Municipal News & Jobs

They fly quietly at night, scouring the countryside for insects on which to feed, surrounded by an aura of mystique and possibly fear. They cannot see very well, if at all, and are marvels of the natural world for using echolocation to navigate. They are the bats of Kansas.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Rural neighbors of a massive warehouse project near 199th Street and Gardner Road have lost a court case that sought to declare the city of Edgerton’s 2020 annexation of more than 600 acres near their homes illegal under Kansas’ “narrow corridor” law. Johnson County District Court Judge David Hauber issued a ruling Wednesday in favor of the city of Edgerton, delivering a disappointment to neighbors who have been fighting the NorthPoint warehouse development for five and a half years.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Republic County Commissioners voted unanimously to place a ballot measure before voters on November 4th, asking approval of up to $17.86 million in revenue bonds for a new Public Safety Building. The measure will give residents a straightforward choice: “yes” or “no.” While county leaders have yet to disclose the exact location or full funding plan for the proposed jail facility, officials had initially suggested more details might be available this week. The ballot question references a charter resolution authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds to finance the construction and equipping of a county public safety and law enforcement facility.
Read more: KCLY Radio

The USD 379 school board is nearing a request for public feedback on an upcoming tax-neutral bond issue. The current six-mill bond levy is scheduled to expire in September of 2026. USD 379 will hold a bond election in March of 2026 to ask voters to renew the tax-neutral six mill bond levy, and they are considering two options: a deferred maintenance-only bond or a consolidation bond. Due to the significant decline in enrollment and its projected continuation, the district is investigating ways to reduce its footprint through the consolidation of buildings in Clay Center. 
Read more: KCLY Radio

Voters in Prairie Village, Kansas, will be faced with an unusual question on their ballots in about three months: Shall the city abandon the mayor-council form of government? We’ll hear about how a fight over zoning and housing wound up in a legal battle over the city government’s structure itself. Even if voters agree to “abandon” the current structure this November, though, there’s no plan for replacing it with a different model.
Read more: News

Erica Schlender reveres this ground, homesteaded by her great-great-grandfather, where he put down roots that continue to anchor her.  She thinks of the effort that each generation of her family poured into this soil near Moundridge, raising crops and children and tending it not just for the moment but for the future. And she thinks about the house she wants to build here and the children she wants to raise here, while continuing the farm for generations. Schlender is reflective of a trend that emerged in the most recent Census of Agriculture in Kansas: a growing number of young farmers and women in agriculture. There were more than 34,000 female producers in Kansas in 2022, up nearly 2,000 over 2017.
Read more: KLC Journal

Erie Market in Erie, Kansas will close by August’s end when River Grocery LLC’s lease expires, leaving residents without local grocery access.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The Parsons Police Department and the Labette Community College Foundation have partnered to establish the Parsons Police Legacy in Leadership Scholarship, an endowment that will help local students pursue careers in law enforcement, criminal justice, or civic leadership.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

Firefighters traded their gear for purrs and whiskers Monday as they teamed up with Pawsprints of the Heartland to help promote cat adoptions. Instead of responding to a fire call, members of the fire department posed with adult cats in need of homes.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

Finney County has hired Derek Ramos as its next county administrator after a nationwide search. Ramos is currently the assistant city manager in Garden City and has more than 17 years of experience in government, education, construction management, and financial advising. He also served nearly a decade as dean of facilities management at Garden City Community College.
Read more: KSN-TV

Wichita Park & Recreation is finding creative ways to conserve water during ongoing drought conditions. This week, the department announced that its Aquatics, Park Maintenance, and Golf divisions are teaming up to reuse water from Aley and McAfee Pools. Instead of sending the water down the drain, the Park Maintenance team is pumping it out and transporting it to ponds at MacDonald Golf Course.
Read more: KSN-TV

Voters will decide this fall whether to approve nearly $28 million in school improvements that would bring all Oakley students under one roof. The $27,995,000 proposal would expand the high school into a single PreK–12 campus and demolish the district’s elementary and middle schools. Julie Crum, USD 274 Superintendent, said the work is badly needed.
Read more: KSN-TV

An opening date has been set for the new gambling and entertainment center that will occupy the former Wichita Greyhound Park. The property, initially known as the Golden Circle historic horse racing facility, is now being called Gilley’s and is scheduled to open on Dec. 15. Developed by Wichita businessman Phil Ruffin, the facility will feature approximately 1,000 historic horse racing machines.
Read more: KSN-TV

Construction begins on a key Pittsburg waste treatment facility set to bring the old building up to code. Experts say these kinds of facilities take sewage from homes and businesses and remove the harmful chemicals found in them like nitrogen and phosphorus and then pump the water back out into the environment, strengthening local ecosystems and making the water consumable for the citizens of the community.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Ashland and Bucklin nearly missed the kickoff for the 2025 football season, if not for a few last-minute changes. The schools realized, after declaring themselves as eight-man teams to the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) two years ago, that they didn’t have the athletes to fill their rosters. The Friday night lights for these towns will look different this year, since the solution to their problem incurred some penalties.
Read more: KSN-TV

A new study is shedding light on the challenges that rural counties face when managing clean energy projects like wind farms. The Kansas Health Institute is a non-profit organization that provides research for policy makers here in Kansas. They’ve concluded that when it comes to managing wind energy projects, rural county governments in Kansas could benefit from more information and resources from the state.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

As you have already heard, unemployment continues to rise for both Emporia and Lyon County as a whole and local leaders and experts have the answers as to what is causing the increase; however, when it comes to what will halt it, that’s a bit trickier to say. As KVOE News reported recently, Emporia’s unemployment rate remains the highest in the state for the second consecutive month, going from 5.8 to 6.5 percent between July and June. Meanwhile, the county’s unemployment rate is currently tied for third third-highest in the state at an even 6 percent — nearing levels last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more: d2430

With a population of only 52, the town of Elsmore may be small, but its residents are determined to keep their community thriving. Thrive Allen County hosted a Community Conversation Tuesday evening, where locals reflected on what makes their town special and where improvements could be made. The discussion centered on three questions: What gives you pride in your community? What opportunities are missing? And where are the barriers or needs for growth?
Read more: The Iola Register

Blue Rapids is preparing the footings for a new home, and city officials are excited. On Wednesday, Aug. 13, Blue Rapids City Council and city staff gathered to announce the groundbreaking for a new three-bedroom home at 904 Main St. Next spring, they aim to have it completed. If a buyer steps up sooner, they’ll hand the construction project over for the homeowner to finish.
Read more: www.marysvilleonline.net – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article

The large solar farm planned for north of Clifton has been put on hold. Local rumors of the situation were confirmed by a spokesperson for NextEra Energy Resources on Tuesday. Laura Gies, who works in communications for NextEra, said “Further development of the Eagle Road energy project in Washington County has been paused.”
Read more: Backroads News | Washington County News