info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Riley County commissioners approve vaccination incentives for county employees

info2021-08-20T06:46:25-05:00August 20th, 2021|

Riley County employees will be offered incentives to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On Thursday, county commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of an incentive program to get more county employees inoculated. The incentives include a $100 payment for all county employees who get fully vaccinated within the next month and a half, as well as one extra day of annual leave for employees who are eligible for county health benefits. Commissioners John Ford and Kathryn Focke said they were in favor of the combination of incentives for county employees. Commissioner Greg McKinley voted against the measure and said he preferred the [...]

Governor orders flags lowered for Kansas firefighter electrocuted while searching for crash victims

info2021-08-20T00:35:00-05:00August 20th, 2021|

Governor Laura Kelly has ordered flags be flown at half-staff in honor of the firefighter who was electrocuted while searching for crash victims earlier this week. On Sunday, Aug. 15, Morton County deputies and emergency crews responded to a rollover crash south of Rolla. A deputy and Morton County firefighter Josh Schwindt arrived on the scene just minutes later. As Schwindt was searching for victims, he was shocked by damaged power lines. "My condolences are with his family, loved ones, and fellow Morton County firefighters during their time of loss. Josh's commitment to protecting his community and his service to our [...]

Fatal crashes on rural roads lead push for new safety efforts

info2021-08-20T00:32:30-05:00August 20th, 2021|

Safety efforts are underway to address deadly crashes on rural roads in Kansas. People may hear a lot about crashes in urban areas, usually when people try to cross the street, but hundreds of thousands of crashes take place on rural roads in the U.S. every year. In Kansas, it's something Tod Salfrank, who oversees several local project units at the Kansas Dept. of Transportation, said they're working hard to prevent. "Here in Kansas we have a large percentage, of crashes, fatal and disabling crashes that occur on the local road system," Salfrank said. In 2018, there were nearly 65,000 traffic [...]

Ark City hires firm to design wastewater upgrades

info2021-08-20T06:48:07-05:00August 20th, 2021|

Arkansas City commissioners moved one step closer Tuesday toward making millions of dollars in repairs and upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The commission unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the city to enter into a contract agreement with Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors, for the design-build of the wastewater plant at a cost not to exceed $12,085,118. The contract includes a two-stage notice to proceed. The first stage authorizes the plant design work at a cost of not more than $2 million. “We have $2 million cash on hand that we can commit to that,” City Manager Randy Frazer said. Frazer [...]

SEK gets $1M grant to fight opioids

info2021-08-20T00:27:46-05:00August 20th, 2021|

To fight the ongoing opioid crisis — the addiction to high-powered prescription painkillers — a Southeast Kansas coalition will work to remove the barriers that keep someone from treatment. In large part, that translates to transportation, helping someone get to treatment or a job. It could also mean help paying for counseling and treatment programs. A $1 million federal grant will help area counties with those issues and more over the next three years. Thrive Allen County announced it has received a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant will provide about [...]

Sign up for the free Water Rate Checkup Tool Workshop (Ottawa) on August 24

info2021-08-20T07:13:24-05:00August 19th, 2021|

The Rate Checkup program is a free on-line tool that was developed to assist small Kansas public water supply systems with the process of reviewing water rates. This tool was made available and developed through funding from KDHE and additional technical assistance is available and provided by Ranson Financial Group LLC through a technical assistance contract with KDHE. This training will provide classroom instruction as well as interactive use of the Rate Checkup tool. The session provides participants with a basic understanding of the on-line tool’s functionality and usability. Sign up here.

Kansas lawmakers try to tackle water issues amid drought conditions

info2021-08-19T07:14:26-05:00August 19th, 2021|

A draft copy of the state's water plan, released once every five years, lays bare the problem in stark terms. "It is not an overstatement to say that the future of habitability in much of western Kansas is at stake," the plan reads, mere pages into the 200-plus page document. Titus Jaeger, who works on conservation issues and is a representative on a regional water advisory committee, said he has seen the issues firsthand over the years. He noted the Arkansas River has lost streamflow between Garden City and Dodge City in his lifetime — and experts agree more extreme fallout [...]

‘More than bricks and glass,’ Volland Store brings art, stories to Wabaunsee County

info2021-08-19T07:01:50-05:00August 19th, 2021|

Patty Reece was new in Wabaunsee County when she and her husband first spotted the structural remains of the abandoned Volland Store, a large brick building in sad disrepair. “We have always loved old buildings and have felt sadness when they melted into the earth — as so many have,” she said. “The roof of the building was gone, as were many of the windows. Weeds were tall, trees were encroaching on the foundation, but the building was straight and strong.” Her interest in the building led her on a fact-finding mission with neighbors and community members. She began to hear [...]

Shawnee Mission School District still trying to settle $675K gas bill created by February winter storm

info2021-08-19T07:01:18-05:00August 19th, 2021|

The Shawnee Mission School District says it is still trying to negotiate with a Texas-based natural gas company over the final price of an unusually high energy bill created by February’s record cold snap. District officials say SMSD currently owes Houston-based Symmetry Energy Solutions slightly more than $675,700. That’s a significant drop from the initial $1.6 million invoice Symmetry billed the district in March but still roughly equals what the district typically budgets for gas for an entire school year. Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Municipal Bond Trends for August 18, 2021

info2021-08-19T07:00:33-05:00August 19th, 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.

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