info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Ellis County fire chief presents 2018 report to Ellis County Commission

info2019-02-07T09:58:04-06:00February 7th, 2019|

The Ellis County Fire Department responded to 320 calls for service in 2018, a slight decrease from the year before but they still spent more than 6,600 hours on emergency incidents in and around the county. Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers presented the commission with the departments 2018 annual report Monday. The response times within the county continue to improve, according to Myers. He said in 2018 the average on-scene time within Ellis County was 9 minutes, 34 seconds. Recently, the number of volunteer emergency personnel has been trending downward, according to Myers. “Luckily, over the last four [...]

City holds meeting on downtown transportation

info2019-02-07T09:53:56-06:00February 7th, 2019|

At a standing room only meeting about downtown transportation, a lot of people had opinions. The City of Wichita is working on a downtown development plan for transportation issues. The first listening session happened Tuesday night at Distillery 244. Right now, city buses only run at certain times and the Q-Line only runs along Douglas in Downtown. The city is meeting with downtown residents to see if that should change. (Read more: KAKE - News)

Taggart Wall to manage city he once helped govern

info2019-02-07T10:35:28-06:00February 7th, 2019|

Taggart Wall, city manager of Sterling and a former Winfield city commissioner, said he looks forward to coming back home after being hired as the new Winfield city manager. The decision to hire Wall, a Winfield native, by the city commission on Monday was unanimous, according to a press release issued by the city immediately after the announcement. Wall’s expected start date is May 13. He replaces former city manager Jeremy Willmoth, who left the city in October 2018. Wall earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy/religious studies in 2011 from Southwestern College and a Master of Public Administration from Wichita [...]

Garden City commission OKs charter ordinance updating bond issuance authority

info2019-02-07T09:46:59-06:00February 7th, 2019|

The Garden City Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a charter ordinance that would give the city significantly more freedom in addressing general improvements and issuing general obligation bonds for certain projects. The new charter ordinance would repeal a 1975 charter ordinance that until this week dictated that the city may borrow money and issue bonds for government projects without local voter approval at the ballot box, as long as the amount of issued bonds does not exceed $350,000 a year. Under the new ordinance, city projects are instead broken into two categories — utilities and transportation repairs and projects, and general [...]

Does Olathe’s Mentum have momentum over OP for ice rink, mixed-use development?

info2019-02-07T09:45:19-06:00February 7th, 2019|

The Olathe City Council has unanimously approved rezoning the former Great Mall of the Great Plains site, giving a boost to a developer’s vision to transform the property. The Council on Tuesday endorsed the rezoning and preliminary plan for Mentum, a $318 million mixed-use development on the old mall site at Interstate 35 and 151st Street. The concept calls for a 3,700-seat hockey arena, interactive golf facility, fitness center, other retail and entertainment uses, plus about 500 apartment units. “This has the potential to be something truly special,” Mayor Michael Copeland said. But hurdles still remain before the project can become [...]

Derby public schools to use new safety tool

info2019-02-07T09:44:03-06:00February 7th, 2019|

An anonymous tip line will give Derby Public Schools a new tool to try to keep students safe. The school board approved implementing the “See Something, Say Something” program on a 6 to 0 vote at its Jan. 28 board meeting, entering into an agreement with the Wichita Metro Crime Commission, the Derby Police Department, the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department and the cities of Derby and Wichita. The program will allow people who are concerned about a threat to schools to call or text anonymously. Rewards will not be offered for tips. Tips can be submitted through [...]

Celebrate 150 years of Derby

info2019-02-07T09:37:42-06:00February 7th, 2019|

A lot has changed in 150 years, especially in the city of Derby. In 1869, the Alexander Garrett family staked a claim near Spring Creek close to what’s now Garrett Park, sparking the community that soon became El Paso and then in the 1950s boomed into Derby. Let’s get this in perspective. In 1869, Ulysses Grant was sworn in as our 18th president. The outlaw Jesse James robbed the bank that made him famous, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed. The terrain here was mostly prairie grass, and Kansas had just become a state in 1861. Look around Derby today [...]

Wellington City Council members express concern with school’s redesign curriculum

info2019-02-07T10:31:35-06:00February 7th, 2019|

There was a lot to talk about at the Wellington City Council Tuesday meeting – including talking about Wellington School Board. Wellington Mayor Shelley Hansel said she was concerned with rumors around town that people are going to move away because of the new Summit Redesign curriculum being implemented at the school district. “I heard a disturbing thing that there are several families who are considering of moving from Wellington because they don’t like the way our school district is going,” Hansel said in the audience participation portion of the meeting. “I am just wondering as a district partner, should we [...]

Sheriff’s Office considers contracts with cities

info2019-02-06T12:20:50-06:00February 6th, 2019|

The City of Barnes is considering a contract with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to provide city ordinance enforcement, sheriff Justin Cordry told the Board of County Commissioners on Monday. He will meet with the Barnes City Council in the near future to discuss a contract where Barnes would pay $50 to the sheriff’s office every time ordinance enforcement is requested, he said. He told the commissioners that this is the first per-incident basis contract his department will have done with cities. Source: Washington County News.

Harvey County says no fee for day use at parks

info2019-02-06T09:33:01-06:00February 6th, 2019|

The Board of Harvey County Commissioners made just one change to the fee structure for its three parks by eliminating the $125 seasonal camping fee. Parks Director Kass Miller said the action would prevent people from taking advantage of a season pass by living in a tent during the camping season. He also said it eliminated the issue but penalized those “who are in a situation in life where that might be the option for them.” Miller said allowing homeless people to live at a park created concerns among staff about the safety of staying in a tent when the temperature [...]

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