info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

How the new farm bill impacts Kansas farmers

info2018-12-13T07:13:38-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Legislators released the text of the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report Tuesday with several changes that will impact farmers. The text of the bill in the conference report is the language of the final bill, taking elements from both the earlier Senate and House versions. The U.S. Senate passed the bill 87-13 Tuesday before it moved to the House. Final passage expected as early as Thursday. Here are changes of significant importance to Kansas: (Read more: Kansas Agland - The Garden City Telegram)

City of Newton, Kemper renew agreement

info2018-12-13T07:12:37-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Kemper Sports and the city commission are working on a new management agreement for the Meridian Center and Sand Creek Station golf course — and the city stands to save money over the course of the next few years. ’This is a two-prong initiative,” said Chris Tuohey, manager of Sand Creek Station. “It is about sustainabitly and what comes next ... for both amazing assets. ... Let’s not talk about what we are going to do tomorrow, but what we are going to do 20 years from now. There needs to be a balance between short term and long term.” Kemper [...]

New city executive jumping into the job in Derby

info2018-12-13T07:10:04-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Derby’s new deputy city manager, Kiel Mangus, is getting reacquainted with the city. Mangus grew up in Mulvane, so he’s familiar with the area, but after being away for a number of years, especially with all the rapid, recent development, it’s a different place. “It’s a good, growing community, but you leave and it changes,” said Mangus, whose first name is pronounced “Kyle.” Mangus started in the job – which is a new position – Nov. 19 and since then, he’s been touring Derby, meeting citizens, council members and department heads. The meetings include top school officials, along with DRC leadership. [...]

New rescue tools for Derby fire department

info2018-12-13T07:08:46-06:00December 13th, 2018|

The Derby Fire Department’s rescue tools will be updated. The City Council approved a request by Fire Chief Brad Smith to replace its hydraulic rescue tools. The 2018 budget includes replacement of a set of 20-year-old rescue tools used to extricate people trapped during vehicle rescues. Smith said firefighters were given the opportunity to do hands-on testing of several brands of battery-powered rescue tools to assess power, versatility, balance and durability. A request for bids was posted and five were received. They ranged from $32,460 to $40,865; however, the lowest bid didn’t meet specifications. Therefore, the city’s Bid Board approved the [...]

Property tax appeals; again Barton County hears about the impact

info2018-12-13T07:07:46-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Last year, Barton County Appraiser Barb Esfeld estimated that out of roughly 18,000 parcels in Barton County, the Appraiser’s Office will receive between 400 and 500 formal appeals each year. The appeal process is open to any home owner that feels their property taxes are not assessed correctly from the fair market value. Barton County Commissioner Alicia Straub says many of those appeals are being won by the homeowners, costing the counties. Straub attended the Kansas Natural Resources Coalition meeting last Thursday in Garden City. Along with hearing about the lesser prairie chicken, Straub noted there were questions on how board [...]

Marshall County proceeds with jail project

info2018-12-13T07:06:13-06:00December 13th, 2018|

A construction manager for the proposed Marshall County Jail expansion project could be on board soon. On Monday, Marshall County commissioners Dave Baier and Bob Connell decided to begin contract negotiations for the project with Loyd Builders, Ottawa. Commissioner Lynn Feldhausen was absent. The county’s original estimate for the project was $4 million to $4.5 million. Hargrave said he hopes the project’s architect will be at the county board’s meeting next Monday. At that meeting the architect is expected to present a cost estimate from Loyd Builders on the project. Baier said if the bid comes in too high, the county [...]

Sedgwick County wants to ditch Daylight Saving Time switch

info2018-12-13T07:04:17-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Sedgwick County commissioners are tired of springing forward and falling back. So much so that they’ve included ending the annual switch to daylight saving time as part of their legislative agenda, a list they compile every year of actions they’d like the state Legislature to take. It’s not their highest priority, coming in behind mental health, taxation, criminal justice and voting issues. “There are already a couple of states that don’t change (clocks) back and forth,” said Commission Chairman David Dennis. “This also came up in my Citizens’ Advisory Board and they were 100 percent in favor of this. I think [...]

New crosswalk signal installed in Louisburg

info2018-12-13T07:00:22-06:00December 13th, 2018|

The talk is normally about Christmas lights this time of the year, but in Louisburg the talk in town is about a new traffic light. With the approval of Miami County, the city of Louisburg recently installed a HAWK (High intensity Activated crossWalK) signal across Metcalf Road at South Fifth Street near Broadmoor Elementary School. This new type of crosswalk is designed to enhance safety and make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street while minimizing traffic delays. “Any time a community, school or city can add safety enhancements for our community and students, I’m all in favor of that,” [...]

Miami County sets public hearing regarding rural fire district governance

info2018-12-13T06:59:28-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Talk of shifting governance of Miami County Fire District No. 1 to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) resurfaced Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the commission’s study session. County Administrator Shane Krull outlined reasons to shift governance of fire districts to the BOCC in front of a packed meeting room that included Fire District No. 1 Board President Charlie Brand and Vice President Bob Bigley, Paola Fire Chief Andy Martin, Johnson County Fire District No. 2 Chief Jim Francis, city administrators and managers from Paola, Osawatomie, Louisburg and Spring Hill, and other local officials and fire department representatives. Since the early 1990s, [...]

Understanding Opportunity Zones presentation in Cowley county

info2018-12-13T06:57:54-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Cowley First-Cowley County Economic Development Partnership will be hosting CPAs Galen Pfeifer and Taylor Dirks of Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball, Chartered (ABBB) as they present on the topic “Understanding Federal Opportunity Zones.” The free presentation is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Arkansas City Water Treatment Plant Conference Room, 400 W. Madison St. The Opportunity Zone income tax incentive was established by Congress in the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act as an innovative approach to spur long term, private-sector investment in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide through Opportunity Zone Funds. The IRS released the [...]

About info