info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Cherokee County panel adopts 1-year wind farm moratorium

info2021-09-01T07:06:51-05:00August 31st, 2021|

Cherokee County Commission members on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution that establishes a one-year moratorium on wind energy development inside of county limits, saying they want additional information on such operations. “I believe we, as a commission, deserve the time and the right to fact-find,” said Commissioner Lorie Johnson, of District 2. The resolution establishes a moratorium and suspends certain types of improvements regarding wind energy on any land within the limits of Cherokee County for one year, officials said. The wind farm moratorium was approved after Thursday's special meeting at which commissioners met with representatives from RWE Renewables Americas, of [...]

Rural advocates pinpoint holes in Kansas mental health, multilingual services

info2021-09-01T07:07:20-05:00August 31st, 2021|

Rural health and education advocates say increased access to mental health care and improved cultural or linguistic services would go a long way toward addressing disparities between communities of color and their white counterparts in rural Kansas. Francisca Jimenez, a parenting coach and home visitor for Russell Child Development Center, said a lack of cultural competency training or limited language comprehension leaves some Latino families isolated from consistent health resources. Families she and fellow home visitors work with can be uneasy about saying what ails them, especially in a foreign language, she said. Source: Kansas Reflector

Legislative audit places Kansas’ lonely reliance on STAR bonds under harsh spotlight

info2021-08-31T21:45:15-05:00August 31st, 2021|

The state’s $1.1 billion investment in special economic development bonds supporting museums, racetracks and other attractions produced only three outside of the mega-development at Village West in Wyandotte County that fulfilled the Kansas Department of Commerce’s primary objective of elevating tourism among long-distance or out-of-state visitors. Analysis by the Kansas Legislature’s auditors, who responded to lawmakers’ skepticism that the STAR bond program didn’t work as advertised, indicated the Kansas Speedway and Topeka Heartland Park track attracted 20% of visitors from outside the state and 30% of visitors from more than 100 miles away in 2018 and 2019. The Hutchinson Underground Salt [...]

September will bring new badge for Hutchinson Police

info2021-08-31T07:37:34-05:00August 31st, 2021|

The Hutchinson Police Department will begin wearing a brand-new badge starting on September 1st, 2021, in honor of the department's sesquicentennial anniversary. Captain Thad Pickard, Captain of Professional Standards, designed the new badge. Pickard wished to create a badge that would represent the entire 150-year history of the police department, including the iconic Salt Hawk, a ring to describe the history of policing and a two-tone design to represent the different officers, patrol and ranked. 'The shield is silver, giving honor to the true workforce of our department, the patrol officers, the banners are gold to honor the officers that hold [...]

Audit: Projects using hotly debated Kansas economic development tool not hitting key benchmarks

info2021-08-31T07:32:08-05:00August 31st, 2021|

Few projects financed using STAR bonds met benchmarks for bringing visitors and spending to the state, a new report from the Legislature's non-partisan auditing arm revealed Monday. Moreover, a sampling of three projects using the tool found it will take decades, even upward of a century, for revenues from out-of-state visitors to reach the point where the state had made back the tax revenue it gave up for those enterprises. STAR bonds, short for Sales Tax and Revenue Bonds, are an economic development tool designed to boost tourism and business activity in Kansas. They have existed in the state for decades. [...]

When will Kansas recoup taxes from STAR bonds projects? May be next century, auditors say

info2021-08-31T07:31:03-05:00August 31st, 2021|

Kansas may spend decades — or even more than a century — recouping the sales tax revenue it gave up developing large attractions under a controversial incentive program, state auditors estimate. The Prairiefire museum in Overland Park? It's sales tax break-even year may not come until 2104. The Wichita Sports Forum? It could be as late as 2076. The Hutchinson Underground Salt Museum? Your great-grandchildren will be around in 2132. Auditors for the Kansas Legislature released a critical evaluation of the state's Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds program Monday that is certain to fuel calls for further reform of the [...]

New machine will help Winfield add walking paths

info2021-08-31T07:29:48-05:00August 31st, 2021|

City of Winfield workers assisted by Daniels Ready Mix recently tested a new slipform paver acquired by the city to help put down concrete paths. According to City Manager Taggart Wall, the new technology allows to city to lay paths much more efficiently than traditional forming methods. The slipform paver places, compacts and finishes the concrete as it is pulled behind a tractor or concrete truck. “We were able to work together with the management at Daniels Ready Mix to find the right mix design to help us be successful,” Wall said. Source: The Arkansas City Traveler

Municipal Bond Trends for August 30, 2021

info2021-08-31T07:17:55-05:00August 31st, 2021|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

McManaman named interim Barton County administrator

info2021-08-31T07:16:00-05:00August 30th, 2021|

Barton County Engineer Barry McManaman can now at interim county administrator to his job title after action by the County Commission Monday morning. According to the employment agreement, the appointment went into effect Monday and McManaman will continue as engineer. ... Included in the session along with commissioners were McManaman, County Clerk Donna Zimmerman and County Counselor Patrick Hoffman. It was also noted Monday morning that Zimmerman will continue in the assistant administrator role. McManaman has been county engineer at the end of 2015, coming to the county from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Great Bend office. Source: Great Bend Tribune

Experts weigh in on how creating new Miami County town could affect Hillsdale Lake

info2021-08-30T18:04:45-05:00August 30th, 2021|

In an effort to prevent warehouse development from crossing the Johnson County/Miami County border, homeowners in rural Miami County have petitioned to form a new city. In June, the county commission heard public feedback on the potential incorporation of the City of Golden. Now the commission is hosting a series of study sessions to get expert testimony about how creating a new city could affect the county overall. On Wednesday, the Miami County Board of Commissioners heard from water quality experts from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) about how incorporation could affect water quality within the Hillsdale Lake [...]

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