info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kansas City (Missouri) Suburb Headed Toward Default

info2018-11-30T09:23:57-06:00November 30th, 2018|

Platte County, Mo., home to Kansas City, may default as early as tomorrow if it fails to make a bond payment on a long-struggling shopping development. County officials are questioning the value of covering the $1 million shortfall that's due Dec. 1, noting that they are not legally obligated to help out the beleaguered Zona Rosa retail center. But that resistance has come at a cost. Credit agencies have already punished the county just for considering not stepping in, with multiple downgrades into junk bond status. At issue is the fact that the Zona Rosa was financed using bonds that were [...]

Man who led Wyandotte County unification effort says combining Lawrence, Douglas County governments ‘would take a generation’

info2018-11-29T08:20:09-06:00November 29th, 2018|

It “would take a generation” to unify the governments of Douglas County and the city of Lawrence, even if there were a general agreement to do so, a man who led the effort that created the Wyandotte County Unified Government told the Douglas County Commission on Wednesday. Douglas County commissioners invited Kevin Kelley, director of the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, to speak about his experience in Wyandotte County. There, Kelley was the president of a grassroots effort that successfully advocated for the unification of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., governments. He then served on the committee that worked out [...]

AG Opinion No. 2018-16: Placement of Political Signs during Election Period; Constitutionality

info2018-11-29T08:19:09-06:00November 29th, 2018|

K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 25-271 does not abridge the freedom of speech and, therefore, is not subject to scrutiny under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. ... to the extent the content-based analysis in [Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz.] may apply, it would operate to invalidate an unconstitutional local ordinance or enforcement regime, not the state statute. Rather than restricting speech, K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 25-2711 seeks to protect political speech. It does not require that local jurisdictions treat other types of speech differently based on their content or otherwise. “[P]olitical speech in the course of elections [is] the speech [...]

Sedgwick County starts another investigation, this time of commissioners

info2018-11-29T07:53:21-06:00November 29th, 2018|

Sedgwick County commissioners are pressing forward with an investigation of their own conduct in office, despite a dispute over the validity of an outside counsel’s investigation of the county manager that was supposed to come first. Commission Chairman David Dennis said Wednesday that he’s ready to move forward with a probe examining commissioners’ actions and whether they’ve contributed to low morale and an exodus of top county employees. Commissioners originally agreed to do that on Oct. 24, but put it on hold until after they got a report on County Manager Michael Scholes. The county-ordered investigations are in addition to a [...]

City of Manhattan eyeing increases for recreation program, cemetery fees

info2018-11-29T07:50:23-06:00November 29th, 2018|

Commissioners were largely favorable of fee increases for Parks and Recreation programs and services provided by city cemeteries during the Manhattan City Commission’s work session Tuesday. City staff said that due to increases in expenses they recommend an increase of $5 per recreation program in 2019. They also recommend an increase in waterpark admission fees by $1, or $5 for a season pass. Expenses for recreation programs have risen by 12 percent over the past 3 years. Revenue from recreation fees for 2018 amounted to $648,761 as of October 31 while expenses for recreation programs for 2018 amounted to $736,615 as [...]

City, humane society want unused shelters for unsheltered animals

info2018-11-29T07:45:14-06:00November 29th, 2018|

Newton Animal Control and the Caring Hands Humane Society have debuted a program that should provide dogs and other pets houses in the cold and keep some owners out of the doghouse with the city. The city and the humane society are asking for residents to donate dog igloos and houses that are no longer in use to Caring Hands’ facility at 1400 SE Third St. Those who cannot move the houses on their own can receive help by calling 316-284-6047. Donated dog houses will then be distributed to owners who lack proper shelter for their animals in cold weather. The [...]

Prairie Village park to boast garden, playgrounds. But restrooms may get most praise

info2018-11-29T07:43:38-06:00November 29th, 2018|

Prairie Village residents are enthusiastic about the design for the new North Park, which will include a formal garden, playgrounds, bocce courts and — crucially — year-round restrooms. Planners are putting the finishing touches on the design for the 3-acre neighborhood park at 67th Street and Roe Avenue, on land where Faith Lutheran Church stood for more than six decades. The City Council is expected to review the final design Dec. 17. “We love the idea of the park, and we hope it’s a really well-used space. I want it busy all the time,” said Alexis Kuklenski, who brought her three [...]

Ordinances require sidewalks to be cleared in Leavenworth and Lansing

info2018-11-29T07:40:27-06:00November 29th, 2018|

Many local residents and business owners could be seen shoveling snow around the community following this weekend’s blizzard. But people who do not shovel sidewalks around their properties may be violating a municipal ordinance. Both the cities of Leavenworth and Lansing have ordinances requiring residents to shovel snow from sidewalks. In Leavenworth, “every person in the possession and occupancy of any premises adjacent to any sidewalk or sidewalk ramp” is required to remove all snow from the sidewalks within 24 hours after the snow has fallen, according to the city code. Violation of this code is considered a misdemeanor in Leavenworth. [...]

Leavenworth County Commissioners review two maps

info2018-11-29T07:39:08-06:00November 29th, 2018|

When they met Tuesday, Leavenworth County commissioners were presented two maps to consider for redrawing commission district boundaries. Commissioners are redrawing district boundaries in order to create five commission districts. Earlier this month, voters approved the expansion of the County Commission from three members to five. The current commissioners did not settle on a particular map Tuesday. But they agreed that they will choose one of the two maps presented to them during the meeting rather than ask for another alternative. There also seemed to be a consensus to have both maps under consideration placed on the county government’s website so [...]

Ellis City Council discusses aging Public Works vehicle fleet

info2018-11-29T06:55:14-06:00November 29th, 2018|

At Monday’s meeting of the Ellis City Council, Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman reported on the department’s current fleet of vehicles. He said the average age of the pickups used daily by staff is over 18 years old, noting one vehicle already has incurred over $3,500 in repair costs this year. The council allocated $24,000 in 2018 to replace a pickup, and an additional $16,000 in 2019. The council’s preference was for Scheuerman to try to replace two pickups in 2019 with the combined $40,000 available. (Read more: Hays Post)

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