Pittsburg City Commission Summary
Week of July 15, 2026
Five-year financial plan shows stable reserves, rising health care costs
Clean audit reported for city's 2025 financials
Kendall Packaging pays off 2017 industrial revenue bonds early
State fiber optic project to boost high-speed internet access
Contract awarded for Meadowlark Elementary pedestrian path
Commission allocates $750,000 for major upgrades to Don Gutteridge Sports Complex
City offers temporary curbside brush pickup following severe storm
City sweeps building codes into 2024, adds downtown remodeling guidelines
Police department to receive 40 new body-worn cameras
Five-year financial plan shows stable reserves, rising health care costs
PITTSBURG, Kan. — City staff presented the five-year financial plan, highlighting conservative revenue projections and a structural financial balance for the municipality through the next half-decade. The plan anticipates a 2.5 percent annual increase in sales tax revenues and a 3 percent increase in property taxes, though officials noted that sales tax remains a volatile funding source. Additionally, staff reported a one-time $200,000 increase in electrical franchise fees attributed to the new Wildcat Data Infrastructure LLC data center's heavy energy usage and warned of rising municipal health care costs that will need to be addressed in the upcoming 2027 budget.
Clean audit reported for city's 2025 financials
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The city received an unmodified, or "clean," opinion on its 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report from independent auditing firm Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd. Auditors tested $20.1 million in federal expenditures across major programs, including the housing voucher cluster, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and coronavirus recovery funds. While the audit identified three material weaknesses requiring corrective action plans, auditors reported no difficulties working with city management and noted the city's financial statements are presented fairly and accurately. The material weaknesses relate to internal control procedures rather than the accuracy of the financial statements themselves.
Kendall Packaging pays off 2017 industrial revenue bonds early
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Kendall Packaging Corporation is paying off its 2017 industrial development revenue bonds ahead of schedule, prompting the city commission to unanimously approve a resolution authorizing the early redemption. Under the original 2017 economic incentive agreement, Kendall Packaging deeded its property to the city. With the early payoff scheduled for July 23, the city will deed the property back to the corporation and release all recorded documents with the Crawford County Register of Deeds, fully concluding the city's involvement in the incentive package.
State fiber optic project to boost high-speed internet access
PITTSBURG, Kan. — High-speed internet access in Pittsburg is slated for a significant upgrade after the city commission approved an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the state-led Middle Mile fiber optic project. The multimillion-dollar initiative will lay redundant fiber optic lines in the city's public right-of-way, connecting local infrastructure directly to major internet hubs in Kansas City and Wichita. City officials noted the project comes at no cost to the municipality and will make the community's internet capabilities faster and more robust against outages.
Contract awarded for Meadowlark Elementary pedestrian path
PITTSBURG, Kan. — A new pedestrian and bike path will be constructed along 20th Street to Meadowlark Elementary following the city commission's approval of a Kansas Department of Transportation cost-share agreement. The contract, awarded to Mission Construction Co. Inc., includes a 5-foot sidewalk stretching from the front of Fire Station No. 2 to the school's bus lane to provide a safe route for children walking in the street. The project is anticipated to begin in mid-to-late October and will also encompass replacing the front drive approach to the fire station to ensure Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
Commission allocates $750,000 for major upgrades to Don Gutteridge Sports Complex
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The city commission unanimously approved a $750,000 allocation from the Economic Development Advisory Committee revolving loan fund to support infrastructure improvements at the Don Gutteridge Sports Complex and Lincoln Park. The funds will assist with a $9 million to $10 million project to install artificial turf on the infields and outfields of seven baseball and softball fields, spearheaded by Mammoth Sports Construction LLC. Community volunteers have already raised more than $6 million in private donations for the city-owned facility, which officials expect will reduce rainouts and transform the complex into a major regional draw for youth travel sports tournaments.
City offers temporary curbside brush pickup following severe storm
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Following a severe weekend storm that downed numerous tree limbs across the city, the Parks and Recreation Department is offering a temporary, citywide curbside pickup service. Because the city's burn site quickly filled to capacity from the initial wave of debris, residents can place storm-related limbs cut into 4-to-5-foot sections at the curb and call the department to be added to a pickup list. Officials emphasized the service is strictly for recent storm damage and will only be available for a limited time until the burn site can be safely cleared.
City sweeps building codes into 2024, adds downtown remodeling guidelines
PITTSBURG, Kan. — In a sweeping update to municipal construction standards, city commissioners unanimously approved 12 ordinances advancing the city's building codes from the 2012 editions to the 2024 International Code Council standards. Among the updates, the city formally adopted the International Existing Building Code, which provides architects and engineers with specific, flexible guidelines for remodeling older structures to ease the financial burden of renovating historic downtown buildings. The commission also codified a decades-old practice requiring city safety inspections for electric and gas utilities that have been disconnected for more than six months.
Police department to receive 40 new body-worn cameras
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Pittsburg Police Department will upgrade its technology with 40 new Motorola V700 body-worn cameras following the city commission's unanimous approval of a $95,564 purchase. Funded through the public safety sales tax, the package includes batteries, a transfer station, software licensing and a five-year warranty. Police officials noted the purchase is necessary because the department's current WatchGuard V300 cameras, purchased more than four years ago, are reaching the end of their service life and will no longer be manufactured or supported by Motorola by early 2027.
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