Municipal News & Jobs

Although tensions flared at times, a unified sense of collaboration and urgency permeated throughout the special meeting between Hutchinson and South Hutchinson, and Reno County Commissioners on Thursday night at the Sand Hills Center. The meeting came after South Hutchinson took a first step towards annexing the future site of Evergy’s natural gas power plant during a special city council meeting on Nov. 17. The site falls within the limits of South Hutchinson’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Hutchinson City Manager Enrico Villegas kicked off the meeting by emphasizing the need for Hutchinson and South Hutchinson to collaborate on creating more economic development in the area.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

When you flush the toilet in Topeka, your sewage will now feed into a state-run public health monitor of the level of flu, RSV and COVID-19 in the community. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Nov. 19 announced the launch of a new online dashboard for its wastewater monitoring of respiratory viruses.
Read more: CJonline

People who are caught living near bus shelters, or in privately-owned woods, could be required to complete up to 40 hours of community service, pay hundreds in fines or spend up to a month in jail.
Read more: KC Star

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.

Spring Hill will have a new mayor after an unusual write-in election. Voters in the growing Johnson and Miami Counties exurb went to the polls Nov. 4, but the only candidate for mayor on the ballot announced that she would not take the position if elected.
Read more: KC Star

The $320 million project, proposed by Lamar Hunt Jr.’s company, Loretto Properties LLC, will feature the theme park, a hockey arena and a six-story hotel on the southwest corner of West 119th Street and Renner Boulevard, also known as the Olathe Gateway.
Read more: KC Star

New public opinion polling showcases a sharp divide among Johnson County residents over whether the Royals should continue pursuing a ballpark at Aspiria.
Read more: KC Star

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.

Downtown Arma was busy last weekend with the return of the third annual Arma Hometown Christmas celebration, featuring more than 20 businesses and organizations for a Christmas tree giveaway and open house. The Arma City Council expressed its pleasure with the event turnout during Monday’s council meeting.
Read more: -Morning Sun

The Crawford County Commissioners rendered their decision, Tuesday, concerning the island annexation of land by the City of Mulberry, six miles from the city, with the sole purpose of developing the land for economic gain through the construction of a solar farm. They did not approve the annexation.
Read more: – Morning Sun

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced more than $7.6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding has been awarded for 19 projects across Kansas. These investments are aimed at strengthening infrastructure, housing, and economic opportunities in rural and low- to moderate-income communities.
Read more: Press Releases Archives – Kansas Department of Commerce

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.

Josh Guymon is now USD 457’s permanent Superintendent, no longer just the Interim Superintendent. Guymon served as the Interim Superintendent since June. The Board of Education announced Guymon as the superintendent on Oct. 31 and approved his contract at the Board’s regular meeting on Monday. Guymon worked in the district for 28 years, beginning in the fall of 1997.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

As part of its continued investment in Kansas, Amazon today announced the opening of new delivery stations in Salina and Garden City, in addition to plans to open an additional last-mile facility in Bel Aire by the end of this year, as part of its delivery network expansion throughout rural America.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

The USD489 has been awarded grants totaling $154,000 for the District’s new tennis courts. Grant applications written and submitted by USD489 Superintendent Ron Wilson have been approved by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for $140,000 from the Tennis Venue Services and $14,000 from the Missouri Valley Tennis Association.
Read more: Hays Daily News

Vickie Taulbert and her husband, Mike, who are both in their 70s, have lived in their current northern Overland Park neighborhood for upwards of 40 years. Originally attracted to the area — around 67th Street and Santa Fe, across the street from the green at Milburn Country Club — by its central location, they stayed for the community connection they forged with several neighbors who have also spent decades in the neighborhood. “I mean really this street, it’s like a family,” Taulbert said, recounting memories of block parties and other gatherings. “On our street, we take care of everybody.” But, recent construction on a new pickleball court in the side yard of the property that backs up to theirs — and concern about what that means for their quality of life — has Taulbert and her husband pondering a previously unthinkable move to a different neighborhood, potentially a different city altogether.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Delivery drones for Amazon will soon be taking to the skies in parts of Shawnee as part of a program launching across the U.S. On Monday, Shawnee city staff alerted the Shawnee City Council to Amazon’s plans to deploy Prime Air drones in the area in next few weeks. The MK30 drones will deliver packages weighing less than 5 pounds out of two Amazon locations nearby. They will cover about two-thirds of Shawnee, according to city documents. The discussion was for informational purposes only, to raise awareness about the program and answer any questions the city council had.
Read more: Johnson County Post

An empty lot sits on the southeast corner of Central and Oliver. There, developers have placed a sign describing their proposed development and site plan for the property. The architectural rendering suggests that there would be a restaurant, two drive-thrus, 13,500 square feet of commercial space and almost 7,000 square feet in retail space. Half of the land is devoted to parking. Nothing about the proposed site plan looks out of place for Wichita.  Except very little about this plan resembles what developers told members of the District 1 Advisory Board, commonly known as a DAB. All six Wichita city council districts have DABs to provide advice and recommendations to their respective council members. They generally meet monthly, in the evenings, to hear reports from city departments and staff. They also advise on zoning cases. At these meetings, the city’s planning staff present a case and offer their recommendations. The public can weigh in on the proposed change. Board members, who represent the concerns and interests of the community, can ask developers clarifying questions. Then, relying on the information presented, they vote on whether or not to give their support to the plan. 
Read more: KLC Journal

Several individuals gathered in northern Lyon County Saturday morning to unveil new signage detailing the significant history that runs through that portion of our area. Residents and organizers gathered in Old Allen Saturday to unveil a new Santa Fe Trail sign, which includes detailed information about the significance of the community and the historic trail that runs through it, a fact that organizer Janice Huston says many people are not aware of. The sign is also meant to help educate residents on Charles H. Withington, the first settler in the area, who founded the community of Allen.
Read more: KVOE