info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Marysville City Council restores Koester House Museum’s hours

info2019-04-11T09:16:41-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Marysville City Council agreed Monday to restore the regular hours of the Koester House Museum & Gardens after reducing them at their last meeting. At the March 25 meeting, Mayor Carla Grund asked council to cut hours, stating the museum didn’t draw enough paying visitors to justify paying a museum employee. Council members agreed to cut two hours a day, going from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to new hours of noon to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays and 1 to 4:30 on Sundays. At Monday’s meeting, Koester House advisory board member Sharon Kessinger and board president Ralph Balaun challenged the [...]

As election on property tax increase nears, advocacy groups spring up on opposing sides of proposed Shawnee community center

info2019-04-11T09:13:55-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Tonight, representatives of the city of Shawnee will give the first of two public presentations regarding the mail-in ballot election to be conducted next month on whether the city will raise property taxes to pay for a proposed $38 million community center. But the city isn’t the only organization trying to educate Shawnee residents about the issue. With just weeks to go before ballots start hitting Shawnee homes, two advocacy groups have sprung up trying to sway voters to their position. (Read more: Prairie Village Post - Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)

Ellis County Commission could look to sales tax for budget relief

info2019-04-11T09:13:06-05:00April 11th, 2019|

As Ellis County officials wrestle with the potential for some difficult budget decisions in the coming years, commissioner support for a county-wide sales tax continues to gain traction. At Monday’s county commission meeting, all three commissioners expressed interest in bringing a county-wide sales tax to the voters. The county’s major source of revenue is property tax based on assessed valuation and a sales tax would serve as an alternative funding source. Any proposed sales tax would need to be approved by the voters. County sales tax can be set in quarter-cent increments up to 1 percent. County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes said [...]

Nearly 4,000 votes cast in selection of next Topeka flag

info2019-04-11T09:11:34-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Almost 4,000 votes were cast over a weeklong period in the selection process for Topeka’s next city flag, said Matt Lara, public relations manager for the Greater Topeka Partnership. The winner will be unveiled April 18 at the annual State of the Community event at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center, 420 S.E. 6th, he said. The Topeka City Council will then consider adopting the winning design, said Molly Hadfield, media relations director for Topeka’s city government. The city was pleased with the number of votes cast, Hadfield said. She said 4,000 people is more than the city usually hears from [...]

City and Hutch Rec face challenges finding summer workforce

info2019-04-11T09:07:32-05:00April 11th, 2019|

It is becoming more and more of a task for the city parks department to find part-time summer help to deal with the usual maintenance needed during the warmer weather. Justin Combs says the parks department is working to fill the 30 to 45 part-time positions needed each year. It’s getting harder to do. “Every year it seems like we struggle just to find folks willing to work,” Combs said. The jobs pay between $8 and $11 per hour. They include mowing, gardening and forestry, and marking and keeping care of ball diamonds. Likewise, Hutch Rec is also looking for summer [...]

Dispute over wind farm proposal turns hostile: Cattle let out to escape ahead of zoning board meeting

info2019-04-11T09:06:11-05:00April 11th, 2019|

As the county board of zoning appeals prepares to consider a conditional use permit for a proposed wind farm April 25, relations between landowners in the 22,000-acre area the wind farm would span between Florence, Peabody and Aulne are tense. Many landowners near the proposed wind farm have raised objections - so many the county held its March 11 meeting at Marion Community Center. That meeting, attended by more than 100 people, lasted five hours with comments from both supporters and opponents of the wind farm. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Marion County Commission talks trash after contaminated soil found

info2019-04-11T07:00:58-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Contaminated soil found during construction of a new county transfer station will cost the county $24,060 more than originally anticipated for the project. Refuse director Bud Druse alerted county commissioners to diesel contamination in February. At that time, no one knew how the problem would be resolved. Now that Kansas Department of Health and Environment has assessed the contamination, it recommends the soil, which was excavated and piled southeast of the transfer station, be turned weekly to aerate it until the diesel fuel is cleared. [MORE] (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

City to host dancing event for 150th

info2019-04-11T06:43:03-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Derby residents are invited to join the city for a night of dancing and fun. The Derby Dance-a-long is a first-time event for people of all ages. It represents one of many celebratory occasions for Derby’s 150th anniversary this year. Kristy Bansemer, communications director for the City of Derby, said the event will be similar to dances held twice a month at the Derby Senior Center. The dance will be purely for fun and will not include contests, she said. Some form of refreshments will be available. Dancing will last from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 30 at The Venue at [...]

Topeka council members show backing for ‘city-driven’ TIF districts

info2019-04-11T09:34:33-05:00April 11th, 2019|

Four Topeka city councilmen said Tuesday evening they could support the city government’s seeking to use tax-increment financing to attract development to specific places where developers currently show no interest, such as White Lakes Center.... City manager Brent Trout asked the council for input about the concept of a city-driven TIF during the council’s weekly meeting, where members discussed available economic development incentives and how the city might take advantage of them. Kansas statute allows government entities to create TIF districts at the request of developers to help offset development costs. Such districts are often driven by developers, who pay off [...]

Commissioners disagree on jail options

info2019-04-10T09:40:55-05:00April 10th, 2019|

Saline County Commissioners Jim Weese and Bob Vidricksen expressed different preferences Tuesday morning regarding how the county should respond to overcrowding at the Saline County Jail, following a presentation by consultant Jim Robertson Monday morning. Weese said he would like to remodel the current Saline County Jail after taking additional steps to reduce the number of inmates locked up by the county, possibly by reducing the amount of time inmates spend in jail. Weese said he looks forward to receiving public input on the topic. “I want to be reassured that the only solution is making more beds available,” he said. [...]

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