info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Outside engineer hired by Crawford County finds little concern about Silverback plan

info2018-10-22T09:49:26-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

A report from an engineer hired by Crawford County said he does not foresee any significant damage on Crawford County property from stormwater runoff in proposed the Silverback Landing Development. Neighboring residents had concerns about water run-off from the development area. After discussion with the City of Pittsburg and the public, the county decided to hire Senior Engineer of Agricultural Engineering Associates Inc. Frank Young to create a report of findings of the Silverback Landing Subdivision. The report was to be completed before the county made a decision on the Rural Housing Incentive District for the Silverback Landing Subdivision during its [...]

Hays taps Russell fire chief for deputy fire chief

info2018-10-22T08:06:49-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

When Shane Preston starts Nov. 13 in his new role as deputy fire chief for the city of Hays, he’ll be assisting Fire Chief Ryan Hagans as well as the department’s 22 full-time firefighters. Preston is currently fire department chief in Russell, where he’s worked as a firefighter for 18 years. “He’s done a lot for the city of Russell, bringing them into a modern fire department,” said Hagans. “He brings in fresh ideas, and he’s a forward thinker and good with public events. He has a lot of what we’d like to bring to Hays.” The deputy fire chief’s role [...]

Coordinated cleanup underway at Pittsburg contaminated site

info2018-10-22T08:06:48-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and a southeastern city have partnered to clean up and re-purpose contaminated property for use in future commercial development. The Joplin Globe reports that the coordinated cleanup that's underway in Pittsburg is targeting contaminated soil left behind by a former zinc-smelting plant, Weir City Zinc Works. The plant operated from around 1880 to 1920 and left concentrations of arsenic, cadmium and zinc on the property. Deputy City Manager Jay Byers says the cleanup is the first step for Pittsburg to put the land into productive use. After completion of the cleanup, the city hopes [...]

Residents fire complaints to Apex at Neosho County meeting

info2018-10-22T07:16:41-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

Heated discussion about a proposed wind generation facility drew a rebuke from a Neosho County Commissioner Friday morning. Commissioner Jennifer Orr warned people against sarcasm and hostility during public comments at Friday’s commission meeting. Opponent Dustie Elsworth raised an issue with a document that had been submitted to the state, which said Apex Clean Energy does not own or lease agricultural land. Apex plans to build 100 to 130 electricity-generating wind turbines in the Neosho Ridge project in the southwestern part of the county. Apex Senior Development Manager Jade Scheele said Elsworth should have brought the question to Apex directly, and [...]

City of Fort Scott to apply for grant to fund runway extension project

info2018-10-22T07:13:11-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

Developments continue on a proposed multi-million dollar project to expand and extend the runway at the Fort Scott Municipal Airport. City officials have applied for a federal grant through the Federal Aviation Administration to fund a project that would expand the current runway an additional 2,500 feet and widen it an extra 12 feet on each side. State and federal grants have been sought as engineering and survey work continues on the project. City officials have lobbied for grant money since an economic development opportunity arose for the airport in late 2017. In May, the Fort Scott airport was one of [...]

Homeowners balk at placement of wind turbines

info2018-10-22T07:08:29-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

Citizens concerned about the Neosho Ridge Wind Project expressed some alarm on Wednesday about how close the wind turbines would be to homes. Dustie Elsworth, rural Erie, said he and others have been in contact with Apex Clean Energy, the company proposing the wind project, in an attempt to negotiate the company’s proposed setback of 1,400 feet from homes’ foundations, not property lines. Given the proposed height of the turbines of 610 feet, based on forms filed by Apex with the Federal Aviation Administration, the group prefers at least a mile setback from properties, but said they were told by Apex [...]

Haysville City Council comes to consensus on sign ordinance

info2018-10-22T07:07:01-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

After months of discussion, the Haysville City Council seemed to reach an agreement on the city’s sign ordinance at its Oct. 9 meeting. A Kansas statute requires municipalities to allow the display of temporary political signs up to 45 days before an election. On Feb. 23, a bill repealing the Kansas statute passed 100-25 in the House of Representatives, but it died once it reached the Senate. According to the Haysville Sun-Times, Haysville’s sign code is in conflict with the statue because it allows unlicensed, temporary signs to be displayed for up to 14 days before an election, but it doesn’t [...]

Lawrence seeks sexual harassment training for bar staff

info2018-10-22T07:00:12-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

Lawrence city leaders want bar staff to be prepared to respond to predatory behavior, harassment and sexual assault. Commissioners asked city staff last week to work with drinking establishments and other stakeholders in developing a requirement that drinking establishments receive SafeBar sexual violence and bystander intervention training as a condition of their local license. That local license is in addition to the state liquor license. Commissioner Jennifer Ananda, an attorney and social worker who handles complaints of discrimination and harassment at the University of Kansas in her role as deputy Title IX coordinator and policy specialist, originally proposed that the commission [...]

Banker survey: Farmland prices expected to drop in Kansas

info2018-10-22T06:58:47-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

A new survey says farmland prices are expected to continue their decline in parts of 10 Plains and Western states. The latest Rural Mainstreet survey shows that on average, bank CEOs in the region estimated farmland prices declined by 4 percent over the past 12 months. They expect farmland prices to fall by another 3.2 percent over the next 12 months. The overall economic index for the region increased slightly to 54.3 from 51.5 in September. That score still suggests growth because it is above 50, while any score below 50 indicates a shrinking economy. (Read more: The Salina Post)

Sales tax up for renewal in Oswego

info2018-10-22T06:57:18-05:00October 22nd, 2018|

The city’s 1 cent sales tax is up for renewal. This is NOT a new tax, just the renewal of the existing sales tax. The renewal question will be on the November ballot. The sales tax is designated for use to maintain Oswego’s streets and parks (which includes making the bond payment for the community building). With the tax lid on, the sales tax revenue is even more important than before as there is no other source to make up for the loss in revenue if the question doesn’t pass. (Read more: Oswego KS)

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