info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Winfield sells part of electric facilities

info2019-01-25T12:53:46-06:00January 25th, 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 [...]

Winfield grievance policy passes

info2019-01-25T12:55:39-06:00January 25th, 2019|

Personnel policies, including a new grievance policy, were approved 3-0 by the Winfield City Commission at their Tuesday meeting. The policies go into effect immediately, interim city manager Brenda Peters said Wednesday. An earlier grievance policy was removed from the City of Winfield employee handbook last year, supposedly because it was rarely used. The policy removal caused issues after a police officer was fired last year. He wanted to appeal the firing to city officials, but was told no avenue existed to do so. The new policy outlines successive steps city employees can take if they have a problem that needs [...]

Florence water rate decided by mayor’s vote

info2019-01-25T06:57:07-06:00January 25th, 2019|

With the city council split, Florence’s discussion on 2019’s water and sewer rates Monday came down to the decision of mayor Bob Gayle. He voted to keep water rates as they are, but he also expressed concern that the city’s water and sewer expenses will increase in the next few years due to aging equipment. “I know the other side of this thing,” he said. “We have some pretty severe expenses coming up.” Councilman Matt Williams was not heavily opposed to the decision, but he wanted to keep the door open to review the matter later in the year. “Honestly, I’m [...]

Enthusiast hopes to build Hillsboro disc golf course

info2019-01-25T06:54:48-06:00January 25th, 2019|

A disc golf course could come to Hillsboro if its community foundation grants money to the man who wants to develop it. Jerry Schwelling, who moved to Hillsboro with his wife in the fall, is an avid disc golf player who wants to bring the sport to his new community. Schwelling requested the city allow the course, if he gets funding for it, to be built in the city park. “I think if we get a good portion of the grant money I requested, we could put in nine holes,” Schwelling said. Recreation director Doug Sisk also came to Tuesday’s council [...]

City of Parsons reinstates pay raises after 10 years

info2019-01-25T06:52:16-06:00January 25th, 2019|

Some city workers this year will receive pay raises that have been frozen for a decade. City Manager Debbie Lamb said Tuesday during a city commission meeting that staff is working to give employees the step raises that they would have received if the increases weren’t partially frozen 10 years ago because of budget constraints. Newer workers can look forward to receiving step raises as they reach yearly milestones. Since late 2008 city workers have received only two step raises, one after six months and the other after 12 months of being hired or promoted to a new position. They didn’t [...]

Is TIF Always Bad?

info2019-01-25T12:57:07-06:00January 25th, 2019|

Tax increment financing (TIF) is a financing method used by local governments, often to redevelop blighted or disinvested areas where market-rate development is seen as unprofitable without assistance. A TIF agreement incentivizes a developer to work in a designated geographic area (TIF district) by subsidizing a portion of the development costs through the sale of bonds to investors, and then gradually paying them back out of increased property taxes over the next 20 or 30 years. Any increased property taxes above the pre-development level are set aside in a TIF fund. That fund is reserved for gradually paying back the TIF [...]

Clearwater adding positions to keep EMS services in town

info2019-01-25T06:46:20-06:00January 25th, 2019|

The City of Clearwater makes a decision about what to do with the city's EMS Department after receiving a warning from the state about the number of volunteers. The city says volunteers are hard to come by and it's adding four paid positions to keep EMS services in the city and meet state regulations. City officials say although there's an increased cost, this is a step in the right direction. Marvin Schauf was Clearwater's fire chief for 53 years. He retired in 2017, but his son and grandson are first responders in town. Schauf says volunteer departments are getting harder to [...]

With 40 percent of trash now recycled, Olathe refocuses its efforts

info2019-01-25T06:45:07-06:00January 25th, 2019|

The city of Olathe says its residents diverted 40.03 percent of waste from landfills in 2018, well above the national average of 34 percent and the Kansas City area average of 36 percent. It’s slightly above the Johnson County average of 39 percent. “Our residents continue to make a positive impact on the environment by participating in the Olathe recycling program,” Public Works Director Mary Jaeger said in a news release.. “This year, more than ever, we focused on educating residents to not just recycle, but to recycle clean.” Olathe said it shifted its education focus last year in response to [...]

Groups ask Westar, KCP&L to lower rates, implore Legislature to order new study

info2019-01-25T06:42:11-06:00January 25th, 2019|

Advocates intent on lowering electric utility rates in Kansas appealed Thursday to state legislators, asking for an independent study that delves into ways to lower rates. Jim Zakoura, spokesman for the Kansas Industrial Consumers Group, which has been a leading voice in criticizing Kansas City Power & Light and Westar Energy for high rates, also challenged those two companies to show a good faith effort by immediately lowering rates by 10 percent. Zakoura’s request for a rate study that shows options the state can take to reduce electric rates was echoed by David Nickel, consumer counsel for CURB, or the Citizens’ [...]

City back on the hook for IRB payments on airport building

info2019-01-25T06:40:05-06:00January 25th, 2019|

On Tuesday, city manager Bob Myers had some bad news for the city commission — a new company at the City/County Airport is struggling, and the city is back to paying bond payments on a building. “Kansas Chemical Coatings is not currently able to meet its rental payment obligations under the lease, and the city is providing the funds necessary to ensure that the bond payment obligations on the building continue to be met,” Myers said. KCC is the second company in the building that has struggled to make the rental payment. The building, constructed for ABI Chemicals in 2014, cost [...]

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