Municipal News & Jobs

A Johnson County developer has sued both Olathe Public Schools and the city of Olathe, accusing them of abusing eminent domain powers to help the school district sell land to another preferred private developer. In a suit filed last month in Johnson County District Court, developer Cherry Park Properties alleges that the district, through the city, used eminent domain to acquire easements on its property for a sewer line to help the district sell nearby land to developer CB Holdings, which is owned by Clay Blair, a prominent civic leader and donor to area causes, including Olathe schools. In court documents, Cherry Park argues that the acquisition of its land serves a private buyer and not the public, which it says is an illegal use of the eminent domain power.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Spring Hill saw a lot of changes in the last year; from a new city council, public safety updates, budget updates to preparing for a comprehensive plan. Spring Hill Mayor Chad Young spoke about the changes and looked toward the future during his State of the City address April 15 at the Spring Hill Civic Center, hosted by the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce. About 100 community and business leaders attended the event.
Read more: Johnson County Post

A little more than a month after rural Johnson County residents celebrated a win with the withdrawal of a massive data center proposal, another one popped up just 5 miles down the road. San Francisco-based data center developer Beale Infrastructure recently submitted a proposal to Gardner to build a 16-building campus on 300 acres near the northeast corner of 191st Street and South Clare Road. It’s still unclear who would use the center or how much it would cost to build.
Read more: Kansas City Star

Olathe Public Schools is considering whether to end its Voluntary Early Retirement Plan (VERP) and Health Reimbursement Agreements (HRAs) as part of cost-saving efforts due to budget shortfalls, according to a teacher’s union and a district spokesperson. The early retirement plan has been part of ongoing bargaining agreements ahead of next school year between the district and Olathe NEA, the labor union that represents public school teachers and staff.
Read more: Kansas City Star

A new lawsuit claims Olathe Schools and the city is misusing eminent domain to aid the sale of district-owned property.
Read more: Kansas City Star

“Let’s fire up your Thunderbird, put in $2 worth of gas, and drive over to the drive-in and see a movie.” If that sounds like I’m in a time warp or having flashbacks to the 1950s, hold on. Other than buying cheap gas, it is still possible to enjoy the experience of going to a drive-in movie, right here in rural Kansas.  Jessica Eagle Moyer and Tyson Moyer are the owners of the Kanopolis Drive-In in Kanopolis, Kansas. Jessica grew up in Leavenworth County. Tyson grew up near Ellsworth and attended the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Art Institute.  He was working on marketing materials for the Kansas City Chiefs and Monarchs when he and Jessica met and were married. In the summers, they traveled back to Ellsworth County to see his family. A local attraction was an old drive-in movie site, one of the few still operating. In October 2024, they had the opportunity to purchase it. They moved back to Ellsworth where Tyson works remotely. Jessica is board-certified in health and wellness and operates her own wellness business in addition to the drive-in.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Residents of Gardner, Kansas, are confronting a new data center proposal from Beale Infrastructure just weeks after a similar proposal was withdrawn. Members of the community are concerned about the impact on their environment, utilities, and noise levels.
Read more: KCUR

The battle over the R9 Ranch water rights is a complex saga involving decades of legal maneuvering, legislative shifts and environmental concerns. 
Read more: KLC Journal

Fights over water in the West tend to follow a particular contour: Scarcity develops. A supply is located. Competition ensues. Government agencies become involved. Judges tend to get the last word. The squabbles are all the same and every one is different. Both the residents of parched Hays and Russell in northwest Kansas and those of thirsty Edwards County, some 60 miles south, covet the water beneath the sprawling R9 Ranch south of Kinsley, seeing it as a matter of survival in a coming era when the precious resource becomes even more scarce. Now, three decades later, the $140-million-dollar project remains on hold, delayed by years of legal challenges. Over the past 11 years, Hays has spent $11 million in its battle, $8 million of that in legal fees. 
Read more: KLC Journal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced Thursday that over $80 million is available to support stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs across the country. The funding comes from the EPA’s Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. It allows communities to pay for improvements to safely capture and manage stormwater and keep pollutants, including untreated stormwater, from reaching nearby waterways. Kansas is receiving a total of $467,000 that will be divided among the communities that apply through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program.
Read more: KSN-TV

The discussion about a solar farm and battery energy storage system in Sedgwick County is on hold. The Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission was set to vote on the Galena Solar Project proposal on Wednesday, but decided to defer it and gather more information. The commission will pick up the discussion again on June 11. People for and against the project agree that the deferral was a good move.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Andover City Council unanimously approved a policy to enforce a new state law requiring people to only use multiple‑occupancy spaces that align with their sex assigned at birth while in government buildings. In February, the Kansas Legislature passed House Substitute for SB 244, directing all cities to comply with this new law and pass a policy on the topic.
Read more: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County Fire District 1 announced Tuesday that its first K9 has retired. Benny, born in 2017, began his service as an Accelerant Detection Canine through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2018. He was partnered with Investigator Rusty Vollintine and the Topeka Fire Department until Vollintine retired in 2023. The pair later joined SCFD1 as part‑time investigators in 2024. Since joining the district, Benny has responded to 30 structure fires across the region — 13 of them fatal — and his work has contributed to six felony arrests.
Read more: KSN-TV

The district has selected Cody Rierson, one of three candidates considered for the role. Rierson currently serves as superintendent of Moundridge USD 423 and previously worked as principal at Lincoln Elementary School in McPherson. The district said he is known for building a positive, collaborative environment while keeping students at the center of every decision.
Read more: KSN-TV

Hutchinson USD 308 board members learned why voters turned down the district’s $110 million bond last year at a meeting Monday. Discovery Works Collaborative shared results of a survey that showed 63% of people said the price tag was too high. Another 55% said it was because of the proposed location of the middle school. The same amount said they do not need to build when enrollment is going down.
Read more: KSN-TV

Cowtown Days is a two-day event in Baxter Springs, Kansas that celebrates the city’s cultural heritage as the “First Cowtown in Kansas” with a car show, bouncy castles, live music, and other activities.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

City leaders approved a settlement of just over $1 million tied to two sex discrimination cases involving the Topeka Police Department on Friday. City of Topeka councilmembers, City Manager Robert Perez and others gathered for a special meeting at 11 a.m. on May 1. Perez called for the special meeting to convene to discuss the settlement of one or more lawsuits.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Overland Park, Kansas, wants to streamline and regulate its zoning code to improve housing availability and offer a variety of housing within city limits. There’s been a lot of change in Overland Park since the city updated its zoning code more than 30 years ago. “Apartment complex, apartment complex, apartment complex,” Jeffrey Strom, Overland Park resident, said. “It’s cool, but I’m never going to be able to afford [those].” The current housing development process is complex. Overland Park’s director of planning and development services explained it could be why there’s not as many housing options.
Read more: KSHB News

“This is the room of dreams,” said Jerry Daniels at Tuesday night’s Community Conversation. And complaints, hopes, and fears. Thrive Allen County hosted the annual event where Thrive staff members help citizens arrive at a consensus on a handful of “must-do” issues. Tuesday’s group of about 20 settled on the need to beef up the town’s communication avenues, foster community-wide pride and generate more involvement in civic affairs. 
Read more: The Iola Register

The City of Lawrence’s annual budget doubled from $261 million in 2020 to $520 million in 2025.  In the six years between 2020 and 2026, the city’s revenue will have increased 52% because of increases in utility fees and property tax valuations. In spite of this increase, the city has faced recurring budget deficits, and the city is now trying to identify $4.5 million in savings for its 2027 budget so it can operate a new fire station in northwest Lawrence. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times