City seeks $35 million in grants, achieves CDBG eligibility

Commission waives event fees for Junction City Main Street following debate

New safety beacon approved for Freeman Field Airport

City awards $1.02 million contract for Phase 5 water system improvements

City increases vacant lot mowing contracts in response to resident complaints

Commission tables personnel policy update over residency requirements

City police marketing campaign reaches 24 million views online

City seeks $35 million in grants, achieves CDBG eligibility

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The city's grants office reported having six major federal and state grants pending totaling more than $35 million, including a $25 million federal BUILD grant aimed at revitalizing Grand Avenue. Additionally, officials announced Junction City is now eligible for federal Community Development Block Grant programs after a recent door-to-door survey confirmed the city's low-to-moderate-income household rate is 57 percent. This eligibility, which remains valid until the 2030 census, will allow the city to pursue immediate funding for housing rehabilitation programs and sidewalk infrastructure.

Commission waives event fees for Junction City Main Street following debate

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The city commission approved a $1,200 permit fee waiver for eight upcoming Junction City Main Street downtown events following a debate on municipal consistency. The fairness of the waiver compared to other nonprofits was initially questioned during the meeting, but the measure was supported after staff noted the events act as economic drivers that generate sales tax revenue. Prior to the vote, Main Street officials presented their 2025 impact report, highlighting a $15 million private investment in downtown, improved vacancy rates and a $6.93 economic return for every dollar the city invested in the organization.

New safety beacon approved for Freeman Field Airport

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The commission approved a $121,714 bid from Atlas Electric, LLC to construct a new tip-down beacon light at Freeman Field Airport. The new beacon will replace a 50-year-old tower light that is being updated to better align with modern safety standards for maintenance workers. A Kansas Department of Transportation aviation grant will cover the majority of the project's cost, leaving the city responsible for only $21,000 of the total bill.

City awards $1.02 million contract for Phase 5 water system improvements

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - J & K Contracting, L.C. was awarded a $1.02 million bid for the city's Phase 5 water system improvements, coming in more than $200,000 under the engineer's estimate. The infrastructure project targets a residential area and includes tying a water line between two existing streets to address chronic low water pressure issues. The initiative also complies with a state and federal mandate to excavate and replace undocumented, galvanized and lead-contaminated pipes found within the city's aging subterranean network.

City increases vacant lot mowing contracts in response to resident complaints

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The city has increased its contractual mowing schedule for vacant streets and land bank properties from three to four mows per year following resident complaints regarding overgrown properties. The commission approved a $6,485 per-mow contract with Midwest Property Maintenance for vacant streets and awarded local mowing company Junction City Lawn Pros an $85 per-lot contract to maintain blighted residential properties, representing a roughly 6 percent price increase from the previous year due to rising fuel and equipment costs.

Commission tables personnel policy update over residency requirements

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - The commission voted to table the adoption of an updated 2026 city personnel policy until early May, citing the need for a detailed side-by-side comparison with the outdated 2009 handbook. Substantial debate centered around employee residency requirements after data revealed 25 percent of the city's 66 employees currently live outside Geary County. While a desire for a stricter residency policy to foster civic investment was expressed during the meeting, it was also pointed out that many public-safety employees face unique housing and safety considerations that historically warrant location flexibility.

City police marketing campaign reaches 24 million views online

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - In an unprecedented digital success for the city, the municipal marketing department reported that a recent social media video has generated over 24 million organic views across Facebook and Instagram. The "don't text and drive" video, featuring Officer Smith, generated more than 647,000 interactions and brought over 20,000 new followers to the city's social media pages. Officials noted the no-cost digital marketing hit aligned with the city's target demographic for future tourism and economic development.

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