info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Committee chairman voices frustrations on dirt roads

info2018-09-13T11:06:19-05:00September 13th, 2018|

The state of county roads was a hotbed of discussion at Monday’s county commission meeting. Chairman of the county road and bridge committee and Liberty township trustee, Lisa Peters, voiced her frustrations. “I’m coming forward for every resident who lives in Liberty, Menno, and Lehigh,” she said. “It’s over, the roads are gone.” The roads are full of pockmarks and the shoulders are overgrown, she said. Part of the problem is that the area is understaffed, Peters said. The employee hired to maintain roads in Liberty Township recently resigned because of the workload. “Part of the frustration is the roads are [...]

Will these new design standards protect Prairie Village’s charm? Commission votes

info2018-09-13T10:57:09-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Prairie Village’s latest attempt to control the development of large homes within the city received unanimous support from the Prairie Village Planning Commission on Tuesday. Commissioners voted to recommend approval for a slate of neighborhood design standards that is now headed for a City Council vote on Oct. 1. But the vote came only after more than two dozen residents and business owners weighed in on the proposal, showing that the issue of tear-downs and rebuilds within Prairie Village continues to generate emotions on both sides of the debate. Prairie Village, like other cities in northeast Johnson County, has seen a [...]

Commissioners reach consensus on mosquito spraying program

info2018-09-13T10:55:21-05:00September 13th, 2018|

When they met Tuesday, Leavenworth city commissioners reached a consensus to discontinue a program that sprays for mosquitoes in neighborhoods. But the city manager will have the authority to authorize the use of the mosquito spraying equipment if he deems it necessary. Last month, two entomologists visited with city commissioners about the city’s mosquito spraying program. They had been invited to meet with commissioners after some residents expressed concern about the program. Jeff Whitworth, an entomologist with Kansas State University, told commissioners that the spraying may provide relief from mosquitoes for a couple of hours, but the program will not put [...]

Leavenworth County Commissioners review five-district map

info2018-09-13T10:53:20-05:00September 13th, 2018|

The county clerk has presented a map of how Leavenworth County Commission districts can be redrawn if the commission is expanded to five members. “I think it’s a fair map,” County Clerk Janet Klasinski said. She presented the map to commissioners during a meeting Tuesday. In November, voters in the county will determine if the commission should be expanded from three members to five. A group called Give Me Five successfully collected the necessary signatures to have a question regarding the expansion of the County Commission placed on the ballot for the general election. Last week, Commission Chairman Louis Klemp said [...]

Recount requested in bond election in Leavenworth County

info2018-09-13T10:51:37-05:00September 13th, 2018|

When they met Tuesday, Leavenworth County commissioners certified the results from a recent Basehor-Linwood school bond election. But someone who was connected to the bond issue is asking for a recount. Commissioners certified the election results while acting as the Board of County Canvassers. Mail ballots were used in the school bond election. Voters were required to return their ballots by noon Thursday. The $57.1 million bond issue had been divided into two questions on the ballot. The first question proposed two new elementary schools and other facility improvements totaling $51.6 million. This proposition was approved with 2,591 “yes” votes and [...]

Erie addresses issue with grass in streets

info2018-09-13T10:48:16-05:00September 13th, 2018|

The city of Erie may start cracking down on cut grass blown into streets. During a Monday evening Erie City Council meeting, resident Chris Harris reported grass in the streets is a hazard to motorcyclists and bicyclists and also clogs the stormwater sewer system and the street sweeper. In previous years, discussions and newspaper articles were used in an effort to educate Erie residents to make a few rounds around lawns blowing cut grass inward instead of out onto the streets. Harris said the problem seems to be getting worse. The council discussed creating an ordinance against blowing grass onto city [...]

Florence City Council under fire

info2018-09-13T10:38:44-05:00September 13th, 2018|

For the second time in three weeks, the Florence city council removed details from previous meeting minutes. Councilman Matt Williams moved to condense a section of the Aug. 20 meeting minutes. The condensed section included a comment from resident Darla Spencer criticizing the council, saying she would “think hard next time she went to the polls.” Williams motioned to change the description to say she and other community members expressed concerns about the Crystal Springs situation. The motion passed 3-1. “I want to cut these pages down from six pages or 13 pages,” he said. “Just a couple would be great. [...]

At 91, the ‘personality of Sedgwick County’ retires, plans to help ‘them older folks’

info2018-09-13T11:54:40-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Eula West, 91, retired Wednesday as the lobby receptionist at the Sedgwick County Courthouse, where she worked for 49 years. She tells a story of how she once had to cut a sheriff's lieutenant's hair at the front desk. ... If you sit at the reception desk at the Sedgwick County Courthouse long enough, you might end up saving somebody’s job — or maybe somebody’s life. And Eula West sat at that desk for a very long time — since 1969. Do the math and that’s 49 years, but who’s counting? At age 91, Eula West finally called it a career. [...]

Ark City PD plans bike registration rally

info2018-09-13T10:27:52-05:00September 13th, 2018|

The Arkansas City Police Department is planning a new event to register community bicycles and raise awareness of the importance of serial numbers. Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, officers will conduct the first-ever “Bike Registration Rally” in Ark City. The purpose of the event is to register as many bicycles with the police department as possible throughout the day. The goal is to register at least 100 bikes, but police would like to register even more. Officers will be monitoring their Facebook and Twitter accounts for addresses beginning at 9 a.m. They will make house calls anywhere within the city limits [...]

Sales tax approval to replace existing sales tax in Ark City

info2018-09-13T10:27:06-05:00September 13th, 2018|

Voter approval of a permanent, one-cent sales tax to support South Central Kansas Medical Center means that both existing taxes with sunset clauses will be retired when the new tax takes affect, Arkansas City officials reiterated this week. A half-cent tax was originally set to expire March 31 and a one-cent tax had an end date of Sept. 30, 2026. Both taxes were approved by voters. With the passage of the permanent, one-cent tax by mail-in ballot last week, both existing taxes will be repealed Dec. 31. Comments made by Commissioner Duane Oestmann reported in Friday’s CourierTraveler indicated the city could [...]

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