Dodge City Commission Summary
Week of September 8, 2026
City commission intends to exceed revenue neutral rate
City approves $1 million fire engine purchase
Commission authorizes $12.3 million in industrial revenue bonds for downtown hotel
Public hearing set for 2 percent sales tax at proposed downtown hotel
City appeals state ruling to advance downtown historic renovation
City to salvage Spruce Street bricks for downtown streetscape
APAC awarded $735,000 asphalt street maintenance contract
Iconic cowboy silhouette to return to U.S. 50
$136,000 upgrade approved for South Wastewater Treatment Plant
High hydrogen sulfide levels may force $750,000 biogas plant maintenance
City commission intends to exceed revenue neutral rate
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The Dodge City Commission unanimously approved a resolution indicating its intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the 2027 budget. The anticipated mill levy is set at 35.667 mills, slightly higher than the 2026 budget's 35.611 mills and exceeding the state-calculated neutral rate of 34.984 mills. The decision followed a public hearing where a local senior citizen voiced concerns about the impact of rising property taxes on residents with fixed incomes. A final public hearing to approve the official budget is scheduled for Sept. 16.
City approves $1 million fire engine purchase
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Dodge City firefighters will receive a new fire engine following the city commission's 4-0 approval of a $1,016,275 bid from a fire apparatus vendor. The purchase, which is funded through the city's general fund and capital equipment program, includes a $20,000 contingency and will replace aging 2012 and 2013 engines that are reaching the end of their operational lifespans. Fire chief Bradley Hines noted that new federal emissions standards contributed to a $25,000 to $35,000 increase in the engine's cost, and lead times for the new apparatus stretch between 24 and 28 months.
Commission authorizes $12.3 million in industrial revenue bonds for downtown hotel
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The city commission unanimously approved a letter of intent to issue up to $12.3 million in industrial revenue bonds for New West Hotels, LLC. The bonds will finance the renovation of the historic First National Bank building at 619 N. Second Ave. into a new downtown hotel. Finance director Nicole May explained that the industrial revenue bonds are designed to primarily provide the developer with a sales tax exemption on construction materials and equipment, without relying on general city funds for repayment.
Public hearing set for 2 percent sales tax at proposed downtown hotel
DODGE CITY, Kan. — In an additional move to support the renovation of the First National Bank building, the city commission voted 4-0 to set an Oct. 5 public hearing regarding the creation of a new Community Improvement District. The district, petitioned by New West Hotels, LLC, would impose a 2 percent sales tax exclusively at the hotel and its associated parking area. The tax would be used to reimburse the developer for up to $3 million in eligible construction costs over a maximum period of 22 years.
City appeals state ruling to advance downtown historic renovation
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The city commission voted 4-0 to appeal a ruling by the State Historic Preservation Office that stalled renovations at the historic Mosher and Cochran Drug Store building at 500 N. Second Ave. State officials ruled that proposed plans — including exposing interior brick, removing second-floor walls and installing pressed metal ceilings — would damage the property's historic character. In recommending the appeal, city staff expressed concerns about the condition of the existing plaster and noted that the developer's proposed plans aim to facilitate the building's revitalization.
City to salvage Spruce Street bricks for downtown streetscape
DODGE CITY, Kan. — To support ongoing downtown revitalization, the city will salvage historic bricks from a deteriorated section of Spruce Street to be reused on Third Avenue. The city commission approved a $75,172 quote from Building Solutions, LLC to remove, clean and palletize the bricks from Spruce Street between Fifth and Eighth avenues. The salvaged materials will replace concrete driving lanes on Third Avenue up to Vine Street, an extension of the downtown streetscape project funded primarily through STAR bonds.
APAC awarded $735,000 asphalt street maintenance contract
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The city commission unanimously approved a $735,947 bid from APAC to perform the city's 2026 major asphalt street maintenance. The project includes a 2-inch mill and inlay on local roads including McCarter Road, as well as an asphalt overlay on an aging brick section of Spruce Street. Funded by the city's street sales tax, the bid came in nearly $100,000 under the engineer's estimate, allowing the city to remain comfortably within its $3 million annual street maintenance budget.
Iconic cowboy silhouette to return to U.S. 50
DODGE CITY, Kan. — A well-known local landmark removed during the U.S. Route 50 expansion will soon make its return. The city commission unanimously approved a $31,770 service agreement with SMH Consultants for the surveying, engineering and landscape design of a new cowboy silhouette installation. The city acquired land from the Kansas Department of Transportation at no cost for the project, which will feature a small, lighted parking area and a walking trail to provide a safer photo opportunity for tourists and residents along the highway.
$136,000 upgrade approved for South Wastewater Treatment Plant
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The city commission unanimously approved a $136,552 change order with Utility Contractors, Inc. for the installation of a bubbler level control system in four wet wells at the South Wastewater Treatment Plant. The new pneumatic system will replace traditional floats, which frequently become entangled in debris that bypasses the plant's screening processes. The upgrade brings total change orders on the $46 million facility expansion to over $13 million, largely due to major earthwork and liner additions mandated by environmental regulations earlier in the project.
High hydrogen sulfide levels may force $750,000 biogas plant maintenance
DODGE CITY, Kan. — During an update on the city's wastewater treatment expansion, city engineer Tanner Rutschman reported potential issues with the facility's biogas production system. When pushing the plant at higher volumes, excess carbon dioxide has been breaking through into the finished product, likely due to the plant's unusually high hydrogen sulfide concentrations degrading the filtration media. Officials warned that replacing the media could cost an estimated $750,000, an expense that the city is tentatively budgeting for the 2027 or 2028 fiscal year.
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