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.

One public commenter spoke at Lawrence’s environmental advisory board meeting Thursday night. Board members hope to draw a crowd next month as they decide which sustainability recommendations to put before the city commission. The swath of initiatives proposed by the city’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board underlined the ways environmentalism touches every aspect of life in town. Proposals included preventing automotive idling near school zones, banning styrofoam, expanding public transportation and keeping it free, increasing recycling downtown, monitoring nitrate in river systems and more.
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Some of the old blacktop on streets in North Newton are experiencing deterioration. North Newton Administrator Brad Harris said the trash truck is really damaging those streets on the south side of town. In a related matter, the North Newton City Council authorized an agreement with EBH Engineering out of Marion County during its June meeting to develop a capital improvement program for street reconstruction. The city is bringing in the group that will assess North Newton’s street quality, Harris said. “They’re evaluating the state of our streets,” he said. In the next few months, EBH will return with their recommendations of which streets should be done in which order, Harris added.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded $750,000 in Downtown Revive & Thrive grants to support nine building renovation projects across Kansas. When matched with more than $286,000 in local contributions, a total investment of over $1 million will be used to create spaces for business incubators. “Rural Kansas has plenty of historic and underused buildings that have potential to create new economic opportunities for communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Through Revive & Thrive, we’re able to take established, unused infrastructure and give our rural entrepreneurs a place to flourish and bring their visions to life.”
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

In a three-hour-long work session, Halstead City Council members discussed many of the recently discussed topics, like code enforcement, e-bikes and e-scooters, cemetery improvements, and the 2027 budget. The council spent the most time talking about electric bikes and scooters, as well as trees in Halstead Cemetery. Halstead Police Chief Josh Orem told council members that they could ban the items on sidewalks, but that would eliminate riding them in a large part of town that doesn’t have sidewalks. Or they could restrict them to sidewalks, which can be a danger to pedestrians. Or they could ban it completely.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Overland Park could again raise its stormwater utility fee to help cover increasing project costs and additional work that the city is now paying for with the fund. If ultimately approved with the 2027 budget, the increase would bring the fixed fee by $3 per residential unit, which would make it $44 for a home. This follows a series of recent increases in the past few years in line with the recommendations from a citizens’ advisory council for infrastructure.
Read more: Johnson County Post

As children’s use of e-scooters, e-bikes and now, e-motorcycles, becomes increasingly concerning among city officials across Johnson County, Prairie Village Police plan to step up enforcement of its current restrictions — and explore tweaking those rules to match neighboring cities’ and provide more consistency for riders. Chief Eric McCullough told the Prairie Village City Council at the June 15 meeting that calls for service regarding mobility devices, mainly e-scooters and e-bikes, have increased in the past two years. City documents show that before 2024, calls for service related to these devices were fewer than 10 a year. (Calls for service include any situation officers are dispatched to, including self-initiated contacts.) In 2025, that number increased to 87 calls for service — and this year, there have already been 65 calls for service regarding e-devices.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Just weeks after De Soto’s incoming 300-acre data center site broke ground, a separate data center developer is looking to build a campus nearly quadruple that size just down the road at Astra Enterprise Park. This marks the fourth data center proposal to come up since March in western and southern Johnson County. Spring Hill and Gardner received applications earlier this spring, though both were withdrawn, and another application in Edgerton was denied earlier this month. Following the applications in Gardner and Edgerton, residents pushed for moratoriums, which would’ve temporarily blocked data center applications. Earlier this month, both the Gardner City Council and the Edgerton City Council denied imposing six-month pauses.
Read more: Johnson County Post

Rural hospitals in Kansas will use federal money to help them transform and expand access to healthcare. Some are creating new services like mobile maternal health clinics, but looming Medicaid cuts still mean many hospitals are at risk of closing. The money comes from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The funding is partially intended to offset cuts to Medicaid, and the first group of grantees were recently announced.
Read more: KCUR News

The Algerian men’s national team adopted Lawrence as its home base for the World Cup. In return, the Kansas college town embraced the team in a big way — and flooded the streets Monday when Algeria won its first match of the tournament. Locals are hosting watch parties, creating art, and even altering KU’s classic chant into “Rock Chalk Algeria” to show their allegiance.
Read more: KCUR

The Finney County Commission will consider a Special Use Permit request for a proposed commercial solar farm between Ulysses and Garden City at its meeting on Monday. The proposal, from Lone Bison Solar, is for a 3,853-acre solar farm. According to Finney County, the permit request was recommended for approval by the Holcomb – Garden City – Finney County Area Planning Commission in March. The special use permit review process includes consideration of several factors, including compatibility with surrounding land uses, traffic and road impacts, environmental considerations, and public health and safety.
Read more: KSN-TV

Struggling rural hospitals in Kansas are receiving an $83 million injection from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Wednesday that CMS has approved the state’s plan to fund critical access hospitals and rural emergency hospitals through the Health Care Access Improvement Program. HCAIP puts an assessment on Kansas hospitals, and the revenue generated is matched with federal Medicaid funds and then returned to the hospitals in the form of higher reimbursement rates.
Read more: KSN-TV

Three years after rejecting Flock surveillance in Bel Aire, the north Wichita suburb is revisiting the topic. “To me it makes sense to support our PD having those tools. It is our expectation that they utilize that technology correctly. . . . There is no expectation of privacy on public roads, and that’s where these would be installed,” council member Tyler Dehn said at the May 5 City Council meeting, where a letter of support for Flock cameras from Police Chief Darrell Atteberry was read. The cameras also were discussed at an April workshop. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that police departments can use to help find suspects. If Bel Aire moves forward with Flock, it would join Wichita and several suburbs in using the cameras.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

When Kristine Polian heard that Lawrence had been chosen by CNN as one of America’s 10 best towns to visit, she couldn’t hide her excitement. “This makes me so stinking happy, man!” the city commissioner said on Wednesday morning in downtown Lawrence, a few hours after the CNN article came out.
Read more: LJWorld and CNN List No. 9

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 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.

Several small Kansas cities are hosting unique Independence Day celebrations this year. Events include bloodless bullfighting, a Wild West re-enactment, and a military rock band performance.
Read more: CJonline

A community college’s taxing district is established and limited by statute. The Legislature has not granted community colleges the authority to remove or transfer territory from one community college district to another. If one of the two community colleges in Montgomery County closed, the other one cannot absorb the closed college’s taxing district because no statutory mechanism exists to do so. Once a community college closes, its taxing district no longer exists, and the territory within that taxing district is no longer be part of a community college district. Another community college could seek to add territory from the defunct community college district provided it complies with the applicable statutory provisions.
Read more: Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2026-9

The throngs of Dutch fans that flooded Kansas City and its suburbs this past week got a taste of day-to-day life in the U.S., reigniting a long-running trans-Atlantic debate: Who lives better, Americans or Europeans?
Read more: Wall Street 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 City of Garden City has announced the promotion of Fred Jones to the position of Public Works and Utilities Director. Jones has served as the City’s Water Resource Manager since 2013. He will assume his new title and responsibilities immediately, working in tandem with retiring Public Works and Utilities Director Mike Muirhead through Muirhead’s retirement on Aug. 1. In his new capacity, Jones will oversee a collection of departments that include electric, water, wastewater, solid waste, traffic, streets, fleet, stormwater and water reuse.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded a $65,000 grant to the historic Kanopolis Drive-In Theatre to support the purchase of a new state-of-the-art digital projection system. This funding will ensure that the beloved outdoor theater continues to operate for years to come. “There’s always value in preserving our historic infrastructure, but especially when it serves as an economic engine for a community,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The Kanopolis Drive-In is a beloved, one-of-a-kind destination, and this investment will help to create more lasting memories for Kansas families while fueling economic growth.”
Read more: Kansas Department of Commerce

The new “2026 State of Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County Report” from the Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County was recently released, revealing that the growing affordability crisis for local households is contributing to an increase in homelessness. More than one in three households (38%) in Sedgwick County were living paycheck to paycheck in 2024, according to United for ALICE in partnership with United Way of the Plains. ALICE (which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) represents working households who earn above the federal poverty line but not enough to cover the cost of basic necessities. As the costs of essentials, including housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care and technology, continue to outpace inflation, these households are especially vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness. Between 2007 and 2024, the cost of these essential needs grew by 59% in Kansas, compared with 52% for the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reports inflation across more than 200 categories of goods and services.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

When a fire destroyed her hometown’s only grocery store in January 2024, Marjory James felt a loss of independence. Like other residents of her rural west Kansas town, James — who turns 99 years old on July 7 — faced a harsh reality: Travel 23 miles one-way from Dighton to the grocery store in Scott City or get by with less-healthy and less-available items from the local variety store or gas station. Through a gargantuan effort by the community, Dighton will open an 8,000-square foot grocery store on June 27, spurred by the Lane County Community Foundation and with assistance from the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative and K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative.
Read more: Garden City Telegram

After initial discussions regarding data centers, Riley County commissioners on Monday still weren’t ready to provide any direction on the future of those facilities in the area. “The more I learn about this, the more I’m just confused,” commissioner John Ford said. “It literally changes on a dime. You figure out one thing, and then it changes. There’s so much depth to it. It’s insane.” While the data center topic heats up in Kansas, including a proposal in Pottawatomie County, Riley County is in the midst of a six-month moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage centers. That moratorium is set to end Nov. 12.
Read more: News Radio KMAN

The Emporia City Commission spent more than an hour Wednesday discussing a proposed Large Volume Water Service policy designed to protect existing water customers while establishing rules for future industrial users with high water demands.
Read more: www.emporiagazette.com/*

The Hutchinson Planning Commission began its work on long-term zoning regulations for large-scale data centers Tuesday by laying out the process and timeline for developing those regulations. Director of Community Development Matt Williams said the Hutchinson City Council will hear the planning commission’s June 9 recommendation during the Tuesday, July 7, council meeting. The recommendation was to require conditional use permits for data centers and utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in commercial and industrial zoning districts and ban them in residential districts.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

An anti-data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) group, Steward It Well, held an informational meeting in Haven on Monday, June 22. Nearly 100 people attended, including public officials like state Senator Michael Murphy, County Commissioner Don Bogner, Hutchinson City Council Member Steve Garza, as well as gubernatorial candidate Stacy Rogers. Steward It Well’s goals involve “working to preserve our God-given land, air and water of Reno County, Kansas.” The group had John Hecht and Mike Betzen present information and take questions from the public. They both have backgrounds in industrialization, engineering and agriculture in Kansas. They first presented information regarding what data centers are and what they do and secondly why the organization and citizens of Kansas should be concerned with the prospect of hyperscale data centers in their community.
Read more: The Hutchinson Tribune

Iola police and residents discussed with the Iola City Council how best to boost education, enforcement and safety measures. June has been a dangerous month for Iola area cyclists, with three serious accidents involving bikes and motorists. Iola Police Chief Jared Warner addressed City Council Monday evening, saying it was imperative the police department “bring to the public’s attention the safety and responsibility that come with riding bicycles, e-bikes, e-scooters within our community.”
Read more: The Iola Register

Iola City Council members voiced support Monday for hosting bare-knuckle fighting events. Bare-knuckle fighting was green-lighted Monday at Iola’s City Council meeting. Camille Lavon, Thrive Allen County’s vice president of economic development, had requested the council discuss the topic to gauge interest in hosting fights in Iola. Council members seemed eager to support the idea. “I’m fine with it,” Council member Jon Wells said. “For a while there was a big boxing community here, and a lot of sparring. If we’re going to let some 18-year-old strap himself to a bull for entertainment, I don’t see this as any more dangerous, as long as they have insurance.” Bare-knuckle fighting is a full-contact combat sport that features participants sparring without any form of padding on the hands.
Read more: The Iola Register

A tradition dating back more than a hundred years is returning this weekend to Jefferson County. The Oskaloosa Old Settlers’ Reunion is celebrating its 124th year. The story goes that a group of people passing through Jefferson County stopped at the courthouse lawn. They reflected on the hardships of settling Kansas during its territorial period and the struggles they overcame to make it a free state. That one gathering evolved into what is now the Old Settlers Reunion.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

People in Emporia voiced concerns Tuesday night over rezoning proposals that could open the door for data centers to move into the city. Many of those who opposed the proposal raised concerns about water and electricity demands. However, Mike Law, interim CEO of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, says a data center would bring much needed investment into the community. “Emporia needs the momentum right now, and quite honestly, there’s not a lot of opportunities, not a ton of people knocking on the doors to bring business to Emporia,” Law said. “It’s just been a rough time for the past couple of decades. This opportunity that has presented itself is a great opportunity right now.” When asked about concerns over water consumption, Law said city officials believe Emporia’s water infrastructure can handle the additional demand.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

Geary County leaders have approved a one-year moratorium on data centers, giving the county more time to develop regulations before any projects move forward. At its meeting on June 22, Geary County GIS/Planning and Zoning Director Troy Livingston presented the commission with the proposal to implement a one-year moratorium on data centers. The planning commission earlier this month voted to recommend the temporary moratorium on any kind of data center development. Livingston said they believe a year will give them time to study impacts like infrastructure, water and power needs, and allow them to make an informed decision.
Read more: KSNT 27 News

The first informational meeting of the Douglas County Data Center Watchdogs drew more than 100 attendees to the Lawrence Public Library Tuesday evening. Nancy Thellman said the new group had been meeting for about two months to put together the presentation for the community. She said they want to educate residents about local land-use rights, water demand and tax incentives that could make the area a target for large-scale data center development.  The group said it plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month in the library’s meeting rooms, where organizers intend to hold deeper discussions with experts and residents about the issue. 
Read more: The Lawrence Times

Goddard is attracting major commercial projects including retail centers, apartments and a city park as the Wichita suburb positions itself for rapid growth.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

As healthcare systems in rural Kansas face mounting pressure, Newton Medical Center is teaming up with six other hospitals across the state to combat rising healthcare costs and enhance rural clinical care. The seven rural hospitals have formed a clinically integrated network to push for lower costs for medical equipment and to collectively negotiate rates from health insurance companies to drive lower out-of-pocket costs for patients, the organizations say.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal

A brief but powerful tornado killed a 64-year-old man in northern Sedgwick County early Sunday morning, blowing his home off its foundation. The storm touched down for just two minutes and struck without tornado warnings or sirens activating beforehand.
Read more: Wichita Eagle

A lone horse rider carrying letters arrived the City of Horton on Monday evening. The horse hooves clopped on the city street, indicating to a large crowd of people that he was nearby. The scene sounded like it would almost be set in 1860-1861, when the iconic Pony Express would be in operation.
Read more: Hays Daily News

De Soto Mayor Rick Walker says revenue from a planned $3 billion data center campus is an opportunity to grow the city. But one resident is concerned that leaders are moving too fast and not weighing the negative impacts on the community and environment.
Read more: KCUR

On Tuesday, commissioners approved a charter resolution to change the way the treasurer’s department collects back property taxes. A 2019 charter resolution requires Harvey County Treasurer Amy Perkins and her department to apply payments to the most current delinquent property tax bill, which means that in order to pay off the most delinquent tax, owners must pay off all of their taxes. If they can’t pay the whole thing, they often decide there’s no benefit in paying any of it off. The new resolution, which will take effect 60 days from the time it is published two weeks in a row, requires taxpayers to pay the current property tax first and then the most delinquent. This means that if someone has four years of back taxes owed, the new resolution acts like a four-year payment plan. Commissioner Becky Reimer thanked Perkins for thinking creatively.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Strong communities are built on more than businesses alone—they are built on places where people gather, connect, and build relationships. That vision is at the heart of The Zarah Coffee Shop, Great Bend’s newest locally owned coffee destination.
Read more: Great Bend Tribune

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.