Kansas Municipal News
Disruptive public commenting has reached a crisis point for some in public office
For the first time since a pair of public commenters began routinely disrupting government meetings in Lawrence, an official has mentioned the possibility of terminating public comment, at least temporarily. On Monday night, Lawrence school board president Kelly Jones — after an approximately 30-minute standoff with commenter Michael Eravi, who was refusing to obey board rules — said that the time had come to discuss whether public commenting in its current form had simply become too disruptive. Nothing in state law requires that governing bodies hear public comment at their meetings, and local entities have grappled for years now with how to run efficient, civil business meetings in the face of routine disruptions and the flouting of decorum rules.
Source: LJWorld
Municipal Bond Trends for February 14, 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.
Decades-old Johnson County bar to close for city project: ‘Can’t fight the government’
Mary Armstrong knew that the I-35 and Santa Fe corridor project in Olathe would eventually displace her bar, Double Nickel. She said she attended a public meeting about the project last year, though she was under the impression that she would have more time at her current 189 Rogers Road digs. “They made it sound like it would be a while out,” she said. “Surprise. It’s not.” In December, she was given a 90-day demand letter from the city ordering her to vacate the rented space.
Source: KC Star Local News
Hopes for more Fed rate cuts dim as Powell notes hot CPI means ‘we’re not quite there yet’
A Federal Reserve interest rate cut won’t be coming until at least September, if at all this year, following a troubling inflation report Wednesday, according to updated market pricing. Futures markets shifted from the expectation of a June cut and possibly another before the end of the year to no moves until the fall, with a minimal chance of a follow-up before the end of 2025.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
Muni advocates won’t give up tax exemption without a fight
Republican legislators have placed tax-exempt bonds on the regulatory chopping block — as the cost to renew expiring provisions of President Donald Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act continues to grow — putting municipal leaders in the eye of a storm. Public finance advocates are flocking en masse to Capitol Hill in an effort to convince representatives of how significant the exemption is for the markets, amid efforts to return tax-exempt advance refunding and lift the ceiling on bank-qualified debt.
Source: The Bond Buyer
Sumner County deputies move in on suspected cockfighting operation
Sumner County deputies and Humane Society workers went to a home near Mulvane on Tuesday to shut down a suspected cockfighting operation. Sumner County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tyler Carmichael told KFDI’s news partners at KWCH that an investigation has been going on over the past couple of years, and more information will be released later this week. Sheriff’s detective Andrea Wagner said there were a significant number of animals at the home, discovered when a search warrant was executed.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
2 mostly rural fire districts in fast-growing southern Johnson County are merging
Johnson County Commissioners voted to merge two largely rural fire districts last week after a discussion of whether the move represented “taxation without representation.” In a unanimous series of votes, commissioners combined Fire District 1 in the southwest corner of the county and Fire District 2, which covered the southern central and eastern areas. The new district will be known as Consolidated Fire District 1.
Source: Johnson County Post
Amazon to build in Salina and hire 100 or more workers
The Salina area is about to get more job opportunities. Amazon will build a distribution facility and generate at least 100 new jobs. The goal is to open the facility late this year. The Salina Airport Authority made the announcement Thursday. It says Amazon bought 20 acres in the Airport Industrial Center Subdivision No. 3. The company will build a 90,000-square-foot last-mile distribution facility at 1850 W. Water Well Road, southwest of town.
Source: KSN-TV
Emporia one step closer to allowing drinking on downtown streets
Revelers in Emporia may soon be able to barhop on Commercial Street with beers in their hands. The Emporia City Commission has approved an ordinance to establish a Common Consumption Area, allowing people to drink alcohol outdoors within a designated area of the downtown district of this college town, so long as the beverages are purchased from participating vendors.
Source: KSN-TV
Reno County receives $6.13 million KDHE grant for Yoder sewer project
Reno County has been awarded a grant to cover the full cost of combining Yoder and HABIT sewer treatment systems, a project with a hefty price tag. Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain announced Wednesday that the county has been awarded a Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance Grant of $6,133,100 from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Source: KSN-TV
Pittsburg balances business losses with promising growth
Some Pittsburg businesses have closed in the past few months, but community leaders still have high hopes for the area’s growth. “Any time you have a business that closes in your community, that’s not a good thing,” said Blake Benson, Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce President. For example, the 87-year-old diner Harry’s Cafe announced a temporary closure, while Bling Pittsburg in the Meadowbrook Mall permanently closed last month. But despite those vacancies, Benson says the community continues to show business growth.
Source: KSNF/KODE
City eyes structural rehab program to bolster housing stock
Manhattan homeowners may soon have the opportunity to receive financial assistance to fix up their houses. City commissioners on Tuesday supported a housing rehabilitation program that would reimburse local nonprofits for performing structural repairs on qualifying homes to build up and maintain Manhattan’s workforce housing stock.
Source: themercury.com
Pott County mulls changes to dust control program
Dust from gravel roads can not only be a nuisance for those living along them, but can also be a safety concern for those traveling on them. Pottawatomie County started the Dust Control Program in the early 90s to make county roads safer, and over the years it has evolved. Each year the county commission reviews the program, and this year county staff is recommending eliminating the option.
Source: themercury.com
Lawrence school board president foreshadows potential public comment pause
Lawrence school board President Kelly Jones floated the idea of pausing public comment after a confrontational exchange between the board and a frequent Lawrence public commenter on Monday. Board members told the commenter he was violating their public comment policy’s decorum rule, which he protested. The situation Monday lasted around 25 minutes, during which the board took two recesses.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Municipal Bond Trends for February 13, 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.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 12, 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.
City leaders to look at ways to make back money spent on Hotel Topeka
City leaders are looking at ways to make back all the money that they’ve put into Hotel Topeka. While nothing has been brought to the governing body yet, it was talked about Tuesday night at a board of directors meeting. Topeka leaders are discussing implementing a community improvement district for the hotel. If it’s approved by the city council down the road, a small amount of every dollar spent at the hotel will go back in the city’s pocket, even after a buyer is found for the hotel. This would include purchases of food, beverages and hotel rooms.
Source: KSNT 27 News
After city ignored petition about property taxes, Topekan makes his case in court
McIntosh argues the city should have taken some kind of action. Since Topeka didn’t, McIntosh is asking the court to intervene and force Topeka to either adopt the city ordinance requiring public vote for tax raises above revenue neutral or the court can require the city to have a public vote about the ordinance.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for February 11, 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.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 10, 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.