MORAN — A slow but steady population loss in rural Kansas has hit Moran as hard as anybody, Mayor Jerry Wallis noted Tuesday.
It wasn’t that long ago that Moran boasted three filling stations, multiple restaurants, a golf course, doctor’s office, grain elevator, two taverns and the Klein Tools plant north of town.
But one by one, most of those have closed up shop.
Heck, even Emprise Bank closed its doors, leaving Moran without a bank since 2021, about the same time Allen County Hospital shuttered its health clinic in town.
“We just keep losing stuff,” Wallis said.
Wallis was among a crowd of about 25 residents taking part in a community conversation that centered on more than a few blunt comments about the community’s future.
But while the solution to reversing the population loss is easy to diagnose — more jobs, quality (and affordable) housing and increased day care availability — turning those to reality has become a nut too tough to crack.
When asked about how she envisioned Moran in 20 years, Taeler Carr was even more blunt: “Hopefully, we’re still here,” she said. “But if we don’t have housing, we’re gonna die.”
But as the conversation shifted to the community’s strengths, glimmers of hope began to shine.
“Everything I hear about your schools is positive,” noted Patrick Zirjacks, community engagement coordinator for Thrive Allen County, which moderated the discussion.
On top of offering a high quality education, Marmaton Valley USD 256 is also the community’s largest employer, and has the potential to draw folks to the community, Zirjacks said. “It’s something to be proud of, something you can build on.
“The good news is you have a place for people to come and work, unlike some smaller towns, which don’t have a school any more,” he said.
Marmaton Valley High School students Myleigh Eslick, left, and Yareli Medrano carry the school banner during the 2024 Moran Day Parade in September. The school system remains one of the the city’s biggest strengths, residents said at a community conversation Tuesday. 
Kelci Botts, from left, Kim Ensminger and Jamie Stodgell take part in a Moran community conversation Tuesday. 
Marmaton Valley High School students Andi Carr, from left, Bryant Uhlrich and Kris McVey also share their thoughts.
TUESDAY’S talk included a group of high-schoolers active in Marmaton Valley’s Kansas Association of Youth (KAY) Club.
Students Kris McVey and Bryant Uhlrich agreed that the lure of a quality job would likely keep them near their hometown after they graduate.
But McVey also pointed out the lack of affordable housing is a hindrance.
A newly constructed family-sized home — three bedrooms and two baths — would likely cost upwards of $200,000 in today’s climate, McVey said, well above what most in town could afford.
