Municipal News & Jobs

Olathe will soon begin a long-awaited study of nine railroad crossings on the city’s west side. The study will be the first step in improving traffic delays and safety concerns. In August, the Olathe City Council approved the study as well as grant funding for the project. Originally set to begin last year, the study was delayed in order to seek a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration, which it received. Olathe will contribute $500,000 to the study — which was laid out in its capital improvement plan — while the FRA grant will cover $1,750,000 of it. The remaining $100,000 will come from BNSF Railway, bringing the total to $2,350,000.
Read more: Johnson County Post

On Tuesday, November 4th, Concordia voters will decide whether to approve a 1% special purpose retailers’ sales tax to help fund a $13.8 million, 35,000-square-foot community activity center at Rasure Field. The tax would generate $10 million over up to 10 years, with the remainder covered by grants and donations. No property taxes would be used. The proposed facility includes indoor courts, a walking track, a “tot lot,” multipurpose spaces, offices, restrooms, and parking. Operating costs are estimated at $178,000 annually. A KSHSAA-compliant upgrade could add $3.9 million.
Read more: KCLY Radio

If you aspire to become an officer for the Wichita Police Department, you might want to give some advance thought to where you put any tattoos you get. Not to mention what you decide to include in the design. But a little bit of ink won’t necessarily stop you from being able to don a uniform. Concerned residents raised attention on Wichita Police’s tattoo policy to the Citizens Review Board during their September meeting, saying that the current language was preventing some people from applying to the police academy. The board works with police on community outreach and advises the department.
Read more: KLC Journal

The Mulberry City Council recently voted in favor of a land annexation to set up a half billion dollar solar project, a move seen as a major step for the community’s economic development.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

A social media trend of kicking down the doors of people’s homes is as destructive as it sounds. The sheriff of one western Kansas county warns that it could also be deadly. In a social post on Tuesday, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a series of incidents related to the “door kick challenge,” a viral social media trend, that occurred over the weekend. Meade County deputies “took multiple reports of trespassing, criminal damage and disorderly conduct at residences where individuals were kicking doors of residences while filming themselves,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “Many of these incidents resulted in damage to the homeowner’s screen doors and front entry doors, some of which are possible felonies due to the extent of damage.”
Read more: KSN-TV

Garden City has announced a new partnership with Western State Bank to expand opportunities for affordable housing. Garden City has been experiencing a housing crunch for several years. The city said rapid economic growth and a steady population increase have created a demand for more affordable housing in the area. While the city has been working to address the shortage, more affordable housing is needed to meet the goal of 4,000 new housing units by 2030. To help reach that goal, Garden City has partnered with Western State Bank to create the new Local Roots Loan Program.
Read more: KSN-TV

Community and law-enforcement are coming together to make a safer southeast Kansas. Over the past several weeks, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has made several appearances at local community watch group meetings. Officers speak to residents, answer their questions, and give safety tips on what to do before police arrive at a scene or during 911 calls, to mitigate dangers.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The city and Kaw Valley State Bank — now Farmers State Bank — confidentially settled a lawsuit filed this past summer over several counterfeit checks drawn from a city account. The settlement, filed with the court days after the Eudora Times reported on the lawsuit, contains no information on the terms of the settlement. City Manager Zack Daniel confirmed the settlement but said the city was unable to comment. Farmers State Bank CEO Matt Engel did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Read more: The Eudora Times

The Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center at 1715 N. Waldron St. opened for business Tuesday, Visit Hutch announced. The hotel has 112 guest rooms, an indoor pool, and a fitness center, and it will have an Old Chicago restaurant on site. As of Tuesday, Old Chicago’s website said the restaurant was “coming soon.” It also has 14,500 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, with a grand ballroom and five breakout rooms, designed to host events ranging from corporate conferences to weddings and community celebrations, Visit Hutch said in the announcement.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Wichita water and sewer customers can expect to see larger rate increases the next two years than originally anticipated. The increase is mostly caused by a continued climb in operations and maintenance costs, as well as the expected loss of two wholesale water customers. The city had been set to increase water rates by 6.17% next year. City Council members heard two new rate increase options at a workshop Tuesday.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

A petition to repeal Salina’s ban on pit bulls was presented to the city manager on Monday. If it gets enough signatures, the city commission would be required to either pass an ordinance repealing the ban or call for a special election for citizens to vote on the ordinance. Tyler Sartain and Debrah Corrales with Salinans Against Breed Specific Legislation, say the decades-long ban is ineffective and causing overflow in local animal shelters.
Read more: KSN-TV

A controversy that’s consuming several southeast Kansas communities is coming to a head in Crawford County. That controversy… solar farms and all that comes with them, both the good and the bad. Crawford County currently has a moratorium on solar energy projects that was put in place last year. The town of Mulberry presented an annexation resolution to Commissioners last week for residents who want to have their property incorporated into the town, escaping the county’s moratorium on solar energy. Some of those residents, as well as others opposed to the annexation, spoke to commissioners today.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Community leaders recognize that wages for many jobs in Hutchinson and Reno County lag those in regional and peer communities, some as much as 12% to 18%, said Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel. “It’s one of the hard realities we share with employers,” said Teufel, noting they’ve relied on data from Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research to make the point.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

One plan comes from a company that proposes putting small reactors 1 mile underground to directly power facilities such as data centers. The other comes from a company envisioning a utility-scale plant with a battery design that makes it capable of storing power.
Read more: CJonline

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.

According to the resolution, individuals from local faith-based organizations, referred to as “clerics,” will be scheduled by a county staff person on a voluntary basis. Clerics can be of any faith background.
Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com

The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates by a quarter point at its meeting this week and could cut at the next two meetings as well, according to the October CNBC Fed Survey.
But there were concerns among the 38 survey respondents about the lack of data from the shutdown, an artificial intelligence bubble, still-high inflation and whether politics is playing a role in the Fed’s decisions.
Read more: CNBC

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said Monday that Bucklin City Council members will pay $100 in civil penalties and undergo additional training on the Open Meetings Act as part of a consent agreement.
Read more: KSN-TV

Kansas is implementing a new firearm detection program in schools using artificial intelligence and human verification. The Kansas Legislature has allocated $10 million for a private vendor to provide the detection software.
Read more: CJonline

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.

While Kansas remains one of the last states in the nation without legalized medical or recreational marijuana, THC-infused drinks have evaded scrutiny from officials.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Riley County officials will soon consider new regulations on short-term rentals in unincorporated areas, which they hope will address community concerns and improve oversight of properties listed on platforms such as Airbnb or VRBO.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

Kansas Supreme Court issues opinion justifying law enforcement’s search of a vehicle as it explores a range of cases raising constitutional issues.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news,news/* of type article

Bourbon County Commissioners reviewed a proposed noise ordinance during a special meeting Thursday night, ultimately agreeing to have the county counselor review the ordinance and discuss the matter further during their regular meeting Monday.
Read more: Fort Scott Tribune Headlines

The Overland Park Police Department and other local first responder agencies have rolled out a new program designed to help individuals who are neurodivergent better communicate with first responders in emergencies. The idea is to allow individuals who are neurodivergent — that is, people who have autism or other neurological function differences, like ADHD or ADD — to voluntarily place reflective stickers provided by the police department above the lock on a front door. That way, if a first responder comes to their residence, they will be better informed of the needs of the individual they are trying to help. Additionally, the police department started a blue envelope program, which is intended to provide the same kind of information but at traffic stops. (An individual can hand a blue envelope to a first responder and provide information about an individual’s specific needs.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Residential streets around Prairie Village are peppered with lawn signs with vague political slogans about the issues facing city hall. Some blue signs with a yellow stripe plead with neighbors, “Stop the drama. Vote no.” Across the street, there might be a house with a red sign that says, “Less division, more consensus. Vote yes! A better way for PV.” The signs refer to the single question that will appear on Prairie Village ballots this year, and it’s seemingly a big one. “Shall the City of Prairie Village, Kansas abandon the mayor-council form of government?”
Read more: Johnson County Post

The national morning show Fox & Friends featured Abilene, Kansas, this morning in its Main Street U.S.A. segment, sharing with more than 1.3 million viewers why Abilene continues to shine as one of America’s Best Small Towns to Visit. Former Abilene resident and Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy returned home to highlight the people, places, and pride that make Abilene special. More than 200 residents lined the streets for the live broadcast, which showcased the community’s historic downtown, locally owned businesses, and patriotic spirit.
Read more: KCLY Radio

It’s just about lunch time at the Goddard Senior Center when a familiar face walks in. Melvin Ormiston is here for a fresh meal and the smiles and conversation that come with it. “I started coming here about six months ago,” said Ormiston, whose wife passed away last year. “It gets me out of the house, and most of the meals are very good.” Ormiston is one of thousands of senior center members in Sedgwick County. The centers date back to the early 1980s, when voters approved a ballot initiative by nearly 2-to-1 to fund aging services. Today, those centers provide services like meals, exercise classes and social events for people 55 and up. Members of the Sedgwick County Commission agree senior centers are essential services worth funding. What they haven’t been able to agree on over the years is how to fund them. With funds lagging behind inflation in recent budgets, officials are looking into new options for divvying up money to the county’s 19 senior centers.
Read more: KLC Journal

Pittsburg police, the Crawford County Mental Health Center, and the federal government team up to keep drugs off the streets. PPD was one of 4,500 nationwide sites for the bi-annual “Drug Take Back Day.” These events give people with unwanted or unused medication a chance to safely dispose of it. The drugs are collected on site, temporarily stored by the police department, and then collected by the DEA for incineration. And the “safe disposal” aspect of the day goes beyond keeping them out of the wrong hands.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The Bourbon County Commission is considering a new ordinance that would limit noise in the county. This is the latest attempt to regulate noise surrounding a Bitcoin mining facility in Bourbon County. The facility holds several containers worth of computers constantly solving math equations to mine Bitcoin. The operation is powered by an industrial-sized generator with noise that ranges up to 80 decibels constantly — and a low-frequency hum which can be felt in the surrounding areas.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

A long running sales tax in Parsons is up for renewal in the November 4 election. The half cent sales tax which in question generates 1 million dollars a year for housing. City administrators say historically, the community has voted to keep this tax in place because it allows for lower property tax rates, helping with housing costs.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

A southeast Kansas police department is making its reality television debut. The Parsons Police Department is working with camera crews from the CW show 24/7 to document the day-to-day life of a handful of police officers in the city. Officers say the show’s producers are pleased with the content they’ve gotten so far, and plan to showcase Parsons in nine episodes of their upcoming season.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

LaHarpe residents will be asked to bring back a sales tax that would help fund upkeep of city streets. For 10 years, the city had a 1% tax before it expired earlier this year. But the tax expired after voters rejected a similar measure last November that would have extended the tax at a 1.5% rate for the next decade. The lost funding could not have come at a worse time, Mayor Mae Crowell said, because the city’s costs are skyrocketing.
Read more: The Iola Register

Basically what it’ll be able to do is pull opportunities for jobs, economic growth, feed into our database and basically be able to reach out directly (to alums) about opportunities.
Read more: CJonline

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.

Allison Weil, a 911 dispatcher for Hutchinson-Reno County, was named the 2025 NiCE PSAP Telecommunicator of the Year. Her nomination stemmed from a call where she guided a young boy whose mother was having seizures.
Read more: Hutch News

The City of Coffeyville’s Public Service Team is excited to announce a brand-new service to assist residents with their fall cleanup — the Leaf Pick-Up Program, running now through the end of November. Residents who would like to take advantage of this service will need to complete the Leaf Removal Request Form, located on the City’s website. Here is the direct link to the form: www.coffeyville.com/forms.aspx?FID=99. (www.coffeyville.com) This new service makes disposing of fall leaves easier than ever. The Public Service crew will use a new leaf vac and leaf box to collect leaves piled along the curb. Residents do not need to bag their leaves — simply rake them into a pile by the curb, and the Public Service Team will take care of the rest.
Read more: Coffeyville, KS – News Flash

Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Secretary Calvin Reed today announced in Lindsborg nine new modernization and expansion highway projects. These projects, which represent a total investment of more than $442 million, are moving into the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) construction pipeline. This is the fourth round of projects moved to KDOT’s construction pipeline under the Kelly administration’s bipartisan 10-year IKE program. 
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Coffey County has declared a strong interest in becoming the home for the TerraPower Natrium reactor that is expected to be built in Kansas. The Coffey County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution of support and says that they will send letters of interest to both TerraPower and Evergy, the two companies involved in the construction of the new reactor.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com/*

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is updating a process that allows people to legally take home deer killed in car crashes or other roadkill. But there are a few requirements to know before you get the call to salvage any game animals on the side of the road.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

The top state lawmaker in the Sunflower State expects a stadium proposal from the Kansas City Royals at an upcoming Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) meeting. In an interview with FOX4 Friday, Republican State Senate President Ty Masterson said it was his understanding the only site the Royals were considering on the Kansas side of state line was the old Sprint campus, now known as Aspiria.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

The big ball of twine in Cawker City. The giant Van Gogh painting in Goodland. The Big Brutus electric shovel in West Mineral. All are included on an elite list of quirky roadside attractions in Kansas that are famous for being unusually large. And all reside in Kansas towns that are unusually small. Now, a small town near Wichita is attempting to join that list, and it has until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, to raise enough money to pull it off. The community foundation in Belle Plaine, a town of around 1,450 that’s 26 miles south of Wichita, is brewing a plan to bring down the town’s 112-year-old water tower — the closest thing the town has ever had to a skyscraper — and turn it into something a bit more ornamental.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

A split Wichita City Council rejected proposals Tuesday to protect tenants from income discrimination and to establish a registry of landlords with serial housing code violations. The proposed ordinances were defeated 4-3 after hours of passionate public comment from landlords, property owners and tenants. However, the council did vote 4-3 to move forward with consideration of an updated property enforcement code. The regulations, which would mandate sanitary conditions in rental units, are set to return to the council on Dec. 9.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

Douglas County commissioners voted to allow a proposed solar farm to begin environmental testing on land in Grant Township amid pending litigation and opposition from the township board. The county’s next step is to seek judicial review on the action. The 5-0 vote to approve all requests for environmental testing will now move to judicial review, as the commissioners want to ensure they are not violating an injunction that is currently prohibiting construction or land modification for the solar farm.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-1 to end an impasse and approve raises for the firefighters union at the rate city staff members offered — less than the raises the union and an independent fact-finder had recommended. Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical employees and City of Lawrence negotiators had agreed on most, but not all, aspects of the union’s 2026 contract. An impasse on wages reached the commission for a public hearing and final decision on Tuesday.
Read more: The Lawrence Times