info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Manhattan wants landlords to provide flood hazard notice

info2021-05-20T07:00:45-05:00May 19th, 2021|

Landlords likely will be required to notify tenants if they’re living in a flood prone area. Manhattan city commissioners discussed requiring a flood hazard notice Tuesday. The change is a part of the Manhattan Development Code. City officials have updated this code, formerly known as the Unified Development Ordinance, with new zoning regulations into one document. The main goal is to put all the zoning and design information into one document and make it easier for the public to understand. “I think this is one of the big improvements we wanted,” Mayor Wynn Butler said of the flood notification requirement. “We [...]

Roaming! Mountain lion sighting in Andover

info2021-05-20T07:01:13-05:00May 19th, 2021|

For the second time in about a week -- a mountain lion is spotted in and around the Wichita area. The latest sighting took place Wednesday morning in Andover. An Andover resident's Ring camera captured a mountain lion walking past his home. Last week, a surveillance video showed what officials say is in fact a mountain lion moving through the Riverside area. Source: KSN-TV

Overland Park police officers swap police gear for lawnmowers to help homeowner

info2021-05-20T07:01:34-05:00May 19th, 2021|

Someone living in Overland Park caught officers off guard. The person snapped pictures as officers worked this week, but they weren't on patrol. They traded in police gear for lawnmowers and helped an older homeowner with yard work. The department said all of the work was completed between service calls the officers received. Police said man recently lost his spouse and had fallen a little behind on some outdoor chores. Thanks to the officers, his yard is back up to code. Source: KSN-TV

Overland Park wants to expand mental health staff and training for police

info2021-05-19T07:20:20-05:00May 19th, 2021|

An ambitious set of recommendations to bulk up Overland Park’s mental health resources was unanimously accepted by the city council Monday night. The list includes several new staff positions for crisis intervention and co-responders, as well as mental health counselors. The vote now means city staff will begin to work some of the recommendations, which came from the city’s Mental Health Task Force, into the upcoming budget that will be proposed in about three weeks. No price tag or timeline was included with the recommendations, but it could involve a substantial commitment of resources, said City Manager Bill Ebel. Source: Prairie [...]

Wichita OK’s 41 days of food trucks and street drinking downtown; here’s where, when

info2021-05-19T07:19:51-05:00May 19th, 2021|

In a sign of the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Wichita has approved a long list of outdoor activities at the Brickyard and the WaterWalk for this year and next, including a four-day party during the women’s March Madness basketball tournament next year. In each case, streets will be closed to accommodate crowds, food trucks and the outdoor sale and imbibing of alcoholic beverages. All 41 events were approved by a single vote of the City Council this week. “We want to come together again,” said Mayor Brandon Whipple. “We deserve it after what we went through last year,” when [...]

Derby passes ordinance regulating micromobility companies

info2021-05-19T07:19:33-05:00May 19th, 2021|

Following a proposal for a pilot program brought forward by Bird Scooters earlier this year, the Derby City Council took action at its most recent meeting on May 11 to address micromobility companies operating within the city limits. Given the concerns of city council members, the governing body looked to have something in place as soon as possible regulating such operations, adopting an ordinance to do just that on May 11. “It’s basically going to stop the ability for them to just say we’re going to come operate in your city without you knowing. If they do come in here and [...]

Lawrence City Commission open to collaboration, code changes to address shortage of affordable homes

info2021-05-19T07:15:29-05:00May 19th, 2021|

City leaders say they’re looking forward to an upcoming review of the city’s development code and potential collaboration with developers and nonprofits to help ease the city’s shortage of affordable housing. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission received a presentation from the Lawrence Home Builders Association, the Lawrence Board of Realtors, the affordable housing provider Tenants to Homeowners and others regarding shortages in Lawrence’s housing market. The presentation included ways the city could support potential housing development and help make development easier, and commissioners said they were excited at the prospects. Source: LJWorld.com.

Lawrence task force to recommend consideration of 6-member City Commission elected by districts

info2021-05-19T07:15:19-05:00May 19th, 2021|

A task force of Lawrence residents that has been reconsidering the city’s form of government has come out in favor of expanding the City Commission and having election by districts, as opposed to at large, in addition to having a directly elected mayor. As part of its meeting Monday evening, the City Government Study Task Force voted 8-0, with a few members absent, to recommend that the city consider changing to a six-member commission in which the commissioners are elected by geographic districts, with each serving a four-year term. Currently, the commission is five members, serving four- or two-year terms, and [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for May 18, 2021

info2021-05-19T07:10:24-05:00May 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.

Vaccinations in rural areas falling behind urban areas in Kansas and Missouri, CDC finds

info2021-05-19T07:03:21-05:00May 18th, 2021|

Urban counties in Kansas and Missouri are running ahead of rural counties in vaccinating residents against the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a new study published Tuesday. Vaccine hesitancy in rural communities remains a “major barrier” for public health officials, according to the CDC study. In Kansas, 41.3% of adults in rural counties had received at least one dose as of April 10, compared with 49.7% of adults in urban areas. In Missouri, 31% of adults in rural counties had received at least one dose as of April 10, compared with 41.3% of adults in urban [...]

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