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Municipal News & Jobs

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

Kansas Municipal News

Fed Ready to Cut Rates Despite Doubt They Can Fix Virus Fallout

The Federal Reserve is now prepared to reduce interest rates this month even though it recognizes monetary policy cannot completely shelter a U.S. economy increasingly threatened by the coronavirus.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell opened the door to a rate-cut at the Fed’s March 17-18 meeting by issuing a rare statement Friday pledging to “act as appropriate” to support the economy.
He was pushed into making that assurance by spectacular losses in U.S. stocks as investors turned fearful that the spreading virus would significantly damage the American and global economies.
(Read more: Bloomberg)

Bullard says FOMC prepared to act if COVID-19 wreaks havoc on economy

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said the Fed is ready to act if the COVID-19 virus develops into a destabilizing force on the world economy.
Speaking to the Fort Smith, Ark., regional chamber of commerce on Friday, he said while COVID-19 cases appear to be contained in China, more cases are being reported globally. Global economic growth is likely to slow temporarily, he said, but much of the slowdown will be centered in Asia.
Bullard said the Federal Open Market Committee is in a good position because previous policy rate cuts were designed to insulate the economy from adverse shocks.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Ellis County eyes sales tax proposals

If Ellis County voters this spring don’t pass two proposed quarter-cent countywide sales taxes, it will mean a reduction in services, said Jason Kennedy, director of the county’s emergency services and the health department.
“None of us want that to happen,” said Kennedy, speaking to a handful of Ellis County residents who showed up on Ash Wednesday at the Hays VFW Post 9076 for a county-sponsored educational session on the sales taxes.
EMS had a $3.1 million budget in 2019, and recouped $1.1 million of that, Kennedy said.
“What would a reduction in service look like?” he asked.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Equifest makes its move to Salina

Equifest 2020, the premier equestrian event for Kansas, is coming to Salina Friday through Sunday. It will bring together as many as 5,000 people each day to the Tony’s Pizza Event Center and the Saline County Livestock and Expo Center to celebrate horses, and much more.
This is the 23rd year of Equifest, but the first year in Salina, in what the Chamber’s Visit Salina staff hopes will be a long-term home.
The event could mean $850,000 in economic development value for Salina.
“Equifest is a three-year event for Salina, but I am always striving for a long-term commitment,” said Jo Ann McClure, with Visit Salina.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Negative U.S. Yields Are in Sight as Virus Spurs Recession Bets

The swirl of fresh coronavirus cases and signs of the severity of the hit on the global economy have seasoned strategists warning that U.S. growth could come to a halt this year and some Treasury yields may drop below zero — possibly as early as this week.
The warnings come as a rout in equities and rate-cut expectations sent long-term Treasury yields to unprecedented lows. Over the weekend, China’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index plunged to the lowest on record amid a surge in coronavirus cases and new fatalities — including the first in the U.S. — around the world.
(Read more: Bloomberg)

Former Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten dies

Longtime state legislator and former Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten was remembered Sunday as a devoted family man, a lifelong advocate for the capital city and the state of Kansas, and a respected politician who never forgot the value of a handshake or the importance of a man’s word.
He was the “quintessential public servant,” Gov. Laura Kelly said.
Bunten, who served as mayor of Topeka from 2005-2013, died Saturday from complications of pneumonia. He was 89.
According to his obituary, Bunten started serving in the Kansas House of Representatives in 1962 and spent his life dedicated to public service.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

At $36.5B, muni bond sales see busiest February in 34 years

Taxable bonds and COVID-19 are two of the main catalysts that helped February municipal bond volume ascend to its highest level since at least 1986, which is as far back as Bond Buyer data tracks.
There was $36.51 billion of volume in February, a 38.4% increase from the activity the market saw in February of 2019. Historically, the muni markets gets off to a slow start issuance wise at the beginning of the year. This was only the fifth time in the past 34 years that volume exceeded $30 billion for the second month of the year. January issuance totaled $29.6 billion.
Muni issuance continued its frantic pace as taxable issuance has taken the market by storm, fears of COVID-19 have pushed benchmark muni yields to all-time lows and issuers are coming to market to take advantage of these conditions.
(Read more: The Latest)

Louisburg approves leases for ag land

Louisburg City Council has signed off on two land-lease agreements for agriculture production on city-controlled acreage.
Council members voted 4-0 to approve a five-year lease agreement with Babe Cutshaw for hay production on 39 acres of uncultivated land located in Lewis-Young Park. The agreement calls for an annual payment of $350.
Cutshaw, who was the only bidder, has been farming the land since 2016, according to city documents.
The council also voted 4-0 to approve a five-year lease agreement with Greg Foote Farms to farm 21 acres of city-owned land at 29146 South Rogers Road for $2,105 per year.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)

10-year Treasury yield collapses to another record low of 1.18% amid coronavirus fears

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield plunged to a fresh record low on Friday as investors dumped riskier assets and searched for safer options amid the coronavirus outbreak.
At around 6:20 a.m. ET, the benchmark rate traded around 1.18%. Friday marked the first time ever the benchmark rate traded below 1.2%. The 10-year yield ended last week at 1.47%. The 2-year rate, meanwhile, slid to 0.96%.
Concerns about the global economic impact of the coronavirus have dented investor sentiment this week. The death toll in China from the virus has topped 2,700. Meanwhile, New Zealand and Nigeria reported their first coronavirus cases overnight. In Iran, the number of cases has grown to nearly 400.
Read more: CNBC.

Shared-use path to Hesston has $3.5 million price tag

A hiking/biking trail linking Newton to Hesston along Old Highway 81 is possible but expensive, according to the engineer who performed a feasibility study for the county.
“A shared-use path is possible,” said Jay Anglemyer with MKEC Engineering, Inc. “It can be expensive, and we’ve accounted for those costs.”
Anglemyer’s projected cost for a 10-foot-wide concrete path was about $3.5 million. That figure accounted for contingencies of about $460,000. He said he would plan on contingencies, especially if the county was going to apply for a grant through the Kansas Department of Transportation. He said it did the county no good to be under budget such a project.
(Read more: Harvey County Now)

Lawrence residents say housing, jobs and homelessness will be key issues for city’s next strategic plan

When a group of residents were asked what changes they wanted to see in Lawrence in 10 years, common replies included more affordable housing, higher paying jobs and progress addressing social issues such as homelessness.
About 40 people attended a public meeting Wednesday at the Carnegie Building to gather input for the city’s 2020 strategic plan. The strategic plan, which updates the plan created by the last City Commission in 2017, will set specific goals for the city for the next few years, and commissioners will use the plan when making budget decisions.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence homeowner appeals court decision regarding controversial Queens Road taxing districts

A Lawrence man who sued the City of Lawrence over the Queens Road taxing districts continues his legal efforts to stop the $5.3 million road project from proceeding as planned.
Last year, Queens Road homeowner Kurt Schaake filed a lawsuit against the city in Douglas County District Court claiming that the taxing districts the city set up to fund the project are arbitrary and capricious and therefore out of line with state law. A judge dismissed that lawsuit prior to trial for representation issues, but Schaake has now filed an appeal with the Kansas Court of Appeals.
Read more: LJWorld.com.

Recruitment re-vamp: Topeka Police recruiting efforts gain national attention and more candidates

Recruiting at the Topeka Police Department has never looked the same, or more successful.
A group of officers re-vamped the strategies and process. One of those officer was also just named officer of the year, Sgt. Vidal Campos. He’s been with the department for 17 years.
“I did a lot of investigations for 10 years, but being around new recruits it’s almost energizing,” Sgt. Campos said. “It’s like, I feel the same energy that they do. I feel just as motivated as they do.”
Finding candidates to consider a career as a Topeka police officer is on the rise. Sgt. Campos said they’ve changed the game for getting recruits, and more importantly, keeping them.
Three years ago is when strategies started to change. Today, you’ll see officers in university classes working to get to know future candidates.
(Read more: KSNT News)

Kansas schools could get more state aid by removing Fort Leavenworth from formula

A revision in the way Kansas calculates aid for school district projects could help lower property taxes for residents across the state.
The Senate unanimously signed off on legislation Wednesday to provide additional support for bonds issued to fund facility improvements. The formula changes would apply to future bond projects, as well as those issued in the past five years.
Under a formula adopted in 2015, the state calculates assistance based on how a school district compares to the district with the lowest assessed property value per pupil. The numbers are skewed because Fort Leavenworth Unified School District 207 sits on a military base with virtually no taxable property.
(Read more: CCherokee County News Advocate)

Kansas Senate passes sports gambling plan despite concerns with state’s cut of action

The Kansas Senate on Wednesday moved to legalize sports gambling over objections from Democrats who complained that a deal brokered after two years of haggling too heavily favors casino managers.
Adults could place bets on professional and college athletics through online platforms and in person at the four state-run casinos under the terms of the bill. Gambling would be restricted to adults who are at least 21 years old.
Sen. Jeff Longbine, a Republican from Emporia, said the legislation represented work that began before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 affirmed the right of states to legalize sports wagers.(Read more: Community – Morning Sun)

Nemaha County Commission approves wind farm agreements

The Nemaha County Commission approved five agreements with Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources for a 300 megawatt Soldier Creek Wind Farm in southern Nemaha County.
…The agreements include development of the project, road use, compensation for the county, complaint resolution and dismantling the project.
As part of the road use agreement, NextEra will be responsible for repairing any damage done to county roads during the project and making improvements to handle the heavy equipment and materials crews will be transporting.
(Read more: hiawathaworldonline.com)

Johnson County home appraisals jump again

Johnson County homeowners can expect another jump in property values when they receive appraisal notices in the mail this week — but the county reports that increases aren’t as substantial as in past years.
Appraisal notices went out Monday to about 200,000 residential property owners in the county. Those values help determine what residents pay in property taxes.
Johnson County Appraiser Beau Boisvert said home values have been increasing across the county, due to high demand coupled with the limited housing stock. But this year, most homeowners won’t feel the shock they did in other years, such as 2018, when property values skyrocketed by 15% or more.
(Read more: Joco 913 News)

Emporia elementary school celebrates custodian becoming a US citizen

A custodian at an Emporia elementary school was officially sworn in as a U.S. citizen last week, and the school held an assembly to celebrate.
William Allen White School said in a Facebook post that Obdulia Ortega became a citizen last Friday. During Monday’s assembly, the students sang “This Land is Your Land.”
“This has been something she has been working very hard towards for a long time,” the Facebook post says. “What a great celebration!”
(Read more: KAKE – News)

Wichita State University enters wind turbine tech partnership

Wichita State University and WSU Ventures have entered into a new strategic partnership with California-based Lightning Diversion Systems (LDS), a Ducommun Company.
The partnership involves the exclusive licensing of a lightning strike protection system for rotor blades in the wind turbine industry, the product of several years of research and development by LDS and Billy Martin, senior research scientist for WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research, and his team in NIAR’s Environmental Test Lab.
Lightning strikes are a destructive force in the wind energy industry.
“There are 56,000 turbines in North America alone, and they are all prone to lightning strike,” said Dave Wilmot, vice president and general manager of the Engineered Products Group for Ducommun.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Topeka committee begins planning for 2020 TopCity Interns

In anticipation of nearly 200 college students flocking to Topeka this summer, a handful of community members have begun planning for this year’s TopCity Interns program.
The program, now in its fourth year, encourages college students to live, work and play in Topeka as they complete internships at area businesses.
“The idea is to expose the interns to different leaders while they’re in Topeka and really just to show them everything that Topeka has to offer,” said Kim Konecny, co-chair of the program.
The students who participate in TopCity Interns don’t apply for the program itself. Instead, they are invited to participate once they have committed to summer internships with participating businesses.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Legislative bill tied to bonds and interest could bring savings to USD 378 taxpayers

USD 378 Riley County Schools Superintendent Cliff Williams is keeping an eye on a pair of legislative bills that could alter state aid when it comes to bonds and interest, tilting the scales in favor of taxpayers.
Williams says Senate Bill 382 and House Bill 2526 are similar in their approaches, but favors the Senate bill which increases state aid for those districts that have passed bonds between 2015 to 2020. 
“We would go from having 0% state aid to having 17% state aid and so just passing that would be a big relief for our taxpayers. I’m hoping the House will look at that and recognize the difference in there and maybe amend their bill as well,” he said.
USD 378 passed its $15 million bond in November. Williams says the savings could be significant if the Senate Bill becomes law.
(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Recent Johnson County parks board decision allows electric bikes on all paved trails

The Johnson County Parks and Recreation District last week approved the use of Class 1 and Class 3 electric bikes on all paved JCPRD trails, effective immediately.
The decision comes after six-month pilot project, from July 2019 to January 2020, of the two classifications of e-bikes. Superintendent of Parks and Golf Courses Bill Maasen said in a release that the Johnson County Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners are suspending the code limiting patrons from using motorized vehicles on paved trails.
BikeWalkKC Director of Bike Share & Business Services Eric Vaughan is currently working with JCPRD to roll out a bike share program.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Partnership offers free land for jail

Free land was offered for construction of a new Marshall County Jail at Monday’s Marshall County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Marshall County Partnership for Growth economic development director Ellen Barber and board members Rob Peschel and Frank Popejoy met with the board to propose the county take ownership of 5.4 acres north of KanEquip in east Marysville for its proposed jail project. In addition, the partnership plans to work to purchase five more acres east of the proposed 5.4 acres so the county can have the access to the best area for the lift station that will service the whole 10 acres in that area, the Partnership representatives said.
(Read more: The Marysville Advocate)

House approves proposal to raise scrutiny of power pole siting

Dozens of 105-foot-tall Evergy poles in residential front yards of a low-income Wichita neighborhood inspired passage Wednesday by the Kansas House of an amendment expanding regulatory oversight of transmission line siting decisions in urban areas.
The 2018 project initiated by Westar Energy, which now operates as Evergy, sidestepped requests to place the double-deck poles elsewhere. Critics alleged the massive metal poles damaged their property values and would have never appeared in yards of wealthy homeowners. Westar subsequently apologized and donated $1.2 million to a community fund.
Rep. Gail Finney, D-Wichita, urged House colleagues to expand authority of the Kansas Corporation Commission to regulate placement of transmission lines in cities. It would require the KCC to take into account population density, location and aesthetics in siting decisions.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Rush to Invest in Municipal Debt Pushes Yields to Record Lows

Municipal-bond yields are hitting 38-year lows due to investors’ coronavirus concerns driving up demand in the $4 trillion muni market.

Fears of the coronavirus’s impact on global markets led to a stock selloff on Monday and Tuesday. Investors flocked to munis and other fixed-income investments for stability. The S&P Municipal Bond Index Monday logged its biggest one-day gain in 20 months. A daily gain that big—about one-third of a percentage point—has occurred only five times in the past three years.

“Fear is present and investors are taking some risk off the table,” said Sylvia Yeh, co-head of municipal fixed income at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. “That de-risking could mean [they buy into] cash, Treasurys or munis.”

Read more: Wall Street Journal.

Beards? Goatees? You may start seeing them on Wichita police officers

Since November, many Wichita police officers have been sporting goatees and extra facial hair, which is against the rules.
The rules were bent for a good cause to raise money for local non-profits, but it could become a permanent lifestyle for officers in the near future.
“Some guys just like to wear facial hair, and it is something we are not allowed to do per our policy,” says officer Anthony Villegas.
However, when you step inside Anthony Villegas’s patrol car you’ll see him sporting a goatee.
“The approachability and the relatability are increased and that is obviously one of the perks I suppose of having facial hair visibly,” Villegas said.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Small towns embrace sharing equipment, people

Most people learn the value of cooperation in grade school — but for cities the word can mean anything from sharing resources to ideas.
Hillsboro has a relationship with Peabody providing its water and sometimes working with Peabody employees on electric issues, Hillsboro city administrator Larry Paine said.
“It’s important, particularly as it’s harder to find employees with the right levels of training in both areas,” he said.
There are drawbacks to sending city workers to assist in neighboring communities, though, Paine said.
“If we were out of town helping another community and needed somebody to respond to a current Hillsboro issue then it would take us some time to get there,” he said. “On the other hand, our collaboration processes give us the ability to have good relationships with the working staff. It opens up the door.”
Making an effort to collaborate becomes more important the smaller a city is because there are fewer resources at that community’s disposal, Florence city councilman Ken Hoffman said.

(Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Merriam discusses moving to LED bulbs in city streetlights

The Merriam city council on Monday discussed purchasing LED bulbs for streetlights in need of replacement, and eventually transitioning entirely to LED bulbs.
A move to LED bulbs is trending among Shawnee Mission cities: Prairie Village its streetlights from Kansas City Power & Light in 2016 and set about installing LED heads. And in November 2019, Overland Park and Lenexa entered a partnership to switch to LED bulbs on some shared streetlights. Recently, Shawnee approved the acquisition of streetlights from Evergy (formerly KCP&L) and a conversion to LED bulbs.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)

Solution for Northeast Wichita food desert in the works

“Why are these stores continuing to open every couple of blocks?” This is one of the questions Wichita Councilman Brandon Johnson hears from his constituents about the excess of dollar stores in Northeast Wichita.
Councilman Johnson says they can be great for jobs, but they are missing a key demand. “No produce, no lettuce, no tomatoes, no cucumbers, anything that is really healthy for you. You can’t get those items,” he said.
There is only one Save-a-Lot in his district. Johnson says overcoming the food desert in Northeast Wichita has been a struggle. “The challenge was that some of these bigger stores and nothing against them, they’re looking at the profit margins,” he said.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Crawford County climbing visitor spending ranks

New data shows Crawford County now ranks 12th in Kansas for total visitor spending — up 10 spots over the last 4 years.
The county says the casino, hotels and more dining options are helping them grow.
And this opens the door to even more opportunities for attractions for visitors.
Devin Gorman, Crawford Co. Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, “I think we’re in a very good spot right now, there’s always new opportunities for growth as well so whether that’s attracting more events or looking at facilities and whether we need to add something there.”
(Read more: KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com)

Kansas moves to rid local tax lid in favor of transparency

Kansas is moving toward eliminating limits on local property taxes in favor of a proposal aimed at requiring officials to be more transparent about upcoming levies.
Many lawmakers don’t think current limits are effective, the Senate voted 39-0 on Tuesday to approve a bill described by supporters as a local tax transparency measure. It goes next to the House.
The bill would repeal a local tax lid pushed through the Republican-controlled Legislature by conservative lawmakers in 2015. Cities and counties would be required to send notices to all taxpayers if they intend to raise more money from property taxes in the coming year.
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Hutchinson Council will interview manager finalists this week

The Hutchinson City Council will conduct two executive sessions this week, on Thursday and Friday, to interview city manager candidates.
The sessions will begin at 11 a.m. each day and be held in the Executive Conference Room of the City Council Chambers at City Hall.
No action items are scheduled and the length of each meeting will be determined on those dates, according to agendas posted by the city.
The council on Feb. 13 settled on five finalists, out of more than 30 applications, to grant in-person interviews. The names of the finalist have not been released.
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Merriam discusses moving to LED bulbs in city streetlights

The Merriam city council on Monday discussed purchasing LED bulbs for streetlights in need of replacement, and eventually transitioning entirely to LED bulbs.
A move to LED bulbs is trending among Shawnee Mission cities: Prairie Village its streetlights from Kansas City Power & Light in 2016 and set about installing LED heads. And in November 2019, Overland Park and Lenexa entered a partnership to switch to LED bulbs on some shared streetlights. Recently, Shawnee approved the acquisition of streetlights from Evergy (formerly KCP&L) and a conversion to LED bulbs.
Merriam purchased streetlights from KCP&L in 1996, and all light fixtures installed to date have been high-pressure sodium streetlights, according to city documents. There are 228 lights left to install to complete the Merriam Streetlight Program, and 78 of those are set for installation in 2020. The program could be completed with high-pressure sodium bulbs for $950,000, or with LED bulbs for closer to $1 million, Public Works Director Jim MacDonald said.
(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Kansas Senate moves to restrain county appraisers

Senators in the Kansas Legislature on Tuesday embraced sweeping changes to restrain county appraisers and property valuations that increase local tax burdens.
The Senate passed legislation that would prohibit appraisers from increasing property valuations because of normal maintenance made to the property. They also couldn’t raise valuations while valuations are being appealed.
Other bills that received favor would mandate training for county appraisers and members of the State Board of Tax appeals and would ban someone from serving as county treasurer or appraiser if they previously had been removed from such a position.
(Read more: State Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Want more property tax revenue? Local Kansas officials must vote, Senate says

Kansas homeowners have long complained of property tax bills that appear to grow year after year. Fueled by rising home values, the increases are a source of rising anger among residents.
The Legislature is moving closer to approving restrictions that would – at least in theory – make it easier for homeowners to fight future hikes.
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill to prohibit local governments from growing the total amount of property tax revenue collected each year unless officials vote to do so. Localities would also have to hold a hearing for residents to air their views.
But in a nod to localities, the bill would also repeal a property tax lid they have strongly opposed since it was implemented in 2017. The lid, intended to limit tax hikes, was often undercut by exemptions and workarounds.
Read more: Wichita Eagle.

10-year muni yield falls below 1%

Fears about the COVID-19 virus continued to run rampant Tuesday, causing investors to resume selling off equities, resulting in municipal bond yields following Treasury yields down to all-time lows once again.
Muni were firm with a flattening bias along the yield curve following Monday’s price gains, according to Michael Pietronico, chief executive officer of Miller Tabak Asset Management. The gains “seemed to slow down the interest in the market today from participants who seem concerned with the low overall level of rates,” he said.
“We believe we are close to the bottom in yields and as such are more biased to buy defensive structures that perform relatively well should rates correct higher,” he said.
(Read more: The Bond Buyer)

Topeka aids homeless camp residents who are to be evicted

Topeka’s city government is helping residents of a North Topeka homeless camp prepare for their impending eviction, city manager Brent Trout said Tuesday.

The city’s Homeless Task Force and the Topeka/Shawnee County Crisis Intervention Team are helping the camp’s residents understand what is going to happen and what their options are, Trout said during the monthly news conference he holds with Mayor Michelle De La Isla.

“This won’t come as a surprise to them when it happens,” Trout said. “They’re going to be fully aware of what’s coming and the need for them to make a decision on where they’re going to move.”

(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Salina terminates curbside recycle program

The city’s subscription curbside recycling will end on March 31 after Salina begins restructuring the fee schedule of and upgrading the sanitation collection system.

After much discussion, the Salina City Commission agreed the current system was not sustainable or cost effective with the upcoming collection system and terminated the service by a vote of 4-1.

The commission also voted to approve the purchase of new automated collection trucks which city staff said would impact the ability to continue the subscription service.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Will there be a new government center in downtown Wichita, or are costs too high?

Sedgwick County commissioners got their first look at a $45-$50 million plan to create a new government center and came away with sticker shock.

The proposal unveiled Tuesday is the latest in a years-long saga as the county tries to deal with the need for more governmental office space to free up space in the courthouse for courts.

The plan envisions a five-level building — four stories plus basement — that would be adjacent to and connected with the existing courthouse. The proposal is to clear space by tearing down part of an existing courthouse annex building just to the north of the main tower at the southwest corner of Main and Elm.

(Read more: Local News |)

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