a goal of establishing “the tenant’s right to legal representation in Douglas County.”
Read more: The Lawrence Times

The City of Salina is proud to announce that Lauren Driscoll, AICP, Director of Community and Development Services, has been elected President-Elect of the American Planning Association (APA), the nation’s leading organization for professional planners with nearly 40,000 members. Driscoll has served Salina since 2017, leading a department responsible for planning, housing, building services, property maintenance, and civil rights enforcement.
Read more: City of Salina

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 HEAL grant program helps communities revitalize downtown buildings as spaces for new or expanding businesses, housing, arts and culture, civic engagement, childcare or entrepreneurial activities. Submitted projects must show potential to become economic drivers in the community and demonstrate that the space will be occupied by the end of the project. There must be proof of 1:1 matching funds from the building owner that will be required at the time of application.
Read more: Kansas Department of 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 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.

In the “breadbasket of America,” the grocery store shelves in Moran will now sit bare. With the closing of Marmaton Market, the town’s only grocery store, residents are left without a place to buy fresh milk, vegetables, or meat — a stark irony in a state that feeds much of the world. The loss pushes the Moran community closer to what experts call a food desert, where access to healthy, affordable food is measured not in minutes but in miles. Food deserts are low-income areas where residents have limited access to supermarkets — defined by the USDA as more than one mile away in urban areas or over 10 miles in rural regions. The Mildred Store, about eight miles north of Moran, is now Moran’s closest source of fresh foods. About 19 million Americans, roughly 6% of the U.S. population, live in food deserts.
Read more: The Iola Register

Danny McKarnin, who has worked in the City of Iola’s power plant for 30 of his 34 years as a city employee, appreciates the knowledge he’s gained through the years. McKarnin, 62, retired earlier this month. If there’s one thing Danny McKarnin learned as a longtime City of Iola employee, it’s that he couldn’t help but learn something new every day. “I think anybody out there would agree with me,” McKarnin said. “You learn something new every day. There are so many variations of what you might be working on. And that’s what I liked most about it,” he continued. “There was something different every day.” McKarnin, 62, retired Sept. 19 after a 34-year career with the city, the last 30 as a power plant technician.
Read more: The Iola Register

Shopping carts of belongings abandoned on the street. Tents pitched on trails and in tunnels. Liquor bottles left on park tables. More people facing homelessness are coming to Manhattan, some local officials say, but when they get here they may face higher housing costs and find that they don’t qualify for services. That can leave already desperate folks with even fewer choices. When people can’t find housing, many turn to public spaces, which creates additional challenges for local businesses.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

The Buhler Frolic is an annual event where people make good memories each year, and the community comes together. At the Buhler Frolic, the weather was perfect, and a pleasant atmosphere and laughter prevailed. The day kicked off with a pancake feed breakfast. Then, a bit later, there was the parade down Main Street—the parade along with the middle school and high school bands. The firefighters and police also participated in the parade. Many other businesses also participated in the parade.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio | Your Hometown Radio Stations & Local News Source

Leavenworth officials aren’t backing down from holding private prison company CoreCivic accountable to development regulations even after the U.S. Department of Justice jumped into the case Tuesday. The DOJ filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court case between Nashville-based CoreCivic and Leavenworth, arguing the city was violating the supremacy clause in the U.S. Constitution. “The federal government’s filing does not change our view of the case or the approach we plan to take,” said W. Joseph Hatley, a Kansas City, Missouri, attorney representing the city of Leavenworth. “The arguments in that filing mirror arguments CoreCivic has previously made, without success.”
Read more: Butler County Times-Gazette