info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Atchison countywide sales tax moves along course to resolution

info2019-01-14T06:29:50-06:00January 14th, 2019|

The work of the Atchison County Sales Tax Committee members is over, but the task to resolve the matter will continue on for a while. Committee members put their heads together during a meeting Thursday night. The members came to a conclusion that financial transparency subject to independent audits and uniformity in accounting is a must as well as passage of inter-local agreements between the county and all the participating municipalities. Collected revenue generated distributed back to the entities will be handed over to the county coffer at a yet to be determined percentage rate. Calculations of the pro-rated percentages will [...]

Incoming Lawrence mayor ready to ‘set the landscape’ for the city’s future

info2019-01-13T08:03:42-06:00January 13th, 2019|

Even when she gets in her car to go somewhere else, Lisa Larsen has sometimes found herself inadvertently driving toward City Hall out of habit. Considering the time she spends in the building, that’s not too surprising. In addition to being on the City Commission and the steering committee for the city’s new comprehensive plan, Larsen can often be found sitting among members of the public at the meetings of other city boards, such as the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. She is also one of two commissioners designated to work closely with the national firm hired to find the next city [...]

Hillsboro Community Hospital power to stay on

info2019-01-11T12:39:45-06:00January 11th, 2019|

Hillsboro Community Hospital’s power will remain on due to a last minute resolution that has the unpaid utility bill of $16,644.31 owed to the City of Hillsboro paid off. The rest of the roughly $28,000 owed to the City of Hillsboro previously reported was paid off earlier in the week. The resolution came roughly 30 minutes before the scheduled shut off. The hospital had reported that there was a plan to stay open using a gasoline powered generator if the power would have been shut off as scheduled. The utility bill being paid off means that the hospital won’t need to [...]

City of Pittsburg Deepens Exploration into Public Power

info2019-01-11T12:36:07-06:00January 11th, 2019|

At a commission meeting held on January 8, the City of Pittsburg asked commissioners to approve plans for a detailed analysis into creating a public power utility for Pittsburg. Over the last two years, the City has been exploring different electricity options – not just public power, but any option that might improve reliability, stabilize costs and make Pittsburg a more attractive place for businesses. Why? With the City’s electricity costs increasing at a rate that was unsustainable without introducing tax increases, businesses deterred from Pittsburg due to high electricity rates, and enquiries from citizens about frequent rate increases and the [...]

Merriam Building Permit Map Now Available Online

info2019-01-11T12:35:14-06:00January 11th, 2019|

Building is booming in Merriam, and now you can track it in real time. This week, the Community Development Department launched a new map on the City’s website that identifies the open building permits throughout the community. The map, which will be updated monthly, provides pin locations for every building permit issued. Each permit pin contains additional information about the building permit, including the type of permit, permit number, and issue date. “We know residents like to stay updated about what’s happening in our community, and this map will help them easily do that at the click of a button,” Bryan [...]

Topeka is finalizing details that will bring 300 to 400 young people to the capital city to paint about 60 houses for struggling homeowners

info2019-01-11T12:34:20-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The city of Topeka is finalizing details that will bring 300 to 400 young people to the capital city this summer to paint about 60 houses for struggling homeowners. Now they need homes to paint. Shane Wilson, program intake coordinator with the city’s Neighborhood Relations department, said Group Cares, a Colorado-based organization, will bring its team to Topeka from July 7-13. City officials decided to reach out to homeowners, who must meet specific criteria, in the North Topeka East and West areas, as well as the Ward-Meade area, because the Seaman school district agreed to provide accommodations for the young volunteers, [...]

El Dorado City Commission approves sale of Prairie Trails Golf Course

info2019-01-11T12:05:08-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The City of El Dorado has approved the purchase of Prairie Trails Golf Course by GreatLIFE Kansas City, LLC for $550,000. The agreement stipulates that the City maintains “Right of First Refusal” under two conditions. The first condition is that during the first seven years of operation, if GreatLIFE Kansas City. LLC would quit operating the golf course as agreed upon, the City has the right to buy it back for the purchase price plus improvements minus depreciation based on a set formula outlined in the contract. If they quit operating the golf course as agreed upon after the first seven [...]

Emporia discusses land bank

info2019-01-11T12:03:12-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The Emporia City Commission discussed the land bank it has been considering Wednesday at its regular meeting. City Housing Specialist Jeff Lynch said the community housing board had been brought up to date about the land bank concept. “I think they are in general accepting of doing that — serving as the land bank if that’s what we needed them to do,” he said. Lynch said members had asked the commission for input on goals for the land bank. There are about four or five actual lots in the land bank, not including Walnut Park. According to Lynch, two people have [...]

Barton County likely to move to paper voting system in next election

info2019-01-11T12:02:05-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The 2018 November general election was the last for the county’s 89 aging voting machines. Purchased in 2005 and put into use in 2006, the machines had an estimated shelf life of 10 years which has now come and gone. In early February, Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman, will meet with vendors to look at both electronic and paper voting systems and determine which direction the county will move toward in the future. Due to the cost of purchasing new electronic equipment, Zimmerman is leaning at least right now to returning to paper. The 89 voting machines were purchased in 2005 [...]

Commissioners help Wakefield with ballfield LED lights

info2019-01-11T11:55:16-06:00January 11th, 2019|

On Monday morning, Clay County Commissioners gave funds out of the County’s Park and Rec. Fund to replace lights at several ballfield in Wakefield. Julie Murphy, Wakefield City Clerk, met with Commissioners Monday to discuss the request for funding for the new LED Light Structure System for the ballfields in Wakefield, located east of the library on Third Street. This system consists of six pre-cast, six galvanized steel poles, and 30 Factory aimed and assembled luminaries, including BallTracker luminaires, Murphy said. According to the company’s website, lights with BallTracker technology “provides low-level, targeted light that’s emitted upward, which optimizes visibility of [...]

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