info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

John Deardoff to retire next year as city manager

info2019-07-08T22:27:03-05:00July 8th, 2019|

The city manager of Hutchinson, John Deardoff, has announced his desire to retire in the spring of 2020. He says in a letter to the Hutchinson City Council that it will depend on the search timeline for his replacement. At the time of his retirement, Deardoff says he’ll have 40 years of service in city management, including 20 years with the city of Hutchinson. That includes 5 years as the assistant city manager from 1989 to 1994. He became the city manager in 2005. (Read more: Hutch Post)

Kansas sheriff’s office putting dozens of horses up for adoption

info2019-07-08T22:24:53-05:00July 8th, 2019|

A sheriff's office in northeast Kansas is putting dozens of horses up for adoption. According to KTKA, Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse announced Sunday that they are looking for homes for 42 horses including mares, fillies and geldings. He said the Kansas Horse Education, Advocacy and Resource Team is helping them find good homes for the horses. (Read more: KAKE - News)

Lawrence and firefighters union still at odds over pay increase, other contract elements

info2019-07-08T22:41:00-05:00July 8th, 2019|

Representatives for the City of Lawrence and the local firefighters union continue to disagree on how much of a wage increase is needed to keep firefighter pay competitive, and contract negotiations could soon require mediation. Negotiations between the city and the union, Local 1596, are governed by a local resolution that states that whenever a contract is negotiated, the negotiations are automatically considered to be at an impasse if they aren’t concluded by July 1. City and union representatives have been meeting since April, but have yet to agree on a compensation plan and several other contract provisions. The parties were [...]

Lawrence City Commission to discuss new growth plan that limits expansion of city boundaries

info2019-07-08T22:40:04-05:00July 8th, 2019|

City leaders will soon discuss a new growth plan that would favor infill development over expanding the city’s boundaries. As part of its work session Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will discuss the new comprehensive plan, Plan 2040, which lays out policies that will shape how the city grows for the next 20 years. Plan 2040 prioritizes development within the city’s boundaries and requires that several conditions be met if developers want to annex land to expand those boundaries. The proposed plan requires that annexations only occur if demand for the proposed development is established and the developers provide a community [...]

AG Schmidt announces upcoming open meeting, open records training

info2019-07-08T01:23:44-05:00July 8th, 2019|

TOPEKA – (July 3, 2019) – Free training sessions on Kansas open government laws will be offered later this month across Kansas, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government announced today. “Open access to the functions of government is important to self-government,” Schmidt said. “As our office investigates complaints of violations of open government laws, most often we find the violations were inadvertent and can be avoided through better education. I encourage public officials, candidates for public office, staff, members of the media and the public to participate in these training sessions to learn more about [...]

The home of baseball legend receives preservation grant

info2019-07-08T01:20:55-05:00July 8th, 2019|

KANSAS CITY, Mo (KSNW) – National Trust for Historic Preservation is handing out grants to several major sites in African American history including one in Kansas City. The historic home of black baseball legend Satchel Paige in Kansas City, Missouri was one of only a few sites to receive a grant. Paige was a Negro League pitcher and National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. (Read more: KSN-TV)

Lindsborg celebrates 150 years with first Living Dala

info2019-07-08T01:17:42-05:00July 8th, 2019|

For many, July 5th means bustling back to work, cleaning up after an Independence Day party the night before, or even enjoying a four-day weekend — but for residents of Lindsborg, it’s a day to celebrate the Living Dala. On Friday, Lindsborg, Kansas, known as Little Sweden, celebrated 150 years of township by creating a live dala horse — a typically wooden-carved, rounded and painted horse, and known Swedish icon — in an aerial photo. About 450 community members of all ages gathered in white or red t-shirts at 10 a.m. to get into position to create the Living Dala. (Read more: Wichita [...]

Cost savings found for Great Bend Airport runway reconstruction

info2019-07-08T01:14:55-05:00July 8th, 2019|

With a partnership between with the Federal Aviation Administration and Kansas Department of Transportation, the City of Great Bend was able to save money on the reconstruction of Runway 17/35 at the Great Bend Municipal Airport. Airport Manager Martin Miller says a switch to cement underneath a portion of the runway resulted in approximately a $100,000 savings. “Instead of fly ash which was called for in the specifications, the contractor tested and was approved by the FAA to have cement used to treat 12 feet of dirt below the existing runway,” Miller said. With the FAA paying for 90 percent of [...]

City renames central fire station for longtime chief

info2019-07-08T01:11:28-05:00July 8th, 2019|

The City of Garden City on Tuesday officially renamed the central fire state as the Allen Shelton Central Fire Station, in honor of longtime Fire Chief Allen Shelton’s 44 years of dedicated service to the department and the city. Shelton retired on July 1. “I’m very honored that the Central Fire Station will bear my name. There’s no words to express how grateful I am. I am very grateful,” Shelton said during Tuesday’s Garden City Commission meeting. “Thank you all very much. The City of Garden City has been fantastic to me over the last 44 years. Just a great place [...]

How Wichita ballpark got $40 million in state incentives

info2019-07-08T01:07:00-05:00July 8th, 2019|

Wichita doubled what it would pay to build a new baseball stadium — to $75 million — during private negotiations with a Triple-A baseball team. It also doubled what it sought in state incentives to help pay for the stadium and nearby amenities — to $40 million — without conducting a feasibility study on the more expensive stadium. City and state officials approved the new price tag quickly. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

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