Municipal News & Jobs

Lawrence city commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a study and 10-year plan to address housing issues in the city. Consultants from Development Strategies have been working on the affordable housing study for the city since October. Justin Carney, principal with Development Strategies, presented the final study to the commission on Tuesday. The study was intended to research and quantify Lawrence’s largest challenges when it comes to housing, and to identify goals, specific strategies and solutions to tangibly improve the situation.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

As school approaches, there is still a need floating around for area districts. There is a shortage of bus drivers across the state, and Harvey County is no stranger to these effects. Currently, Halstead is in the most dire straits, as USD-440 is short three open positions. The state requirements are a driver must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid Kansas drivers license, while being able to obtain the proper CDL and pass the appropriate tests, including a DOT medical test. The individual must also meet driving record standards while successfully completing the hiring requirements of the district where they apply. For Sedgwick, the district requires applicants to be over 21 years old.
Read more: Harvey County Now

The first piece of Olathe’s $320 million Halo Ridge development is on track to open in less than six months, while the larger, “ultra-accessible” entertainment district could welcome visitors as early as spring of 2028. Developers are targeting a Jan. 1, 2027, opening for the Halo Care Collective, a one-stop medical campus for people with disabilities and their families. Meanwhile, site clearing is underway for the rest of the 64-acre project, located at 119th Street and Renner Boulevard, which will include an arena, amusement park, hotel and restaurants — all designed with accessibility in mind.
Read more: Johnson County Post

City Manager Amy Lange has accepted a new professional opportunity and has submitted her resignation, the city of Concordia said in a statement. Lange has served as Concordia’s City Manager from January 2018 and will continue her career in local government with the City of Manhattan later this year. The City said Lange worked alongside the City Commission, City staff, residents, and community partners to advance the Commission’s strategic priorities and strengthen Concordia’s future. Under her leadership, the City made investments in infrastructure, financial stability, housing, economic development, the airport, parks, and quality-of-life initiatives, while securing millions of dollars in grant funding for the community.
Read more: KCLY Radio

More than 150 years after its founding, Chanute remains a testament to the vision of one man and the resilience of a community committed to preserving its legacy. The city was established in 1873 when railroad engineer Octave Chanute arrived and negotiated a compromise between four townships—Alliance, Chicago Junction, New Chicago, and Tioga—to create a unified city. That diplomatic effort resulted in the founding of Chanute, a city that would bear his name and become a hub of innovation and progress.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

The paperwork was signed on Wednesday to make Chihuahua, Mexico, Wichita’s newest sister city. Leaders from Wichita and Sedgwick County came together at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom to make the five-year agreement official.
Read more: KSN-TV

The wheat Liberty Bell is a fond memory for those who were involved with its creation. They also hope it’s a point of pride for the community for years to come. Half a century ago, Goessel had the chance to celebrate America’s 200th birthday in a uniquely Kansas way. The small town 35 miles north of Wichita put together a replica of the Liberty Bell made out of wheat. Donna Duerksen was the team lead for the group of volunteers. “We were especially grateful when we had about 200 different volunteers come throughout the community and surrounding areas to help us weave the wheat straw in and out of this frame,” Duerksen said.
Read more: KSN-TV

The city said that it has received two petitions: One proposes an ordinance to prohibit data centers, and the other proposes an ordinance to ban battery energy storage systems.
Read more: KSN-TV

City leaders discussed a rental registry and inspection program during the Topeka City Council meeting Tuesday. Property Maintenance Director for the City of Topeka John Schardine presented the topic to the council, calling it the Rental Registry Pilot Program. Schardine emphasized supporting responsible landlords and property owners while also improving housing conditions and accountability. Schardine said the program would collect data from landlords and rental properties, then maintain it in a city-administered database updated annually. The database would be open to the public and display a 24-month rolling property tier, inspection history and violation history.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The City of Manhattan is excited to announce Amy Lange has accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Lange is expected to begin work in early September.
Read more: Manhattan – News Flash

South Hutchinson has enacted a one-year moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage systems. City officials will research zoning regulations and best practices from other municipalities during the moratorium.
Read more: 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.

Data centers are required to pay a 15%-20% premium on electricity, with that extra revenue used to lower rates for other customers. Evergy’s potential data center projects could triple its peak electricity consumption, though the utility cannot meet all of that demand.
Read more: 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.

Soccer fans boosted spending in U.S. World Cup host cities, with Philadelphia and Kansas City among the beneficiaries. The Scots drank every drop of beer in Boston. The Dutch filled Kansas City’s hotels. The French chowed down on Philly cheesesteaks.
Read more: Wall Street Journal

Proponents argue data centers are a “generational opportunity” for economic growth, while opponents raise environmental and transparency concerns. Both supporters and protesters agree on the need for clear regulations to manage the impacts of data center development.
Read more: CJonline

Kansas state law requires industries, including data centers, to obtain a permit before using water resources. Data centers can secure water by purchasing it from city utilities, applying for a new water right, or buying existing rights from other users. State officials say existing water users are legally protected from new industries impairing their supply. While a data center might use a million gallons of water a day, this is a fraction of the state’s total usage, with agricultural irrigation accounting for about 85%.
Read more: 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.

Sgt. Franco Gutierrez is one of the officers on the newly formed bike unit. He said patrolling on bicycles gives officers more opportunities to connect with residents.
Read more: City of Spring Hill

At a county staff meeting earlier this week, Sedgwick County commissioners spent nearly an hour discussing residential lot sizes and access to municipal water.
Read more: KSN-TV

Although it’s been 15 years since the last race, the hope and determination to bring live horse racing back to the town remained strong.
Read more: KSN-TV

City commissioners approved a six-month option for HyperDatagrid to explore building a data center in Parsons.
Read more: The Iola Register

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.

Pawnee County, Kansas, in partnership with neighboring Stafford County, is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded $20,255,000 from the BUILD Grant Program (Better Utilizing investments to Leverage Development) offered through the U.S. Department of Transportation. This generous funding, in conjunction with a $2 Million investment from the State of Kansas, will significantly improve infrastructure by strengthening and supporting the regional freight network and economic activity in Central Kansas.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

The Pretty Prairie Rodeo, known for decades as Kansas’ Largest Night Rodeo, is in its 89th season this year. Pretty Prairie native Julie Graber has been involved with the rodeo her entire life. For the past 27 years, she has been a member of the Pretty Prairie Rodeo’s Booster Club Board of Directors and the booster club secretary for about 15 years. The rodeo was first held on Julie’s grandparents’ farm in 1934.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

Chanute City Commissioners Monday approved an amended ordinance related to Food and Beverage vendors at the Santa Fe Sports Complex. Under a new policy that is part of this change, vendors shall receive permission to set up during sports events at the complexes from either Chanute Recreation Commission Director Monica Colborn or Sports Director Ryan Ortiz, who will submit the request on behalf of the vendor to the Commission. Set-up will be allowed on a first come, first served basis on one of four designate spots near the west side campground. The policy change also revises the per event charge to $50, which would cover two events instead of one as in the past. A reduced speed limit for West 7th from Arolyn Drive to Country Club Road was made permanent.
Read more: Ad Astra Radio

During the July 6 Mulvane City Council meeting, Public Safety Director Gorden Fell discussed the need for regulations on electric mobility devices (scooters, e-bikes, etc.) given their increasing usage. Proposed regulations included helmet requirements for anyone under 18, downtown sidewalk restrictions, setting a 10 mph maximum speed limit on sidewalks, etc. The council then unanimously approved a motion directing staff to research and create an ordinance and codebook modifications regarding the operation of electric/micromobility devices.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

The data center continues to be a hot topic in the Emporia area and it has now expanded out of Emporia into Lyon County as many residents oppose the data center coming into Emporia. The Americus City Council heard from the community and members of the Emporia Neighbors United about the impact of high-impact data centers. Over the past week, the Emporia Neighbors United gathered almost 1,850 signatures on a petition asking for no high-impact data centers or battery energy storage. At the Americus City Council meeting, they weren’t going to file a motion on the resolution, but they used it as an opportunity to hear the community’s voices.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com

The Overland Park Police Department is increasing its enforcement efforts regarding e-bikes and e-motorcycles. This comes after a video raised concerns about two young riders on a busy roadway near 159th Street and Metcalf. The video shows two children, ages 10 and 11, riding electric motorcycles down the busy road when one of the bikes stalls The children in the video were unharmed, and their parents loaded the bikes into a vehicle to take them home. This incident highlights the need for parents to understand the key differences between e-motorcycles and e-bikes. Electric motorcycles, also known as e-motos, are high-performance vehicles that are not considered toys. These motorcycles can reach speeds of up to 65 mph and require a license, registration and insurance.
Read more: FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

The Newton Police Department will roll out 11 Flock cameras at entrance points within the city. Police Chief Craig Dunlavy stated the city will spend $33,000 annually on the cameras. The cameras record license plates into a searchable database and provide law enforcement with alerts of flagged plates. “Our focus is the City of Newton,” Dunlavy said. “This is our home. It’s no different than someone’s security camera, a Ring, or Nest. This is just a snapshot in time.” Dunlavy provided a list of camera locations, and all are at exits of major highways, except for one on U.S. 50. Dunlavy said the purpose of the camera was to know which vehicles entered the city on the highway.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Holton Community Hospital officials are welcoming news that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved Kansas’ application to allow Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals to receive enhanced Medicaid support through the state’s provider assessment program. This change is expected to generate more than $1 million in additional annual revenue for the hospital, it was reported. The approval will provide more than $72 million annually to Kansas Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals, it was reported. The approval allows more rural hospitals to participate in the state provider assessment program and receive increased Medicaid reimbursement for services provided.
Read more: The Holton Recorder

For Kansas Sen. TJ Rose, addressing Kansas’ widening housing shortage and growing housing unaffordability is a family matter. His son, Garrin, is a 24-year-old member of Gen Z who recently moved back to Johnson County. Rose worries that people in Garrin’s generation won’t ever be able to afford homeownership, something long considered a key tenet of the American dream. That fear isn’t totally unfounded. The median age of first-time homeowners in the U.S. has risen to 40 years old as the housing market squeezes more and more young people out entirely. At the same time, as construction trends move toward more high-dollar housing with large single-family homes and luxury apartment complexes, starter homes have all but disappeared from the market. Still, young adults like his son want to be homeowners, Rose said. Rose has also heard from constituents who are concerned that their adult children are finding fewer economic opportunities, like homeownership, available to them than their parents or grandparents had. All of that is what inspired Rose, a first-term Republican from Olathe, to pursue changes to Kansas state law to make it easier to build smaller single-family homes at a lower price point.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Prairie Village and nearby neighborhoods of Overland Park are buzzing over England’s rise through the standings to the World Cup semifinals. A group of fans waited outside the barrier surrounding the team’s hotel in Meadowbrook Park Monday afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse of them as the team returned from practice in Kansas City, Missouri.
Read more: Johnson County Post

A year ago, Prairie Village and some of its residents were in the midst of a heated debate over whether the fate of a new $30 million city hall should be decided through a public vote. Now, months after voters endorsed the project by electing six city council candidates who backed it without a referendum, the city officially broke ground on Friday on the site of a former church that will be home to the brand new city hall on Mission Road. The current city hall, just to the north at 7700 Mission Road, will be renovated into an expanded municipal court and police department headquarters. Even at Friday’s celebratory groundbreaking, the memory of the contentious politics of the city hall debate simmered under the surface.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Concordia passed a new ordinance governing the utilization of e-bikes, e-trikes, and e-scooters, effective July 6. Chief of Police Brent Gering said the move was made due to a rise in reports concerning the vehicles. “The Concordia Police Department had begun receiving several complaints from the public regarding electric scooters [and] electric bikes on safety concerns from kids riding out in front of vehicles,” he said. “Then we were getting reports from the hospital of multiple injuries of younger people riding these scooters and having accidents.”  Riders can now only ride on sidewalks located in parks, residential areas, and along state and federal highways and only when they’re on the outside curb, the electric vehicle is going under seven miles an hour, and right-of-way is yielded to pedestrians at all times. The city is not just putting a new ordinance out and expecting residents to know about it. Chief Gering said the city will provide guidance.
Read more: KCLY Radio

Pittsburg is marking its 150th anniversary with a new exhibit that tells the story of the city’s industrial rise and the people who built it. “Blueprints of American Grit,” now on display at Miners Hall Museum, features a timeline of artifacts, documents, and photographs that chronicle Pittsburg’s progress from its founding through today. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Lacy O’Malley, chair of the history committee for Pittsburg 150, said the exhibit was designed to help visitors understand the scope of the city’s development over the past century and a half.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

Members of the public showed up for the Andover City Council meeting on Tuesday night to voice opinions both against and in favor of a new facility that is set to open near Central and Andover Road on Thursday. The council is being asked to vote on a special use permit for LifeSpring Recovery, an addiction treatment center. Renovations for the project are complete, but owners need a new special use permit because the original contract for the property expired. But, Andover residents are voicing concerns that the facility is too close to schools and neighborhoods.
Read more: KSN-TV

The City of Clearwater is hosting a town hall meeting on July 21 to discuss the future of fire protection in the city after the Sedgwick County Commission voted to terminate mutual aid agreements. In May, the Sedgwick County Commission voted to terminate mutual aid agreements with Clearwater, Cheney, Mount Hope and Valley Center. The July 21 meeting will allow residents to learn about the current status of fire protection, hear about available options moving forward and provide feedback to the city. At the Segwick County Commission meeting in May, commissioners gave the communities 90 days to work with them to make new automatic and mutual aid agreements.
Read more: KSN-TV

The El Dorado City Commission voted on Monday to invalidate an ordinance petition that would have stopped certain types of facilities from being built in the city, but commissioners also voted to put a temporary ban on the approval of these types of projects. Commissioners heard concerns from the city attorney about a petition with over 700 citizen signatures asking the city to approve an ordinance that bans the construction of large data centers and industrial, commercial or utility-scale energy storage systems. The petition says that if an ordinance is not passed, the city should put it up for a public vote. City Attorney Ashlyn Lindskog said that, based on Kansas law, ordinance petitions cannot be applied to matters that require specialized training or experience. She said the reasoning for this is that the petition can contradict the city code.
Read more: KSN-TV

The Salina City Commission has unanimously approved the creation of a water rate relief program. On Monday, commissioners adopted Resolution No. 26‑8362, authorizing the city manager to develop, implement and administer a pilot program for customers affected by water quality issues. “In the state of Kansas, we talked to KDHE — [the] Kansas Department of Health and Environment — and there are no other communities that are doing a program like this in Kansas,” City Manager Jacob Wood said.
Read more: KSN-TV

Remediation steps to put out a smoldering fire at the Galena Landfill were successful, and the landfill operator will continue work to meet other state requirements, a health agency spokeswoman said Tuesday. The fire that has been alight at the landfill for weeks to months was still smoldering during a June 24 inspection, said Jill Bronaugh, Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman, in an email. But excavation work completed since then by landfill operator Jordan Disposal indicate the fire is out, she said. HOWEVER, Jordan wasn’t able to complete the required foot of soil cover over the area that KDHE asked for after the June inspection, as more time was needed for re-grading the area after the excavation, she said.
Read more: The Iola Register

City commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a two-year moratorium on large-scale data centers in Lawrence, extending an original one-year proposal, while city staff study longer-term code changes. The commission also initiated a text amendment to the city’s land development code related to data centers. The code currently would allow massive data centers to be developed in several zoning areas around town by right, without a public process through which residents could object. Planning and Development Services Director Jeff Crick told commissioners the temporary moratorium is intended to give staff time to study the issue and draft regulations. He said the work could require significant staff resources and could delay or suspend other long-range and special projects. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Wichita-area cities have moved to regulate duplex construction after community pushback over neighborhood density and design. Goddard just adopted new rules, and Derby approved its own in May. Maize might consider changes.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

A letter written by Marysville Mayor Todd Frye, asking Marshall County to join Marysville in enacting a moratorium on data centers in the county and in the city was approved Monday night by the Marysville City Council. Concerns Frye outlined in his letter include loss of farmland, skyrocketing power bills, water depletion, increased noise, decrease in property values and changes in local economies.
Read more: www.marysvilleonline.net