info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Mission Hills looking to join other northeast Johnson County cities with non-discrimination ordinance

info2019-02-13T10:45:28-06:00February 13th, 2019|

Mission Hills will move forward with drafting a non-discrimination ordinance that would provide legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents and employees, the city council agreed Monday. The city will base its ordinance off of those adopted by the neighboring cities of Mission, Prairie Village, Merriam and Roeland Park. Ordinances passed by those northeast Johnson County cities provides LGBTQ residents with legal protections from discrimination that apply to commercial employers and rental housing. Generally speaking, exemptions are allowed for religious institutions and private entities like county clubs. City staff said the ordinance would mainly apply to city employees and city contractors. (Read more: [...]

Greenleaf receives $300K for improvements to housing

info2019-02-13T08:14:45-06:00February 13th, 2019|

The City of Greenleaf recently received a $300,000 federal grant to rehabilitate about nine homes in the city. Low-to-moderate income families in Greenleaf can apply for that grant money to replace siding, roofs and windows. City clerk Wanda Uffman said city officials will attend a Feb. 19 meeting in Topeka to learn more about the grant they received. According to Uffman, the city has been working for over a year to apply for the grant, and the city’s efforts to demolish unsafe structures in the city over the past decade helped them get this grant. Uffman said the City of Greenleaf [...]

Overland Park commission OKs design for Santa Fe Commons revamp despite concerns about loss of downtown history

info2019-02-13T07:08:27-06:00February 13th, 2019|

Overland Park is moving ahead with plans to redevelop its downtown Santa Fe Commons Park to include more open play area, an outdoor work environment and a paper-airplane inspired performance stage, despite a last-minute protest from some residents. The city planning commission voted unanimously on Monday to approve a park development plan that will also remove the gazebo and reduce the number of trees. When it’s finished, the park at 8045 Santa Fe Drive will be renamed Thompson Park, after Frank and Evangeline Thompson, who donated $1 million — or about a third of the cost — of redoing the park. [...]

Salina officials to research expanding curbside recycling

info2019-02-13T07:05:59-06:00February 13th, 2019|

The Salina City Commission directed staff Monday evening to research ways to expand curbside recycling. The commission issued the direction following an 87-minute winding discussion where two commissioners asked if the city of Salina should even be involved in the waste collection business. City staff agreed to determine if any private companies would be interested in offering curbside recycling to a large number of customers at a reasonable price. Staff will also gauge if there is public interest in continuing the city’s curbside recycling program at an increased cost to recycling customers, in part by polling current subscription recycling customers. Currently, [...]

Shawnee will hold public election in May on property tax increase to fund proposed $38 million community center

info2019-02-13T07:01:45-06:00February 13th, 2019|

The city of Shawnee is moving forward with a public vote on a property tax increase to fund a proposed community center. After months of discussion, the council voted 7-1 on Monday to hold a mail-in ballot election this May on whether to increase property taxes to fund the project, which will have a maximum cost of $38 million. Councilmember Mike Kemmling cast the dissenting vote. City finance staff estimated the community center would require a property tax increase of 2.919 mills. That would equate to an additional $7.36 per month for the owner of a home with an appraised value [...]

Ellis Co Clerk sets dates for two more voting machine demos

info2019-02-13T07:00:13-06:00February 13th, 2019|

Ellis County residents can preview the next round of voting machines at demonstrations set for Feb. 19 and 21. As with the first demo, the next two will be at 10 a.m. in the County Commission chambers downstairs in the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main, said Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus, the county’s chief election officer. Maskus announced the dates at the regular meeting Monday evening of the Ellis County Commission. Voting machines from two other vendors will be demonstrated. At the first demo Feb. 5 about 30 people showed up to see voting machine equipment from Nebraska-based Election Systems [...]

County commissioners explain decision on new manager

info2019-02-13T06:59:04-06:00February 13th, 2019|

As leaders committed to thoughtful public process, we also understand the Editorial Board’s position that a public search for the best person to lead a large public organization is usually preferred. For this important decision, we believe it is our responsibility to consider some of the most unusual and difficult circumstances we’ve personally seen in an organization. This context is an important part of the discussion, so we appreciate the opportunity to directly provide information so the public can better understand what we’ve experienced and learned. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

City of Manhattan seeks designs for new flag

info2019-02-13T06:45:56-06:00February 13th, 2019|

Manhattan area vexillologists have an opportunity to show off their skills in a new city contest announced Monday, Feb. 11. Manhattan is seeking designs for a new flag and will accept submissions through Friday, March 29. Submissions will be reviewed and narrowed down to one or two options by the Arts and Humanities Advisory Board, with the winning design to be decided by a public vote sometime in May. The winner will also be recognized by Mayor Mike Dodson and receive a flag of their own. Assistant City Manager Dennis Marstall says the city hopes the new flag will be a [...]

Lawrence City Commission to discuss how new affordable housing funds should be spent

info2019-02-12T08:46:31-06:00February 12th, 2019|

With the city’s new affordable housing sales tax set to go into effect this spring, city leaders will soon discuss how those dollars can be used to help alleviate the affordable-housing shortage. As part of its work session Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will meet with members of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. The city will soon have hundreds of thousands of dollars more in funding to address affordable housing, and the commission and the board will discuss goals and strategies for using the funding. Read more: LJWorld.com.

City of Topeka considers dropping employee residency requirement

info2019-02-12T07:03:03-06:00February 12th, 2019|

Topeka’s governing body plans next week to discuss dropping the city’s requirement that its employees live in Shawnee County. The move would improve the city’s ability to hire the best-qualified people, the city council’s economic and community development committee heard Jan. 16 from Police Chief Bill Cochran, Fire Chief Craig Duke and planning director Bill Fiander. “We have lost people because they did not have that option,” Fiander said. Council and committee members Karen Hiller, Jeff Coen and Tony Emerson voted 3-0 on Jan. 16 to recommend the proposal be approved by the city’s governing body, which consists of the nine [...]

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