Municipal News & Jobs

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

Marshall County voters will face a special question on the November 4 general election ballot regarding the sale of liquor by the drink in public establishments. The measure asks voters to decide whether to eliminate the current food sales requirement for venues that sell liquor by the drink. This change would allow establishments to sell alcoholic beverages without needing to meet a minimum percentage of revenue from food sales.
Read more: The Sunflower State Radio Network

The Riley County Jail has been operating close to its maximum capacity for several years, and this year has exceeded its population limit, with the average daily population increasing by 12% to 15% since 2019. Riley County Police Department Lt. Jason Deehr told the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board Monday that while the jail’s bed count for inmates is 147, its actual operational capacity according to the jail’s classification is 120. Deehr presented a graph showing the average daily population for 2025 as about 125 inmates. Though RCPD Director Brian Peete told the board Riley County enjoys a low crime rate and Maj. Brad Jager said crime is trending down, Deehr said the jail’s population trend is “exceeding national standards by far.”
Read more: themercury.com

While the sale of the Halstead Hospital, Halstead Inn, and Nun House was through a private transaction, Halstead city leadership, as well as representation from the Harvey County Economic Development Commission met with the new owners at certain points during negotiations while they were doing their due diligence regarding a potential purchase of the properties and provided background or other information related to the community or as requested, according to Halstead City Manager Ethan Reimer.
Read more: Harvey County Now

How should large, portable buildings, such as prefabricated sheds and workspaces, be valued and assessed for taxes in Jackson County? That question was discussed at a recent Jackson County Commission meeting with Kate Immenschuh, the county appraiser and zoning officer. More than 300 new agricultural structures in the county were identified from December 2021 to December 2024 through EagleView aerial imagery. Read more: The Holton Recorder

Community and municipal leaders, elected officials and water professionals from around Johnson County and the state of Kansas gathered Friday, Oct. 17, at the 2025 Johnson County Water Summit for a morning of learning and collaboration. The summit featured welcome remarks from Commissioner Becky Fast, Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, and Whitney Wilson, WaterOne Board Chair. It took place from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., in Overland Park.
Read more: Johnson County Kansas

Cities across Johnson County have spent the last several years and millions of dollars removing doomed ash trees that were dead or dying from emerald ash borer infestations. Now, some local foresters and arborists are warning that another illness could pose a threat to mature trees that line streets and provide shade in local yards. Oak wilt is a fungal infection that can rapidly wipe out an oak tree after it becomes infected. It harms a tree’s vascular system, tricking it into blocking its own water vessels, and the disease can spread to other trees through insects or underground root connections.
Read more: Johnson County Post

A multibillion development pipeline could reshape Western Wyandotte County. Here’s a look at six major real estate developments planned around the Kansas Speedway.
Read more: Kansas City Business Journal

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, alongside city officials, is exploring the possibility of bringing a next-generation nuclear power facility to Hutchinson, which could boost local economic growth and infrastructure. This interest follows TerraPower’s September 23 announcement of a memorandum of understanding with Evergy and the Kansas Department of Commerce to build a Natrium nuclear reactor somewhere in Evergy’s Kansas service area.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Companies are racing to roll out nuclear reactor designs that would be faster to build and could meet rising demand for energy from AI data centers. Two nuclear companies have proposals for new reactors in Kansas. Plus: Data centers are fundamentally changing the landscape for electric utilities in Missouri and beyond.
Read more: KCUR

A town hall meeting held Wednesday evening brought together leaders from the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County and Wichita Public Schools. The goal was to give government representatives a chance to hear from the public on how the three agencies can collaborate. In attendance was Vernette Chance, a retired teacher, who says her biggest concern is special education.
Red more: KSN-TV

A potential change in the way Fort Scott handles public sales tax could mean more resources for first responders. First responders and city officials in Fort Scott are pushing for a reallocation of public sales tax funds, which will be voted on in the upcoming November elections.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Two different generations of Pittsburg residents are helping the city grow. City officials say they’ve been making a push to attract younger working professionals to Pittsburg, with new construction projects and high-quality businesses. More recently, the city reported an uptick in retirees moving to the city from out of state.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

A discussion to control the noise surrounding a Bitcoin mining facility in Bourbon County is tabled for now. A representative from Evolution Tech, the company behind the facility, was scheduled to make an appearance at today’s Bourbon County Commissioners meeting after several recent noise complaints. However, Commissioner Samuel Tran told us the company postponed its appearance. Tran says Evolution Tech has sought legal counsel to prepare for any questions commissioners or the public might ask.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The Topeka City Council gave the Chief of Police permission to let officers in the department wear their uniform while off-duty. This new ordinance only applies to officers who are working security assignments on other jobs. The Topeka Police Department believes that communities will be safer if law enforcement, while working for private companies, are able to show the public that they are trained officers with the department.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Jackson County leaders are expressing their skepticism about the size of a proposed new solar facility in the local area. Jackson County’s Board of County Commissioners met on Monday, Oct. 20 to discuss plans for a new 500-megawatt renewable energy facility called Jeffrey Solar. The solar farm would be installed west of Holton and take up around 6,600 football fields of space. NextEra Energy Resources is the driving force behind the project, which promises to deliver a big investment into the county along with new jobs. However, NextEra’s plans are getting some pushback from county commissioners. “I have a trust issue,” said Jackson County Commissioner Keith Kelly. “You are talking about a large company, you’re talking about a small community, we don’t have a bank of attorneys, or funds, I don’t think any of us are in favor of anything larger than 2,000 acres.”
Read more: KSNT 27 News

After almost two years the Peabody City Council will start enforcing its rules on camping on owned properties. Scott Spunaugles and wife Kathy Crawley, received permission in January 2024, to live in a camper on their property in the 600 block of Sycamore St. for six months while remodeling their house. The council asked them to come back July 8 and provide an update.
Read more: Marion County RECORD

Looking at economic data for Reno County, perhaps what’s surprising is that more people aren’t homeless. The latest data shows nearly 13% of households in the county—or more than 3,100 of them—were living at or below the federal poverty level last year. Other measures show an even larger number of people in our community who, while not classified as poor, don’t earn enough to feel economically secure.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

The Haven City Council discussed food truck permits and kids riding electric scooters through town at high speeds, among other items, during its Monday evening meeting. The city’s current food truck policy requires vendors to apply for a permit to operate at any time for one year from the date of application, if approved. Food truck employees have to pass a Police Department-run background check, and any employees the vendor adds throughout the year have to pass as well. The permit has a one-time $50 fee, and the pink paper permit has to be posted on the truck. Previously, the council addressed concerns about local restaurants with set hours being able to compete with food trucks that can operate at any time.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune