City commissioner resigns, special meeting set to fill vacancy

Commission establishes youth advisory council

Land annexed for cemetery expansion

Manager warns of pending state property tax revenue cap

Major railroad overpass project moves to environmental phase

City salvages $200,000 grant for new transit bus shelters

Sales tax funds approved for park signage redesign

Assessment completed for historic airport hangar revitalization

Air museum career day draws hundreds of students, secures WWI plane donation

Police checkpoint draws public backlash over immigration fears

City commissioner resigns, special meeting set to fill vacancy

LIBERAL, Kan. - The Liberal City Commission unanimously accepted the resignation of Commissioner Matt Landry, effective this month, after he relocated outside the city limits. To fill the vacancy, the commission opted to bypass a special election and instead open an application process for interested residents. The commission will hold a special meeting later this month to interview applicants, giving each candidate five minutes to address the board before a replacement is formally appointed to serve out the remainder of Landry's term.

Commission establishes youth advisory council

LIBERAL, Kan. - In an effort to boost civic engagement among young residents, the commission unanimously approved a city ordinance officially establishing the Liberal Youth Council. The council will consist of up to 15 students between the ages of 14 and 19 who reside in the city or attend Liberal High School. Appointed to two-year terms, the youth members will meet during odd calendar months and provide updates and policy recommendations to the city commission during regular meetings.

Land annexed for cemetery expansion

LIBERAL, Kan. - To accommodate future needs, the commission unanimously approved ordinances and a resolution to annex roughly 80 acres of land to expand the Liberal Cemetery. The approved measures bring three city-owned parcels and one privately owned adjacent property — whose owner petitioned for the move — into the city limits. The commission also scheduled a public hearing to formalize the annexation of a final adjacent plot owned by Occidental Petroleum to prevent leaving an unincorporated "island" surrounded by city property.

Manager warns of pending state property tax revenue cap

LIBERAL, Kan. - City Manager Scarlette Diseker briefed the commission on House Bill 2745, a Kansas property tax revenue cap proposal that could significantly disrupt the city's budgeting process. If enacted, the legislation would limit local government property tax revenue growth to 3 percent or a regional inflation index, whichever is lower, and allow a protest petition mechanism that could block some increases. City administrators said they plan to monitor the proposal and use an upcoming legislative trip to Washington, D.C., to advocate for local municipal funding protections.

Major railroad overpass project moves to environmental phase

LIBERAL, Kan. - The commission took a major step forward on the city's Railroad Crossing Elimination project by unanimously awarding a $300,000 contract to Professional Engineering Consultants for the project's environmental assessment phase. The assessment will study biological resources, historical impacts, floodplain hydrology and transit noise at two proposed overpass sites to satisfy federal requirements. Because the project is heavily subsidized by an 80 percent federal grant and a 15 percent match from the state's Build Kansas program, the city's out-of-pocket cost for this phase was reported as minimal.

City salvages $200,000 grant for new transit bus shelters

LIBERAL, Kan. - City staff reported they revived a dormant $200,000 transit grant originally awarded in 2019 to fund bus shelters throughout the community. Staff said the matching grant is still active, and the city is moving forward with plans to install shelters at seven to eight high-traffic transit stops, including the Seward County Health Department and National Beef. The project had previously stalled due to personnel turnover, but coordination with the Kansas Department of Transportation has resumed.

Sales tax funds approved for park signage redesign

LIBERAL, Kan. - Eleven local parks will receive updated destination signage following the commission's consensus to move forward with a citywide beautification project. Using funds generated by the city's 1-cent sales tax, the new signs will feature a modernized, light-background design that incorporates the city's current branding and colors. City staff will solicit competitive bids from local vendors to reskin or replace the existing 20 sign panels across the park system.

Assessment completed for historic airport hangar revitalization

LIBERAL, Kan. - The commission reviewed a joint architectural and structural assessment of a historic World War II-era airport hangar at the Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport, funded in partnership with the Mid-America Air Museum Foundation. Engineers determined the structure remains sound, though it requires immediate temporary measures to secure the building and manage drainage. The commission and its nonprofit partner will explore grant funding options to stabilize the facility, with preliminary community ideas suggesting it could eventually serve as an event center or expanded space for the neighboring Mid-America Air Museum.

Air museum career day draws hundreds of students, secures WWI plane donation

LIBERAL, Kan. - City staff reported that the Mid-America Air Museum's inaugural Cockpit & Beyond Career Possibilities Day earlier this month drew hundreds of students from multiple states. The event featured booths from major aviation entities, including Boeing and United Airlines, along with air ambulance provider EagleMed, and multiple participants committed to returning for future events. The museum also announced it accepted the donation of a custom-built, 7/8 scale World War I French Nieuport 11 replica fighter plane designed to be transported on a trailer for future community outreach events.

Police checkpoint draws public backlash over immigration fears

LIBERAL, Kan. - A recent driver's license traffic checkpoint sparked significant public outcry and debate, with some residents saying during public comment that the operation spread fear through the local immigrant community following the state legislature's recent action on House Bill 2771, a state immigration enforcement bill. Police Chief Chester Pinkston defended the operation, which was funded by a state traffic-safety grant and deliberately timed to coincide with prom weekend to deter underage drinking and unsafe driving. The chief said the Liberal Police Department does not ask about immigration status and is not involved in federal immigration enforcement, adding that any timing overlap with state action was an "unfortunate coincidence."

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