Kansas Municipal News
Public comments return to Johnson County commission’s online livestream
Public comments at the beginning of Johnson County commission meetings are once again being streamed live along with the meeting. The policy reverses a decision made two years ago by county Chair Mike Kelly, which was later approved by the commission. The decision not to stream public comments became a flashpoint, particularly for conservatives who have made a habit in recent years of showing up to opine on everything from the county’s COVID-19 response to the 2020 election.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Municipal Bond Trends for February 7, 2025
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.
AG Opinion 2025-4: County attorney serving as county counselor
When a county has established the position of county counselor and there is a temporary vacancy in that position, a county attorney is not prohibited from receiving a fee in addition to the county attorney’s salary for performing the duties of the county counselor on an interim basis.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions
AG Opinion 2025-3: Incompatibility of office
The common law doctrine of incompatibility of office precludes a person from concurrently holding the positions of a county hospital board member and a physician in the same hospital.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions
Municipal Bond Trends for February 6, 2025
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.
Manhattan Regional Airport sets several new passenger milestones in 2024
Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK) is pleased to announce 2024 set new records for passengers using the airport. One such record was enplanements, with 81,712 total passengers boarding a flight out of MHK in 2024. The previous enplanement record of 77,553 was set in 2019. Last year saw a 5.3% increase when compared to 2019. Similarly, the airport also set a new record for deplanements, with 81,971 total passengers exiting a flight in Manhattan for 2024.
Source: Manhattan – News Flash
Prairie Village keeps teardown-rebuild home design rules untouched for now — Here’s why
The potential to rehash a once-fraught debate over neighborhood building rules is not moving forward in Prairie Village. The Prairie Village Planning Commission on Tuesday agreed there is no need to update neighborhood design guidelines first enacted in 2019 that lay out rules dictating what the city wants to see in single-family neighborhoods. Commissioner Jon Birkel was absent from this week’s discussion.
Source: Johnson County Post
Big projects, new top cop and road work — Top takeaways from OP mayor’s ‘State of the City’
Big investments in Overland Park are starting to come to life, and city leaders expect to see more in the coming years. That was the overarching theme of Mayor Curt Skoog’s annual State of the City address Tuesday, given before a crowd gathered on the Johnson County Community College campus at an event hosted by the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce.
Source: Johnson County Post
Lenexa might expand its winter homeless shelter months after rejecting permanent plan
Despite cries that Lenexa would become “the Mecca” of homelessness, the city’s Planning Commission approved a change that could allow its temporary cold weather homeless shelter to serve more people — just months after the city rejected a plan for a permanent shelter. The commission also recommended a cap on the total number of individuals that can be served within city limits as well as stricter enforcement protocols if participants break the rules. The City Council will make the final decision during its Feb. 18 meeting.
Source: KC Star Local News
Abilene Votes Yes to Sales Tax Question to Fund Recreational Facility Improvements
Abilene residents voted to add a 0.35% sales tax to help fund multi-sport recreation fields and other recreational improvements during the February 4th Special Election held at Holm Automotive. The question, which was previously denied during the primary election, garnered a total of 741 voters. Of the 741 votes, 425 voted yes, with 316 no votes. Of the total registered voters in Abilene 16% participated in the Special Election, either at the polls or in early voting.
Source: KCLY Radio
Historic Kansas school built in 1904 set to reopen with new purpose
Workers are transforming an old school in Chase County into additional housing for the community. 27 News reached out to Frontier Development Group (FDG) to learn more about its work to transform historic structures in Kansas into modern living spaces. One major project underway this year is at a former school located in Cottonwood Falls. Tyler Holloman with FDG said this property is currently under construction, with a grand opening set for sometime in early 2025. He said more than a $2 million investment is being made in the old structure to bring it in line with the modern era and turn its inside into a place people want to live in. The end goal is to reopen the school as the Cottonwood School Lofts.
Source: KSN-TV
Pittsburg initiative aims to strengthen neighborhood identity
The city of Pittsburg is making efforts to bring a community’s touch to neighborhood names. Now hitting one year, Pittsburg’s Neighborhood Advisory Council has continued its efforts of connecting neighborhoods in the area. Also known as the “NAC,” one of its completed projects was establishing a neighborhood map that defined boundaries of neighborhoods and established names for each.
Source: KSNF/KODE
Homeless camps in Topeka could be cleared with ordinance changes
Topeka city leaders made changes to a camping ordinance Tuesday night, setting the stage for additional homeless camp cleanup operations. The Topeka City Council approved changes to a local camping ordinance on Feb. 4, paving the way for the removal of additional homeless camps. An estimated 20 homeless camps are now under threat of being cleared out under these changes.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Solutions Summit: Ellis County needs to tell its story better
Ellis County has many assets, but it’s not always the best at telling its own story. About 30 community members met Tuesday in Hays … From those discussions, the group identified four action items. The chief among those was developing a marketing plan for Ellis County.
Source: Hays Post
Valley Center set to expand mowing responsibilities
All property owners in Valley Center will be required to mow the rights-of-way on their properties if the city council gives final approval to a new ordinance next week.
Source: AV News
Municipal Bond Trends for February 5, 2025
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.
Whatever happened to plans for northwest bypass linking Goddard, Maize?
The northwest expressway, a major highway that would connect Maize to Goddard, is getting a second chance at becoming reality after stalling years ago.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Developer remaking long-vacant Prairie Village Macy’s asks city for $23M in tax incentives
Public incentives may be used to help finance a prominent Prairie Village redevelopment. On Monday, during a committee meeting, the Prairie Village City Council will discuss the potential for issuing up to $23.3 million in industrial revenue bonds to redevelop the Macy’s building at the Shops of Prairie Village.
Source: Johnson County Post
Comprehensive survey is live
Attorney Joshua Albin, of the Wichita-based Adams Jones Law Firm, confirmed on Tuesday that the electronic version of the County’s comprehensive survey will go live on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 8 a.m. The survey will be available through a QR code on the County website and social media pages and in the next few days, it will be posted in high traffic areas, such as check-out lines. Residents will also begin receiving a postcard with the code.
Source: Morning Sun
Johnson County proposes airport transit for ‘completely unprecedented’ World Cup crowds
With less than 500 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Johnson County is exploring how to expand its transit system to help tackle one of the Kansas City metro’s biggest challenges that will come with the crowds next summer — including a potential bus service to the airport and a route from the county to the soccer festivities.
Source: Joco 913 News