info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Man who helped form Park City is retiring

info2019-02-05T08:19:38-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Jack Whitson is one of Park City's founding fathers. Whitson, city administrator who moved to Park City in 1970 when it was known as a Sedgwick County Improvement District and is credited with shaping the city into what it is today, is retiring. Whitson moved from Tennessee to Wichita while serving in the Air Force at McConnell Air Force Base. He met his wife in Wichita, and she refused to move back to Tennessee with him. Whitson decided it would be wise to listen to his wife, and they stayed in Kansas where Jack worked for a couple of civil engineering [...]

Taggart Wall (Sterling city manager) hired as new Winfield city manager

info2019-02-05T08:16:15-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Taggart Wall, city manager of Sterling, Kan. and a former Winfield city commissioner, has been hired as the new Winfield city manager, the Winfield city commission announced Monday evening. The decision to hire Wall was unanimous, according to a press release issued by the city immediately after the announcement. Wall's hiring is the result of a multi-state search conducted by Osenbaugh Consulting, interviews involving the city commission and a comprehensive background investigation, the release said. Wall's expected start date is May 13. He replaces former city manager Jeremy Willmoth, who left the city in October 2018. (Read more: The Arkansas City [...]

Geary County to charge commercial tree-brush contractors for use of landfill

info2019-02-05T06:56:08-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Geary County Commissioners released a statement on Monday saying that the brush and tree disposal site at the “Closed” Geary County Landfill site was developed for residents of Junction City and Geary County to use free of charge. But the high volume of brush and tree debris coming into that facility from commercial tree-brush contractors has become overwhelming along with the daily expense of pushing and piling tree debris and periodic burning. As a result the County feels it is necessary to charge contractors a fee for disposing of trees and brush. Effective immediately all contractors will have a disposal fee [...]

Another Kansas hospital run by troubled North KC-based firm can’t pay its employees

info2019-02-05T06:54:47-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Another Kansas hospital run by North Kansas City-based EmpowerHMS is reporting serious financial trouble. Employees at Horton Community Hospital in northeast Kansas said they didn’t receive their paychecks Friday and have been dipping into their own pockets for weeks to buy supplies. It’s the latest in a months-long string of similar cash flow problems for EmpowerHMS, which until recently managed 14 rural hospitals across Kansas, Missouri and five other states. Last month a judge granted a request by the city of Hillsboro, north of Wichita, to remove Empower as its hospital’s operator, “citing the irreparable harm” likely to occur if Empower [...]

City of Hutchinson trying to attract more conventions

info2019-02-05T06:51:19-06:00February 5th, 2019|

The question of attracting more conventions and other events to Hutchinson has become a concern to the city and also the local chamber. Debra Teufel, president and CEO of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, says a task force has been formed to look at a number of options, including a possible renovation of the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center. Teufel says the task force has provided feedback in an attempt to improve a product already in place. (Read more: Hutch Post)

The city’s making it snow again — this time with better sledding and a light show

info2019-02-05T06:47:45-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Few could have predicted just how popular last month’s Wichita Snow Day would be. The free event, which promised a full morning of sledding on artificially produced snow in early January, was swarmed with would-be sledders — so much so that the snow was mostly all gone a couple hours in. In the next week, there will be two more “artificial snow days” in Wichita — one a nighttime event with LED light shows and a live DJ, and one a Saturday-morning free sledding day. (Read more: Local News |)

Improving community through Place Science focus of Tuesday forum in Hutch

info2019-02-05T06:45:28-06:00February 5th, 2019|

Hutchinson residents are reminded of a public discussion Tuesday evening on how the community can invest in public places in a way that can lead economic growth. Katherine Loflin will present “Place Science: Loving Where You Live and Why It Matters to People, Places and Local Economies” beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hutchinson Art Center, 405 N. Washington St. The event is sponsored by the Hutchinson Community Foundation, in partnership with Hutch Rec and Young Professionals of Reno County. “Place science” is the study of the relationship between people and a city, and placemaking is a strategy by which places [...]

Downtown Lawrence residents identify dozens of issues facing downtown as part of master plan workshop

info2019-02-05T08:21:56-06:00February 5th, 2019|

The list of challenges facing downtown compiled by a group of Lawrence residents was long and varied, but from it emerged some consensus. A firm hired by the city is hosting a series of community workshops this week to gather input for the city’s new Downtown Master Plan, which will shape the future of downtown Lawrence for the next 15 to 20 years. As part of a workshop Monday evening for downtown and adjacent neighborhoods, attendees came up with a list of 45 issues facing downtown Lawrence. Nik Davis, principal of the community planning firm Houseal Lavigne Associates, then asked the [...]

Kechi considers water runoff fee

info2019-02-05T08:20:42-06:00February 5th, 2019|

The City of Kechi is "behind the times" with its stormwater system, and a new fee may be in the cards for residents and businesses. The city council on Jan. 24 heard from assistant public works director Thomas Bevan about a recent report from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. KDHE recently visited the city to inspect its stormwater practices. This was likely brought about due to the city's recent growth and development. "It kind of opened our eyes to what we've been doing," said Bevan. "I guess we're kind of behind the times down here, so we got some [...]

Lawrence City Commission to consider pay increases for city employees

info2019-02-04T09:51:27-06:00February 4th, 2019|

City of Lawrence leaders will soon consider a new pay plan that would provide more than $400,000 in pay raises for city employees beginning next year. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will receive a study of the city’s compensation plan that was conducted by McGrath Human Resources Group. The report indicates that a significant number of city employees are underpaid when compared to their peers in other cities. Commissioners will then consider authorizing an amendment to the city’s 2019 budget to increase employee pay. Some money was budgeted for raises in 2019, but making the pay [...]

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