Municipal News & Jobs

City and county staff are set to begin looking into ways to potentially “streamline” the zoning process for city developments beyond the city limits. That was a major talking point for both city and county commissioners when they convened for their latest joint session Wednesday afternoon. Following roughly 30 minutes of conversation, commissioners gave direction for City Zoning Administrator Justin Givens and County Zoning and Floodplain Manager Sam Seeley to meet with city and county legal counsel to begin developing recommendations for a process or board that could help oversee the matter.
Source: d2430

Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday signed seven more bills, bringing to 29 the number of pieces of legislation that she has signed into law this year. So far, she has vetoed four bills, including two on Monday. She has been overridden twice so far, with the Legislature scheduled to return April 10 for more veto override votes. She has allowed three bills to become law without her signature.
Source: Sunflower State Journal

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 Health and Environment (KDHE) has announced the recipients of waste tire product grants. These annual waste tire grants are awarded to local municipalities and public and private schools K-12 across the state. … The grants totaled $460,973.24 and were awarded to the following organizations to fund projects that include the use of recycled tire products like playground surfacing and picnic tables.
Source: KDHE, KS – News Flash

Longtime Wichita City Manager Robert Layton is retiring at the end of the year, according to a city news release. Layton joined the city of Wichita in 2009. … The Wichita City Council will lead a national search for a new city manager.
Source: Wichita Eagle

The City of Linn is excited to announce that they are working to bring a large mural to the community. … Alan Ohlde of Linn said during a recent city council meeting the idea was brought up to help celebrate Linn and its storied history. The project, which is still in its infancy, is in the idea and design phase.
Source: KCLY Radio

A fire west of Lakin and south of US Highway 50 Tuesday afternoon temporarily closed the highway down. According to the Kansas Forest Service and Kearny County Emergency Services on social media, aviation and ground resources from Kansas Forest Service, as well as the Wichita County Fire, Grant County Fire, Hamilton County Fire, Garden City Fire Department, Kansas Forest Service, Kansas Division of Emergency Management, as well as many others, assisted in fighting the wildfire.
Source: Western Kansas News

The Kansas Department of Commerce today launched the Supporting Innovative Growth through New Signage (SIGNS) grant, a new initiative aimed improving the appearance and appeal of retail and commercial business signage in downtowns across the state. The total funding amount available is $250,000 and will be distributed to support innovative, high-quality signage projects. “Downtown districts are the heartbeat of our rural communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Through the new SIGNS grant, we’re directly investing in locally owned businesses and their ability to attract more customers while preserving the charm and character of their historic downtowns.” Eligible applicants are businesses or building owners, municipalities, Main Street organization, economic development groups, chambers, foundations, tribal organization and other nonprofit community entities. Communities can apply for funding ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, with a required cash match based on the community’s population:
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today $250,000 is available under the Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) grant program to support new upper-floor housing in commercial buildings in Designated Kansas Main Street communities. “Last year’s initial round of ROOMS funding resulted in 34 new housing units across the state and nearly $6 million in total investment,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Another year of funding allows for us to continue breathing life into communities across this state and growing economic opportunities for generations to come.”
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Municipals were firmer once more Tuesday, as U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities ended mixed ahead of the Trump administration’s looming announcement Wednesday of even more tariffs.
Source: The Latest

Lime Micromobility has removed its shared electronic scooters and bikes from Overland Park streets, the second major e-scooter and bike vendor to pull out of the city in the last year-and-a-half following a similarly abrupt exit from Bird. Lime was in the middle of a pilot program with Overland Park that had replaced the one ended early by Bird in November 2023. In its first year last year, Lime recorded upwards of 8,000 rides in Overland Park, and according to city officials, there was no indication that the company was thinking of permanently pulling its vehicles off city streets. Under the pilot agreement, Lime would have been allowed to deploy up to 400 of its e-scooters and e-bikes in city limits through the end of 2025 with an option for expansion. Instead, the devices have been removed from the city, and it is unclear when — or even if — they’re coming back.
Source: Johnson County Post

A recent incident in Prairie Village in which an infant was left in critical condition after being bitten by a pit bull has once again put the city’s breed-specific rules for dogs in the spotlight. Five years ago, after an emotionally fraught public discussion, the Prairie Village City Council opted to lift the city’s ban on pit bulls. Other Johnson County communities have also made this move in recent years. What has been the impact? Drawing firm conclusions is hard because dog bite incidents remain relatively rare in Prairie Village. Serious incidents like the one earlier this month that left the infant hospitalized are rarer still.
Source: Johnson County Post

Lenexa will see its sales tax live for another 20 years after voters approved its continuance during the April 1 election. According to unofficial election results, 8,691 Lenexa residents approved the tax’s continuance, while 2,257 voted no — representing just 24% of the city’s registered voters. The measure needed a simple majority vote to pass. Lenexa’s three-eighths cent sales tax is a 20-year tax that takes three-eighths of one percent of purchases (38 cents in a $100 purchase) within the city limits. The funding goes toward road and sidewalk improvements, storm water facilities, street lighting, and the development and maintenance of parks and recreation facilities.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

The Gardner Edgerton School District will see several district-wide upgrades after voters passed its school bond — with 2,236 people voting in support and 1,581 people voting against the bond, according to unofficial election results. A little over 3,000 residents within the district’s boundaries cast their ballot for the April 1 election, representing just over 19% of the district’s registered voters. With voter approval, the $100 million bond will help fund construction of a new elementary school, convert Sunflower Elementary into an early childhood learning center for students with special needs, construct a new district office, upgrade security features across campuses, and make improvements to common spaces at the high school.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Westwood residents voted by a slim majority to reject the sale of a city park as part of a controversial commercial development project, a win for a group of citizens who had pushed for voters to have a say in the park’s fate through a petition and a months-long legal battle. According to unofficial election results, 441 people voted against the sale, while 394 people voted in favor of the change. Of Westwood’s 1,432 registered voters, 837 people turned out during this special election — representing a little over 58% of the city’s voters.
Source: Local Kansas City Missouri & Kansas News |

Some people have dreams of escaping their hometowns as soon as they can. Adam Jones was much the same. He graduated from Peabody-Burnes High School in 2004, leaving town and not returning until 2025. Now he’s willing to put his body through the ringer to raise money for the community that raised him. He’s taking his homecoming as an opportunity to become one part of the effort to support his hometown. Now that he’s back in town, he’s found new drive, working with the Peabody School District to find a way to help. They settled on the issue of food insecurity. “The moment that I heard it, I was like okay, yes, this is what I want to do. I want to do a fundraiser for this. The triathlon came to fruition from that,” he said. On his 39th birthday on April 23, Jones plans to swim 3.9km, cycle 39 miles, and finish with a 3.9km run.
Source: KSN-TV

New construction in Wichita could be affected by additional tariffs from Canada because much of the soft lumber in the United States comes from the north. The National Association of Home Builders says two essential materials used in home construction, softwood lumber and gypsum, are sourced mainly from Canada and Mexico.  Wichita builders use Canadian lumber for home construction, which has a current tariff of 14.5%. Former President Joe Biden set that tariff rate in 2024. If a 25% tariff is added on top of that, the Wichita Area Builders Association’s CEO says that will cause more uncertainty in the builders’ community, raising concerns about supply and demand and the costs associated with construction.
Source: KSN-TV

Dozens of Pittsburg Community Middle School students braved the cold this morning to make a positive impact on their community. This is the Kiwanis Builders Club’s fourth time volunteering with the Miners Hall Museum in Franklin. Today, they spread new rubber mulch on the playground surface at Franklin Community Park. Students learned the rewards of working hard while making the playground safer for kids to play on.
Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Appeals of Sedgwick County’s new property appraisals are running almost double the volume of previous years through mid-March. County Appraiser Mark Clark isn’t surprised. About 87% of residential property owners and 73% of commercial property owners saw an increase in their property valuations for 2025. Homes experienced an average increase of 9%, and commercial property values grew by 11% on average.
Source: Wichita Kansas Local News, Crime & More |