info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Fight over new home design guidelines becomes central in Prairie Village mayoral race — and it’s gotten personal

info2018-10-09T06:22:29-05:00October 9th, 2018|

The set of new home design regulations approved on an 11-2 vote by the Prairie Village City Council last week has emerged as a bright dividing line between mayoral candidates Eric Mikkelson and Serena Schermoly. And it’s gotten personal. Schermoly and Ted Odell were the dissenting votes on the new guidelines when they came before the governing body for final approval after months of deliberation last Monday. Schermoly also made an unsuccessful attempt to amend the guidelines to exempt existing homeowners from key provisions on green space and massing. Mikkelson, on the other hand, has been a strong proponent of [...]

Lawrence City Commission to discuss raising age to buy tobacco products

info2018-10-09T07:16:40-05:00October 9th, 2018|

City leaders will soon consider whether Lawrence should join more than a dozen other cities in Kansas that have banned the sale of tobacco products to people under 21. During its work session Tuesday, the City Commission will begin discussion of a Tobacco 21 proposal. The measure would prohibit the sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and other devices that vaporize nicotine liquid, to people under 21, but would not ban the use of tobacco products for those ages 18-20. Read more: LJworld.com.

Taking the next step for turf decision at the Great Bend Sports Complex

info2018-10-08T09:33:11-05:00October 8th, 2018|

The City of Great Bend took the next step in determining whether or not turf will be installed at the baseball and softball fields at the Great Bend Sports Complex. Mayor Joe Andrasek appointed a committee at last week’s meeting to research the matter more in depth to present their findings to the rest of the council. There has been a push from community members, mostly coaches, to place turf at the Sports Complex to prevent rainouts and continue to keep the complex a topnotch facility. Great Bend transferred $1.3 million into a fund for the possibility of installing turf at [...]

Neosho County moves ahead with health department grant

info2018-10-08T09:28:15-05:00October 8th, 2018|

The Neosho County Health Department will move ahead with a $67,200 grant after the county commission gave its approval Friday. Commissioner David Bideau reportedly talked to a state official Thursday and determined the action could move forward in compliance with the state’s cash basis law. The US Department of Agriculture approved up to $67,200 to be reimbursed to the county for renovations of the Health Department offices in Chanute. The funds reportedly needed to be obligated no later than Sept. 30 for their intended purpose, but now officials say the project can go ahead despite missing the deadline. Health Department Administrator [...]

Spillway repair planned for Clark State Fishing Lake in Clark County

info2018-10-08T09:27:22-05:00October 8th, 2018|

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is planning a spillway repair project at Clark State Fishing Lake – a popular and scenic fishing spot in southwest Kansas. The lake is nestled in a rugged canyon along Bluff Creek in northwestern Clark County about 9 miles south of Kingsdown. The $1.6 million project is set to begin in December 2018 and will take about six months to complete – depending on weather conditions and any unforeseen issues. The project is necessary to repair parts of the spillway that have deteriorated or been damaged. The intent is to maintain the [...]

Neosho County continues to hear both sides on wind energy project

info2018-10-08T09:25:19-05:00October 8th, 2018|

Audience numbers have been up substantially since debate began over the Neosho Ridge wind energy project, and the public forum portion of Friday’s agenda had to be relocated to the larger courtroom to accommodate the crowd. Opponents Shirley Dillinger-Estrada and her husband John Estrada moved to Neosho County two months ago from Arlington, Texas, before they found out about the project. “I had a vision of where I wanted to live. I bought a view. I have a panoramic view of the countryside,” Dillinger-Estrada said. “Wind turbines were not part of the view in my life. If I wanted to live [...]

City council to discuss boosting Topeka’s visual appeal

info2018-10-08T09:23:16-05:00October 8th, 2018|

The Topeka City Council on Tuesday will discuss proposed changes to city building design standards aimed at improving Topeka’s visual appeal. The city’s governing body, consisting of the nine council members and Mayor Michelle De La Isla, plans to hear a presentation but not act on proposed amendments to city zoning rules that would change building design and landscaping rules for new non-residential construction. The proposed amendments have been encouraged by the Momentum 2022 campaign to enhance this community, the Land Use and Growth Management Plan 2040 the city adopted and a “visual appeal survey” city staff members conducted this year [...]

911 backup agreements in place for Cowley County Emergency Communications

info2018-10-08T09:14:45-05:00October 8th, 2018|

Cowley County Emergency Communications continues to upgrade it services, director Doug Allison told county commissioners at their meeting this week. CCEM has signed memorandums of agreement with Butler County, Sumner County and the Augusta Department of Safety to provide rollover and backup services for 911 calls and for Butler County Emergency Communications to provide rollover and backup services for Cowley County. Allison said the agreements were signed at the request of the Kansas 911 Coordinating Council, which is upgrading Cowley County’s emergency communication system. (Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com - RSS Results)

Salina utilizing ultrathin bonded asphalt surface (UBAS) maintenance

info2018-10-08T09:13:35-05:00October 8th, 2018|

On Monday through October 12, APAC-Kansas, Inc., Shears Division of Salina will perform the ultrathin bonded asphalt surface (UBAS) maintenance on the following streets for the City of Salina, weather permitting. This type of preventative maintenance is fairly new to Salina but has been used to help extend the life of many roads around the State of Kansas. It consists of a thin, coarse aggregate hot mix over a special asphalt membrane similar to a chip seal but placed in one pass with a spray paver. The membrane prevents water intrusion and provides a superior bond to the old asphalt. The [...]

Gardner city water concerns still urgent

info2018-10-08T09:09:07-05:00October 8th, 2018|

Gardner’s water woes dominated discussions during a city council meeting Oct. 1 with a consultant describing the current water situation in the city as urgent and fast approaching an emergency. Jeffrey Klein, a project manager at Burns and McDowell, an engineering firm with vast experience in water projects, told the council that the city is running out of time, and the city may experience frequent shortages in the near future. The company presented the city with several options to forestall shortages in the future including proposals to expand capacity from Hillsdale water reservoir, re-establishing Gardner Lake as a source and connecting [...]

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