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.

Kansas Tourism today announced that more than 230 tourism attractions across the state are participating in the 2025 Sunflower Summer program. The lineup includes something for every interest and region of the state —  museums and historic sites, zoos, arboretums, art centers and more. “With such a wide variety of exceptional attractions participating this year, Sunflower Summer continues to open doors for Kansas families to explore and connect with every corner of our state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “This program not only creates unforgettable memories for students and parents — it also fuels local economies by drawing visitors to main streets, museums and hidden gems across Kansas.”
Source: Press Releases – Kansas Department of Commerce

Certified divers will soon plunge into Arkansas City’s drinking water tanks. The Arkansas City Commission approved a $18,924 contract this week with Midco Diving & Marine Services, Inc. to clean and inspect several of the city’s water storage tanks while they remain fully in service. Instead of draining the tanks, professional divers in sealed dry suits will enter the active potable water system to carry out required maintenance. Their gear will be sanitized, and the divers themselves will be disinfected with a chlorine solution before entering the tanks to eliminate any risk of contamination.
Source: KSN-TV

At a town hall discussing the state of the Harvey County Jail, Sheriff Chad Gay mentioned that the department also houses Larned State Hospital patients. Brian Huntley, the detention center captain, gave more insight into the reasons for this. Huntley explained that when they receive people who have been arrested, some of them stand out as potentially needing a psychological evaluation. Huntley said this is normally up to the attorney assigned to the person to flag and ask for an evaluation in court.
Source: Harvey County Now

On June 10, Allen County commissioners approved a resolution that allows for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). The facilities store electrical energy in batteries for later use. The resolution was the product of months of research and deliberation by the county’s Planning and Zoning Board after the county received a request by Mission Clean Energy to build a $300 million battery storage system in Allen County. 
Source: The Iola Register

As Harvey County residents take on summer construction projects, it is handy to know there is most likely a need for a building permit. Across each community in Harvey County, there are varying ranges of cost for these permits, which allow construction to proceed. Without the proper permits, people are subject to fines.
Source: Harvey County Now

As governments and organizations across the metro consider how to best handle – and also attract – potentially hundreds of thousands of visitors during the 45 days the FIFA World Cup will be in Kansas City next summer, at least one Johnson County city is hoping that beer and live music could help draw people into its downtown.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Just days after the Prairie Village City Council approved a proposal for a new municipal complex, one resident is suing the city to try to stop it. Marc Vianello filed a lawsuit in Johnson County District Court against Prairie Village — claiming that the municipal complex project violates a state law that requires cities to bring bond issues to a public vote.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

One of the key reasons for Clay Center’s revival is in your face: Murals here. Murals there. Murals seemingly everywhere. What began with one mural five years ago has mushroomed to more than 30 in this town of about 4,200 residents in northern Kansas. “It’s been really neat to see the town come together” because of the murals, says Brett Hubka, the president of Community Bank and head of A Mural Movement of Clay Center, which has spearheaded the explosion of art. “It looks better, and we hope that it’s even helped out our economy to a certain degree by bringing some visitors to town and touring the murals. It’s really rewarding to see that.”
Source: KLC Journal

A citizen-led committee, created after a Wichita city council member suggested starting a government efficiency group, says it has found up to $75 million in potential savings for the city. That’s nearly 10% of the city’s total budget last year. The group did not go into specifics about what those savings could be, but said it planned to present the potential cuts to the council this summer.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Amid calls for tax relief from property owners, the city of Wichita is considering reducing its mill levy by half a mill. It would be the first reduction in the city’s mill levy in nearly 40 years. The city says reducing the mill levy rate will be a $15-a-year reduction in property taxes for a $260,000 home, which they say is the average cost for a home in the area.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

It’s been Wichita’s sixth wettest June on record, and previously low water levels at Cheney Reservoir, which supplies the city’s water, are rising. Wichita has been under phase two of the city’s drought response plan since August 2024. The restrictions in place limit Wichita water customers to outdoor watering only once a week.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Pottawatomie County will move forward to de-annex rural residents from fire districts after learning some were unfairly being taxed twice for several years.
County government officials said Monday they discovered the mistake in March and sent letters to residents notifying them of the county’s intent to correct the issue. County commissioners on Monday approved a series of resolutions aimed at adjusting the fire district boundaries, which will also better align emergency response zones with 911 dispatch areas.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Attorneys representing the PBPN, a federally recognized Indian tribe that maintains a reservation, filed a civil suit in July 2024 seeking a declaration that Morse, in his official capacity, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office lack civil jurisdiction on the reservation, including jurisdiction to issue parking tickets and serve process.
Source: 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.

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.

As a way to help address pet overpopulation in local shelters, Overland Park is making some changes to its city codes aimed at making it easier to have pets and appropriately license them in the city. These changes follow several months of discussion on the matter after leadership from Great Plains SPCA — the Merriam-based nonprofit animal shelter that houses animals for Overland Park Animal Control — presented the issue to the Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee.
Source: Johnson County Post

It’s been over a month since the city of Emporia first proposed a joint task force involving local taxing authorities poised to research mill levy reduction options for all residents. Since that time, all three major taxing entities, the city, Lyon County and USD 253 Emporia as well as the Emporia Recreation Commission, have reviewed the proposed task force, but only one has indicated a desire to move forward with it, that being the entity that proposed it, the City of Emporia. For the others, discussions have been held but have either ceased or been tabled with no action taken or indication towards progression given.
Source: d2430

A new lawsuit by a Prairie Village resident contends the charter ordinance the city is using to authorize $30 million in bonds is illegal. At issue is a new “municipal complex” the city wishes to build, which would combine the police and municipal court in one building and a new city hall on the other side of the property at 7820 Mission Road in Prairie Village. The city is using a charter ordinance passed in 2016 to finance a roughly $3 million streetlight project to prevent citizens from voting on the project, despite a recent poll finding that residents overwhelmingly want the opportunity to vote.
Source: The Sentinel

For years, fans of “The Wizard of Oz” have been flocking to the Oz Museum in Wamego. If it’s been a while since you visited, you might want to get there soon. An important prop from the 1939 movie is currently on display — and it’s never been seen in public before.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article