info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Augusta tackles trail projects

info2018-11-09T10:49:42-06:00November 9th, 2018|

Augusta City Council members spend a lot of time in planning sessions where they consider a number of quality of life projects. During a recent Pride & Progress planning session, council members identified two trail projects and set a goal for construction in 2019. “This is a 2019 project, but in order to get a jump start on the construction season, staff recommends that the council engage the city engineer now to complete the design process,” City Manager Josh Shaw advised. City Engineer Mike Stumpe explained the trail projects identified for funding by the City. (Read more: Augusta Gazette)

Shawnee Fire Department to launch online dashboard in push for transparency

info2018-11-09T10:47:03-06:00November 9th, 2018|

In the name of transparency, the Shawnee Fire Department is launching an online platform for residents to see exactly what local firefighters are up to. Now that the Shawnee Fire Department is halfway through its 2016-2021 strategic plan, feedback from the public has been abundantly clear: Residents want more transparency. Sal Scarpa, deputy fire chief, said the push for transparency is a direct response to the department’s last collection of public input in 2015, which led to development of the online dashboard. “We’re not very good at telling our story,” he said. “They wanted to know more. And so this next [...]

Gardner City Council repeals resolution allowing their oversight of personnel issues

info2018-11-09T10:46:21-06:00November 9th, 2018|

The Gardner City Council adopted changes to the city’s personnel policies and procedures, 2018 edition. The city amended section 4-108 of the manual by removing subsection 108.4 in its entirety. The subsection deals with the process through which an employee can appeal a negative performance review. The council amended section 7-108 to remove the following language from the manual: “In cases in which the employee directly reports to the city administrator, the employee can request a review of the disciplinary action directly to the governing body. In these cases, the governing body will assume responsibilities of the city administrator outlined in [...]

Johnson County parks department launches Culture Division for more arts, culture, history programming

info2018-11-09T10:43:13-06:00November 9th, 2018|

Johnson County Park and Recreation District has created a new division dedicated entirely to culture. JCPRD kicked off the launch of the new division with a celebration Oct. 30. “We don’t launch new divisions; it just doesn’t happen,” said Susan Mong, who oversees the Culture Division. “So it’s a big moment in history for our organization to step into that space and be strategic about doing that well and providing that for the community.” Mong said JCPRD staff believes that arts, culture and history are an important part of a healthy community. “I think it’s a major economic driver and just [...]

Marion County worries about roads near wind farm

info2018-11-09T10:42:24-06:00November 9th, 2018|

A pair of representatives for Enel Green Power and a pair from Kirkham Michael were asked to appear before county commissioners Monday to discuss concerns about roads surrounding the Diamond Vista wind farm. If the county compiles a list of roads needing work because of the wind farm, Enel’s area construction manager, Steve Williams, and workers can start improvements, Commissioner Becker said. Some of the county’s requests are going to Res America Construction, Inc., which also work swith the wind farm. “I want to make sure the communication comes directly to me,” Williams said. “If you tell Res, ‘Please blade 340th,’ [...]

History made! Harvey Co. dispatcher helps deliver baby over the phone

info2018-11-09T10:37:38-06:00November 9th, 2018|

A healthy baby girl was welcomed into the world early this morning when a Harvey County dispatcher took matters into her own hands and assisted with the delivery -- over the phone! Harvey County Communications said a dispatcher, Courtney B., took a call just before 3:00 Thursday morning to find that a woman in rural Butler County was in labor. Because the woman lived further away, paramedics and firefighters weren't able to get to her as fast so Courtney jumped right in and followed protocol. Courtney was able to assist the caller in a successful delivery seven minutes before the paramedics [...]

City of Topeka mulls spending $8.9 million more for City Hall renovation costs

info2018-11-09T10:34:58-06:00November 9th, 2018|

Staff members for Topeka’s city government recommend the city’s governing body add nearly $8.9 million to the current $8.2 million the city plans to spend for a project to renovate City Hall. The city’s governing body last year approved revisions to the city’s Capital Improvement Plan that raised the total cost to about $8.2 million for its project to renovate the building, constructed in 1939, that houses City Hall on the north at 215 S.E. 7th and the Topeka Performing Arts Center and Topeka Municipal Court on the south at 214 S.E. 8th. City staff members suggest the governing body earmark [...]

EPA recognizes Dodge City for Excellence and Innovation in Clean Water Infrastructure

info2018-11-09T10:31:56-06:00November 9th, 2018|

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 30 clean water infrastructure projects for excellence and innovation within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. Honored projects include large wastewater infrastructure projects to small decentralized and agriculture projects. Thirty projects by state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were recognized by the 2018 PISCES program. Dodge City adopted an innovative approach to processing their wastewater byproducts. In recent years, the Dodge City South Wastewater Treatment Plant received an EPA grant towards a project to reuse 100 percent of its 1.7 billion gallons a year of treated effluent as irrigation for [...]

Downtown building in Hutchinson demolished to create urban pocket park

info2018-11-09T10:23:30-06:00November 9th, 2018|

A nearly 100-year-old downtown row building across the street from The Historic Fox Theater was demolished by the city last week to make room for a new “pocket park.” The building at 15 E. First Ave., which once housed the eyeglass lens manufacturing lab for Singleton Joyce Optical, then an antique store, and later briefly hosted a teen club for mentally-disabled youth, has been owned by the city for the last 20 years, said City Planning Director Jim Seitnater. The plan, said Seitnater, former Downtown Development Director, has always been to level the building and create access to parking lots on [...]

Shawnee Mission cities pitch long wish lists to perennially strapped Kansas transportation department

info2018-11-09T10:18:15-06:00November 9th, 2018|

With guarded optimism, city and county leaders stepped toward the perennially strapped Kansas transportation department Thursday with the highway and transit dreams they hold most dear. For Lenexa, a better interchange at Kansas Highway 10 and Lone Elm and the next phases of the Gateway project at Interstates 435 and 35 led the list. For Shawnee, it was additional lanes under I-35 at 75th Street and Kansas Highway 7 improvements north to the Kansas River bridge. Overland Park speakers proposed a deal of sorts. They’d hold off on the longer list of needs if the state would please, please grant their [...]

About info