info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Can large pile of cash reduce Lawrence’s proposed water rate increases? City is unsure

info2019-08-05T20:00:27-05:00August 5th, 2019|

While water rates are set to go up 8% next year, the city is sitting on a huge pile of cash in its utility fund. How much cash? So much that city officials aren’t entirely sure where it all came from. A review of financial documents by the Journal-World found that the city’s water/sewer fund is projected to end 2019 with nearly $42 million in reserves. To put that in perspective, for every $1 that the water/sewer fund spends in 2019, it has an additional 84 cents sitting in a type of savings account known as a fund balance. “That is [...]

‘It was a mess’: Ottawa businesses start cleanup after heavy rain causes serious flooding

info2019-08-05T08:30:07-05:00August 5th, 2019|

As fast as the water rose in Ottawa, that's how fast crews arrived to start cleaning it all up Friday. After severe thunderstorms caused heavy flooding for many in town, several Ottawa businesses spent the day trying to get back to normal. Richard Towe, a retired Ottawa firefighter, opened Three Guys Liquor fifteen years ago. His son now owns the family business, but he said in all these years, he's never seen anything like this. (Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 - WDAF)

St. John youths do belly flops with cops

info2019-08-05T08:29:07-05:00August 5th, 2019|

Belly Flop with the Cops gave St. John-area youths a chance to interact with the local police force and have some free fun in the pool from Friday evening. “We have some new faces on our force and we want kids to get to know them,” said Officer Tori Perez before the event. “This seemed like a fun way to do it.” Perez joined the three-member city police force in May. “I think it was a wonderful idea,” said St. John pool manager Stephanie Smith. “That’s why we waived the normal admission fee of $2 for adults and $1 for kids.” [...]

Water dispute lands city, mayor in court

info2019-08-05T08:27:26-05:00August 5th, 2019|

A water line dispute between neighbors in Wellsville, Kan., has degenerated into a civil suit filed in federal district court and involved the city and its mayor who are among the defendants named in the suit. Marc and Regina Smith, the plaintiffs, say in court filings that they paid for a water meter in 1999 to serve their newly purchased residence and that the house is served by a water service line that extends about 1000ft from the meter to the property. The couple claims that three of their neighbors tapped into the water line without a formal written agreement regarding [...]

Voters in new city of The Highlands get tax-lid ballot

info2019-08-05T08:26:25-05:00August 5th, 2019|

Voters in this 1-year-old incorporated city will vote Tuesday on a property tax question. The state’s tax lid formula limits the increase of the city budget for 2020, and the ballot asks:“Shall Resolution No. 2019-0023, adopted by the governing body of The Highlands, Kansas, on July 5th, 2019, increasing the City property tax by $30,000 to provide adequate funding for the City services and needs in 2020 be approved?” (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

Kansas, Missouri governors agree to cease-fire in business incentive border war

info2019-08-05T08:31:22-05:00August 5th, 2019|

Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order Friday designed to match a Missouri law linking state-level business development incentives to net job growth in seven counties of the Kansas City metropolitan area and inspire at least a truce in the economic border war. The order issued by Kansas' Democratic governor adhered to a law signed by Missouri Gov. Michael Parson, a Republican. The concern of public officials in both states has been the propensity of government officials to shower ... (Read more: Local Government - The Topeka Capital-Journal)

‘Showing their softer side’ at Hays PD Community Night Out

info2019-08-05T08:25:35-05:00August 5th, 2019|

As usual, Hays police officer Ryan Blecha was on duty Thursday evening, but this shift did not require a patrol vehicle or even the official uniform. This duty called for wearing shorts and a special T-shirt as Blecha manned the chip station in the food line for the Hays Police Department’s “Community Night Out” at the Hays Aquatic Park (HAP). “He’s very important,” laughed Mackenzie Blecha, Ryan’s wife. Mackenzie and daughter Gentry, 18 months, were some of the Hays police officers’ family members enjoying the fourth annual event. It included free swimming for everyone and a hot dog or hamburger meal [...]

Looking for ideas to improve the countys economy

info2019-08-05T08:30:49-05:00August 5th, 2019|

Nearly 30 people attended a meeting to discuss economic development in Bourbon County. The meeting, held Tuesday evening as part of the Bourbon County Commission meeting at the courthouse, was led by Bourbon County Economic Development Director Jody Hoener. The purpose of the meeting was to provide attendees with results from a recently completed community-wide assessment and to set three priorities to move the county forward. (Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Stability of border war truce in question

info2019-08-05T08:31:50-05:00August 5th, 2019|

The governors in Kansas and Missouri have moved to end an economic “border war” that has gained their states unwanted national attention for using millions of dollars in incentives to entice companies into shifting jobs close to the Kansas City-area border. Their truce appears shaky. An executive order that Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed Friday showed that officials in both states have yet to fully resolve a final sticking point: the ability of cities, counties and other local governments in Missouri to offer more lucrative local tax breaks than their counterparts in Kansas. If Missouri officials don’t stop their generous [...]

Wichita civilian volunteers to monitor Old Town surveillance cameras for police

info2019-08-04T20:19:47-05:00August 4th, 2019|

A new batch of civilian volunteers is monitoring surveillance cameras for Wichita police — to help improve safety in Old Town, not to issue traffic tickets, police say. “These cameras were put in with the intent to keep Old Town safe. They weren’t put in with the intent for traffic enforcement,” Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said Friday. The volunteers are graduates of the Citizen’s Police Academy, a program that teaches civilians about policing. (Read more: Local News |)

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