info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Young but experienced, Wall settles in as manager

info2019-06-10T10:27:50-05:00June 10th, 2019|

In his first month on the job, Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said he has been most impressed by the employees. “I watched them deal with three floods in a row. They were on call 24/7, and didn’t complain about anyone asking for help. It’s the best display of teamwork,” Wall said. Wall, a Winfield native and Winfield High School graduate, started as city manager on May 13. He served on the city commission from 2009 to 2013, while a student at Southwestern College. After graduating from Southwestern, Wall earned a masters of public administration from Wichita State University. He worked [...]

County to consider sponsorship naming rights for Expocentre

info2019-06-10T10:24:50-05:00June 10th, 2019|

A proposed contract that would provide sponsoring naming rights for the Kansas Expocentre to an unspecified entity is among measures local elected officials plan to take up this coming week. The Shawnee County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Thursday in its chambers in Room B-11 of the County Courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th, while the Topeka City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in its chambers at 214 S.E. 8th. Commissioners plan Monday to recognize Capitol Federal Savings and the Capitol Federal Foundation for contributing $25,000 to become the title sponsor for this year’s annual Spirit [...]

Airport leasing at near capacity

info2019-06-10T10:22:18-05:00June 10th, 2019|

There is good news for the Newton City Commission and Harvey County Commission — the Newton City/County Airport buildings are almost at capacity. “All but two of our buildings are currently under contract,” said Brian Palmer, director of the airport. Longtime tenant Hesston College is considering expansion, and Park Aerospace is expanding — waiting on an approval from the FAA to break ground on a larger facility. Longtime tenant Avcon is renewing leases right now — drafts of the lease agreement should be in front of the commissions for review next week. (Read more: Newton Kansan)

New airport terminal project stalled

info2019-06-10T10:19:30-05:00June 10th, 2019|

GARDEN CITY — Plans to build a new terminal at Garden City Regional Airport have been put on hold following news that the airport did not receive a Federal Aviation Administration grant meant to pay for the bulk of the project. Last fall, the airport requested $20 million from the FAA Supplemental Appropriation Program, a new addition to the administration’s Airport Improvement Program. The $20 million would cover most of a proposed $26.85 million terminal construction project, which would replace the current facility where it stands with a new one, updated, upgraded and more spacious. The City of Garden City would [...]

Shawnee may need $140 million in next decade to repair or replace aging stormwater pipelines

info2019-06-10T10:18:30-05:00June 10th, 2019|

Shawnee’s aging stormwater infrastructure is becoming a widespread problem, with the city needing as much as $140 million over the next 10 years to repair or replace drainage pipes that are on the brink of failure. Public works staff demonstrated this need in a presentation to the Shawnee council in early April. Staff have doubled efforts in the past two years to video inspect pipeline and get a full grasp on the scope of the city’s pipeline network. What they’ve found: More than 220 pipes are expected to fail in the next three to five years, costing anywhere between $11.2 and $14 [...]

Watershed dams help reduce flooding

info2019-06-10T10:13:36-05:00June 10th, 2019|

The Delaware Watershed Joint District No. 10 was chartered by the State in 1957 after much work by the local people. However, it wasn’t until 1977 that funds became available in the state of Kansas to assist in construction costs of watershed dams. From then until recent times the Delaware Watershed built watershed reservoirs to protect the land downstream from flooding and the drainage area from erosion. (Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Lenexa planning to pull federal funds from renovating community, senior centers to upgrade Old Town streetlights

info2019-06-10T10:10:08-05:00June 10th, 2019|

The city of Lenexa has an excess amount of federal funding to make community development improvements — and less than two months to spend it. So city staff has proposed reallocating some of those funds previously earmarked for renovations to the community and senior centers and instead use it to make infrastructure improvements in Old Town. In total, the city has about $232,000 of federal Community Development Block Grant funds to spend by Aug. 2. If it doesn’t, the city must explain to the housing and urban development department why it hasn’t spent the money, and then work to spend the funds by [...]

Wellington City Manager Shane Shields said estimated flood damage and repair to city-own property is right now at $140,108.07

info2019-06-10T10:06:28-05:00June 10th, 2019|

Sumner Newscow report — Wellington City Manager Shane Shields wrote in the June 7 City of Wellington newsletter, the initial estimate of flood damage and repair to city-owned property, turned into the Sumner County Emergency Management was $140,108.07. “This is only an estimate and there will be additional expense to add after all the repairs are done,” Shields wrote. According to data collected by the K-State Water Data Library, Wellington received 23.03 inches of rain according to the gauge at the Wellington C0-0p and 21.8 on three miles west of Wellington – both are records. (Read more: Sumner NewsCow)

State leaders coming to Ark City for community input on early childhood programs

info2019-06-10T10:05:17-05:00June 10th, 2019|

Leaders from across the state’s early childhood system will be in Arkansas City collecting feedback as part of a series of Community Engagement Sessions being held across Kansas. Sessions are being held now through the end of July. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the Kansas Department for Children and Families, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas State Department of Education, and early childhood partners are seeking information from Kansans to develop a statewide strategic plan for early childhood. (Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Both sides of wind project make pitches

info2019-06-10T10:03:09-05:00June 10th, 2019|

ERIE – Opponents and supporters of the proposed Neosho Ridge Wind project made their pitches Thursday evening before commissioners, who later approved agreements on the plan. Most of the people who addressed the commission during the public comment portion spoke against the project; two were in favor and one urged the commission to put it to a vote. “The only good thing they can say about this is money,” Kim Norris said. She also said people critical of the plan have not been treated fairly. “We've been painted as these radicals,” she said. “It's all on us.” (Read more: The Chanute [...]

About info