Municipal News & Jobs

A new ordinance allowing the city of Wichita to fine landlords who retaliate against tenants has yet to be put to use. Landlord retaliation can include an eviction or rent increase within six months of a tenant’s complaint to the city’s inspections department about the quality of their housing, according to the ordinance. It was passed in January 2024 by the City Council after several council members said they heard complaints from tenants about retaliation. But between January 2024 and January 2025, the city received just nine complete complaints from tenants alleging retaliation, said City Attorney Jennifer Magaña.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Firefighters have contained but continued Thursday to fight a fire that started the night before at a landfill in Park City. The fire is still smoldering at Evergreen Recycle, 302 West 53rd Street North, but contained to a roughly 100 foot by 100 foot area, Sedgwick County spokesperson Stephanie Birmingham said. The rain overnight also helped with fighting the fire. Lightning is the suspected cause of the fire.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

Bradley Harris, the city administrator of North Newton, has been hired by Peabody as a consultant providing city management-related services. These services include organization development, project management, and unspecified duties as directed by city council.
Source: Marion County RECORD

Marion City Council took initial steps at a work session Monday to reassert its role in two areas that increasingly have been left to city staff. For the past two years, the council barely discussed budgeting until immediately before tax levies had to be established. Starting May 5, the council will discuss budgeting at each of its semi-monthly meetings until final adoption of a tax levy in September.
Source: Marion County RECORD

Wilson County is one step closer to housing what would be — at least for now — the largest solar farm in the state. The Wilson County Commission approved earlier this month a special use permit for what’s been dubbed the Sunflower Sky Solar Project. If approved, the 65-megawatt plant would cover more than 500 acres of farmland south of Altoona in rural Wilson County. For comparison’s sake, the state’s current largest plant — the Johnson Corner solar farm — covers 144 acres in Stanton County in northwest Kansas and generates 27.5 megawatts of power.
Source: The Iola Register

Kansas has once again seen net domestic out-migration, with a net loss of 4,700 residents to other states in 2024, the latest year for which United States Census Bureau figures are available. Domestic migration is defined as legal U.S. residents moving into or out of a state. This is part of a long-running trend of population loss from domestic migration in the Sunflower State. According to the Kansas Policy Institute Green Book, between 2000 and 2023, Kansas lost 197,492 residents — roughly 7% of the total population — ranking 39th in the nation. KPI owns the Sentinel.
Source: The Sentinel

People of all ages got creative in the new location of Manhattan’s skate park Saturday. No, they weren’t doing kickflips or grinding the rails, but took part in a “Paint the Park” event co-hosted by Switch Wicked — a screen printing and apparel business founded in 2021 — and the Manhattan Parks and Recreation department. During a three-hour timespan, attendees of all experience levels used spray paint cans to colorize the setting dominated by a solid gray.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

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.

The Kansas Department of Commerce will celebrate National Community Development Week (April 21-25) with the inaugural Community Impact Tour – a five-day, 26-stop tour highlighting transformative projects across Kansas. National Community Development Week was established in 1986 to recognize the impact of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This year, Kansas is expanding the celebration to honor Community Development and Quality Place initiatives that are driving progress in housing, childcare, downtown revitalization and infrastructure.
Source: Press Releases – Kansas Department of Commerce

Florent Wagner — Overland Park’s unofficial city historian and beloved keeper of countless stories — died late last month at the age of 87. Wagner, who never actually lived in the city of Overland Park but in neighboring Leawood, was integral in forming what is now the Overland Park Historical Society and worked for decades at the former Overland Park State Bank and Trust Company downtown. “We are extremely saddened by Florent’s passing,” Mayor Curt Skoog said in a statement to the Post. “Florent was not just a devoted steward of Overland Park’s rich history, he was a part of it.”
Source: Johnson County Post

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has announced the results of the 2025 Kansas National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament. The event took place on March 28 and 29 at the Kansas State Fair Grounds in Hutchinson. Nearly 400 students from across the state participated in the bullseye and 3D archery events for a chance to qualify for the national tournament, which will take place in June in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The KDWP says a record-setting $20,000 in scholarships was awarded to student archers at the tournament, thanks to contributions from the National Archery in the Schools Program, the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, the Kansas Bowhunters Association, and Scheels of Wichita.
Source: KSN-TV

The Pittsburg Police Department gets approval for safety improvements. At Tuesday’s meeting—city commissioners gave approved the purchase of 13 in-car cameras for patrol cars. Hardware, equipment and software will run the city about 114-thousand dollars—and is covered by the public safety sales tax. Deputy Police Chief Major Ben Henderson says this will help with transparency and earning public trust.
Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Thanks to Senate Bill 199, fireworks can now be sold year-round in Kansas, and retailers are deciding if it’s worth it or not. The law was signed on Wednesday, April 9, but retailers may be opting out. One retailer tells 27 News that shipments are now more expensive because of tariffs, and that some sellers have even stopped their shipments all together.
Source: KSNT 27 News

The City of Arkansas City is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Chad Gleason, who died Thursday morning while on duty—doing the work he cared deeply about and took great pride in every day.  Chad had been a valued member of the City’s Sanitation Division since January 2024. More than a colleague, he was a trusted friend and an essential part of the Public Services Department. His strong work ethic, positive attitude, and dedication to serving Arkansas City will be profoundly missed by all who had the honor of working  with him. 
Source: Local – Cowley Post

Concern over the behavior of an Ark City area man – who’s been seen taking walks in the nude in his neighborhood – has led to an effort to bolster the law against public nudity. The same issue involving the same person has come up before in the IXL neighborhood south of Ark City where the walks have occurred. Warmer weather seems to be more suitable for the displays which neighbors don’t care for and have tried to get stopped. Attempts have been made to speak with or otherwise confront the man, without success. Now, Pam Crain, a local woman known for her abilities to rally support for various issues, is spearheading the push for a tougher law.
Source: Local – Cowley Post

A three-judge panel from the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals appeared unconvinced Friday that five Sedgwick County juvenile detention officers should be immune from an excessive force lawsuit in the 2021 death of 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton. The county officers were appealing an Oct. 3 ruling by Eric Melgren, chief judge of the U.S. District Court of Kansas, who denied the officers’ petition to dismiss all claims against them, saying that a jury must decide who to believe about what happened inside a small cell at the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |

The Coffey Health System Board of Trustees has voted to cease obstetrics care at Coffey County Hospital, according to a report from the health system’s marketing department published in the Coffey County Republican. Labor and delivery services incurred a $1.3 million annual loss for the health system in 2024, the report noted. In the last five years, the hospital averaged 65 births per year. Projections for 2025 are less than half that. The change aggravates a growing maternity desert in southeast Kansas. Only Neosho, Labette, Montgomery and Crawford counties have hospitals with obstetrics services. 
Source: The Iola Register

Manhattan may see more charging stations in the near future for electric vehicles as they become more common. At Monday’s meeting, Riley County’s MPO planning manager told officials to expect some changes in infrastructure to accommodate the gradual rise in EV use. Tremblay said drivers with electric vehicles tend to pass through the Manhattan area and having charging stations can accommodate those visitors. There are currently 12 EV charging stations in Manhattan. Tremblay said possible locations for new charging stations may be on privately owned parking lots such as the Westloop area or the Stratford village. He said people coming into Manhattan for K-State athletic events sometimes ask where to find chargers.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

In reaction to the Kansas legislature capping property tax increases at the local level, the City of El Dorado is considering a sales tax increase to reduce the mill levy. The discussion was held at the April 2 El Dorado City Commission Workshop. City Manager David Dillner introduced the topic of the sales tax, saying it could lower the levy by 14 mills. The City already has a 1% sales tax that goes into the general fund and any excess funds special projects. The City would have to cap their sales tax at 2%, meaning a new tax couldn’t be higher than 1%.
Source: Butler County Times-Gazette