Pittsburg City Commission Summary
Week of October 16, 2026
Commission approves Lincoln Center roof repairs using ARPA funds
Downtown glass business granted variance for shipping container
Commission approves setback variance for commissioner's home addition
Updated FEMA floodplain regulations adopted to maintain insurance access
City adopts regional hazard mitigation plan to secure grant eligibility
IT work delays rollout of new radios for city first responders
Contract approved for Meadowlark Elementary Safe Routes to School project
City advances $983,000 loan application for wastewater lift station
City to seek $750,000 state grant for moderate-income housing development
Commission approves Lincoln Center roof repairs using ARPA funds
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Pittsburg City Commission unanimously approved a $135,015 bid from a roofing contractor of Frontenac to repair the Lincoln Center roof during Tuesday's meeting. The project, funded by the city's remaining American Rescue Plan Act money, aims to eliminate existing parapets that trap water during heavy rains and cause interior leaks. Officials noted approximately $250,000 in ARPA funds remain available for the center, with the remaining $115,000 designated for subsequent in-house drainage improvements and retaining wall construction around the facility before the end of the year.
Downtown glass business granted variance for shipping container
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Commissioners approved a zoning variance allowing a property owner to place a shipping container at 111 E. 10th St. to store materials for an adjacent glass business. While the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals advanced the measure on a 5-1 vote due to one member's concerns about setting a precedent in the downtown commercial zone, city commissioners unanimously supported the request to assist a local business. As a condition of the variance, the owner has agreed to paint the container to blend with the surrounding area and to finish an adjacent Pittsburg State University Gorilla mural.
Commission approves setback variance for commissioner's home addition
PITTSBURG, Kan. — In a unanimous vote with Commissioner DJ Perry abstaining, the commission approved a setback variance for Perry's property at 3111 Pinnacle Lane to allow for the construction of an attached garage. The variance waives the standard 30-foot side-yard setback required due to an adjacent, unbuilt road planned by a local developer. Neighbors voiced full support for the project during the planning phase, which will allow Perry to secure vehicles off the street and match the existing home's aesthetic.
Updated FEMA floodplain regulations adopted to maintain insurance access
PITTSBURG, Kan. — To keep the community enrolled in the National Flood Insurance Program, the commission unanimously adopted updated Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain regulations. The city's previous maps, effective since 2009, were updated over a multiyear collaborative process to reflect changes in development, watershed behavior and stormwater drainage. Adopting the new ordinance ensures residents retain access to affordable flood insurance, federal disaster assistance and federally backed mortgages.
City adopts regional hazard mitigation plan to secure grant eligibility
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Commissioners formally adopted the Kansas Homeland Security Region H Hazard Mitigation Plan, ensuring Pittsburg remains eligible for federal emergency grants. The plan, drafted collaboratively in 2024, identifies regional vulnerabilities such as flooding and dam failures, and suggests optional action items like increasing storm shelters and adding generators. Emergency management officials noted that while the city is not strictly required to complete the specific action items, adopting the regional plan is a prerequisite for receiving Federal Emergency Management Agency funding during a disaster.
IT work delays rollout of new radios for city first responders
PITTSBURG, Kan. — A highly anticipated upgrade to emergency radios for city first responders has been delayed due to competing municipal software upgrades, officials confirmed Tuesday. City management explained that IT staff and Crawford County Communications Director Tim Mikrut had to pivot to finalize a citywide cloud migration project, temporarily halting the new radio programming. Officials now estimate the final dispatch center consoles will be installed and the radios fully operational for police and emergency crews by November.
Contract approved for Meadowlark Elementary Safe Routes to School project
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The commission approved a Kansas Department of Transportation agreement to provide in-house construction engineering and inspection services for the Meadowlark Elementary School Safe Routes to School project. Mission Construction will execute the $297,000 project, which will construct a sidewalk and bike path connecting 20th Street and Rouse Street directly to the school. An 80/20 KDOT Transportation Alternatives grant covers the majority of the cost, with the city contributing $75,000, and construction is mandated to begin by Nov. 15.
City advances $983,000 loan application for wastewater lift station
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Following a public hearing, commissioners authorized staff to apply for a $983,211 low-interest loan through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to rehabilitate the East Fourth Street lift station. The current underground metal lift station, installed in 1991, has begun to fail and poses safety hazards for maintenance workers who must descend 40 feet to access it. The proposed project would replace the aging structure with top-side submersible pumps, funded by a 20-year or 30-year State Revolving Fund loan with an interest rate between 2.84 percent and 3.5 percent.
City to seek $750,000 state grant for moderate-income housing development
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The city will apply for a $750,000 Moderate Income Housing grant to fund infrastructure for a new single-family housing development near 17th and 18th streets. Partnering with the All Aboard Foundation, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and Level Playing Field, the city plans to use the grant to build streets, extend sewer lines and lay water pipes in existing rights-of-way. If awarded in January, the initial phase of the project will construct eight homes intended for families earning between 60 percent and 150 percent of the area's median income.
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