Municipal News & Jobs

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.

Buns and Badges was such a success Wednesday evening that the Halstead Police Department had to run to the store to buy more hot dogs. Turnout was estimated at close to 200 people for HPD’s Buns and Badges free swim and hot dog feed on Wednesday night. HPD started with 150 hot dogs. Chief Josh Orem estimated the turnout was between 180 and 200 people. He said they cooked 250 hot dogs and only had 10 or 15 left over.
Source: Harvey County Now

Overland Park is taking steps to acquire a seven-story office building near College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue for $22.5 million that will serve as a future city hall. The nearly 155,000-square-foot building at 6201 College Blvd. is currently home to a variety of office tenants. County land records say that College-Lamar LP, an affiliate of Kansas City-based real estate firm Copaken Brooks, owns it.
Source: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village has asked the Johnson County District Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a resident challenging the city’s recently approved $30 million municipal complex project. The city is also asking a judge to hold an expedited hearing, arguing that the lawsuit is preventing the city from issuing bonds for the project ahead of another key vote by the city council.
Source: Johnson County Post

If there is a need to prove what the new Lenexa Old Town Activity Center means to the community, the proof, says Logan Wagler, is in the faces of 60 happy summer campers. Wagler, director of Lenexa’s Park & Recreation, said those kids would not have summer camp without the new facility. In the past, the popular summer camp was only possible at the Lenexa Rec Center, which could provide summer camp to only 100 kids each week. “The registration filled up within minutes,” Wagler said. The Lenexa Old Town Activity Center features a new look and added amenities for patrons. Chris Ochsner cochsner@kcstar.com Now, there are an additional 60 kids who are at summer camp at the new facility.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

After residents raised alarms over the ways development and redevelopment can compromise a neighborhood’s character and drive up property taxes, the Prairie Village City Council will discuss if they want to explore potential residential development restrictions. The concern is around teardown-rebuilds in particular, which occur when someone buys a property, demolishes the existing structure and builds a new house in its place. The trend has been a source of tension among Prairie Village residents for years as more modest homes are replaced and almost double in value.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, staff will likely pitch up to 2% in increases to local tourism taxes to help finance expenses for the rapidly approaching 2026 FIFA World Cup, the county administrator’s office told commissioners during a meeting last week.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

The new slate gray ranch houses stand side by side in Neodesha, windows sparkling, driveways gleaming, lawns still green under an autumn sun. They’re simply waiting for someone to move in. And waiting. And waiting … The unsold houses on North Second Street, along with two more new houses around the corner on McCartney Lane, reflect the challenge southeast Kansas faces even as demand for housing skyrockets in the region – and, indeed, just about everywhere in the Sunflower State. Despite multiple incentives in place to bring down the price of the homes, folks in the area are unable – or unwilling – to buy them.
Source: KLC Journal

On Monday, July 7, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners received a presentation on the proposed economic impact of the proposed Rainbow Springs Solar project. Craig Compton, Principal Investigator with the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business, presented the findings of the Economic Impact Analysis during the commission’s regular meeting. He was joined by representatives from Clearway Energy, the company developing the solar project.
Source: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The City and Fire Dept celebrate the opening of a new fire station. Saturday morning the final siren was sounded at the former station, 121 West 11th St, and the fire trucks and apparatus then paraded to the new fire station at 1709 Military Ave along Route 66. The former station served the city 99 years.
Source: www.koamnewsnow.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article

The City of Derby voted unanimously to pass an ordinance limiting the sale of fireworks. This comes after the state updated laws earlier this year to allow for year-round sales. City officials argued that year-round sales increase fire risk, threaten the welfare of pets and certain community members, such as veterans, and make enforcement nearly impossible.
Source: KSN-TV

Fifteen years ago, the Cottonwood Falls Grade School closed its doors, and its future went up in the air as it went up for auction. However, the 120-year-old building is now open again, with a new look and purpose. After years of flux, the schoolhouse itself now offers affordable housing after a partnership with Frontier Development out of Alva. “They work a lot out of Manhattan,” Coster added. “They proved to be the best partners that we could have found. We sold this property to them, and then they went into the work of turning it into apartments.” The expanded portion of the building, constructed in the 1960s, has been converted into a community center.
Source: KSN-TV

Garden City officials marked a milestone in public safety with the official ribbon-cutting for Fire Station 3, a project more than two decades in the making. The new station on Garden City’s east side is the last project funded by the 2017 sales tax initiative. Officials say it shows the city’s growth and its dedication to meeting public safety needs.
Source: KSN-TV

Sedgwick County announced on Monday that they received nearly 1,200 fireworks complaints this year. The county broke down the types of calls they received between June 27 and July 6 from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. each night. The busiest night was July 5, with 352 complaints about fireworks. The busiest day for the non-emergency line was July 4. Sedgwick County took 412 calls that day. This includes complaints about fireworks and other non-emergency concerns. Out of those 412 calls, 183 were fireworks complaints.
Source: KSN-TV

Having access to fresh fruits and veggies is a luxury many take for granted. In the center of Sedgwick, you can find a new garden working to make a change. “We have herbs, we have cucumbers, we have tomatoes, strawberries,” listed off Heather Tucker, operations manager of The Meeting House. The plants are dense with nutrients and purpose. “Anybody from the community that wants to harvest from it can, but harvest respectfully, leaving some for others,” Tucker explained.
Source: KSN-TV

The Winfield Police Department and Cowley County Sheriff’s Office are once again hosting their adult citizens police academy, set to start August 28. The 15th run of the academy will educate citizens about the police department and sheriff’s office organizations, operations, and roles in the communities they serve.
Source: Local – Cowley Post

Wamego’s fireworks spectacle is well known as Kansas’ largest display, but it also leaves behind a mess of epic proportions. Organizers said what normally might take a week to clean up turns into a single-morning effort, thanks to the help of student volunteers from area schools. “We don’t just blow stuff up and leave,” said Corey Reeves, Wamego tourism and event manager. “We have a small army of high school and middle school students, teachers, educators and community volunteers who just show up to help clean up afterwards.”
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

The City of Wamego becomes Boomtown every July 4, transforming from an idyllic prairie town into a sensory celebration of America. The activities in town include a carnival, parade, car and tractor show, but the featured event is the fireworks show. Wamego tourism and event manager, and member of the pyro crew, Corey Reeves spoke about Boomtown just hours before the show was set to begin. That vibe was a real, palpable feeling throughout the community. A carnival drew in several guests looking to get their fill of food and thrills. A crowd gathered for the annual parade, but paled in comparison to the gathering that took in the night’s fireworks display.
Source: News Radio KMAN

The Garden City Commission approved an interlocal agreement with Finney County regarding the use of sales tax proceeds at the commission’s regular meeting Tuesday. The sales tax proceeds come from the anticipated Finney County Sales Tax Initiative, which will be up for voter approval as a ballot question on the Nov. 4 general election.
Source: Garden City Telegram

The Holcomb Police Department will join law enforcement agencies from across Kansas to participating in the July S.T.E.P. (Special Traffic Enforcement Program) campaign, focused on reducing speeding-related crashes. The enforcement campaign will run from July 7 through July 15, targeting speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors. This initiative is made possible through a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).
Source: Garden City Telegram

The City of Great Bend has been participating in a nationwide class action lawsuit against manufacturers of PFAS chemicals. Some of those claims have been settled and Great Bend’s share of that settlement is a little over $1.3 million to be paid out over time.
Source: Homepage

The No BESS group has received word that their petition could not be certified by Harvey County Clerk Rick Piepho because he couldn’t verify the signatures were valid, as he stated in a letter to Halstead City Clerk Julie Wait. Piepho stated: “While we can confirm the registration status of the signers, none of the pages or individual signature entries include a date indicating when the signature was collected. As a result, we cannot confirm whether the individuals were registered voters at the time of signing or whether the signatures were gathered within the 180-day window required by statute.”
Source: Harvey County Now

The Mulvane Public Library invites the public to bring color to the library’s windows with a collaborative window mural project. The project will be happening at the Mulvane library (408 N. 2nd Ave.) from 10 a.m. to noon on July 12. Library windows will have a pre-drawn design to paint. Participants are encouraged to grab a brush, add their own creative touch and watch the community mural come together.
Source: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news/area_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 market began in 1985 with a few producers and family farmers and has now grown to a membership of 47 farmers, growers, bakers, artisans and more, with an average of 20 to 30 vendors coming each Saturday.
Source: Hutch News

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.

Most recently, the department purchased a robotic canine to use for community engagement and with the special weapons and tactics unit. It can be operated by a several SWAT officers and has been taken on more than 20 outings.
Source: CJonline

A federal judge on July 1 dismissed a lawsuit pursued by four Jackson County landowners and the city of Rossville seeking to prevent Jeffrey Solar, LLC, from creating a 5,000-acre solar power farm near their property and that city.
Source: CJonline

Federal data released Thursday shows government jobs saw the largest month-over-month sector growth at 73,000. That means government jobs accounted for about half of the 147,000 total nonfarm payroll growth in June. … State government payrolls grew by 47,000, while local governments added 33,000 jobs. The bulk of those new jobs on both levels were in education, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.
Source: CNBC

Like many cities with dated infrastructure, Wyandotte County relies on what’s called a combined sewer system, which means that storm and sewage water use the same pipes but have different outputs. The two sources of water are separated by dams built into the pipe system.
Source: KC Star

Johnson County doesn’t have any natural lakes or large reservoirs. Every lake in our area is man-made—built to meet practical needs like drinking water, irrigation, and recreation. Our largest lake is just over 220 acres. Yet these small lakes tell big stories about the people, policies, and communities that shaped them.
Source: Johnson County Post

The city of Roeland Park, through its arts advisory committee, is hosting its first-ever outdoor art contest between now and August. Community members will also serve as judges, picking winners of first through fourth place by Aug. 1. Participating residents are encouraged to create a simple sculpture masterpiece that is big enough to see from their front yards.
Source: Johnson County Post

As City Manager, Wilkes led the city organization through immense community growth and dramatic change. During his tenure, Olathe has grown from less than 90,000 residents to over 150,000. He also saw Olathe transform from largely a bedroom community to one of Kansas’ economic engines with hundreds of new businesses opening and tens of thousands of jobs created.
Source: Olathe, KS

Lawrence had the second-lowest rate nationally of 49.1% while Manhattan was fifth-lowest at 50.9%, economist Anat Nusinovich wrote in an article posted on the NAR website.
Source: CJonline

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.

Starting this week, Mulvane residents in need of transportation are now able to call for a shuttle bus to take them to medical appointments, shopping and other daily errands. The Mulvane Senior Center and Mulvane Recreation Commission kicked off the Mulvane Community Area Transit (MCAT) program on June 30 and quickly got the wheels rolling to help residents.
Source: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news/area_news of type article

According to The Times-Sentinel, Haysville is now offering to cover a portion of the leases for growing businesses through a new matching grant program. The program is set up to cover the first six months of a lease (up to $1,200), with the landlord also offering the first month free.
Source: www.derbyinformer.com – RSS Results in news/area_news of type article

Work has begun at Sedgwick’s pocket park on a mural to highlight the town and bring residents together. Artist Austin Thieme began by sketching his design on the side of the police department building, at least as high as he could reach. His current scaffolding only allows him to reach the ‘W’ for now. Thieme, a 2025 Sedgwick High School graduate, painted his first mural last summer in the commons of the high school.
Source: Harvey County Now

This November, Prairie Village voters will be asked whether they want to do away with the city’s current form of government. The public vote, which the city has confirmed will occur this November, is the culmination of a years-long debate in Prairie Village, which began as a fight over zoning and housing and wound up in a legal battle over city governance. The question about the city’s form of government is also completely separate from the city’s current debate over a new municipal complex, which some residents have been insisting also be put on the ballot. In a statement Monday, the city confirmed that the question, “Shall the City of Prairie Village, Kansas, abandon the mayor-council form of government?” will appear on the November ballot.
Source: Johnson County Post

The Olathe City Council will discuss raising the tax rate visitors pay when staying at hotels or motels in order to match nearby jurisdictions. Known as transient guest tax, the dollars are generated by visitors paying to stay at hotels for 28 consecutive days or less. Guest taxes are often used by other local governments in Kansas to help generate revenue for local development and tourism opportunities.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Governor Laura Kelly has directed flags to be flown at half-staff on all state buildings, grounds, and facilities from sunrise to sunset on July 5, 2025, to honor Phillips County Deputy Brandon Gaede, who was killed in the line of duty on June 27. The order follows Executive Order #20-30.
Source: KCLY Radio

Something out of this world brought about 1,000 people – mostly Kansans but some Nebraskans and Missourians, based on license plates – to the state’s UFO capital last summer. It may sound a bit out there, but not only has this community of 236 souls staked its claim, it’s raised its deflector shields to ward off any competitors. Add a guy with a daring and wacky sense of looking at things, plus a museum board’s vision, and you’ve got a happening. The end result is that Geneseo, about 100 miles northwest of Wichita in Rice County, is trying to take a portion of the state’s motto – “to the stars” – to a whole new parsec. It doesn’t matter what kind of being you are; the local humans just ask that you show up.
Source: KLC Journal

City leaders and community members gathered Tuesday to break ground on a long-anticipated water treatment plant that will bring major changes to how Valley Center handles its water supply. Currently, the city sells raw water to Wichita, which treats it and sells it back. Once the new facility is complete, Valley Center will be able to treat its own water—providing up to 1.4 million gallons of clean drinking water per day.
Source: KSN-TV

After a lot of concern from people in the community, a new truck stop in Topeka is going to have to pump the brakes. At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, the governing body voted to send a request to rezone a west Topeka property back to the planning commission for more work. Maverik has more than 400 locations in 12 states, and wants to expand to Kansas. It’s looking to add a location off of I-70 on Fairlawn where the old Holidome was located.
Source: KSNT 27 News