Municipal News & Jobs

Approved agreements on Wednesday night will now allow the development process for the recently purchased 40 acres to begin. The two agreements include a development agreement with Lange Real Estate and a services agreement with Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A. (PEC). The agreement was to contract with PEC for the survey, concept planning, and platting services for the residential development located at the corner of NW 96th and Hoover. City Administrator Kyle Nordick stated that PEC will commence work within 14 days and anticipates completing an application for a preliminary plat within 60 days.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Wall Street thinks interest rates are poised to come down faster than the Federal Reserve does—a wager that is already boosting the economy and markets by making it cheaper for Americans to borrow. Bets in the futures market show investors expect that the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate will fall just below 3% by the end of next year, from slightly above 4% now, according to LSEG data. That marks a sizable shift from May, when investors thought that rates would fall only to around 3.5% at the end of 2026. It is also below what most Fed officials are forecasting. Their latest “dot plot” showed a median expectation that rates end next year at 3.4%—the equivalent of two fewer quarter-point rate cuts than investors are anticipating.
Read more: WSJ.com: Markets

According to the Ark Valley news, in response to a new state law — and on the advice of its attorney — the Valley Center school board recently took action to stop livestreaming its meetings on YouTube and delete all previous recordings. Per the new law, if a school board fails to stream the entirety of a meeting (except for executive sessions), it could be subject to a Kansas Open Meetings Act violation. A board member misspeaking or failing to be heard clearly could also constitute a violation. Given the gray areas and to avoid potential risks, the school board followed counsel’s recommendation to end livestreaming practices. The Valley Center school board has been livestreaming meetings since 2020.
Read more: www.derbyinformer.com

The Fort Scott City Commission on Tuesday debated proposed changes to an ordinance that would require food trucks to obtain a license. Commissioners agreed to have the city manager and city attorney draft an addendum to the city’s solicitors, canvassers and peddler’s ordinance to address food trucks, then discuss the issue again in October.
Read more: Fort Scott Tribune Headlines

After its meeting on Wednesday evening, the Sedgwick city council held a workshop to discuss creating a quiet zone in the City to remove train horns. City administrative assistant Izaiah Chapman said that in years past, the topic had been discussed but never brought to a conclusion. In short, a quiet zone means trains coming through town could no longer blow their horns. The project would require the city to put medians at the two intersections in town to alert motorists of the train crossing, which will cost between $21,878.64 and $97,252.73, depending on whether they use plastic or concrete. The city would also have to pay up to $30,000 for a quiet zone calculator.
Read more: Harvey County Now

Just about where a visitor first sets foot inside the Chase County Courthouse a letter was found in 1950, when workmen were replacing the hardwood floor in the main hallway. The message was slipped into a crack between the boards the last time the floor was replaced, in 1924. “This beautiful bright February day Mr. Levi Chandler, the county treasurer, and the janitor, Harry Hudson, are laying a hardwood floor in the courthouse hall,” the letter began. “Mr. Chandler is doing the work for nothing if the commissioners will let the county pay for the material.” The letter was written by the treasurer’s wife, Carrie Breese Chandler. I’ve written about Chase County back in 2021, when I questioned the morality of the county running a for-profit detention center. In May of this year I revisited the topic, as the 148-bed lockup was the last and largest ICE-contracted jail facility in Kansas. The detention center is separate from the courthouse, five or six blocks to the southeast on Kansas Highway 177. If there are tours of that facility, they aren’t advertised. But that is another matter. On Monday, I was in Chase County to observe government at its most fundamental level. Oh, I asked the questions most journalists would ask, the how manys and whens — and I was curious about Wilson, the treasurer who had resigned — but mostly I was looking for clues to an unasked question. Who are we in 2025?
Read more: Kansas Reflector

The Weir City Council has approved a new ordinance setting regulations for mobile homes, manufactured homes, modular homes, tiny houses, and other “live-in” dwellings within city limits. Ordinance No. 1670, adopted September 8, establishes requirements for the placement, utility connections, foundations, and spacing of these structures, which city officials say are needed to promote safety, orderly development, and good civic design. Under the new rules, all dwellings must have a minimum of 320 square feet of living area and be situated on a permanent concrete foundation or piers. Skirting approved by the mayor and council is required for trailers, tiny houses, or other nontraditional structures. Each dwelling must also have its own dedicated city water and sewer connection, activated within 30 days of installation.
Read more: www.koamnewsnow.com

Ellis County Communications is launching an alert program for at-risk residents. The Creating Awareness, Responding Effectively (CARE) alert program is a voluntary initiative that allows families, caregivers, and individuals with special care needs to share essential details with emergency services. The program is available to individuals with unique communication needs, medical conditions, or disabilities affecting their development, intellect, or physical abilities.
Read more: KSN-TV

A longtime postal substation inside Leeker’s Family Foods will stay open after the store and the U.S. Postal Service reached a last-minute deal. The Park City grocery store has operated a contract postal unit since 1985, but this summer, owner Chris Steindler said he received a 120-day notice that the location would be shut down. That sparked frustration among residents and concern from local leaders, since Park City has no brick-and-mortar post office of its own.
Read more: KSN-TV

First responders from across Southeast Kansas spent the day preparing for the next disaster. That training involved this scene, staged to re-create what they might find in the event of a tornado. Firefighters from St. Paul, Girard, Baker Township and Kansas Task Force 4 in Chanute used the scene to practice rescues, using only the tools they carry in their trucks. The training showed them how to rescue someone from inside a home through the roof, getting them on the ground safely, and how to build a foundation from wood and nails to hold the house up from the inside.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

It has a number of murals and more are in the works, or at least, will be soon. “This is for artists and it’s also for businesses in the downtown district that may want to beautify a wall on their exterior,” said Sarah Runyon, Pittsburg Community Development Specialist. A grant that gives residents of Pittsburg the chance to showcase their art for all in the city to see, is back this year. Applicants can receive up to fifteen hundred dollars with clearance from the city, to create a mural promoting their business, or expressing themselves.
Read more: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

The City Commission will consider a proposal Monday that could eventually make the city’s own website the official newspaper. The Lawrence Journal-World has been the designated newspaper for public notices since 2010. If the proposal is approved, most public notices would only need to be posted on the city’s website and not in an independent newspaper. The site cityofeudoraks.gov would be designated to act as Eudora’s official newspaper for publishing city business. City staff argue the move would save money. Within the first eight months of 2025, the city has incurred over $7,900 in publication costs, according to the meeting agenda.
Read more: The Eudora Times

The city filed a lawsuit against Kaw Valley State Bank this past summer over several counterfeit checks drawn from a city account, raising allegations that the bank denies. According to the lawsuit, filed in June in Douglas County District Court, multiple counterfeit checks ranging from $2,500 to $50,000 were debited from the city’s account from late July to early September 2024, totalling more than $133,000. After some reimbursements from the bank, the city is still out $76,802 in fraudulently pulled funds.
Read more: The Eudora Times

The look and feel for new community spaces along the west bank of the Arkansas River downtown are moving closer to reality. Wichita City Council approved the early design concepts for three pieces of public art that will be located along the river just east of Equity Bank Park at its Tuesday meeting. The gathering spaces and public art will back up to the mixed-use development that’s under construction at Maple and McLean and will include a new hotel and apartment complex next to the ballpark.
Read more: Wichita Business Journal – Local Wichita News

This enormous jamboree is not only a national event with folks coming from every state, but also international with flags of many countries flying over the campsites. The festival started on the campus of Southwestern College back in 1972 but grew so much in popularity it had to be moved to the Cowley County Fairgrounds not long after.
Read more: Hays Daily News

On April 5, dispatcher Rachel Barnes answered a 911 call reporting a woman in labor in rural Ellis County. Barnes quickly instructed the caller to gather towels before giving further directions. Barnes said the most challenging part of the phone call was waiting for responders. The family was about 15 miles away from HaysMed.
Read more: Hays Post

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.

City Manager Brian Silcott resigned and will continue in the role until the end of 2025. The future of the next city manager has yet to be determined, however Mayor Emily Allen said the new manager is hoped to start within the first quarter of 2026.
Read more: The Ottawa Herald

If a dog bites someone in Great Bend, the City’s rabies control ordinance used to require at least a 14-day quarantine. The ordinance was revised at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting, shortening the quarantine to 10 days. The animal may be quarantined at home if there is a fenced-in yard and there are no other safety concerns.
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