Municipal News & Jobs

Allen County is one of six counties across Kansas and Missouri that will participate in a Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative over the next 18 months in an effort to draw tech and innovation employers to the region. One of her biggest challenges as economic development director for Iola and Allen County is for Camille Lavon to operate proactively, and not reactively. A new initiative may change that. Allen County has been tapped as one of six rural counties across Kansas and Missouri to participate in the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative. The 18-month program, coordinated by the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), is designed to help rural communities in Kansas and western Missouri accelerate their technology and innovation economies.
Read more: The Iola Register

The Wichita City Council has moved a step closer to naming its next city manager — and the recommendation is a familiar name in Manhattan. Following an executive session Tuesday, the council voted 5-2 to enter contract negotiations with former Manhattan Assistant City Manager Dennis Marstall. Council members Mike Hoheisel and Brandon Johnson voted no. If negotiations are successful, the city council expects to take a final vote on an employment agreement at its Dec. 2 meeting.
Read more: themercury.com

Pennies — or rather the lack of them — were a topic of discussion at Monday’s Pottawatomie County Commission meeting. Country Treasurer Lisa Wright was before the commission to update them on her department. One topic she brought forward was the mint discontinuing printing pennies. She said it creates an issue for the Treasurer’s Department in making change because counties, including Pottawatomie, will no longer be able to receive pennies. Fees within the counties will all be affected. Rounding down would cause issues with balances, so as a solution Wright asked the commission to approve the idea of rounding up to the nearest five cent increment. Four pennies will be the highest increase that should occur, and this will only apply to cash payments.
Read more: themercury.com

KDOT has agreed to undertake an updated feasibility study for the project which towns like Goddard and Maize said would be a game changer for them. The project has been discussed off and on since the early 2000s, and nearly 40% of highway rights of way have been purchased, mostly near Maize and Goddard.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

The commissioner explained that there are definitions for dangerous animals and dogs, dogs with a known propensity to attack, cause injury, are vicious, have threatening behaviors on streets or are bred primarily for the purpose of attacking or to bite a domestic animal or human. “Then they just throw in Pit Bulls as though by definition a Pit Bull is going to be threatening and attacking.”
Read more: Hays Daily News

The city commission decided to have the vote in a special election on Feb. 24, 2026. This comes after a petition ordinance was certified to repeal the current ban, which is often referred to as BSL, or breed specific legislation, on pit bull-type dogs.
Read more: Salina 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.

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 mayor, Jenny Landers, worked at the helium plant for five years. More than 30 balloons will take flight Thursday morning filled with helium from Kansas. The Otis plant has supplied the helium for more than 30 years, plant officials say.
Read more at: Wichita Eagle

In addition to its previously scheduled workshop on Tuesday, the council will hold a public hearing and a vote on the city manager.
Read more: KSN-TV

Working in teams, volunteers went door to door to offer residents of prefabricated homes smoke alarm testing, replacement and installation — free of charge.
Read more: KSN-TV

Some of the plan’s key recommendations include increasing the frequency of bus service along key routes, including Metcalf Avenue, as well as scaling back the geographic area covered by the ride-hailing microtransit service, which has seen a decline in users. Other notable changes include an eventual reinstatement of fares for fixed bus routes — part of a broader return to fares in public transit across the Kansas City region — and a rebranding of Johnson County public transit to “Ride JoCo.”
Read more: Johnson County Post

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 technology works by identifying the spoken language and providing immediate translation. In a demonstration, the AI translated one person’s Spanish message to English for the officer. The officer’s response was then translated back to Spanish.
Read more: KWCH

After a little under a year since its launch, the first 10 City Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) homes are being built. Introduced by Kim Froman, director of Housing and Community Development, the program encourages developers to build specifically for middle- and low-income residents by offsetting construction costs. “The lack of affordable housing in Pittsburg is restricting growth and the ability to support workforce demands,” Froman told the city commission last December, saying that high material costs, delivery delays, market forces and a shortage of skilled labor are diverting resources away from rural areas. Under the program, a contractor can apply for a building permit and license to build a single-family home and submit the building plans. The contractor then applies for the CHIP, which is reviewed and approved by the city. During construction, the contractor tracks all building expenses until the home is completed and the home receives a certificate of occupancy from the city.
Read more: – Morning Sun

Wyandotte County leaders voted Thursday to rename an area baseball field after fallen Sheriff’s Deputy Elijah Ming. The board of commissioners voted 6-0 to rename Heathwood Park Baseball Field, at North 10th Street and Parallel Parkway, to “Elijah Ming Memorial Field. Ming, who was killed in the line of duty on July 26, grew up playing baseball on that field. His family and friends often spoke about his love of baseball.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

HOA is coming out against the idea of a Kansas City Royals stadium going in at the northwest corner of 119th and Nall. In May, the Royals announced an affiliate of theirs bought the mortgage on the old Sprint campus, now known as Aspiria. Hawthorne View’s just about a mile southeast of 119th and Nall and less than a 20-minute walk from the intersection. HOA President Jeff Hurt told FOX4 he hopes city council members pay attention to how the homeowners in his area feel about this issue.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

Treasury yields were lower on Friday as investors look for clues on the shape of the U.S. economy and the direction of monetary policy. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury fell more than 4 basis points to trade at 4.056%. Yields across the maturity curve ticked lower, with the 2-year Treasury yield also shedding more than 4 basis points to 3.516% and the longer-term 30-year Treasury’s yield being down more than 3 basis points at 4.698%. Global markets are digesting Thursday’s delayed non-farm payrolls report, which showed the economy added more jobs than expected in September, but the unemployment rate also rose to 4.4% — its highest level since Oct. 2021.
Read more: Bonds

The future of an indoor aquatic center in Manhattan appears more uncertain in the wake of the Nov. 4 election. At the Nov. 10 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting, board member Joe Knopp said the results signaled strong concerns from voters about future spending. “I think that those are lessons we ought to be paying attention to and including them as we make future strategy decisions,” he said.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

A pair of Hutchinson nonprofits are pushing forward a veterans housing project to provide transitional housing and services for veterans in need.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

With artificial intelligence (AI) technologies becoming more integrated in public sector operations, Mulvane staff took time to draft a policy guiding responsible, ethical and secure use of AI tools among city employees — officially adopted by the Mulvane City Council at its Nov. 17 meeting. The policy includes clear definitions of AI tools, guidelines for acceptable uses (such as drafting materials, automating data tasks, etc.), procedures for data privacy, requirements for human review and approval of AI-generated content, etc.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday discussed an ordinance concerning a limit on the number of dogs per household within the city. City Manager Brad Matkin said four citizens have recently brought up the topic, and several in recent years have asked about the amount of dogs permitted for a household. Matkin said he talked with the previous animal control officer and city staff had not been able to find a limit in the current ordinance.
Read more: Fort Scott Tribune

The Garden City Commission approved a Master Fee Schedule ordinance and resolution at its regular meeting on Tuesday. Jared Kuhlmann, Garden City Finance Director, said city staff has been working on compiling a fee schedule for the better part of the past year, which incorporates all fees and rates charged for services provided by the Garden City. “Each department reviewed their fees compared to other cities, looked at other municipalities, looked at the last dates that these were, if there had been changes, and then had discussion on what the appropriate [fee] should be,” he said. It was a considerable project for staff, there was a lot of work put into it and a lot of insight from departments to compile their fees together, Kuhlmann said.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

History will be in the cards for Newton next fall. With funds from a Kansas State Historical Preservation grant, the City of Newton will print a run of 2,500 playing card decks containing artwork of historic local people, places, and events. “It’s history in a different way,” said Jen Lehman, who oversees Newton’s Main Street and Convention and Visitors programs. “It makes it easily accessible to see places they don’t know about. It’s also multi-generational. The City will distribute the cards to residents at events, provide them to prospective businesses, and provide decks to the Harvey County Historical Society and Carriage Factory Warehouse for giveaway.
Read more: Harvey County Now

It’s not back to square one with Hesston’s grocery store project, but it’s definitely back to planning. Andrea Braker, who sits on the Beneficient Heartland Foundation, gave an update on the project, as well as the makeup of the board. “With the resignation of Brad Heppner from the board, we are taking the opportunity to simplify and to re-imagine anything,” she said. ” We’re looking at alternative shapes, locations, amenities, façades. Currently, we do not have a specific plan. Plans are changing so we can get a grocery store done as sustainably as possible.”
Hesston has lacked a grocery store since 2018, following the closure of Weaver’s Grocers. Since then, there’s been a community effort to bring a grocery store to the city of 3,747.
Read more: Harvey County Now

After multiple years of work to pull it together, Overland Park has officially launched its Portfolio Homes pilot program. This pilot offers a collection of pre-selected, nearly pre-approved designs to encourage the development of diverse housing choices and reduce costly pre-development costs. The idea, city staff have said, is to increase the housing supply in the middle of the housing spectrum, which is sometimes referred to as “missing middle” housing — that is, more mid-sized and moderately priced housing options that are largely absent from Johnson County’s increasingly expensive market.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Kansas officials, Evergy and a Washington-based nuclear energy company want to bring another, though smaller and safer, nuclear reactor to the state, and De Soto is in the running as a possible location for it. De Soto city officials on Thursday night expressed interest in the potential facility, though they stopped short of fully endorsing it. For now, that only means the city is looking to learn more, not that it’s approved a nuclear energy project within city limits. The city council voted 4-0 to send a letter of interest to the Kansas Department of Commerce. Councilmember Danny Lane was absent.
Read more: Johnson County Post

When a majority on the Johnson County Commission decided last spring to ask voters to continue the quarter-cent public safety sales tax beyond 2027, their hope was that revenue would reduce the reliance on property taxes for increasing ambulance, law enforcement and mental health costs in tough economic times. Now the question is: Did the commission overstep its authority? Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach thinks so. Commissioners disagree. On Wednesday, they faced off in a Topeka courtroom and handed the decision over to Kansas Third District Judge Jay Befort.
Read more: Johnson County Post

The Marysville school district’s new Farm to Plate program is in its first-year exploration phase, aiming to create a sustainable, educational approach to feeding students and staff. At the Nov. 12 board meeting, Superintendent Darren Schroeder and Food Services Director Danielle Bargman outlined goals, early progress, and kitchen needs. Board members sampled potential menu items, including a new “Bulldog burger,” as Bargman continues taste tests to build meals that students and staff enjoy while meeting nutrition regulations. The district is forming partnerships with 12 local producers and exploring hydroponic and tower-garden systems with Better Produce in Summerfield to supply vegetables. Staff are also relearning cooking techniques, including preparing items free of salt.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Wichita’s three finalists for city manager offered different visions for city government Tuesday night at a press conference followed by a public forum. The City Council will ultimately decide who gets the job. But the public and reporters got to ask the questions on Tuesday night. Donte Martin, a 53-year-old assistant city manager for Wichita, had the home field advantage. He has worked for the city for 25 years in multiple leadership roles, including as the court administrator. He’s familiar with most of the city’s departments and department heads. Mark Freitag, 59, began working in local government after a lengthy military career. From 2022 to 2024, Freitag was the city manager for Westminster, Colorado, a Denver suburb about halfway between the Colorado state capital and Boulder. Prior to that, he was the city manager for 11 years in Janesville, Wisconsin. Dennis Marstall is a 56-year-old county administrator for Lancaster County, S.C., a suburb of Charlotte, N.C. He spent decades working in local government and nonprofit roles in the Charlotte area before returning to his hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, to be assistant city manager there.
Read more: KLC Journal

In March 2010, he took the position of City Clerk with the City of Wellington. In August 2016, he was appointed City Manager, serving until his retirement in August 2022. Shane’s public service included 17 years in law enforcement and 25 years in city/county administration. All in all, a public service career of over 44 years.
Read more: Sumner NewsCow

The Crawford County Commission has voted against the approval of an annexation of land that includes multiple plots designated for a multi-million dollar solar energy project.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

Since 2023, outlines and uncolored shapes have graced the outer wall of Salina’s Cozy Inn restaurant. In 2024, the owner of the historic hamburger joint filed a lawsuit against the city over his unfinished mural. A judge ruled Wednesday that the City of Salina violated the First Amendment rights of The Cozy Inn. City officials had determined that the display would advertise for the restaurant and therefore was not a mural, but a sign. That meant it would be subject to the city’s sign code, which requires businesses to obtain a permit for a sign and imposes size limits. And the city said the display on the wall of The Cozy Inn would likely be too big under those rules.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Here in Kansas, property taxes continue to be a major issue. However, in some nearby states, data shows the problem isn’t nearly as bad. The Kansas Committee on Taxation met at the statehouse once again to discuss property taxes in the Sunflower State on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Kansas lawmakers spent time evaluating policies in other states such as Oklahoma. Currently, rural homeowners in Kansas are paying three times more in annual property taxes than homeowners in Oklahoma.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Marion residents may have to change where they park their recreational vehicles, and trash trucks may have to change how they get to the county transfer station. Those were among items discussed but not acted upon at Monday’s Marion City Council meeting. Having just spent more than $11,000 to repair damage to Vine St. on Marion’s far west side, council members are hoping to divert heavy trash trucks away from the street, which leads to the north side of the county transfer station.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

The new industry lessens the sting of Gates’ downsizing. And it’s to the city’s credit it has its sites on potential enterprises. The news of a data center coming to Iola is garnering backlash, the most specious being that its electric demands will raise utility rates for the rest of us. That’s not the case. Vine Energy LLC neither asked for nor received any incentives in terms of property tax breaks or discounted utility rates to locate here. And for the approximate $80,000 in utility extensions to bring water and electricity to the facility, the Overland Park company is footing the bill. The fact that it’s a small-scale data center means the city can easily accommodate its energy needs at no extra expense to consumers.
Read more: The Iola Register

Although tensions flared at times, a unified sense of collaboration and urgency permeated throughout the special meeting between Hutchinson and South Hutchinson, and Reno County Commissioners on Thursday night at the Sand Hills Center. The meeting came after South Hutchinson took a first step towards annexing the future site of Evergy’s natural gas power plant during a special city council meeting on Nov. 17. The site falls within the limits of South Hutchinson’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Hutchinson City Manager Enrico Villegas kicked off the meeting by emphasizing the need for Hutchinson and South Hutchinson to collaborate on creating more economic development in the area.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

When you flush the toilet in Topeka, your sewage will now feed into a state-run public health monitor of the level of flu, RSV and COVID-19 in the community. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Nov. 19 announced the launch of a new online dashboard for its wastewater monitoring of respiratory viruses.
Read more: CJonline

People who are caught living near bus shelters, or in privately-owned woods, could be required to complete up to 40 hours of community service, pay hundreds in fines or spend up to a month in jail.
Read more: KC Star

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.

Spring Hill will have a new mayor after an unusual write-in election. Voters in the growing Johnson and Miami Counties exurb went to the polls Nov. 4, but the only candidate for mayor on the ballot announced that she would not take the position if elected.
Read more: KC Star

The $320 million project, proposed by Lamar Hunt Jr.’s company, Loretto Properties LLC, will feature the theme park, a hockey arena and a six-story hotel on the southwest corner of West 119th Street and Renner Boulevard, also known as the Olathe Gateway.
Read more: KC Star

New public opinion polling showcases a sharp divide among Johnson County residents over whether the Royals should continue pursuing a ballpark at Aspiria.
Read more: KC Star

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.

Downtown Arma was busy last weekend with the return of the third annual Arma Hometown Christmas celebration, featuring more than 20 businesses and organizations for a Christmas tree giveaway and open house. The Arma City Council expressed its pleasure with the event turnout during Monday’s council meeting.
Read more: -Morning Sun