Municipal News & Jobs

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 small Kansas towns like Burrton, volunteer departments are often the closest option for people in danger.
Read more: KSN-TV

If Wichita voters approve a 1% city sales tax in March, groceries won’t be exempt. Some supporters of the ballot initiative have pitched excluding transactions on food items from the $850 million plan as a way of reducing its burden on lower-income Wichitans.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen pressed the Kansas Legislature on Tuesday to expand funding for specialty courts tailored to special challenges of defendants and asked lawmakers to collaborate on solutions to the shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas. Rosen, delivering his first State of the Judiciary speech to a joint session of the Legislature, said the state must continue to move forward with initiatives to enhance access to justice, build public confidence in the judiciary and improve efficiency of state court operations. Rosen, with a father and father-in-law who worked at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, said he had a front-row seat in his youth to the Menninger staff’s transformational work on an integrated, multidisciplinary model of treating people with mental illness. As a Shawnee County District Court judge, he became acutely aware of how individuals with mental health conditions or substance abuse disorders too often cycled through courthouses.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

A new initiative announced by the Kansas Department of Commerce could open up possibilities for repurposing vacant and underutilized buildings in Lyon County into new housing. Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced Monday that the Department of Commerce is launching an initiative to identify vacant, abandoned, or underutilized buildings suitable for redevelopment into housing units. Local leaders, community organizations, and property owners are encouraged to submit information about buildings in their area that could be considered for conversion.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

Tumbleweeds have taken over the High Plains. They thrive so well that they are part of the culture of the West. But this ample supply of blowing weeds can hurt farm yields, wreak havoc on neighborhoods and cause fire dangers. A minor but significant character in old western movies: the tumbleweed. In the midst of the gunslinging, often a lonely tumbleweed will roll across the screen. Today, if you drive across western Kansas on a windy day, you will often see not a lonely tumbleweed, but a swarm of them crossing the highway or congregating along a fence by the road. In western Kansas, it comes with the territory. In fact, ask people in town and they will tell stories with annoyance or amazement of tumbleweeds blocking their driveways or stacked against their homes. People in urban areas may be surprised by just how prominent this plant is on the frontier today. But it wasn’t always like that. In fact, tumbleweeds are a relatively new phenomenon on the Plains where they have claimed a new home. They weren’t even established in the U.S. in the early days of the cowboy.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

The newest Harvey County Drug Court graduate, Zack Walters, has been sober since April 19, 2024 (625 days and counting), which is his longest streak since he started smoking marijuana as a teenager. The county began drug court in October of 2021 as a way to reduce recidivism and celebrated its first graduate in March of 2023. The program takes 12 to 18 months to complete. Walters’s story is slightly different because he went from the county jail to county employee.
Read more: Harvey County Now

While the Kansas City Chiefs’ plan to move its headquarters and training facility to Olathe has been in the works behind closed doors for years, the news came as a surprise to many Johnson County residents when the NFL team announced it at the end of December. Earlier this month, the Post published an informal survey asking readers how they felt about the Chiefs’ decision to move their operations across state lines. The survey asked a question for Olathe residents specifically, about how they feel about potentially hosting the team’s new headquarters and training facility. While not scientific, the survey’s results give insight into how Johnson County residents are feeling about the deal in its early stages — the main question being: do the benefits of the project outweigh the cost?
Read more: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village helped its Ukrainian sister city purchase four drones, medicine and bed linens in 2025. Last spring, the Prairie Village City Council approved a nearly $23,000 donation to its sister city Dolyna for the purpose of “humanitarian goods.” Dolyna is in the western part of Ukraine in the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, or district. In late December 2025, Dolyna Mayor Ivan Dyriv sent an itemized list of the goods purchased with that donation — and thanked the city for its help.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village’s residential grant and property tax rebate programs are back in 2026 — all with more funding. Last month, the Prairie Village City Council approved updates to its exterior grant, residential sustainability grant and property tax rebate programs. Here’s a look at how to find out if you qualify for any of the programs and, if so, how to apply.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The proposed Hope Ridge Wind Farm in northeast Dickinson County remains on hold after plaintiffs filed an appeal in their lawsuit challenging the project’s approval. The appeal follows a lower court ruling that upheld the county’s decision to grant Enel Green Power a Conditional Use Permit for the wind farm, which would involve about 150 landowners and span more than 50,000 acres. Opponents argue the county’s approval was unreasonable and failed to meet zoning requirements, claims rejected by Judge Lee Fowler of the Fifth District Court, who ruled the process was transparent, lawful, and supported by substantial public input.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Officials in Clay County, Missouri, and in the Kansas legislature have expressed that they are no longer interested in talks with the Royals on a new stadium deal. Is the team starting to run out of options — and will downtown Kansas City win out by default?
Read more: KCUR

Kansas lawmakers are expected to introduce new legislation Wednesday, aimed at regulating electric scooters across the state. A move that follows the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy in Johnson County late last year. The bill comes just months after Duke Ommert, a fourth grader, was killed while riding an e-scooter in his Leawood neighborhood. In the weeks and months that followed, several municipalities moved quickly to tighten restrictions on e-scooters.
Read more: KSN-TV

A debate is underway in Barber County over whether to bring a Google data center to the area. On Monday, county commissioners heard from company representatives, the first time they appeared before the community, and a local resident opposing the proposal. Commissioners asked Google and Fino Advisors — a company helping to develop the plan on the ground — about potential costs and benefits to the land and residents of Barber County. They said the project could bring additional revenue to the area.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Hutchinson has hired Scott Cooley as its new downtown revitalization manager. This role focuses on reviving the city’s downtown area through business support, redevelopment and the city’s Kansas Main Street program, which helps cities revitalize and preserve their downtowns. Cooley is basing his work on the 2024 master plan, which highlights housing, retail and dining as key priorities.
Read more: KSN-TV

Kansas lawmakers are officially back in Topeka for a new legislative session, and they’ve got a calendar full of pressing issues they plan to address. The 2026 legislative session kicked off at the Kansas Capitol Building on Jan. 12. Both the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives convened for the first time, and lawmakers were welcomed back into the statehouse. “In many regards, it’s kind of like the first day of school after you’ve been gone for the entire summer,” said Kansas Senator Patrick Schmidt. However, for the rest of the week, lawmakers have a full list of hearings.
Read more: KSN-TV

Under the leadership of Fire Chief Chad Longstaff, the Topeka Fire Department is strengthening its connection with the community. On Jan. 6, Topeka Fire Station 4 opened its doors to neighbors, inviting residents inside for an open house. Community members received a firsthand look at where firefighters eat, work, and sleep during their 24-hour shifts, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into daily life at the station. Station 4 Chief Josh Domann said the event was about more than just a tour; it was about building relationships.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

As Marion looks into privatizing trash service, questions remain. Nisly Brothers Inc. of Hutchinson, the trash contractor for Peabody and several other communities in Harvey County and others, approached Marion officials about privatizing a few weeks ago. Hillsboro and Marion hand trash pickups themselves.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

City Attorney Blaine Finch was appointed interim city manager by the Ottawa commission, following Brian Silcott’s notice leaving the position. Finch has been a former city commissioner, worked as an attorney at the city and in many roles of the Kansas Legislature. He has worked at the Kansas Legislature and the city for over a decade. The vote was unanimous for Finch, with Commissioner Allen absent from the meeting.
Read more: The Ottawa Herald

Data centers are anticipated to expand in the region since the state approved sales-tax exemptions and other incentives to attract large-scale data centers to Kansas last year. Sedgwick County commissioners approved a moratorium to halt new data center applications for zoning or construction permits in unincorporated parts of the county through April 17. The Harvey County Commission this week also approved a pause on data center development, but its moratorium is scheduled through the end of 2028 for unincorporated parts of the county.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

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.

Here’s how affordable housing grants currently work in Lawrence, in a nutshell: In the fall, developers say what projects they want to build. The city picks some it wants to fund. And it gives them sales tax money in the form of a grant. It’s a familiar process for the city and its Affordable Housing Advisory Board. But, as AHAB member Monte Soukup admits, “if we want to try to incentivize or get specific projects, then this process doesn’t really do a great job.” But what if AHAB could say what kind of housing it wanted and tell developers, “Bring me a project”? What if, instead of a grant, it could give a developer a low-interest loan that could recharge the trust fund as it gets repaid? And what if developers didn’t have to wait until the fall to apply?
Read more: LJWorld

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.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced a new round of Supporting Innovative Growth through New Signage (SIGNS) grant opportunities, building on the program’s inaugural year in 2025 with several updates designed to further increase foot traffic, strengthen business visibility, and drive sales in downtown commercial districts. “Prominent and visually pleasing signage can have dramatic impact — helping people notice a business and get new customers through the door to make a purchase,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By re-establishing the SIGNS program, we’re doubling down on design quality, supporting local artists and driving further economic growth in small businesses throughout our downtown communities.” The SIGNS program is designed to support communities by upgrading storefronts for multiple businesses at once, recognizing that clear, attractive and strategically designed signage plays a critical role in helping customers spend more money locally.
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

As Kansas City prepares for the massive influx of visitors expected during the upcoming World Cup, leaders in Wyandotte County are considering temporary changes that could significantly impact short term rentals. On Monday, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County unveiled a proposal that would allow homeowners in Kansas City, Kansas, to rent rooms or entire homes for a limited time surrounding World Cup events. The plan is designed to give residents more flexibility while addressing the surge in demand for lodging tied to the international tournament.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

Lawrence city commissioners discussed City Hall security measures for about 15 minutes during a closed-door executive session Tuesday evening. While we don’t know the exact details of the conversation, safety and security are top priorities as City Hall prepares to reopen. The Mayor of Lawrence, Brad Finkeldei, opened the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting by addressing the incident Monday morning at City Hall that resulted in the deadly shooting of an intruder. “We are committed to supporting Team Lawrence as they take the time they need as operations return thoughtfully and safely,” Mayor Finkeldei said. “I also want to reassure the community that City Hall is safe and we continue to work closely with our professional staff to ensure our public buildings remain secure, welcoming places.”
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

For many years, Jackson County road and bridge crews have maintained an estimated 50 miles of roads on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation on behalf of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and county commissioners are now seeking reimbursement for that work. Since 2008, the county has spent an estimated $3,657,626.52 on labor, materials and equipment to maintain those roads, according to Scott Kieffaber, county public works director. Kieffaber recently presented county commissioners with a list of road work and repairs completed on those roads since 2008, along with their associated costs. While working with BIA officials to identify which bridges in the county were being maintained by the Tribe, Kieffaber received a map from the BIA showing which roads within the reservation boundaries were designated as BIA routes and which were county routes. After reviewing the map, Kieffaber determined that about 50 miles of BIA routes were being maintained by the county’s road and bridge department.
Read more: Holton Recorder

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced on Dec. 22 that the Kansas City Chiefs are hopping the state line to build a new stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and that Olathe will be the home of the NFL team’s new headquarters and training facility. Despite the big announcement, the deal for the $3 billion project isn’t finalized, and specifics of the deal remain largely under wraps. At least $1.8 billion in sales tax revenue raised by state-backed STAR bonds — a financing tool that uses sales tax revenues generated by a project to pay for developments — will help pay for the stadium in KCK. STAR bonds are also set to pay for up to $975 million more in costs related to the team HQ in Olathe and a surrounding mixed-use district that’s being promised as part of that. Despite the celebration last month on the part of state, local and team officials when the deal was unveiled in Topeka, some big votes remain for local governments, including in Wyandotte County and Olathe, where the new facilities are slated to go.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Johnson County officials are threatening legal action against a Prairie Village man, saying he reneged on a credit card payment used to secure a hand recount of a much-discussed ballot question to “abandon” city government last November. In a Jan. 8 letter obtained by the Post, Peggy Trent, the county’s chief counsel, told John Cantrell, the Prairie Village resident who requested the recount, that he must repay the county $4,828.46 for the cost of the recount by February 6. If he doesn’t pay by then, Trent warned the county “may pursue any or all legal remedies available.” In the letter, Trent said that after the recount was completed in November, Cantrell reversed his credit card authorization to pay for the recount “without any legal basis to do so.”
Read more: Johnson County Post

The Prairiefire project in Overland Park defaulted on bonds meant to be repaid through a CID. Two years ago, it defaulted on a tranche of STAR bonds, too.
Read more: Kansas City Business Journals

The City of Hays is in the running for the 2025 Community of the Year Award from Community Playmaker. The city is one of three finalists for the annual award from the publication marketed to city and county governments. The other finalists are Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Monessen, Pennsylvania. In Community Playmaker’s announcement, it cited Hays’ recent investments in a new multimillion-dollar high school, partnerships with Fort Hays State University and local businesses, the Accessible Recreation Complex, the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center, along with community events like the Wild West Festival and Oktoberfest as among the reasons the city was singled out for recognition.
Read more: KSN-TV

In an era of ever-increasing cost of living, the Kansas Legislature is focusing on property tax relief in the upcoming session on Monday. One constitutional amendment in particular will be up for discussion. The Cap Assessed Value Protection Amendment Bill affects the assessed value of your home. Assessed value is what property taxes are based on. If the bill passes, that value would not be allowed to increase more than 3% each year. Assessed value is not the same as appraised value. Appraised value is a fair market share set by a county appraiser. Around 11% of that number is assessed value.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Arkansas City has reorganized its Neighborhood Services Division to form a new Community Development Division, bringing all development-related services under one coordinated team. “This reorganization allows the City to better align planning, development and enforcement functions under one division,” said Shana Adkisson, city spokesperson. “By coordinating these services, we can improve efficiency, provide clearer guidance for residents and developers, and better support long-term growth and neighborhood revitalization.” The new division aligns planning and zoning, permitting, building inspections and code enforcement, supporting the City’s Comprehensive Plan and City Commission goals.
Read more: Cowley Post

One of the first things South Hutchinson City Administrator Jeff Schenk pursued when he took the position more than two years ago was rebranding the city’s image. “I want us to be a good neighbor, and it took a while for everyone to get on board with the rebranding,” Schenk said. “But now it’s starting to pay off.” The good neighbor mantra isn’t just new logos on the city’s website and other materials, it’s the overriding philosophy when it comes to not just how the city provides services to its residents but to its relationships with other Reno County governing bodies and how it works with existing businesses and to bring new businesses into the city, he said.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

A new program aimed at recruiting remote workers to the Manhattan area experienced positive early results, local officials said Thursday. Representatives from the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and Riley County Planning and Development updated the Riley County commission Thursday on efforts of MakeMyMove, a relocation incentive program that is also part of the state’s Home in the Heartland Initiative.
Read more: themercury.com

The Kansas City Chiefs’ plan to build a new domed stadium on the Kansas side, along with a new training facility and headquarters in Olathe, would be supported by a special incentive package for entertainment and tourism draws. Called STAR bonds, for Kansas Sales Tax and Revenue bonds, this type of incentive involves issuing bond debt to cover part of a project’s price tag that is then paid back over a set period of time using sales tax revenues generated by retail and dining sales within a project’s defined boundaries. State and team officials last month unveiled a deal that would have public dollars account for up to 60% of the cost of a new Chiefs stadium and team facility in Kansas, with the team picking up the other 40%. The STAR bond package shaping up for the Chiefs’ project is different and much larger in size, scope and total projected dollar amount than the typical STAR bond deal. Still, Johnson County has experience with these incentives: there are already three such active STAR bond districts in the county — two in Overland Park and one in the works also in Olathe.
Read more: Johnson County Post

… a county may not implement a tax rebate program unless it is authorized by, and complies with, a state statutory scheme. Harper County instituted the Ad Valorem Rebate Program to offer tax rebates from county ad valorem property taxes to program participants. … for the Rebate Program to be valid, it must be based on, and comply with, a state statutory tax rebate scheme.
Read more: Kansas Attorney General Opinions

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.

How dry has it been in Crawford County since early October? Very, very dry. In fact, according to the National Weather Service’s weather data at Atkinson Municipal Airport outside of Pittsburg, since Oct. 1, the airport area has received just two-hundredths of an inch, with that two-hundredth of an inch falling early Monday morning. Add wind speeds approaching 15 miles per hour throughout the past several weeks, and you get a very high risk of fire, which has prompted a burn ban. Burn bans have been issued nine times over the past two months. A new one was issued Monday morning by Crawford County Emergency Management. It is in effect until early Tuesday morning.
Read more: – Morning Sun

That school bus drivers are in short supply is not news. Districts across the U.S. have been struggling to fill vacant positions for a long time. But in Pittsburg’s USD 250, the situation is getting critical.
Read more: – Latest Stories

The director of the Riley County Police Department says he rejects any suggestions that local police are siding with federal immigration enforcement or pushing back against it. “We don’t actively participate in immigration detention, but we do follow the law,” Brian Peete said. Peete joined Within Reason with Mike Matson Friday on News Radio KMAN, responding to controversy involving Manhattan Municipal Court Judge Sarah Barr, who reportedly asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to leave her courtroom Dec. 4. They were waiting to arrest a woman appearing on DUI and hit-and-run charges.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

As freshmen legislators last year, Rep. Allen Reavis and Rep. Lon Pishny began having conversations about the unspoken impact state laws and regulations have on city and county governments. Bills were being debated, Reavis said, “and it just felt like the effect it would have on local government wasn’t being fully measured.” “If you’re a legislator who lives in a large city, you may not have the understanding of what happens in a small town with that same legislation,” he added.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

City officials in Allen have approved a reduction in the city’s ad valorem tax rate and plan to issue rebates to residents after sharp fluctuations in property valuations led to unexpected increases in some property tax bills this year, according to Allen City Clerk Cary Miles. Miles said the city noticed property tax increases that ranged widely — some seeing increases of more than 25%, while others experienced little change or even decreases. The variations stemmed largely from shifts in property valuations conducted by the county appraiser, combined with budgeting decisions made before the full impact of those valuation changes was known.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com *

Garden City has a new, advanced tornado siren. Mike Muirhead, Garden City Public Works and Utilities Director, said the city’s newest emergency siren, installed at 300 Jennie Barker Rd., is more advanced than the city’s 22 other emergency sirens. “Some of them were manufactured in the 1950s and the 1960s,” he said. Each year they try to replace one of the old sirens, and every year when they replace a siren, there’s a newer style that comes out, Muirhead said. Some of the newer styles now have voice activated sirens or warning devices with pre-recorded messages that can be broadcast, Muirhead said.
Read more: Garden City Telegram