info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Sedgwick County officially denotes support for Amtrak expansion

info2021-08-26T06:45:46-05:00August 25th, 2021|

In conjunction with the Amtrak Connects US Plan released earlier in 2021, the Sedgwick County Commission officially approved a resolution supporting an extension of Amtrak services from Oklahoma City to Newton – through Wichita – at its Aug. 18 meeting. Amtrak’s plan to expand transportation infrastructure over the next 15 years includes a goal of adding 160 communities to the national passenger rail network – with Wichita (and Arkansas City) among those as part of the proposed Heartland Flyer connection north from Oklahoma City. “Our effort is to make sure that we’re in the top projects on their list, meaning top [...]

Sedgwick County approves $2,500 signing bonus for EMS paramedics amid staffing crisis

info2021-08-25T21:06:13-05:00August 25th, 2021|

Sedgwick County commissioners approved $2,500 sign-on bonuses for paramedics Wednesday, the latest move in a massive overhaul of the county’s Emergency Medical Services division following a Wichita Eagle investigation into the troubled department. Dr. John Gallagher, former EMS director, and Dr. Carolina Pereira, assistant medical director, resigned last month after a flood of complaints by street-level EMS workers, who said the two leaders were driving the once nationally renowned department into the ground, chasing away experienced paramedics and putting lives at risk. Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Property tax sales can take as long as 5 years

info2021-08-26T06:47:17-05:00August 25th, 2021|

Marion County property owners can get as many as five years behind before their property is seized and sold for back taxes. Some owners have learned to game the system by paying one year, which pushes back the process. State law requires delinquent property to be put on the tax sale list when owners become three years delinquent. Once that happens, however, it can take two more years to bring the tax sale to fruition, treasurer Jeannine Bateman said. Source: Marion County RECORD

KDOT’s cost share program applications being accepted

info2021-08-26T06:50:34-05:00August 25th, 2021|

The KDOT Cost Share Program provides financial assistance to local entities for transportation projects that improve safety, support job retention and growth, improve access or mobility, relieve congestion and help areas across the state improve the transportation system. The Cost Share program is one of KDOT’s most flexible funding opportunities for communities, allowing communities to apply for assistance with a wide range of highway, local road, bridge, rail, airport, bicycle, pedestrian and public transit projects – as long as they can provide at least a 15 percent local cash match. KDOT funds are used exclusively to match construction costs for these [...]

Armed guards hired for court security

info2021-08-26T06:52:15-05:00August 25th, 2021|

County commissioners unanimously agreed Monday to pay an Abilene-based firm about $49,920.00 for a year to provide guards at the courthouse. S.D. Security guards will work a minimum of 90 hours a month, primarily at district court but also in other portions of the courthouse, at $40 an hour starting Oct. 1. The expense will be paid from the county general fund. Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Johnson County considers joining plan to zero out KC metro’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

info2021-08-25T20:42:57-05:00August 25th, 2021|

An ambitious climate action plan intended to get the Kansas City area to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is making its way through local governments, including the Johnson County Commission. Commissioners are due to look at the Kansas City Regional Climate Action Plan at its meeting Thursday, Sept. 2. The plan — the product of two years of work spearheaded by the Mid-America Regional Council and Climate Action KC — has been making the rounds of different metro governments and civic groups with an increasing sense of urgency among its purveyors. Source: Prairie Village Post

Roeland Park becomes 2nd JoCo city to require masks in indoor public spaces

info2021-08-25T20:38:10-05:00August 25th, 2021|

Roeland Park is now the second Johnson County city with a city wide mask mandate, following Prairie Village, which instituted a similar measure that took effect Tuesday. The Roeland Park City Council unanimously approved a mask resolution at its Monday night meeting, effective Tuesday, Aug. 24, and currently set to expire Oct. 19. The order requires masks for all people indoors in public places or in crowded outdoor public places, with some exceptions. The city started complying last summer with Gov. Laura Kelly’s mask mandate, which took effect July 3, 2020. Source: Prairie Village Post

Mission mail-in election asks residents to approve sales tax increase to fund road repairs — when and how to vote

info2021-08-25T20:30:38-05:00August 25th, 2021|

Mission residents will soon have the chance to decide whether more sales tax money should go towards maintaining the city’s streets. The issue before voters: The city will hold a mail-in election in September asking voters whether to approve a slight increase in the city’s sales tax from one-quarter cent to three-eighths cent. The added revenue would be dedicated to repairing and improving road infrastructure in town. The city says this increase would put an estimated $950,000 more toward annual street maintenance. Source: Prairie Village Post

Talk is heating up on a 3,000-acre solar panel farm along the Douglas-Johnson County line; it would power 40,000 homes

info2021-08-25T07:18:11-05:00August 25th, 2021|

There really might be a 3,000-acre solar panel farm — the largest in the state — developing along the eastern edge of Douglas County in the near future. ... Those are exactly the types of discussions that the planning commissions in both Douglas and Johnson counties have been having over the last several months, and it is clear that those discussions are being driven by the desire of a Florida-based energy company to build a large solar farm that would straddle parts of the border between Douglas and Johnson counties. Officials with NextEra Energy are actively planning for a project that [...]

Salina ordinance for emergencies heads to court, ballots

info2021-08-25T07:06:16-05:00August 25th, 2021|

A petition asking for a new Salina city ordinance will move forward in two ways, at the ballot box and to court. The ordinance would limit the Salina City Commission in its ability to make decisions during declared state and county emergencies. The commission voted on two decisions related to the ordinance during its meeting Monday, one was to take the ordinance to a court for a judgement on its validity. Also during the meeting, the commission voted to send the ordinance to the Nov. 3 ballot as a referendum. Source: Salina Journal

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