 City Hall Selfie Day
We joined staff from across City Hall — and beyond — to celebrate the 10th annual City Hall Selfie Day, a nationwide event by Engaging Local Government Leaders. It’s all about showing pride in local government and the people who serve our community. Newton brought the smiles, colorful costumes, and even a little sparkle while getting the job done! We love serving this community!
 SRO Walls in front of Santa Fe 5/6 Center
SROs head back to school, including a new face
This week, Newton Officer Christian Walls stepped into his new role as Santa Fe’s School Resource Officer, while also pulling double duty as the morning crossing guard to help students start the day safely.
SROs do more than provide safety. They build relationships, foster trust, and serve as a resource for the entire school community — whether offering guidance, listening, or simply sharing a friendly wave. It's a partnership with Newton Public Schools that we value so much!
And shout-out to returning SROs Jacob Garver at Newton High School and Charles Jefferis, who serves our elementary schools and Chisholm Middle School. We’re fortunate to have such a dedicated team supporting students across the district.
 August City Desk opportunity
Join City Commissioner Leroy Koehn and Public Works Director Ed Bonham for an evening of conversation at the Circle of Hope education and discussion series from 6:40-7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 19. This is open to the public.
The City Desk series offers a relaxed, welcoming space to connect with City leaders, ask questions, share ideas, and learn more about the work happening in our community. Whether you’re curious about public works projects, City priorities, or how local government works day-to-day, this is your chance to engage directly via open conversations!
 2025 Yard of the Year
Congratulations, Roger and Patty, for winning Yard of the Year, and making Newton more beautiful—one season at a time! Since moving to Newton in 1988, Roger and Patty Busenitz have transformed their yard from gravel and trees into a lush, welcoming landscape. Using the City’s tree coupon program, they’ve planted shade trees, added rain barrels (including a 240-gallon setup), and created a colorful retreat with daisies, peonies, and thoughtful plantings for both beauty and safety. They have also been mindful of how their landscape affects others—carefully placing trees and shrubs to maintain visibility for drivers and neighbors alike.
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 Street staff repainting a school crosswalk
Public Works
This week, our crews:
Streets
- Painted school crossings and worked on lights in preparation for school starting.
- Completed asphalt patching and curb and gutter repairs in area 1.
Building/Zoning/Engineering
- Completed 58 building inspections.
- Have issued 14 new single-family home starts and 11 duplexes, for a total of 36 new living units so far this year.
- Started 24 new environmental control cases.
Parks & Cemetery
- Complete a lot of mowing and trimming throughout town, including around Springlake ponds and waterways.
Water & Wastewater
- Installed three new water services.
- Completed stormwater sampling for the City's stormwater pollution permit.
Upcoming Events
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Pooches Plunge, 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 16 at Newton Pool.
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Hide Park Showdown, 6-8 p.m. Aug. 16 at Harvey County Historical Museum, 203 N. Main. Children's activities, food vendors, and Wild West historical reenactment.
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City Desk, 6:40-7:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Circle of Hope, 801 N. Main. Questions, conversations, and community engagement with City officials.
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College Night, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Aug. 21 in downtown Newton. A chance for area college students to connect with businesses and local organizations.
See all of the upcoming events at our Community Events listing on Choose-Newton.com.
Meetings & Reminders:
- 7:30 a.m. Aug. 21 – City Commission agenda review
- 11 a.m. Aug. 21 – Land Bank meeting
- 7 p.m. Aug. 26 – City Commission meeting
- Sept. 1 – City offices closed for Labor Day
- 6 p.m. Sept. 8 – Planning Commission meeting
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