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Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2026-08-07T10:07:18-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

GoFundMe launched to replace police chief’s favorite khakis damaged during Kellogg tackle

A GoFundMe has been set up to replace the Wichita police chief’s khakis, which were ruined after he tackled a suspect that appeared to be trying to commandeer moving vehicles Thursday morning along Kellogg. Chris Underwood of Brookville was a passenger in a vehicle going east on Kellogg and captured the incident on video. Traffic had come to a halt as a man ran around trying to get into vehicles, Underwood said. The man hopped the barrier, bringing the westbound traffic to a halt. He attempted to get into one vehicle without success, and then he tried the same with a small, red pickup.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

KDOT wants to hear from people on how to improve biking, walking options

The state is preparing for the future as the way people are choosing to travel is changing. Walking, biking, skating, or riding a scooter are some of the forms of travel that more people are choosing to use to get where they need to go. “Couple reasons, one for sport and one for exercise,” said Topekan Jim Edwards about why he likes to ride his bike….The Kansas Department of Transportation wants to hear from him, and others with an interest in more than just driving. … KDOT is asking people to fill out a survey that asks questions about safety and accessibility.
Source: KSN-TV

After 7 decades, should Lawrence change its style of government? Commissioners say it’s worth considering

It has been 70 years since the city decided on its current government structure, and Lawrence city leaders say it’s time to reconsider whether it’s still the best fit. Commissioner Jennifer Ananda, who just finished a yearlong term as mayor, recently suggested that Lawrence consider whether it would benefit the city to have a directly elected full-time mayor. Her fellow city commissioners agreed that the topic was due for reconsideration, and the city now plans to study the issue. Ananda told the Journal-World that the topic was often raised and discussed casually, and now she thinks it’s time for a serious discussion.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence’s annual statement to legislators calls for support of local control in pandemic response

Lawrence city leaders have approved their annual list of legislative priorities, including several additions regarding state support for local government responses to the coronavirus pandemic. The Lawrence City Commission provides the priority statement annually to the local state legislative delegation ahead of its session, and city staff uses the statement to guide input on legislation. Issues related to the pandemic in the statement include support for enforcement of local health department orders, local control regarding any changes to the Kansas Emergency Management Act, and assurances related to the availability of state and federal funding and supplies.
Source: LJWorld.com.

First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine arrive in Emporia

Larry Finley is the first person in Emporia to receive the COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, after Newman Regional Health received 160 doses in its first allocation Wednesday afternoon. The vaccine arrived five days after the Food and Drug Administration approved Emergency Use Authorization of the vaccine. Finley, a certified registered nurse anesthetist and director of anesthesiology at Newman Regional Health, was one of five health care providers to receive the vaccine in the hospital’s walkthrough for Thursday’s mass vaccination.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Kansas Board of Regents embraces goal of linking spring break for all public education

The Kansas Board of Regents wants to align spring break at the six public universities as part of a broader plan to coordinate the annual respite from academic endeavors with the state’s public two-year colleges and K-12 public school districts. The state Board of Regents and the Kansas Board of Education are plowing ahead with a campaign to establish a uniform spring break throughout the Kansas education system starting in 2022. The Board of Regents voted unanimously Wednesday to direct universities to comply, but community colleges and technical colleges in the higher education system are controlled by locally elected boards with jurisdiction over calendar issues.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Wichita police report success with new license plate reading devices

Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said a new license plate reading system that was put into use in November has had big results. The Flock readers are installed in areas of the city with high crime activity.   Chief Ramsay told reporters that since the devices were turned on on November 9th, “we’ve been astounded at really the amount of information that we’re getting from them and how it has impacted our ability to fight crime.”   He said with the help of the system, police have recovered 68 stolen cars with a value of over $580,000. 
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Sedgwick County to pay Intrust Bank Arena operator for COVID-19 losses

Sedgwick County will pay the operator of Intrust Bank Arena $200,000 next year to manage the county-owned facility, plus cover ongoing operating losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 loss is estimated to be $1.1 million, as the arena struggles to bring operations back to normal after being almost entirely shut down for nine months by coronavirus concerns, said county Chief Financial Officer Lindsay Poe Rousseau. The county will also cover this year’s arena losses, which will be invoiced in January and are expected to be as much as $500,000, county spokeswoman Kate Flavin said.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Olathe mayor: After a rough year, ‘we’re hopeful for better days ahead’

We’ve almost made it. With just two weeks left in 2020, many of us are filled with mixed emotions. We’re eager to wrap up a difficult year and feel sorrow for the struggles many faced over the past months. But we’re hopeful for better days ahead. My heart goes out to all who have suffered loss this year, and I know there are many. I think of our friend, the late Mayor Mike Copeland. I pray for those who have lost loved ones, as well as for those who have lost jobs, businesses and even for those who have lost precious time in the classroom.
Source: Joco 913 News

Fed raises its economic outlook slightly, sees 4.2% growth next year and 5% unemployment rate

The Federal Reserve dialed up its economic expectations slightly for the end of this year as well as for 2021, according to the central bank’s Summary of Economic Projections released on Wednesday. The central bank now expects real gross domestic product to fall just 2.4% in 2020, compared to a decline of 3.7% predicted in September. The Fed also upped its 2021 real GDP forecast to 4.2% from 4.0% expected previously. The Federal Open Market Committee said in its statement Wednesday that it would continue to buy at least $120 billion of bonds each month “until substantial further progress has been made toward the Committee’s maximum employment and price stability goals.”
Source: CNBC

New grocery store opens in south central Kansas town

A year ago, the only grocery store in Oxford, Kansas was shut down, turning the Sumner County city into a food desert. Today residents are celebrating the opening of a new grocery store, right where the old one stood. “It is a blessing to have one here” says Oxford resident Mary Robinson. Wednesday was the store’s grand opening. Providing relief for many people who live in Oxford. The city’s previous grocery store closed last year. Before today, townspeople had to travel upwards of 15 to 20 miles out of town, just to go to the grocery store.
Source: KAKE – News

Topeka council bans discrimination against LGBTQ persons

The Topeka City Council has voted to expand the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance to include LGBTQ residents and military veterans. The council unanimously approved an the ordinance Tuesday that prohibits discrimination in work, housing and public accommodations because of gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation or veteran status. The ordinance also was updated to prevent discrimination through telecommunication, which includes harassment over social media, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported. A first offense could result in a misdemeanor charge, a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. A second offense carries a possible $2,500 fine and up to one year in jail.
Source: KAKE – News

Long named Derby Firefighter of the Year

While he may have only joined the Derby Fire Department two years ago, Frank Long has plenty of experience in the field – two decades’ worth, to be exact. That experience has been a boon to Derby Fire and Rescue and is part of why Long was recently recognized as the 2020 Derby Firefighter of the Year. Prior to joining Derby FD in June 2018, Long had spent 18 years serving with the Overland Park Fire Department. While family brought Long and his wife to the area, the chance at a new opportunity is what drew him to seek a firefighter position in Derby.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Gary Haller leaves major legacy in Johnson County

Johnson County recently lost a champion of green space and recreation activities who was  instrumental in impacting the quality of life in Johnson County. Longtime JCPRD employees have lost a friend. Former JCPRD Executive Director Gary L. Haller passed away in the early hours of Thursday, Dec. 10. He had retired from the agency in March 2001 after 27 years with JCPRD, but had remained in touch with many current and former employees. “Many of you, like me, had the privilege of working with him and seeing his true genius that left lasting impacts on JCPRD and Johnson County, as well as beyond those boundaries,” JCPRD Administration Manager Jo Ann Courtney wrote in a Thursday email to staff. “He will not be forgotten, and the Gary L. Haller Trail on the Mill Creek Streamway Park will tell a part of his story to generations to come.”
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

City of Wellington Public Utility Electric Department receives national commendation for mutual aid support

The City of Wellington Public Utility Electric Department has received a national commendation from the American Public Power Association for its mutual aid support in electric power restoration efforts in Blackwell, Okla. On October 27, 2020, a powerful ice storm caused significant power outages in Blackwell, Okla. so the City of Wellington sent a crew of three and a bucket truck to assist efforts of restoring power to the city. The City of Wellington participates in the American Public Power Association’s Mutual Aid Network, which coordinates with utilities and authorities during widespread power outages. Mutual aid is at the heart of what public power does, and the public power community steps up to help a neighbor in need – whether they are next door or thousands of miles away.
Source: Sumner NewsCow

Wichita bar owners argue a Covid curfew violates their constitutional rights. But will their lawsuit hold up in court?

Under the latest order from Sedgwick County health officer Garold Minns, bars and nightclubs have to close their doors at 11 p.m. and limit occupancy to 50% capacity in an effort to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the group of Wichita bar owners challenging local Covid-19 restrictions in court say they feel singled out by the rules and want their hours back. In a civil lawsuit refiled Friday in Sedgwick County District Court, a long list of plaintiffs representing 11 Wichita establishments argue a business curfew violates their right to due process protected under the 14th Amendment and the Kansas Bill of Rights.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Digital testing serves 16 counties

Less than two months after its opening, the Wichita State’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab is digitally transforming the COVID-19 landscape, combining medical laboratory sciences, advanced robotics, and automation to process thousands of tests for Kansas communities each week. "When so many of our Kansas communities are suffering from the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wichita State is working to mitigate the spread of the virus," …
Source: News – Salina Journal

Changes approved for project to restore historic Wichita theater

Wichita city council members have approved some changes in an agreement for the restoration of an historic theater. The agreement is with the Power Community Development Corporation for the renovation of the Dunbar Theater at 1007 North Cleveland.   Power CDC has been working to raise funds for a three-phase project, but fundraising has been below expectations and the first phase of the project won’t be completed by January 1st.   
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Pott. County discusses COVID-19 vaccine-shipment timeline

Kansas hospitals are beginning to receive COVID-19 vaccine shipments this week. Leslie Campbell, Pottawatomie County health director, says hospital staff will have up to five days to receive the vaccination. “Once they get their 24,000 doses, they’ll be able to give it to all the hospital personnel,” Campbell said. “Any hospital personnel; it doesn’t have to be nurses.” The first dose of the vaccine will be followed by a second dose about three to four weeks later.
Source: 1350 KMAN

Hutchinson school board extends winter break

The Hutchinson Public Schools Board of Education voted to extend winter break. The district said the change in scheduled in designed to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on students and staff. The proposal, which the board voted to adopt on Monday, says students in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade will return to class in the hybrid model on Jan. 11 instead of Jan. 4. Similarly, Hutchinson High School students will resume remote learning on Jan. 11, with plans to return to the hybrid model on Jan. 25. The Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy will also return on Jan. 11 to the hybrid model.
Source: KAKE – News

Roeland Park residents to receive up to 50% discount to city parks and rec facilities, services

The Roeland Park City Council last week approved a parks and recreation pricing policy that gives residents a discounted rate of up to 50% less than non-residents. The new policy outlines how the city charges residents and non-residents for a wide variety of services from parks and rec staples like the aquatic center, to facility rental fees and individual recreational lessons. Councilmember Jan Faidley emphasized the importance of reviewing pricing each year so residents can give feedback regularly.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Shawnee opts against using county resources to enforce JoCo pandemic health order

After some back-and-forth among city leaders, the Shawnee City Council on Monday night decided to opt out of Johnson County’s recent pandemic health order. Despite the vote, the health order remains in effect in Shawnee, but the council’s decision means that the city will handle enforcement instead of utilizing county resources. The order, originally issued on Nov. 16, is limited to businesses and organizations in violation of the county’s limits on things like gathering size and hours of operation and includes exemptions for private residences and religious organizations. Businesses found to be in violation could pay a fine of up to $500.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Fairway approves add-on sales tax for Stroud’s redevelopment

The Fairway City Council Monday evening approved the nearly $2 million Stroud’s redevelopment agreement and the city’s first-ever Community Improvement District. A 1.5% add-on sales tax will apply to shoppers at the multi-tenant site, which intends to bring a Starbucks with a drive-thru, a retail space and a restaurant to 4200 Shawnee Mission Parkway.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Iola picks Matthew Rehder for city administrator

Matthew Rehder, city administrator of Seneca, has been tapped to become Iola’s next city administrator. City Council members voted, 5-3, to extend a three-year contract offer to Rehder. Terms of the contract were not announced. According to Rehder’s LinkedIn profile, he’s been city administrator in Seneca since 2013. Prior to that, he worked for seven years as planning director for El Dorado.
Source: The Iola Register

Another massive warehouse is coming to Park City, this time for an Amazon supplier

Even before Amazon finally confirmed in October that it is building a massive new warehouse in Park City, Pratt Industries had started making plans for its own large warehouse, office and production facility there. No one with Pratt Industries returned calls this summer or this week, but there’s no doubt about its plans. The Georgia-based company, which bills itself “America’s 5th largest corrugated packaging company and the world’s largest, privately-held 100% recycled paper and packaging company,” is a major supplier to Amazon elsewhere. The new facility seems to be in conjunction with Amazon’s plans, but that’s not confirmed.
Source: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |

After 2 years on the job, Shawnee Mission school superintendent says he’ll step down

Shawnee Mission Superintendent Mike Fulton plans to retire from his position in July, he told the school board Monday night. Fulton said in a statement that announcing his decision now will allow the district enough time to find his replacement. He has led the Johnson County school district, which is one of the largest in the state with more than 27,000 students, since 2018. “My plan beyond the superintendency is to stay engaged with the educational community in ways that support leadership development and promote equity and excellence in public education,” Fulton wrote. “To serve as superintendent in SMSD has been an honor. … The future is bright in the Shawnee Mission School District.”
Source: KC Star Local News

Lecompton’s Christmas tree display highlights antique holiday decor

Each year, the Territorial Capital Museum in Lecompton brings holiday cheer to the small town by hosting its Christmas tree display. The event draws a few thousand people each year to look at the unique trees and ornaments that date back to the 1800s. Paul Bahnmaier, president of the Lecompton Historical Society, answered questions about this year’s Christmas tree display and the changes the museum has incorporated to keep its guests safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal

Wichita Police host annual Holiday Feast

The Wichita Police Department hosted their annual Holiday Feast for people and families in need on Sunday. The event allowed families to pick up food prepared by Pig In Pig Out, an area barbecue restaurant, as well as meet Santa Claus and receive wrapped gifts from officers and people from the community. The event has been a staple of the WPD for the past 12 years.
Source: KSN-TV

Topeka Police Chief says he’ll be ‘moving down the road’

Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran said he’ll be “moving on down the road,” after retires in January 2021. Cochran was officially named the police chief in January of 2018. He took the job with a big hurdle ahead of him as 2017 became the deadliest year on record in Topeka with 29 killings. After just one year on the job, homicides in Topeka went down by more than 40% from that deadly year, logging 17 killings in 2018. Looking back at his long career, Cochran said he was most proud of his work as a homicide detective and as part of the accident reconstruction team. Cochran said he was proud of bringing families closure.
Source: KSNT News

Over 1,000 Lyon county residents concerned about rezoning plans

Hundreds of people in Lyon County are concerned about a rezoning plan being considered by the county commissioners that could potentially cause them to lose their farms. Angel Cushing owns a small goat farm of less than 40 acres in northern Lyon County. The new plan would require her to prove the agricultural purpose of her land because it is less than 40 acres.
Source: KSNT News

Rage against the machine

In 1900, Iola Portland Cement Company was the largest plant of its kind in the United States. From 1900 to 1903, it was also the single largest employer in Allen County, and so had the honor of naming the factory’s housing settlement in honor of one of its own: S.H. Bassett, an official who worked there. Not much of Bassett remains today, save a few foundations and “shotgun” style houses, which earn their name since it is almost impossible to detect an individual from out of a group.
Source: The Iola Register

Goal: Fill new library

A fundraising effort dubbed Project Bookshelf has begun to add new books for the new Iola Elementary School, now under construction. A new fundraiser has started to help fill the library with books once the new Iola Elementary School is built. Volunteers with the USD 257 Endowment Association have launched Project Bookshelf, with the aim of buying assorted books for readers at varying grade levels, explained organizer Becky Nilges.
Source: The Iola Register

Johnson County Museum recognized for its exhibits cataloging COVID-19’s impact on JoCo

The Johnson County Museum earlier this year received an award from the Kansas Museum Association for its efforts to collect and showcase the local community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas Museum Association recognized the Johnson County Museum with an Award of Excellence for its project, “Collect, Curate, Partner, Serve: Johnson County Museum’s Response to COVID-19,” which examines the pandemic’s impact on Johnson County and the community’s response to it. The association gave this award during its virtual luncheon last month.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Kansas dairy industry is growing, but small dairy farms continue to shrink

Kansas’ dairy industry has grown significantly during the past two decades, with an outlook for continued growth. Milk production in Kansas during October 2020 totaled more than 330 million pounds. This is up 4% from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. There are twice as many dairy cows in Kansas as there were twenty years ago. As of October, more than 170,000 dairy cows were in circulation. This number is 7,000 more than last year, the USDA reported.
Source: Community – Cherokee County News Advocate

Kansas Commerce Secretary will become the new Lieutenant Governor

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has named Commerce Secretary David Toland as the new Lieutenant Governor. Toland will take over in January after the current Lieutenant Governor, Lynn Rogers, moves into the State Treasurer’s office.  Rogers was appointed last week to fill a vacancy created when Treasurer Jake LaTurner was elected to the 2nd District Congressional seat.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Kansas receives its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Kansas health care workers have begun receiving the first of the state’s coronavirus vaccines amid an ongoing surge in cases that has left hospitals stressed. A spokeswoman says that five employees of the Via Christi Ascension health care system received shots Monday at its St. Francis hospital in Wichita, including a critical care nurse, a housekeeper for a COVID-19 unit and a respiratory therapist. Doses of a vaccine made by Pfizer began arriving in Kansas after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized its emergency use Friday. Kansas officials expect the state to receive the first of two doses for 23,750 people this week.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

New hope for controversial Johnson County development, but neighbors still fighting

Overland Park developers on Monday won a second chance at building a $55 million apartment complex at the Ranch Mart South shopping center — a controversial project that was at first unanimously rejected by the City Council. EPC Real Estate Group is proposing the apartment complex, which will require redeveloping a strip of deteriorating duplexes and an existing parking structure at the shopping center, on the southeast corner of 95th Street and Mission Road. The Overland Park Planning Commission voted 7-3 to approve the rezoning for a scaled back version of the complex, which will now include 190 apartments, down from 210. The new proposal will next go to the City Council for final approval on Jan. 11.
Source: Joco 913 News

Broadband Acceleration Grant Program now accepting submissions

Prospective applicants for the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program at the Kansas Department of Commerce now may submit their intent to apply. The program was created to expand broadband access to rural and underserved communities across the state. Over the next 10 years, the program seeks to invest $85 million toward bridging the digital divide in Kansas, with broadband modernization funding provided through swift legislative action during the 2020 session. A maximum of $1 million per grant will go toward funding projects that provide access to high quality, reliable broadband throughout Kansas, with priority given to applications that address unserved areas, economically distressed communities, and areas of compelling need. The deadline for intent to apply has been extended to Friday, December 18, 2020, with final applications due by noon on January 7, 2021.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Andover latest Kansas city to remove ban on pit bulls

Andover is the latest Kansas city to repeal a ban on pit bulls after the city council voted this week to repeal a decades-old ordinance against the dog breed. City administrator Jennifer McCausland said the issue gained momentum this year after the city annexed land where some residents owned pit bulls. Midge Grinstead, Kansas director of the Humane Society of the United States, said she had been involved in overturning about 24 bans in Kansas in recent years. Grinsteade estimated between 80 to 90 pit bull bans still exist in the state.
Source: KSN-TV

Wellington begins city flag selection process

The city of Wellington and the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB are sponsoring a Wellington Flag Project to design a city flag that will serve as a symbol of the past, present and future of the community. From Dec. 7 through Jan. 15, 2021, the public is invited to select up to five of their favorite designs from the 29 flag designs entered. There are two ways to participate. The first is to go to the City of Wellington Facebook page under the post of the flag designs and review all 29 flags in this post.
Source: Leavenworth Times

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