info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Project could be windfall for Galesburg

info2019-01-28T10:29:01-06:00January 28th, 2019|

A Galesburg city council resolution approved in December may provide $100,000 a year to the city of Galesburg from a controversial proposed electric generation project. The resolution, discussed at Thursday evening’s community forum about the Neosho Ridge Wind project, is included in the latest draft agreement sent to the Neosho County commission. That agreement has yet to be approved. Apex Clean Energy has proposed constructing an array of electricity-generating wind turbines in southwest Neosho County. The 300-megawatt project would have 139 windmills on 44,000 leased acres, which would be exempt from property taxes for 10 years under Kansas law. Apex has [...]

Ousted county manager falsified HR review, misused employee’s time, investigation says

info2019-01-28T10:43:18-06:00January 28th, 2019|

Former Sedgwick County Manager Michael Scholes had county staff falsify a personnel record to help a friend get a job and misused county resources by having a public employee produce photos of him and his family for their personal use, according to an investigation that eventually cost him his job. Those actions violated county policies and were considered to be the most damaging evidence against Scholes, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation and its aftermath. The findings on Scholes are from a report by lawyer Stephanie Scheck, who was hired by the County Commission as an outside [...]

Rezoning request approved; triggers examination of procedures, notification

info2019-01-28T10:45:55-06:00January 28th, 2019|

A unanimous vote to approve a rezoning request in east Hays was preceded by discussion among city commissioners Thursday night about rezoning procedures and notifications to the public. A unanimous vote to approve a rezoning request in east Hays was preceded by discussion among city commissioners Thursday night about rezoning procedures and notifications to the public. Oborny said he feels the requirement for notification of property owners within 200 feet of the rezoning request “isn’t very far” and should be increased. “We would like Wheatland Avenue to remain residential.” Speaking to the city commissioners before they voted, Oborny said he and [...]

Financial analysis of fiber models presented to Spring Hill’s Broadband Task Force

info2019-01-28T10:48:13-06:00January 28th, 2019|

The Broadband Task Force delved further into researching potential fiber options in Spring Hill last week. CTC Technology and Energy — a consultant hired to conduct a fiber feasibility study of a potential fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network — met with the Task Force via conference call Dec. 12 at the Community Center to present the financial analysis of several FTTP models. A feasibility study seeks to accomplish two goals: Is the idea possible, and should you move forward with it? (Read more: City of Spring Hill news)

New details revealed on Hillsboro Community Hospital’s plight

info2019-01-28T06:58:56-06:00January 28th, 2019|

A new document filed in the lawsuit between the Bank of Hays and Hillsboro Community Hospital revealed that there are even bigger financials issues facing the hospital than just utility bills, making payroll and paying back a bank loan. The document lists a number of concerns, including the hospital lab being closed last month due to lack of supplies, ambulances being diverted from the hospital to other hospitals, employees losing benefits, missing financial records and more. This morning, the Bank of Hays filed a report in the Marion County District Court from the new management at the Hillsboro Community Hospital. This [...]

Winfield sells part of electric facilities

info2019-01-28T06:56:26-06:00January 28th, 2019|

Winfield city commissioners have agreed to sell a 65-percent interest in the city’s electric transmission facilities to GridLiance High Plains, LLC, as part of a partnership that would lead to increased revenue for the city and assistance with electric transmission projects. The decision was approved in a 3-0 vote at Tuesday’s commission meeting. The city will receive $1.1 million for the sale, according to Winfield utilities director Gus Collins. The city will also receive regular community contribution payments and the ability to participate in future transmission projects. The city will continue to be responsible for operations and maintenance of the transmission [...]

Carbondale earns $600,000 federal grant to assist library construction

info2019-01-28T06:55:28-06:00January 28th, 2019|

Carbondale will receive $600,000 in community development block grant funds for constructing a public library. The city will contribute $901,754 in matching funds to obtain the grant. Through the Community Development Block Grant program, 12 Kansas communities will share a total of $6,806,637 in federal grants for water and sewer projects, two Kansas communities will share $600,000 for housing rehabilitation and nine communities will share $3,612,828 for community facility projects. Other communities receiving grants of varying amounts included Assaria, Beloit, Bird City, Brewster, Caney, Chanute, Downs, Frankfort, Girard, Greenleaf, Gridley, Junction City, McPherson, Neodesha, Oberlin, Phillipsburg, Russell, Strong City, Tipton, Troy, [...]

Pratt volunteer fire department excited about new fire truck

info2019-01-28T06:52:25-06:00January 28th, 2019|

The Pratt Volunteer Fire Department is getting a new (to them) ladder truck, approved unanimously by Pratt City Commissioners at their regular Monday meeting. Fire Chief David Kramer had been given the green light at the last commission meeting to proceed with checking out a 2002 American LaFrance ladder truck with four stabilizers that was being retired by the Creve Coeur Fire District, a suburb of St. Louis, MO, at an asking price of $75,000. “We made an offer of $50,000, pending commission approval, and they were amenable to the offer because they needed the space for their brand new unit,” [...]

Shawnee County Commission may create new sheriff’s office technology job

info2019-01-28T06:51:07-06:00January 28th, 2019|

Shawnee County commissioners plan Monday to consider Sheriff Herman Jones’ request that they create a new unclassified job in his office for a business technology coordinator, who would be paid $34.32 per hour. Jones told county commissioners in a recent memorandum that human resources director Angela Lewis and information technology director Pat Oblander support his proposed creation of the business technology coordinator’s job in his office. The person holding that job would “administer to our agency’s business and information technology needs,” the memo said. “The creation of this position would enable the Coordinator to perform in-house system analysis, which is essential [...]

With polling site added in Dodge City, ACLU files motion to dismiss voting access case

info2019-01-28T06:49:35-06:00January 28th, 2019|

Plaintiffs in a voting access case filed a motion Friday to dismiss their lawsuit after Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox earlier this week announced the opening of two polling sites in Dodge City. The federal lawsuit, brought in October, challenged Cox’s maintenance of a single voting location and her decision to move it outside city limits for the November midterm election. Dodge City is one of the state’s few majority-minority cities, with more than half of its population identifying as Hispanic. The city has about 13,000 registered voters. Cox on Tuesday said two polling sites would be established in Dodge City [...]

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