info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Leavenworth County Commissioner proposes work session for funding mental health program for schools

info2018-10-11T09:11:10-05:00October 11th, 2018|

A Leavenworth County commissioner proposed Tuesday that commissioners schedule a work session to discuss a proposal for funding a mental health program for schools. This past summer, Kim Knight, an assistant principal at Leavenworth High School, appeared before the County Commission with a proposal for a program for school districts contracting with a mental health provider to provide services for area students for suicide prevention and other mental health issues. The program would provide services to students in the Leavenworth, Lansing, Easton, Basehor-Linwood and Tonganoxie school districts. Knight asked that a question appear on an election ballot to see if voters [...]

Former downtown Overland Park car wash coming down to make way for 20 new parking spaces

info2018-10-11T09:07:17-05:00October 11th, 2018|

Demolition crews today are at work taking down the former car wash in downtown Overland Park to make way for more parking. The city purchased the former Dyna-Jet Car Wash for $600,000 earlier this year as it sought to address continued parking issues in the area. Once demolition is completed, crews will resurface the site, which sits due north of the Farmers Market structure, and create a parking lot with 20 new spaces. The city posted video of the demolition in progress earlier today. (Read more: Prairie Village Post - Neighborhood news and events for Prairie Village, Fairway, Mission Hills)

Haysville works to compromise over political signs

info2018-10-11T09:02:30-05:00October 11th, 2018|

The issue easily took up most of the night at the Haysville City Council meeting Tuesday. "My biggest concern is the state overstepping their bounds," Steven Crum said. Crum is a Haysville city council member but also a state representative. He said he advocated to repeal the law in the previous session and the majority of the Kansas House of Representatives voted to do just that. However, the bill died in the Kansas Senate. "I think cities and counties should be able to choose when they want these signs displayed," Crum said. "So I have more of a problem with what [...]

New Prairie Village park will need to remove church steeple

info2018-10-11T08:58:58-05:00October 11th, 2018|

A new Prairie Village park, soon to be under construction, will need to remove the church steeple saved from the original Faith Lutheran Church. The steeple was saved in hopes of incorporating into the new North Park. (Read more: KC Breaking News, Sports & Crime |)

Fort Scott receives update on fiber optics installation

info2018-10-11T08:58:06-05:00October 11th, 2018|

Representatives of the Girard-based Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative updated the Fort Scott City Commission on Oct. 2 on the company’s continuing plans for a fiber optic buildout within the city. In late 2017, the company began working with the city on installation of fiber. The company is currently finishing up fiber work in Pittsburg and plan to have multiple teams in Fort Scott in the coming weeks and months performing installation of fiber optic cables underground. “The city has been fantastic to work with,” Craw-Kan General Manager Craig Wilbert said. “We’ve done some limited work around town. Things are starting to happen [...]

Goddard moves closer towards STAR Bonds

info2018-10-11T08:56:50-05:00October 11th, 2018|

The Goddard STAR Bond Development moved closer to fruition after the Goddard City Council passed an amendment that reassigned master developer rights for the project. Master development rights for five years were reassigned from Goddard Destination Development to Goddard Sports, LCC, a company owned by Wichita entrepreneur Rodney Steven. The agreement calls for construction on Phase I of the development to begin no later than Dec. 31 of this year. According to the Times-Sentinel, Phase I includes a 123-room IHG Holiday Inn; a 60,000 square-foot indoor aquatic center with 10 lap lanes, 600-spectator seating, an indoor water park; four competition softball/baseball [...]

Topeka councilwomen object to removal of vote on neighborhood funding

info2018-10-11T09:40:10-05:00October 11th, 2018|

Topeka Councilwomen Karen Hiller and Sylvia Ortiz expressed dismay Tuesday evening that city manager Brent Trout plans to no longer let the city’s governing body vote on how to distribute financing for two programs that benefit neighborhoods. “I think it’s wise for us to be involved,” Ortiz said regarding the authorization of funding for Neighborhood Empowerment Grants and Stages of Resource Targeting. Trout told members of the city’s governing body — consisting of the nine council members and Mayor Michelle De La Isla — that because they had approved a 2019 city budget authorizing the funding amounts, he considered it within [...]

Utility Rate Reviews — for free?!

info2018-10-10T14:23:12-05:00October 10th, 2018|

Among the many public finance services that we provide, our firm also performs utility rate reviews. We will complete a detailed review of past, current and future expenditures and revenues to produce an analysis that provides informed decision-making for governing bodies and staff. Have a project coming up that needs financed? As registered Municipal Advisors, we are able to discuss, different financing options, structure, and timing. Wanting to look at revising the rate structure? We can offer suggestions for changes and account for them within the review. Needing to build up reserves for future capital improvement projects? We can do that [...]

Ottawa adopts new Impact Fee Policy

info2018-10-10T12:26:36-05:00October 10th, 2018|

Ottawa recently adopted an Impact Fee Policy as part of their city code. As stated in the purpose section 13-701: The City of Ottawa encourages the development of each part of the City to its highest and best use for the maximum benefit of all citizens. The use of impact fees helps properly assess the costs of necessary infrastructure between the city at large and those specific properties which may derive a direct benefit. There are times that the use of impact fees is more desirable to the City than using the Kansas General Improvement and Assessment Law (K.S.A. 12-6a01 et [...]

Township road grader operator rescues pair stranded in high water

info2018-10-10T09:58:02-05:00October 10th, 2018|

A township road grader operator rescued two people in a car stranded in floodwater in Reno County Tuesday evening. Then firefighters conducted a second rescue – after the equipment operator dropped them at a nearby house, which was unreachable to EMS because of the high water. The pair, an 83-year-old Abbyville man and his 56-year-old daughter, who lived on Sterling Road, were attempting to get the man home, but kept running into roads closed by high water, said Reno County Sheriff Sgt. Lance Smith. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

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