Photo: Ian Ballinger · CC BY-SA 4.0How is Ottawa Township run?
Who represents Ottawa Township, what homeowners pay in property tax, and how Ottawa Township voted.
What stands out about how Ottawa Township is run
Read from the town’s meetings and official records.
6 upcoming meetings at town hall
From Ottawa Township’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.
- Nov11City CommissionWednesday · 4:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 2nd WednesdayMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Nov11Planning CommissionWednesday · 7:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USAPlanning Commission MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Nov18City CommissionWednesday · 10:00 am · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 3rd WednesdayMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Nov25City CommissionWednesday · 4:00 pm · 101 S. Hickory St.City Commission Meeting - 4th WednesdayMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Dec2City CommissionWednesday · 7:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 1st WednesdayMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Dec9City CommissionWednesday · 4:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 2nd WednesdayMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
Recent meetings
- Nov4City CommissionWednesday · 7:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 1st WednesdayAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct28City CommissionWednesday · 4:00 pm · 101 S. Hickory St.City Commission Meeting - 4th WednesdayMeeting page ↗
- Oct21City CommissionWednesday · 10:00 am · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USACity Commission Meeting - 3rd WednesdayAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct20Bid OpeningsTuesday · 1:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USABid Opening RFP for Lakeside Estates Shared Use PathMeeting page ↗
- Oct14Planning CommissionWednesday · 7:00 pm · 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USAPlanning Commission MeetingMeeting page ↗
Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.
Agenda portal ↗The typical homeowner pays $3,042 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.83% of the home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Ottawa Township’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Ottawa Township’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Ottawa Township →
Who’s in charge in Ottawa Township
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Ottawa Unified School District 290
Ottawa Township’s K–12 school district, shared with Ottawa, Harrison Township, Lincoln Township, Hayes Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,248 per pupil, $8,752 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Kansas districts overall: 28% local, 61% state, 11% federal.
West Franklin Unified School District 287 · $16,705 per pupil
Wellsville Unified School District 289 · $13,501 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Ottawa Township voted in 2024
Official results for Ottawa Township’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican73.6%362 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat24.6%121 votesOthers: 1.8% (9 votes).
Most votes in Ottawa Township: Donald J Trump
Franklin County: Trump 69.0%, Harris 28.9% · Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%
Most votes in the district: Sharice Davids
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Ottawa Township, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Township | 73.6% | 24.6% | 1.8% | 492 |
| Franklin County | 69.0% | 28.9% | 2.0% | 12,708 |
| Kansas | 57.2% | 41.0% | 1.8% | 1,327,591 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Ottawa Township.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: ottawaks.gov ↗
- 2Kansas HouseState representatives
- 3Kansas SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Kansas
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Ottawa Township compares with the towns next door
Ottawa Township’s own figures are not in the Census files, so it isn’t placed among its neighbors. 1 of the 5 towns next door reported 2022 figures, from $1 per resident. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria Township | $1 | $2,983 |
| Ottawa | estimate | $3,010 |
| Harrison Township | estimate | $2,552 |
| Hayes Township | estimate | $2,079 |
| Centropolis Township | estimate | $3,223 |
| Ottawa Township | estimate | $3,042 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Ottawa Township’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Ottawa Township’s government
What is the property tax rate in Ottawa Township?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,042 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.83% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.29% across Kansas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see ottawaks.gov.
Who runs Ottawa Township’s government?
See ottawaks.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Ottawa Township yet.
How did Ottawa Township vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 73.6%, Kamala D Harris 24.6% (492 votes, official results). Franklin County: Trump 69.0%, Harris 28.9%. Kansas: Trump 57.2%, Harris 41.0%.
Who represents Ottawa Township in the state legislature?
State Senate District 3 (Rick Kloos) and State House District 59 (Rebecca Schmoe). The House district also covers 21 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
When is the next public meeting in Ottawa Township?
The next posted meeting is City Commission on Wednesday, November 11, at 4:00 pm in 101 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS, USA, from the town’s own agenda portal.
Ask neighbors about Ottawa Township’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →