info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

USD 232 in De Soto becomes first JoCo district to bring older students back to school full-time this semester

info2021-01-13T07:08:46-06:00January 12th, 2021|

Middle and high school students at USD 232 in De Soto are going back to full-time, on-site learning Feb. 1. Citing the benefits of in-person over remote learning, the rising numbers of D and F grades, the detriment to students’ mental health, and growing evidence that the risk of COVID-19 spread within school buildings remains low, the USD 232 school board on Monday unanimously agreed to bring middle and high schoolers back to the classroom in a few weeks. USD 232 secondary students were in remote learning since Nov. 30. Board members stressed that their decision is evidence of their abundance of [...]

HIllsboro reviews FD compensation

info2021-01-13T07:09:58-06:00January 12th, 2021|

City Administrator Matt Stiles presented a proposal to increase firefighter pay at the Tuesday city council meeting. Currently, the department pays $12.50 per run for firefighters and $17.34 to the chief and assistant chief. The requested increase was to $15 per run for firefighters and $20 per run for the chief and assistant chief. Stiles said the department members are paid semi-annually, for runs from December through May and June to November. Stiles said, in researching how other departments in the state function, most are volunteer and employee hybrid. However, other departments’ volunteer compensation runs from totally volunteer with no payment, [...]

Lawrence City Commission to discuss option of directly elected mayor, other possible changes to city’s form of government

info2021-01-12T08:04:45-06:00January 12th, 2021|

Lawrence city leaders will soon discuss the possibility of changing the city’s form of government, including having a directly elected mayor or election by districts. As part of its study session Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will discuss alternative structures to the city’s current form of government, as well as potential procedures for making those changes. To inform the discussion, city legal staff will present a summary of all forms of city government, including the possibility of combining elements from multiple forms, and present options for how changes could be made. Source: LJWorld.com.

Covid-19 Pandemic Drives Municipal Borrowing to 10-Year High

info2021-01-12T08:03:02-06:00January 12th, 2021|

Municipal bond issuance in 2020 was the highest in a decade, reflecting the collapse of interest rates and the increased costs cities and state governments are facing from Covid-19 shutdowns. Bonds for new projects reached $252 billion last year, according to Refinitiv, a small increase from the previous year. The new borrowing drove the total amount of outstanding muni debt above $3.9 trillion for the first time since 2013, according to the Federal Reserve data from the third quarter.... Despite the increase in availability of muni bonds, investor demand remains strong. Central bank rate cuts have left investors clamoring for yield. [...]

Amid tension and national tumult, Lenexa’s new police chief aims to build trust in law enforcement

info2021-01-12T07:59:39-06:00January 12th, 2021|

Leaning over the desk of her new office at headquarters, Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman looked darkly up at the television. She has only been police chief for a few weeks now. Still, the seasoned law enforcement officer with 31 years of experience — with 27 of those coming in Lenexa — watched with disappointment last Wednesday as the siege at the U.S. Capitol unfolded before her eyes. Source: Prairie Village Post

Fed’s Bostic sees possible interest rate hike as soon as the second half of next year

info2021-01-12T07:58:31-06:00January 12th, 2021|

Interest rates could rise sooner than forecast as the economy recovers more quickly than expected from the throes of the Covid-19 damage, Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said Monday. While most of his colleagues don't see a rate hike coming through until at least 2023, Bostic said that he thinks the emergency measures the Fed has taken to combat the pandemic can start to be rolled back within the next two years if not sooner. ... At their December meeting, members of the Federal Open Market Committee submitted their individual expectations for the next several years. The median expectation for [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for January 11, 2021

info2021-01-12T07:53:33-06:00January 12th, 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.

Lenexa proposes regulations for homeless shelters

info2021-01-12T07:51:17-06:00January 11th, 2021|

As winter bears down on Shawnee Mission, Lenexa has proposed regulations for homeless shelters within city limits. The need for such regulations came to light after Project 1020, a cold-weather shelter, requested approvals to operate out of a church last winter. At the time, Lenexa did not have homeless shelter regulations within its city code. After the city denied the request and the church sued the city in federal court, the city agreed to allow the shelter to operate temporarily while staff develops new code. Lenexa is now working through a months-long process to refine the city code, first introduced to councilors on [...]

Incoming Iola city administrator driven to give back

info2021-01-12T07:52:33-06:00January 11th, 2021|

Matthew Rehder figures it was his upbringing that led him to work in the public sector. “I had taken advantage of years of rec programs,” Rehder recalled. “As a kid, I played for city recreation programs, in city parks, all that kind of stuff.” It was a desire to give back to the community that first led Rehder, 42, to join AmeriCorps — the domestic version of the Peace Corps — then pursue a public administration degree in college. Those steps led Rehder to become Iola’s next city administrator. Source: The Iola Register

Municipal Bond Trends for January 8, 2021

info2021-01-11T06:57:58-06:00January 11th, 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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