Upcoming municipal meetings

MCPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson USD 418 Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at 514 N. Main to consider a new partnership for manufacturing education and review key dates for the upcoming bond election. Under new business, the board will hear a presentation on "SME Prime," an initiative by the SME Education Foundation that partners with private industry to build custom manufacturing and engineering programs in schools—a topic that aligns with the district's proposed $62.5 million "no mill increase" bond issue, which includes funding for new career and technical labs. The meeting comes just ahead of the Tuesday, Feb. 10, voter registration deadline for the March 3 election, with advance voting set to begin Wednesday. The board is also scheduled to enter an executive session to discuss annual contract negotiations with teachers.

The McPherson County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to take up a range of business at its Monday meeting, including a request from Cord Nestor of Whiskey Wagon for approval to serve alcoholic beverages at the annual McPherson County Rodeo Arena event in June, and a proposal from Emergency Management Director Emily Yates to authorize repairs to the county's communications tower in Roxbury, a small community roughly 15 miles southeast of McPherson. Public Works Director David Bohnenblust is expected to seek approval to advertise for a part-time bridge construction inspector and to purchase equipment including mowing tires, tracks and broom cores, while County IT Coordinator Jeff Butler will present on security system equipment and configuration. The meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Public Works building at 1115 W. Avenue A, will also include updates from Sunny Milleson, director of the Harvey/McPherson Counties Community Corrections program, who is bringing a lease agreement and three personnel items before the board, and a planning and zoning update from Director Jon Kinsey. Work sessions with several county departments, including the sheriff's office, public works and the register of deeds, are scheduled to follow at 10 a.m.

The McPherson County Board of Planning & Zoning Appeals will meet Monday solely to review controversial zoning and environmental fees in a work session with local real estate representatives. While no formal votes will be taken, the board will convene at 7 p.m. at 1115 W. Ave. A to meet with Prairie Land Realtors regarding Resolution 2025-10. The resolution, originally adopted by the County Commission in June 2025, established a new fee schedule that included steeper penalties for building without a permit—doubling the fee immediately rather than allowing a previous 90-day grace period—and raised costs for specific items like fireworks stands. Monday’s discussion was requested by the County Commission to generate new recommendations for the fee structure after months of implementation. The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 9.

The McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday to vote on grant funding for several major community events, including the annual Kaiden Schroeder Memorial Baseball Tournament and the historic All Schools Day celebration. According to the agenda for the Feb. 11 meeting, the board will consider a $1,000 grant request for the Kaiden Schroeder Memorial Tournament, a youth baseball event held in memory of a local boy who died of cancer in 2017. The tournament, slated for June 2026, is a significant draw for the area, bringing in teams for multiple age divisions. Other items on the docket include a $3,000 request from McPherson Main Street for its "Home for the Holidays" promotion and a $250 request for the "All Schools Day Plaza Jam" in May. All Schools Day, a week-long celebration of education that began in 1914, is one of the city's longest-running traditions. The board will also review requests for the "Burnin’ Down Main" chili cook-off, the McPherson Gem & Mineral Club show, and a Global Leadership Conference hosted by the City of McPherson.

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